APRIL 2013 Update

Wow - how quickly this year is going and so far no update on my progress! - forgive me folks the Cabin in the garden has been too cold to do much work on my main layout - so I have concentrated working in my garage on my new "Banjo's" - what the hell are they I hear you say...

For those who have read my previous posts you will recall that following my contact with Chris Jones - he of "Corkscrew Lines" Blogspot - I took on board the concept of using a Banjo - or turnaround loop for my Dymewood II project, ( a new modular layout that can be fitted in the home (nice warm room I hope one day!!!) and can also provide several sections (3x4ft at the moment) at an Exhibiton standard - hence the need to do some sort of turn loop.

 After reading Chris's article in the Hornby Mag, I took some track and laid it out on our dining room table (whilst my wife was out!)...

This gave me several ideas to work on and within a week or so, together with my mate Brian "he who has every electrical tool invented" we set about cutting my first "Banjo's" out of sheets of 18mm ply.....

We clamped two half sheets together and after a few cups of tea and some bacon sandwiches we could see the makings of the new shapes! - were they banjo's or giant table tennis bats?!

Looking good eh? - now we need to set about some trickly internal removal of ply shapes - to reduce the overall weight of the Banjo....

Almost the finished article - one routed out and some track laid just to provide a look at how it might turn out. The other in the background was marked with the router as we cut the top one and so we could start the cutting out again much easier.
After all the hard work and sawdust it was time for more tea and bacon sandwiches (that's how I pay my mate for his help!).

Now the more exciting stuff - laying some track (after some sanding down and a coat of yacht varnish).

You may say - "why the central tracks?" - well, as I developed the concept for my potential exhibition layout - end to end etc. I realised that if I put the extra trackwork in I will have more storage and fiddle area. Now the "eureka" moment - why don't I pivot the banjo? - then I will be able to not only turn trains round on the main circle but also direct the exit tracks onto any number of tracks coming off the main board! wow the banjo becomes a very versatile piece of kit. I decide to also add some spare tracks on the cross pieces to allow for loco storage during running sessions.

So what does the finished Banjo look like?............................Anyone for tennis?

Well, here are two of them "The Banjo Twins are born!"
One with finished trackwork, the other with cork laid ready for trackwork. Oh and the old guy holding them - that's me!

To test the trackwork, I have joined the two together and started to run trains round....

So, after several weeks of thinking and building I am now experiencing the potential of the "Jones Banjo" (Chris many thanks again for this great idea.).
Next job is to choose the turntable methodology - working on that now and will update you all soon.
Oh and I need to get on with the finishing of the modules and some track plans - more on that later.
Thanks for looking.