The Long Board

 As mentioned in the previous blog Board No 5 is a long 3.2m baseboard that has the mains and relief roads plus two roads for storage. Mid way down the board is a crossover that takes the outside track to a future loader for the coal train.

Just the shear length of this long board seemed to chew through a box of track in no time. Some second hand track was available and this was used mainly in the sidings, leaving the new for the mains and relief lines. Once the outer track for the relief line that leads into the coal siding was laid it was just a matter of equal spacing the next set of tracks towards the front. I used offcut Peco track sleepers as spacers and also a 600mm ruler to ensure the track was straight.

So it was fairly straight forward doing this board and won't require a lot of scenery work to complete it. It is planned just to have the ballast for the mains and dirt for the sidings. A line of telegraph poles will probably complete this section.

Here is a series of photos that shows the progress on baseboard No 5.

Track laying on board 5 has begun

You need a straight edge to get straight track

Railmotor is sitting inside the coal siding

The two steam locos so far on the layout

Looking down board 5

Track is all laid on Baseboard 5

42220 heads out of the coal siding with a train