"Matha, git ma 4 by 2's ah feel a layout commin on."

I've been doing a bit of thinking about track plans in the last week or so, primarily how the whole engine change over thing is going to work. I'll post an original track plan later, but I've also turned to thinking about baseboards. having a look out on the net, I always seem to run across people who build 'portable' layouts from the heaviest things they can find. The layouts seem to be designed to outlast the pyramids, and be able to take a direct hit from a 500 pound bomb (however, this might be an idea if your country isn't on good terms with America at the moment).
Further to this, we welcome our first guest blogger, 'Trainee Fettler' ( how does one become a professional fettler BTW? I don't know as I've never fettled) with his ramblings on the subject.

"Everyone knows that when you build a portable layout it needs to be built light for ease of shifting and robust to cope with the knocks that are bound to happen. And yet we now seem to be intent on building for robustness, convincing ourselves that yes, my trains really do need 16mm MDF roadbed to keep them from hitting the floor......and suddenly weight allowance flies out the window. Never mind, we say, this thing wont break, will withstand any unforeseen accidents and will last for years!

What on earth are we thinking?? Why are we intent on making life hard for ourselves?

Firstly, choice of material. Wood is heavy; Foam is light, end of story. But you need it to be robust! BOLLOCKS!!!!! Two guys moving a light foam module have less chance of ramming it into things than they do trying to manhandle a 7 tonne MDF module about. You want to add dings into a module? Quickest way to do that is to drop it onto a concrete floor....and I cant see that happening with a lightweight foam module. And if it does, I'm picking you can fix it easier with foam than you can with wood as well.

"It needs to be able to support the trains". Seriously, how much do your trains weigh? I'm picking you don't scale down the weight as well, so that Ka doesn't weigh 2 and a bit tonnes in 3/16ths....so why on earth are we using baseboard materials that suppose it does? MDF? Ply??? Great for boats and walk in wardrobes, useless for modules.

"It has to last for years". How many years do you plan on exhibiting this monster? I don't know if I could cope with standing behind the same layout for the public to gawp at for longer than a couple of years, after that I'd like to think it would be time for something new. So again, why do we build them as if we are handing them down to our great grandchildren?

This comment from Iain Rice should be a mantra for everyone: "I want to arrive 10 minutes before the doors open to the public and leave 5 minutes after they close".

As for home layouts? Totally different kettle of fish...."

I'll take the time here to point out that MDF is possibly one of the worst things you can use for portable layouts. It's essentially thick cardboard, and will adsorb water like a sponge until its collapses. It also has a density approaching that of concrete.

(also, for legal reasons, the view's of Trainee Fettler should not be taken as the views of the proprietor of this blog, except where they agree with his views in which case they should be taken as the proprietor's views. Hope that clears everything up.)