Track and electrics of Nash Lane

Construction of the layout is all fairly conventional. As I am creating a yard I did not lay the track on strips of cork as this would raise it relative to the rest of the ground like a main line, whereas track in most yards is usually level with or almost sinking into the ground. Therefore the whole board was covered in cork sheet, and two or three layers were used in some areas to provide some subtle changes of level. Track is PECO code 100, purely because I had some salvaged from a previous layout. Points are driven by SEEP point motors.
Control is analogue DC for the time being with power coming from a Gaugemaster 'DS' double track controller. The layout is split into several electrical sections each of which can be isolated or powered from 'Track 1' or 'Track 2' of the controller allowing two engines to operate independently. Electrical connections between the control panel and layout are via three SCART cables: one cable for track power, one for point motors and one for point indicator LEDs.

Three PECO setrack points are used in the layout to save space. As these only exist in insulfrog format (and again, were recycled) I decided to rebuild them as electrofrog to improve reliability - especially as this layout is a 'shunting plank' using small wheelbase locomotives. Click the image to veiw more closely, the re-built point is on the right, original on the left.

The control panel was built into an IKEA breadbin. I'd seen lots of control panels on layouts that looked rather tatty; often the track diagram was painted on or created from lining tape and didn't look great. I had a brainwave and decided to draw the control panel on a computer (I used Microsoft Visio but other drawing or CAD programs would do) and use a printout covered with clear plastic film as the control panel surface. The result is much neater, and this method allowed me to go through several revisions to the deisgn on the computer before getting it right. Also, it was possible to draw items to the actual dimensions required such as the holes for the controller and scart box.
The paper print was then stuck down using spray adhesive. When sticking it down, and when applying the clear plastic film two people are required, one to hold the paper or plastic, and another to smooth it down slowly from one end to avoid air bubbles. Inevitably some air bubbes did occur but with the large number of holes in the panel for switches, LEDS etc it was possible to 'chase out' the bubbles by pushing them towards the holes.
Using the 'layers' property of the drawing programme a seperate layer for electrical details was created within the drawing, but not printed for the control panel surface. Left is the final drawing with electrical details included. Click the diagram to view it more closely