Well, that’s the second traverser completely finished and tested. I now have a 21′ Layout, 12 foot scenic (2 X 6′) and 9 foot, the two traversers ( 2 x 4′ 6″). I think I have achieved all my aims, a railway running through countryside with no points on the scenic sections. I will do a further post when all the parts are put together and tested overall. I will also do a separate post on the colour light signalling.

I have also changed the name of the layout a little – it is now ‘Osier Fen’.

After a few days of dodging the rain, I have managed to make the second traverser, added an extension similar to the first traverser and corked the surface.

I have managed to squeeze the layout into the garage and attached it to the second scenic board. I will now add the track, do the wiring and finally do the electrical joiners.

Like the first traverser, the second will have seven tracks with the three longest split into two with isolating switches..

This will give me a total of 20 possible made up trains over the two traversers although it will be filled with only 18 trains maximum. In theory a train can be stored on the scenic sections while a space is made in a traverser.

These traversers will be used on other layouts at a later date.

While I was rooting around in my spares box I found a few more bits and pieces to enhance the Farmyard. I hate saying finished about a layout as I seem to return as soon as I see something that will add to the overall scene – guilty as charged!.

I think the Farm now looks a little more ‘busy’

Well, I think we are 99% there after a busy day yesterday. The Gorse Bushes turned up and although a bit small and neat, they looked good once planted. I have now added about ten people about the Common area, they certainly help make things more believable.

Board 1 is already finished and the first traverser is also complete. They may need a little bit of blending between the two scenic boards when erected and that’s it.

The next task is to make the second traverser and lay the track.

What an enjoyable project during these sad times, and using up lots of stock items and pre-used bits and pieces really was worthwhile.

I will not test at the moment but wait until the second traverser is finished.

A very busy two days working on Osier Common. I would say the second baseboard is now 85% finished.

The Ponds have been enhanced and footpaths on both sides of the tracks have been added. Several trees have been added including two Willows, Osier is a type of Willow, hence the name of the layout. I am waiting for about twenty Gorse Bushes to go on the embankments and around the pond. I will also add several figures walking, hiking, fishing and drawing.

I think I am beginning to see my main reason for making this layout coming to fruition – running trains through countryside.

After I posted the Fircombe story yesterday several people have asked about the layout running further, later eras.

I have managed to find a few photos although most are taken as tests for a lighting system and at only a few places on the layout.

The photos below are all with loco’s about 1986 – 90.

While I was looking for these photos I did find a few ‘posed’ Steam Engines – I hope to post these at a later date.

Sadly Fircombe is no longer with us – it was broken up over three years ago. I really miss this old layout but it had to go do to space constraints, it was 15′ X 10′.

I have never put any photo’s of this old friend on this website but after looking through some old photo’s I found some of Fircombe, hence this post. I have since sold all of the Loco’s on the photos but retain some stock, this will be used on my new OO layout ‘Osier Common’.

A lot of trees and other useful pieces are being re-used on the new layout as well – so at least parts of it will live on.

Fircombe was a progressive layout and could run several Eras, the below photos are all of the 66-70 era. By the way the large house on the layout was Fircombe Hall !!!!!!!!!!

I have a few more photos of Fircombe running a later era and it also had the addition of overhead wires on the branch line. I will post these later if viewers are interested.