A lot has happened over the last 16 months. Layouts have gone, Layouts have been started. I'll sum up the major changes below:-
Gone:-
- Majority of the 009 Collection has been sold off
- Blaencwm has been scrapped after electrics have been recovered
- Micro Maine V1 has been Scrapped
- O gauge Layout has been Scrapped
- LT Underground Layout has been scrapped
- On30 Fleet has been focused on one particular location. Bigger Tender Engines have been sold.
- Larger items of O gauge stock has been sold off.
Arrivals:-
- Micro Maine V2 has been started
- Trio of On30 Forneys have appeared with others to follow.
- New 6ft by 2ft N gauge layout for just running trains
- Lots of 16mm
There's been some rationalization because even I've realized I can only support multiple gauges for so long before something has to give. With a new job and at times a unpredictable income, the mass collection has been thinned down with priority placed on the projects that bring me genuine enjoyment. Long gone are the days of modelling massive 009 Trains behind massive engines, now taking its place are Medium sized Tank engines with 4-5 vehicle trains. Admittedly, its a larger scale so the lengths are staying the same but its more manageable size and price wise.
The current list of projects is now one of four:-
- Micro Maine Version 2 - On30 - 8ft by 9 inches. DCC using a fleet of On30 0-4-4RT and 2-4-4T Forneys mainly based on Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes Railroad Prototypes.
- BR Mainline - N Gauge - 6ft by 2ft. DC controlled using a fleet of Dapol and Farish Ready to Run stock based on British Railways Southern and Western Region prototypes
- Billington Road - OO9/OO - 5ft something by 2ft. DCC for OO and DC for 009. Modern Day preservation in the South of England using a fleet of Hornby, Bachmann and Heljan Ready to Run stock.
- Bowaters - SM32/16mm - Unknown by 6 inches. Live Steam in the garden using a fleet of Bowaters Steam Engines all built by Accucraft with rolling stock designed and produced by myself.
Its easier to maintain 4 Layouts rather than the 7+ I was before. Before people start to wonder, I'm keeping the rest of my 009 and O gauge fleets. The items I'm keeping I either like or have personal reasons for keeping. Plus you never know if in the future you'll have the room for lots of layouts!
To end the post, I'll finish off with some pictures of Micro Maine V2. Its progressing nicely and who knows what will happen next with it........
Until next time......
