Following a recent exhibition where the layout was operated in relatively stygian gloom 'The Management' decided that it was time we invested in a lighting unit.. My initial suggestion of individual 'Petzl' head torches was pointedly ignored... Instead I 'won' the contract to create the new units...

Okay, good practice for my own layout (should I get round to it!). A morning at one of our routine 'up' sessions oat the clubhouse saw a quick trial re 'light intensity' from the proposed lighting units (successful) so a scale(-ish) drawing produced -

presuming the use of 25mm aluminium tubing and 50mm aluminium angle, supporting 'under cabinet' LED lighting strips (and hope wifey doesn't notice their disappearance ('b---y hell, the fuses must have blown' would hopefully cover it...)

I decided on 50mm as the 'pelmet' to the front will hopefully prevent glare from impinging on the paying public. The operators can wear sun-glasses!

Armed with the drawing, a major metal supplier was sent an request and the relevant monies (quite a lot of it...) paid. Aluminum isn't cheap any more... However, the supplies were delivered the next day, as were the lighting units courtesy of 'A...n'

No excuses now - out to the work area. The 'chop saw' made short work of cutting the relevant materials to size (I'd allowed for 70cm 'head heights' above the layout and 1m long light runs, with two lines of lights in each).

The upper frame was held together with M6 bolts, and wing-nuts, as the unit has to break down for transport.

The upper frame is located to the vertical supports using 'hard plastic' right-angle units -

to finish the main metal-work.

(Reality check - because of material costs, we are only lighting two boards at present - where shunting etc occurs. However I have a 'cunning plan')

Next job - attach the lighting units to the hood. The makers kindly supply strips of double-sided tape for fixing purposes. I only wish it was strong enough adhesive to support the units effectively! However, they also supply dinky little plastic clips which can be screwed in to the hoods. A job for tomorrow probably.

The legs have to be attached to the boards by (inelegant) wooden spacer blocks as the baseboard frames are recessed by 50mm from the base-board edge (they didn't used to be, but various scenic additions were added after construction). The aluminium tubes are held to the blocks by more M6 bolts running into 'T-nuts' which are flush with the back of the blocks. The blocks themselves will be affixed to the baseboard frames with 'Gorilla Glue', as I am not sure that simple screws through the 9mm ply board will resist the 'turning moment' of the frame.

So having cobbled a light unit into place with a temporary fix involving G-clamps (and prayer), the unit was switched on...

The subsequent pool of light LOOKS a little insubstantial, and the next lighting unit will be two boards away (remember the finances..) However, my 'cunning plan' is to bolt another length of 50mm aluminium angle between the two existing frames which will light the main part of the layout. If we get further invitations to exhibitions we will probably lash out and light the rest. Otherwise its back to 'Petzls' for the fiddleyard crew!