Well, a month on and we've made more progress. All the track (approx 180 metres) for the lower level is now down, electrified and tested. In addition to the existing Guagemaster cased twin track unit, a new Gaugemaster twin track UDS controller has been bought to replace the old Duette (which I'm using to run the slow action point motors and to motorise the turntable). 4 trains can now run simultaneously which will please the younger family members!

The layout is currently divided into 43 electrical sections, with any one of the 4 controllers able to run any section. Apart from the time it's taken (plus over 500 metres of wire) it's a very simple system. The picture makes it look much more complex than it actually is and any faults are quickly identifiable. The west end of Clapton station (Clapton West box) has also had point motors fitted to the 22 points it controls.

Next step is to ensure "resilience" to the sections that will be below the high level baseboards. This includes 9 road and 2 road storage sections, plus a further 30+ points. The track has multiple feeds per section and all points will include polarity switching. The higher level baseboards will be designed to be removable in case of serious issues. I've also been very aware of the need to lay track carefully to ensure smooth running and I'm pleased to say that 30-40 wagon goods trains pass over all the junctions very well (so far....).

No scenery yet..... I'm not intending to do much on that front until all the basics (track, wiring and point motors) are installed and working correctly.

Following that, it's down to installing point motors in the storage yards and other sections that will ultimately become hidden.