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Changelog: 2/12/21 - Initial Draft 3/12/21 - Removal of throat options 15/12/21 - Removal of track standards discussion from this entry Overall View Minories is a small urban terminus layout designed by Cyril Freezer to promote TT Gauge, the arrangement of two facing branch crossovers permitting simultaneous arrival and departure to the station, and ensuring they must only navigate one reverse curve. My layout is a fairly as-wrote Minories, the only concession to originality being the additional departure-only platform 1. The baseboards consist of two 4'6 x 18" station boards shown below, two 45 degree corner boards, and a 4' traverser as a section of main line and fiddle yard. The overall footprint is an 8' x 13'6" L-shape: Track Plan v2.1 - Updated 15/12/21 From top to bottom - Pilot locomotive shed, P1, 2, 3 4. With reference to the track plan, P1 (top) was originally drawn as a dock. While @t-b-g does make an excellent point that the dock's use as a non-platform location to store stock is lost - but i am considering the operation of my prototype inspiration, where there are a number of operational kinks that can be adopted to mitigate against losing the unique appearance: The original station had distinct arrivals (P4, bottom) and departures (P1, top) platforms. The shorter platform siding (P3) already has a carriage dock, leading to the cab stand on the other side of P4 In later years the station effectively dedicated the two inner platforms (P2 and P3) for newspaper and parcels traffic. None of these are particularly evident on the track plan apart from the departure-only P1, but I hope will make up for the unique look of the dock siding.

For my current project I need a Paddington/Thames Valley commuter rake in late 80s condition so this week’s upgrade is the first of a few coaches to get a NSE rework. These services primarily consisted of Mk1 SKs (later replaced by Mk1 TSOs or strengthened by Mk2 TSOs), a Mk1 BSK or Mk2 BSK/BFK and a Mk2 FK. Fortunately, for NSE’s 30th Anniversary, Farish released TSO, BSK and FK Mk1 coaches, followed by a Train Pack which included Mk1 RMB, Mk2 TSO and Mk2 BSO all in the earlier, lighter blue variant of the livery. The Thames Valley set can therefore be achieved with minor tweaks to existing models, apart from the Mk2 FK which demanded a full repaint from a blue & grey example (donor 374-950). After gently removing the raised white lining and the coach numbers with a cocktail stick, the coach was painted with Phoenix Precision Paints NSE Light Blue and NSE Grey before bodyside lining was applied from Fox Transfers. First Class and No Smoking window signs were then carefully added from the Railtec range, along with the yellow first class cantrail stripe and curtains made of orange tissue paper. Next up: Mk1 NSE SKs. Graham

Baseboard Construction I've always thought of myself as fairly handy, but if there is one model railway task I have come to loathe it is baseboard construction. With that in mind I have happily outsourced the problem to Grainge and Hodder. They offer custom sizes in addition to those on their website, and so as per the Layout Plan entry, I have ordered them there - they are 100mm tall, 400mm wide (except the station boards, which are 450mm). I've built a traverser in the past, but having it arranged for me to just snap together is making me excited rather than dreading it! I note that as of yet I've paid for but not recieved the boards (ETA: January) Approach Viaduct or Embankment Considerations One of the characteristics of modular baseboard layout design I've found is how flat everything looks, and so to that end I have requested the fabrication of some offset connectors to drop the curved boards down 100mm below the level of the others. This will allow me to build up an embankment, viaduct, etc. and get some Z-axis variation going on. For a London-based layout I'm inclined to think that a viaduct would make the most sense, but something in my heart suggests that a windswept embankment may be more fitting for somewhere north of the Peak District? TBC! Embankment and retaining wall at Mirfield

Over the last few months I had been collecting various bits of rolling stock to add to my collection for the layout. Some would be of a specific make while others are made from scratch using photographic evidence. Annie and Clarabel are one of these examples. At first their model were made from cut down Tri-ang coaches but these had trouble navigating around the bends so some new models were needed. Looking at various research and photos I found that the original models were made from plywood and the chassis was of a bogie bolster wagon. At the time I didn't have any plywood so thick card from file blocks was the alternative. From what I can remember from the build, I spent the most time cutting out the windows and getting blisters on my hand whist trying to cut each window out. The end result for these models was okay but not what I hoped. When the time came to make a new Ffarquhar exhibit layout, I decided to rebuild these models again. To assist me with the build I arranged for a private photo shoot of the original models with thanks to the Talyllyn Railway's secretary, David Broadbent. Once all the photos were taken, I dismantled my card models and began planning out their new bodies. I painted the models in their late 60's livery, Brown sides- black ends, but I'm thinking of repainting them again someday where they were just brown all over but for the moment they are fine. The roof vents I got from a pack on eBay for £2 and the custom decals were made for me for free by a friend at a miniature railway club. There is still the addition features such as door handles to be added but they can be sourced out when the time comes. Annie and Clarabel have been such perfect runners on the Ffarquhar branch replica and certainly look the part behind Thomas while running on the layout.