Scaleforum in September 2026 is over 2 years away but I'm under no illusion that this layout is a quick build. The amount of track I have to build, buildings and scenery to complete along with converting some 20 plus locomotives to DCC makes this a big two year project. So I've created a schedule with milestones I think I have to hit to keep me aware of my progress or lack off.  At the moment I think I’m behind schedule by about a month.

Anyway I got to grips with cobbling together baseboard two over the last few days. I has taken a quite a bit of thinking about to replicate the image I have in my head. There has been much standing back from the baseboard just looking taking stock of progress and seeing if it is visually looking OK. This was mainly to do with the two slopes at his end of the layout. Eventually I've calculated that the slope up to the coaling stage is approximately 1:15 with the slope up to the coal storage sidings about 1:30. The top of the slope to the coaling stage there is flat section which might be longer than it should be. I've intentional done this so I can have one or two empty coal wagons standing there without the fear of them rolling down the slope. During an operating session they can be replaced with three or four full coal wagons.

Eventually I'm hoping that the visual interest of the layout will be balanced. The weight of the main buildings on the right will be balance with the three track elevations along with the road bridge and shed office/enginemen’s bothy building