Weekend

More progress this weekend:

I painted the two public sides of the small hidden board black. Rubbed
down the top and painted that black too.

I cleared more boxes in the garage finding some bits I had forgotten I
had in the process. The garage is now sufficiently clear to take a fully erected layout.

I cut and installed the piano wire for the rest of the hoffs.

I cut two wider struts for the hidden sidings boards to ensure strength
when being carried.

I ordered some powerful rare earth magnets which will be used to align
the tracks in both horizontal and vertical planes between the hidden
sidings and the layout. They have countersunk holes in them so that I
can attach them to a wooden handle. This will make them much easier to
remove as these magnets are very powerful indeed.

I should also mention that Roy Link has published a great new book regarding Nick Welch's FR 1926 layout. This is in full colour and includes
lots of useful hints including a method for altering Taliesin so that
the pivot screw is central and the worm and first gear need not be
offset, a cradle allowing the double fairlie's motor to be removed,
the buffet car interior, alterations to bemo couplings for better
running and much else besides. It's a big book (although softback) and
thus is priced at £28. Well recommended as this layout will
never be exhibited - confirmed as I asked the author this when he
signed my copy. Thus some 'modelling' time has been spent reading
that.

Also Dad picked up a final order from me relating to hoffs on Sat from
finney and smith. This consisted of one more motor and two extra auxiliary
switches. The motors have a switch for polarity frog switching
integral, but if like me you also want to switch a signal on the basis
of the point position then you need extra add-on switches which attach
directly to the hoff.