Bethesda Sidings - Western Region in rural Mid-Wales

[Captain Kernow]

The section of track has now been glued and soldered in position.

 

 

When the glue has fully gone off, I will disc cut the rail across the join and wire up a connection from the fiddle yard to the main board.

 

I will also need to complete a 'docking station' for the aluminium angle cassettes.

 

[Les le Breton]

The section of track has now been glued and soldered in position.

 

20180818_174954.jpg

 

When the glue has fully gone off, I will disc cut the rail across the join and wire up a connection from the fiddle yard to the main board.

 

I will also need to complete a 'docking station' for the aluminium angle cassettes.

 

Thank you for your very clear master class, connecting the model to your fiddle yard/cassette system. I am currently considering how to build my own fiddle yard with either traversers or cassettes.

 

 

               "It’s still magic even if you know how it’s done"         Terry Pratchett

[Re6/6]

One tip here, learned a few years ago the hard way, is to gap the copperclad on the underside as well as the top surface (assuming it's double-sided copper-clad), as otherwise the insulation on the track pins can wear away and induce a short circuit.

 

Oh, so, so true. I've lost count of the times that that has occurred after tracklaying on Balcombe storage loops! A vast amount of cu-clad has been used and it turned out that due to haste and enthusiasm, some undersides were not cut (either missed or not cut carefully enough) and subsequently intermittent faults kept occurring in different places at odd times, causing much puzzlement (bad temperedness if truth were told!).

 

Another thing regarding the use of cu-clad, l find it very useful to cut the insulation and test each individual sleeper/timber prior to use. Advice from The Baron some time ago!

[Captain Kernow]

Could this be a good time to show just how meticulous the Captain is in track related matters?

Well, all I can say is that spending time getting the track right always pays dividends in the long run. It never pays to be hasty when laying track, in my experience!

[Re6/6]

Well, all I can say is that spending time getting the track right always pays dividends in the long run. It never pays to be hasty when laying track, in my experience!

Maybe not so easy when building something large (some might say insane!) project like Balcombe!

 

[Mallard60022]

Maybe not so easy when building something large (some might say insane!) project like Balcombe!

 

006a.jpg

Colouring looks spot on to me. 

P

[Siberian Snooper]

Maybe not so easy when building something large (some might say insane!) project like Balcombe!

 

006a.jpg

Just needs the third rail and you will be home and dry.

[Re6/6]

Colouring looks spot on to me. 

P

 

Thanks. I did agonize over it after about six goes! Precision ' HS215 'Track Colour' (matches the old Humbrol 'track colour') was used first which was generally too dark. Then a blow over with P963 'Brake Dust' which gave a slight hue of 'dust' (well it would l suppose!) and lightened it to almost what was wanted and finally a very light quick waft of P989 'New Concrete' which gave it a lift and a drybrushed effect with highlights on the chairs. It's better in the flesh when viewed from normal viewing distance!

 

The sleepers should maybe be a bit more contrasting (darker) but no way was picking out each one going to be a sane idea!

 

 

  

Just needs the third rail and you will be home and dry.

 

Indeed! We're looking forward to ending up with all the juice rail fitted. On a personal note...that's Rod's department!

 

Apologies to CK for muscling in on his thread!

Edited August 19, 2018 by Re6/6

[Captain Kernow]

I spent a satisfactory afternoon tweaking 'Bethesda Sidings', now that all the track is laid and the layout is fully wired up and operational.

 

A couple of snags on two of the points were attended to and several locos tested on the layout.

 

Predictably, the Dapol B4 (on loan from BR to the Vale of Radnor Light Railway) ran superbly, it's one of the best running RTR locos I've ever had. Pleasingly, the Dean Goods ran well and will now be weathered and put into service, in due course.

 

Both my Mainline/Bachmann panniers have been tested before and also pleasingly, my Bachmann 64XX, that is to be converted to a 74XX, has also turned out to be a rather sweet and controllable runner, after having had quite a lot of running-in.

 

Ex-LNER J72 'Jennifer', who's refurbishment featured in some of my blog posts a few months ago, needed some of her pick-ups tweaking, but is now running nicely again. I may yet fit a flywheel in her, there's plenty of room.

 

While all this was going on, the loco that was supposed to be one of the key performers - the Hattons/DJM 14XX - was having some further running-in on the rolling road. To my surprise, it's almost good enough and controllable enough at slow speed, to be considered for the role I had originally envisaged for it - as 1420, working the Prestigne and Kington goods, now extended to Bethesda yard. I think I'll need to tweak the pick-ups, as that seems to be a slight concern, but I'm hoping that I won't have to rip the innards our and substitute an etched chassis. I may now be able to use that chassis kit on the spare Airfix body that I have.

 

The one loco that failed testing (which I knew it would), was my 22XX. This is because the tender wheels that I fitted several years ago, to replace the old Mainline ones, are running in the original Mainline axleboxes. This doesn't give enough lateral movement of the axles when passing over one of the points and it derails. What is needed is a replacement etched tender chassis kit, which will provide a little more flexibility.

[Captain Kernow]

Incidentally, having now laid all the track on Bethesda Sidings, one of the main differences since the last time I laid some 4mm bullhead track (on 'Callow Lane' over 10 years ago) is the advent of the new Peco bullhead fishplates. I think they're just fab. They grip the rail well and provide a representation of fishplate bolt heads. Whilst they don't guarantee an even joint (I did correct a couple of dipped joints this afternoon), they do help the rails align much more easily than previous methods.

 

I have used the Peco fishplates for all 'live' rail joints and P4 Track Co/Exactoscale plastic ones for all insulated joints.

[bgman]

Always a satisfying moment when you run locos on the layout Tim, good to hear that progress has been made.

 

G

[bgman]

You may /may not be interested to know that the urinals have had their pipework removed to save any embarrassing Niagra Falls events !

 

P.Lumber

[Re6/6]

Incidentally, having now laid all the track on Bethesda Sidings, one of the main differences since the last time I laid some 4mm bullhead track (on 'Callow Lane' over 10 years ago) is the advent of the new Peco bullhead fishplates. I think they're just fab. They grip the rail well and provide a representation of fishplate bolt heads. Whilst they don't guarantee an even joint (I did correct a couple of dipped joints this afternoon), they do help the rails align much more easily than previous methods.

 

I have used the Peco fishplates for all 'live' rail joints and P4 Track Co/Exactoscale plastic ones for all insulated joints.

!00% agreement here. They're the best compared to the old loose fitting 'Individualay' ones which were also lop-sided and crimping was required.

[Captain Kernow]

I have now started to cut the plastic webbing out from between the sleepers.

 

Please note, I may be gone some time.

[St Enodoc]

!00% agreement here. They're the best compared to the old loose fitting 'Individualay' ones which were also lop-sided and crimping was required.

I haven't tried the new fishplates (yet). I use Minitrix N gauge fishplates, which I don't think are made any more. For insulating gaps on plain track I use Peco N gauge or 00 code 75 cut back to fit. The 00 ones are a bit stronger.

[Re6/6]

I have now started to cut the plastic webbing out from between the sleepers.

 

Please note, I may be gone some time.

 

One of these might aid the concentration and application for a very tedious task.

 

[Mallard60022]

One of these might aid the concentration and application for a very tedious task.

 

The Isolator.jpg

That's me trying to do some wiring that is..............................................    

[Captain Kernow]

Here's a photo showing one of the smaller loco cassettes, temporarily lined up with the track into the fiddle yard, the other day. The 'docking station' bits of aluminium angle have since been glued and bolted in position:

 

[Captain Kernow]

Well, I've now finished cutting all the plastic webbing from between the sleepers:

 

 

With this thin-sleepered C&L track, once the track has been painted and weathered, I normally apply the ballast by painting between 4 or 5 sleeper bays at a time with PVA and then sprinkling the ballast on, and vacuuming up the loose stuff when the glue is dry. I've always thought that the plastic webbing just gets in the way, so I normally remove it prior to track painting and ballasting. It's not a job you can really do prior to gluing the track down, though, as the webbing is pretty much essential for maintaining the sleeper spacing etc.

 

Meanwhile, the 1420-to-be is getting some more hours in on the rolling road:

 

 

 

[Re6/6]

Blimey...that was quick!

 

This has turned into a supercharged project. Wish l could work that fast!

[Northroader]

Crikey, Captain, your picture of alloy angle cassettes stirs some memories. Article by Chris Pendleton in Model Railway Journal no. 27, 1988, “Variations for Fiddle”, thirty years ago now, set the ball rolling to cassettes. I saw it and thought “great, I’ll have some of that” only as I was modelling in O, I got the next size up in aluminium angle, even more expensive. You have to screw the angle firmly down to the ply/ chipboard strip to hold to gauge, and in the loft the temperature variations meant the expansion of the angle made it take up a banana shape, convex or concave depending on whether it was hot or cold. The other snag with O is handling them with a train on if it’s any length needed, it’s very cumbersome with the length and the weight.

Anyhow, I’ve moved on from angle now, but still decided cassettes are the best way of doing things, I just lay plain track on the strip, so much cheaper. As I’ve got quite a small layout running pregroup trains, they’re just 3 foot long, and much easier to pick up. There are loop handles fitted for this, and these have flat tops, so you can rest the cassette on them half way round a turn and change hands, also stack temporary whilst you’re changing them round, although I don’t leave them like that, as it would tempt fate! The ends engage with the track on the main board using .060” brass rod with a snug fit in brass tubes soldered to the web of the rail, and I find this locates the rail and conducts the track electrical feed quite well. The rail solders down on to copperclad just the same as yours, and secured by a screw placed centrally, with possibly packing under if the copperclad doesn’t match the sleeper thickness. In the picture I’ve left the track ready to engage to give a better idea, but I’m afraid it’s nowhere near a match to your neat, tidy workmanship.

[Siberian Snooper]

Crikey, Captain, your picture of alloy angle cassettes stirs some memories. Article by Chris Pendleton in Model Railway Journal no. 27, 1988, “Variations for Fiddle”, thirty years ago now, set the ball rolling to cassettes. I saw it and thought “great, I’ll have some of that” only as I was modelling in O, I got the next size up in aluminium angle, even more expensive. You have to screw the angle firmly down to the ply/ chipboard strip to hold to gauge, and in the loft the temperature variations meant the expansion of the angle made it take up a banana shape, convex or concave depending on whether it was hot or cold. The other snag with O is handling them with a train on if it’s any length needed, it’s very cumbersome with the length and the weight.

Anyhow, I’ve moved on from angle now, but still decided cassettes are the best way of doing things, I just lay plain track on the strip, so much cheaper. As I’ve got quite a small layout running pregroup trains, they’re just 3 foot long, and much easier to pick up. There are loop handles fitted for this, and these have flat tops, so you can rest the cassette on them half way round a turn and change hands, also stack temporary whilst you’re changing them round, although I don’t leave them like that, as it would tempt fate! The ends engage with the track on the main board using .060” brass rod with a snug fit in brass tubes soldered to the web of the rail, and I find this locates the rail and conducts the track electrical feed quite well. The rail solders down on to copperclad just the same as yours, and secured by a screw placed centrally, with possibly packing under if the copperclad doesn’t match the sleeper thickness. In the picture I’ve left the track ready to engage to give a better idea, but I’m afraid it’s nowhere near a match to your neat, tidy workmanship.10842200-9857-4C23-B9D4-BA5C33144AB9.jpeg

I have seen 0 gauge cassettes made from the square type plastic guttering with Peco or similar track stuck in it. At least the stock doesn't fall off the side, I can't remember if there was something to stop stuff falling off the ends.

[Captain Kernow]

Well, I've finally run out of patience with the Hattons 14XX mechanism. After further running in this afternoon, it actually ran worse than it did before, just like the first example I had from them, before I sent it back and got this one.

 

Enough is enough.

 

As I've posted on the Hattons 14XX thread, in due course I shall remove the Hattons chassis and all the permanently-fixed internal workings, leaving the lovely body shell only. I shall then build and fit the Perseverence chassis kit that I have and consign the Hattons/DJM mechanism to the place it belongs - the skip.

[Northroader]

I have seen 0 gauge cassettes made from the square type plastic guttering with Peco or similar track stuck in it. At least the stock doesn't fall off the side, I can't remember if there was something to stop stuff falling off the ends.

I use the cassettes on an open flat surface, which is built just like an ordinary baseboard with a 2x1 frame, but topped with hardboard or thin ply. You have to compensate for the differing thicknesses somewhere when joining to an ordinary board. With careful handling stock won’t drop off the cassette, and if it does it can’t fall far enough to get damaged. The board has a ply strip “fence” round the sides and the ends which takes care of runoffs the end. So far (touch wood) I haven’t had anything drop off when I picked the cassette up and turned it round midair.

[Re6/6]

.....................and consign the Hattons/DJM mechanism to the place it belongs - the skip.

Put it on flea-bay...somebody will buy it!

Edited August 22, 2018 by Re6/6