This is my first attempt at blogging of any sort - so you'll have to excuse typos, poor quality photos and lack of track plan for the time being...

Having finally moved to a house where there's sufficient space to build a layout in a dry and warm space (last one was in a garage and suffered from damp, mice and nesting birds), I've spent the summer doing all the right things for my other half, so can now get started.

I'm fortunate that the available space is reasonably large (28ft x 19ft) and will allow various configurations - station to fiddle yard for serious operating and various options for a 4 track "roundy" for the grandchildren or friends who just want to play trains.

My last two layouts have always had a Southern theme and as I've build up a large amount of SR related stock, I'm continuing with that. My plan is to create a fictitious station at Clapton on the old LSWR Salisbury to Exeter main line. The village of Clapton exists and is situated between Crewkerne and Chard Junction (it's actually just a mile from where we're now living). Added modellers licence will be provided by a fictitious GWR branch between Somerton and Bridport which crosses the LSWR at Clapton. This will allow a sizeable station - not the size of Yeovil Junction but not far off. There's also a plan to create a single line scenic section as part of the Clapton to Bridport line. This will be situated above the non-scenic storage lines, but won't be started until I'm 100% sure that everything beneath is working as it should!

Gauge is OO and track will be a mix of C&L (scenic sections) and Peco 75 on the non scenic part. Pointwork will be Peco at the more complex east end of Clapton station with Marcway and some handmade C&L at the west end. Careful ballasting should allow it all to fit together well.

Baseboards are now complete and track laying's progressing well. I've stuck with analogue rather than moving to DCC, which will give me a major headache with wiring up 50 sections to operate with any one of 4 controllers...and then there's 80+ point motors to fit.

So, I'll be grateful for help, advice (especially on late 1950's operating practice on this section) .... even criticism!
A couple of initial pictures here. More to follow as things move on...