Not too much progress on the layout.  I have had a large sort out of my boxes for storing wiring and switches and rationalised them both – and found a number of things that I had lost.  And the good weather this week has forced me out into the garden for a massive tidy up, and a start to pruning the trees.

You may recall that I had extended the layout by 200mm to ease the track plan.  It occurred to me that the black facia would be an ideal location for a control panel for the layout.

I then made a second executive decision – I have reverted from DCC to DC control.  The layout is small enough not to need DCC, and the point control can work just as well under analogue control.  I also happen to have a twin DC controller picked up second hand at a show.

Further thought about the electrics suggested that the points could be operated with just the three DPDT switches, one on each platform.  Connected to a diode matrix, the switch can set the route for ‘up’ or for ‘down’ running.  Next, I remembered that the Cobalt point motors have two switches attached.  One will change the point frog polarity.  By using a common return for the two controllers, the second switch can select the ‘up’ or ‘down’ controller.  So the layout can be operated by the three DPDT switches, plus isolating push buttons at platform end, and a switch for the loco spur point.

I think it will work…..  It will be interesting to see what happens.  Here’s the control panel, and the controllers that will fit in the white square.  I’ve had it printed on photo quality paper, to be durable and to look good.

Note that the layout now has a name – Ludgate West.  Like Waterloo East, it will be the secondary platforms to a larger station.

Allan and Derek visited the Eastleigh show last weekend, and Allan passed on a few photos.  The large American layout below caught their eye.  It was a four sided layout, but not a continuous run – as you can see, the layout ended with loops on one side, leaving room for operators to enter the centre of the layout without any nasty bending and stretching.  Maybe an idea for the ageing ESNG members?

And Westcliff looks to be an excellent layout.