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My Hornby TTS 37 chip is now on its way from Olivias Trains. The reason for the flurry of work in building all these football stands, and their location, will become clear soon. Some years ago I built two modules describing the evolution of a fictitious athletics club. Now I'm doing the same for football.

Made more progress on the Subbuteo-based stand. I bought more acrylic paint to mix up enough to paint this stand in various shades of concrete! However I'll need to clean up joints and bases before painting.

After an abortive attempt, I resumed construction of football terracing using a pair of Subbuteo terraces which approximate to OO scale, for 1970s-80s era. I'm also working on a smaller version for the interwar 1919-39 period. Even though I have no room for more modules, nevertheless I'm modelling part of a football stadium as it could have looked both in the interwar 1919-39 period and the 1970s-80s. It means a lot of styrene offcuts from abandoned projects are used up in the process.

A spare Hornby TTS class 37 chip was identified and ordered to fit into one of my 37s (Lima body, Hornby chassis) which will arrive soon. The TTS A3 chip was installed in my D49. However when inserted correctly with the "1" pin lined up in the corresponding pin on the DCC socket, it caused a short but worked OK when fitted the other way round. It means the loco runs backwards when it should go forwards, but I'll tweak CV29 to rectify that issue.

While Hornby's TTS sound chips are affordable in today's economic situation, they don't cover all my wants, so need to rely on the likes of Howes, Olivia's and Digitrains to acquire key sounds. I'm only intending to sound equip a small proportion of my collection, with preference given to DCC ready stock.

Recently I bought a secondhand Hornby R2931 London Midland class 153 unit. It wasn't clear from the eBay description that it was sound fitted (it just mentioned DCC) I was pleasantly surprised when tested so it's reignited my interest in sound-fitted locos. My last purchase of sound fitted chips was in 2010 due to the expense, but today I ordered a bargain Hornby TTS A3 decoder to fit into my LNER D49 (Railroad chassis, Margate body) because they were 3-cylindered to see how the TTS decoder stacks up against the Loksound version.

Things have been quiet for some time but I realised there was no space at home to store all my efforts. Several modules are now scrapped, but I salvaged many parts, sorted and bagged up for future reuse. A two track terminus in BR 1980s era seeing better days last worked on during April last year in the first UK lockdown (never finished) "Westgrove Stadium" Network SouthEast through station (never finished) "Brassey Engineering/MJG Engineering" (never finished) "Old Oak and Brent" Silverlink, circa 2000 (complete, but board was of non-standard size) "Priory Ground" LMS, ex-LNWR (complete, but board was of non-standard size) All modules standardised at no longer than 715 mm and of the same style baseboard.

I wonder if the NBR and LNWR versions are released this year because of the nature of batch production ... and Hornby have matching locos up its sleeve in the next year or two?

The Royal Mail coach and wagons were surprises for me. I'd like Hornby to release a Royal Mail coach separately because I already own the R3810 pack and three open carriages. A 2nd class coach would also be welcome (basically a roof added to an open 3rd design)

My final speculations before Hornby's announcement: HST in Midland blue livery TfW driving trailer and class 67 Last run of Mk4s in TfW livery before retirement of the tooling Last run of Pacers in Northern and TfW liveries before retirement of the tooling and finally, as Hornby often produce oddball locos, either a Turbomotive or LNER V4

I don't know how much Hornby monitors eBay trends, but if they think auction prices matched or exceed their costs of producing certain items they might consider announcing them in order to get a share of the cake

Much as though I like a NBR Glen class to be announced next year, I think either a D49 or a K4 will appear instead. It's too soon to announce a BR Standard 2MT 2-6-2T following on from its tender version. There could be a Bluebell 1960 train pack featuring new-tool Terriers Stepney, Fenchurch and the Maunsell BCK and LSWR lav 3rd in blue.

Maybe an all-new LNER D49, modelling Shire and Hunt versions properly for the first time with correct details and tenders for the appropriate era.

A Urie S15 may also appear, this year would have been the centenary of its introduction, but model held back to be released next year. Mk1 BCK could be on the cards with liveries including InterCity swallow charter livery with white roofs also applied on the FO and RBR.

My guesses for next year: GWR Saint because of the interest generated by the newly-created prototype; All-new rebuilt Merchant Navy; 4 SUB because it'll become a One : One permanent museum exhibit in Margate Introduction of the class 802 variant in Transpennine, Hull Trains and GWR liveries. GWR bow-ended dining car (21st century version) - Margate produced one in the 70s/80s. SR gangwayed luggage van and Pullman type Us to create Golden Arrow formations.

My nearest model shop of any description is about a mile away, but they only sell radio-controlled cars, model aircraft and ships. However I've bought basic materials from there including enamels, glue and styrene sheets. People will have to be more creative in searching out and visiting non-railway modelling shops for those sorts of material. I haven't visited a model railway shop since just before lockdown but until the virus is more firmly under control and with restrictions on using public transport I'll have to accept I cannot browse or rummage through used boxes as much as I used to enjoy and will have to justify my visits by committing to buy stuff whilst there. I've bought online and those businesses which offer real-time stock availability will get my hard-earned cash.

R3810 pack charged to my card and posted today from Rails. I pre-ordered one of Rails' forthcoming open carriages, because I don't know if Hornby might ever release them as an add-on pack.

Completed basic scenic work including erection of Faller barbed wire fencing (used up all my remaining stuff) and wooden fencing fashioned from Ratio fencing (much of it used up in the process) with planked 20 thou styrene sheet. Next stage is to prepare platform fittings and signs.

Much progress has happened since my last update: - rail sides darkened and hydraulic buffers (Triang) fitted; - platform and stairs fitted; - remaining retaining walls painted and attached to board. I didn't like the weathered, bricked up end wall so gave it coats of duck egg and black. The next phase will fit remaining platform fencing and gates, extra stair rails, railside fences and general scenic landscaping.

Today I began painting the baseboard, platform and weathering the walls. Additional parts have been prepared for fitting.

After gauging tests, I had to cut back both overhanging platform edges by 3mm. All is now in order and here are two generations of Met-Cam DMUs in the terminus. The platforms are long enough to hold 2-car 155/156/158/170/171s.

I've gone through my spares box and identified long-stored items that'll be incorporated in this module. My last visit to a model railway exhibition was at Keighley on 14th March and I stopped ordering any model railway items online a fortnight ago.

I've postponed the concept of a car park over a station. Instead I've come up with the idea of an urban terminus which has seen better days. Its name hasn't been decided yet. In the late 1960s/early 70s BR demolished most of the station building and its imposing side walls except to retain one bricked-up end wall where the main station building stood and one section of each of the side walls in order to allow passengers to enter from the side entrances. Otherwise the terminus is unstaffed. It's used up many of my styrene offcuts and some parts in stock especially the stairs.

BR Provincial's 155s were grounded for a time in late 1988 and early 1989 due to door faults, especially opening whilst in motion. I remember 156s substituted (and travelled on them) on Portsmouth Harbour-Cardiff services. They gradually returned to service from Spring 1989. I owned a Dapol 155 at one time but it looked poor even against a Lima 156 so quickly disposed of it. My NSE/Southern Region collection has a 156 instead, although restricted in its geographical spread and timescale.

This'll probably be my last model train acquisition for the time being. According to Hornby's website, their R3810 Rocket train pack isn't due now till this summer. It's Hornby's R3260 2-HAL no. 2653 as first running in 1939. Therefore I now own a 2-BIL, a 2-HAL and the one-off 2-HIL.