Wednesday 22nd June 2022

Worklist:

Have a running session.

Establish positions of the uncoupling magnets for train movements in and out of the mason's yard.

Un-planned worklist:

    Unstick all three points where the track had been painted.

    Resolve the short circuit in the mason's yard.

The previous week we decided that we'd have a full running session this week using the whole layout. All of the boards were set up. At Laurence's request, the initial part of the session was given over to a recap of the exchange push-button system worked and the three sections on the 'local' control panel sections. It has been a long time since we'd worked on the new boards and the recap welcome. However, it was made more difficult, as there was no track plan on the panel - yet! 

The first problem on the new boards was that the points were stuck fast with rail paint, which Stephen had to scrape away. All then went well until Laurence tried to run a loco into the stone mason's yard and a short circuit was discovered. We spent a long time narrowing the actual problem down, but finally decided that the short must be in one of the copper-clad sleepers fitted to allow the roadway check rails to be soldered in place. Geoff decided to burn-out the thread of copper with a dodgy looking capacitor contraption, but this failed. Stephen started to excavate the plaster infill between the check rails at one end, while Geoff ran a cutting disk down the centre of the track from the other end. In no time, the problem was found - an incomplete sleeper gap. The plaster will be reinstated in due course.

Magnets: Some basic train movements were established. 

Trains dropping slabs/blocks off would only be coming from Worton Court and would require a pilot loco for shunting from the rear end. (This will be housed at the adjacent engine shed). 

Empty slab/block wagons would go from the yard back up to the quarry using a light loco or be picked up by a train heading to Worton Court. 

Outgoing finished stone goods wagons would be added to trains from Worton Court and would require the pilot. Those wagons returning from the mainline transfer yard would be dropped off by trains running back to Worton Court or the quarry, by the loco. They would then be shunted in the yard by the pilot loco.

We were then able to run a train and decide where magnets would best be placed. We were pleased to find they worked well with the established track breaks. Unlike previous magnets, these would be mounted on servo-driven plates that would lower and raise the magnets as required. These will be controlled by spare capacity on the Merg point control board already fitted, although additional loom wiring will be needed. 

We didn't get to do much else, but it was a very interesting day. We will continue the running session next week.

Not much room in the middle.

The capacitor 'blasting' device.

The checkrail copper sleepers being unearthed.

Wednesday 15th June 2022

Yard road surface.

Board #4 ballasting.

Nice to have a full house again.

After a discussion about how to make-up the yard level to allow the roadway dust to be applied just below rail level, it was decided to cover the foam sub-base with thin card - probably two layers. Stephen got started cutting out the pieces and had the first section glued and weighted down before we broke early due to the heat. 

Geoff decided to ballast the mainline track on board #4. The ballast we use harks back to John Langridge days. John worked for British Airways engineering dept. and brought home leftover granules used for soaking up oil spillages. The tub we are still using had some larger than needed lumps and needed sieving. No suitable sieve could be found, so a yoghurt pot had holes drilled in the bottom, which were made larger until the correct maximum size was achieved. In a change to previous applications, a mix of water and isopropyl alcohol was used to wet the ballast. Geoff had picked up this technique from some of the numerous American YouTube videos he watches. Finally, slightly diluted PVA was dribbled over the ballast. We'll see what difference it makes next week.

Placing the ballast with a paint brush.

Sieving the ballast.

Wetting the ballast with diluted IPA.

Dribbling diluted PVA.

The quality control manager 'on the job'.

The heat had finally got to Laurence and the shorts had come out!

Wednesday 8th June 2022

Worklist:

Engine shed base.

Board #4  tunnel mouth and scenery base.

Yard area and road base.

Just S&G this week.

Stephen returned to the shed base and fitted 4 cocktail stick ends into the plaster to retain the engine shed. This will allow it to be dropped into place quickly until it is decided whether to fix it down with bolts or glue it.

Geoff decided to make the tunnel mouth. Some of the XPS foam (dark grey) was sliced up and the tunnel mouth stonework scribed into it. Another slice of foam was fashioned into an abutment wall.

Stephen moved on the the yard and access road areas. For the road surface, it is intended to use the chinchilla dust, which was successfully used on the station area roads/paths. This is a very fine grit/dust that will represent a crushed/waste stone finish. It needs to be carefully applied to get a smooth, even finish, so we will have to have some practice sessions before attempting the large yard area. The yard had been given a 3mm layer of the XPS foam. Plaster filler was applied to infill any gaps and create an even surface. This will require a further layer of plaster to bring it up the correct level for the dust finish. The roadway outside of the yard had been given a rough PVA and newspaper covering. A levelling coat of plaster was applied to allow lumps and ridges to be smoothed out.

Stephen then moved on to board #4 and applied a couple of layers of newspaper and PVA to finish the scenery shell.

This is the building from last week that had the front door and window reversed to make the chimney stack position credible. (Stephen couldn't decided how the chimney stack would be built beside the adjacent high gable wall. Surely, for good smoke dispersal, the pots would have to be on a level with next doors, which would look odd?).

Wednesday 1st June 2022

Worklist:

Shape foam scenery base on board #4.

Finish-off engine shed floor.

Review homework on cottages.

Survey rear roofs of cottages in relation to back line of scenery.

Office chimney stack.

Just Geoff and Stephen.

Geoff attacked the foam he'd glued down the previous week. His first choice tool was deemed a bit extreme, so he started to make a hot-wire cutter. He managed to produce a unit, but was thwarted by the lack of a decent power supply. He resorted to a craft knife with a fully extended blade.

After a fair bit of shaping, he decided to get a layer of newspaper glued down to make it easier to read the shape of the foam.

There was a lot of discussion about the rest of the hillside and the area on the inside. It will, no doubt, be resolved in due course.

The timber edge frame that Stephen had fitted previously was now solid and the filler for the floor could be applied and levelled easily. The left over filler was then applied around the building to raise the ground level closer to the final level.

Slates had been applied to the front slopes of the four highest cottages using the laser-cut slates Geoff had produced the previous week. The lowest cottage had been always been earmarked to be modelled in a dilapidated state, so after much Google Images research, a hole was cut in the roof. Joists and a purlin were made, painted and fitted into the void. The now visible internal face of the party wall had a skin of the same plastic stone sheet as the exterior. This space is a single, open-plan bedroom area with very low eaves. The new wall will be painted white. 

A cardboard floor sheet was also made, that will be fitted onto the top of the tunnel running underneath the building (just visible through the rafters).  Slate battens have been cut and painted ready to be fitted.

Stephen had produced a prototype TV aerial for the cottages, made from nickel silver rod. It has a small steel plate on the end of the vertical that snaps onto a neodymium magnet within a chimney stack (for safe storage). It was agreed that the Yagi aerial (horizontal element) was a little too large and would be made smaller.

Stephen marked the back scenery line on the cottage rear roofs and trimmed off the surplus. Slates can now be applied 'with confidence'. The two office buildings had their roofs modified for the same reason. It was while doing the latter, it was noticed that the smaller office chimney was on the wrong side of the building - i.e. on the staircase side. As mirroring the chimney would cause issues with the adjacent building, the front door and adjacent window were reversed. A little thing, but it would only annoy him if left uncorrected.