Quite literally in this case - raising the lighting bar.

When I built the lighting support for the summer module, I set it at the same height as the spring and winter modules, both of which had (in my view) worked quite well in terms of framing the scene. But something wasn't quite right. I rebuilt the summer module's lighting arrangement at least three times over the years, but it never sat well with me, and finally the penny dropped - it was too low. The module is much longer and deeper than the other two, and setting the bar at the same height resulted in a cramped, letterbox-style presentation which not only looked claustrophobic, but also severely restricted the viewing angles (as well as access) into the scene, with some bits being all but concealed. Finally I decided to bite the bullet and replace it completely, with a new set-up raised about 15cm higher than the old. It can't go much higher as it's getting very near the ceiling.

The result is much nicer; I haven't tidied it up yet so won't show any overall shots of the fascia etc, but already I can get elevated shots which weren't possible before:

The benefits of this new rig are twofold - not only can I get to see some of my modelling again, such as the allotment - all but lost behind the goods shed, until now - but the raised aspect means that the light falls at a slightly more realistic angle. Everything looks a llittle less bright, but more convincingly lit - to my eye, at least. Under the old arrangement, it was almost too bright at track level, and the lighting was almost side-on for things at the rear of the scene.

Note the trusty old Superquick church, slowly being reworked with exterior details and texturing, as well as the timber-framed houses from the same supplier, which have full-relief timbering and new roofs. I get quite attached to these old models!

Althought it's not really obvious from these shots, I also reworked the alignment of the backscene on the right side of the module, extending the scenic area by about two square feet. This opens up an area which had previously been a bit cramped and unsatisfying, as well as allowing scope for some reworking of existing elements, such as the road which cuts away beyond the level crossing. I've never been happy about the sharp bend to the left, immediately after the gates, so one of the next jobs will be to straighten out this road and realign the cottages. All good fun, in my book!