A year since I posted via the blog and not direct to Facebook, Same activity as the last post just a year later, getting the Shillingstone layout ready for the open day at the station on Saturday. The key change from last year is that I now have the Signal box ready to go
The box uses Dapol S levers which are connected through to a DCC concepts Alpha Encoder unit which converts the analogue switch in the lever to a DCC accessory bus instruction. I have installed cobalt point motors for each point and signal and the appropriate lever changes the signal or point on the layout. I was able to remove a lot of wiring in the process as I had previously set up for the levers to change the points directly. We now have just the 2 wires going under the board but still a lot of wires underneath the board. The connection layouts are shown below. The Alpha encoder sits in series between the DCC base station and layout so very straightforward to install and use.
The signal box has been decorated and signposted up ready for the show. It will sit on a stand in front of the layout, allowing the signalman operator to control the flow of trains through the station and the operators to drive to the signals.
GRC Railways 