Trackwork is complete

Last week I laid the final piece of trackwork. There may well be minor changes in the future but the basic track plan is now complete. This is how it was originally conceived, back in November 2013...

… and this is how it's turned out in April 2019.

The most obvious change is the new revolving fiddle yard. The original one proved unworkable – just try imagining yourself attempting to turn around a 3ft 6in long cassette, loaded with a loco and four coaches, then lifting it over several other cassettes, and you'll get the idea! By comparison, the new arrangement has been a great success and is a joy to operate.

Under construction. The original, torturous fiddle yard was on the right

Operational. The little sliding bolt aligns the tracks and completes the electrical circuit.

The baseboard that once held the cassette fiddle yard is now home to Bourdon Halt, which is based on Dunmere Halt on the former line to Bodmin North. I had always associated 'pagoda' waiting shelters with the GWR but here's proof that the LSWR had them too.

Dunmere Halt (photo: HC Casserley)

But why "Bourdon Halt"?  Well, several years ago the old pipe organ in St Illogan Parish Church was being demolished and I pocketed one of the organ stops. It was the odd one out as it was a dummy - Illogan's organ never had a 16ft Bourdon pipe. I therefore resolved that its later years would be more useful than its former ones and used it to control the turnout to Bourdon Mill.

And here is Bourdon Mill, the premises of Josiah Penrose & Sons, seed merchants and suppliers of agricultural miscellanea. Since there is no run-round at Bourdon Mill, the siding is only serviced by the morning goods train from Tregarrick North to St Petrock. Anything destined for further afield has to reverse at St Petrock and leave by one of the 'up' goods trains. 

These photos emphasises all too clearly that, though the St Petrock trackwork is complete, there remains much to do on the scenic side. St Petrock is far from being finished... perish the thought!