Nothing very dramatic here, just a bit more progress in the general direction of scenery. I've begun adding some additional fencing along the road, and developed it more greenery on the right side of the layout. It all helps with the feeling that the layout is slowly knitting together.

These rustic wooden fences were made using Peco plastic sheets, cut into short lengths with scissors, then suitably abused along the top to suggest a degree of creeping dereliction. As with the earlier corrugated fencing I added, I've scraped along the backs of the tops to lessen the thickness of the sheet a bit, although it's a dodge that only works well from the front.

The corrugated stuff will eventually continue along nearly the whole length of the layout, hiding the wheels of the locos from view when viewed from a low angle.

The much-modified 57XX is settling down quite nicely with its new motor, although time will tell whether it's mainly rostered on passenger or freight duties. Passenger operation is generally more forgiving as there is a lot less stopping and starting than shunting, although it does seem to be acquitting itself reasonably well in the latter role.

Easing into view below is another Bachmann Farish 64XX which I've just acquired, and the plan is for this one to be mainly rostered on the auto-train. My first 64Xx was such a sweet runner (still is) that it was a no-brainer to acquire a second, filling another "pannier" slot in the absence of better reliability from the Dapol models. This one still has its standard N gauge couplings, but they'll soon be for the chop. I think it makes a huge difference to the realism of these locos to put less obtrusive couplings on, far more of an equivalent gain than in the larger scales.

Another view of the 57XX. This has had a dose of weathering, which does help bring out the excellent body detail.

A couple of tank wagons. The idea is that they've just been shunted here temporarily, before waiting to be attached to another train. I've been slowly adding more wagons with DG couplings - still got a couple more to do but at the moment there's just enough variety for a short operating session, or a long one if you take lots of cups of tea between moves!

A low-down view showing a Hornby Little End resin chapel, which looked to be just the ticket for Paynestown. I'm not sure if it'll remain in this spot - I'm still at the shuffling things around stage, seeing what works where and what doesn't. There were two chapels on the original layout, with a small tin tabernacle and a much larger brick-built one, but I think there'll just be this one here for now.

General work around the goods shed has seen some preliminary neatening up of the hard road surface. Comparison with much earlier shots will also show how I cut back the foreground siding a bit, allowing better access to the goods shed. It meant losing a few wagon spots but I think the trade-off was worth it in terms of things not looking too cramped and contrived. Although it's still compact and bijou!

Yes (above) that TOPS branded 12T van is a bit anomalous but it'll get weathered or something in due course so that the out-of-era branding is not so prominent.

Below, the 64XX and auto-coach wait in the bay. Being plain DC, I've wired section switches for the bay, platform and run-round loop, so while only one engine can move at a time, trains can be held on-scene for added interest and variety.

And that's about it for now, hopefully still lots of fun ahead. Thanks for reading.