[woodcote]

   

If you’re thinking of getting involved in your local club, it’s not a bad idea to upgrade your track at home so it is wired the same as UK club tracks and has the same controller plug and socket system. That means you can get used to using whatever controller you decide to buy for club racing. Anything beyond a basic resistor controller won’t be compatible with both a UK club track and a Scalextric powerbase (‘positive’ polarity / ‘common ground’ vs ‘negative’ polarity / ‘common positive’). You do want lots of practice, but you don’t want to damage your new fancy controller!

   

Almost all UK club tracks use an old-fashioned 2-amp round 3-pin plug and socket system (you might also still find them used in caravans). The plugs and the sockets are still sold – for example at TLC Electric Supplies (https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CM1245.html). There is also a larger 5 amp round 3-pin system – that’s not the one you’re looking for.

I’ll show you how to rig up a single fused controller box that plugs into a good quality power supply (eg the Fusion models at Pendle Slot Racing: https://www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/brand/fusion.html) via banana plugs and attaches to a Scalextric straight so that it controls both lanes – ideal for solo running on a test track. If you add single crossover to the layout (to make use of both lanes in one ‘big’ lap) this power piece will act as a power tap. It isn’t compatible with turnaround loops.

The wiring diagrams I always refer to are these from the British Slot Car Association (BSCRA) website Tech section (http://www.slotcarracing.org.uk/) - specifically ‘Track Construction Part 5: Wiring & Power Supplies’ (from here: http://www.bscra.org.uk/trackbuild/index.htm)

   

And ‘How do I wire it up?’ in the Controller section here: http://www.bscra.org.uk/control/index.htm

   

These are the basic components I’ll be using…

2 Amp 1-gang round pin socket (£3.24 from TLC)
1-gang 47mm plastic surface box (£1.19 from TLC)

Pair of red & black 4mm banana plugs – 36A 60V rated (£0.95 each from Bitsbox)
20mm panel-mounted fuseholder – 250V 6.3A rated (£0.74 from Bitsbox)
20x5mm 5A quick-blow fuse (£0.22 each from Bitsbox)
2 metres twin stranded 42/0.2 speaker wire – 60V 15A rated (£0.76 from Bitsbox)
15A terminal block – aka ‘choc’ block (£1.06 for 12 way strip from Bitsbox)

   

That’s about £8 for the controller box, plus a 2-amp roundplug (eg £1.87 from TLC) for each of your controllers and a few extra fuses to have handy. You’ll also need a soldering iron, flux, solder and a few other basic tools. I will mount the track piece and controller box on some foamboard – mdf or hardboard would do just as well to keep things neat and compact. The only loose cables are the ones to the power supply. You’ll should work out how long those wires need to be and adjust your speaker wire order accordingly. The cable I’ll make will be about 5 foot long to reach a power supply under the table.