Partial re-lay of The Northern

[Northsider]

Five years ago, I laid my ground-level line using breezeblocks laid edge-on for the curves, with timber 'bridges' in between. Time saw a little bit of movement in the timber, but more importantly I became aware of the poor design of parts of the line: I had put in a couple of very tight bends, and also hadn't paid close enough attention to the spirit level, giving rise to some localised roller-coaster effects. Long story short: about a third of the line has been lifted and relaid. Breeze blocks have been used throughout, bedded on sharp sand to get them level both along and across the formation, with a fillet of concrete put in either side to hold everything in place. The results are pleasing: no random derailments, unwanted self-uncoupling, or buffer-locking. Today saw a prototypical eight-coach train -all The Northern's coaching stock, as it happens- put into use as a TT special (we are about halfway through the TT race fortnight). Yes, 'Peveril' had to work hard, but managed the load comfortably...