So the last entry was almost 3 moths ago and what's happened at Buckingham West? The unfortunate answer is not enough. In short it's been too cold in the loft and too busy generally. However I have purchased a Dapol track cleaner and have serviced the 61xx, a 43xx and one of the Dean Goods. Unfortunately the 61xx is still not a good runner and so I have ordered a new Hornby 51xx. I have also bought a Bachmann 4575 from a collector. It had never been run, but after some lubrication it has performed beautifully. Good slow running and reliability will be essential for this layout.

With cleaner track and serviced locos, the ghost in the machine has been mostly banished, but the poor running 61xx is still prone to making the odd twitch on the points. I have bought some small suppression capacitors and will try one across the tracks. However, replacing the dodgy loco will be the biggest help.

I managed to build the right hand side half on the Newton Purcell baseboard in February, but it created an issue. If I added the left side rigidly then how would I get the wiring done and fix the servos and servo4 boards? The access is so limited and the board will be 16 feet long. So I decided to keep the two boards separate until the track is glued, wired and the servos fixed. I have therefore planned the wiring in some detail. This is quite hard as the signalling will select the controllers on a cab control basis. It is even more complicated as I need to have the option of remote controlling the main signals and points from Buckingham West for one man operation. I have been through the principles in an earlier entry.

I have now built the left half and both halves are in situ.

The storage and return loops are below. You can just see the City and some clerestories disappearing below on the way to Banbury and all points North.

Newton Purcell will be a country junction between the double track branch from Buckingham West to the main from Oxford to Banbury, and the single track branch to Brackley Road. As such it will have two main platforms, a bay and a goods yard. This will be accessed in traditional fashion by trailing points only and that to the up line will be via a trailing single slip across the down line. Another trailing single slip will access an ironstone quarry which will be off scene. Ironstone was found around Adderbury so we can extend reality a little. There will also be two private sindings. These will serve a timber yard and something else. I'm not sure what though. I need another rural industry for the area that would deserve a small private siding.

This is the Airfix Castle with an assorted rake on the low level mainline towards Banbury.

It will have tunnels or bridges at each end of this run. Newton Purcell will be on the higher level.

So now the fun can start arranging the track and pointwork. Once the right arrangement has been found I will mark around it all, drill the holes for the point control (servos) and frog power droppers. I will then glue the track in place and take the baseboards off, one at once so I can wire them and fit the servos. When all is tested and tidy so it won't snag the trains below, I will put the boards back, connect them together and complete the wiring. This should be quite enjoyable, but it will then leave the last major hurdle of creating the incline from the double junctions to Newton Purcell!

Roll on Spring and Summer!

Rich