Storage Shelf

With a bit of time to spare today, I constructed and installed a small storage shelf over the fiddle-yard.

Keith.

Start of Switch Panel

As it was a miserable day today, I thought I would start to construct the switch panel for the layout.

3 of the switches will operate the points in the station area.

 The other 24 will operate various lights in buildings etc.

I have yet to drill the switch holes but I will leave this until we return to our mooring where I hope to borrow a drill stand and vice to drill them out, to ensure they are more in line.

Keith.

More Bridge Construction

Road base now in place which will need surfacing with sanding belt sand paper.
Also in place the two connecting stone walls which join the two bridges together.

This afternoon I finished off the end of the road and bridge.

I have used Peco 'N' gauge bridges and although the bridge over the canal is okay, the one over the rail track needed raising up about 8mm to clear rolling stock.

The side walls for this bridge also needed raising up too.

I also did this to the tunnel portal I fitted a couple of weeks ago.

I will have to do the same to the tunnel portal at the other end of the tunnel.

Keith.

Start of Bridges Construction

I started constructing the two adjacent road bridges, one crosses the canal, the other crosses the rail track.

This evening I added the internal walls for the canal bridge.

Keith.

Wine Bar Renamed

Jo selected the style and colour for the signs for her tea rooms today.

Now officially "Jo's Tea Rooms".

Keith.

Jo's Tearooms

I have purchased this wine bar on eBay and will be converting it to "Jo's Tearooms".

I wonder where I got that name from?

Keith.

Tunnel Portal Stone Walling

Today I fixed the stone walling either side of the tunnel portal.

Keith.

Even More Track Laid

More track laid today, from the fiddle-yard across the other lift-off bridge around to the start of the station. This is all the track I can lay at this time, I need to purchase all the points, point motors, etc. before I can proceed any further. I hope to be able to do this when we return to our mooring after our Spring/Summer cruise.

Keith.

More Track Laid and Powered

Today I laid more track across the lift-up bridge around to the start of the fiddle-yard.
It is all powered up and working.

This is as far as I can go as I now need to buy the point-work to be able to continue.

Keith.

Electrics

Started wiring up the layout today. From the control panel I have run 4 wires, red & black for the 12v DC for the track, and blue & yellow for the 16v AC, underneath half the length of the fiddle-yard, under the doors from the saloon in some trunking and back up to the layout. I connected the 12v DC wires to the track underneath the tunnel. The 16v AC wires I have run halfway underneath the layout to approximately where it will be required for the point motors, traffic signals, building lights, street lights, etc. I got Jo my wife to video the first test run on the track underneath where the tunnel will be to check it works.

Considering where I was operating the loco from, I was pretty accurate with my stopping before plunging the loco off the layout and onto the floor where the lift-off bridge should be!

Keith.

Canal Walls

This afternoon I started to work on the canal walls.

This is the brick wall under the canal bridge on the towpath side.

This is the brick wall under the bridge, but on the offside, with the stone wall which is between the brick wall and the canal wharf.

A view of the full extent of the stone wall between the bridge and the wharf.

The wharf wall and where it narrows down before the road bridge and lock.

The full canal wharf.

Keith.

Running to Time?

Fixed the sign, that Jo had made for me, and a clock on the bulkhead.

Further scenery planning.

The village hall, vicarage and church.

Village shops and cottages. Post Office and attached pair of cottages, general store, garage and cottage, the butchers then the newsagents. Opposite the Post Office and the cottages is the chemists, the empty space on the corner will be Jo's Tea Rooms but I have to find an appropriate model. I am watching out for one on eBay. Opposite the general store is the lock keepers cottage and canal side store.

Hadarford Manor, large thatched cottage, The Boat Inn and disused hair saloon.

Keith.

Control Panel Finished

This afternoon I finished the control panel by painting it. The 2 units are now connected to the mains supply. Both units are ready for wiring to the track once installed. 

The walkabout unit is plugged into the rear of the main controller. I may add a hook to hang it from.

Keith.

Control Panel

Had a busy morning and afternoon till 3:00pm making bird nesting boxes for the site.

Not much time left today, but I have managed to construct the control panel mounted in front of the fiddle-yard. I can plug into the rear of the controller a walkabout unit.

Keith.

Scenery Planning and Further Painting

Last night I spent some time planning out the landscaping around the lock and village area using some of the remaining insulation.

Today I filled all the screw holes in the fiddle-yard timber-work and then painted it.

Keith.

Muddy Baseboard

Having popped up to Leamington Spa this morning to buy a pot of matt brown paint, this afternoon I painted the baseboard.

I started with painting underneath the farm tunnel.

The farm area over the tunnel.

Looking back at the farm and tunnel.

The canal wharf.

Hadarford village and canal lock.

Keith.

Farm Tunnel Part 2

Further work on the farm tunnel today.

The tunnel portal and track in place leading to the lift off bridge.

Close up showing the 2 screws below the track and soldered to it, to guarantee the track doesn't move as it has to align with the track on the lift off bridge.

The tunnel track glued in place.

The tunnel cover which will be the baseboard for the farm.

Keith.

Farm Tunnel

Yesterday Jo gave me this sign for Valentines Day. 😁

Today I cut out the hole in the baseboard under the farm area so I can access the track in the tunnel to clean it.

What will be the baseboard for the farm, with the tunnel underneath.

Keith.