geoff_nicholls
Western Thunderer
looks excellent. What is the height of the bottom edge of the facia which conceals the lights? Being only 5' 4" myself, I can't judge how high to make it on my layout.
2mm Holywell Town.
- Thread starter adrian
- Start date
adrian
Flying Squad
Thanks for that - the bottom edge of the facia is 13" above the baseboard. The arrangement with the facia and light strip wasn't scientific in anyway I just made it up as I went along and is shown below.
I went to the local "reputable" builders merchant for the ply, I got a 8'x4' sheet cut up and after the main board was cut out I asked for the remainder to be cut up into 4" wide strips. Unfortunately I don't think two strips were the same and many were tapered, some by nearly an inch over the length. So I used the best bits for the main board which is why the facia ended up 3 3/4" deep. The front is bowed out (deliberately I hasten to add!) and so the former behind the facia the best I could cut out from the strips I had was a 2" wide strip. Again it position was just what looked right when I clamped and glued it together. I hope that helps.
I went to the local "reputable" builders merchant for the ply, I got a 8'x4' sheet cut up and after the main board was cut out I asked for the remainder to be cut up into 4" wide strips. Unfortunately I don't think two strips were the same and many were tapered, some by nearly an inch over the length. So I used the best bits for the main board which is why the facia ended up 3 3/4" deep. The front is bowed out (deliberately I hasten to add!) and so the former behind the facia the best I could cut out from the strips I had was a 2" wide strip. Again it position was just what looked right when I clamped and glued it together. I hope that helps.
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geoff_nicholls
Western Thunderer
That diagram is useful too, thanks. I've ordered LEDs from the same source and was wondering how to mount them. I was going to ask how you avoided getting blinded as you uncouple wagons, but I guess you're not using 3 link couplings?
adrian
Flying Squad
Hi, guessed correctly it won't be 3 link couplings, it will be automatic uncoupling. There's a few that use Alex Jackson couplings but the majority coupler is the DG Coupling. I've just bought a couple of small solenoids for working them and then I saw a suggestion of using a rare earth magnet and physically moving it into position which is something I'm considering.
adrian
Flying Squad
A small update, progress has been ticking along slowly on the rest of the pointwork. I didn't post updates because more photos of soldering chairplates to pcb sleepers are hardly scintillating. Anyway I decided to build the three turnouts to the right of the bridge in one unit including the catch/trap points in the middle turnout meant 5 pairs of switch blades to file etc.
and temporarily in situ.
and temporarily in situ.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Adrian
That looks great, I love the catch point in the point.
Richard
That looks great, I love the catch point in the point.
Richard
cbrailways
Western Thunderer
Just a little point 
. Technically they are Trap Points. Trap points usually face a trains direction of travel and deliberately derail rolling stock in the event of a forward moving unauthorised movement. Catch points (usually spring operated) are those designed to derail rolling stock on a uni-directional line when it rolls back in an uncontrolled manner in the wrong direction 
. Technically they are Trap Points. Trap points usually face a trains direction of travel and deliberately derail rolling stock in the event of a forward moving unauthorised movement. Catch points (usually spring operated) are those designed to derail rolling stock on a uni-directional line when it rolls back in an uncontrolled manner in the wrong direction
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mickoo
Western Thunderer
Interesting, I didn't know that, so, looking at Adrians set up there is technically one trap and one catch point within the normal point?
I have to keep reminding myself that this in N gauge, it's come a long way from two pieces of steel bar inset into some basic sleeper shapes.
Mick D
I have to keep reminding myself that this in N gauge, it's come a long way from two pieces of steel bar inset into some basic sleeper shapes.
Mick D
unklian
Western Thunderer
Just imagine the fun and games if something did get caught or trapped in the middle of that lot ?! The push=pull passenger service would be OK, but freight services would be knackered until the offending vehicle(s) had been removed and the track repaired.
Track is looking great BTW Adrian, as Mickoo says about N gauge, and I have to remember most pictures are twice life size on my screen .
Also I know someone who has used the moving rare earth magnet trick for AJ's in HO scale, and it works a treat, definitely worth trying.
Track is looking great BTW Adrian, as Mickoo says about N gauge, and I have to remember most pictures are twice life size on my screen .
Also I know someone who has used the moving rare earth magnet trick for AJ's in HO scale, and it works a treat, definitely worth trying.
queensquare
Western Thunderer
Evening chaps, need to remind yourself it's not N gauge. It would look anything like as good if it was, particularly that end on view.
Jerry
Jerry
cbrailways
Western Thunderer
Not so. Both are trap points and are there to protect the main platform line (even though its technically a shunt neck at that point) from any non-passenger overrun movements from the runround loop or sidings. This was probably done with the thought in mind that the line was going to be extended at a later date as mentioned in posts further up in this thread.
Anyway, I am extremly pleased to see that Adrian has taken the time to incorporate this into his layout (its not easy to replicate that arrangement in 0 Gauge let alone 2mm FS) noting that even some well known layouts would have omitted them completely but still claim to be a faithful rivet counting representation of such and such a place
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adrian
Flying Squad
Thanks for that - I do think it was necessary as it is quite a prominent feature of the track work. Fortunately it wasn't that difficult to incorporate even in 2mmFS - although I have had to go to the opticians for a stronger pair of reading glasses!!
All three traps points ( the 3rd one is at the other end of the loop) will also be working examples. I've seen a few layouts where they have included trap points but they are purely cosmetic. So yes I would like to make these working examples but there will be a compromise required, with the interlaced sleepers there is sod all room to fit any sort of effective tie bar so I have decided to follow Jerry's advice and just use a moving sleeper for all of the switches (turnouts and traps). The 2mmFS members seem to have invent more solutions for tiebars and point actuators then all other scales combined! but with the interlaced sleepers the only solution seems to be the moving sleeper, it also helps that it's the easiest!!
AJC
Western Thunderer
Since Jerry's layouts seem extremely reliable in this regard - and I've seen several over the years - let's face it if you're staring intently at the sleepers in 2mm then you must have taken everything else in in some detail. How many layouts have you looked at in the larger scales and pondered about tiebars?
Something sleeper size looks a bit odd in 4mm (with handbuilt track) but something half the width would probably be fine. In 7mm something a bit more 'scale' is probably of value but certainly isn't de rigeur; I've never thought to look. That said, I've never made a tie bar for a switch (one day, hopefully son, I'll need to) so I'm in no position to advise.
Adam
cbrailways
Western Thunderer
Sorry, but being relatively new to this forum who is Jerry and which layouts are you referring to?
queensquare
Western Thunderer
I'm Jerry 
My layouts include Highbury Colliery, Tucking Mill and William Smith's Wharf along with the glacially progressing Bath Queensquare.
Regarding moving sleeper tie bars, I like them because I have found them to be simple and very reliable, important for a bear of little brain like me. Aesthetically I don't find them particularly noticeable although I feel the fact that I use an actual sleeper rather than simply sleeper material slotted between two proper sleepers helps. Whether you could get away with this visually in the larger scales I'm not so sure although making a strong, reliable tie bar that resembles the prototype is less of a problem in 4/7mm.
Confession time, my trap/catch points are dummy!
Jerry
My layouts include Highbury Colliery, Tucking Mill and William Smith's Wharf along with the glacially progressing Bath Queensquare.
Regarding moving sleeper tie bars, I like them because I have found them to be simple and very reliable, important for a bear of little brain like me. Aesthetically I don't find them particularly noticeable although I feel the fact that I use an actual sleeper rather than simply sleeper material slotted between two proper sleepers helps. Whether you could get away with this visually in the larger scales I'm not so sure although making a strong, reliable tie bar that resembles the prototype is less of a problem in 4/7mm.
Confession time, my trap/catch points are dummy!
Jerry
adrian
Flying Squad
Sorry - my apologies. Jerry is one Jerry Clifford, an enthusiastic and vocal promoter for 2mmFS, builder of Highbury Colliery, Tucking Mill and Bath Green Park (which we need to see more of!) and occasional guest editor of MRJ.
Post Edit: beaten to it by Jerry himself - I spent too much time deliberating whether I should included "opinionated" in my description, whilst trying to word it in a positive, complimentary way.
cbrailways
Western Thunderer
Thanks for the information and hello Jerry. Just out of interest if you look at the photographs of the O Gauge PWay on my layout in the Blackbridge Town thread on this forum you will see that my points have sleeper tie bars for reliability as well
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queensquare
Western Thunderer
That's fine Adrian, my wife Kim says I'm opinionated and she's always right so I must be
Mind, that's not to say my opinions are always right
Cheers Jerry
Mind, that's not to say my opinions are always right
Cheers Jerry