I commented in one of my previous posts that even though this is a layout set in the last century, it is being built in this century and I want to use 21st century technologies to build it. This is why I want to move away from the traditional all-wood construction when making the baseboards.

Instead, aluminium extrusions will make up the frame which will then support the plywood top. Hopefully this combination of aluminium and plywood will result in a very strong but light baseboard.

Aluminium extrusion has another advantage. It has grooved channels in which you can fit a specially shaped nut at any position along its length. Because the aluminium extrusion is precision engineered it means that the baseboards will align very easily and precisely with each other (there is a special fixing designed to join lengths of extrusion). It also means that the layout will be easily extendable.

A whole host of things are available to bolt on the sides. Legs and carrying handles are two good examples that might come in handy! Say I wanted to display the layout at an exhibition? A lighting system could be constructed and bolted to the existing layout with no adjustments needed to the baseboards. All changes are reversible as these items can be removed without a trace!

Additional baseboards could easily be added to extend the layout at a later date, although there’s plenty to be getting on with before even thinking about that!

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