Now the three main station area boards for Yeovil Pen Mill are complete, which are only 13ft of the whole 38 ft run, we have started fitting the uncouplers before laying track. Kadee electromagnetic units are being fitted and the holes for the 13 needed for these three boards have been cut. They are being installed to be completely invisible under the track, rather than the way we have used them on Bath Green Park. There, only two of the four field plates have been used and are visible between the stock rails, being set at top of rail height. Here we are using all four plates for maximum efficiency, using an 18volt 3-amp supply to drive them through push buttons, so we can hide them completely under the sleepering and ballast. 9 uncouplers have been assembled and dropped into their 'nests' so far, but not yet screwed down as the object is to get the top of the plates flush with the bottom of the sleepers and the thickness of the cork means that some washers are needed under the mounting plates. These should be fitted this Friday and then the couplers disappear under a small sheet of kitchen foil, before the C&L sleepers are stuck down over the top and ballast applied. (The foil stops the ballast falling through!)

The photo shows the track in the main station area and the interchange freight loops, looking from the North (Westbury) end; and drawn up inTemplot and made into one vast 13 ft long plan so that the various track breaks, dropper and feeds can be marked out and drilled before the track goes down. Track has been drawn with GWR heel switches and curviform crossings, the point rodding will be drawn out onto the plan as this has to go in at the same time as the track itself and before ballasting. The positioning is therefore critical to avoid subsequent excavations!

Friday's work session will also involve a final decision being made on the precise style of blade operation to be used, we are tending towards blade end droppers via two small diameter tubes into a plastistruct sliding mechanism under the board, and operated by the cobalt motors we have already purchased. Earlier this week we finalised the electrical sectioning, following an animated discussion on the actual operating practices to be applied. There will be three main control panels, with four DC controllers and a DCC optional setting, but more on that later. Meanwhile, track layout for the Loco yard, between the 'Y' formed by the southern main double track and the branch line to Yeovil town and Taunton, is being drawn into Templot. We will have to skew the shed area probably 30 degrees and reverse curve the main lines to make it all fit onto the 9ft by 3 feet allocated before the southern end fiddle yard boards tack on.

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