I don't know what it is about when I go on holiday but I usually get an idea about building a layout and then I have a tendancy to actually follow through and build the thing! This time was no exception. Not only was I modelling in OO but I had some time to myself to sketch some ideas for a new module which could double as an extension to my current French layout (Neuvic Entier) or a stand alone exhibition layout.

So yesterday I went to the DIY store and purchased the materials to start building the base boards and today I got to work.

It went from this:

To this:

This was the most complex set of baseboards I have built so far and I have made a few mistakes and before I could finish making the screws tight my drills battery ran out so further work is necessary but I am quite pleased about it. The most annoying mistake I made was the inset for the valley is slightly higher on one side than the other. I had even made sure that this was taken into account in the design phase. However when I was building it I completely forgot! Still it is very minor and the bridge that will get put over the valley there should solve that problem.

Anyway the track plan is simple with a small station on the right hand side of the layout with a single siding. From right to left the running line will go through the station, carry on skirting the edge of a forested mountain, then it will cross the valley on a bridge before skirting the edge of another mountain and running off scene to the left. I intend to have a go at making a cassette storage system for this layout and I have designed two removable 2 foot long cassette holders and the associated cassettes.

The backscene will be photographs of the area stitched together using photoshop and I am bolting the board to the layout so that I can work on the structural elements until I get the backscene printed.

I am hoping that this might take about a year to get to a decent standard to take out and about. I will have to see how this timeframe goes.

Stephen