Well, looking back at my 1600 posts on the 'old' RMweb, there wasn't actualy much I wanted to transfer - not saying nothing I wrote was of any importance, but its only the more recent bits relating to Ring Road that I want to continue. I've had a go at uploading the gallery, and started collecting a few bits here. This is a different way of using the forum, but I'm liking this blog idea!

For those new to the layout, here is an outline:

Ring Road depicts a busy four-track section of the recently upgraded WCML as it passes through the outskirts of a major Midlands town. Very much a ???watching trains go by??™ layout, Ring Road was built to showcase the latest developments in N gauge rolling stock quality and took six months to construct.

The railway crosses the layout on an embankment, threading its way past roads and buildings as it heads towards the fictitious town centre to the north. From the left hand end, the lines emerge close to the front of the layout, passing the huge Ikea (its car park filling up with early morning bargain hunters!) before vaulting over the titular ring road dual-carriageway on a long bridge. Both in front and behind the railway, large modern buildings dominate the layout ??“ the BP petrol station, a Mini showroom, Sainsbury??™s supermarket and a major apartment complex just a few of the eleven buildings modelled.

With a busy shopping centre nearby, the layout also features a modern tram system running along the road network in its own dedicated tram and bus lane.

Ring road is simple to operate, with the ability to stack up to twelve trains for timetabled operation, but the layout generally operates with a ???watching trains go by??™ philosophy with a mix of ready-to-run and scratchbuilt stock giving an accurate contemporary feel ??“ Virgin class 87s, Silverlink 321s, Voyagers, National Express 91s and more provide the passenger services, with classes 60, 66, 67, 90 and 92 hauling long freights.

The layout is 10 feet by 2 feet 6 inches in size, DC operation, and is designed for easy storage at home in a cupboard. Ring Road was never intended to ???go on tour??™, and was built as a portable ???home??™ layout. As it is not built to withstand regular transportation, Ring Road will only be making a very limited number of outings, however I am now planning a dedicated, purpose-built exhibition layout that should be ready in 2011.

For more information and images, and to follow the development of my next layout, go to www.n-gauge.org

I'm going to add 'new' photos of projects or 'news' to the blog, while slowly increase the size of the gallery sections. Here's a few vids too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKPO3iMbhKw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LniENEU13s

David