Adjust the ends of the three cassettes to suit the main line connection
Adjust the mine line connection to suit the cassettes
Finish off the alignment studs
Play trains!
And that's what we did (well, 1, 3 & 4)
Stephen's first job - cassette fettling. The cassette ends needed adjustment on two fronts:
- Ensure that all of the running rails abutted the main line rails and there were no gaps.
- Provide packing between the interlocking parts to ensure that the cassettes plugged in easily.
The cassettes and ends were numbered and lettered, and their status tabulated (he's into tables and schedules at present). Each end was then filed and packed until they fitted satisfactorily.
We had three working cassettes on the main line. However, having created the standard, the mine line was found to be in need of serious work - both height and alignment needed adjustment, which would not be a quick job. As we wanted to play trains, we postponed it for next week.
Laurence finished off the set of alignment studs he'd started the week before. They were all run through the lathe again, to put a taper on them to 'facilitate easy insertion'.
After a nice lunch (still in the warm garden), we assembled the whole layout (four boards) for the first time. It needed an extra section of workbench to be cleared and packed to take the yard end, as the test-trestle wasn't ready yet. It went together well.
And we were soon playing trains.
We found a problem with the mine line / end section wiring which meant it would only work if the main line was switched on. Obviously a crossed-wire somewhere. Mañana!
