Preparing the layout for its first show

With just four months to go before my club show it was time to put the layout back together and to get some of the major scenery elements done, specifically the hills and platforms. The first task was to drag the boards out of their eight month hibernation and check they all still worked. I managed to get it all set up in two hours without any assistance. This was quite quick and with an assistant to help me position the boards and a battery powderered screwdriver for the bolts I was hoping to halve the time.

Next on the `to do` list  was to connect up the new DCC Power Cab to the main board. This was a simple process as DCC is just a single positive and negative connection and just required removing the old connector and re-routing the power leads to the new location on the board. Fitting the DCC connector points was relatively straight forward. After checking there was no critical wiring behind where I wanted the board to go, I drew a pencil line around the cover plate and in the connector holes, to give the size of the required hole. I then chose a small wood drill and starting at the corners and working inwards drilled as many holes as I could until they started to join together. The final trimming out was then with a narrow chisel and course file. Aim for a hole slightly smaller than you need, as you can always take more out, which is easier than putting it back. As you can see from the picture ( to follow) these sit nice and flush on the side of the board. Three were installed, one for the main controller and two for the second but in practice I don't think the third will be needed. The big question that remained was regarding the power of the basic system, was it enough to run the entire layout or did I need the booster? Well, the system not only worked once it was connected but happly powered two fast trains and a third shunting in the goods yard.

I had also been given some black curtains formerly used on mixing desks by a friend at the club. Not only were these quite thick but they have been fire proofed and have velcro attached at the top. I bought several strips of fluffy self adhesive velco from Wilkinsons, which my mother subsequently informed me could have been obtained much cheaper from a fabric wholesailer and both stuck and stapled these to the edge of the board. I thought the weight of the curtains or a hot hall on as summers day may see them peeling off if I just them stuck on. I,m pleased to say that not ony did these reach to within  a couple of inches of the ground but ran around the three scenic sides of the layout almost to the inch.