A new project - one for the future

Before Christmas, I received notification that someone would discard a P4 layout unless another person expressed interest. At first, I thought, I’ve no time to spend on another project. Plus, the size initially quoted meant I’d have to alter or rebuild the baseboards to fit it into my 'Man Cave.'

But after further discussions, poring over track plans, and reading a blog about the layout, I realised it would fit in my space. The thought struck me: could this layout inspire my grandchildren? It's a "roundy roundy," so it could also serve as a test track for locos and stock. If it hasn’t suffered too much in storage, it might only need a little TLC to become fully operational. My grandchildren are only three years old, so I have about two years before they’ll really be able to enjoy it. That gives me time to sort out any issues without rushing—perfect, considering my commitment to completing Rospeath Lane by 2016.

After a bit more thought, I decided to become the new custodian of Heath End. The following photographs have been coped from Scalefour Societies Craven Area Groups blog 

I actually saw the layout once at Scalefour North in 2011, though I’m not sure if anyone has exhibited it since. On initial inspection, it looks to be in decent shape, especially for something that was built around 2007 and been in storage for possibly 13 years. With a bit of care, I hope to bring it back to life—not just as a project, but as a chance to share my love of model railways with my growing family.

Original Track Plan taken from Scalefour North 2011 program

Making this decision has taken up too much head space already, time I should have been thinking and working on Rospeath Lane. I need to park any further thoughts about checking the layout over until additional progress is made on my Jubilee Challange project. Getting Heath End fully up and running needs to be on the seat right at the very back of the bus. Thankfully, we are not expecting any visits from the grandchildren for a few months.