Bad news for Monday was that Hattons is closing down.  One of the largest and most reliable model stores in the UK, with a long history.  It’s not a time to wonder why, just to hope that all the staff find another job and quickly.  Perhaps most telling were the number of comments on forums from other, rival, model shops, and manufacturers, all expressing regrets and their appreciation of the way that Hattons has been run.  We’ve lost a good one.

I have had a good number of orders from them over the years.  Lightening, or perhaps just lowering the tone, I’ve spread my buying around the stores, so this is not quite true….

The Bartlett workbench has been pretty quiet over Christmas.  And with the cold weather over the last couple of days, I have felt more like hibernating than modelling.  I’ve spend some time wondering how to make micro-layouts on IKEA Lack shelves.  Nothing certain yet!  And then wondering about a set of N-club end loops that we need for the club.  I came up with this:

Two modules, one 800 x 400mm, the other 1000 x 800mm.  The left module is scenic, and is based on Smallbrook Junction on the Isle of Wight.  The junction is standard PECO, but it makes an interesting track layout.  I looked at fitting in a fourth storage track, but this needs a bigger board, or a tighter loop radius (minimum radius is currently SetTrack #3, that is OK for almost all stock.)  I also drew up double junctions, and a single track branching from the double track main line.  I think that I like this one best.  All loops will take two three or four coach trains, and all tracks can be accessed from each loop.  I’ll look at the single track branch layout – this works well, and then think about building something.

Allan sent me the sign below, so I’ve added a second one for today’s sermon….

Allan also reported that Boeing are now restoring railway coaches….

And finally, I hope you got everything rail you wanted for Christmas….