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Tram and Tramway Modelling Show


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The 2016 Festival will be at at Manchester the  Museum of Transport, Boyle Street, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8UW  Saturday and Sunday 2nd and 3rd July, the earlier date is to avoid clashing with the enhanced  Heritage Operations at Blackpool over the Tram Sunday weekend which now absorbs so many of the Volunteers the Festival, with Layouts stands or working the enhanced service level at Heaton Park.

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Alan, thanks for that update. It is going to be a busy period, as the Friday is centenary of the Battle of the Somme. After that I am away to France(its the big 60 next year). The earlier date for the exhibition should mean I can get to it.

Hopefully some more tram modellers might have tried by 3D printed track. I have diverted and done a bit more just for tram modellers, and created a new web page to front end the Shapeways website. Link on my homepage.

I am doing a workshop on using my track system, at Heywood show, again at Rochdale Town Hall. Alan, are you attending next year.  If there are any other exhibitions wanting a demo, please let me know.

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Alan, thanks for that update. It is going to be a busy period, as the Friday is centenary of the Battle of the Somme. After that I am away to France(its the big 60 next year). The earlier date for the exhibition should mean I can get to it.

Hopefully some more tram modellers might have tried by 3D printed track. I have diverted and done a bit more just for tram modellers, and created a new web page to front end the Shapeways website. Link on my homepage.

I am doing a workshop on using my track system, at Heywood show, again at Rochdale Town Hall. Alan, are you attending next year.  If there are any other exhibitions wanting a demo, please let me know.

 

EA-curve%20base%20range-corners-800.jpg

 

Don't worry, my tram track won't be there either. I'm too busy getting the manufacturing for the new RTR version together. There are just a huge number of different track units when you make a full blown sectional track system.

 

Andy

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Andy, looks interesting. One thing I can guarantee is that how ever many different sections you produce, someone will ask for something different. Then if you are manufacturing, you will always run out of the one section you need most. One reason my range is only 'print to order'  and I don't get involved, just get some commission  on the sale. 

Although my track is suitable for tramways, it is designed for model railways, as there has never been something like it for railway modellers. I had considered something like the Luna system, and the smaller radius sections I have just designed, use the same radius , but I am not tempted by some of the more complex track(yet!).Mind you, my mixed gauge track is complex enough, but there are limits(and I have been working on the limit for a while now).

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hartel-lh-turnout-1.jpg

 

Your stuff rather reminds me of the Hartel track system, but without the points.

 

In my case, manufacturing is directly CAD driven CNC, so if I can draw it, I can make it. But there isn't much left to ask for now. I worked out all the really complex stuff years ago when I designed the rail parts.

 

dual-gauge-junction-500.jpg

 

For example, this under construction mixed gauge junction was made by a colleague and (on-topic again :mail: ) has appeared finished at "Festival of Model Tramways" on a  couple of occasions already. I'm just adding the street bit now. If my personal life doesn't keep getting in the way, it all should be ready in plenty of time for Xmas.

 

Andy

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Andy, I suppose the Hartel system did influence me. It was trying to use it for trains not trams that probably sparked the idea of designing something for railway modellers. As I model in various scales and gauges I did not limit myself to one gauge or scale.

Once I had the basic design, everything else flowed, assuming I did not hit the upper limit on file size, and my computer did not object too much. The latest loop point is very near the limit, hence the reason I did the non track part as a separate section. I made it more difficult by designing the stone setts with curved corners(ie 8 sides not 4), but they look better I think.

 

Your track does look good, but a similar approach would be more difficult for railway modelling  as each rail needs to be isolated from each other. I have seen it done, but it is not something the average railway modeller would tackle.

One thing I am working is not specifically tram related as it is a working railway level crossing with gates, but I did then think I might put tram line going across railway on one version. Just an idea at the moment. I presume there were actually crossings like this, with gates.

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There are, at the moment there are four 'crossing squares' in Melbourne. I built one for my layout, Victoria Street with operating gates.

 

http://glennofootscray.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/open-sesamecreak-groan-clank.html

 

I used four Atlas 90 degree crossings cut down to suit my track centres, they can play havoc with four wheel rolling stock with their insulated sections matching the axel centres of the trams.

 

Regards Glenn

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Andy, I suppose the Hartel system did influence me. It was trying to use it for trains not trams that probably sparked the idea of designing something for railway modellers. As I model in various scales and gauges I did not limit myself to one gauge or scale.

Once I had the basic design, everything else flowed, assuming I did not hit the upper limit on file size, and my computer did not object too much. The latest loop point is very near the limit, hence the reason I did the non track part as a separate section. I made it more difficult by designing the stone setts with curved corners(ie 8 sides not 4), but they look better I think.

 

Your track does look good, but a similar approach would be more difficult for railway modelling  as each rail needs to be isolated from each other. I have seen it done, but it is not something the average railway modeller would tackle.

One thing I am working is not specifically tram related as it is a working railway level crossing with gates, but I did then think I might put tram line going across railway on one version. Just an idea at the moment. I presume there were actually crossings like this, with gates.

 

scissors-xing-closer-600.jpg

 

The Electric Avenue System precision all metal metal crossings are all separate, so the isolation for 2-rail is automatic, unless you deliberately close the gaps.  But they are all milled nickel silver to match the plain running rails, and can be powered just like ordinary railway crossings, if so desired.

 

The picture above is just an pre-production assembly test run, with gapping ignored, but the various LH and RH frogs can be separately powered to avoid short-wheelbase issues. The middle frogs would of course just be left connected to their adjacent rails.

 

I'm only interested personally in the 00/HO "scales". And that's keeping me very busy as it is. So you likely won't see the system manufactured other sizes anytime soon. 

 

Andy

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Sorry....even though I was there I was a touch busy, it was the first trial link up of Grime Street and Florin Street, 2 Leeds tram layouts built 250 miles apart.....we did manage it in the end but next time will be better....

 

This is the combined 16ft frontage of the two layouts....and it's due to grow to approx 24ft in time.

 

post-7067-0-36545800-1438455786_thumb.jpg

 

There is a decent video however.... (sod's law dictates that the cyclist on Grime St was having one of his rare episodes whilst being filmed!)

 

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Sorry Simon

 

I forgot to take that point with me to Croydon. Howeve rsome very interesting conversations with  Colin and others sound like a nice project using your track "segments" is coming. But I fear it'll be a South London resident layout and wether It'll travel north is something we need to find out. Colin's promised updates as he goes so that'll help us all. It the old problem you only want track when you build a new Layout!

 

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