The rest of the wiring was completed on the control panel, including all track feeds, track common return, point motor feeds and a make-shift device for point activation (a nail on the end of the wire).
We had 'our man' look after the loom and completed control panel while we assembled the layout. It kept the loom tidy and him out of trouble.
An old controller is being pressed into use until a 'proper' controller is sourced. A pertinent choice, as it is one that John made for Geoff and is his main test kit. The track work is a lovely shape, especially the new run-around through the platform.
As the 'panel' is just a piece of hardboard at present, it has to be hand-held, so it's two-hands for section and point control and another hand for loco control with another. It quickly became a two-man job - very egalitarian.
One of John's Peco Hunslets (on a scratch-built chassis) was first up, with a rake of mine wagons. An initial run-through showed up some sleeper short-circuits (quickly remedied) and some points throwing wrongly - again, easily resolved. Trains running again on Worton Court!
The track was given a clean and we all 'had a play'. All areas were tested and 'action required' areas noted.
The point motors caused some concern as not all points in multiple-firings fired together. Geoff brought in another capacitor, without any improvement. John used very thin wire for his layout generally, and Geoff thinks the point wires need to be upgraded.
Another loco that was given a run was a Simplex (as found at Bressingham), scratch-built Laurence.
A rake of mine wagons provided a test for the siding, as well as giving us a chance to see if we could still remember how to shunt with Kadee couplings.
All-in-all, it was a very successful and satisfying session. And a major milestone in the revival of Worton Court.
See, if we don't keep an eye on him he gets into some very awkward places.
