Half a year a later I post a mini progress report. Progress is really slow, partly due to me making and converting wagons to P4 with Dingham couplings. So far I have four fitted with them plus the 57xx loco. Apart from the latches not always dropping I'm really happy with how the magnets and couplings work. Any advice on reliability?

I've installed 3 electro-magnets and 3 push to make switches and wired them up through a chock block. I only realised later I could daisy chain some of the wring, but then again I've struggled to get my head around the 'theology' of it all. I'm surprised this layout works, and when looking at all these wires I'm surprised my mind designed it, anyway...

Had to re-join these wires hence the shrink wrap stuff. Made them too short.

Should have daisy chained these.

Errr

Bottom 3 switches not even in line, but as excuse I didn't try to either. I just want to see if I can actually 'do' things.

And, Oh Dear. Cock up al a Balls Up. Clearly I didn't plan this very well, for 2 out of 3 electro magnets are in the way of the planned bridge. So err, I guess I'll have to put a bank there with a mini tunnel or something??

I need to tweak the track in a couple of places due to two intermittent mechanical running issues, and then I guess I can start on some scenery. Lights and maybe smoke will require more wiring but the essentials are done. I did want to wire the panel with plugs but currently I'm not clever enough because it seems you need to know exactly how many wires go where beforehand. As it happens, I've been learning this as I go on, but I wired them through chock blocks so if I do need to take the panel out I can at least number the wires and remove them temporarily.

Also I have fitted two crude 'panel locks' by getting those 'picture hangar loop eye things with screw bases', and bending them into a sort of 'angular question mark shape.'

My descriptive skills are second to none!