Fit new knobs
Run trains and test points
The knobs (guitar effects knobs) finally arrived from China (10 in a pack with a screwdriver - £4.41). They are only 19mm in diameter and are very neat.
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| Guitar effects knobs from China, via eBay |
The layout was assembled ready for another test run, following Geoff's rewiring work, which comprised linking across track joints with poor sleeper adhesion by adding droppers and joining underneath. However, after running over virtually all of the track, Laurence found a section with a short circuit. We spent the rest of the morning trying to isolate the problem, We tested for faulty micro-switches, stray hairs of copperclad sleeper, cross-feeds from other points etc., all with no success. After lunch, Geoff took the decision to apply a heavy-duty jolt, from a 12v battery, and the problem disappeared (there was no 'bang' or spark as we normally find, so we were not sure what the problem was).
We also tested the electro-magnet uncoupler, which had failed to work during the previous tests. The wiring was double-checked and the switch unwired and rewired. It was then remembered that the original control panel had a separate power supply for the solenoid points and uncoupler. The original supply was found and installed, solving the problem. Trains were shunted and uncoupled on all of the magnets.
Around this time, Geoff proposed that another section be introduced at the end of the platform, next to the refuelling area, so a loco could remain in there while the coaches were removed. It made sense, but there were no spare ways through the loom. Thoughts turned to why the coaling stage was sited there at all, as the coal and water were the wrong way around and it looked a bit 'clumsy'. There was also a bay on the end of the head shunt, which could be used for coaling. One for further discussion.
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| John's Peco Hunslet on a scratch chassis with a Gakken coach on a scratch chassis. |
We enjoyed the investigative work, but we vowed to do a lot more running to get a better idea of how the layout worked. No hardship in that!
