Thursday 17th July

Worklist
Investigate cassette construction and determine fiddle yard connection to the layout.
Play trains!

As Laurence was healing well, he was let out to join us on one of the hottest days of the year.

As none of us had used a cassette system like we intended before, some experimentation was required. 25mm aluminium angle (non-anodised) and 12mm MDF were brought together and a mock-up assembled. We were then able to check rail height alignment with adjacent board and realised we could incorporate a packer strip rather than routing the base for the coupling sections (See sketches). The packer also obviates problems with deep flanges lifting the wheels off the running rails. The pieces for a full-length (770mm) cassette were prepared and dry-assembled. It all seemed to work, so full assembly next time.

Whilst this was going on Stephen idly undid the screws holding the bridge down, and popped the whole thing off. It was amazing the difference it made. The tight, awkward space became a lovely yard, and lived up to the sketch prepared weeks before. The yard needed a permanent magnet, which was made up in record time, but would be fitted next time.

Laurence hadn't seen the work of the last few weeks, so we decided to play trains! We all had a go and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Lunch in the garden was tempered by the amazing heat. S&L squeezed under a cooling shrub, but Geoff braved it in the open. I bet he repairs the umbrella before next week.

As the board connections are being changed to 8mm bolts, the old 'Cottesmore' bolts are no longer needed, but they have great sentimental value. John supplied them all and, we assume, came from work at British Airways. They were either off an aeroplane, or from one of the many jigs he made. We won't be throwing them away.