Clearance Test

I cleared the edge of the display plinth. Solid timber beneath the flanges. A dry, muffled thud as the pilot wheels crossed the gap. Ahead lay a brass caliper, rested open across the wood grain. Its jaws framed a narrow channel. Throttle back; two inches of forward momentum. My cowcatcher slipped cleanly between the cold metal arms without a scrape. Gauge confirmed. A usable spur.