Constructing New Curves Last updated 09/02/2012

In 2008 the curves at the left hand end of Ashdown Junction were over 25 years old and showing their age.
It was therefore decided to replace them with a complete new end to the Ashdown Junction layout. The specification was as follows:

- New boards to be squared off at the corners and wider to give more room for the scenery.
- Overall size to remain within the footprint of the existing layout.
- Main focus of the scenery to be a railway viaduct crossing a canal basin. - Narrow gauge (009) branch to service the quarry & canal.
- Existing format of village, church and level crossing to be retained, but expanded.
- Platform ends of Ashdown Junction station to be seen emerging from the Fiddle Yard.
- Third, bi-directional, track to be added allowing locomotives or short trains to move between the Depot and Station without using the main line.
- Interface (track and wiring) with the rest of Ashdown Junction to be retained, to allow the layout to be be run and exhibited with the old curves until the replacement is ready.

02 July 2009 - Early Days

29 July 2010

05 August 2010 - The Electrics

Towards the end of 2010, basic tracklaying and wiring of the new boards were complete and the new boards were attached to the existing layout. Trains were run without incident over the new formation.

12 August 2010 - First Trains

23 September 2010 - Narrow Gauge Discussions

16 October 2010 - Canal Basin Construction and Cassette Tests

25 November 2010 - Panic Mode as Tenterden date approaches

30 January 2011 - Full test setup with the trestles (B&Q finest)

Eventually in March 2011 Ashdown Junction in its updated form was exhibited at Homewood School, Tenterden. Pictures of the new curves in their current form (nothing is ever completed!) are shown below. More recent images of this layout can be viewed on the AHRS at Exhibitions page.

Tenterden 06 March 2011

The viaduct section can be exhibited separately as Ashdown Wharf with its own 009 fiddle yards to give a fully working 009 layout in at 10ft x 10ft space. The short section Main Line above remains live to allow an engineers train to perform maintenance. In this form it was shown at the Bexhill Exhibition in August 2011.

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