Winter is a bad time to be in a loft. I could heat it, but that would be a bit wasteful, although not as wasteful as a Patio Heater, a Chimenea, or those radiant heaters that are so fashionable for cafes seeking to extend their outdoor comforts. On a windy day the place is draughty enough to be uncomfortable, and I might even be unlucky enough to get a nice dose of PM 2.5 via any of the woodburners installed in nearby houses. But still there are days. A good dose of sunshine and provided the air temperature is up to 8 or 9C the conditions in the loft are quite tolerable for maybe 4 hours even in mid January. But I don’t need or plan to spend that long up there, as I can do some work downstairs making trips up only to check some aspect of the fitting of a project, as I am in the building phase of the layout and will be for next 12 months I should think.

The main winter project is anything related to the overhead section that creates a figure of 8 layout. As we know trains can’t manage massive gradients and construction of gradient sections need a lead-in and lead-out of decreasing severity so the transition from flat to tilt is smooth.  So the sections in OO gauge have to be quite long having transitions with less gain of height than average. I tested trains on the planned gradient and being a mock-up it was more of a challenge than the real model so I’m optimistic. I also planned in longer transitions on the rising side, both sides of the layout.

Then there is the complexity of fixed structures in the loft which means that the viaduct work has to be threaded between trusses. Therefore the section of viaduct I’m working on requires a long straight section, then a curved one with a reverse section in it, then a girder viaduct model section, before more curves and even a set of points. Those last are on the level, although I think they would work on a small gradient I’m not risking it.

So over the worst of the winter I have built a series of sections of the overhead, based on ply with walls and other brickwork made from foamboard sections with brick paper laminated to them. I wouldn’t pretend that I’m building to exhibition standard because the time and effort equation doesn’t permit it at this stage where track support is fundamental to the success of the build but the quality of decor over such long lengths has been skimped on, to get it built this century. Later, when the layout is running I plan to build some set pieces to high standard when it doesn’t matter so much how long it takes.

If I got any really warm days I put way the building and go back to track laying with point motor installations. I broke a point last week and I don’t have a spare, just knocked the tie bar out. It’s still working but I can’t afford to leave it as replacement later would be a nightmare.

So the pictures show the viaduct being built and one shows the track section I’m working on, which will be my through station. I have to take great care to ensure the tracks are absolutely parallel through this section as I will prefabricate the platforms and if I build them the wrong width that’s one thing but the sections have to be rectangular otherwise the whole thing becomes too difficult. Platform setup in my opinion is one of the hardest parts of general modelling because that gap needs to be spot on and in relation to scale the more clearance is left the more ridiculous the gap is in scale terms. I’m not a perfectionist when it comes to scale by any means, but if your stations are the showpieces of the layout it’s an area to spend time and effort on.

I don’t know how other people have attacked the problem of maintaining track power on a viaduct. As I am committed to having droppers on all principal track sections, the question was how to handle that where there is a closed viaduct with walls both sides, so no access to the underside. I decided to fit long (up to 9cm droppers), long enough to pass through corresponding baseboard holes. Being hidden the holes can be large, I had no problem placing the droppers which are solid copper wire, through the holes to interface with the rest of the power supply system below, having planned the holes to correspond with the brick plinths of each section. Planning, planning, more planning........

The pictures show only a placing in position to check all is well at an intermediate stage in the building, I will do a bit of tidying up – those bridge arches are quite awful.

But generally I have made a lot of progress and the viaduct section will be completed by the end of winter at this rate.