21st/mar/2026. I'm now a Council Lolly Pop man.

I decided that today would be the day when the streets and roads would be laid out on the layout. 

Not that there will be many or be long, but they are needed.

Firstly, I needed to decide what I would be using as roads: painted or something else? 

Option 1: Focus on the technical measurement

"I decided to use black Emery paper and settled on a width of 24mm. This allowed for two standard lanes with just enough of a shoulder to keep the scene from feeling cramped, while still maintaining that tight, realistic N Scale aesthetic."

Option 2: Focus on the "Trial and Error" process

"...and realized that while the math said one thing, the visual 'feel' said another. I eventually opted for a width of roughly 1 inch, which gave the vehicles enough breathing room to look like a functional roadway rather than a narrow driveway."

Option 3: Focus on the next step (Cutting and Placement)

"...and marked out the strips on the back of the emery paper. Using a sharp hobby knife and a steel ruler, I began the painstaking process of cutting the 'asphalt' into sections, ready to be glued down onto the baseboard."

A Quick Tip for Emery Paper Roads:

If you find the black of the paper looks a bit too "new" or dark for your layout, you can lightly rub it with a bit of grey chalk or a light grey acrylic wash. It catches the texture of the grit and instantly makes the road look like it’s been weathered by years of scale-model sun and traffic!

Whisper to you next Saturday. Bye Cobber.