Thursday 23rd July

Worklist:
Point actuators - more of the same....
Scenery
Generator room balcony

Laurence continued with the point actuator manufacture.

Stephen turned up a pair of 'cast iron' columns to support the balcony of the generator room. They will also provide support for the main control panel, which will be bracketed between them.

Stephen continued with the scenery on the new board, filling depressions etc., all in preparation for covering the board joint with paper mache - our 'new' preferred method. Geoff fitted new sleepers to the front, extending his previous sleeper wall. Both were pleasantly surprised how the wall suddenly joined the two boards together, making the addition of a roadway an interesting prospect.

Thursday 16th July

Worklist:
Engine drive mechanism.
Scenery.

Just two again this week.

Geoff completed the idler wheel, to which an O ring had been fitted. He then made up a yoke to house the idler, together with a frame for the swinging arm. These had to be arranged to find the best way of mounting them under the engine. Once agreed, the plywood base was cut out to receive the new assembly.

The completed idler in its yoke.

The 'H' shaped swinging arm with a wood, mounting block. The arm will have a spring mechanism to press it onto the engine fly-wheel and the electric motor. 

Stephen glued the retaining wall on the new board and then covered the foam with MocRoc (plaster bandage). The final covering over the board joint will be created with the boards bolted together.

Thursday 9th July

Worklist:
Point actuator
Generator engine
Generator room balcony
New board scenery

Laurence progressed the point actuator, including carrying out to mods to the servo. Thoughts again turned to incorporating the additional micro-switch that will be needed for the frog. Finally, the switch was 'piggy-backed' on the first, and a strip soldered across the two levers.

Geoff had decided that rather than have the new motor drive directly on the fly wheel, an idler would be introduced between them. This would allow the motor to be mounted further below the engine and fitting easier. The idler was soon being turned up. This would be mounted on a swinging arm that allows adjustment of the pressure applied on the the other two elements.

Having developed the idea of the balcony, Stephen made up the steelwork frame.

We had discussed the final section of the scenery on the new board and glued some blocks of foam in place. We had also discussed how the building would be incorporated into the high wall. Stephen made up a small retaining wall and fitted a capping using left-over strips from the bridge. The rear wall was shaped and another capping glued in place. The building was to be part of the wall rather than sit in front of it, so a section of card was removed from the back.

Thursday 2nd July

Worklist:
Point actuators
Engine and engine room

A full compliment this week. Laurence continued making his first actuator.

As well as making the basic unit, an extra micro-switch needed to be incorporated to switch the frog polarity. (This could be fitted directly to the point tie-bar, but having it on the actuator was considered a better solution). Doubling-up one of the existing switches was considered first, but then locating it on the base plate and using a double-ended servo horn was chosen. It will be located beneath the left-hand switch.

With the engine now running, and the generator room shell formed, the electric drive for the engine was investigated. A 6v motor with a built-in gearbox was found. Initially tested with a twist of masking tape on the axle, it drew a high current and ran quite hot and noisily. With nothing else available, Geoff located an 'O' ring and turned up a brass pulley. Tested again, the same issued forced a renewed search. A Hornby 12v motor with a nylon worm drive solved the problem. 

The spline on the shaft prompted the making of new, nylon 'pulley' for a smaller 'O' ring.

It worked beautifully. Because of the drive-wheel size, it will need to be mounted slightly higher than the floor finish, but it will not be seen. A plasticard plinth was fitted to the floor and holes formed and tapped to fix the engine down.

 In positioning the engine in the new room, it was noted that an area where a rack of batteries was supposed to go had been filled in with a wall. Instead of breaking it out, Geoff came up with ' a cunning plan' by suggesting the introduction of a mezzanine over the control panel, which could have a single row of batteries. This was enthusiasticly picked up by Stephen, and between them, a scheme developed, incorporating cast columns, brackets, floor panels, handrails and a ladder.

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Previously published drawings and  photos