A progress report after two days. Module 1 is the first 3' x 2' baseboard which includes the station platform, goods shed and weigh bridge hut.

I should mention here that the structures you will see on the photos were all made by Steve (steveNCB7754) and purchased last year when I first mentioned that I was looking at starting this project. Steve's models are superb and I hope I can do justice to them with the rest of the layout. (Steve, the station has been slightly disassembled on purpose, please don't panic!)

As noted in the previous post, my baseboard design has the philosophy of light strength. So the materials are minimal but with a honeycomb approach that seems to be working out well. The frame consists of MDF base/skirting board material available here in France, strengthened with strips of 15x15 and 10x20 mm pine. On top of this is a 20mm thick sheet of polystyrene board used for insulation in the real world. This has sound deadening properties but is quite soft so has to be treated with care. It also needs plenty of support so additional supports will be added where necessary prior to gluing to the framework.

The buildings were designed to sit in the layout, so openings in the polystyrene sheet have been cut and a sub-frame added to screw the buildings to. There will be interior lighting as part of the project, so the buildings will be removable.

The copper clad flat bottom OO-SF track will be built in situ on a cork road bed. The design used Templot © and some of the photos below show the print out for this module. See earlier posts for more details on the track plan design.

Well, enough writing, how about a few photos.

The weather here has been warm and sunny, so the balcony/loggia has been my workshop. Here the basic frame takes shape:

Meanwhile, the Templot prints were taped together and placed on the polystyrene sheet, together with the three structures. The Earl was added but is swamped by the height of the platform, yet to be sunk into the polystyrene.

The structures need a sub-strate to be screwed into:

Next the polystyrene sheet was cut so that the structures could be test fitted. The Earl looks a lot better for it!

The view from the other end, looking toward where the buffer stops will be:

And a bird's eye view:

Unfortunately this photo shows some serious buckling in the paper template which won't be present in the final version!

Tomorrow will see additional bracing added to the frame and then the polystyrene glued down.