A maroon auto coach W38 and a class 6400 Pannier Tank number 6421, shed plate 83D - Laira, have arrived from Lionheart... Goodness knows if they ever worked together in the real world - but in this alternate universe they are about to...

They are lovely models - at least I think so - but beauty is in the eye of the beholder -

A standard BR van kit is on its way from Slaters so some real modelling will also get done.

The planning for the backscene has started - The plan is... (unless someone comes up with a brighter idea)

First - Draw up some plans for a fictitious village or small town on the border of South Devon and Cornwall in which this layout is set.

Secondly - Make sure the village/town map extends way beyond the edges of the layout.

Thirdly - When something exciting has been developed, do some research to get the right style, look and feel of the various buildings, trees etc in the proposed setting..

Fourthly - Paint the panoramic view of what someone leaning out of a coach window or standing on a platform might see of it.

The whole thing when finished will be 24" high and extend around three sides of the layout

Maybe it will painted somewhat in this style? Any ideas?

Some vehicles other than cars and tractors are still needed, I can't belive that Corgi makes British outline coaches, buses and large lorries only in 1/50th scale which is completely useless (its almost 1/6th or so too small),

Some sellers on ebay routinely try to pass this stuff off as 1/43rd - which it isn't.

The decent large sized stuff in 1/43rd scale is all continental and left hand drive - so, unless my researches come up with something unexpected - there will be a group of German tourists visting from time to time in an ancient Mercedes coach ( probably made by Minichamps.) Vanguards and Oxford make some passable models of light trucks in 1/43rd, but so far they have not got round to doing the heavy stuff in 1/43rd..

On the ready made miniature people front - which seem to be an inescapable component of any layout - Preiser do some very charming figures but they don't yet do something specific in the way of BR railway staff. US train drivers really don't seem to meld with steam engines...