Siberian Snooper

When I went to exhibitions, as a kid, a few layouts had signs "WARNING DO NOT TOUCH 12,000 MILLI VOLTS" on them. I think they may have been produced by Triang.

Straining posts.

I am in the process of using.0.33mm phosphor bronze, but I need to find my GW wheel quartering press, first. I used a cocktail stick as a mandrel.

I think that I would do the outside pit from the kit and use the remaining bits to build the beginning of the inside pit, as that is bit most likely to be seen, though the open door.

I like the idea of the smell of chip oil wafting across the NYM.

It's looking the part with the progress so far!

You can buy exactoscale parts at a society show or one that the sales stand attends. EMGS shows are at Bracknell in May and Wakefield in August. The S4 society has shows or the trade stand at Railwells in August Scaleforum in September in September, the sales stand may be at other shows op Norf!

Yes, you've got it!

I have surveyed approximately 6 miles of ex GW wire boundary fencing, after the straining post there are usually 24 wooden posts and then a vertical length of bridge rail to which the ends of adjacent wire runs are attached with eye bolts for tensioning and if memory serves me, and I don't guarantee that it does, there are 10 runs before another straining post. All wires are fixed to the outside of the posts. A length of wire is bent double like a staple and pushed through the hole in the post and then opened out to retain it. The wires are not tensioned like guitar strings and have a bit of give in them.

At least the local Scottish tourist businesses have not been bamboozled by WCRCs bluster and appreciate that their businesses have to comply with the legislation appropriate to the businesses that they run and so should West Coast.

One thing I would do, before fitting, is to solder on lengths of wire to each motor of around 6 inches/150mm and use connection blocks to join them to the main cabling. This saves soldering upside down, helps fault finding and allows easier changing out faulty units.

We don't like spending money on what we would call frills!

I don't envy you doing all those point motors from underneath, enjoy!

I would start by making up a local control panel for the fiddleyard, this will get you started. I would then follow up with a local panel for the dock or scrap works. By breaking the layout down into smaller chunks, it becomes less intimidating to wire up. One problem you may encounter is point motors on bridges, you may need to fit the motors remote to the turnouts, unless you can hide them in the piers.

I have waited upto 3 months for orders from PoWsides to materialise. Lots of these small suppliers do the model railway stuff as a hobby, so don't expect the same service as the big boys.