1/32 Gauge 1. Hollywater line.

Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
Keith
Where did you get you GWR cup and saucer? :)

Jon

Jon,

They were a present from the Treasurer, bless her little cottons. I know that she saw me admiring them at the South Devon Railway shop . I also have an egg cup and little saucer for bread soldiers. I think there is a tea pot in the range too. I will try and find a link.........

Keith
 

Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
I got the painting finished today on my 120ft bird table. I decided to paint with masonry paint that I purchased from a well known DIY store that is closing down in Exeter. I am now ready to start track laying and know that this is the bit I have been dreading. The success of the line is down to me to get something right, first time, that I have never done before :eek:.


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Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
Track laying has begun. I am overjoyed that this has begun but what an ordeal I have made it. It is actually quite enjoyable experience in a retrospective kind of way. I can look back on a days work and think of all the problems I have solved and progress I have made. I managed to get the radius wrong on the first day trying to get things just perfect. I remeasured it and found my error and relayed the section and all is well. Today I have been wrestling with points and crossovers and what a headscratching exercise that was too. Alignments and getting the sleepers to interlock and leaving the correct expansion joints, it is enough to send you a bit bonkers:confused:. Still, I have succeeded and I am happy with how it has turned out. More to the point, it runs well too when I have pushed a wagon about through the section. I am learning with every yard or track that goes down and I am pleased with what has been done so far.

I am now looking at the clips on YouTube and the pictures on here with an even greater sense of awe at how the track has been made to look just right and runs so well. I tip my hat to you all.

That's the chair of despair in the picture. I sat down for so long staring at the crossover trying to work out where to start cutting on a point that has cost me £80. Makes you focus a bit.

Anyway, on with the show. As always, all comments welcomed.

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Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Congratulations indeed. Stonkingly quick progress:thumbs:

One thing I noticed....your superelevation wedges are every 6 or 7 sleepers. We found that it was necessary to have them every 4th sleeper to avoid obvious dips between the wedges. Mind you, we are running live steam and some very heavy German G1 locos which can weigh up to 15 kilos, and they really do deflect the track.


Richard
 

Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
Congratulations indeed. Stonkingly quick progress:thumbs:

One thing I noticed....your superelevation wedges are every 6 or 7 sleepers. We found that it was necessary to have them every 4th sleeper to avoid obvious dips between the wedges. Mind you, we are running live steam and some very heavy German G1 locos which can weigh up to 15 kilos, and they really do deflect the track.


Richard

Thanks for the pointer Richard . I am just testing the line at the moment and the wedges certainly help. I will put the wedges in every fourth sleeper as you suggest and go again. I expect the track laying will finish soon as it gets colder outside and I will not get the bridge for the gap until next year. Satisfying to run something though. Thanks again for the kind words
 
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Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
A little bit more progress has brought me to the gap. I have a long way to go but it is significant for me to have reached this point. The bridge will not be ready until next year so maybe a temporary solution will have to be made. Maybe the weather will change and I will not be able to lay any more track until next year anyway.

As an aside, the Exeter Garden Railway Show is on at the Matford Centre, Marsh Barton, Exeter from 10.30 this Saturday 27th October. I will be on marshaling duty from time to time but it would be great to see any of you that can make it along.

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Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
As the winter evenings draw in my thoughts are turning to building a couple of wagons to accompany my Mercian Toad.

It would seem that even to build a kit a few new toys may need to go on to the list for Father Christmas. I have a rivet embossing tool at the top of the list at present along with flux for soldering and a new set of needle files. There are lots of lovely tools and equipment out there but are there a few things that are essential? I intend to have a go at detailing and (gulp) scratch building in time so, dear audience, what would you recommend?
 

Spitfire2865

Western Thunderer
Of all the tools in my modelling kit, the most useful Ive found is a reversing tweezer with a flat forked tip. Im usually fitting 14ba nuts so its quite useful as a nut spinner with a close enough torque slip to not break the threads.
But on actual tools for things like scratchbuilding, I can get by with most bare bones things. I think the most specialized tool I regularly use is a mitre box...
Most of those tools in the catalogs are flashy and cool, but are usually just faster ways to cut,smooth,shape,form,hold parts that can be done with simple hand tools.

But I could see a miniature rotary saw as being quite useful to me!
 

Dave Bowden

Western Thunderer
Of all the tools in my modelling kit, the most useful Ive found is a reversing tweezer with a flat forked tip. Im usually fitting 14ba nuts so its quite useful as a nut spinner with a close enough torque slip to not break the threads.
But on actual tools for things like scratchbuilding, I can get by with most bare bones things. I think the most specialized tool I regularly use is a mitre box...
Most of those tools in the catalogs are flashy and cool, but are usually just faster ways to cut,smooth,shape,form,hold parts that can be done with simple hand tools.

But I could see a miniature rotary saw as being quite useful to me!
Hi Trevor
Do you mean a circular saw like the Proxxon KS230. I have one of these and it’s invaluable for making wooden kits.
Dave
 
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