My infamous vapour-ware 'Downstairs Layout' (codenamed "Over the Back of Bill's Mother's") has has been in the planning stages since last December and the supporting framework was in place (I think) last March. Since then the thing has been used for various layout planning exercises, but the temporary sheets of chipboard I plonked on top to make this easier had an undesirable side-effect. Downstairs Layout mutated into Overflow Workbench, a convenient dumping ground for anything and everything.
But finally, having come up with my ultimate, bestest-ever mega-plan for this area of prime, shunting-plank real estate, I tidied everything away yesterday - with the intention of cutting the timber today and making a start.
Unfortunately, I discovered I'd made an almighty blunder as soon as I plonked the first pieces of jig-sawed roadbed in place. I'd overlooked the fact that I'd been using 4 sheets of conveniently-to-hand chipboard during the planning stage. These were larger than the actual layout area, and I happily planned away, making full use of the overhanging baseboard. Of course, nothing would fit when I tried it for real, as the extra inches just weren't there. Idiot!
Particularly difficult was the 'steel sidings' area which needed space for the overhead crane and road access to work convincingly. Initially I tried to preserve this feature (very Black Country) by losing other facilities behind it, but I wasn't happy with the increased dominance of the industry on the smaller board.
So I'm back to fiddling again, layout planning in 3D as I dust off previous ideas in the hope of at least getting something started this weekend. The immediate question is what to put in to replace the steel sidings? Coal? Cement? Scrap metal? Hmmm...
Currently On My Stereo: Magnum - Breath of Life