Well, here we go...

Since the new-plan, and my re-hash to the whole project, I've been designing track plans and gathering materials. 

Baseboard:

The track diagram presented in the photo's below, this shows how complicated piece this layout will be, this diagram excludes signaling as I would like to speak to someone in the know about LNER Suburban Signaling, so if anyone can help that would be marvelous. The boards are 4ft in length and just over 1ft wide. This is so the Bachman retaining wall pieces are a match and allow the board to fit in a tight space at home. The only things that are not shown in the photo below are; the double slip which will go in linking the two points on the LH side allow locos to run from P1, P2 or P3 onto the siding. Plus the road that'll come off the siding going towards the LH side of the layout. This will be a small stabling point for the loco's on the layout mainly, of course, the LNER N7 or J15, that'll end roughly where the track rubber sits in the photo. 

As you can see board 1 is the most complicated and is where I'm currently putting most of my focus into, the aim will be that before Christmas the track will be down and board prepped for electrical working. So I can have some locomotives running on there over the festive period. So far as you can see the track has been loosely laid and some trains have been set up to give an impression of what could be seen on the layout in the future. 

Modeling work:

So far some small projects have been carried out on the layout, mainly in the form of the Signal box and retaining walls and tunnel mouth. Firstly with the retaining walls and tunnel mouth, these are the low relieve versions produced by Bachmann, sadly when you get them they are painted blue, but have no signs of cement in-between the brickwork. So I've taken a wash using Humbrol No. 30, washing the brickwork and then taking some kitchen cloth, and rubbing the excess off. Following this, I've then taken Military modeling powders and dirt washes to the walls with successful results. This has then been repeated to 11 more retaining walls and the tunnel mouth, allowing a limited result to be completed. As this was able to set off the old Mile End Park with the weathering and brickwork painting it'll allow this layout to look completely different. 

As for the Signal box, this has been a project that I've been able to complete in a week, the kit is from LCUT, who produce laser cut kits, producing a number of different signal box kits. I purchased the medium-sized kit, which gives you the choice in building an LH entrance or RH entrance to the signal box. I chose the LH entrance as the signal box needs to face towards the public, and have a view looking at everything going on. During the build, I wanted to add a bit of modeling interest, so I cut out one of the window frames out of the card. I thought I'd move it a little too the left so it appears that the signalman has moved it open a jar so he can get a bit of "Fresh air" not that it's fresh as it's London but still, it was fun to do. Finally 

I think it's turned out rather well, the plan is to put the LCUT interior kit into the box so the box has that little more detail. 

So with that said, I'll leave it there till part 2, I hope to have all the trackwork I need for the Board 1 and I aim to get it all together ready for Christmas.