GloryDays

@KNP If this happens and you need someone to adopt a Pannier, let me know. I'd only take one though... Unless they are like Gremlins. Be careful not to feed them after Midnight!

Are Panniers anything like rabbits?

After the show I stored the layout in the attic and didn't really look at it until yesterday. It's in such a sore state I am tempted to rename it "In Dire Straits". I have been tearing up all the bits that didn't work or were damaged beyond repair. For the moment I'm reducing the layout by 1/3rd, to 1m80 or about 6 feet. This should make everything more managable.

A few pictures of the damaged sustained in transport from last week's show. On both stairs, the railings are damaged with pieces broken and missing. As a result, I am going to scrap both. Sad news, but they will be replaced with something even more fitting!

Last weekend was the show at Alkmaar and -to no fault of the show's organisation- it was the weirdest show weekend I've had. It all started upon loading the layout Saturday morning. It... well, it fell apart. Literally. Let me explain. Mind the gap has three scenic boards that sit on two bases. These bases each sit on a pair of legs. These bases have seen a dozen shows by now and have been around the block. But this time, just about all of the glue joints failed on the left hand base. I was left with 11 wooden parts and a pessimistic feeling about erecting "Mind the gap" at the show. Without the base, the layout would simply not connect to the rest of the club. Oh dear, with only 2 hrs of driving and worrying between me and the show. Amazingly... the wooden pieces somehow supported the layout above, although it felt like assembling a Jenga tower. During the show "Mind the gap" performed well, even if I did forget to bring part of the roof on day 1. I then had to pack the layout and protect it from the rain after the show. Boy there was a lot of rain! Back at home, the final surprise was that the most vulnerable parts of the layout - the roof I forgot earlier and the stairs - had been damaged. The stairs are badly damaged but the roof can be fixed. Pictures will follow shortly.

A quick update. The layout is packed up into two 90x40x40 boxes. The front facia is painted in primer and should get its grey color over the weekend. I've had some spare time which I used to cover the coaches in satin varnish and they are now back together. Thry will need interior lighting and the brake coaches will need red oil lamps... but that's for the future.

Unexpectedly, the coupling was far too low. I've "borrowed" a coupling from Hornby coaches. Now all is well. Some minor touch ups of the brick paper may be in order.

It should, but I didn't notice. Perhaps the running rails in the point guide the coupling out of the way while the 4th rail after the point is more of a head on collision. But I think it is only a problem for one of the tracks... more playing with trains required! Edit: I took an earlier picture and I've marked the collision point. Perhaps the 4th rail didn't seat properly after ballasting.

A quick update as I've polished the tracks today. The layout performs nearly as it should with power available to all straight track and one of the two points. The other point is my first problem. as is, I've installed Electrofrog point but rely on the contact between the point and tracks for power. The points are completely stock Peco points. The broken point only provides power when the diverging route is selected. On the exhibition, the straight route is used. I've wired the Electrofrog to provide power for the straight route. This would cause a short when the point switches to the diverging route; this is fine for now. The points will be disabled at the exhibition. My other problem is bitter irony. The 3rd (outside the running rails) and 4th (in the center between running rails) are prototypical for London Underground. I was testing the Heljan Metropolitan Bo'Bo; also correct for London. You'd think that would go together... but no, it doesn't. As it turns out the couplings on the Bo'Bo are very low. They interfere with the 4th rail... interesting, as the 4th rail sits below the running rails to prevent this exact problem.

I can officially tick the box marked "woodwork". The layout is now framed as my module club requires. A coat of dark gray paint is next. Then, I've got to get Mind The Gap ready for the first exhibition in years in Alkmaar, a lot of cleaning and testing is in the future.

Yet another small step sees the layout coming out of the woodwork. Let the bad puns begin! I am also nearly out of wood so a trip to the DIY store is in order. I am also shocked that after building the layout for a few years, I have only new reached the stage of "empty canvas" ?

Another bit of progress. More street-level boards added and I am working on the third and final backscene. Next: fixing the new street boards to the tunnels below and painting the tunnels brown.

A little progress is still progress. Today I've managed to cut and fit two boards for the street level. These can stay in place when I need to take the layout apart. If there is a derailment, the tunnel comes apart. That's also a fun feature at shows!

I've been neglecting you in the holiday hustle... oh no! The attic / railway room has gotten new lighting, the old light only lit the staircase to the attic, but didn't give any light to work by. That has now been fixed. I'm also putting the layout up on its exhibition legs. It's been a while since our club has got together and I need to make sure everything still works. I have my work cut out, the cable management is very sloppy. I've got the oppertunity to install a background and a proper floor for the street level. I hope to complete the woodwork by the end of the month. Here's the current state of Mind the Gap.

The cut-and-cover stations are among the most beautiful Underground stations and I believe they offer more opprrtunities for modelling all sorts of railroad traffic; especially when you consider the Widened Lines. On the other hand, the deep level tube stations are icons of London Underground. In any case I've been working on the lighting. Loads of LEDs fitted to the layout today, only to discover I need loads more. Oh dear! On a happier note, I am happy about the lights I've got. The arches need two LEDs each, but they can be fixed to, and hidden by, the station nameplates.