Gas engine paint finish
Platform fence
Play trains!
A particularly satisfying session this week. A few projects to finish off and playing trains on the whole layout.
The layout bases were assembled and cabled.
It was good to get everything out to be able to see what we have been working on, on individual boards. Although quite a way off being finished, it was very pleasing to see how it was developing.
It was also useful to test the track and points, which threw up a new problem. We knew we had a problem with John's points due to the way the blades and frog were one continuous element. This becomes a problem if the blades touch the stock rails out of sequence with the frog micro-switches. We were reminded that this situation occurs at each point-throw, so we have to ensure loco's are stationary when points are changed. However, one of the points caused a short when left in one direction. It was found that the servo horn had moved out of alignment which meant one switch wasn't activated, causing a dead short. This was easily rectified, but definitely something we'll have to keep an eye on.
As we started cleaning the track, Geoff announced that he was going to make a cleaning device he'd seen in a magazine. A section of aluminium channel, a bolt and some wood off-cuts, and it was ready. We all had a play and immediately put our orders in for one!
Whilst the building and features were being set out, Geoff completed work on his gas engine by cleaning off the red paint from the 'tyres', which finished it off perfectly.
We also had a couple of 'Whoops!' moments that had to be included at Laurence's insistence!
Laurence completed installation of the platform fence only to find, when the first item of stock was run past it that it was too close! It was so close that the holes had to be filled ready for re-drilling next time.
The second whoops was when Laurence was shunting his Decauville 0-6-0 in the platform and the front buffer was pulled off.
