[giles b]

Work to date on the cardboard mock-up layout, Bryants Landing. The theme is a small rural riverside town which has a small switching zone served by a car-float operating from the far bank. That at least is the story as far as the WRG competition entry is concerned. Should the idea progress to an actual layout, there will be an offstage exit along the depot track, leading to a fiddle yard.

[alastairq]

I like that, Giles....very handy for operating at home?
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My views are my own, and usually reprehensible

[giles b]

Quite possibly, Alastair, although I won't have to build it unless it wins the competition (most unlikely, I suspect). In that event, the layout would have to be shown at the 2016 WRG show, after which I'd probably modify it with a stronger baseboard framework, and an additional fiddle yard as outlined above. It would not fit my present layout lighting rig, however, which is a bit of a shame.

I do have another couple of possible ideas for the competition, but these work better on a rigid 4ft 6ins baseboard, besides which they may not have the operating possibilities that I think this one may have.

[giles b]

Those American HO models in the loft are still calling faintly..........

Having completed the baseboard for Shellsea I find there's enough left-over 25mmx15mm timber for another micro-layout baseboard. If it goes ahead I don't want to spend too much time on it, but my imagination was grabbed by Crystal Creek in MTI #117. I'm considering a 4ft by 1ft version with an additional spur on the front kick-back road. In effect this makes it the equivalent of Chris's South Street Yard, which was one of his favourite layouts recalled in MTI #100 (Yes, withdrawal symptoms include looking through old back-numbers )

I'm not saying this one will definitely go ahead, but the ingredients (apart from some plywood) are all in stock, so just about a No-Cost project.

[giles b]

Temptation Provisional title: Muddy Waters (as opposed to the name of its inspiration, Crystal Creek)

[Blackcloud Railways]

Or even McKinley Morganfield?
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Bob Hughes
Playing Trains

Once there were mountains on mountains and once there were sunbirds to soar with and once I could never be down.

[giles b]

Muddy Waters has progressed to the wallpaper-drawing stage, and in the process has been renamed and relocated. It is likely to become South Wolfeboro, N.H. This is because it turns out that the planned layout size is too small to incorporate a modelled dockside, so the watery part will be on the backscene.

We visited the real Wolfeboro in New Hampshire on holiday last year, and this is one of the resulting pictures of the town, taken as our ferry was leaving the pier. With a flipped copy added on and an extra piece from another shot to extend the view at one end, it is large enough to become the backing of the wharf area. We assume the town is on a bay with a small industrial area across the water. A line from the town depot circles round the built-up area to serve this "new" area.

The pier between the building with a blue awning and the large square cream structure was once served by a spur line from the nearby RR depot. Look closely at the gap between the two buildings and you may be able to pick out a small grey-brown spire - this is part of the roof of the former depot, a lovely gingerbread structure which the town has preserved, although the rail connection has gone.