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Abbotswood and Norton Junctions - layout build


Phil Bullock
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The deed is done! Having stripped all electrics, pointwork. Trees and a few other scenic items the old layout had gone .... sob sob. We had some good times, thanks to everyone who helped! 
 

What to do with the old boards? I put them on the local buy and sell app and they have now gone to the great exhibition in the sky to be converted to .... chicken shacks! 
 

So onwards with the new layout. Tim has nearly finished the new boards, so it’s a trip to Fakenham this Friday with @Pierre Le Brun to collect them. Then the serious stuff starts! 

A3C6C2EB-0A5B-407A-8E0E-734D0504DCDA.jpeg

Edited by Phil Bullock
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53 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

The deed is done! Having stripped all electrics, pointwork. Trees and a few other scenic items the old layout had gone .... sob sob. We had some good times, thanks to everyone who helped! 
 

What to do with the old boards? I put them on the local buy and sell app and they have now gone to the great exhibition in the sky to be converted to .... chicken shacks! 
 

So onwards with the new layout. Tim has nearly finished the new boards, so it’s a trip to Fakenham this Friday with @Pierre Le Brun to collect them. Then the serious stuff starts! 

A3C6C2EB-0A5B-407A-8E0E-734D0504DCDA.jpeg

Sad, but satisfying.

My first sight of Abbotswood was on this channel, when things go wrong, or something along those lines.

I loved every video and it was a privilege to have operated it, just once, in Colwall.

Sorry to see it go but really looking forward to "Son of Abbotswood".

Thanks,

Bob 

 

Had a grey moment. Not this channel. More likely YouTube.

Edited by RBAGE
Correcting the mistake of an old fool.
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Onwards and upwards Phil, sad to see v1 go, but v2 will be excellent of that I have no doubt. Yes those boards were heavy-ish, but it was quite easy to put together I recall. 

Having installed now 47 servos I have a lot of dos and donts, when you get to that task (I've spent many lockdown hours on them). The Switchpilot servo 3s are lovely once you've translated the German handbook, you'll especially love the auto switch off and the "bounce" feature which will look the business with your semaphores.

Must have a catch up soon. 

Neil 

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Hi Phil

Sad to see AJ mkI go but this will give you the fun of building mkII - whens it due at Cheltenham? Has Mike Walker been in touch?  :wink_mini:

 

I don't know where you're up to with track decisions? SMP or Peco, but the EM gauge society are selling the Exactoscale OO code 75 sleepers (concrete and wooden) which have a good sleeper spacing.

 

Good luck with the new build

Rich.

 

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Trip to see Tim Horn in Fakenham yesterday with @Pierre Le Brun to pick up the boards for the new layout.

 

Tim has done a fantastic job as I knew he would... 

 

So the good news is..,

 

They fit in a Luton as planned... and also in to my garage. Phew!

 

Unplanned but also good news ... a pair is easy to load on to a sack truck and goes through a standard sized door .... excellent.

 

Could not have done that run without Pierre, Thanks very much for the help...

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On 12/05/2021 at 10:00, D9502 said:

Hi Phil

Sad to see AJ mkI go but this will give you the fun of building mkII - whens it due at Cheltenham? Has Mike Walker been in touch?  :wink_mini:

 

I don't know where you're up to with track decisions? SMP or Peco, but the EM gauge society are selling the Exactoscale OO code 75 sleepers (concrete and wooden) which have a good sleeper spacing.

 

Good luck with the new build

Rich.

 


No shows planned yet Rich but hopefully something low key next summer. Because of the amount of track and limitation on my time have gone with Peco.... Derails entire stock of conco sleepered plain track delivered yesterday... 

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On 11/05/2021 at 18:58, Downendian said:

Onwards and upwards Phil, sad to see v1 go, but v2 will be excellent of that I have no doubt. Yes those boards were heavy-ish, but it was quite easy to put together I recall. 

Having installed now 47 servos I have a lot of dos and donts, when you get to that task (I've spent many lockdown hours on them). The Switchpilot servo 3s are lovely once you've translated the German handbook, you'll especially love the auto switch off and the "bounce" feature which will look the business with your semaphores.

Must have a catch up soon. 

Neil 


We certainly must Neil ... hopefully lock down might actually allow some socialisation! 
 

Cheers

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13 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:


No shows planned yet Rich but hopefully something low key next summer. Because of the amount of track and limitation on my time have gone with Peco.... Derails entire stock of conco sleepered plain track delivered yesterday... 

Phil,

 

Might be worth considering Finetracks pointwork kits. Easy to build, can be curved to suit and make flowing formations and build to the same height as PECO.

 

Good luck.

 

Bob

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Finetracks probably easier to get hold of than Peco.  I waited over a year for some turnouts and when they finally arrived I had changed layouts and abandoned Peco altogether.

 

Is there a Mk2 trackplan to peruse?  

 

I'm also looking forward to the first 'when trains go wrong' video of the new layout 

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6 hours ago, Dr Gerbil-Fritters said:

Finetracks probably easier to get hold of than Peco.  I waited over a year for some turnouts and when they finally arrived I had changed layouts and abandoned Peco altogether.

 

Is there a Mk2 trackplan to peruse?  

 

I'm also looking forward to the first 'when trains go wrong' video of the new layout 


Am sure one of those Videos will be along before too long! Much more scope on new layout....

 

Robust track plan ( which of course may or may not happen!) should be along shortly ...

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7 hours ago, RBAGE said:

Phil,

 

Might be worth considering Finetracks pointwork kits. Easy to build, can be curved to suit and make flowing formations and build to the same height as PECO.

 

Good luck.

 

Bob


Cheers Bob. Is there anything more than a B7 bullhead turnout available in 00? 
 

Phil

 

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So how to join up the boards? Had hoped to avoid bolts and use over centre Latches... but they would be on the 3ft axis of the boards and we store them resting on that side so the latches would get crushed.

 

So it’s back to bolts .... with captive nuts .,.. unless there are other ideas out there? 
 

Cheers

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14 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

So how to join up the boards? Had hoped to avoid bolts and use over centre Latches... but they would be on the 3ft axis of the boards and we store them resting on that side so the latches would get crushed.

 

So it’s back to bolts .... with captive nuts .,.. unless there are other ideas out there? 
 

Cheers

Not if you recess the latches into the base board sides they won't Phil.

Regards Lez. 

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1 minute ago, lezz01 said:

Not if you recess the latches into the base board sides they won't Phil.

Regards Lez. 


Cheers Lez but only 5mm depth of ply to work with? 

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1 hour ago, Phil Bullock said:

So how to join up the boards? Had hoped to avoid bolts and use over centre Latches... but they would be on the 3ft axis of the boards and we store them resting on that side so the latches would get crushed.

 

So it’s back to bolts .... with captive nuts .,.. unless there are other ideas out there? 
 

Cheers

How about hinges with removable pins?

I have a box full somewhere.

Yours if they are any use.

Just postage.

Heavy box.

If I can find them.

Edited by RBAGE
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Hi Phil,

centre over latches are quicker I think with set up and there’s no danger of forgetting them at home unlike bolts (if they’re loose).

 

no doubt you’ll be pairing the boards together for transport? You could consider making the end transport boards that bit wider to accommodate the depth of latches on the outside of your baseboards. I added castors to the end of my paired baseboards and rolled them into the exhibition venue. 

 

Likewise with the end transport boards, I made mine that bit deeper than the baseboards so as and when I took it out of the estate car at shows  the baseboards weren't sitting on wet tarmac when it rained. 

 

Did you pick up the Tim Horn boards flat pack or were  they already made? 

Edited by D9502
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Just layer it up where you want the latch Phil. If you stick a layer of something like 12-18mm on the inside of the board edge glued and pined you can cut a channel deep enough to hold a latch so that it stays below the surface of the outer face of the board. You will have to rebate the end and do the same on the adjacent board but as long as you clamp it all up and make sure it's properly dry before unclamping it'll be fine.

Regards Lez.  

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1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

Feet.

i.e. a small batten the height of the board adjacent to the latches to stop them getting crushed?

Paul.


Cheers Paul was contemplating that but desperately trying to avoid adding extra timber to limit weight gain... it all adds up!

 

43 minutes ago, RBAGE said:

How about hinges with removable pins?

I have a box full somewhere.

Yours if they are any use.

Just postage.

Heavy box.

If I can find them.

 

Cheers Rob would they have to sit above the board tops? 
 

21 minutes ago, D9502 said:

Hi Phil,

centre over latches are quicker I think with set up and there’s no danger of forgetting them at home unlike bolts (if they’re loose).

 

no doubt you’ll be pairing the boards together for transport? You could consider making the end transport boards that bit wider to accommodate the depth of latches on the outside of your baseboards. I added castors to the end of my paired baseboards and rolled them into the exhibition venue. 

 

Likewise with the end transport boards, I made mine that bit deeper than the baseboards so as and when I took it out of the estate car at shows  the baseboards weren't sitting on wet tarmac when it rained. 

 

Did you pick up the Tim Horn boards flat pack or were  they already made? 


Hi Rich Tim made them up for me and a damn fine job too. Yes the boards are paired , happy sack truck will do the job and hopefully with big soft tyres not too many shocks transmitted to boards. 
 

Will be doing a check list I think as did forget box of bolts once but luckily we were only at Toddington....! And we won’t be mixing our metrics and imperials either....;)

 

With captive nuts am going to use electric screwdrivers to drive the bolts, Allen key head rather than hex bolt heads to avoid over tightening. 
 

Will let you all know how that pans out, bolts and buts on order and trial assembly next weekend weather permitting 

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4 minutes ago, lezz01 said:

Just layer it up where you want the latch Phil. If you stick a layer of something like 12-18mm on the inside of the board edge glued and pined you can cut a channel deep enough to hold a latch so that it stays below the surface of the outer face of the board. You will have to rebate the end and do the same on the adjacent board but as long as you clamp it all up and make sure it's properly dry before unclamping it'll be fine.

Regards Lez.  


Ah see what you mean Lez but a lot of work .. 20 boards so that’s 40 latches....

 

but might come back to this if bolts too much trouble.....

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