Thursday 26th June

Work list:
Magnets!

Laurence popped out to get his hip replaced, so it was left to Geoff and Stephen to continue with magnet installation.

The previous assembly of a magnet 'unit', established the working thickness of the spacers (2mm). However, the cardboard was fixed with double-sided tape, which had wilted in the heat and weight of the magnet, and would have to be remade. With four to make, materials were prepared; 5-6mm plywood fixing plates with slotted holes, 2mm wood spacers, 20 x 3 x 40mm long steel strip keepers, and the magnets two 30 x 10mm units placed side-by-side.

The pieces were assembled with epoxy glue and we had lunch while they set.

We were occasionally able to use a Dremel router, but mainly had to resort to chain-drilled holes, a mallet and chisel, then finish with the hand-held router. The hole is 10mm deep in a piece of 1/2" chipboard. (Yes, we did break through once or twice, but no serious damage resulted.)

The yellow card spacers allow the magnet to be moved away from the track. The slots allow the magnets to be aligned with the track.

We fitted a couple quite quickly (we'd worked it all out before, you see) but as we reviewed the goods line, things got complicated. The goods-in magnet had to clear the shed point, pushing it halfway along the platform. The goods release (allowing the loco to run-around the newly arrived train) would have to go on the point. The two magnets were quite close together, which would restrict the length of goods trains being made-up. Only one answer - the goods assembly magnet would have to be the electromagnet. [We had purchased the Kadee electromagnet to experiment with, when we intended to build our own. We had decided to use it on the end of the platform, to allow assembled passenger trains to depart unhindered, but this new position made much more sense.]

Problem two was when we realised the points at the end of the platform worked together - crossover and both straight. With the magnet ON the goods point and the loco in the headshunt, the point couldn't be thrown to release it without launching stock on the point into the air. The solution was to change the point operation. After considering more extra wires, we realised that as the points were on different boards, they already had separate wiring, so it was a simple job to have the straight routes independent (keeping the crossover combined). A matter of seconds to achieve. Testing proved everything worked well.

Geoff will assemble the electromagnet ready for next week and read the installations. We also need one more magnet for the new goods area at the bridge.

Over our final cuppa, thoughts turned to the fiddle yard. Geoff has been against using aluminium angle for the running lines of the cassettes, but discussion of its other benefits - stock protection, alignment and jointing etc., led him to accept it was a good solution. We'll have to make one up as a trial.