Penmaenpool MPD Track is down at last!

Just another update to say that all the track is now laid on Penmaenpool MPD. Well almost all, There is still about 75mm of track to be laid on the L/H  exit-entry road.This will be laid once the West fiddle yard is started and aligned so as to ensure good track alignment across the baseboard joint.

All flexible track is C&L Finescale with hand built turnouts.
The track is glued down direct to the baseboard with no cork or any other material between track and wood.

I don't subscribe to the "Silent running" brigade, I like to hear the trains running, I have no DCC sound either so no point in making the effort for silent running.
In any case at an exhibition who is going to hear the train wheels drumming above the general noise levels of  the show.

In the pictures you will notice that the "running line" stops short of the baseboard edge for the reasons already described above.

Looking from the other(West fiddle yard) end.
The base for the engine shed is fixed in place, the superstructure will be removable for transport and storage and slot on to the top of this base when the layout module is in use.

There is a bit of a dilemma over the ash / inspection pits.
In C C Greens book "Coast lines of the Cambrian Railways" the shed area track plan shows two pits in front of the shed.
Looking at pictures in the same book fails to reveal any sign of these pits. I'm therefore inclined to believe that the drawing is wrong and the camera never lies.

To this end I have decided to have two internal pits and the Plasticard base has already been cut to provide this on the No2 shed road.




Finally I include a picture that I have found of the prototype location to give you the reader some idea of what I am aiming to achieve with this layout module

    

Note the piles of ash and clinker at the shed entrance. not an ash pit to be seen.  The ground disc for the running line access, the down starter and up home signals will be modelled as will all the other buildings  water tank and coaling stage  except for the foreman's  house at the rear of the shed.

Another up date soon (I hope)

Cheers!

Frank