The Track is Back!!

First of all, I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and the big bloke who dresses in red, brought you lots of railway fun. My Christmas was excellent with lots of family time and birthday celebrations which made it a very hectic period, not to mention the vendor love that got tossed around this year. I've put on a couple of kilos so there maybe a couple of New Years resolutions  waiting in the wings, particularly as I think my liver is about to explode!

Anyway since the last post, I've managed a bit of time in the Train Cave finishing off back drops and bits and pieces. I've also managed to....wait for it....lay some track. I don't believe it myself but I've got back to the point where I got to before I demolished Picton Mk1. I still have to mount the point motors but at least the track is back and I can continue my new found enthusiasm for track laying. Here's how it looks

Hill Top looking towards Sydney

Sydney end Point work

Albury End Point work

I also managed to start on the storage yards that lead from Hill Top by starting on the cork underlay and building the points by soldering all of the point frogs. I'm going to keep going with the track laying for as long as I can tolerate it. Who knows how far I'll get.

Here's the storage yard. I may even Scenic this part as well one day

So that's it for 2012 as another year bites the dust. Its been fun and at times, hard work as I've tried to juggle Family Life, the needs of the Salt Mine and looking after ageing relatives. But, as my lovely wife said to me yesterday as we celebrated her Mother's 80th Birthday with a big bash at our place with all the family, you only have one family and in the end, they are the ones who are going to be there for you. So love and cherish them.

All the best everyone, hope you have a wonderful and prosperous New Year.

Progress

I haven't done anything on the LFX's as I've been working mainly on the layout. I started about 3 weeks ago intending to work a week at a time between the LFX's and the layout but I got all excited and kept going on the layout instead. I also did some repairs to the track work that I'd damaged when I pulled apart Picton Mk1 so it'll be ready to install in the next couple of weeks. So far I've nearly finished all of the back scenes with just a little bit of filling to go. I've under coated most of it and here's how it looks

iPhone Magic

I also fixed up some valances that looked like a drunk had cut them so now they're actually straight. I'm going to keep going on the layout while I've got the bug as I'm making some good progress. I'm also getting annoyed by people asking when I'm I' actually going to run some trains. I'll get there, I tells ya, I'll get there!!

Cheers