Derwent Spa

[lezz01]

4 hours ago, Rowsley17D said:

 

Thanks, Lez. While I'm waiting for Chas Canterill to deliver the chamfered-edged cork strips for the track-bed edges, the civils work will be tackled. I was a bit sceptical as to whether the servos had enough torque to move the blades on the double slip as they are very stiff, but before I lifted the 3-way, I tried finger-moving the shorter blades and found they were far stiffer than the ones on the slip. 

Well if it's a little too stiff you could always try filing a nick on each side of the bottom web of the switch rails Jonathan. That will reduce the tensile strength of the rail a little and make them easier to deflect. If I recall correctly the blade is a separate piece on the prototype anyway so you can even nick the top web as well If you need to.

Regards Lez.   

[Rowsley17D]

Chas Canterill came up trumps yesterday when the chamfered ballast edging cork arrived in the morning. A new gradient was made and fitted then I got to work with the cork. By evening all the full width strips were laid but no time for a photo. I'll do that when I get home and fill in the gaps as I am now in Westmorland General undergoing round 3 of chemo, so half way through! ☺️

[Rowsley17D]

Back from chemo session and got the small gaps in the cork trackbed filled in.

 

 

 

 

The new gradient. The top of the old gradient was opposite the signal.

 

Track roughly laid out in place.

 

 

 

The embankment will be widened for the trap point buffer stop.

 

[lezz01]

It look so much better Jonathan.

Regards Lez.

[5BarVT]

2 hours ago, Rowsley17D said:

The embankment will be widened for the trap point buffer stop.

Glad you said that.  I was wondering about ski jumps!

Paul.

[Rowsley17D]

To celebrate my half-way point in the chemo sessions, I got the major part of the new formation laid using the glue, lay track, ballast and hoover off method. When drilling holes for the droppers unlike carpet vinyl, which I have run out of, Copydex twills around the drill bit bringing a small area of ballast with it so much patching up to do.

 

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Rowsley17D
Changed such to much

[tractionman]

lovely trackwork, Derwent Spa is an inspiration.

 

all the best,

 

Keith 

[Rowsley17D]

Thanks, Keith I only hope it works when I get the electrics connected up and a loco running through it. It worked on the testbed but that's no guarantee.

[Graham T]

And congratulations on the halfway point.  All downhill from now!

[Rowsley17D]

After a morning session in the kitchen garden (small raise beds!) I got to work on a new track plan which I could send to Dave at MegaPoints for a quote on a new panel which is needed before I can really test the new work properly, fortunately I won't need any new electronic bits and I may have a couple of spare channels depending on how Dave works out the number of push switches needed.

 

I drew the main plan using SigScribe4 and some free-hand.

 

To finish the day I got the plain track to Platform 2 connected to the inside half-scissors and most ballasting done so at least I can run trains from the station up to the new formation on the Up Line.

 

 

Edited August 29, 2022 by Rowsley17D

[Rowsley17D]

A near c%ck-up today. I merrily put down glue and laid the catchpoint and final turnout without putting down tape where the moving timber is located and without drilling a hole for the servo driving rod. Luckily, I lifted the formation before the glue had set and tried to put things right. As it it there's ballast where the slide chair timbers will be located but I hope to scrape it off it need be.

 

The catchpoint buffer stop has been put on the widened embankment. It looks like there's a nasty kink leading to the double slip but it's my camera's poor performance.

 

Just two pieces of plain track needed now to connect up the shed and carriage siding roads, then lots of ballast patching.

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by Rowsley17D

[Rowsley17D]

Spent this pm connecting up the two remaining tracks to the shed area and carriage siding. After a bit of a tidy-up of tools and assorted bits and pieces, it's beginning to look like a layout once again.

 

 

 

Lots of timbers with slide chairs to lay and plenty of ballast patching to be done.

 

[MrWolf]

It will be worth all the effort when the first train runs across it.

[Rowsley17D]

As well as spending sometime patching the ballast, I stapled a layer of vinyl grass mat on the gradient embankment side ready for some static grass and general ballast rubbish tomorrow.

 

 

 

[Rowsley17D]

The bank side has treated with static grass which gets everywhere.

 

 

 

 

Then the trap point buffer stop was glued in place and ballasted.

 

[chuffinghell]

37 minutes ago, Rowsley17D said:

The bank side has treated with static grass which gets everywhere.….

….it certainly does, fun though

 

For some reason I can’t seem to get my static grass to stand up like you have, may I ask what applicator you use.

 

I have the WWS one which only seemed to work right the first time I used it, maybe I need to put viagra in with the grass?

[JustinDean]

19 minutes ago, chuffinghell said:

….it certainly does, fun though

 

For some reason I can’t seem to get my static grass to stand up like you have, may I ask what applicator you use.

 

I have the WWS one which only seemed to work right the first time I used it, maybe I need to put viagra in with the grass?

I also use the WWS applicator and it’s the best one I’ve tried. Make sure the earth pin is in the glue you’re dropping the grass onto. Keep the distance of the applicator head fairly short from the surface being covered. If these fail try a fresh battery. 
Hope this helps!

 

Jay

[Rowsley17D]

28 minutes ago, chuffinghell said:

….it certainly does, fun though

 

For some reason I can’t seem to get my static grass to stand up like you have, may I ask what applicator you use.

 

I have the WWS one which only seemed to work right the first time I used it, maybe I need to put viagra in with the grass?

 

Mine is also the WWS one. With me, it doesn't make a difference whether I put the earth into the glue or attach it to a piece of track which I usually do as it doesn't get covered in glue and grass which leaves a bare patch when you remove it. I make sure there's plenty of juice in the battery, I used a new one today. I hoover off the excess straight after applying (on Copydex this time.) The hoovering helps the grass stand up too. Make sure you don't ground the hoover nozzle as it will bring up glue and grass and make a bare patch. Then I apply another coat of grass and sometime a third, hoovering off each time. I then cover the lot with a suitable fine flock which fills any gaps, then hoover off again.

Edited September 4, 2022 by Rowsley17D

[Graham T]

I use a similar technique, but don't hoover straight away.  Think I'll try that in future.  You grass looks very good.  But you're right, the stray fibres do get everywhere!

[chuffinghell]

1 hour ago, Rowsley17D said:

 

Mine is also the WWS one. With me, it doesn't make a difference whether I put the earth into the glue or attach it to a piece of track which I usually do as it doesn't get covered in glue and grass which leaves a bare patch when you remove it. I make sure there's plenty of juice in the battery, I used a new one today. I hoover off the excess straight after applying (on Copydex this time.) The hoovering helps the grass stand up too. Make sure you don't ground the hoover nozzle as it will bring up glue and grass and make a bare patch. Then I apply another coat of grass and sometime a third, hoovering off each time. I then cover the lot with a suitable fine flock which fills any gaps, then hoover off again.

I can’t say I notice any difference with or without the earth either but I wonder if my problem is because I use a rechargeable battery and it’s not delivering the full 9v maybe?

 

I even contemplated converting it to mains via a 9v adapter

 

I’ve not used anything but the WWS basing glue and spray because I assumed it was a specific product, it never occurred to me to use anything else

 

The hoover technique is very interesting, I’ll have to give that a try 👍

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by chuffinghell

[Rowsley17D]

If I had any, I would have used let-down carpet vinyl glue from the likes of B&Q. Not tried PVA but assume that's okay too. For layering spray I use pound shop firm-hold hair spray.

[Rowsley17D]

Just approved of the artwork for my new panel. which will be smaller than the old one. I hope to tidy up some of the wiring to points and signals in the meantime.

Derwent Spa PROOF 2 Composite (1).pdf

[Rowsley17D]

Getting there with the ballast and cess patching, just a few more areas to do.

 

 

 

Still a lot of sleeper and rail sides painting to do. Off to 4th chemo session tomorrow which will be 2/3 of the way through.

[Graham T]

That trackwork looks very good indeed.  It almost makes me want to build my own!  Best of luck tomorrow.

[Rowsley17D]

12 hours ago, Graham T said:

That trackwork looks very good indeed.  It almost makes me want to build my own!  Best of luck tomorrow.

Go on, you know you want to. The hardest bit is getting to grips with Templot.

Edited September 7, 2022 by Rowsley17D