First part of an update from last night's progress. It was decided that as the track spacing and alignment on the right hand curve would be different from the original it would be easier to start with new wood work. The initial thought was to remove the track bed entirely but it was quickly discovered that the base had been glued as well as screwed to the supports and removal would create a lot more work than anticipated. So in the absence of 4mm scale JCBs and dumper trucks etc the track gang set to with chisels

Oi watch my hands you..

Trackbed demolition

Half an hour later we were left with a ply base onto which a new balsa track bed could be laid, so the rest of the track bed with the exception of the goods yard was given the same treatment so that by the end of the evening we had a starting point for rebuilding (nearly just a few AJ magnets to remove once we've got the right screwdrivers available)

More photos at lunch.

It was bedlam last night in Dean Hall. Not only were the P4 track gang chiselling away but the 7mm Narrow Gauge group were making very loud use of a jigsaw to cut the edges of their baseboards (I think) and the P4 scenic department were busy watching the OO group leader put the final touches to the woodwork on the scenic boards

Scenic work

At the end of the evening the track base had been cleared and the mess removed and the track plan was placed over the layout for the first time. Thankfully it fits with only a small change to the track bed necessary other than for the new Bury lines. The final trackplan will be produced on a large format plotter thus reducing the cumulative errors I will no doubt have introduced sticking all the bits of paper together.

Andy Innes points to where his point rodding now has to go, whilst Tony W tries to remove yet another AJ magnet

Andy

Andy G