A job for the weekend

My aim this weekend was to install all the electromagnets that will be used to uncouple wagons fitted with Sprat and Winkle couplings. It all started well marking the position of each electromagnet by drilling through the boards from above with a 1.5 mm drill. The hope is that the small holes, one of which that can just be seen in the picture below, will be easily filled so they're not too obvious and might be used as a position marker.

The thickness of the baseboard was then calculated and 5.5mm holes drilled from underneath to a depth just short of breaking through above ground. The only worry I had was, when the electromagnet was installed the ends of the poles would be approximately 5mm short from the bottom of the sleepers and might not be close enough to the rail hight to uncouple the wagons. As a test one electromagnet was installed on baseboard one and wiring attached through to the control panel.

Luckily when the circuit was activated I was able to uncouple the two test wagons on which I'd previously installed Sprat and Winkle couplings. Following this successful test four more electromagnets where duly installed in baseboard two.

Unfortunately at this point in the proceedings I ran out of wire... such progress only to be halted by the schoolboy error of lack of supplies. An order has been placed for more wire which will hopefully arrive in the next couple of days.

The Old and the New

Normally I think the saying goes "out with the old and in with the new", but I thought I'd try my hand at combining the old with the new.

Again I've been thinking about what skills I lack and also what I've purchased to have a go at and not had the courage to start. I think it was at a Letterhead Scaleforum that, with all the bravado of a newbie to the hobby, I purchased a Craig Welsh etch for a 9ft RCH chassis. After a very poor attempt at constructing a Bill Bedford etch for a 16T mineral wagon Mr Welsh's etch was allowed to languish in a box along with a couple of wooden mineral wagon kits. In subsequent years I've been enticed to purchased some Rumney Models etches so I thought it was about time I had a go at constructing a chassis etch od some description.

When digging out the box containing Craig Welsh's etch I found this very old Ian Kirk kit.

God knows how long I've had this kit. Unlike Ian Kirk's later offerings for this type of wagon there is no internal planking detail on this vintage kit. Even so I thought if I make a good attempt at marrying this to Craig's etch it could be permanently loaded with coal to disguise the lake of internal detail.

So...

The body goes together reasonably well, though I think I may have to cut a new bottom for the wagon. I've already assigned the brake gear to the bin and the next task will be to remove the W irons and V hanger from the solebars.

As I'd spent a few moments (well more than a few) mulling over this little project, reading the build instructions for Craig's and also Rumney Models etches, that was as far as I got during last evenings visit to the "Man Cave".