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Inset track and cobbles


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I'm buiding a techniques test track (Buckland Hard) before I commit to the main layout. In this I will hone trackmaking and point contol and see if I can be successful with the Scalescenes materials. THe baseboards are mainly built out of materials that were going to go into a skip.

 

So it's a river dockside (Think Totnes Quay or Lostwithiel) and will have a rather complex track layout (it's a test bed) with the dock having a cobbled surface. I want to use the Scalescenes Cobbles, TX31 (it fits with the period)

 

However cutting the sheet to fit in between the tracks would not get the exact look of how the real thing was laid (individual cobbles) I'm looking at photos like:

 

Now all of these show a much more irregular arrangement of cobbles than supplied by any commercial offering, paper or plastic, as the setts were all laid by hand to accommodate the local environment.

 

So from those who have already done it, should I start:

 

  1. Cutting individual setts and laying them Pendon-brick-wall fashion?
  2. Scribing plaster/DAS?
  3. Ignoring the whole thing and cutting up Scalescenes sheets as it's too small to be noticed anyway in 4mm.

Your coments and advice would be appreciated

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This site has photos of all sorts of combinations of roadbed in the street. Just pan down the page.http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SUBWAYS/Southbklyn/waterfront.html

 

 

Best, Pete.

 

This site has photos of all sorts of combinations of roadbed in the street. Just pan down the page.http://www.forgotten-ny.com/SUBWAYS/Southbklyn/waterfront.html

 

 

Best, Pete.

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My choice would be option 2 with plaster or tile grout.

 

post-7067-0-16727100-1308475578_thumb.jpg

 

Proto87 Easy Street and Wickes ready to use plaster, a steel rule and a darning needle!

I agree. The best way, I think, to get a really convincing cobbled trackage is to carve it yourself. Also be sure to fill the bottom of the flangeways so you can't see down to the baseboard underneath and paint the flangeway gap crud colour, something not so easy to do with easystreet. This is tramway track on QUAI:87. Double track photo courtesy MODEL RAIL/CHRIS NEVARD

post-5773-0-30400800-1308570196_thumb.jpg

post-5773-0-02876000-1308596063_thumb.jpg

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Nothing will beat what Brian has done on Quay 87 - Brian, I'm still in total awe of your dexterity and patience 16 months after taking the above snap, truly inspirational! :wub:

 

Here's a bodger's version on my trainset simply using DAS modelling clay stippled with a ball point pen (with the bit that does the writing removed), it's not nearly as good of course, in fact it looks positively crude in comparision, but could be an option if you have limited time. Think of Brian's as Tesco Finest or Fortnum & Masons and mine as Tesco Value or the Lidl version. Apart from the painting and laying the copper clad track, in the top photo took about an hour (Eastenders and Corrie back to back, or the One Show on a Friday).

 

Beware of clicking on the images below if you don't have broadband, they link to full res files....

 

post-6681-0-50834400-1308651974_thumb.jpg

 

post-6681-0-50069000-1308652965_thumb.jpg

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Nothing will beat what Brian has done on Quay 87 - Brian, I'm still in total awe of your dexterity and patience 16 months after taking the above snap, truly inspirational! :wub:

 

Here's a bodger's version on my trainset simply using DAS modelling clay stippled with a ball point pen (with the bit that does the writing removed), it's not nearly as good of course, in fact it looks positively crude in comparision, but could be an option if you have limited time. Think of Brian's as Tesco Finest or Fortnum & Masons and mine as Tesco Value or the Lidl version. Apart from the painting and laying the copper clad track, in the top photo took about an hour (Eastenders and Corrie back to back, or the One Show on a Friday).

 

Beware of clicking on the images below if you don't have broadband, they link to full res files....

 

post-6681-0-50834400-1308651974_thumb.jpg

 

post-6681-0-50069000-1308652965_thumb.jpg

Please don't under rate your cobbling Chris, its the overall effect that counts and Brewhouse Quay is very effective. Had a hamper from an outlet that wasn't Tesco's and I'm sure the pate foie gras could have been a little sweeter, Brian. Ps 16 months since you took the pics and the cobbling still ain't finished.

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  • RMweb Gold
Ps 16 months since you took the pics and the cobbling still ain't finished.

 

 

Sounds like the Comet chassis I bought at Railex last year! laugh.gif

 

 

But seriously yours Brian and Chris' are just different ways of creating a similar look, both look equally convincing. (I don't think I would have the patience to do either!) wink.gif

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

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Just coming to do some tram track with sets etc, in the past I used a Tetrian type filler plaster mixed with a retardant, which I do not know the formula for! I am told Cream of Tartar, the food raising agent from baking powder will slow the set, but I do not know how much.

 

For fine work around points cream or white DAS, or equivalent modelling clay, was used as it was more controllable for impressions.

 

After it is laid, scribed or impresssed with the pattern it is coloured, whilst still damp, a neutral grey with washes of black and assorted colours to suit the stone colour required in acrylic art paint with detergent added to get flow..

 

When dry it can be scrapped to add and correct lines with a small screwdriver made into a gravure shaped tip, filed on. It can also be wire brushed to roughen the texture slightly.

 

After it dries out completely, it was treated to several coats of french polish, and then buffed up with a velvet cloth, or kitchen towel, to get the stone finish, finally a coat of cellulose gloss, (Rustins), was applied, It's very durable, and then again is buffed to get a flatter sheen, (add talc to the gloss cellulose to flatten the gloss it if required). The cracks and breaks can be touched in with browns and blacks and the surface can be drybrushed with matt enamel to catch highlights.

 

As my new tram layout is small I am using Das more this time. which gives plenty of time to work on the stone set patterns or shapes.

 

Stephen.

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Sounds like the Comet chassis I bought at Railex last year! laugh.gif

 

 

But seriously yours Brian and Chris' are just different ways of creating a similar look, both look equally convincing. (I don't think I would have the patience to do either!) wink.gif

 

Regards,

 

Nick.

With Tetrion and Das I reckon on about 18 inches of dual track in an evening, plus a point or two, generally done whilst watching TV, it aides the randomness!

Stephen.

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The expensive answer is use nickel silver strip, Eileen's and others supply, on the old layout it was 2mm rail section strip the old type with flat sides, came on a roll.

On the small tram layout I am using code 40 rail, and duelling it, rather than use strip, which works out more expensive.

Stephen.

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  • 6 years later...
  • RMweb Gold

One question regarding infilled track,  

I have my planned approach sorted (using card cut to shape with cad or laser cut ply), where I am not so sure is track cleaning.  

 

If the concrete inset either side of the rail is prototypically at near rail height, how do you clean the track without damaging the concrete effect?

 

(The plan for the track itself is to import the Templot file into cad, offset the rail by a P4 clearance and add a small offset to the outer rail, which will get me a series of parts cut to fit within the points etc (which are all made from copper clad sleepers)  The worry is that I have used steel rail so it will need cleaning!

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One question regarding infilled track,  

I have my planned approach sorted (using card cut to shape with cad or laser cut ply), where I am not so sure is track cleaning.  

 

If the concrete inset either side of the rail is prototypically at near rail height, how do you clean the track without damaging the concrete effect?

 

(The plan for the track itself is to import the Templot file into cad, offset the rail by a P4 clearance and add a small offset to the outer rail, which will get me a series of parts cut to fit within the points etc (which are all made from copper clad sleepers)  The worry is that I have used steel rail so it will need cleaning!

As long as the infil isnt ABOVE rail height, you should be good for cleaning with track rubber or your preferred cleaning fluid.

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  • 3 months later...

This is my latest version....

The grooved rail is actually code 75 bullhead with an 0.8mm square n/s bar soldered inside, followed by soldering in a 1.9 x 0.25 mm n/s strip.

Road surface is from Knauf Easy Plaster, floated in then smoothed and then scribed using an engineering scribe.

Seems to work ok for me...

4mm/EM

 

post-7067-0-26833900-1536330800_thumb.jpg

 

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