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Can I ask on this thread if anyone can help a friend of mine from the Wakefield club. He's building NBR locos in the LNER era in 7mm for a club payout based on Eyemouth. His latest loco is finished but he hasn't enough numbers for the bufferbeam. Can anyone help him as he doesn't want to buy a whole sheet for justvine set of numbers.  He would of course be happy to pay postage but being from South Yorkshire baulks at buying a whole sheet.  His thread is Shez's workbench. I thought thst I'd inherited a set but hadn't.

 

Jamie

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Thanks Iain,

     The bubblewrap was laid bubbles down to a smooth baseboard, by spraying a thin coat of impact glue (e.g. STUK Heavy Duty, 151 Heavy Duty or others) on top the wood surface, which gives you about five minutes to roll out the wrap, and cut/trim sections. Don't use PVA wood glue, cos that will naturally adhere to the wood, but not strongly to the bubblewrap, since it won't react with the plastic, and can be easily dislodged. The prepared track formation is held by a bead of the same impact spray glue as above, sprayed on the bubble, roughly where the centre of the track will lie, plonk the track on top, you've got just a few minutes to line things up nicely, don't do more than about a yard at a time. After five minutes, that track ain't going anywhere, now it's ready for your desired method of ballasting, but you'll want to connect any wires first.

       I did wonder if there was any ecological gain by not using cork, but was surprised to find that cork is a sustainable product, it is harvested from special Cork Oak Trees. Foam rubber and bubblewrap can be re-cycled, although the bubbles on the latter, have to be burst one at a time with a pin, before they can be collected.

      The mixed ballast in my later pics, looked a bit dark, that was because my PVA+water mix had not completely dried out (it's getting lighter now!). I might try another method to speed things up, Cascamite (powdered wood glue) mixed with ballast might be a winner, as long as it doesn't dry too hard, with it brushed into place, then given a light spray of water?

                                   Cheers, Brian.

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20 hours ago, Kirby Uncoupler said:

If anybody's interested, here's a little update on my bubblewrap underlay trial. I'm sorry to disappoint those people who still nail their track down with track pins, but this method is a glue sandwich, no bubbles were harmed in the making of this layout.

        I have now added ballast to a few test sections, sprinkling on loose chippings, a fine spray of soapy water, then with diluted PVA wood glue (+ dash of detergent to diffuse the mixture and help it spread) dripped on. When I previously ballasted track on foam rubber, I had to omit the detergent, since the diffused mixture would otherwise perculate down into the foam, and make it solid! No such problems here, the smooth top of the bubblewrap provides a waterproof layer, though one slight snag is the drying takes longer, since there is no absorbent layer. Prototype for everything - when Western Region relaid the main line through Badminton in the 1970s, they encountered various wet sections of ground, which caused drainage problems, the cure was to lay the track and ballast on thick plastic sheeting (no bubbles).

     My layout will depict the line as seen in the 1960s, so there is a mixture of bullhead and flat-bottom, wooden sleepers, and one stretch of concrete cwr sleepering, as per the real location. The points and sleepers on the Peco Code 75 flat-bottom, have been cut and spaced further apart, to improve the overall look, and be a closer match to the ready-made bullhead.  I have placed an unaltered point alongside to show the difference. 

 

20201003_130933.jpg.1f18368010e5cbf95a301da7b251eb97.jpg20201004_194113.jpg.e976223cfc6e9050c92ecea6a7f77f1a.jpg

 

The crossover uses mixed track, the nearest track is bullhead, the second is flat-bottom.

20201004_195214.jpg.77b144588562b50f2532278ec056e150.jpg

20201004_195144.jpg.efbddbca771cf15700d4bf561381157f.jpg

 

The nearest pair of tracks are the Up and Down Main in flat-bottom, the next pair are Up and Down Relief lines in bullhead. Next time, I can start a new thread in Layout Topics, so as not to clog up Tony's thread here.

               Cheers, Brian.

 

20201005_210742.jpg.3a683a3ececfc6f000062af0a6c20f66.jpg 

'Clog' the thread up all you like.

 

This is interesting stuff!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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20 hours ago, Kirby Uncoupler said:

If anybody's interested, here's a little update on my bubblewrap underlay trial. I'm sorry to disappoint those people who still nail their track down with track pins, but this method is a glue sandwich, no bubbles were harmed in the making of this layout.

        I have now added ballast to a few test sections, sprinkling on loose chippings, a fine spray of soapy water, then with diluted PVA wood glue (+ dash of detergent to diffuse the mixture and help it spread) dripped on. When I previously ballasted track on foam rubber, I had to omit the detergent, since the diffused mixture would otherwise perculate down into the foam, and make it solid! No such problems here, the smooth top of the bubblewrap provides a waterproof layer, though one slight snag is the drying takes longer, since there is no absorbent layer. Prototype for everything - when Western Region relaid the main line through Badminton in the 1970s, they encountered various wet sections of ground, which caused drainage problems, the cure was to lay the track and ballast on thick plastic sheeting (no bubbles).

     My layout will depict the line as seen in the 1960s, so there is a mixture of bullhead and flat-bottom, wooden sleepers, and one stretch of concrete cwr sleepering, as per the real location. The points and sleepers on the Peco Code 75 flat-bottom, have been cut and spaced further apart, to improve the overall look, and be a closer match to the ready-made bullhead.  I have placed an unaltered point alongside to show the difference. 

 

20201003_130933.jpg.1f18368010e5cbf95a301da7b251eb97.jpg20201004_194113.jpg.e976223cfc6e9050c92ecea6a7f77f1a.jpg

 

The crossover uses mixed track, the nearest track is bullhead, the second is flat-bottom.

20201004_195214.jpg.77b144588562b50f2532278ec056e150.jpg

20201004_195144.jpg.efbddbca771cf15700d4bf561381157f.jpg

 

The nearest pair of tracks are the Up and Down Main in flat-bottom, the next pair are Up and Down Relief lines in bullhead. Next time, I can start a new thread in Layout Topics, so as not to clog up Tony's thread here.

               Cheers, Brian.

 

20201005_210742.jpg.3a683a3ececfc6f000062af0a6c20f66.jpg 

I’d be interested to know a bit more about what you did to the flat bottom points to make them more or less match the bullhead points.

 

Stephen

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20201004_195144.jpg.b0822f989984219763ad63c146ebb787.jpg

 

While i'm here, let me just explain about this rebuilt Peco point.

    I know from bitter experience in the 1980s, that building your own points in flat-bottom from plain rail, is hard work, taking far longer to grind off those bottom angles, when making frogs and point blades, doubtless these days you can buy the parts ready made? The Peco code 75 looks quite good for general use, but the plain track sleepers and point timbers, are too closely spaced for 1960s UK track, perhaps aimed at the continental market?

   All is not lost, this 5ft. "Large Radius" example is about the sharpest you can get away with on a prototypical passenger running line in 4mm, nothing has been added, it was just a case of careful filletting, the point does not need to be dismantled. To maintain integrity and strength, I retain the tie-bar unit (far left), the two timbers at the pivot points, two timbers at the isolation break, two timbers at the frog, and the two timbers with angle at the far end, all else is removed. The timbers removed are then cut into individual strips, the inner rail clips removed, and then re-introduced to the point, where appropriate.

      So looking at the photo, from left the first two sleepers become one spaced out, after the tie-bar switch, 7 timbers become 6, after the pivot 6 become 5, after the isolation gap 4 become 3, after the frog 5 become 4, with some tricky half-timbers around the frog, to avoid cutting the latter. You can see I still need to add some half-clips on the insides of the re-positioned timbers. If you are careful, you can leave the outer moulded rail clips on, or replace with Peco or C&L clips cut in half. You will have spare timbers to play with.

        Should take about half-an-hour. You can convert them to EM and P4 as well.

                                              Cheers, Brian.

                                         

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Having mentioned it, here's a Peco Code 75 curved point, which happened to be broken, rebuilt to coarse 18.83mm gauge, using ply timbers, homemade metal checkrails, and Peco pandrol clips. In this case, the point is dismantled, and only the metal parts are re-used. It needs a new tie-bar to complete. Don't buy new points to do this, but if you are changing from OO to 18.83mm or 18.2 mm gauges, this saves things being wasted, even if they are only used in a fiddle yard.    

                                     Cheers, Brian.

 

20170125_123713.jpg.b1c61996765cbc2e99f6b5713c2cfc28.jpg20170125_123743.jpg.391ad1dbee00b5caa01091630051a678.jpg

Edited by Kirby Uncoupler
Translated from Anglo-Saxon to RP
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5 hours ago, Kirby Uncoupler said:

20201004_195144.jpg.b0822f989984219763ad63c146ebb787.jpg

 

While i'm here, let me just explain about this rebuilt Peco point.

    I know from bitter experience in the 1980s, that building your own points in flat-bottom from plain rail, is hard work, taking far longer to grind off those bottom angles, when making frogs and point blades, doubtless these days you can buy the parts ready made? The Peco code 75 looks quite good for general use, but the plain track sleepers and point timbers, are too closely spaced for 1960s UK track, perhaps aimed at the continental market?

   All is not lost, this 5ft. "Large Radius" example is about the sharpest you can get away with on a prototypical passenger running line in 4mm, nothing has been added, it was just a case of careful filletting, the point does not need to be dismantled. To maintain integrity and strength, I retain the tie-bar unit (far left), the two timbers at the pivot points, two timbers at the isolation break, two timbers at the frog, and the two timbers with angle at the far end, all else is removed. The timbers removed are then cut into individual strips, the inner rail clips removed, and then re-introduced to the point, where appropriate.

      So looking at the photo, from left the first two sleepers become one spaced out, after the tie-bar switch, 7 timbers become 6, after the pivot 6 become 5, after the isolation gap 4 become 3, after the frog 5 become 4, with some tricky half-timbers around the frog, to avoid cutting the latter. You can see I still need to add some half-clips on the insides of the re-positioned timbers. If you are careful, you can leave the outer moulded rail clips on, or replace with Peco or C&L clips cut in half. You will have spare timbers to play with.

        Should take about half-an-hour. You can convert them to EM and P4 as well.

                                              Cheers, Brian.

                                         

Is there any reason why you didn't cut away the weird dog-leg timber at the heel end?

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9 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Is there any reason why you didn't cut away the weird dog-leg timber at the heel end?

20201004_195144.jpg.218753de535a633fa2adda28fc17c2c4.jpg

 

Fair comment, I left "the dog-leg" in place, to maintain the integrity of the frog end, I could have snipped it off when complete, perhaps Peco should have moulded a complete and separate sleeper on the angle? All single points (not crossovers) have to lead on to angled plain sleepers at some stage, most angled sleepers seem whole in photos, but interlaced. I would hesitate to declare that none were like this, but perhaps it isn't typical of most situations? Variations are endless, not to mention straight timbers, angled timbers, and points with interlaced plain track sleepers, instead of long timbers. This rebuild is just a bastardized bodge, to turn the ready-made product into something more representational.

        When joining Peco bullhead-to-bullhead, you can use their lovely SL-114 fishplates, complete with nuts and bolts etched-on, these represent the real heavy-duty fishplates with bottom flanges, although of course the real things come in two halves, or you can use C&L, or similar. To join Peco code 75 bullhead-to- 75 flat bottom, you use the regular flat-bottom SL-110 metal, and SL-111 insulated types, nobody noticed that I had cut these in half, to match the bullhead types, otherwise they are far too long in appearance.

        Now I know you can buy super-dooper expensive and slow-acting point motors, etc., with small holes and linkage through the baseboard,  but i've always liked the regular Peco point motors, slotted straight on to the bottom of their points. They give a superb mechanically efficient connection and movement, and more importantly with cushioned track, they can float around whilst still tightly fixed to the point. Yes, you have to cut a large gaping hole, and fill in later with foam or bubble, but powered by a CDU and floating, gives very quiet operation. I was surprised to see the location slots omitted on Peco's recent 75 bullhead points, I managed to clamp one around the outside and glue, but I think I spotted the slots re-appearing on the photos of their new and expected slip points?

                                                                            Cheers, Brian.

 

                                                                        

                                                                   

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5 minutes ago, Kirby Uncoupler said:

When joining Peco bullhead-to-bullhead, you can use their lovely SL-114 fishplates, complete with nuts and bolts etched-on, these represent the real heavy-duty fishplates with bottom flanges, although of course the real things come in two halves, or you can use C&L, or similar.

For code 75 bullhead rail I use Minitrix N gauge fishplates. I don't think they've been on the market for years but, unusually for me, I had the foresight to stock up with a few dozen packets when they were still available in the shops.

 

479200340_20200524002Minitrixfishplates.JPG.e5ead3fe1ecc156606af6f4e531b58f2.JPG

They also have an "upstand" that fits snugly into the rail web.

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27 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

For code 75 bullhead rail I use Minitrix N gauge fishplates. I don't think they've been on the market for years but, unusually for me, I had the foresight to stock up with a few dozen packets when they were still available in the shops.

 

479200340_20200524002Minitrixfishplates.JPG.e5ead3fe1ecc156606af6f4e531b58f2.JPG

They also have an "upstand" that fits snugly into the rail web.

Yes, i've still got a few knocking around in my bits box, it's what a lot of us used 25-30 years ago. They are extremely neat, and a good snug fit, and being already short for 4mm, they looked the bizzo. Are they still made for anyone else's range?   BK

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13 minutes ago, Kirby Uncoupler said:

Yes, i've still got a few knocking around in my bits box, it's what a lot of us used 25-30 years ago. They are extremely neat, and a good snug fit, and being already short for 4mm, they looked the bizzo. Are they still made for anyone else's range?   BK

That's about when I bought them, Brian. I haven't found any since. If anybody knows, please tell us!

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1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

That's about when I bought them, Brian. I haven't found any since. If anybody knows, please tell us!

 

They look remarkably similar to the ones that PECO currently supply... theirs come with a representation of the bolt-heads on the side of the upstaged as well.   I can recommend them.

 

IMG_4079.jpg.f4adeab8a1e40b70fc1f3d2ccdef3f61.jpg

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Whilst the code 70 track uses the original sleeper fixing design, none of the Peco OO bullhead range appears to be configured for the old type of motor mounting. The tie bars on the bullhead track are extended with holes in the outer ends for both the slips, and the medium radius.

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59 minutes ago, PMP said:

Whilst the code 70 track uses the original sleeper fixing design, none of the Peco OO bullhead range appears to be configured for the old type of motor mounting. The tie bars on the bullhead track are extended with holes in the outer ends for both the slips, and the medium radius.

 

Possibly a hint that with the new twistlock devices in production the old style is being actively discouraged for the long-term.

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5 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

That's about when I bought them, Brian. I haven't found any since. If anybody knows, please tell us!

Afternoon everybody,

Minitrix joiners are still available. Code number 66525 packs of 20. Gaugemaster in the Uk stock them.

regards

Robert

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Here's a standard Peco PL-10 point motor, fitted to a right-hand Peco code 75 bullhead point. The solenoid spindle still fits into the centre tie-bar hole, the bullhead point is unaltered, sitting on a sea of air bubbles. The motor is not touching anything solid, apart from the floating point, so operation is very quiet, using a capacitor discharge unit.

Notice the furthest fancy Peco fishplate has moved slightly off-centre ( a touch of creep), I think i'll tin one end to secure to the one rail, which will still allow for expansion. I don't think they're tight enough to rely on for conductivity, i'm adding separate power feeds for each section of track. By the way, the Peco bullhead fishplates have round punchings for bolt heads both sides, I checked with a magnifying glass (!), so you can put them on either way around, and sort your nuts out later. I'll leave the tie-bars as they are for now.      BK

 

20201007_190927.jpg.afaa64d44e853993fbd992dd6db7e413.jpg

 

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4 hours ago, Erichill16 said:

Afternoon everybody,

Minitrix joiners are still available. Code number 66525 packs of 20. Gaugemaster in the Uk stock them.

regards

Robert

Thanks Robert. Shown as out of stock at the moment. I'll check from time to time.

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52 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Yesterday morning was spent assisting Ian Wilson with scenic work on his OO Gauge Edenham layout. 

 

The idea behind it is that Lord Willoughby's private line from Little Bytham to Edenham (serving the ancestral pile of Grimsthorpe Castle) was not abandoned in the 1880s, but was taken over successively by the GNR/LNER/BR (ER) and survived until the late-'50s.

 

1874789199_Edenham20.jpg.83240010ddfb6cb3aebbd13906e76d72.jpg

 

It also features an ironstone exchange siding.

 

2075815007_Edenham23.jpg.0c0caf1407edabc6a09a5e0e46a30a4f.jpg

 

And a neat, single-road loco shed. 

 

685571645_Edenham26.jpg.e0b72d1e138577c58152df37f2e9950b.jpg

 

Between us, we 'grassed' it yesterday, or at least the first layers. 

 

I took photographs of the actual location which were stitched together to make the backscene. The current A 151 between Bourne and Colsterworth is seen to the right. The village of Edenham itself is off-stage to the right.

 

Further progress reports will follow................

 

 

Good Morning Tony, 

 

What a beautiful, neat little layout! 

Can you tell me please what the baseboard material is? 

It looks like foam insulation board carved out in certain areas to create the land form, thank you, 

 

Regards, 

 

Jim. 

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