Doing something different!

Whilst not fully finished by any means, I am at a point with the track laying and wiring on my 00 gauge Last Great Project layout where I can leave that work alone for a while as I let my brain unfuddle itself from the various issues and mundanity that this work is! I can run trains which is the important thing and I am in no major rush to finish this layout. It is supposed to be a relaxing hobby after all!

I am therefore moving over to the different aspect of platform building which is indeed doing something different! I cannot use commercially available products as the layout of the track is unique so no ready made platforms fit. I could use one of the plastic or card kits but again they would need a lot of work to make them fit. That leaves scratch building one and my material of choice is mounting card of which there is some in stock in the WMD Stores - they seem to have everything!

Work strarts by getting the platform surface to shape which may seem a bit strange in that it is being built from the top downwards. However, getting the shape right is crucial.

First piece trial fitted.

The ends now cut to shape and eventually the ends will form ramps. What I forgot at this stage is that I need to trim back further at the curves to allow for the overhang of the coaches.

An overall view showing that the platform will just take a 4 car DMU which is just what I wanted.

Looking from this direction I will also need to trim a little off the width of the platform surface but that will be done when I cut back on the curved parts.

Doing something different like this has actually been good for the mind! Too much track laying and wiring can make life somewhat repetative!

Talking of something different, here in the UK there has been some unseasonal agricultural activity. I have never seen ploughing and harrowing going on at the end of April before but I guess this is the consequence of the very wet Winter we had - in fact yu can still see some water in the photo below. Not sure how this affects food production but I suspect the price of certain things will be going up in price again.