I have been avidly reading Tracks and Scenery for the last few months and inspired by the excellent home circuits and the ingenious model-making techniques of all the contributors I have finally taken the plunge.

Today was a step nearer to my plans becoming a reality for a permanent home track which I've been thinking about for a few years and this morning at 9.15 a cement mixer lorry arrived and by 10.30 there was the base for a 18'6" x 10' summerhouse

I intend to have a permanent 4 lane circuit with 1960s scenery and will run scratchbuilt 50s and 60s classic slot cars.

A lorry load of timber arrived Monday morning which kept Gareth busy treating it for much of the rest of the day. I haven't mentioned Gareth before, he is a fellow slot car enthusiast, model-maker and collector of Matchbox Toys who just by happy coincidence is a builder and is getting me through the first part of the project with his carpentry skills.

So I've shown you all a picture of wet concrete and now a pile of wood - I promise the pictures will get more interesting soon.

The work continues and the pile of wood is at last starting to be used to build the floor of the summerhouse.

It's really starting to take shape now, I arrived home last night to find the complete frame up and the beginning of the roof in place.

Things have moved pretty quickly since my last photograph despite the worrying gale warnings on Thursday night the weather wasn't too bad and Gareth has pretty much finished the outside of the summerhouse.

Mrs David came back from two days away at the Ideal Home Show armed with a very neat 3 setting halogen heater which along with the wall and roof insulation and the double glazed windows and doors should prevent any extremes of temperature that could affect the track.

I'll have to start thinking about ordering some track fairly soon and the real fun can begin.

Work and some bad weather has slowed things a little at Earls Hall Park but the roof was finished on Sunday during which Gareth managed to hit his finger with a hammer, he is a very experienced builder and was a bit embarassed about this "new boy mistake". You can see in the picture of the blackened digit the hole he drilled to drain off the swelling - I hope you've all had your breakfast!

Well it isn't finished yet as Gareth had a rush job elsewhere but the summerhouse is complete externally apart from some extra coats of wood treatment.

The ceiling is also insulated in fact you can see the start of the work in this picture. The foil backed plaster board is a standard item from a building supplies. The walls are finished and ready for painting.

We've used an insulation without glass, I still have nightmares about insulating the roof in my last house - I think I've still got the fibres in my fingers!

The insulation is called Rockwall and it's a mineral fibre, it is an irritant but nothing like as bad as glass and it doesn't leave those microscopic splinters in the fingers.

The materials have cost about £1800, what was that other thread on the SF about whether or not slot cars are toys!

The ceiling was fitted today, every time that Gareth comes round the summerhouse really advances and looks so much better.

The only problem is I haven't made the final, no going back decision as to which system to buy - do I buy Ninco or Scalextric Sport track? I know there was the other thread recently about which was best and obviously the more people you ask the more differing opinions you'll get but I need to make that decision in the next few days so I can place my order. I think I'm going with Scalex Sport unless anyone comes up with any convincing argument that wasn't included in that other thread.