It was about mid-August 2009 before I could do any more work on the baseboards. Part of the problem was funding. Being a student, I don't have much money! However after three weeks working as a fencing Instructor for a Kids Camp (thats the sword fighting variety and not the white picket fencing variety) I was ready to start work once more!

Scenic matts were ordered from Noch, and stuck own with diluted PVA glue after being cut to size and shape. I tightened the matts at the edges with a nail gun, this allows a relatively flat and smooth finish.

This also meant I could have some fun with my permanent way train:

I used the standard Hornby flathead track pins -or least, I thought they were still standard! It turns out that the Hornby track pins are now round heads, something I'm a little puzzled by - the flat heads seem to me to be easier to position and then hammer in. In any event, I managed to find a small pot of the old style pins, so kept on laying track until all the track was laid.

I was enjoying this enormously. This was actually the first time I had done any prior planning or making the decisions on the style and content of the "layout" (I use the term loosely!). In many respects I am aware its a glorified roundy-round train set, but in the context of filming for the series, it works incredibly well.

Here's a better overall view of the section of Copley Hill I was trying to recreate - note the the two Peco 3-way points utilised in the shed approach:

Then it was time to start doing some ballasting, again using my trusty permanent way train:

At the same time, I started work on the backscene - the carriage works at Copley Hill, which will be covered in a separate update post:

It was basically a spare bit of kitchen table top wood which was cut to shape using the original backscene as a template.

In the next update I'll be looking at the concrete base for the shed, and a recap of the ballasting which took place.

Until next time!