Crikey! Another post - what is going on?

Quite simple really, I have started to build my Super Simplex (see later for explanation), and have just got to the point where I need to fit the pick ups...... or blog how far I have got so far. The fact you are reading this suggests which course I took!

Anyway, the Super Simplex is my third attempt at the Nigel Lawson 20hp Simplex kit. The previous two do work but only after several modifications and four years of messing about. This is a long awaited chance to put all that experience into paractise and also incorporate a couple of new tweeks that can only be done at build stage.

The basics of the plan are;

Abandon the motor drive to the fan - far better to fill the space with lead (or even a speaker!)

Replace kit motor with a 10x15 Mashima which is far happier with DCC

Fit roller bearings onto layshaft.

File out chassis spacers to allow couplings to be fitted.

Fit pick ups at early stage.

Make sure it works before doing all the pretty stuff!

So, after a bit of messing around reaming out (far better and more accurate than trying to drill thin metal), and remembering to wear gardening gloves to avoid emabarasing questions about blisters on the palm of my hand, I had roller bearings fitted in the bulkheads. I had wondered about extending the lay shaft and putting a bearing on the end as well but this mod seems suficient and halves the amount of unsupported shaft. I guess I could have used plain bearings but rollers just have to be better!. You probably can't see but I have also removed a couple of bits asociated with the redundant fan motor and have filled in a notch in the frame to make fitting pick ups easier.

After a fairly steady evenings work, here we have a pretty complete working chassis, and the proof of the pudding..... far quieter and smoother than the others, am getting quite excited here! Now next job is to get the pick ups sorted out now before the pretty bits are started - actually isn't there some washing up or ironing to do, or maybe some drains to clear........