When building a ‘model railway in the landscape’ the planning process is comprised, essentially, of three elements which are all inter dependent. Make an alteration to one and this will impact the other two. The three elements are the baseboards which must support the track and give a foundation to the landscape The track plan which must nestle in the landscape and look as though it was an integral part and lastly the landscape itself, the landforms, rivers, woodlands, embankments etc.

All three elements must be juggled and adjusted to arrive at an acceptable compromise – for all model railways are a compromise at the end of the day.

I’ve been juggling with Bosmelin for a long time, too long in fact, and eventually a stake must be hammered in the ground or in our hobby a saw applied to piece of wood.

And so I find myself at the point of commencing the construction of the main scenic boards for Bosmelin.

My Templot plan has been ready for a while and is as close a match to Boscarne Junction as can be achieved based on the 1907 25″ OS map. Of course it is rare to be able to adopt a real location without some adaption.

For Bosmelin the overall length of the junction to 4mm scale has been cut by about 300mm and the alignment of the diverging branches to Bodmin SR and Bodmin WR will need to be changed but by and large the actual model track layout will be pretty close to the real thing.

The problem will be the points, turnouts or if you prefer crossings and switches. The use of Peco ready to lay point-work produces a fixed and rather ‘straight’ geometry. Whereas the plan requires a bespoke set of switches to maintain the integrity of the subtle curves in the layout.

So it seems that I shall have to construct the point-work. I have made a point before and it’s not to difficult provided you take your time, don’t rush, use quality gauges and follow instructions or guidelines.

The point-work will be built to 4SF or OOSF standards which means that the track gauge through the crossing will be 16.2mm and the flange way will be 1mm. This is of course the EM Society standard with the gauge reduced to 16.2mm which is designed to give better running through the crossings as the wheel is supported at all times.

Standard RTR stock will run through. the crossings provided the back to back measurements are refined to not less than 14.3mm. Effectively what is being done is to remove ‘OO slop.’

Elsewhere the track gauge will be 16.5mm.

More details about 4SF can be found online at http://www.4sf.uk

To finish here’s a couple of snaps of a baseboard under construction and the templot plan.

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