I managed to complete the base board for the first section of our narrow gauge Games Workshop scale railway last week, mostly from scrap wood and after some digging in the loft, e-bay bargain hunting I got some track sorted.

The young people have started track laying this week after a discussion about the limits of board size, end to end running and loco release. They have decided to have the main running line near the back as a through line, with this module being a passing loop (short!) or relief siding serving a bunker or artillery complex.

As you can see the baseboard is not very long or wide, to allow us to link it to our modular gaming boards and for ease of storage. It just fits in my Minor!

Here the current selection of rolling stock can be seen, comprising of a load of (very) old Triang wagon chassis, which are suitably bulky and should survive beginners handling and provide a good basis for scratch building. The first Loco is a cheap Bachman American diesel with a simple motor bogie, again allowing scope for chopping to suit, but coming with all wheel pick ups and a light bulb for a headlamp.

After some practice cutting on scrap bits of flexi track we started by learning to lay set track as the running line, then moved on to the trickier flexi lengths in the siding/loop, here the kids are doing some awkward transition curves as we needed at least 6cm between the tracks to allow for wide overhangs on the wagons and stock. This meant the nice electrofrog points had a bit of a shallow angle for the siding, meaning bending was a bit fraught!

At the end of 2 hours we had this, long enough for the loco and 2 wagons, or storage and unloading for 3 wagons. The siding will be modelled as a stop for troops on their way to the front and as an unloading spot for artillery shells for the nearby battery. For the running line we will have a flack wagon and elements of an armoured train, Panzerzug style, with troop carriers and covered wagons.

The track will now be mounted on foam board and the scenic work can start when they have decided what to build. Homework this week was to research and draw some designs for the armoured train!