Hi,

Work on the layout has been a bit on and off over the last few months, so in order to focus everybody's attention, a deadline has been introduced. We are aiming to have the layout operational for our club DCC meeting on the 14th July

Work on the Fiddle Yard modules continues, track laying is nearing completion on the opposite end and we had all of the modules together on Saturday to finish marking out the lanes. When the Fiddle Yard is being operated, each of the lanes will effectively be split in the middle and this means that the centre board will also have stopping blocks added to it, so these were planned and marked accordingly.

We have also been discussing how best to secure the rails at the module breaks. As this is the Fiddle Yard, we aren't constrained by trying to do something which can be scenically hidden, so we have chosen to solder the rails to screws in the modules surface. We are basically tinning the heads of the screws (which have been set in the module surface so that the Code 55 rail just clears them), then we are soldering the rail to the screw head. This produces a very solid joint at the end of the day.

Here are some pics:

Working on the opposite end

All the FY modules together and lanes marked etc.

Track ends laid and soldered on the Up / Down through lines.

Tinned screw heads ready for rail to be measured, measured and cut.

Cheers.