Upcoming O gauge sale - End of the line at Marsh Lane

[MarshLane]

The crossover is a thing of beauty to be sure.  Thanks for the tips on rail bending, will give that a try next time. 

 

Thanks for the picture on set, it tells me that I need to be very careful with blade filing.

 

Another question, that's the curved stock rail.  What happens with a straight one?

 

I'm just in the process of making a turnout, so I can put this advice into practice.

 

John

 

As far as I'm aware, there is only a set in the curved rail.  Basically when the blades are set for the straight ahead route, the curved rail set allows the blade the nestle up and keep the straight line.  When set for the curved road, then the thinning of the blade ends, allows the same to happen on the curve, so the set isn't needed on the straight rail.

 

Rich

[3 link]

 

Another question, that's the curved stock rail.  What happens with a straight one?

 

 

 

John

Hi John,

 

You only put the set in the curved stock rail, the straight stock rail remains straight unless your modelling the GWR and then you will need a " joggle " rather than a " set ". : )

 

Hope this helps,

 

Martyn.

[brossard]

Thanks guys.  I'm looking at a picture and it clearly shows the set in the curved rail.  The blade for the straight stock rail seems to be contoured so that the tip appears to fit against the web.  Will try these.

 

John

[Simond]

In contrast to Martyn's approach, I solder short lengths of 1x3mm brass strip under the stock rail, and the check rails in order to locate & fix them permanently to one another. I arrange them so that they araldite to the same timbers that the crossing work is fixed to, and this gives me confidence that the alignment of crossing, wings, checks and stock rails is pretty much permanent. I guess I'm not as confident of the bond between the plastic chairs and the timbers.

 

I then disguise them with cut down plastic chairs to provide a decent appearance. Photos on the PD thread.

 

Best

Simon

[NickBrad]

Evening all,

Spent a very enjoyable couple of hours at the Gainsborough Model Railway this afternoon.  If you've not heard of it, or seen it, its a large O Gauge layout, the origins of which date back to 1946, and recreates the ECML primarily during the 1930s-1960s between Kings Cross and Leeds.  10 Signallers, 180 locos and authentic bell codes between signal boxes.  Pure bliss!  If you've always thought of going, go see it!

 

I've posted a few pics below to give a flavour, but put a load more on my new 7mm dedicated Flickr site (see https://www.flickr.com/photos/marshlane/albums/72157673479573653) for the full collection, or the link in my signature for the home page!  My father was with me, who has taken a load of video, so once I've had time to edit it down, I'll post that on here too.  Well worth a look - their next open day is 30th December, then Easter next year.  Unfortunately, I don't think their own website does the layout justice, but if you like O gauge, like authentic operation and have some time to spare, its well worth a visit!  

 

Rich

 

 

 

What a coincidence, I was there on the same day! It was incredibly busy while I was there, if you stopped for more than a minute to look at any of the details, you soon had a queue of people behind. Lack of space is the only issue I have with the place though, it's an impressive model regardless of what scale you personally model in. I'm thinking of going again when they open up next April.

[brossard]

Right, I'm going to push my luck and ask another question (I didn't see the answer in the GOG specs):

 

What dimension do you use for the gap between stock rail and blade?  Pecos is hideous.

 

I've made the blades for my turnout and installed stock rails, including the set in the curved rail - it all seems good although I think I overplaned the switch blade.

 

John

Edited December 11, 2016 by brossard

[MarshLane]

Right, I'm going to push my luck and ask another question (I didn't see the answer in the GOG specs):

 

What dimension do you use for the gap between stock rail and blade?  Pecos is hideous.

 

I've made the blades for my turnout and installed stock rails, including the set in the curved rail - it all seems good although I think I overplaned the switch blade.

 

John

 

 

Hi John,

The one thing I've learnt, is never be afraid to ask questions, somebody will always answer them!  So go for it!

 

I presume you mean the gap when its not against the rail?  To be honest, I'm not sure, although on mine I purchased the tie bars from JLTRT, and on those, once the gap between the blade and the rail is around the same as between the stock rail and the check rail - about 1.5-2mm.

 

 

Rich

[brossard]

Thanks Rich, my instinct is that that they are just a bit bigger than flangeway so 2mm sounds about right.  Are you doing 7FS? 

 

I've been installing copper clad for tiebars up to now - yours look great.  I did get an Ambis tiebar kit with a C&L turnout kit and I have a bunch of those wire things from C&L.

 

John

[MarshLane]

Thanks Rich, my instinct is that that they are just a bit bigger than flangeway so 2mm sounds about right.  Are you doing 7FS? 

 

I've been installing copper clad for tiebars up to now - yours look great.  I did get an Ambis tiebar kit with a C&L turnout kit and I have a bunch of those wire things from C&L.

 

John

 

 

I did look at the Ambis tie bars, but several people on here recommended the JLTRT ones instead, and I have to say they were easy to put together, bit of a g*t to solder onto the blades, but thats me not being used to things I think ... got three to do later this week!  Im modelling 0-MF, which (if I remember right) is 31.5mm and I think 7FS, but I'm not totally sure to be honest.

 

Rich

[brossard]

Yes, someone recommended the JLTRT tiebars to me as well.  I guess that's settled then.

 

I asked about 7FS because the gap in S7 would be quite a bit tighter.

 

John

[Miss Prism]

It's normal I think to get the set marginally in advance of the blade tip, to ensure the finite thickness of the blade tip stays within good gauge.

 

http://www.templot.com/forum_img/set_bend_rea.png

[MarshLane]

Yes, someone recommended the JLTRT tiebars to me as well.  I guess that's settled then.

 

I asked about 7FS because the gap in S7 would be quite a bit tighter.

 

John

 

Ah! Yes, good point. No Im definitely not going down the S7 route

 

 

It's normal I think to get the set marginally in advance of the blade tip, to ensure the finite thickness of the blade tip stays within good gauge.

 

http://www.templot.com/forum_img/set_bend_rea.png

 

 

Thanks for the advice, yes thats a valid point and a superb graphic from Templot to show it.  Thanks

Rich

[PjKing1]

Lovely work with the track building Rich it looks superb mate well done

 

Cheers

[mightbe]

Rich, I couldn't help but notice that I'm the picture of the set it looks you made a second set where the stock and point rails diverge--I.e. At the heel end of the planing. Is this a trick of the camera?

[MarshLane]

 

 

Rich, I couldn't help but notice that I'm the picture of the set it looks you made a second set where the stock and point rails diverge--I.e. At the heel end of the planing. Is this a trick of the camera?

 

 

Hi,

Do you mean the picture above?  Now that could just be my lack of knowledge, but my understanding was that the straight section was called the 'set', where the green line starts the rail gently curves to the left, so the view that its straight is just the camera.  Is that what you mean?

 

Rich

[MarshLane]

Now, as the saying goes, for something completely different!

 

As one of the projects I have decided to do (and will probably completely regret it when I comprehend the overall size) for the 'BIG' project, I'm seeking some help!  The attached clocks are visible at Newcastle (left) and York (right).  Im concerned specifically with the clocks, rather than the method of support, but can anyone suggest anywhere, or anyhow, that I can create these in 7mm, preferably working (although if its way too complicated I'll forgo that bit!) 

 

I doubt such types of clocks physically exist in 7mm - so at the base level it might be a make out of wood, and put a computer printed face on it, but before I went down that route, I thought I'd see if anyone had any brainwaves as to what may exist out there that I haven't come across....

 

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

Rich

 

 

[BrushType4]

I'd suggest an old battery powered analogue watch could be used? A bit of time and you could make a nice working example.

[Simond]

Guesstimating the size, I'd say the lower one is about 8 feet in diameter - this scales to just over two inches, which is going to be a fairly typical travel or alarm clock size.

 

You can certainly buy a standard electric mechanism, but I fear these might be on the large side. But cheap, less than £2 on eBay. As Phil suggests, a watch mechanism would do.

 

Whatever you go for, do think about remotely powering it, to save changing batteries, but more awkward perhaps, how you will adjust the time.

 

Hth

Simon

[MarshLane]

I'd suggest an old battery powered analogue watch could be used? A bit of time and you could make a nice working example.

 

 

Guesstimating the size, I'd say the lower one is about 8 feet in diameter - this scales to just over two inches, which is going to be a fairly typical travel or alarm clock size.

 

You can certainly buy a standard electric mechanism, but I fear these might be on the large side. But cheap, less than £2 on eBay. As Phil suggests, a watch mechanism would do.

 

Whatever you go for, do think about remotely powering it, to save changing batteries, but more awkward perhaps, how you will adjust the time.

 

Hth

Simon

 

 

Thanks guys.  Interesting throughs, definitely needs to be remote powered as it wouldn't be easy to get to, as for adjusting the time .... well that may just have to stay on GMT!  Although having said that, there must be someway around it.

 

Rich

[Western Star]

We have a clock with a battery mechanism - one AA battery so not very big.  The key think here is that the mechanism takes a time signal from Rugby / Daventry once per day so that keeps the clock "in-time".

 

Power your model through the supports...  two "stays" which are insulated from the body of the clock and connected to the battery terminals.  Just do not feed at 12V.

Edited December 13, 2016 by Western Star

[MarshLane]

We have a clock with a battery mechanism - one AA battery so not very big.  The key think here is that the mechanism takes a time signal from Rugby / Daventry once per day so that keeps the clock "in-time".

 

Power your model through the supports...  two "stays" which are insulated from the body of the clock and connected to the battery terminals.  Just do not feed at 12V.

 

 

Cheers for that.  Hadn't thought about a radio controlled mechanism.  Presumably one AA is 1.5v, so its fairly simply to bring 12v down to that, hmm interesting!  Yes, it had occurred to me about powering through the supports.  No matter how the mechanism works, the exterior of both will need to be scratchbuild, so that should be achievable.

 

Thanks

 

Rich

[BrushType4]

You could also make the second hand your model minutes, the minute hand your model hours and lose the hour hand entirely, You could probably run to a timetable then.

[Simond]

Ooooh, scale time....

 

Not convinced by that concept!

 

It takes (should take...) about as long to run round a train in the model, at scale speed, for a scale length passing loop, as it does in the real thing. Trouble is, most of us are forced to much less than scale length trains, loops, etc, and because of that, we tend to smaller stations too, where less happens, so there are longer gaps between the action, or an improbable busy market day timetable for a sleepy hollow track plan!

 

I'd either work out a timetable that more or less works (this is fun, especially when someone slings a strengthener on, and it won't fit in the loop, so you have to get the pilot out, but the express can't be held up...) or go to a sequence, and forget time. I've operated both, on quite large garden railways, not sure if there's much to choose between them.

 

None of which helps Rich with his clock, of course!!!

 

Best

Simon

[mightbe]

Hi,

Do you mean the picture above?  Now that could just be my lack of knowledge, but my understanding was that the straight section was called the 'set', where the green line starts the rail gently curves to the left, so the view that its straight is just the camera.  Is that what you mean?

 

Rich

Hi again,

 

Yep, that picture's the one. The set is actually a single bend right in front of the blade tips, and it looks exactly right. The red line as you have it is correct, but I don't think there is a specific term for bit of straight stock rail that matches the planing of the blade. (The straight bit only lasts for the length of the planing.) What I was referring to was at the far end of the red line--I see a second hard kink instead of a smooth curve that's tangential to the straight bit.

 

Could you upload either the unmarked picture or another (similar) one to verify? It might be a trick of the camera, but if there is a second bend or set it shouldn't be there.

 

Quentin

[MarshLane]

Hi Quentin,

Ah! Ok, I see what your getting at now.  Yup, thats my lack of understanding, there is a second hard kink ... looking at others, it always seemed there was a straight section alongside the blade, so I 'kinked' it twice.  Are we therefore saying there should just be one 'kink' at the head of the blade (i.e. nearest the camera in that photo) and then the rail curves gradually?

 

Rich