Hi,

We've been continuing to work on the Fiddle Yard modules over the past week and it looks like we'll be doing the same over the next two weeks. Unfortunately the deadline we've been working towards has had to slip by two weeks and is now the 28th of July. The main driver for this is the End Loops, these will not be ready for a few more weeks and when they are, there will certainly be some head scratching as we try to work out why things don't fit

The first job that was tackled was to complete the track laying on one of the Fiddle Yard ends so that all of the 10 lanes we are installing first would come to the module break.

Then work was started on the next module in, which is just 4' of straight track. The tricky part here though was the alignent of the rail. Although we had a plan to use the screws and solder the rail to them, that was just theory and we didn't know exactly how this would pan out in practice. Well in practice I have to say I'm really pleased with the result, the rails are solid and are perfectly aligned. Here are a few pics taken just after the rail was soldered to the screws (you can see the rail joiners still in place).

This is the method we are using to fit the rail and secure the rail ends:

• Mark out the path of the rail over the module join
  
• Mark out the locations for the screws, drill pilot holes (to ensure that the screws go in perpendicular) and fit the screws (try to get the heads so that they just clip the inside of the rail when viewed from above and so that a scrap of rail with some sleepers removed passes over the screw head with a little gap)
  
• Tin the screw heads with solder
  
• Mark out a section of rail and roughly cut, so that some of the rail overlaps the module join (this will be removed later)
  
• With the rail cut, test fit and decide where to place the droppers for the power feeds (make sure both rail and module are marked at the same time)
  
• Drill holes in the module to allow the feed wires to pass through (I have found the 4mm is adequate for 2 16/0.2 wire feeds and gives an amount of play should you need it)
  
• Remove the sleeper sections from the bottom of the rail and solder droppers
  
• Fit the track and pin in place
  
• Make sure all gaps are closed in the rail and then trim the excess from the module joint (I tend to use a set square run along the end of the module to provide a guide of how much of the rail needs to be removed)
  
• Slide metal rail joiners onto the rails, but slide them all the way on to the rail
  
• Bring the modules together (assuming you have done everything bar fit the rail joiners to the other side of the join) and clamp together
  
• Carefully slide the rail joiners back until the rail on both sides of the join is connected by them. Make sure you are happy with the joint before going any further
  
• Solder the rail to the screw heads
  
• Gently move the modules apart and remove the rail joiners
  

Here are a few pics of the modules taken last Thursday (still joined after the rail had been soldered).

Cheers.