In April of last year I said not to expect frequent posts here and there has only been one post since that date.

My 4mm finescale modelling has not completely stopped but I've done little worth writing about with any of my EM or S4 layouts and stock. There has however been big progress on building baseboards, mounting them without soil connection and then track laying, through most of last summer and autumn. No electrical wiring required because this is all live steam with remote radial control or battery driven electric with radio control

Therefore I'm happy to report that I now have a garden railway of sorts, albeit devoid of buildings or scenic features, but with a passing loop on the main line, a secondary 'roundy-roundy' and two turn-outs ready for siding connection. A few pics of the garden below.

I spoke about the special train 'Diamond Jubilee', and work on that is slowly progressing. A few goods wagons are built, but no guards van! My first loco has been built but still needs the livery completing, it has however done plenty of work, mainly test hauling rolling stock, both passenger and freight, all of this giving test running all over the layout too.

This loco is a small, freelance diesel, radio controlled, battery driven. The electronic part of that was yet another learning curve but I can see a future for this type of control in the smaller gauges - I understand it has already been applied to RTR N gauge with success! Think about it, - no track wiring, no track cleaning, absolutely no pick-up problems, loco control like the real thing, - like being in the real cab, - that is individual control (feed in the loco address) and then, with a wireless remote control, beautifully smooth speed control from crawl at less than walking speed to "eat your heart out Mallard"!

All the builds have so far been from kits but those little grey cells are already starting to itch!

As a closing giggle I will tell you that the larger baseboards out in the garden are based on the baseboard design I started this blog to talk about - extruded pvc insulation foam, light as feathers but much, much stronger. Oh!, for those considering this a doubtful idea, particularly outside, the largest of the boards has now spent two winters out there and shows not a hint of twist or decay.

Random pics of the full route.