After a momentous week in the UK, I wondered how to respond to the passing of Queen Elizabeth.  I came across this little cameo by John Whitehouse on a Tramway Modelling Facebook group.  No doubt Philip is saying, “I’m not going on that b****y tram!”

Meanwhile in deepest Earlswood, the new ESNG fiddle yard is actually approaching completion.  We finished wiring up the point motors, and all are working.  The cables between boards and control box are complete, and need to be wired into the boards themselves.  Then just a control box to complete.  This is for DC operation.  Once this is all working, we’ll get the option for DCC in place.

On my own workbench, the transition board is progressing well.

The track is all in place, with some careful packing of the track to achieve the 0.8mm or so difference in thickness between Peco code 55 and code 80 track.

Underneath, I’ve used a couple of ‘Blue’ manual turnout actuators to change the points.  These were in ‘stock’ and are excellent, if expensive, as they are easy to fit and have built in switches for the frogs.  The second picture shows the simple dowel operating links.  I think this wood once operated the points on the original Kuritu.  Waste not, want not?  I’ve still to complete the wiring for the plugs at each end.

I have some ideas for the scenery to fill the board.  More on this another time.

I came across this picture of the track on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway.  Yes it’s a preserved railway, and also newly ballasted, but I thought that the colouring and the encroaching vegetation were useful references for modelling.

And finally, a poster from the days of romantic train travel…

Next post will probably get around to TINGS!