Ogbourne

[richbrummitt]

Hole made through the mount board with a sharp scalpel blade. 
 

 

I thought I might have made the assembly thin enough to go under the rail from the side but no. It has to go first under one rail from the middle and then the other. 
 

 

No bother there. A twist into the hole, which should have been made more off centre to match the tube position. The tube is located there to allow isolation gapping that remains to occur. 

 

Lovely
 

 

It looks as much like the real thing as I imagined it would. Hopefully it will be robust in operation. At least I’ve learnt from previous efforts and allowed for easier maintainability or revision here. 

[Ian Morgan]

It has even got a slot for the (working?) point lock to go into

[richbrummitt]

49 minutes ago, Ian Morgan said:

It has even got a slot for the (working?) point lock to go into

No (modelled) point locks on this layout. The bifurcations of the single line are beyond the baseboard edges.
 

Sorry to disappoint. 

[richbrummitt]

I fixed the thing in place this evening by soldering to the switch rails in turn and waggled it about. 
 

 

All seems good. It could suffer from movement along the direction of the rail and some restraint in addition to the operating rod from beneath may be required. We will find out later when I get to the operating rod. 
 

The sticky and paper was removed in the immediate location of the moving parts prior to soldering because things did not move so well when they kept being grabbed by the sticky. 

 

Buoyed by my apparent success I decided to make a rear stretcher bar. I tried the thin copperclad for this. It really is very thin because as soon as the gap is made in the copper on one side (and I was both very gentle and cautious) the assembly bent. This is more cosmetic than structural so I might still use it. It is test fitted in the following pictures but not soldered. Only the front stretcher is soldered. 
 

 

 

It is clear how thin the thin copperclad is. I remeasured it and it is <0.2mm! 

What is also clear to anyone who knows their stuff is that the front stretcher should be much closer to the timber at the toe of the switch. I shall have to move it. A probable benefit will be that the switch rails will not be able to move much away from the heel chair once the stretcher is in a more correct position because the copperclad will be almost if not touching the timber. 

[richbrummitt]

This looks better. 
 

 

I have remade the front stretcher bar because it fell apart when I put the iron in (for the third time) to try to adjust the position towards the switch toe. It was easier to start again. The copperclad joiner now runs against the timber at the toe so the blades stay put. 
 

I decided to use the rear stretcher as it was (though a little wobbly). 
 

To my eyes they suggest the round stretcher bars of old. The flexible ones that came after would not be prominent above the timbers as I have made these. 

 

A test with a sample of one wagon suggests it works better than it did before. 
 

Two more to go for the catch points and then there is the other turnout to complete. 

[Valentin]

19 hours ago, richbrummitt said:

[...]

I have remade the front stretcher bar because it fell apart when I put the iron in (for the third time) to try to adjust the position towards the switch toe. It was easier to start again.
[...]

To avoid this, use solder with different melting points and a temperature controlled soldering iron.

Edited November 20, 2020 by Valentin

[richbrummitt]

Two more done. 

 

 

 

I had to dig out more than I hoped of the mount board track bed to get these into place. They don’t quite fit between the rail and track bed and they really don’t manoeuvre around the multiple rails as easily as just two at the toe of a plain switch. 

They also require a bit more meat removing in places to avoid any shorts on rails they pass under or timbers that they are or could come in contact with. 
 

There will be a short intermission while I craft enough plain chairs for the connection to the down line (other types are simple in comparison). The attrition rate yesterday evening was pretty high - the floor monster was hungry and there seems to be another monster down the back of the workbench. 
 

Thanks for looking. 

[richbrummitt]

After a couple of evening’s work the next stock rail is all chaired up 

 

 

more chairs require bending. Maybe I should have tried again to put some plastic timbers and chairs in but then possible height differences? This is the main line connection so we definitely want smooth running here...

[ChrisN]

Fascinating.  I struggle in 4mm so I have great amiration for anyone who can build in 2mm.

 

The line is one I am not too familiar with, so that is interesting as well.  I only knew of Savernake when I moved to this area as the park I walked around, but did not find out why it was called that until we took a train to Bedwyn and I explored the line beyond that on the maps.  It shall be an ntersting and a learning experience to follow this thread.

[richbrummitt]

On 24/11/2020 at 13:27, ChrisN said:

Fascinating.  I struggle in 4mm so I have great amiration for anyone who can build in 2mm.

 

The line is one I am not too familiar with, so that is interesting as well.  I only knew of Savernake when I moved to this area as the park I walked around, but did not find out why it was called that until we took a train to Bedwyn and I explored the line beyond that on the maps.  It shall be an ntersting and a learning experience to follow this thread.

Goodness. Me neither. I bought the MSWJR book out of interest in a few pictures because I was investigating the Savernake to Burbage section of the line at the time with a view to a layout based on either the arrangement at Burbage wharf or the West of Savernake (GWR/low level) including the junction to Marlborough. (Both of these are problematic to me in how to do the canal and the scenic break at the West end of the modelled area of either.) When I took Meeth on I was looking at enhancing the track plan at the same time as reading the book. The final product here will not be like the reality. The purpose and journey for me is a learning of methods for layout construction to take onto the future, larger and long term magnum opus type, project. I wish the stock to carry over and it will therefore be suitable for post WWI pre-grouping era GWR. The overall portrayal will therefore be a might have been that makes no sense of history where the GWR took over much earlier and the traffic was still similar to some of the shorter trains shown in the book in GWR days. The whole layout is ~600mm long and the fiddle yards are shorter than this so train lengths are limited to tank plus 3 coaches not exceeding 57’ or tender engine plus 2 and possibly tail traffic. The operating potential for rail traffic is a major interest because I have more Siphons and horse boxes than I do coaches. 
 

Hopefully there will still be learning and inspiration. 

[richbrummitt]

Now the other stock rail is all chaired up. 
 

 

Except for a short section where there is not enough room for full plain chairs on both the stock rail and the closure rail. The viewing is from the right in the above picture so I will put full chairs on the closure rail and use cut down chairs with just the outside chair (slide or check) on the spaces that are currently on the stock rail. 
 

The workshop monster has continued to be pretty hungry for chairs and I’ve got an order in for another fret of plain to finish off. I had not nearly enough for either of the wing+closure rails, let alone both, once I’d reached the stage above. After a time on my knees I found several chairs on the floor around the chair and under the bench. Fortunately I did not have to beg to the workshop monster. I must have ‘lost’ so many out of the pliers / tweezers it was easy enough to find almost 10 and I have enough for one wing rail with a few leftover, although some are a bit mangled. 
 

 

It’s just laid in at the moment with the chairs threaded on for a final check before starting fixing. Again there is a gap near the switch. These will be half chairs added from the normally viewed side due to space. 
 

Even after this is soldered there’s a couple of other jobs I can do whilst I wait for the chairs to come if the post takes a while. With that wing closure rail in place I could wire up and test the yard. (Well the stubs of sidings that have been laid.) There are the stretcher bars for this switch to produce and I need some buffer stops. The etches for those are already in hand. Progress can still be made!

[richbrummitt]

On Friday I was in the workshop and turned around knocking this and the bin over. Serves me right for leaving them in the middle of the floor and not moving them first nor looking out where I was. Hardly anything fell out of the almost empty bin but the wing rail that was all threaded into chairs was just rested on top. When the whole went flying some of the chairs came off as a result. 
 

It’s now safely fixed in place along with check rails. 
 

 

I’ve also gone around the other chairs and filed back any etch tabs, excess solder and the like to smarten it up a bit. The wing and closure rail for the straight on has been bent and filed and bent up in preparation. It is stored on the bench at the moment in case of recurring incident. 
 

 

Edited November 30, 2020 by richbrummitt
Smelling

[Mikkel]

Sorry to hear that Richard. Glad you got it sorted again. There are only two kinds of railway modellers: Those who have accidentally knocked over their most prized work, and those who are about to 

 

Anyway I'm enjoying the posts. There's a strange fascination to watching track develop like this.

[richbrummitt]

The stretcher bars are made for the last switch on this layout. 
 

 

Above: Front (top) and rear (bottom), heel side. Below: Same positions from the switch side

 

 

The copper edge needs taking away from the top to be sure no shorts across the gapped timber. 

 

Here they are with the sticky cleared and slots through the track bed made
 

 

Not soldered in place yet. I’m feeling an early night coming on. Seems I might not have learned my lesson leaving these awaiting soldering. I’ve also just noticed those chairs on the left hand bottom corner are not soldered on the inside! 

 

[richbrummitt]

Soldered in without any drama. 
 

 

 

a little stiffer than the others. Not sure why that would be. These switches are a scale 2’ longer than all the others. 
 

I forgot to put the missing solder on those chair plates mentioned in the previous post at the same time. 
 

A next step will be getting the switches operational. I’m going to try servos in dingo mounts because I have them already along with a megapoints controller. 
 

I ruled at the edge of the board against a straight edge aligned as best as possible to the front stretcher bars 

 

 

used a square to take the mark down the edge of the board and joined up underneath. 
 

 

If I align the axis of motion of the dingo servo mechanism with the drawn line it should be good. 

[Ian Smith]

Richard, is the stiffness caused by one of the tie bars rubbing on the underside of a stock rail? If it is then doing so will pull the switch rail down onto one or more of the slide chairs causing additional friction.

Ian

[richbrummitt]

57 minutes ago, Ian Smith said:

Richard, is the stiffness caused by one of the tie bars rubbing on the underside of a stock rail? If it is then doing so will pull the switch rail down onto one or more of the slide chairs causing additional friction.

Ian

If it is then that will be good for electrical contact. I don’t want the switch rails lifting up either. 
 

I should have been clearer: Stiffer is relative. The others move really easily - sometimes on their own at the moment whilst they are still loose. It might be okay with the operating mechanism on. Hopefully the servo has sufficient grunt. We shall find out. Finding out what works and learning lessons for the next one is what this project is all about. 

[richbrummitt]

I’ve been making some progress on moving things around in the workshop, without managing to create any more space, and produced some mock up buildings for a future layout idea. Nothing for this thread but I have not been idle the past days. 
 

Yesterday a packet of goodies arrived from Shop 1 including more plain chairs. 
 

These were in there too:
 

but that is for a (hopefully not too far into the) future stage. I’m sure I bought the etch in the left previously, perhaps even more than once, but could not find it. I did find the fishplates etch that I thought they would be with so that is something. 
 

Some progress was made fitting the wing rail. The closure rail will follow now it is separated. I really like the JLC saw. Ian was right that I will probably end up purchasing one for myself.  
 

 

I’ve separated the rails rather than finishing the closure rail because I have already finished the switch and cannot trim to length in situ. It’s really hard to gauge and support everything with the knuckle in the exact position required and measure and mark up the lengths at both ends, for me at least. The other wing and closure was done prior to the switch being fitted finally so I could trim at the heel there. For this one it will be straightforward to measure directly between the wing rail and the heel now for the length of rail required to complete.

Edited December 5, 2020 by richbrummitt

[Ian Morgan]

I believe that new point rodding really needs to be installed before ballasting. That is why I had to stick with the old stuff on my layout.

 

[Caley Jim]

2 hours ago, Ian Morgan said:

I believe that new point rodding really needs to be installed before ballasting. That is why I had to stick with the old stuff on my layout.

 

No, it can be done.  See the article Alisdair Campbell and I wrote in the June/July 2019 Magazine.

 

Jim

[richbrummitt]

From the point of view of switch and a crossing work the ‘golden spike’ has been driven in. 
 

 

However it awaits testing. 
 

I folded up some more Dingo Servo Mounts, which are straightforward. Simpler cheaper options and ideas do exist but I have these already along with the servos and a controller. They are quite smart in my opinion (no connection blah blah...) 

 

 

 

I’ve only put a servo in one so far. There is a choice regarding the folding of the sliding part but this is a one time thing. The aluminium would not suffer repeated bending. 

 

 

This probably won’t matter to many people but I think it is useful to me because things are tight around the switches for the catches. 
 

 

With some material removal of the lower slider supporting arm on the left hand unit I think these can be made to line up, just. Combinations of other orientations are less compatible in this requirement. 

The microswitches will change the frog polarity and so getting these fitted will allow proper testing with an engine and some stock. 
 

Eagle eyed readers will note the wires have gone. I’ve acquired some tinned copper wire to substitute in for droppers, which should be much more discrete above the baseboard than stranded insulated wire. 

[Ian Morgan]

The slider support arms realy should be close to 90 degrees from the backplate, otherwise the slider can catch and scrape and not move freely.

 

Two things I like about the Dingo mounts:

• the movement is linear from side to side, and not an arc, like many servo mounts
• you can easily adjust the height of the actuating rod/wire using the screws, instead of having to try to cut it the right length, or worse still, cut the projecting end in-situ.

 

[richbrummitt]

I’m still pondering the issue of joining the pin to a wire sufficiently thin to fit the tube on the stretcher bars. Rather than get on with making the switches operate I turned my attention to finishing some other track details. 
 

I set about trying to bend rail at 90 degrees to create the buffer stop on the end loading dock. 
 

First around a roller gauge using parallel pliers. 

 

 

Comparing to the drawings in Pannier 16 this is far too large radius. Try again. 
 

 

Some relief required to avoid tearing. I filed a notch with a triangular section file to about half depth.
 

 

Almost. A little deeper and it would be good. 
 

I took a break and had a look in the book and saw a really good view of the required buffer stop. Not at all what I imagined required making. It’s a timber fixed to the face of the wall. I’m glad to have checked. No further rail mangling required. 
 

On with the other stop at the end of the siding. There is not a good view of this that I have seen so I have just made up one of the 2mm WR type. 
 

 

A good amount of laminating gets us so far.
 

I decided to erect if off the layout board. A number of timbers were laid at the required spacings and some sacrificial Easitrac intermixed to space and support the rails. 
 

Rail was prepared and the first chairs added. Check chairs are the right width at the last timber being 2 rails and a gap that happens to be a rail width. The others are plain chairs. 

 

 

To the left there will be two rail thicknesses, a gap and a further rail. No chairs fitted yet but the rail is reasonably well restrained by a couple of Easitrac sleepers. 
 

A good amount of bending and tweaking of the previously constructed laminations gets us this far. 

 

I used check chairs cut in half under the left hand side and a slip of material to set the inside rails last. 
 

It’s possible to use a roller gauge to fix a timber across as the cross bar. It needs an additional thickness of material adding to bulk it out to the 8” thickness it should be and there is also a cross bar to fit behind when I’ve dug the solder out of the holes. 

 

 

Tidied up and separated from the temporary base it’s almost complete and here shown in place at the end of the siding. 

 

 

I didn’t bother spacing the sleepers for the buffer stop in Templot !

 

[Ian Smeeton]

Don't forget to gap the copperclad used for the buffer beam.

 

Ask me how I know!!

 

Regards

 

Ian

[richbrummitt]

50 minutes ago, Ian Smeeton said:

Don't forget to gap the copperclad used for the buffer beam.

 

Ask me how I know!!

 

Regards

 

Ian

It is done, very close to the inside bracket on the viewing side. I ‘buzzed’ out on the meter after to check there was no beep and the whole thing was good first time - a novelty. 

Edited December 8, 2020 by richbrummitt