Baseboard construction and scenic section
How baseboards were constructed as two different ideas used as well as changing ideas in scenic work
In 1988 when the original boards were first made I did not take any progress photos of the construction method. The photos below are of the Lechlade and angle boards, as the same method was used. As Stephen likened his carpentry skills as "a nail too long and a screw too short" it was I that built them.
Using 4 x 1 inch dressed pine timber I put together the outside frame which had an internal measurement of 6foot x 2 foot. I had three cross members of 2 x 1 inch dressed pine spaced at 18inch centres. Around the top on the inside I penciled a line 1/2 inch below the edge and fixed the top of the cross member on that line. I also pined a narrow batten 3/8 square alone the line. All this was for the support of the "Pinex" sheet which forms the baseboard top.
I find that "Pinex" is a good medium for baseboard tops as it accepts pins, nails and screws readily and you can shape it with ease using a rasp and Stanley knife.
Lechlade Baseboards Angle baseboard for between Fairford and scenic sections
With the "Pinex" in place the track was laid out before being finalized.
Everything seamed to fit so thin card was laid down where track and scenic material would be glued. The laying of points will be shown in the Points & Signal section of this site.
Where the track dipped under the road over bridge I scooped out the "Pinex" with the end of a large rasp to replicate the 1 in 100 dip under the bridge which kept the bridge height and approaches at a lower level as well as giving the loco some help when starting off.
Photos by Ian McEwan