Wednesday 25th September 2024

Setup the layout for a visit from Chris & Ted, our two extra operators for the NEC exhibition.

We hadn't set up the layout for some time and it was a useful exercise we intend to repeat running up to the show. However, today, Chris and Ted were joining us for a running session. Chris is a regular exhibition operator for us, but was unavailable for Salisbury. Ted will also be joining the team for the NEC, but this was his first viewing of the layout. It was useful for us to work through the basics and oddities of the layout with him, but equally, get feedback about any aspects of the layout and its operation, from a new viewer. 

Chris had brought his new Lynton & Barnstaple loco and coaches, which were superb, although the loading gauge was visually stretched to its limit. He and Geoff also had running sessions with their new Bachmann NG7 (O-16.5) quarry loco's. (The L&B stock is from Lionheart Trains marketed by Dapol).

New operator Ted

Long-time 'friend of Worton Court' Chris

It was useful taking Ted through the whole layout operations, track sections, magnet positions, as we soon realised that we had forgotten some of the modifications. There were also a few connection problems that will have to be tackled.

Stephen found time to play with some 'scrap' wood he'd been creating the previous week. Although there was no time to fix it down, it was an attractive addition to the general clutter of the layout.

We all had a good session and a useful additional worklist was produced for various issues.

Wednesday 18th September 2024

Telephone lines and figure painting.

Stephen tied-off the pole end of the three phone lines and superglued them in place. When set, the excess thread was trimmed off. A trial 'snagging' of a line caused the magnet to pull off its bracket without any damage. A success.

The issue of keeping the three magnets and lines from tangling when the pole was stored off the layout had been discussed and Stephen had unearthed a length of window blind control rod. This was cut into 3 and tested. Once happy it served its purpose, the three lengths were glued together and a base fitted.

Geoff spent the day cleaning-up and painting a batch of 3D printed figures.

Wednesday 11th September 2024

Revisions to the telephone system
Animals

The C shaped magnet holders were designed to allow the wire/insulator to be dislodged from the holder if a cable was inadvertently snagged by an operator. Designed to produce maximum 'adhesion', it was soon evident that it was very strong - probably too strong? What if we cut the top flange off, making it easier to fit the magnets? This would also leave the insulator (magnet) fully visible. A quick test placing the magnet on top of the C bracket proved one point of contact was more than adequate. The top flanges were cut off, the units filed neatly, painted and glued in place. The insulators could now be fully painted in their more visible locations.

The wires from the telephone pole insulators to the high level junction box were added (leftover thread 'wiped' with PVA).

The low level junction box was painted and glued in place.  A length of thin plastic rodding became the box-to-box cable. Extra grass was added around the pole base and the unit was complete.

The cable routes should ideally avoid two under-track uncoupling magnets (middle of the road crossing and under the end of the warehouse canopy), but only time will tell how well the arrangement works.

The cables to the buildings will be trimmed and tied-off to the pole insulators, making a single, removeable unit that can be stored separately. 

Meanwhile, Geoff patiently continued to paint the group of animals he'd 3D printed the previous week. We have been amazed at how fine some of the details/limbs are on these animals and Geoff's painting has finished them beautifully. 

Wednesday 4th September

We had accidentally discovered that a simple plastic telephone pole made an amazing visual difference to the whole appearance of the board and we decided to develop the idea. Cables on layouts rarely look good and they often get snagged and broken. We developed the idea of making 'C' shaped housings in sheet steel for small drum-shaped magnets, to which cables would be fixed. The other cable ends would be fixed to the telephone pole. This would allow them to be dismounted for storage and, hopefully, reduce damage due to snagging.

Geoff started making the housings.

A pin soldered to the bracket allowed fixing into the polyboard buildings. The telephone pole crossmember & insulators unit was glued to the pole and all painted. A brass socket to locate the pole was turned and mounted in place. A small box was made to represent high-level cable connections.

Geoff turned-up a steel rod to the diameter of the magnets (approx. 2mm) to hold the magnets while thread was wrapped and tied to them. Superglue was applied once removed from the tool.

The magnetic 'insulators' and the tops of the brackets were painted white.

We tested pulling the magnets out by the thread, which was difficult, but it did work. Next week we will attach the cables to the pole and complete a low-level connection box. Hopefully, we can add cables down the face of the buildings.