Gauge: 'OO' | Period: 2000s | Region: West Coast Main Line | Operating Team: Pete Waterman and the Railnuts
Above: Making Tracks: The Grand Challenge set a new record for a portable 'OO' gauge model railway at the 2023 Great Electric Train Show when it reached 152ft. Model World LIVE 2024 will see Making Tracks grow to 208ft with over 240ft of scenery! Jonathan Newton.
Pete Waterman and the Railnuts and taking on a new challenge to make the biggest portable 'OO' gauge model railway shown at the 2023 Great Electric Train Show even bigger! Making Tracks: The Final Frontier is under construction to debut at Model World LIVE on April 27/28 2024.
Making Tracks has seen new layouts debut at Chester Cathedral each summer with the completed layout making a final appearance at the Great Electric Train Show in Milton Keynes. 2023 saw all three layouts from 2021, 2022 and 2023 combined to create a single 152ft long model of the West Coast Main Line in 'OO' gauge, but now the team is working on a huge expansion plan to set a new record with Making Tracks.
Above: Double headed Class 90s pass through Milton Keynes Central on Making Tracks 3. Mike Wild.
Model World LIVE 2024 will see Making Tracks: The Final Frontier debut more than 100ft of new scenic layout by adding 56ft to the length and wrapping the scenery around the end to create a 208ft x 14ft layout with over 240ft of scenery! The original trio of Making Tracks layouts - Hillmorton Junction, Milton Keynes Central station and Tring Cutting - will be joined by Blisworth between Hillmorton and Milton Keynes while two new stations are being built to model Watford Junction and Bushey.
Above: Expansion of Making Tracks to create Making Tracks: The Final Frontier is in full swing. Pete Waterman and John Riley set out the track around the platform templates at Watford Junction. Phil Moreton.
Watford Junction is in progress first and features 13ft long platforms while the team is working on plans to build the viaduct on approach to Bushey station as well as the station itself. The scene will also include Watford Tunnel together with Northchurch and Kilsby Tunnels along the 208ft frontage.
Progress on Making Tracks: The Final Frontier will be covered online at Key Model World as well as in Hornby Magazine in the run up to Model World LIVE.
