The new station

I have decided to tear up the station as it was too big, plus the card i used just didn't seem right. Instead i have created smaller platforms using foamboard. A main platform and a small stub the other side. The foamboard has been painted grey and i've also ballasted the track through the station. I think it looks a lot better now.

The station

I've started again with the platform for Mäusestadt station. I've gone for a much bigger (and lower) platform space that fills in between the tracks. I'll put a top layer (probably grey paper) over the card layers... then its time for buildings and people!

Starting Mäusestadt station

I've made a start on the station, just a platform for now. Its made out of foamboard over which some grey paper has been wrapped. It doesn't look much right now but will have buildings and people added later.

Knell Lane signalbox

The latest addition to Knell Lane is a signalbox (at last!) A nice PECO kit. It also has 2 people inside and some signs on the wall, just don't look too closely as you'll see they are in German. Its not an anti-Brexit protest just all i had available honest!

New arrivals

While planning continues for Project #1004 we still have #1002 and #1003 to look after too! A few weeks ago a new wagon for Knell Lane arrived. A Railfreight open wagon. I love this wagon so much i've ordered another one...

Also arriving at Knell Lane a couple of British Rail vehicles. A crew van and a flatbed lorry.

Finally for Mausstadt a new platform shelter. This replaces the station building i was trying to repurpose as it was just too big for the space available.

Property portfolio

After quite a delay, mostly caused by the small fact of binning the old layout and starting from scratch, i've completed the 2 N gauge building kits i had outstanding. I've also taken my paint brush to the original 2 houses. They are all looking pretty good now...Here we see 2 house blocks, some shops and 2 lineside huts which will be put on the MPD (or maybe 1 there and 1 in the station area).

Populating the platform

The Permanent Way Department is busy ballasting the track on New Knell Lane, over half of it is done now and its looking fine. Meanwhile the Infrastructure Department has begun populating the platforms for the new station.

New arrivals

Some new arrivals at Knell Lane yesterday, principally a new coach (a BCK) which has now formed a loco-hauled coaching stock train with one of the CEP's coaches (it can have it back in a few months when we get another coach) and the CCV. The Class 25 now has a passenger train to haul... though to be honest we probably do need a new locomotive now. Also arriving a "gents" for the platform and a bus, as well as a couple of building kits.

Station update

The 2 platforms have been returned to the layout following the update (mostly adding sitting passengers but also a few paint tweaks). Also a photo of the Class 25 alone on the engineering siding!

New arrivals

Some new model railway stuff arrived today including the latest piece of rolling stock in the form of a NOV/CCT van which will run nicely with the other CCT i got last month. I also got some sitting passengers (so the platform seats bought last month can be occupied) and a couple of building kits.

Working on the platforms

I'm currently doing some work on the 2 platforms, permanently connecting the various pieces together and doing some tidying up. Also i'm adding a few more people and seats. Some sitting passengers will arrive soon so the seats will be occupied too! Now to think about nameboards...

You can now go to platforms 2 and 3!

The footbridge

Over the last couple of days i have been building a footbridge for Knell Lane. The kit itself is fairly simple (though the plastic rather brittle in parts) but the main problem was that the bridge was not wide enough to span between the 2 platforms! So i cut the bridge in half and extended it with some card. It doesn't look brilliant at the moment but will look a lot better after its been painted and tidied up.

Keeper's House

The latest building at Knell Lane is this little house for the Level Crossing Keeper.

First 2 houses

Both sets of houses, made from Metcalfe Kits, are now built. The one on the right just needs a little paint weathering and a varnishing. Another house kit has arrived today too so will be able to build up a street in the middle of the layout to break things up a bit.

Somewhere to live

The passengers at Knell Lane need somewhere to live don't they? Luckily the first of 2 sets of terraced houses are nearly completed. I'm not sure where they will go yet but perhaps at the back of the layout between the station and the loop.

Buffers and skips

Some more refinement of the platforms today, painting the edges a suitably drab concrete grey but mixing in a bit of Tamiya "mud" to add to the grime. I've also replaced the HOe buffers with proper N gauge ones and added a couple of skips!

More station work

Some more work on platform 1 of Knell Lane station has been done, including a small platform extension behind the main station building. Plus i've sprayed it with clear varnish to give it some protection from my cold damp house. Once everything is set i'll probably try and cover up some of the edges with paint.

Knell Lane Station

With the first station building in place and a few passengers the new layout is starting to look a bit decent now. Here the 4-CEP pulls into platform 1 awaited by some commuters eager for another day in the big city.

Knell Lane

So i have finally decided what my N gauge layout will be called, or the station anyway. The layout depicts somewhere in the South East in about 1973 so i have chosen the name Knell Lane. There actually is a Knell Lane in Kent though it doesn't have a station in real life. The layout will not depict the real place anyway, i've never been there for a start so wouldn't know where to start. Knell Lane station has a building now anyway.