The next task was to cut an entry hole from the fiddle yard.

I don't know if you are like me, but I find it a bit daunting cutting holes in or otherwise modifiying (and therefore potentially ruining) any expensive and lovely model. This is why, even though I was pleased with my weathering on some wagons, I haven't yet built up the courage to tackle a locomotive yet.

I mean, I know most things that go wrong can be sorted with a bit of work, but there is a feeling that it might all go horribly wrong. And in this case it sort of did, but, as I said, even a wobble can get fixed and I was happy with the result.

Anyway, the baseboard may be a lovely but of craftsmanship, but it's not much use without access to the fiddleyard, so off we go.

Firstly, I cut out a cardboard arch to get an idea of the size, and drew round it onto the end of the layout - making sure it was dead in the center of course.

I planned to use a big wood screw to cut the corners and then cut up with the electric jigsaw.

I worked out carefully out the centers so I could drill the hole in the right place and thus I would get a nice neat hole (well, that was the plan).

The wood drill did try to drift a bit as the blade parts stareted to cut but it was was fairly cooperative and I was quite happy.

However this miscreant, whether because it's a cheap nasty or because I haven't used it more than twice ever, decided not to cooperate.

What a mess! All of poor Tim's hard work buidling this thing and I go and do this outrage to it! The shame!

Anyway these guys came to the rescue.

After a bit of work tidying up, it's now looking at least presentable. In actual fact it will be hidden, but I do want it to be at least presentable.

While I was testing the size, I used the Peco track on top of a spacer to repsent the track height - with the foresight of using a length with a buffer stop to make sure it didn't run off the end. I wouldn't necessarily be able to put it right if it smashed into a thousand pieces, I guess incidents of that nature are why modellers so often have grounded bodies as stores etc on their layouts.