a few checks .....

Took advantage of the sunny weather yesterday to do a few bits and bobs

firstly engineers check the clearances in the station approach from the signal box ...

 engineers find the track somewhat off-centre of in rockery cutting...

 a quick visit by the track gang (me) gets the track sitting centrally

 ---oXo---

After a rummage in the garage I got the the necessary bits of track out for the station area and laid them out to check alignment etc ...

not too bad - only about 3" out of alignment at the top end

Station approaches completed .....

Added the edging and laid the track for the station approach from the signal box

 put down the track down for the station approach from the top (in the trackbed section which I prepared previously)

 Now in full swing I got started on the station section - had a massive 'dig-o-mania' puting in the edging to the middle of the garden and dug half of the trackbed

a few more sessions should see the station section in place - more gravel to buy, the station layout to plan .....

Next section of trackbed prepared ....

A rather damp day yesterday but but I managed to get further by getting the next section of the trackbed completed.

On my next session will put the weed fabric down and get some more track in place; after this section is done I will be ready to get to work on the station section.

Half way round ....

 Nice to have some dry weather at the weekends, so yesterday laid out the next section of the track up from rockery cutting and round the corner at the top - talking me past the half way point.

On the garden front, the azaleas in the top border have been moved to fill in the bottom part of the garden and a new lavender border planted. The area in front of the next section of the trackbed has been dug over.

Loco gets a makeover .....

The battery operated multi-coloured loco (mostly yellow) has been re-painted a nice mid-blue to match the wheel colour; not much other detailing apart from some coal in the coal bunker...

Engine crews...

After some more testing on my battery locos today, have been selecting some of my old 'little people' that were out in the garden to use as engine crew. Here they are at first fit....

 They are on bases so they can be removed for access etc; I'll re-paint them as required then they can be put to use. The 'multi-coloured' steam loco needs painting, so that will be the next job.

too darn wet !

Not the best of weather over the Xmas/New Year period - lots of rain and storms. I had hoped to maybe do some work on the garden railway - but the ground was too soft and waterlogged. After a good couple of days rain, had a nice puddle about an inch or more deep over the path at the bottom of the garden and filling up the garden railway trench at the top of the garden.....