Ponderings

 A few days of nice weather, plus an impending bonus, has rekindled some of my enthusiasm for the garden.

With the back garden, or at least the grass, back on the way to recovery from the goats I think it is time to replace the old laurel bush with a pond. We have a bigger pond planned for the front garden, but this is just intended to attract a bit of wildlife in the meantime.

Of course, you can't build a pond without putting a railway around it, so I thought I might as well relocate the 7/8ths line. There is a bit of a challenge in that I still need to allow room for the ELR to run safely alongside between the fence and the pond, but at least I'm considering options.

And before anyone mentions it, I know the pond is meant to be the other way up.

I've also been out surveying possible routes for the ELR. Considering grandchildren mean the focus is shifting towards a continuous run around the back garden ahead of the extension to the office.

Also with grandchildren in mind I'm thinking of building a simple 16mm track in one of my old raised vegetable beds, but I need to discuss the final site with the boss.

TTTAoC

 Many of you will have seen the Peco announcement of a new TT range. One of the very first layouts I can remember is the promotional Triang TT layout that Dad once had in his model shop. The baseboard eventually formed the basis of a never-finished family OO9 layout built on Tuesday evenings whilst mum was at League of Health and Beauty Classes.

See more here

I eventually used some of the surviving track for a quick OOn3 diorama, which in turn became my OO9 Hales layout.

I've always liked TT when I've seen it in the flesh, but I've never felt the urge to build a layout in it. After all, I have enough projects on the go. 

But.

There is always a but. 

Once Flemish Quay is finished my next project is the Wisbech style Inglenook. After that, I think I've decided it is definitely time to switch to 7mm for both standard gauge and narrow gauge modelling. I already have a vague plan in place for a GWR  micro layout. 

Which leaves the EM version of  The Art of Compromise plan in limbo. I have lots of bits and pieces set aside for it, but not the time or space.

Then along comes that Peco announcement, not just of track but also of three building kits that are ideal for TAoC.  I'm not sure what adaptions it would need space wise. My first thought would be to keep the boards 1ft wide with a four-foot visible section and two-foot traverse so it could all fit on two 3ft boards.

Stock would be kept to a minimum, perhaps a pannier tank and a class 24, a single coach, and a handful of wagons.