Wires and switches

Had a spot of luck today while I was getting the wiring in place to connect the signal and the track power I found that I already had the 6 pin DIN plugs and sockets and the remains of the multi way cable that I used to make the original between board connections. This means that I could start work on the wiring for this section. You would think that it would be simple but I keep finding ways to make it more complex.

Under the hill at Underhill

There are two 6 way sockets to take the power from the Underhill module which has the power connection etc in it and send it on to the Three Bridges end. Then I'm going to have a switch to isolate the whole section so a train can wait at the halt and shunting can take place at either end. There is a Dapol signal which I have bought a IR detector to set it to clear as the train approaches it, the module has a facility to have status LEDs on the control panel. It then occurred to me that a train travelling from behind the signal would also trigger the signal just after the train had passed it so I've installed an 'inhibit' switch to stop the module changing the signal... oh and I've put a manual change button for the signal too. The final switch on the panel will switch off the lamp post and any lights I put in the buildings.

The control panel not wired in yet

Anyway I've run the cables and made the control panel, tomorrow hopefully I should get time to make up the connector cable and get the panel installed and connected to the track. This will mean that I can make the cuts in the rails between the modules... gulp... fingers crossed.

The upshot of finding the bits I found and having all the switches and LEDs squirreled awry; in case they come in handy; is that the only bit I needed to order was a long stretchy cable for the hand held controller. It was fine when the layout was only 4 feet long but it is now 13 feet long so I can't get to the Three Bridges end at all.