Hello and greetings once more from Sproston.
With Autumn now here I thought a few more general views of the layout might be appropriate, rather than just concentrating on the locomotives and rolling stock.
At the present time I am busy attempting to construct a timetable for the layout - trying to provide a suitable framework and purpose to the running of the railway.
This is proceeding fairly well, using a template previously published in RMWEB and adjusted to suit the circumstances and layout of Sproston.
More on this next time.  Now to the photos
The first two are views of the mainline as it skirts 'Sproston Creamery' .The first features the Up Advanced Starting signal, which is still mounted on a tall wooden post due to the sighting difficulties faced by trains leaving the station and approaching Sproston tunnel. The loco shed can be seen in the background, along with the end and part of the rear wall of the signal box.
The Creamery seems to be busy with a road delivery (by B.R.S.) of sacks and crates, along with its normal processing activities, another load of milk in churns is being unloaded and tested.
The second picture is from above the tunnel mouth, showing the Down Outer Home Signal - much shorter to allow it to be seen from inside the mouth of the tunnel, note the lush green grass around here.!

Then we move round to near the turntable, the PWay are busy shuffling some sleepers about alongside the signalbox, close to their hut - looks like there will be some spot resleepering going on nearby soon. They are being observed by one of the workers in the Creamery - probably a member of the 'tank wash gang'.

The fourth picture is my favourite and is taken from the top of the loco water tower looking towards the station, obviously taken at a quiet time, with no trains present.
Further proof that there are no trains signalled may be found in the next picture, taken standing in the 4' and looking towards the stops - truly 'the end of the line'......
The Guard on the platform is about to chastise the photographer for contravening a number of British Railway Bylaws, and setting a bad example to other passengers. By contrast the porters chatting in the background near the station do not seem unduly worried...the shunter in the yard looks on disapprovingly.

Picture six is the small loco shed, this shelters the branch push pull tank loco and it is obviously 'out' at the moment, in fact the only item ' on shed' is a single 16 ton mineral wagon with a fresh supply of loco coal. The railwayman on the coaling stage looks like he has had enough for today.

Picture seven is a view into the Creamery yard from the gap between the main admin block building and the boilerhouse/water tower .Looking at the sky, rain is threatening!

The next photo of All Saints Church was taken from the roof of the Creamery, the photographer (holding the camera at a drunken angle) has also captured the derelict WW2 pillbox on top of the high ground bordering Chapel Road.

Pictures nine and ten show the location of "Much Fiddling", - this is the next station along from Sproston.and the location of the hidden sidings, which despite being extended to be double decked are still no where near big enough to hold all of the rolling stock that I have amassed.

As I have run out of pictures, this seems to be a suitable place to end this missive, so until next time.
Thank you for looking in, any comments are always welcome
Regards,
SIGTECH.
(Steve.)