Patriot87003

I’ve found some time to mount the new 4 x CCTV cameras ... two installed to view each end of Yard 2, with the other two to watch Yard 3. The cameras are a little bit fiddly to install as the actual cameras block access to the screws, so I had to disassemble then reassemble after each bracket was installed. A bit of time then taken to tweak the angles before the screws were tightened. Plenty of clearance to the stock below ... The two cameras above Yard 2 are a different type (I think usually used for the sides of vehicles) ... installed with wiring tidied out of the way ... The monitor was attached to a spare bit of plywood and mounted next to the control panel ... The four cameras were then connected to the monitor. It has several modes of viewing, including the view below showing each of the four cameras. Each individual camera can be viewed full size on the monitor ... while pressing the mode button toggles through a few different views. Very pleased and this should allow me to control the lower yards without having to bend down too much to check! A bit of testing to do ... and I’m planning to install some labels or something to show the road/line numbers to help, also install uncoupling ramps on the new Yard 3, modify the location of the Yard 2 ramps and install some uncoupling ramp location markers to help position trains.

Following completion of the project to upgrade and expand the yards, it’s made a nice change to progress a few rolling stock projects ... I found this wonderful video on YouTube that has 86401 in NSE livery from 6min 20s hauling a colourful and long 15 coach parcels rake of BG’s and GUV’s. As it’s been my birthday recently ... I’ve recreated a shortened 10 coach version of the rake. I sourced three cheaper GUV’s and repainted into BR Blue (just need to add the transfers) and added Hunt magnetic couplings. A few pics of the rake below ... I’ve also purchased the recently released Hornby IC Swallow MK3b DVT ... and oh dear! Not impressed with the light bleed, the silver window frame or the tooling imperfection on the roof! I’ve smoothed the roof and touched-up the paint, also repainted the window frame, removed the cab light and painted the inside of the cab. Below is the reassembled model ... light bleed vastly improved ... a little bit more touching-up to do. Finally, two Hornby HAA wagons were purchased some time back to extend the MGR rake. I’ve detailed these a bit to blend in with the rest of the rake ... new buffers, Hunt magnetic couplings, load fitted with real coal sprinkled on top and buffer shanks highlighted. A few other wagons have also been converted to have NEM pockets and magnetic couplings fitted. I’ve also given the track a good clean using the trusty CMX and Dapol cleaner in vacuum mode. Unfortunately the motor in the Dapol cleaner failed. I stripped down the unit and found a substantial amount of dust/debris had clogged the motor .... once cleaned, all working again! Having read a few articles on the forum also some other sources regarding polar v non-polar substances for cleaning, I’ve tried WD-40’s electrical contact cleaner (polar) ... and been impressed so far. No noticeable loss of traction while plenty of crud cleaned off the rails. Wheels have also been cleaned on the loco’s ... and so far so good. The CMX and Dapol cleaner cleaning Yard 3 ... Just two sidings produced this amount of dust/fluff! It had been two years since I last properly cleaned the layout ... so should really clean a bit more often. Some wheel sets of more heavily used loco’s have been cleaned since ... previously cleaned using 99.9% IPA ... will be interesting to see how the WD-40 contact cleaner performs over time. Next jobs ... some running sessions and more testing of different rakes to/from the new yards ... some more rolling stock projects ... and a few detailing projects around the layout. I’ve also purchased 4 x CCTV cameras to show the under-layout yards from the control panel, so hoping to install them soon.

Avanti have confirmed ... record missed by 21 seconds. But plenty of money raised for good causes ... And by the looks of things they’re hoping to try again next Thursday!

News from Twitter is that it missed the record by 21 seconds Next week’s attempt likely to have a few less passengers (and fittings) aboard!

The line speed through Preston is 35mile/h ... Carlisle station area is slower at 20mile/h ... the approach to Glasgow Central is also slow, dropping from 30mile/h around the curve at Eglinton Street Tunnel to a 15mile/h crawl into the station.

... and 390044 has been renamed Royal Scot this morning at Euston before setting off. Tim Dunn is aboard and showed a live feed of the naming on his Twitter feed ... a screenshot below (hope that’s ok to publish!) An impressive factor is that I understand the unit is keeping to the Sectional Appendix line speed profile, therefore no dispensations for any speeding! Some works were carried out last night to remove at least one temporary speed restriction along the route ...

My own opinion on this ... I feel that Hornby are trying to fix/improve several issues in one swoop. Each individual issue is probably not enough to justify the move, but collectively there maybe some logic; - 1) Supply chain issue: Balancing and optimising supply v demand issue (This potentially includes the possibility that Hornby has surprised itself with the volume of pre-orders being received directly on it’s website. Possibly due to the new improved website itself, also newcomers to model railways during the pandemic, also the 2021 range is pretty impressive). So there is the potential that for every one order being made direct to Hornby, that that’s one less for the lower end of the priority chain) - 2) Head-off some competition threats (from the existing competition eg Hattons, also any retailer that’s plotting competing products (note; not complimentary products). - 3) Incentivise Hornby brand placement/marketing amongst retailers I think 1 speaks for itself ... it’s a prioritisation system to clarify the order in the event of demand exceeding supply. No different to say a typical FA Cup final ... season ticket holder get first dibs, members the next and so on. 2 also makes sense to me ... why should Hornby prioritise Hattons over a smaller retailer, when Hattons have an increased potential capital to invest in announcing a rival product, such as a new Class 50 or HST? 3 is a bit more nuanced. In the modern digital age, product placement/advertising is a big deal. So Hornby is encouraging retailers to advertise the Hornby brand (all ranges) with retailers it wants to be associated with going forward. I found the adverts within the latest issue of BRM interesting ... eg Hattons advert has it’s own brand very visible, yet the branding of it’s suppliers were almost invisible. Compare with the Gaugemaster advert ... while the Gaugemaster brand is visible, so too is the branding of the main suppliers ... so Gaugemaster are doing Hornby’s marketing for them. This is probably why Hornby also go direct to some high street stores and Argos and Amazon.

I don’t envy anyone working in any part of any supply chain at the moment; optimising supply and demand is a continuous challenge and many factors can influence and hinder this balancing act. I saw this interesting BBC business news article yesterday. While it’s related to the U.K. building industry, it highlights a few of the less obvious/less publicised challenges facing the supply chain (in addition to the fluctuating demand caused by the side effects of the Covid crisis). https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57247757 Just one snippet from the article that maybe a causal factor to Hornby’s supply v demand balancing act ... There has also been a sharp rise in shipping costs, said Noble Francis, economics director of the Construction Products Association. "Shipping costs have risen sharply due a shortage of empty containers from Covid-19-related issues and the sharp recovery in global demand," he told the BBC. For instance the cost of shipping a 40ft container from Asia to Northern Europe soared from $1,500 (£1,061) in summer 2020 to more than $8,300 (£5,873) by May 2021, he said. Later in the article there’s a prediction that the shipping costs should begin to subside in the next 3 to 6 months ... so on one hand, likely to be pressure to manufacture, ship and sell goods ASAP to meet demand/plans and maintain cash flow ... but on the other, maybe more efficient to delay some products (especially larger/bulky/lower value items).

It’s classic supply v demand .... In a parallel universe, there is a similar thing occurring where there is a precious commodity while the demand for the services outstrips the supply. I’m thinking about Harry Kane! Spurs currently have his valuable services but he is considering his options. While Spurs haven’t publicly declared the ‘banding’ of options, it’s not rocket science to workout ... Priority 1: Keep Kane at Spurs. This option keeps all the ‘goodies’ in-house Priority 2: Sell the services of Kane to a trusted other party for an agreeable price. Example characteristics being a non-rival. Eg Sell to a club abroad (different market place) or complimentary club/different league ... A non-rival, eg A Man City or Liverpool or Southend Utd(!). Priority 3: If getting desperate for income ... trade through gritted teeth to a rival that’s swimming in the same pond. Eg Chelsea, West Ham, Palace(!) etc. Priority 4: Trade with your mortal enemy ... Arsenal! Relating this analogy back to the Hornby supply v demand pre-order topic; I wouldn’t be surprised if the only trader in Band 1 is Hornby itself (or perhaps they are Band 0). I suspect that retailers that have over time become rivals to Hornby are in a lower banding. However retailers that are complimentary to Hornby and are currently trusted maintain a higher banding and better position in the priority list. This approach makes sense to me. However, as Stationmaster has indicated ... the underlying root cause to get to this situation with the pre-orders appears to be a fundamental mismatch between supply v demand. ps I searched the www but couldn’t find anywhere to place a pre-order for Harry Kane for next season!

I’ve just found your video on YouTube and subscribed and commented ... (linked below for others to also view). Top work! Really looking forward to seeing the layout in the flesh once fully built ... I do especially like AC Electrics and the WCML. My own layout uses a combination of Dapol and NBrass kit built masts with Peco wires cut to size (thread and YouTube channel linked in the signature). How did you construct the auto-tensioners? They look very impressive (from the pictures on Facebook).

Thanks Vivian! Following completion of the Yard 2 and 3 project I’ve put together an update video and just loaded to YouTube. It includes a bit more detail of the two drop-down boards, testing a rake over the joints and connecting line between Yards 2 and 3, also a cab-ride tour from/to the main layout via the upgraded yards ... It also includes a teaser of two or three new rakes I have in mind for the future and on pre-order!

Glad that you found this thread and hopefully the fix to add the two jumper wires will work for you as well. It’s six months on from when I first stumbled across the problem and found the solution via this thread ... and I’m pleased to report that the GM500’s fitted with the jumper wires have been 100% reliable so far. I’ve created a new storage yard below my layout and installed 8 turnouts at the ‘B’ end of the yard. I grouped the GM500 relays together upon a spare piece of 2” by 1” in order to wire the several common wires together in comfort away from the layout, before installing and completing the remaining wiring. The pic shows the 8 relays, along with the small jumper wires bypassing the resistors ... and again, 100% reliability so far! Hopefully you’ll find the same across your multiple turnouts and relays ...

I’ve completed the wiring of the B end of Yard 2. This includes 8 point motors (via a diode matrix), gaugemaster relays (frog polarity and LED indicators for the control panel), dropper wires for the track feeds, also the control panel LED’s. The control panel for Yard 2 is below ... each LED is bi-colour and now automatically change to show the current route set, indicated by showing green. The toggle switches are for the isolating sections (as my layout is currently traditional DC analogue). The modification patch can be seen to cover up the original plan to have an additional siding coming off the access line at the bottom of the panel ... alas, it didn’t fit so a revision was required even before commissioning! The diode matrix for the B end of Yard 2 is below ... the Lego bricks help keep the wires secure and reasonably tidy and also helped with the installation of each wire. A little bit more tidying to do ... I used a Gaugemaster GM500 relay for each of the 8 turnouts. I partially wired these away from the layout having screwed the relays to a bit of 2” by 1”, connecting the common wires between each relay. I then secured the board into position below the layout and wired each point. The relays change the flog polarity as well as changing the LEDs. With the wiring of the new Yard 3 also completed and tested, I’ve installed the two shelves underneath. A few more jobs to progress before I can celebrate the completion of the winter project. These include a bit more tidying of some of the wires, tidy the tools, populate the new shelves, get rid of the old storage units, then another good hoover of the floor and the layout as the project generated quite a bit of dust in recent months, then use the CMX to clean the track. I also have a little bit of fettling to do with the A end of Yard 2 as there have been one or two derailments and I’ve identified a couple of very minor alignment issues. Overall, very pleased with how the project has progressed and turned out ... and with my birthday approaching, one of the new sidings is likely to be populated with a new rake! Watch this space ...

43102 heads the 1B23 Leeds to London away from Langley Mill yesterday morning ... the purple 43274 was at the back ... I couldn’t resist one last MML journey aboard a HST! So this morning I caught 1B23 to Leicester. The same set as yesterday, with 43102 rolling into Langley Mill ... With 43274 leading from Nottingham on its way to London, about to depart Leicester ...

I’ve completed the construction of two boards that connects Fiddle Yards 2 and 3 to form a reverse loop to/from the ramp up to the main layout. Both of these boards lower to allow easier access around the shed and layout. As an added challenge, both boards have turnouts upon them! I’ve carried out some testing and very pleased with the reliability so far. A few pictures below ... This picture shows Yard 2 to the left with the curve around to Yard 3 to the right. Each side of the flip board has heavy duty alignment barrel bolts that maintain horizontal and vertical position, while an adjustable latch locks the board in position and maintains lateral alignment. Three turnouts are on this board; two point motors are attached directly while one wouldn’t fit so is surface mounted. This picture shows the board in the lowered position. I’ve installed a block of wood at the base of a shelf to allow the board to be stored securely using one of the barrel bolts. Each track joint has used the ModelTech ProTrack Rail Aligner .... very impressed! Easy to install and solder to, they have pre-drilled holes in each sleeper to hold in place to the baseboard, while the teeth give additional alignment security. A view of Yard 2 showing the four pairs of rail aligners in place at the hinged joint to the bridge board. A view of the curve that connects Yards 2 and 3. This still gives me good access to the plug sockets etc. I’ve also attached the sound bar to the wall ... great to crank up the music while working, but with the HM6000 quite fun to try the sounds! At the other end of the curve is another board that lowers that joins the B end of Yard 3. One turnout is located on this board. The picture below shows this board in its lowered position. Another block of wood attached to a baseboard leg allows the board to be stored securely. I’ve completed the wiring of the curve and board that joins Yard 3 ... next job is wiring the B end of Yard 2 and tidying the wires, then the two large shelves can be installed under Yard 3 before a tidy-up of the shed.

I’m pleased to say I had no problems connecting the iPad to both the HM6000 and the sound bar at the same time.

Many thanks Johnster. It’s ok about the jab ... I would much rather have 24hrs of side effects than risk being exposed to Covid without any protection from a vaccine any day! I still have a slightly sore shoulder but it’s much better and with the fine weather, I’m hoping to progress a project in the garden to replace a gate and fence panel today ... so work on the layout and playing with the HM6000 will have to wait! Good to hear you’ve had both doses so fingers crossed you’re protected. I did take a brief clip yesterday evening and it’s linked below: The first sound button is the background loco noise that can be toggled on or off ... all the other sounds act as a push button. The slider for the controller does need to be dragged ... while like any IPad/touch-screen device you do need a secure connection between finger and touch screen (notice how I attempted to press the stop button at one stage but failed to activate!). But look at the slow speed running from 1min 5 seconds onwards ... and this is DC running on track that hasn’t been cleaned for over two years! The wheels on the 87 were cleaned a few weeks ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOHJVtqqk-M

Work has progressed and the baseboard for the curve that will connect Yard 2 and Yard 3 has been constructed and installed. Meanwhile, seeing that Hornby’s HM6000 wireless DC controller and App was about to be released distracted me in recent days. After some research, I ordered a HM6000 along with the P9100 transformer with UK plug and both arrived yesterday. I was laid low yesterday with a few side effects from the first dose of the jab, but they soon faded and I’ve installed and tested the HM6000 this evening .... Very impressed! I found it easy to setup (especially if you follow the YouTube tutorial step-by-step clips), the sounds are quite wide ranging and a decent novelty factor, but best of all the controllability of the test loco was much better than anticipated. I took a few pics ... The first shows what you get ... well packaged, I was surprised by how small the actual HM6000 is ... not much larger than the transformer plug. Two pairs of wires exit the HM6000; one for Track 1 and another for Track 2. Also included is a quick-start instruction sheet along with the electrical compatibility info. One part of the quick start guide has a template for screw hole positions (if required) for mounting ... I used a bradawl to mark a hole for the screws. After driving two screws, I mounted the unit and inserted the power from the P9100 transformer and first success ... a red light! My existing control panel is a fixed position using two x 4 track Gaugemaster panel controllers. My layout uses cab control principles ... with the layout split into 12 sections (power districts), with rotary switches matching cabs 1 to 6 to each of the 12 sections. Cab 7 only controls the depot, while Cab 8 is for the test track or lower fiddle yard. When designing the control panel approx 14yrs ago, I included DPDT switches for each section to allow provision for switching to DCC at some stage ... alas, not occurred yet! While the fixed-position control panel has worked very well so far, at times I have wished I had the flexibility to control a train or two from around the shed, either for different viewpoints ... or testing different areas ... or more recently for filming since I’ve began to load a few videos of the layout onto YouTube. To create additional flexibility ... I’ve inserted two new DPDT switches to allow me to switch Cabs 5 and 6 between using the traditional fixed position controllers, or using the new HM6000. I’ve not labelled the switches yet ... but this evenings tests worked perfectly. Speed control is simple by dragging the slider, while the direction control along with brake and stop and the various sounds are touch buttons. Very impressed! My shed is fitted with a sound bar ... and as that’s connected to my IPad via Bluetooth, then the sounds from the HM6000 App come through loud and clear via the sound bar .... potentially VERY loud! The background Electric noise does sound a bit like a washing machine though ... a shame it’s not the roar or humm of a Class 85 or 87! Perhaps a future upgrade of the App could expand the range of sounds?! In the meantime, it certainly adds ‘play’ value to many DC/Analogue layouts/train sets and hopefully it will appeal to the younger I-device generation as well and attract new people to the hobby. For me, the big win is now being able to control 2 cabs reliably from anywhere in my shed ... and so far so good. Overall, well done to Hornby for this innovation. Back to completing the Yard 2 and 3 project, especially with the finish line in sight ... but it’s tempting to play with the App! Meanwhile I’m resisting the new and impressive Heljan 86/0’s ... but saving and looking forward to the 86/4’s and 86/6’s hopefully later this year!

I ordered a HM6000 along with the P9100 transformer with UK plug and both arrived yesterday. I was laid low yesterday with a few side effects from the first dose of the jab, but they soon faded and I’ve installed and tested the HM6000 this evening .... Very impressed! I found it easy to setup (especially if you follow the YouTube tutorial step-by-step clips), the sounds are quite wide ranging and a decent novelty factor, but best of all the controllability of the test loco was much better than anticipated. I took a few pics ... The first shows what you get ... well packaged, I was surprised by how small the actual HM6000 is ... not much larger than the transformer plug. Two pairs of wires exit the HM6000; one for Track 1 and another for Track 2. Also included is a quick-start instruction sheet along with the electrical compatibility info. One part of the quick start guide has a template for screw hole positions (if required) for mounting ... I used a bradawl to mark a hole for the screws. After driving two screws, I mounted the unit and inserted the power from the P9100 transformer and first success ... a red light! My existing control panel is a fixed position using two x 4 track Gaugemaster panel controllers. My layout uses cab control principles ... with the layout split into 12 sections (power districts), with rotary switches matching cabs 1 to 6 to each of the 12 sections. Cab 7 only controls the depot, while Cab 8 is for the test track or lower fiddle yard. When designing the control panel approx 14yrs ago, I included DPDT switches for each section to allow provision for switching to DCC at some stage ... alas, not occurred yet! While the fixed-position control panel has worked very well so far, at times I have wished I had the flexibility to control a train or two from around the shed, either for different viewpoints ... or testing different areas ... or more recently for filming since I’ve began to load a few videos of the layout onto YouTube. To create additional flexibility ... I’ve inserted two new DPDT switches to allow me to switch Cabs 5 and 6 between using the traditional fixed position controllers, or using the new HM6000. I’ve not labelled the switches yet ... but this evenings tests worked perfectly. Finally ... a quick picture of the App on my IPad Air in action. Speed control is simple by dragging the slider, while the direction control along with brake and stop and the various sounds are touch buttons. Very impressed! My shed is fitted with a sound bar ... and as that’s connected to my IPad via Bluetooth, then the sounds from the HM6000 App come through loud and clear via the sound bar .... potentially VERY loud! The background Electric noise does sound a bit like a washing machine though ... a shame it’s not the roar or humm of a Class 85 or 87! Perhaps a future upgrade of the App could expand the range of sounds?! In the meantime, it certainly adds ‘play’ value to many DC/Analogue layouts/train sets and hopefully it will appeal to the younger I-device generation as well and attract new people to the hobby. For me, the big win is now being able to control 2 cabs reliably from anywhere in my shed ... and so far so good. Overall, well done to Hornby for this innovation.

Glad that your family enjoyed using the new controller and I echo your thoughts in congratulating the innovation by Hornby. May I ask where you purchased the HM6000 from? The Hornby website shows it as being in stock but I cannot find any other online retailer having any in stock yet ... I’m very tempted to buy a HM6000 to enable me to operate two cabs using my IPad wires-free from different positions around my shed away from the fixed control panel. I’m planning on adding two double-pole-double-throw switches between my existing fixed controllers and the rotary switches controlling the cab sections ... this will enable me to continue to use my fixed controllers when at the control panel, but when I wish to operate two cabs away from the panel, I’ll simply throw the switches and use the IPad. The sounds and other features that the HM6000 brings are a bonus ... and will be interesting to hear through the sound bar in the shed!

Can this thread be re-titled or updated to include a reference to the HM6000 and the other two HM6000 threads that seem to exist be locked or merged? Regarding the HM6000, it looks like a good innovation by Hornby ... I see the main benefit being the ability to have a wireless walkabout controller (phone or tablet) ... ideal for walking about a layout/shed, perhaps a garden railway or living room train set ... or even a simple loop whizzing round a Christmas tree operated from the sofa! I’ve had a search online to see if there’s any competition for this type of controller and have stumbled across the BlueRailways product ... http://bluerailways.co.uk/Index.aspx ... similar in some ways, also has the additional option to purchase a controller with proper knobs! Although that bumps up the price ... the app appears more technical, while Hornby’s App appears designed for a broader range of users (the sounds, also the layout builder). My own layout is currently DC/analogue ... when designing approx 13yrs ago, I did allow the option of converting to DCC at some stage (by including DPDT switches that could be linked to a DCC controller). My control panel is fixed in position therefore non-walkabout and is based upon the cab-control method ... has 8 controllers/cabs, 6 of which connect with rotary switches that can power any of the 12 power districts/zones/sections of the layout. I’m very tempted to buy and try the Hornby HM6000 ... and could install another couple of DPDT switches between cabs 1 and 2 and the rotary switches ... this could give me the ability to switch to ‘walkabout’ control using my IPad from anywhere within the shed (ideal for say different viewing angles, testing around the layout, filming clips for YouTube etc etc). I also have quite a powerful soundbar and woofer in the shed ... and the thought of waking up the neighbours by using the HM6000 steam whistle via the IPad is quite tempting!! I do echo the thoughts of a couple of the previous comments ... simply can’t beat the feel of a proper control knob! So having just found the BlueRailways site, that’s giving me another option to research and think about - although would be more expensive with the separate handheld controller, and wouldn’t disturb the neighbours!,

I’ve taken a screenshot of the Hornby Mag video and compared the profile to a screenshot of a pic from the internet ... and the profile looks bang-on the money to me, both longitudinal and height. I also overlaid the profiles and changed the opacity ... I would show but there’s not much to see as it overlays almost perfectly. Even the insulator positions between model and the real thing are a good match. Interesting to note that the height of the pantograph base is almost level to the top of the roof dome ... on both model and the real thing. Unfortunately the 86/0’s are a bit before the era I’m modelling (although it’s damn tempting!) ... but I do have 5 x 86/4’s and 86/6’s pre-ordered .... and if 86401 in NSE is produced then I would be hitting the buy button again! Also, if Heljan produce spare pantographs of the upgraded type, I would likely purchase a few to upgrade the original Heljan 86/2’s that I have. (Don’t worry Ben, I’ll still be very likely to buy any new 86/2’s in future to add to my fleet!)

With the new Yard 3 constructed and working well, attention has turned to upgrading Yard 2. This was an 8 road dead-end sidings with a spur to several loco sidings. The winter project upgrades Yard 2 to become through sidings, with a new ladder of turnouts at the B end, that leads to a curve and connection to the new Yard 3. This should give plenty of additional operational flexibility and interest, allowing loco’s to be released, loco changeovers, ability to turn round rakes, also ability to haul each rake up the gradient to the main layout above. This picture shows a ‘before’ of Yard 2 with the dead-end sidings. A section of track from the left hand siding already removed. The picture above shows the old control panel for the old confirmation for the yard. The loco sidings were a bolt-on/afterthought upgrade! Hence the isolation switches are a bit rudimentary! This picture shows the progress with the track so far; four new turnouts laid and tested to make sure of smooth alignment and running. The new control panel has been constructed from 3mm ply, with the plan printed onto paper then spray mounted and wrapped then sealed using clear stick back plastic sheet. Switches have been installed ... Unfortunately I’m going to have to lose loco siding 8 due to a conflict of space with a point motor! It’s not a major problem as I’ve gained 7 new loco sidings connected to Yard 3. So a slight modification to the panel required before the next job of swapping the control panels and re-wiring, then wiring the point motors, relays and diode matrix. The next job following that will be constructing the baseboard for the curve that links Yard 2 and 3 to allow through running.

Many thanks for the kind comments. I’m pleased with how the new yard has progressed and the control panel for it; I’ve also included a short test track and carried out some testing ... so far so good! As promised, I’ve put together a brief layout update video to summarise the recent progress, also to show the new Heljan Class 25 running-in. I took a few extra photos of the construction of the control panel so I may put together a separate video to show that at some stage if there’s interest. Next actions for the project are to relay the B end of Yard 2 and to install a new ladder junction, replace the control panel for Yard 2, then construct the board that will have the link line between Yards 2 and 3. This will have two hinges drop-down sections so should be fun to build!

Plenty more progress to report with the winter project; The two diode matrix for Yard 3 have been wired along with the point motors, as have the the LED’s to show direction the points lay. A 7 road set of sidings for loco’s that branch off Yard 3 have also been added and wired. I may record a video for YouTube to show the progress in more detail in the next few days. In the meantime a few pics below ... The control panel for Yard 3 below with the LED’s showing position of the points. All the switches to the isolating sections are now wired and tested, along with the push button switches for the point motors. The small baseboard for the new loco sidings was built and installed ... ... track for the 7 road sidings was laid branching off Yard 3, dropper wires connected or linked to the control panel isolating switches. Buffers or perhaps a small sheet of timber to be installed to prevent accidental ‘Staples Corner’ incidents! Next stage of the project is to replace the control panel for Yard 2 and rewire, add the points to the B end of Yard 2, then build the connection line to Yard 3. I’ve decided to leave installing the shelving underneath Yard 3 until last so that I can have good access to the wiring.