You might have noticed that I've removed the pantograph of the roof. It's always bugged me that I've never been able to come up with a decent overhead "electrical wire" system for the official trams so I did a bit of Googling and came across the Stud Contact System which was used in the early 1900s to supply power to trams from ground level.

The system consisted of power supply studs set into the ground between the tracks. As a tram passed over a stud, a magnet in the tram activated a switch in the stud making it live. A skid-like collector below the tram then transferred the power to the motors. Once the tram had passed, gravity caused the switch to open and cut the power to the stud. Unfortunately, the technology of the time proved unreliable and studs would fail to activate (resulting in the passengers having to get off and push the tram to the next stud!) or worse, they would remain live once a tram had passed (at least 1 cart horse is known to have been electrocuted by a live stud!!)

I figure that modern technology could make the system work and so the line through Ballabreek is trying it out. (In fact the technology is being used in parts of France. In this case a third rail is used, sections of which become live in response to a radio signal as a tram passes. I decided to stick with the studs though.. far more appropriate to LEGO!!)

An aerial view shows the studs (placed so that at least one is always under the tram)

You can also see that rather than the original single access point to the platform there are now 3. The centre one leads to the park/shops, the right hand one to the beach and the left hand one to the countryside (via a crossing point over the track)

Third rails are quite common with subways, for example in Berlin, Germany. And a lot of the subway actually runs above ground, so electrical trains withgout pantographs aren't an uncommon sight at all.

The supply stud system remind sme of the Märklin H0 scale train system that also uses center studs for power transfer.

Nice work overall :)

This was a great read, I enjoyed reading it. Love how you used separators.

I like to see how the city it's growing. Can't wait to see next installment!

Thanks for the comments... here's a "mini update" while I'm waiting for parts to finish off Ballabreek's latest tourist attraction!!

The new tourist attraction is actually located a mile or so offshore so we'll need a boat to visit it. Here a group of visitors are boarding their craft...

image by g.nat, on Flickr

image by g.nat, on Flickr

Off we go... but to where?

image by g.nat, on Flickr

A final pic to show the new boat jetty which has been built to allow small boats (dinghies, RIBs, jet skis etc) to drop off passengers without using the beach. It's hoped that it'll attract visitors from some of the pleasure cruisers and yachts that ply the local waters. The feasibility of enlarging/adapt the structure to operate a ferry is also being looked into (possibly to start next year?)

image by g.nat, on Flickr

Anyway, thanks for looking... hopefully the rest of the update will be done by the weekend!!

Cheers

Edited August 13, 20159 yr by greg3

It looks great! Having just gotten back from a rafting trip a few days ago, I can testify that your boat is quite realistic. The jetty is a small addition, but a useful and effective one. My favorite touch is the boat's wake behind the motors (which are also cleverly designed).

Now I'm anxious to see where the boat trip ends!

Thanks for the comment... I can't take too much credit for the boat as it's just the dive boat from the official marina set from a few years back (all I did was MOD the front bit to add more seats in order to make it into more of a tour boat)

Edited August 14, 20159 yr by greg3

Absolutely enjoyed looking and reading the story to the photo. Great imagination that lego always wanted to achieve in us all from kids to adults a like.

As promised, the rest of the update!!

After a short boat journey the visitors arrive at their destination... "Skull Rock"!!

Now, a small rocky islet may seem to be a strange place to visit but Skull Rock has become an important part of Ballabreek's history over the years and a new museum has been set up to tell its fascinating story.

The first exhibit depicts smugglers concealing their contraband on the rock.

In the 17th Century Ballabreek was the centre of a thriving smuggling operation and enterprising smugglers dug out caves within the rock to store their illicit cargo before transferring it to shore. (It's said that at the time, just about everyone living in Ballabreek had some involvement in smuggling before a Government crackdown all but stamped it out in the mid 1700s)

Next, we see a cannon dating back to the Napoleonic Period, a time when the local people lived in fear of a French invasion. Orders went out to guard any potential landing site and as this included Ballabreek beach, a small lookout post was constructed on Skull Rock. Guarding the approach to the beach it was manned by the local militia and armed with a single cannon.

The most prominent feature of Skull Rock today is the lighthouse. Built in the 1860s following a number of shipwrecks in the area, it was manned up until the 1960s and finally decommissioned in 1992. A local history group have recently restored it to how it would have looked at the end of the 1800s.

The ground floor was used for storage and was where the lighthouse keeper would have prepared meals.

Upstairs is a workspace with a desk. Here the keeper would write up his hourly logs and weather reports. It's also where he'd sleep on a hammock suspended from the wall brackets. The personal effects here tell the story of the most famous of Ballabreek's lighthouse keepers.

In 1899, lighthouse keeper William Dawson single-handedly saved 12 lives when a steamer ran aground on a nearby rock. For his heroism, he was awarded a gold medal and a silver pocket watch (presented in person by the King). Sadly, just 3 months later, William disappeared while on duty. His body was never found (just his bloodstained cap floating nearby) and although there have been many theories as to what happened to him, the mystery has never been solved.

The top of the lighthouse has been turned into an observation deck. From here, you not only get a fantastic view of Ballabreek and the surrounding coast but also the chance to spot marine wildlife such as dolphins, seals and even the occasional basking shark or whale!!

The final exhibit is not for the faint-hearted (or claustrophobic!) as it involves crawling through the tunnel/cave within the rock.

Originally carved out by the smugglers and later used as a storage space for the lookout post and lighthouse, the cave now houses the reliquary of St Cuthbert the Headless!!

A 10th century priest, Cuthbert took a vow of solitude and spent 27 years living on what would become Skull Rock. During his time as a hermit, he carved the giant skull into the rock (the skull being a Christian symbol at the time due to its association with the site of the crucifixion) and erected a giant wooden cross on top of which was a platform that he’d remain to meditate for weeks at a time.

Unfortunately, Cuthbert met a grisly end when he was murdered by Viking raiders. It’s said that after being decapitated, his body picked up his severed head and threw into the sea. It washed up on Ballabreek beach still shouting a warning to the locals about the raiders. Whether true or not, the story led to Cuthbert being declared a saint and his head was kept in the local church until it was stolen in the 1920s. The reliquary you see here is a replica.

So there you have it, the history of Skull Rock!! Hope you enjoyed it (I’ve certainly had fun thinking up the various stories - many of which are loosely based on local tales/legends I’ve come across)

As always thanks for looking - and if you want to know more about the history of skull rock, then I'm creating a topic for each period to go in the relevant sections of EB. Links to follow...

St Cuthbert - http://www.eurobrick...92#entry2298902

Smugglers - http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=113395

Napoleonic Defence - http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113396

The Lighthouse - http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=113397

Edited August 14, 20159 yr by greg3

Excellent work again from you 'greg3', neat motor wash from the zodiac boat.......keep the stories coming and Brick On !

Thumb up for the cave: this small island is amazing, but the idea to dig a cave inside is outstanding.

Thanks.... But I can't really claim the credit for the rock/cave (it's just the official Scooby Doo lighthouse set with a few MODs - I made the upper floor of the lighthouse a bit more realistic and connected the caves together)

Cheers

Aha! I didn't know about that set: I'm more focused on city and train sets and I never put attention on Scooby Doo series. In fact it can blend very well with city sets, I should think to buy it

I love the stories you tell with your city. It really makes Ballabreek come alive.