Pole, pole...

If you're ever in East Africa, a common phrase you'll hear is "Pole, Pole" (poh-lay, poh-lay). It means "slowly, slowly," and it's used in everything from traffic signs to mountain-climbing. It also pretty adequately sums up how things are progressing on the layout at the moment.

This weekend I've finished installing all of the risers and cut out the templates for the track baseboard. I had a crack at punching through the end of the right-hand module, but I've underestimated the clearance for track, underlay and trains to get through. For now, the jigsaw gets a rest, but at least I know to be aware of it for the other end.

Reading Gary Spencer-Salt's blog about his installation of a photo-backdrop this week, I had a lightbulb moment. I had been thinking the way to reduce an impending gap between the bottom of the backdrop and the top of the scenery would have needed to be raising the risers another 20mm, however for Spicer's Creek, Gary has cut the sky from the 'Barinore' backdrop and applied it to a foamcore backing against a painted sky, and it looks quite convincing. Yoink! 

I've got some time off later this week, so I hope to be able to undercoat and paint the backboard a sky blue. I've tried to find a matt spray can of sky blue paint at Bunnings, however they're all gloss finishes. Out with the roller it is. This part of the job sucks, but at least after this I will be able to start on foam for the scenery and get the lighting installed so that the layout can vacate the garage. Then it will be onto construction of the return loops for the fiddle yard.

Still, I'm hopeful to have a train running by Anzac Day. It's frustrating close, but you can do it quickly or you can do it right.

Pole, pole.