Another quart in a pint pot!

Thanks Ed.  I am using the 'Kirby Coupling'.  That is the standard Bachmann coupling with a paper staple fixed to the dropper part of the hook.  I have refined it slightly by forming a small loop in the end of the staple to create a larger area to be attracted by the magnets, which are buried beneath the track sleepers.  I now solder the staples in place as I found superglue was not up to the job.

Terry

I only asked as you mentioned sighting problems when uncoupling. Understand what you mean now and perhaps a mirror would solve the problem.


Ed

Yes.  Originally, the fuel tanks were to be placed at the right hand end of the layout, against the backscene.  At some point I decided to move them to the front, but of course I had already fixed the uncoupling magnets in place, so uncoupling is now obscured by the fuel tanks.
Thanks for your interest Ed.

Terry

A suitable mirror, on an extendable handle, was fixed to the rear of the layout with terry clips..


The red mark on the top of the wall marks the point where the centre of two adjoining couplings should be positioned for uncoupling to take place on the nearby siding.  Similarly, the overturned fire-bucket marks the uncoupling position on the rear siding.

Terry

I wondered why you wanted an extendable mirror… very clever. Easy to remove for storage during travel to prevent damage too.

I like the pea souper backscene too.


Very glad you had plenty of interest.

Thanks Marty.

Terry

A few minor improvements to the layout have taken place recently. The front curtain is now held in place with velcro, negating the laborious job of pushing in pins, and removing same at the end of the day. A minor detail has been added to the front of the layout - a Cooper Craft wheelbarrow and tools. I think it belongs to the two blokes having a discussion over lunch.


I decided to add some more uncoupling magnets retrospectively to the entrance of the two longest sidings. The front siding was tackled first. This involved cutting through both ends of each sleeper, five in total, just inside the chairs. The short piece of each sleeper was removed and a 'trench' cut in the cork trackbed. The bar magnets were fixed in the 'trench' with glue, a thin piece of card packing being added to bring the top of the magnets in line with the surrounding ground level. The sleepers were returned to their correct positions, fixed on top of the magnets with superglue. Ballasting then took place. Once dry, and after a bit of weathering, the repair should be virtually invisible.

Terry

Nice barrow Terry

Do you have a photo of your magnet installations ?

Are you going to put some soot on that shed roof - it looks very shiney from here ?