DHAPR WAGON WORKS – GETTING THINGS MOVING

There’s no time to waste with this project, so I needed to get all the unseen parts out of the way and move on to the pretty bits. This stage always seems like a bit of a slog, but I know from past experience that long-term, a decent baseboard, well laid track and electricity properly arranged in the right places will ensure future fun.

For at least three decades, I’ve favoured plywood baseboards, and can’t see any reason to change my mind. Plywood is reasonably light, and easy to work with. Best of all, you can usually find someone with a big saw to do the hard work of cutting the pieces out for you so they are square in all directions. I’m lucky enough to have two small DIY shops that offer the service locally, but B&Q will also do the job – your first 15 cuts are free and then it’s 50p each one after that. Worth every penny.

With a baseboard kit to hand, I simply pin and glue the parts together doing my level best to keep everything square. If a piece needs to be shortened, then a cheap mitre saw is useful to maintain accuracy.

Alternatively, buy a laser-cut baseboard. There’s no shame in this. I can’t think of a better place to splash the cash, as a good, solid and square baseboard provides a flying start. Endlessly bodging a wonky and twisted board is not a recipe for fun, as I’ve found out to my cost in the past.

Next, we’ll need some track, and like most modellers, I’ve plumped for Peco. It’s well