New cassette socket
Track laying
Dig out the quarry
Back to three again and a good, productive session it was. Laurence continued with the cassette connector, which was finally completed after a few tweaks/adjustments. At the same time, Stephen dismantled the electrical feeds from the existing sockets, leaving the other ends connected to the 8-way socket underneath. He then added another pair of wires for the new cassette connector. We still need to design a switch and indicator unit for the three roads.
Geoff fitted a diagonal brace in the quarry aperture he'd formed the previous week. He then cut out the hole for the other half of the quarry. Stephen suggested that having the board joint through the centre of the lake wasn't ideal, but the shape of the perimeter did lend itself perfectly to having a single, slide-in water surface piece. Although not immediately accepted, the idea with elevated to the status of "worth looking into".
When Laurence had completed the connector, he supervised Geoff fitting it.
Stephen prepared a section of track to complete the Mason's yard trackwork, which Geoff also fitted.
The absence of track in the engine shed was now evident, and a discussion ensued about pits. Geoff drew cross-sections of an ash pit and a longer and wider inspection pit. It was agreed that an inspection pit would be employed in the engine shed, with a short ash pit between the shed and the adjacent point. Construction and dimensional information is now required so that the pits, including the rail support steelwork can be made.
We were very happy with the look of the two new exhibition boards. As we now had end-to-end track, it was decided to try and have a running session next week, although a lot of temporary electrical jumpers would be required. Or, as Stephen suggested, make some battery loco's.....
