simon b

Thanks for the help gents. How unusual is the setup here? I've mostly seen coal drops as a stand alone structure, never incorporated into a major viaduct like that before. Would certainly make for an interesting model.

Hi all, does anyone have any pics of the coal drops at the old Mile end station out of liverpool street? Looks like it was an unusual setup being built into the viaduct of the mainline, but pics seem to be non existent. Ta.

Yes. I pin them to the board at one end, gently bend them to shape and pin into position. It's easier to see in person, but this is a left hand one bent into a Y point.

There used to be a wye junction at Denham with the branch from Uxbridge, there is another just outside Cannon street station.

There is a tiny amount of plastic in the frog, but it isnt noticeable. But once laid it becomes invisible.

To help anyone concerned about the wiring of these points, these are the instructions included with them. You can use them as an insulfrog point straight from the box, or you can add a accessory switch to use it like an electrofrog. NO modifications to the point are needed for either use. The only thing that needs to be clarified is that when used on a DC layout, these points do not isolate one track from the other. Both routes are live together, so to isolate a train in a siding for example, section switches will be needed for that section of track.

You said: Which as I said doesn't apply to the unifrog points, the frog is already isolated from everything else. Posting that link for electrofrog wiring will just confuse people looking for info on these points, as no wires need to be cut.

So have I. The frog is already isolated from everything else, and the point blades are not used as contacts, so why are you cutting the bonding strips?

That's for wiring an electrofrog point, doesn't apply to a unifrog.

Your correct on all points. The frog itself is isolated from the rest of the point, and has it's own feed wire to make it live. Because of this you dont need to use IRJ's like the old electrofrog points needed. Both routes are live at all times out of the box, so ideal for dcc. The point blades are not used for conductivity, but are bonded to the stock rails.

If those 4 sidings are long enough you could add 3 more, or make the existing 4 longer.

You can also build it this way which keeps the sidings longer, but means the locos must shunt onto the scenic section.

Do you actually need to have a runaround in the sidings? You could run the train into the yard with a loco, uncouple it, then pull it back out with another.

I cant get the actual board out till the weekend, but here are some old points laid out for you.

It only works with the large radius Y points, which are the same length as a normal medium radius point. they have a shallower angle which lines up perfectly. Print a pair of those off and it will all come together. Those short y points have a much too sharp angle to be used in sidings, but are usefull for building a center loco release between terminus platforms.