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Seems like this could be a Forum that I may be able to take a real interest in. Love making my own trackwork, the only way really good flowing lines can be achieved and of course as much complicated pointwork you can eat. Brian.

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It matters little what scale and gauge you are using the methods are similar and the principles the same.

Don

 

Hi Don

 

I understand principles etc, I was just adding my appreciation of Brian's work as his creations are pretty amazing and not all of use have his abilities and talent :)

Tom

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Hello Tom, and thanks for that. Madcap schemes are on hold just at the moment as I still have to finish QUAI:87 (and believe it or not I have recently found a bit of spare baseboard on that with no track on it so watch this space as they say). I like lots of track on my baseboards, who really wants to see a packet of Woodland Scenics material all laid out flat? Oh yes and before anyone asks my therapist has counselled against T scale - apparently my eyes are too far apart. Regards, Brian.

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Hi Brian, a guy after my own heart as far as handbuilt track is concerned. Many, many years ago when I was in a model club I suggested I built a diamond crossing for a difficult junction, the track was 'Peco' code 100, god awful stuff, the rail was a pig to file but the diamond worked great unlike the surrounding Peco points. The outcome of that experiment? I've never laid another bit of RTR track since, okay apart from Scaleway or C&L flexi....

I've done track for quite a few club and friends layouts now, big and small all using code 75 and to all three 4mm gauges.

My own effort has been in EM and I've just finished the last of the 15 points on the scenic section. The last one being a double slip using 'P4 Track Co' components, I'll post a pic later.

Here's a few photos to start off the Forum. All points and track powered, wired up and been played with....

 

post-10324-0-67211900-1306222917_thumb.jpg

Track from front to back, just a snip of C&L components, Bill Bedfords BR Mark 1 Flat bottom, C&L on Ply sleepers, C&L flexi with the sleeper webs cut away.

 

post-10324-0-70802100-1306223168_thumb.jpg

C&L components on Ply sleepers, some chairs still to be added to the slip.

 

post-10324-0-49354200-1306223250_thumb.jpg

The completed area just needing weathering, Some ballast samples down to test colour. Track radii on the main line is 27'6'' to the first point then a transition down to 9'0'' beyond the photograph.

Hope you approve,

 

Dave Franks,

www.lanarkshiremodels.com

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  • RMweb Gold

Excellent idea Brian. Just thought I would upload a sample of my effort! Not anywhere near as complicated as your efforts Mr H, but this is my first attempt at P4 handbuilt track using Exactoscale Rail and Chairs with C&L sleepers. There are a couple of kinks in the templot plan, but I have ironed these out.

 

post-7376-0-89716800-1306231710_thumb.jpg

 

post-7376-0-82215400-1306231857_thumb.jpg

I also took a photo comparing Code 100 track against my effords with GWR chairs and steel rail.

 

Something I would like a bit of advice about is the tiebar, do you go for a Norman Solman approach, Iain Rice (with proper tiebars controlled under the baseboard), or something completely different?

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

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Hi Brian, a guy after my own heart as far as handbuilt track is concerned. Many, many years ago when I was in a model club I suggested I built a diamond crossing for a difficult junction, the track was 'Peco' code 100, god awful stuff, the rail was a pig to file but the diamond worked great unlike the surrounding Peco points. The outcome of that experiment? I've never laid another bit of RTR track since, okay apart from Scaleway or C&L flexi....

I've done track for quite a few club and friends layouts now, big and small all using code 75 and to all three 4mm gauges.

My own effort has been in EM and I've just finished the last of the 15 points on the scenic section. The last one being a double slip using 'P4 Track Co' components, I'll post a pic later.

Here's a few photos to start off the Forum. All points and track powered, wired up and been played with....

 

post-10324-0-67211900-1306222917_thumb.jpg

Track from front to back, just a snip of C&L components, Bill Bedfords BR Mark 1 Flat bottom, C&L on Ply sleepers, C&L flexi with the sleeper webs cut away.

 

post-10324-0-70802100-1306223168_thumb.jpg

C&L components on Ply sleepers, some chairs still to be added to the slip.

 

post-10324-0-49354200-1306223250_thumb.jpg

The completed area just needing weathering, Some ballast samples down to test colour. Track radii on the main line is 27'6'' to the first point then a transition down to 9'0'' beyond the photograph.

Hope you approve,

 

Dave Franks,

www.lanarkshiremodels.com

Hello Dave,I like it. Excellent bit trackwork I reckon. First thing I noticed was the rusty check rails, you do see it on layouts but not often enough, well observed. I also admired the fit of your point blades, nice and snug to the stock rails and just the right look about them. Some of mine resemble a dogs breakfast I have to say. My early experiences were much the same as you describe yours, fighting with code 100 (alright for O scale)and those silly looking point blades they use on some rtr track - they're still using them. I havn't done much of that stickaloadofchairstowoodensleepers type of construction, most of my work has been using copperclad fabricating my own fb railfixings from Plastuct and the like, at least where its not buried in the street - I do quite a bit of that. I work mainly in HO (when I'm not off on some flight of fancy) so the 4mm stuff from C&L etc is of little use. Oh yes before I go thats a nice fine and neat rail gap in the foreground of one of your pics - pic 1. Don't I just hate those gaps that the old cutting discs leave. Enjoy your trackbuilding, Regards, Brian.

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Excellent idea Brian. Just thought I would upload a sample of my effort! Not anywhere near as complicated as your efforts Mr H, but this is my first attempt at P4 handbuilt track using Exactoscale Rail and Chairs with C&L sleepers. There are a couple of kinks in the templot plan, but I have ironed these out.

 

post-7376-0-89716800-1306231710_thumb.jpg

 

post-7376-0-82215400-1306231857_thumb.jpg

I also took a photo comparing Code 100 track against my effords with GWR chairs and steel rail.

 

Something I would like a bit of advice about is the tiebar, do you go for a Norman Solman approach, Iain Rice (with proper tiebars controlled under the baseboard), or something completely different?

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

Hello Nick, nice to see you making a start. I see you have a wagon on the track - nothing like running the first piece of stock over a bit of handlaid track is there. The pic showing the scale track with a length of rtr says it all for diy I reckon. You ask for advice on tiebars. Fair enough but I never feel comfortable proffering advice because what works for one may not for another in model railways as in everything else. However I am quite happy to tell you that mostly I use the old (say it quietly) moving sleeper dodge (sometimes called the bicycle spoke method) esp when it's all going to be buried in the street. I have had a go at some of the fancier, and more prototypical methods but usually I just get lazy and do it the easy way. One thing I don't like to do though is to have any operating mechanism under the baseboard - done that and it was always bad news. By the way, like your Templot ironing, sounds like a brilliant idea. Regards, Brian.

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Guest jim s-w

Hi Brian

 

Please do share your experiences or advice. It all adds to the knowledge base and people can still decide for themselves

 

Cheers

 

Jim

 

PS. A pic from my layout

 

overview%204%20march%202011.jpg

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Hi Brian

 

Please do share your experiences or advice. It all adds to the knowledge base and people can still decide for themselves

 

Cheers

 

Jim

 

PS. A pic from my layout

 

overview%204%20march%202011.jpg

Hello Jim, I have seen pics of New Street and I am in awe, hope to see it in the flesh some day (then I'll probably be even more upset). Regards, Brian.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

A couple of snaps of a new replacement piece of flatbottom pointwork for the 'Matford' upgrade. I've used code 82 rail with Peco plastic chairs cut in half and used cosmetically.They are about twice the scale size but IMHO F/B pointwork looks better with than without. I'll be investigating the Colin Craig scale cast whitemetal ones but I don't think that they're available for the slide chairs. The checkrail lead-in tapering isn't right yet. It needs to be a smooth curved taper.

 

post-6728-0-75874500-1307129699_thumb.jpg

post-6728-0-62351400-1307129719_thumb.jpg

 

A bit of cobbled & checkrailed stuff for the 'ongoing' (15 years+;) ) dock layout. Apologies to those who have seen these snaps already. I posted them up on RMweb 2 some while ago.

 

post-6728-0-09062100-1307130283_thumb.jpg

post-6728-0-06112800-1307130407_thumb.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Track from front to back, ..........., Bill Bedfords BR Mark 1 Flat bottom, ............[

 

Lovely looking stuff Dave. I'm intreagued by the BB F/B track fittings. I can't seem to find anything on Mousa or Eileens. Could you point me in the right direction?

 

Many thanks

 

John.

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Lovely looking stuff Dave. I'm intreagued by the BB F/B track fittings. I can't seem to find anything on Mousa or Eileens. Could you point me in the right direction?

 

Many thanks

 

John.

 

 

Hi John, They used to be on the old 'Mousa' website with some of my photos but aren't on the new one, maybe Bill himself could give us a clue. To be honest I don't need any more as the track on the scenic side of the railway is mostly finished. I'm sure Bill would run a few sheets off if you asked nicely, the guy who originally asked Bill for them didn't actually buy any as he had changed his plans, again..... So perhaps Bill's a bit miffed, I would hate to think I was his only customer for this track system.:(

 

Dave franks,

www.lanarkshiremodels.com

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  • RMweb Gold

So when are you going to build this dock layout then John!laugh.gif

He's doing it!

 

He's been doing it for some time!

 

It's just taking longer than expected, I believe... ;) ;)

 

(but hopefully that lovely little Sentinel will be a further encouragement!)...

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No it doesn't but it does need to be longer than you have it and with two angles, PM or Email me if you want details.

Regards

Keith

Why not just go down to trackside (on platform at your local station) and see for yourself, Brian.

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Guest jim s-w

A couple of snaps of a new replacement piece of flatbottom pointwork for the 'Matford' upgrade. I've used code 82 rail with Peco plastic chairs cut in half and used cosmetically.They are about twice the scale size but IMHO F/B pointwork looks better with than without. I'll be investigating the Colin Craig scale cast whitemetal ones but I don't think that they're available for the slide chairs.

 

Hiya

 

The entire point kits are available now. Made to order but I don't think they are on colins site yet

 

http://colincraig4mm.co.uk/

 

Don't forget I'd plates too!

 

Colins%20ID%20plates.jpg

 

Cheers

 

Jim

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