Now that Wycrail is over it is time to put right all those things we found to be a problem before the next outing to Wigan in just over two weeks time. We now have two more Wednesday evenings to do the testing and any fixes we need before it gets taken down again. We have already fixed a couple of wiring faults and I am now working on building some new optical sensors to replace the ones we have in the fiddle yards that interlock the signals controlling the exit from the scenic sections. We have been using some infra red sensors, that rely on reflection from the underside of vehicles, but these have proved to be unreliable, fien we some stock, but other items are invisible to them. The new design, which I have tested on the bench, uses two sensors (Light Dependant Resistors), one measures the light between the track and the other, placed beside the track, the ambient light. If the track is significantly darker than the ambient light level, then the assumption is that there is an item of stock over the sensor. Initial findings are that these work well in a number of different lighting conditions, but we shall have to see how well they perform in exhibition conditions.

Following that, and time allowing, I want to replace the current tension lock uncoupler in the goods yard with one that is powered by memory wire. A small ramp will be raised up by the memory wire to raise the hook on the coupling - much like the solenoid operated ones you can buy, but slient and hopefully less obtrusive. We only use this for detaching pick up goods locos, the actual wagons are equipped with Spratt & Winkle couplings, these being another area that needs some work before Wigan if we are to avoid the "slip coach" impression from a number of items, particularly one of the guards vans.

We are planning a few stock changes for Wigan, with at least one new loco introduced into the sequence, so my final job will be to update the PowerPoint displays we use for the RFID controlled public information system. This is a system in which passing trains control the display of slides in PowerPoint and give the, hopefully, watching public some information about the train and the movement it is about to make. Every fixed rake or loco has a small radio tag attached that transmits the identity of the train to readers under the baseboards, this information is passed to the information displays and the fiddle yard operators to aid them in "driving" the fiddle yards.