On the fiddle again!

After what seems like ages work as again restarted on the construction of my new Cambrian Modular layout Morfa Bach / Penmaenpool MPD  plus fiddle yards.
Poor weather for outdoor "wood butchering" and taking a holiday abroad  have contributed to the long delay since the last update.
Today has been the first opportunity  to get the modules built so far or under construction linked together for the first time.

This picture shows the three modules that have been built /under construction to date.

From front to back we have...
Penmaenpool MPD
Morfa Bach &
East fiddle yard.
Until I decide upon legs the layout is supported on plastic trestles.

This is Morfa Bach, the first module to be built but still needs work doing to it.

I have changed the back scene for something a bit more suitable for Wales! Grey cloudy sky over hills.
To the right of Morfa Bach the East fiddle yard is attached aligned with dowels and clamped up by two over centre catches.

As described in a previous post, the fiddle yard here will consist of a 3 road turntable so that complete trains can be turned without having to revert to cassettes. (a lesson learned from Pen Y Bont where turning a complete train on a 3ft cassette is a hair raising experience. One false move and it's game over!)

Here we have the turntable unit albeit with only one out of the three tracks fixed at present.

I have decide to use Peco code 75 FB rail in the fiddle yards and non scenic areas purely on the grounds of cost and convenience as I had a few lengths of Peco 75 in stock.

The Peco rail is the same height as C&L code 75 BH rail but has thicker sleeper bases so a bit of sanding, cutting, filing and packing had to be done to get a smooth transition at the base board joint and at the turntable proper.

It all runs through nice a smoothly though, the test wagon in the picture with Gibson wheels having no problems pushing or pulling over the joint gaps.

This is a closer look at the turntable joint.
I have used PCB copper clad material to make the track ends as rigid and as strong as possible, cutting insulation gaps as required with my Dremel and slitting disc.

To keep the rails aligned and to provide electrical connections I have made some "door bolt" type fasteners from 1/8" Brass tube and 3/32" brass rod for the bolts. Soldered into place after checking that no stock will foul on the bolts.
The little switch panel is the yard operators "cab control" and isolator switch for the yard.


I have also been working on the second scenic module "Penmaenpool MPD" and will post a separate blog post soon for work in progress at that end. Keep an eye out for that soon!

As you can see it is still a very much "work  in progress" situation here.
I shall have to put this project on the back burner soon though because I need to get Pen Y Bont out of store, cleaned and titivated ready for some up coming show commitments.

More soon
Cheers!
Frank