It has been a frustrating few weeks on the scalefour roundy-roundy. A major part of the design is the track running from the high-level viaduct down to the quayside. This was all laid, and generally locomotives could go up and down it, however getting a train to go either up or down was causing problems.

As there is a reversal on the way down you have to deal with the locomotive being at the 'up hill' end for half of the journey. This leads to two problems, firstly when you shunt the wagons going up you get buffer lock on the tight curve and secondly as you shunt on the way down you risk things uncoupling.

Alex Jacksons can be particularly fussy over changes in gradient and I had a distinct 'kip' at the top of the hill. This evening was spent with solder iron, files, screw driver, drill, hammer etc and evening out the hump.

The result is that I can now get wagons down the hill under control rather than having them hurtle down the slope!

This shows the top of the hill and the gradient is pretty clear.

The destination in the bottom quayside yard.

David