Betty breaks!

It was Driver 4 a Fiver at the Rocks By rail Museum today and I did Front Of House in the afternoon welcoming guests. It was a nice relaxed day although one of the things to happen was a bit unexpected. Betty the Sentinel loco being used for the Driver 4 a Fiver broke down whilst in mid trip! not good but as normal, the situation was soon resolved with Mr. D being sent on a rescue mission and towed Betty back to the platform.

At first it was thought that she may have run out of fuel so Pete, Pam and John dropped 10 gallons of diesel into the fuel tank.

That did not solve the problem which may actually be a fuel filter or solenoid issue which I am sure the experts will cure next week!

Shunting Betty into the siding for naughty engines meant that Mr. D could be used on the last of our guests wanting to do Driver 4 a Fiver.

We always manage to find a solution!

The trouble with setting up an oval of track like that is it sparks ideas.....

Dropping back onto a project I talked about a couple of weeks ago, Mr. B's Triang Hornby Britannia which he left with me some time ago. The Britannia looked good but it had a dodgy motor. Given that the motor was the old X04 one which was probably well over 40 years old it was time to replace it which I had nearly got to as outlined in this post.

The new and different motor was fitted without many issues despite being different to the original.

This was done whilst I was building the control panel that I have posted about over the last few weeks. What it really needed was a running in session to get the new motor running smoothly with the old running gear of the loco. 

I set up an oval of track on the floor of the Man cave and left it running whilst changing directions and speed. So it runs well and the body can now go back on. Hopefully Mr B will soon be reunited with his loco.

The trouble with setting up an oval of track like that is it sparks ideas.....

Not exactly the James Bond lifestyle but remarkably satisfying for me!

The last few days have been a little like each other with gardening and control panel building being the main focus of activity. Not exactly the James Bond lifestyle but remarkably satisfying for me! Being creative in one form or another is something that most of us get a buzz out of and it is gratifying to see in one case a small seed planted weeks ago and nurtured becoming a plant that can be put in the garden and in another case a load of wire, connectors and switches that becomes a working (almost) control panel for my model railway.

So today saw more home grown plants put out into the garden which has pleased Mrs. W as her drawing up of a jobs list for me is her creativity outlet!

The control panel is now in  place all connected up and going through shake down trials which is another way of saying there are a few things that I need to sort out. Nothing major but the sort of small niggles that can take a bit of time to find where I may have connected the wrong wire!

There are still things to do such as a good tidy up and to get those wiring looms secured to the layout but that will come with time!

I must admit, that using the panel is taking some getting used to as I preciously just poked a point into the right direction for the train. Now I have to look at the diagram on the track plan and think about which switch controls which point. It will become easier with time and unlike poking the points with my finger I don't need to walk up and down the layout to get to the points. Working smarter as I get older!

Not so smart at the moment though is my workbench that is rapidly disappearing under tools, wire, soldering equipment and other things! I really need to be creative and get that tidied up soon!

Nearly finished!

It is mid June and the Summer is here which is obviously why Mrs. Woody turned on the heating today! I must admit I was happy that she did as I was feeling a bit cold too given the current weather! After yesterdays storms and turning on the heat today it feels more like Winter and also the persistent rain today meant that any vegetational butchery (AKA grass cutting) at the Rocks By Rail Museum was a bit pointless so I did not go in.

I have however finished wiring the control panel for my 00 gauge Last Great Project Layout!

I just need to tidy the wires up with some cable ties and then give it all a proper testing! That will be interesting and may lead to generous contributions to the WMD Swear Jar! 

Looking up top it is quite satisfying to see all those holes that used to be there now filled with wired up switches.

Looking at this project, which is tiny in comparison to commercial builds such as ships, does make me wonder how on earth do you sit down and design let alone install the electrical system for a large cruise ship? Much respect to those that can do that work!

Now, back to a nice warm WMD HQ!

At least it is a bit more colourful just like my language was when it hailed!

I'm not talking about building control panels today as to be blunt nothing further got built! However, that does not mean I was not busy as I did a few Mrs. Woody chores that are on her list for me. Despite the weather forecast I got the grass cut in the garden and I started clearing a large flower bed ready to plant out. Now, it is mid June which should mean hot and dry weather. However, that is not the message that the weather appears to have as this happened.

It looks more like mid January than June! It was certainly one large  and noisy thunderstorm with a lot of hail. Luckily I was able to step inside and observe. After about half an hour it all passed over and the sun came out which was a suitable signal to Mrs. W to get me back out to do some planting!

There is a lot more to plant but at least it is a bit more colourful just like my language was when it hailed!

The end is looming!

Well, the end is looming on work with the control panel to My Last Great Project layout! Just 5 wires to finish the last of the seven wiring looms and six switches to fit so a day or so may see that done or in Woody time it might be finished this coming weekend!

The whole project is certainly a complex one and I will be glad when it is finished and working! My previously reasonably clean and tidy work bench has become a somewhat unorganised mess in true Woody style!

I see a need to tidy it looming up once the control panel is finished!

Spot the difference!

It is a bit of a case of spot the difference with todays picture of the control panel compared to yesterday. However, observant viewers may note that three more switches have appeared up top and the complexity of wiring underneath has increased compared to a few days ago!

This is probably one of the most tedious projects that I have undertaken but the end results will or should be worth it if it all works!

I could say that nothing has gone wrong but this is WMD where I tell it like it is warts and all!

Ploughing along with the control panel to my Last Great Project layout and this is the fourth wiring loom of the seven I need to make to be completed.

As each one gets finished a few more point operating switches appear on the panel.

As they do appear they are also tested. Now I could say that nothing has gone wrong but this is WMD where I tell it like it is warts and all! So, there have been two switches that went into the wrong holes but that was fairly easily rectified. Apart from that, the rest of the creation of this panel has been uneventful but slow! Lets hope that continues although a bit more speed would be useful!

Silent Saturady!

Well, silent as far as model making goes although there has been horticultural activity including potting up these Marigolds. They may be late in the growing season but I am catching up!

Of course you cannot have a silent Woody for long!

I just keep in my mind that I am dealing with one wire at a time!

The control panel slowly fills up with wires! It may look complex now but by the end it will look even more complex! I just keep in my mind that I am dealing with one wire at a time! 

I am also trying to keep things looking as though they are organised and tidy unlike my mind where the plan for all of this exists! 

At the present rate of progress I think another two weeks will see it finished and hopefully wotking and working as I envisaged!