We did it!
We finally have a working layout.
Another lengthy all-day session got us to completion within five months.
The cost, I haven't dared calculate, the man hours, obscene!
Our 16ft x 5ft show layout has three running loops including the upper loop and an electronically controlled shuttle, which now also throws the points at the terminus station, which alternates the locos along the branch. I figured that if I added a pulse operated relay (one pulse on, one pulse off) that this would work the points motor, getting the signal from the shuttle module proved more difficult however as the only outputs are via the power feeds for the LED signals. I did however work out that if I wired a transistor to the green signal connection, this would then operate a relay, which in turn would generate the signal to operate the points. A bit over-engineered but it does the job!
This is the first picture of the layout after we finally agreed that we could call it finished...
Buildings illuminated, model cars in place...
Just a couple of minor niggles with the track dipping in places but the layout still ran.
Brighton Belle found all the imperfections, the track and the Brighton Belle have since been modified...
It is sad the the old layout had to be broken up in order to produce this one but there was clearly no way that I could safely store both layouts and there was no way that it would ever have been used once this one was completed. Plus the boards were degrading badly and setup could take upwards of three hours - this one is running within 30 minutes (we timed it!)
I've ticked all the boxes from the initial design brief and attracted a fair amount of attention along the way.
This has been a very tiresome five months. I don't know if I'd do this again. We wanted to do something extraordinary with the old table top railway design while remaining as faithful as possible to the original Dublo designs and I think we've done that and more besides. I hope the efforts that have gone into making this layout by my brother and I really show come our first exhibition. I can't wait to get all the stock set up and run it properly!!!
Time to relax...
