1/32 Launceston Road

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Embryo G1 Garden line

marsa69 said:
Lumpy track? very prototypical :D

As discussed here in Area 51... :thumbs: :cool:

When I build something to run my Dark Side stock on, level track will be the last thing I want...!! :p
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

The next section is now "Gripfixed", I'm not sure that I have got the line of the curve right through the joint, but the level is defo. better than it was thanks to a bit of angle grinding. The joint is where the grey looking track ends and the darker looking track starts, the difference in colour is from the dust from angle grinding.

Slowtrack.jpg

I think I might allow myself a bit of soldering soon for the first test running, Fred Phipps is due to visit a week today so I've got to get something "runnable" by then!

Back to pond duties now....
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

Today I got back on to working on the first (and only, so far) turnout that I require, one of nine to go.

I built most of it up at the beginning of the year, as shown on my thread on FRMW and with some very valuable input from Martin Wynne.

This morning I finish filed the switches, and built up the block chairs from cut about normal rail chairs. I also altered a pair of P (slide) chairs to accommodate the soleplate and fitted these at the toe of the switch. Cliff (Barker) has supplied moulded distance pieces which I could insert between switch and stock rails.....

He also supplies moulded nuts which I will attach to the outside of the P chairs.

looking from side:

Point.jpg

looking up from toe:

Pointoe.jpg

It is looking pretty funky if I say so myself, but I have a few serious mechanical hurdles to clear before it becomes anything more than a large scenic detail.

Time for a trip to the shed I think....
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Embryo G1 Garden line

Hi Simon, looks great. I have started building my first point (well any sort of track for that matter). Is it a point kit or have you collected components and template to construct your own?
Rob :wave:
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

Last night's late night shed session yielded the tiebar, all bolted together with no glue or solder used for anything load bearing, it is not quite as neat as it could be but will do - next time I ought to follow steve Cook's advice and make myself a drilling jig.

The centre bolts are sleeved with bell wire insuation where they pass through the joint to maintain insulation. The black insulator is just Plastikard cut and drilled, as designed the bolts are live to one side, I didn't add another insulating piece to avoid this as I was concerned about strength of the bolted joint.

The bolts on the switches are countersunk, their heads are "behind" the blade and fit in to countersunk recesses. I have soldered these across their faces to make the nuts that hold everything together more easily undo-able (ha ha) in the future and to minimise the opportunity for rust (they are steel).

Tiebar1.jpg
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

lancer1027 said:
Hi Simon, looks great. I have started building my first point (well any sort of track for that matter). Is it a point kit or have you collected components and template to construct your own?
Rob :wave:

Hi Rob

It is not a kit in the strict sense, it consists of a Templot plan of the required turnout (produced for me by Simon Dunkley), which is a brilliant and very useful start, with rail point timbering and moulded chairs from Cliff Barker. He does a normal chair plus slide rail chairs, bridge chairs and check rail chairs and also fishplates and the point timbers can be easily snipped to the required length.

The tiebar I made up myself from etch fret waste.

I have built only a few points in my time and I would say that the key to success is a good plan, for which Templot is fantastic. That and some gauges, currently I have a track gauge only.

Thanks for your comments, all very motivating!
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

Jordan said:
[quote=""Simon"":1gxb2v88]
It is but a mere 40 inches long :p
:shock: I've got an O scale layout about as long as that...!! :lol:[/quote:1gxb2v88]

It is all a bit on the huge size - that's why its all headed for the garden!!

I need to build a crossover next, which I would like to build as one "unit". I am hanging on to an old length of kitchen worktop for this, but now I come to think of it its too big to fit on my workbench :headbang:
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Embryo G1 Garden line

Hi Simon, just had a session on my point kit. (I have to go to my mates for tuition,as he has built a fair bit of track inc. points) I have just fixed the vee and soldered it onto the copperclad. Its looking good if i say so myself. I know some experts can build a point in minutes, but even though i only do a bit at my mates once a week i'm nearly there :thumbs: I look forward to your next installment.
Rob :wave:
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

lancer1027 said:
Hi Simon, just had a session on my point kit. (I have to go to my mates for tuition,as he has built a fair bit of track inc. points) I have just fixed the vee and soldered it onto the copperclad. Its looking good if i say so myself. I know some experts can build a point in minutes, but even though i only do a bit at my mates once a week i'm nearly there :thumbs: I look forward to your next installment.
Rob :wave:

Hi Rob

You can't beat a friend who's done it before :)

My equivalent is my good friend and point guru Tim Maddocks, (AKA Captain Kernow on RMweb) he is brilliant at making points, the best thing he ever did for me was a very natty three way point for Marshcastle engine shed.

Unfortunately he has remained completely impervious to all my efforts/propoganda to move up a scale (or two ;) ) and remains resolutely wedded to 4mm scale :(

I am just about to go down to the shed to solder on the feeds and electrical bonding on my point, although I'll try not to stay down there until 2.00 in the morning like last night :oops:

I'd like to see progress on your point, is it destined for Penzance? You must need a few!!

Simon
 

rosspeacock

Modelling on a £1200 table.
Embryo G1 Garden line

Must say Iam very impressed :thumbs: :bowdown: curved points always look so nice, excellent work. Makes me feel as if I'd like to have a go at making track.. :scratch: Ross...
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Embryo G1 Garden line

Hi Simon, yes it is destined for Penzance. 1st of about 20 (not counted them all yet as i dont want to put myself off at an early stage).
Rob
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

As far as I am concerned, building track comes under the heading of "necessary evils" so the availability of user friendly components is very welcome. As far as my turnout goes I should have said that I also used pre-machined switch blades from Cliff Barker, which saves a heck of a lot of filing .

The quality of C&L (and other) parts in 4mm and 7mm scales makes me quite envious although Cliff Barker has completely changed the Gauge One landscape as far as track goes for the better - he is a real star.

My C10 is now finished and I am satisfied with it. There are one or two things I will try to do better on the next one, the biggest "mistake" on this one is the upturning of the wing rails on the crossing resulting from not putting a vertical bend/twist in the knuckle. The need for this arises because the rail is (correctly) inclined in Cliff's chairs. Does this rear its head in S7 trackwork too?

I had hoped that I could have soldered my way out of this problem but the rail is so strong that this has the effect of raising the nose of the crossing nose tip, which is a disaster, hence upturned wings on this one.

Tiebar2.jpg

In the meantime thanks to everyone for their encouragement on this thread and all the other posts and threads too.

Western Thunder is proving to be my most positive online communal model railway experience so far.

Simon
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Embryo G1 Garden line

Simon said:
My equivalent is my good friend and point guru Tim Maddocks, (AKA Captain Kernow on RMweb)
Isn't it funny..? If you'd just said "Tim Maddocks" I'd be non the wiser... "Captain Kernow" however, conjures up quite a picture - usually the one of him wheel-spinning that Tank Engine at the RMweb member's day at Chasewater..!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Does the Somerset & Dorset count as Western Region..? If it is, would he grace this forum with his presence... :scratch:
 

28ten

Guv'nor
Embryo G1 Garden line

Jordan said:
[quote=""Simon"":2n4t6x6j]
My equivalent is my good friend and point guru Tim Maddocks, (AKA Captain Kernow on RMweb)
Isn't it funny..? If you'd just said "Tim Maddocks" I'd be non the wiser... "Captain Kernow" however, conjures up quite a picture - usually the one of him wheel-spinning that Tank Engine at the RMweb member's day at Chasewater..!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Does the Somerset & Dorset count as Western Region..? If it is, would he grace this forum with his presence... :scratch:[/quote:2n4t6x6j]
It was Western region at the end, so yes it counts :D
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

Spot on Simon :bowdown:
Looks like a really nice job and well worth the effort :thumbs: Tiebar is a beauty :D
When is the big moment when it gets glued down outside?
Steve
 

Simon

Flying Squad
Embryo G1 Garden line

Steve Cook said:
Spot on Simon :bowdown:
Looks like a really nice job and well worth the effort :thumbs: Tiebar is a beauty :D
When is the big moment when it gets glued down outside?
Steve

Thanks very much :thumbs:

Well, I could possibly stick it down tomorrow, all I still need to do before fixing is solder the feed wires to the new piece of plain line made today to link the turnout to the existing track. I have got it all ready to go, had to lift the end of the last section as there was a fantastically dipped joint. I have also added super elevation wedges to this new piece, gradually dropping to level before the turnout.

That sorted out my cant deficiency - ooh get me :eek:

Current state of play with point laid in position, ruler is holding switch area down level:

Pointview.jpg
I am now idiotically keen to get back out there, let's hope it doesn't rain tonight!!
 
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