This is the last outing for the layout with the current fiddle yard configuration, work to modify this will be completed in February. The points are modified ready and the electronics built, the control panel work is completed and I finished the modifications to the front board wiring the day before the exhibition, this unfortunately meant that there was no opportunity to test the layout first but thankfully there were no issues!
After a relatively painless setup the night before, we arrived on a rather icy Saturday morning ready to run. I decided to experiment with the 0-6-0 diesel shunter on the shuttle track hauling the small goods train, we'd previously identified that a small rake of goods wagons looked rather good running up and down the front of the layout and the shunter is ideal for this, not only because the loco is so small but also as it isn't happy hauling long rakes of wagons or coaches, so this little rake is ideal...
I kept a 0-6-2 tank on the shorter platform with one passenger coach, ok so in real life you probably wouldn't see trains propelled like this, but who cares?
The new feedback controllers also allow a much more sensible running speed and collisions with the buffers no longer occur, we even moved the isolators nearer to the buffers!
The red 2-6-4 LMS was put in charge of the mail train and Deltics Crepello & Royal Scots Grey hauled another ridiculously long goods train.
Dorchester hauled a five coach rake of Pulman coaches, unfortunately some warpage has occurred to the rear sections of the upper loop, so we avoided running the usual brick wagons as the risk of uncoupling was too great.
The back of the goods train, which just about fits into the long straight section on the front of the layout.
The outer loop now runs much smoother and straighter with the two redundant pairs of points removed, now that the section has been re-ballasted there is no evidence that they were ever there.
I managed to complete the work to modify the points on the upper loop to electric operation, this with the addition of the changes to the switch panel means no more walking to the other end of the layout to change trains - just one throw of a switch and the points at both end throw. These are plugged into the fiddle yard boards via six-pin plugs.
Here the warpage on the rear section is quite visible, even after attempts to level things up, however all of the coaches managed to stay together.
I also managed to pick up some more Southern Suburban coaches at the exhibition so quickly added these to the back of the rake being hauled by the two trusty 8F locos.
Another view of the shuttle goods train.
I finally remembered to un-box the breakdown crane, and this was left parked in the shuttle siding with the Southern 2-6-4 attached to it.
A final shot of the goods train (you may be thinking that I love my little goods train!) in transit.
We were very well received, attracting lots of attention, some nice feedback and at least two more bookings. Sadly I forgot to bring the video camera that I got for Christmas so these are the only pictures!
All locos ran well, the only minor issue is with the turntable, which I'll look at while the other work is being done in February. The new switch panel stand also made life much easier, a much better operating height, and no back ache!
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