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  • RMweb Gold

I should have added the following photos:

 

post-57-0-26291700-1499797569.jpg

 

post-57-0-09015300-1499797584.jpg

 

I think I described earlier that John F (Re6/6) kindly made me a tandem turnout some years ago, in a vain attempt to encourage me to rebuild 'Engine Wood', and that I eventually decided to use the point on 'Bethesda Sidings'.

 

More recently, with one further point to construct, John offered me this point, which was one he made many years ago and had been lying derelict in his track depot. I thought it would be rather nice to be able to recycle this point, so I decided to see what could be done.

 

The point had been sprayed with red primer at some point, so I removed most of that and have set about repairing the point. Bearing in mind that it was built 40 - 50 years ago, if I've understood him correctly, at a time when many folk used solder to represent bullhead chairs. These days we have nice plastic moulded ones from the likes of C&L and Exactoscale (OK, same thing now), so this afternoon I set about removing all the solder from the outside of the rails, until I ran out of solder braid.

 

I also needed to replace the point blades, so I filed up a pair of 'A' switches this afternoon and fitted them as well. I also fitted a tie bar and replaced a couple of the copper clad sleepers.

 

There was quite a lot of 'gunk' and detritus on the point when I'd finished, so I usually give the point a good wash in hot, soapy water at that stage and dry out on a bit of kitchen roll.

 

More needs to be done, but I'll have to get some more solder braid first. I can then remove the remaining excess solder, do the gapping and test the point with some stock. I can then add the cosmetic bullhead chairs and it should be ready for installing.

 

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If I look in my dishwasher will I find a completed layout in the froth?

Yo CK, ref the point thingy with knobbly bits you don't want; may I suggest you have a go at building a point using wooden sleepers and plassi chairs of the correct type for parts of the point. The smelly liquid adhesive works OK but I usually reinforce 'critical' areas with that horrible superglue once the point has been proven as correct gauge etc. As your lovely layout(s) are gentle shunty type things I suggest that such point work will be OK. However, you may have already builded such things so I'll now shut up. Oh yes, Exactoscale chairs and stuff are really for P4; I found that the C & L range were fine.

Ar$E 

Edited by Mallard60022
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  • RMweb Gold

The point had been sprayed with red primer at some point, so I removed most of that and have set about repairing the point. Bearing in mind that it was built 40 - 50 years ago, if I've understood him correctly, at a time when many folk used solder to represent bullhead chairs. These days we have nice plastic moulded ones from the likes of C&L and Exactoscale (OK, same thing now), so this afternoon I set about removing all the solder from the outside of the rails, until I ran out of solder braid.

 

 

Now you're giving away my age! Indeed it was made 45 years ago, in fact one of my very first efforts where solder blobs were 'de riguer' until l discovered Allan Brett Cannon 'Chairway' the first true chaired track parts (if a bit over scale!)

 

post-6728-0-60729500-1499844913.jpg

 

 

I also needed to replace the point blades, so I filed up a pair of 'A' switches this afternoon and fitted them as well. 

They were far too skinny. Back then l didn't know any better....and there were no Portsdown filing jigs!!

 

 

 .....but I'll have to get some more solder braid first.

 

I'll bring some along for you on Saturday.

Edited by Re6/6
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Thank you, top man!

 

My 1/4 chisel needs sharpening and although I now think I bought a solder sucker a while ago, I can't find it!

Solder sucker eh? No comment dear boy.......just mind the lips.

Phar#

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A nice sharp 1/4" chisel is just the job for solder removal, cheaper than reams of solder braid too, and no danger of removing too much solder and re-gauging the turnout.

 

Mike.

 

But then a chisel is your answer to every job...

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  • RMweb Gold

My late father was a woodwork teacher and also a rather skilled cabinet maker, but he'd be turning in his grave at the thought of the level of woodworking competence I (don't) display when I build baseboards.

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  • 2 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

A bit more progress this afternoon, as I have now cleaned up the remaining solder from the rather old copper clad point that John F (Re6/6) gave me a few months ago, prior to adding cosmetic chairs.

 

The point was built by John some time in the 1970s, I believe, and needed a bit of restoration work, which included new switch blades, new tie bar and some replacement sleepers.

 

Having cleaned the sleepers up after using the solder braid and then having gapped the sleepers, it was time to test some stock over it.

 

Here is the almost complete 'Jennifer' testing the point:

post-57-0-64689200-1506970712.jpg

 

And then it was the turn of the recently completed 'Planet' diesel:

post-57-0-62612700-1506970729.jpg

 

Both locomotives will form part of the core fleet of the Vale of Radnor Light Railway, that has running powers into the yard.

 

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A bit more progress this afternoon, as I have now cleaned up the remaining solder from the rather old copper clad point that John F (Re6/6) gave me a few months ago, prior to adding cosmetic chairs.

 

The point was built by John some time in the 1970s, I believe, and needed a bit of restoration work, which included new switch blades, new tie bar and some replacement sleepers.

 

Having cleaned the sleepers up after using the solder braid and then having gapped the sleepers, it was time to test some stock over it.

 

Here is the almost complete 'Jennifer' testing the point:

attachicon.gif20171002_162402.jpg

 

And then it was the turn of the recently completed 'Planet' diesel:

attachicon.gif20171002_162457.jpg

 

Both locomotives will form part of the core fleet of the Vale of Radnor Light Railway, that has running powers into the yard.

A new crossing and it would have been like George Washington's axe.

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Didn't he just post something controversial about American OO on the Peco thread?

Was that the one that suggested we all change to S gauge? I nearly replied asking whether he meant 7/8" or 0.883" gauge, but managed to resist in time...

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  • 4 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Well, being a responsible Chief Mechanical Engineer, I have ordered two more locomotives for the Vale of Radnor Light Railway, that can join the existing roster in due course, once they have been weathered and run-in.

Edited by Captain Kernow
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