12th July - Darlington

A little late posting this entry, as we hosted our first full-on Writer’s Retreat at Longthwaite the following weekend. Much time spent cooking, baking and getting the house ready for the six people attending. After all the effort we received very positive feedback and all six want to return.

Anyway back to the main subjet of this blog...

I'd not achieved all I had intended to complete for the Scalefour Society AGM but at least some progress has been made. Eleven turnout were constructed, the hope was to have them all installed unfortunately only five along with the trap at the bottom of the coaling stage road were in place. I'd also rushed laying some of the plain track which on inspecting some sections need to be improved. In hindsight the deadline of the AGM was a big incentive which resulted in many steps forward with possibly, due to rushing, only one backwards.

At the AGM there were four other layouts, all worth seeing in their own right. It was good to see Richard Spratt's Challenge entry, The Bridge, and to understand the insperation and thought process behind the project. Another layout under construction was part of Rob Ward's model of Whitby. This is one layout that we might not get to see again due it it really being designed as home layout. I'd seen Duncan Willcox's Croft Bank and Chris Michell's West end before but there's always an unseen detail to catch the eye.

I was initially concerned about the just-under-two-hour trek to Darlington for a one-day show. But meeting some Society members for the first time, catching up with others, receiving encouragement for Rospeath Lane, getting help from Neil Smith with setting up and dismantling the layout, and once again proving that it all fits in the car with Neil as a passenger — all made it a very worthwhile day out.

All set up 

View from the back.
Did wonder if this is a better view of the layout
rather than from the front...?