scanman Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Outstanding - I'm on a roll !!!! Having found the necessary reference work, it appeared that 'perceived wisdom' indicated that joggles were not necessary - if the blades were suitably filed to a 'wafer' thin end. Now that's done, I can sit back and enjoy a well earned drink and see in the New Year with the feeling that progress is being made :D Ahhh.... Problem is - the GWR DID joggle the stock rail in prototype practice (according to my 'bible' published by the GWR Soc). Mind you, you'd need a magnifying glass to see it in 2mm! Anyway Steve, that 'New Years Drinkies' is well deserved. Progress in tracklaying is always satisfying, and yours looks good (lack of 'joggle' not withstanding )! Regs Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagonman Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Richard Which photo would that be? Could you post a copy (if permitted) or point me towards the source please? Cheers Steve Steve It's a shot looking across a crowded goods yard towards the station platform. It was originally a commercial postcard but has been copied and sold by Lens of Sutton. I suspect it is out of copyright being something like 100 years old so, when I can find it I will post a scan on here. Might take a day or two.... As a general rule I suspect most of the coal for merchants in the Calne area cam from the FoD and Cannock coalfields, but I can't quote you chapter and verse on that. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 1, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 1, 2011 Steve Switches initially were straight where the blades were straight pieces of rail up to the heel where they could flex via the fishplate. The curve proper started then. They were classified a six ft 9ft 12ft 15ft etc switches which referred to the length of the tapered part. These obviously resulted in a sudden change of direction and the curved route had to be taken at slow speed. At some point it was recognised that by curving the switch blade a transistion could be made increasing the speed at which the curved route could be taken these were semi curved switched where the tapered part was straight and then the blade curved. The GWR went further and introduced fully curved switches where the whole switch blade was curved. I think BR adopted these. Note as the curve in the blade is a transition curve it is not easy to see the difference. These switches were classified as A ,B, C up to at least F. In 2mm it is difficult to get the blades exactly right as our flangeways are still overscale. Don 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 Don & Ian, Thanks for the detailed information on GW points - joggles and blades - you learn something new every day I'll not retrofit the two points made so far (unless they go horribly wrong!) but I've another 12 to go and will ensure that these are more 'correct'.... (there is a potential 'cunning plan' to remake the current board at a later date for an 'extended' layout option and this will reflect the changes at that time). Richard, I have both the books titled The Calne Branch (Maggs & Tanner) and these include what appears to be a postcard image of around 1905 shot across the goods yard as you describe. However, they are quite grainy and I can't see the details of the wagons in them (assuming that this is the correct image ). Hopefully you'll be able to update this... Cheers Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagonman Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Steve It's a shot looking across a crowded goods yard towards the station platform. It was originally a commercial postcard but has been copied and sold by Lens of Sutton. I suspect it is out of copyright being something like 100 years old so, when I can find it I will post a scan on here. Might take a day or two.... As a general rule I suspect most of the coal for merchants in the Calne area cam from the FoD and Cannock coalfields, but I can't quote you chapter and verse on that. I can't find the original print but as it was published in Maggs' book I guess it doesn't matter too much. What I did find was a print of a detail of the photo, taken back in the day when I had a copy camera set-up, and I have scanned that for you. According to Maggs the photo must have been taken no later then 1906 as the extra loading bank had not been built at that time. Also visible is a wagon from Walsall Wood colliery. The Mark Whitwill wagon (not visible in this print) probably carried coke. Hope it is some use – no details of the wagon can be made out on the print with any degree of certainty though it was probably still fitted with dumb buffers at that time. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 "Smug mode (re-)engaged" After a slight detour / side-track / procrastination / anything to avoid thinking about the tie-bars, I thought I'd quickly (?) put down the simple pieces of track to the end of the board and sort out the joints using the previously made milled sleeper strip. All fairly simple until I actually got to the 'joint' whereby it became a major SNAFU! Plan 1 - Make joint crossing section by soldering chairs to sleeper strip, then solder rail to chairs, attach Easitrac section, cut main rail to length, and stick down - sounds simple doesn't it? Oh no! Snags encountered a) almost impossible to 'synchronise' timings of PVA on Easitrac sleepers with epoxy for milled strip, matching rail length from foot of point to 'pre-fabricated' joint crossing without excessive (leap of faith ) gaps..., and c) bl^&*y epoxy failed to fully cure properly!!! Plan 2 - Unsolder rails from joint crossing, slide everything up to close gaps (0.010") between rail ends, and resolder crossing rails. Looking good but see c) above!!! Plan 3 - 01:30, go to bed and try again in the morning Plan 4 - Plan 3 paid off! Plan 2 effectively worked. Now cut through rails and milled strip across joint (first having remembered to put 0.020" spacers along the joint - check). This is where the SNAFU gets worse! Made the cut beautifully... ...then realised that the 'magnifying headset' I'd been wearing caused a parallax error of about 2mm so the cut on the joint - wasn't!! Plan 5 - Unsolder everything, file/sand down one board, and pack the cut (oops) in the other, and build each side of the joint individually.... Et voila........ (looks OK from here... ...but ouch - my soldering does not stand up to too close scrutiny - fortunately a little bit of fettling will clean this up and when ballasted an painted it will may start to look a lot better ? (The apparent step-up from the plastic sleepers to the milled strip is an illusion caused by a slight misalignment in the sleeper edges at the transition ) Anyway, having delayed long enough, I decided to crack on with the tie-bars. I had decided that for simplicity, I was going to use a copper-clad/PCB sleeper - a technique I've seen used elsewhere and looked to be within my beginners skills. However, since by using the Easitrac system, the rail sits higher than simply soldered to the sleeper, I'd have to compensate for this. Very simply the tie bars were made from ordinary PCB sleepers (left), copper filed off (insulation) and pre-drilled to 0.55mm for Tortoise throw bar (centre), and finally 0.010" brass strip (0.060" wide) soldered over the remaining copper part of the sleeper (right). Once complete, the tips of the blades were soldered to the tie bar (more dodgy soldering... ...this close-up photography really does show the warts 'n all that the eye would not normally see ) Despite the minor snags that occurred, the trusty test wagon sailed through the points OK and so at the end I can smugly call this a success 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 I can't find the original print but as it was published in Maggs' book I guess it doesn't matter too much. What I did find was a print of a detail of the photo, taken back in the day when I had a copy camera set-up, and I have scanned that for you. According to Maggs the photo must have been taken no later then 1906 as the extra loading bank had not been built at that time. Also visible is a wagon from Walsall Wood colliery. The Mark Whitwill wagon (not visible in this print) probably carried coke. Hope it is some use – no details of the wagon can be made out on the print with any degree of certainty though it was probably still fitted with dumb buffers at that time. Richard Many thanks for this - how the hell did you see that as a Wm Evans (Old Mills Colliery) wagon ? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Notwithstanding the paralax problem that's not a bad piece of work at all. I would say that if it works then that is a major achievement and you can only get better with practice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wagonman Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Richard Many thanks for this - how the hell did you see that as a Wm Evans (Old Mills Colliery) wagon ? I'm tempted to say 'desperation' but I have seen other wagons belonging to Wm Evans and the style is the same. This is the result of many hours spent scouring the background of old photos with a high power magnifying glass... Still, as you're modelling post-1940 when all the PO coal wagons had been pooled, you don't have to worry 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted January 3, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 3, 2011 You have made some good progress there. Something that I found when using a sleeper as the tie bar was that a little thinning of the sleeper was required so that it was not touching the baseboard removing friction. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmeaden Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 You think you've got problems with soldering - no you don't have problems with soldering - it will look great when weathered and ballasted. I am not sure I have the skill or more importantly the patience to cope with 2mm.....but it is fun watching it in detail and maybe one day when I have a bit more modelling time I will think about it..... Keep up the great work and the great posts - its an inspiration and well worth the effort Steve... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted January 4, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 4, 2011 Nice work there Steve. The easitrack with proper looking chairs is always going to show the contrast with soldered track. If it is all soldered your eye just interprets it all as chairs. Once painted and ballasted it will show less. Don 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrimsjulie Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Well I am expecting to loose the dining room again for the modelling room.....which I really won't mind as it will be nice to see some more track laid and further updates on this!!!! I am sure quite a lot will get done next week with some well deserved leave off work is due and plenty of time to get some done!! Mind you having to play days at Calne show (albeit for research too) didn't help to track being laid but I know that fun was had and it was really interesting for you to find out lots of information as well as meeting lots of fascinating people and you enjoyed yourself!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted January 28, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2011 Well I am expecting to loose the dining room again for the modelling room.....which I really won't mind as it will be nice to see some more track laid and further updates on this!!!! I am sure quite a lot will get done next week with some well deserved leave off work is due and plenty of time to get some done!! Mind you having to play days at Calne show (albeit for research too) didn't help to track being laid but I know that fun was had and it was really interesting for you to find out lots of information as well as meeting lots of fascinating people and you enjoyed yourself!! Afraid Steve proved to be such a good operator at Calne that he now has an open invite to come play trains with Highbury whenever we are out exhibiting - hope it won't slow progress too much regards Jerry 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted January 28, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2011 that will be the 'down fitted Jelly Baby pick up goods' you are referring to Jerry? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Hello - back again at last; many thanks to everyone's supportive comments, it is too easy to get embroiled in the close-up detail, and forget to step back an look at the overall picture! Too many distractions have got in the way of Smokey Bacon over the past few weeks & withdrawal symptoms have been setting in... ...that said, some distractions have been self induced (can't always try to blame SWMBO ) and have been very enjoyable! The Calne Show last weekend was extremely good with the chance to have a real good 'nose' around Chris Hewitt's excellent EM gauge layout of Calne (photo by Neal Mansell) in the 1950's... ...and the pleasure of learning to drive Highbury Colliery (and yes Pete, there were Jelly Babies involved ); all this was capped by the opportunity to meet Mr Don Lovelock, the son of the last 'Stationmaster' of Black Dog Halt, who was forthcoming with some lovely anecdotes of the Calne Branch and who kindly offered to make available his superb collection of old photographs of the line - what an absolute goldmine of information! Anyway, with SWMBO sacrificing the dining room for the next week, I'd better crack on an make the best use of the forthcoming weeks leave - but I've already noticed that there seems to an increasing list of domestic commitments that is creeping in... The starting point is to complete the track work on board 3. This will run the 'main' line from the curved crossing, through the scenic break and into the cassette store, and to lay the head-shunt leaving the station; the head-shunt ended in a rail-built bufferstop and this gave me the opportunity to try out one of the Association kits. This appeared to be a very well thought out etch, with each rail part being soldered together in pairs, and then each assembled part lining up when the etch was folded up - bright idea - I've got about seven of these to make so I'll knock up a quick jig to ease alignment... ...so far so good. Everything lined up nicely, the pieces were tinned, and then... ...I now realise just how bloody awful I am at sweat soldering !!! Apologies to the etch designer - I accept full responsibility for bodging his perfectly good design - but I ended up sweating the pieces with the trusty blow lamp (recovered from the kitchen - I knew it was going to be a good investment!), and then assembling each part/layer one at a time. Well, not quite as intended, but it did work in the end The kit does come with options for either a rail-built buffer beam or a wooden one (again beautifully etched laminated parts), but I opted to use a copper-clad point sleeper instead for simplicity and to reduce the amount of soldering I had to bodge! There have been a 'few' moments when frustration has set in, and the swear-box can now fund the next purchase of the Easitrac point chairs needed, but in the end I reasonably happy with it. I can rationalise this by 1), board 3 will eventually be rebuilt/replaced for the extension ( ), and 2), I have another six to do, so I ought to be able to improve! The last picture shows the bufferstop in-situ, and I pleased to say, distance does cover the multitude of sins... On the down side, I've noticed that 2 chairs holding one of the crossing rails have failed and will have to be replaced (that'll be tricky) and I do need to redo the rails over the board joints before I can move on to the board 2 track-work. If all goes according to plan, then I hope to have power to the board 3 rails this week and can actually do some real testing of the point work - fingers crossed! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted January 30, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 30, 2011 Good to see that progress is being made again Steve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scanman Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Steve - You can 'bodge' for me anytime! Looks very good - a fitting end to the line ! Regs Ian 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Hi Steve, I really like the look of those etched bufferstops but presume they are only available to members. If that is the case could you please advise me how to join and how much the buffers cost. They look so much better than the plastic Peco ones. Having said that I presume they are equally at home on standard Code 55 track. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted January 31, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 31, 2011 I really like the look of those etched bufferstops but presume they are only available to members. If that is the case could you please advise me how to join and how much the buffers cost. They look so much better than the plastic Peco ones. Having said that I presume they are equally at home on standard Code 55 track. How to join the 2mm association. (You do need to be a member to purchase them). The buffers cost £1.50, To fit to code 55 you might need to increase the width of the gaps for the rail. There may also need to be a little fiddling of the Peco track spacing for the sleepers. These are very minor points though and as you say the improvement over the Peco ones is huge. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrimsjulie Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Well SWMBO is really pleased to see that there is some work been done on 'our' Smokey Bacon'!! I will be so pleased when I can actually get involved in doing something towards the making of it. With saying that the dining room now becomes the modelling room I think it is more than likely to be more than this week!!! and I really don't mind.....mind you I am uncertain on what the domestic chores are that have been commented on Going to model manics on Saturday really has given me the incentive to try and do some practise scenery....think I should put that on my birthday list!!!! Mind you I am waiting to hear what suggestions to be made for Steves' birthday present (which is only the day before mine albeit not his proper one with him being born on a leap year!!!) :)Though I think that there may be a trip to Swanage soon!!!! though I do hope the big trains will be running!!. I am really pleased to see that some work is going on and look forward to seeing more progress on here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thank you so much for that information Steve. However, although I have already retired I don't actually hit 'Retirement Age' until May so, as I'm not in a great rush and there is a not insubstantial financial benefit, I will postpone applying for membership until then. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thank you so much for that information Steve. However, although I have already retired I don't actually hit 'Retirement Age' until May so, as I'm not in a great rush and there is a not insubstantial financial benefit, I will postpone applying for membership until then. Thanks for the credit Trevor - but it was actually Kris who responded - I would have said roughly the same but was having a lazy start to the morning ! However, there's no reason why you couldn't build the bufferstops yourself from surplus code 55 rail (not Peco though, as this is actually still code 80 rail embedded deeper in the sleepers...). Missy made a simple little jig for Highclere (see here) to bend the rail to the right shape, and it would be simple enough to solder the bent rails together. After the 'fun' I had with the first one, I got thinking about an alternative approach in using Missy's bent rails for the inner ones and laminating brass strip to one etched side to make the outer brace; the upright would be made from ordinary rail bent to profile. If this worked, I could get 4 bufferstops from one etch which would show the bolt detail on the outside where visible... ...sounds like a cunning plan but probably more effort than either simply making a fully etched one or building one from plain rail Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 Major milestone achieved - the first train ran under it's own power on Smokey Bacon OK so it is the wrong era, wrong region, and a diesel to boot - but who cares it moved!!! Apologies for the quality of the video - it's taken me nearly as long to get these uploaded as it took to do the work in the first place! Also many thanks to Messers Heath and Robinson for their assistance with the temporary wiring http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45iO2MwIBko http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOmKMU5VZqQ I did finish off the other jobs before 'playing' trains; the track at the board joint has been replaced, the two broken chairs on the crossing rail couldn't be replaced easily and so I have resorted to replacing the entire sleeper with a copper-clad one. Whilst I'm generally impressed with the Easitrac system (the basic track is superb!), I do have growing reservations with the points. To improve to robustness, when I come to the next crossing on board 2, I'll have a complete rethink on using additional copper-clad sleepers at positions where there may be a weakness or risk of snagging. Well tomorrow's another day, and hopefully I'll manage to get the wiring tidied and the points motorised... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-missy- Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Congratulations Steve! Its comming together REALLY well. I better get a move on with Highclere as you are catching me up! M. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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