Continue laying track.
A cold morning, but we were nearing the end of track laying. First, we set up the boards required for the final push. Boards #5 & #6 (new exhibition extension boards) and the fiddleyard were laid out down the centre of the workshop to provide maximum access. The fiddleyard was required to provide the location of rails running onto it. The black box on the edge of the fiddleyard containing the track isolation switches and LED indicators was unscrewed. This is now in the way of the new track running through the masons workshop that will allow hidden full/empty wagon exchanges. A new switching unit or system will need to be designed and fabricated in due course.
Geoff continued with track laying, initially tackling the crossovers at board joints. Stephen got on with laying the rest of the cork underlay, going on to laying the quarry track and then assisting Geoff.
Above - A PCB strip anchoring the ends of track on board #6 abutting fiddleyard cassette socket.
Below - The Masons yard point ended up close to the board joint. The rail-ends had to be trimmed with a Dremel and separating disk before being soldered to brass screws at the joint. Never a good idea to abut rails on a joint, but the flexitrack beyond was successfully shaped and secured.
Above - The catch point siding for the engine shed on the left should be just long enough for a small loco.
Below - the engine shed track is still being decided. We're keen to have a pit, so this will be fabricated as a complete unit and a hole cut in the baseboard before installation.
Hidden quarry line on the left, the Masons yard line awaiting track (and a cassette socket) in the centre and the mainline on the right. The sexy little curves in the middle go around the edge of a flooded quarry, the hole for which has yet to be 'dug'.
We're close to running something all the way around!
It was a cold morning...
