This week started with Monday being a day off work. The whole family went to coffee and and other nice things and when we got home, then I was able to get to the Shed. I completed the track installation in Grafton Yard and tested all the electrical work. I also fixed the three track power issues I had identified the previous weekend. I did a round of the hobby shops on the south side on Saturday. First stop was Austral Modelcraft, then over to Aurora Trains and finally to Modeller’s Warehouse.
I picked up a universal joint to help fix a Trainorama 44 class, a packet of 5 x 12mm wheels for some scratch built 12mm wagons, and some other details items.
On Friday afternoon, I started building four of my own QR 12mm FJS wagons without the sides fitted. This has been a plan for many months. But Wuiske Models released out some very nice models of FJC wagons this week and that inspired me. My four wagons were competed on Saturday and I turned two into FJC’s so I will have to add the Cement bins. I was quite impressed with how they came out. The two FJCs were painted this afternoon. I have some plans for building two QR container flat B wagons over the Christmas – New Year break. One of these will carry 2 x 25’ QR refrigerated containers that I have sitting in Rocklea Sidings.
During the week I made my last updates to the timetables for the Operations Session. So the timetable cards have been printed and the cards sorted into timetable order. The master diagram that says were everything is on the layout (i.e. what track each train starts from) when the timetable kicks off. It also tries to track where trains lay over during the Operations Session. What it does not have is any narrow gauge trains in it yet, as it currently predates all but a very simple 12mm trains included in the QR timetable. So that will be remedied over the Christmas – New Year break when I get some downtime.
Other activities I started yesterday was building 24 clothes lines that someone asked me for. These will be completed by Thursday – including painting. I also have plans to build another 52 pallets, again an order for someone. I also wish to building about 6 steel loads from various flat or open wagons also over the Christmas – New Year break. I must remember that I also need about a dozen box trailers to be built. All these activities will only take a few hours on any day to complete.
Another activity that I have been doing this afternoon is trying to make a replacement universal drive shaft out of some brass strip. I created three universals and they seem to work, but just don't have the same flexibility in the drive train. Maybe some fine tuning will produce a better end result.
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