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I had every intention of going into the shed today to make some progress with the indoor scenery but it was such a lovely day that I decided instead to clean the track and see if I could get some trains running. It had after all been some time since any last ran. Once I'd been round with the track rubber and cleaned the rail tops I cut back some overgrown lineside vegetation and then set about cleaning up a mass of bird droppings, mainly along Stack Gill viaduct as it's where the birds like to perch. I had to use an old toothbrush to dislodge the droppings from amongst the sleepers and ballast before hoovering it all away. I then sent out trusty old 26024 with the track cleaner and IPA solution and it circled the layout without any problem. With the track nice and clean I ran a class 158 2-car DMU and then decided it was time for some blue/grey mark 1 coaches behind a large logo class 37. I chose 37401 'Mary Queen of Scots' as it's never been out before. The MK1's were just the first few I could lay my hands on and not a set I will likely use in the future but blue/grey MK1 coaches behind large logo class 37s just look so good. Here's the class 158 DMU crossing the river Buttle which remains dry at this time but will hopefully show some sign of water in due course. 37401 Mary Queen of Scots is seen crossing the span between Buttlebank and Stack Gill viaduct with its rake of MK1 coaches. This span section requires some central supports to cure the slight bow in the middle which is noticeable to me. The trackbed here is comprised of 2 layers of 18mm exterior grade plywood so it's pretty substantial. After crossing the span, 37401 makes its way along Stack Gill viaduct. I really like the look of the arches in this view but still feel that the parapet walls are a bit too high. I'd like to be able to see just a bit more of the train. And lastly one of my favourite sections of the layout for obtaining realistic lineside views. There's very little distraction in the background and you'd hardly notice that the tunnel portal was in fact stuck onto the side of a path. The old pieces of timber, miniature foliage, rocks, and the plethora of cabling just looks so right. It would be a shame to alter any of this but very soon I'm going to have to relay this area. 37401 and MK1 coaches again passing through Watch House tunnel. In addition to the photos I've also taken a few videos which I'll try to add later. Tomorrow I really must try to do some work on the indoor scenery.

Painting the girder bridges is something I should have done a long time ago, before they were permanently installed. I sprayed them with the grey primer before putting them in position on the viaduct so that was relatively straight forward but brush painting? - yes, it does take some time. It makes it less of a chore when you can see it looks better so in a few days or so I'll do the other half. It might even protect them from the effects of the sun too and stop them becoming too brittle so that'll be a bonus. It's strange how doing small tasks like that, and the short length of track ballasting at the entrance to the shed, makes it all seem like a railway again. I've looked at the entrance to the shed with it's bare track numerous times, in fact almost every time I walk down the garden path, and yet now it looks complete, finished almost. All for the sake of a few minutes work with a bit of granite ballast, some varnish and a few drops of white spirit.

Shamed into doing something I decided to spend an hour in the shed this afternoon and one of the main things that needed doing at this time is the backscene and tunnel entrances. I've had some thin boards stored in the attic and shed for a while now that were kept specifically for the backscene but I always had this feeling that 'something else' needed doing first before I could fix them in place. I'm not even sure what that 'something else' was but it had brought my progress to a halt. The terminus station had already had the backscene boards fixed in position some time ago so without pondering the situation any further I got out the stapler and fastened them to the rear walls of the main station too. They'll be painted or something and finished in due course. Below is the left hand end which leads out onto Low Shott viaduct. I've had additional work to do here in order to get the tunnel portal to fit correctly and make provision for the shutter to slide up and down in order to close the entrance hole. How I'm going to blend the backscene in I have no idea just yet. There is very little room on the end wall to do any scenics around the entrance tunnel or behind the loco shed when it is replaced on the concrete apron. The right hand end (below) is similar with the tunnel portal at a slight skew in order to align with the curvature of the track. Still lots of wires and cables to hide away as you can see and there's also the little matter of some tongue and groove boarding to finish at floor level. I'm currently thinking of a raised rocky/wooded area behind the station - I'm not interested in portraying a town scene or anything like that as I don't have the patience. It just needs a backdrop leaving the focus completely on the trains. One of the main reasons for 'sorting out' the shed last year was of course to add insulation and help keep it cleaner but also in order to add some shelves for storage space rather than dropping everything on the shed floor. Like everything else it's been waiting to be done but I've made a start by using some old wardrobe sides cut down to fit on the lower shelf brackets so I do have at least one full shelf for now along with two short ones. You'l have to excuse the mess... I feel much better for having done something today even if it's only a meagre effort. Looking at the photos here makes it look not such as big a task as I'd got to thinking and it's certainly an improvement on how it all looked 12 months ago. With all the buildings replaced in their permanent positions it should look okay.

Doesn't alter the fact that I never seem to get anything done Roddy! Yes, it certainly sounds like we've got a number of mutual interests although my van is static and my car is an SLK. Good work with the star sign of which I'm absolutely typical. Do you also breed mealworms? Sorry, that's something else I've got myself into as a way of attracting wildlife as it's cheaper than purchasing them. The wagons are already ordered so better get somewhere ready to run them. For the benefit of the forum I'll put in some extra effort.

Had a bit of a disaster on Saturday. while moving one of the barrels of Colwick roof I dropped it. It broke into two large pieces and lots of small ones. There was swearing involved. 10 years of modelling has taught me that anything is fixable. Fortunately I had spares of everything that broke into small pieces and after a suitable length of time, once I had calmed down, I set about putting it back together again. I left it over night to let the glues fully harden and added some extra strengthening where required on Sunday morning. Time was pressing because Colwick was part of a show I had organised on Sunday. It gave me a tale to tell the visitors.

I was about to say 'mindblowing' but Tony's already used that so I'll just agree with Tony! There's me all proud as punch for making a start on my tunnel portals and here's you doing several at once! From the photos your layout appears much longer than I originally thought and so scale length trains at prototypical speeds will just be stunning I'm sure. Very impressive.

Totally agree with Andrew, just mind blowing, love your garden plants, and pure awesome indeed, can't wait either, now we are not moving can get stuck into Camdale. Happy Easter, keep the good work up and pics flowing. Tony from down under

Those are great photos, Thomas. You are doing very well, and are helped by having some nice weather for working outside. Now we can see the full length of your layout - and it looks impressive. I'm looking forward to seeing some high speed trains zooming down that long straight section - so keep up the good work! All the best.

Since the summer is back in Germany (it has today 28 ° C), I was busy again in the garden. The routing for the high-speed line is done to the other end of the property, a few meters of track and a bridge already finished. Unfortunately, the bridges bought at the fair in Dortmund have not arrived yet. For this I have finished one side of the "mountain in the corner" with construction foam, as soon as it is hard he is still processed with the knife.

I've been sitting outdoors in the sunshine this morning painting the remaining tunnel portals. It will be great to get all three fixed permanently in position but a temporary mock-up for the sake of a photograph will have to suffice for now. The far end of Shieling Bridge station isn't a problem. The bridge needs to be aligned at a slight angle to be at right angles to the running line and the platform end needs sorting in order to allow it to fit. The inner walls of the tunnel will also require some work but it's nothing major. The terminus station at Cattle Leys was the difficult one of the three as the track layout where the tunnel needs to go is too wide for a single tunnel portal and will require a set of points to be housed inside the tunnel in order to use a double track portal. Prior planning would have made things a lot easier! I can perhaps move the portal back slightly towards the end wall backscene but either way I will have to cut a the headshunt shorter by a few inches. I think the point inside the tunnel will be okay so long as nothing ever goes wrong with it but it is accessible without too much trouble should anything ever happen as it's really only the tie-bar end that's hidden and there's the possibility of gaining access from the outside.

Coastal DCC, in Ipswich and various exhibitions, seem to have them in stock for £19.50 https://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/products/accessory-decoders/slow-motion/

Purchased mine from Digitrains here in the UK https://www.digitrains.co.uk/ds52.html but unfortunately they're showing out of stock at the moment.

Wiring up is very easy. Heres an image form the DS 52 manual which shows the way to do it. Its the lower, 2 wire motor that you need to copy. Basically you don't use the common outputs (2 and 7). Sorry I can't help with a UK supplier. For the last few years I've bought them when even I've seen them an a stall at an exhibition, so I've always had a spare or two when came to install a new point. Although I've now run out so I'm looking for one or two for myself.

It looks a lot better with a coat of black. You've remineded me why I spray this kind of structure with an aerosol rather than getting my paint brush out.

Started operation rebuild after alot of neglect. I'm lifting each section up higher and rewiring alot of it, as it no longer works... here is the first bit done, with some cars needing to be added.

Sorry Mick, but I must disagree with you. You do have many interests, just as I do, and that does mean that we flit from one to another and eventually back again, with nothing being achieved or finished in between times. Occasionally, we do get the bug and the weather all together and a sudden burst of proper progress is made. I abandoned my garden railway in favour of a portable tram layout. That is unfinished with not even completed trackwork. I have my Mazda MX5 which I look after. I have two partly dismantled stationary engines from the 1940's, and I have now bought a 26 year old campervan. Let's not forget the camera, and book reading, and metal detecting. Are we really any different? Probably both Gemini too. But we enjoy what we do, despite getting fed up with ourselves sometimes. Finally, don't forget that we are getting older, and that slows us down. It is not important to reach the end product, but it is important to enjoy the building and the progress. That's what you are doing, and it shows in your craftsmanship! Just carry on with what you are doing, buy all those new wagons if you want to. Arrange some sidings in your shed even if you have to split the rake into two to get them in. Tony has the prototype with his Indian Pacific in Sydney. Most of all, enjoy what you are doing. So that's you told!

Or a bigger shed?

And then when you find somewhere that sells it there's often the problem that they can't send it via the postal system! Amazing that a little 15ml tin of enamel paint can be considered hazardous by some carriers. Nice figures by the way Griff - they look well at home against the engine.

Hello Chris The station hall is very impressive. I particularly like the view into the interior of all the details. Somehow this has a very convincing effect on me of "very British", it has the flair of English stations in my memory. Apart from the fact that every detail is placed correctly. Regards Thomas

That looks really good Chris. The view through the end panel looks superb and very realistic. Sorry to hear about your misfortune with the roof. The little lad in your photo looks overcome too!

I fear more, the politicians derailed the train even before a track was laid. 😂 Sometimes I have (and not only because of Brexit) the weird feeling much of what seemed safe on achievements like peace, prosperity, freedom, security and equality crumbles away in all directions. Nevertheless, the erection of the structures of the first upper level, to which I would like to hang the ramps above the lowest level by means of threaded rods, shows further progress.

Oh I wouldn't worry too much about that Thomas. I think our Government began the Brexit process before you started construction of your layout and it doesn't appear that they've got the first length of track laid down yet. You're miles ahead. It's all looking really good (your layout that is - not the Brexit process) and it's going to be fabulous when you get those first trains running. Now that the winter is all but past there should be no stopping you. If ever you fancy a job in government the address is No 10.......!!

Yesterday I converted two more points to the new motor system. The points are at both ends of a loop and are three meters apart. I've placed a central locking motor halfway between them and connected them with the brass tube and nickel wire. They work perfectly. Only thing is, it would have been cheaper by far to have used two motors! Enjoyed the job though. The next point that I will be converting has a colour light signal associated with it so I will be using one of the latching relays too. Centrally mounted motor. East points West points Motor with baseboard trim replaced TIP... To straighten the nickel silver wire I first cut a length to suit. Next anchor one end, fix the other end into the chuck of an electric drill, pull taut and the run the drill until the wire is straight. This process will stiffen the wire too.

The nickel silver wire has arrived but it doesn't seem much harder than the brass wire. It's ok for the job though, especially as I've found that B&Q sell 2mm brass tube in meter lengths. The nickel wire fits nicely into this and the advantage is that it doesn't need clipping down so much... perfect in fact. It's a good idea to smear the wire with silicone grease too. So with the solenoid, DPDT switch, power supply, angle cranks, nickel silver wire and brass tube the project is sorted. Just a quick touch of the switch and the two points and signal operate every time. I think I will be changing more of my points over to this system. Very happy with it!

I never expected needing one longer than 12 feet Roddy but isn't it always the case that you find you could do with more than you first believed necessary? Still, before I start to complain I suppose I should make full use of what I've got already. What use is 12 feet if there's nothing running.