Chuffnell Regis

[5BarVT]

Not disagreeing with those who suggest starting afresh and I think you will do so in the fullness of time.  But, given that you have the spare medium radius, I think it is worth a try.  Even if only to get something ‘completed’ and operational (in the loosest sense of the word!).

Then you will be able to try out your operating scenarios to see if they work, thus confirming that the layout is one worth redoing again from scratch.  Also (hopefully) it will give you something to keep operating in the design and early construction phases of the rebuild.  Obviously, there comes a point where the old has to go to make space for the new.

Paul.

[Graham T]

Thanks for all the comments, some very good advice and insights in there.  As was mentioned, I had a bit of a crisis of confidence when nothing seemed to work.  And that seemed to make all the other problems even bigger somehow...

 

Hopefully the medium radius will slot in nice and simply!  HAHAHA.  But I do have a Dremel on the way - I needed one anyway (or at least I've convinced myself that I did, which is much the same thing); that will help me to get the large radius point out without too much collateral damage, all being well.  Then I'll just see how things go.  A move to Chuffnell Regis Mk II wouldn't be able to happen straight away in any case.  I'd have to plan it a lot more carefully, and then get some funds together for new baseboards.  On the plus side, all that time might mean that there's a better selection of Finetrax points to be had.

 

Onwards and upwards!

[MrWolf]

Sorry to hear of your troubles, if you remember, I had a similar crisis of faith a while back with Aston on Clun. I thought if I can't get this to work, what chance with the rest? 

It was doubly frustrating when I thought of the type of things that I have worked on successfully.

Chopping out a point isn't the end of the world, you might just get away with pushing the rail joiners back and springing it out. 

If it's soldered in like mine, you can scrap the point, cut through the rails half an inch from the joint. Then heat up the rail joiners on the side you're keeping and pull on the scrap bit of rail with pliers.

[Graham T]

Thanks Rob, for reminding me about that, because you've certainly bounced back well with Aston on Clun.

 

My plan, such as it is, is to use the Dremel to cut the joiners at each end of the point and then lift it.  After that I'll do an assessment of the situation before moving ahead.

 

Or, I might just make it up as I go along again...

[Graham T]

I'm sure there will be a Chuffnell Regis Mk II one day, and when there is, it will have purpose made baseboards!

[MrWolf]

If it helps, my layout is about Mk IV.

One was too large, the others never really got beyond making a couple of 4x2 boards and gathering bits and pieces.

[Graham T]

A big box of motivation arrived through the post today.  Well, almost arrived - it was sent via DPD, who it seems don't actually deliver to the address on the box, but simply drop the entire van-load of packages at a distribution shop somewhere within a mile or so of where you live.

 

But I digress  

 

Said box contains a 55 foot GWR turntable from Greenwood Models (no affiliation yadda yadda).  I was slightly concerned, having read @Neal Ball's tale of woe on getting a turntable sent to Spain, but am pleased to say that this has arrived without any hitches whatsoever.  Now I must resist the temptation to start fiddling about with it until I've dealt with a lot of other more pressing jobs on the layout...

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Graham T
Missing words

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

A big box of motivation arrived through the post today.  Well, almost arrived - it was sent via DPD, who it seems don't actually deliver to the address on the box, but simply drop the entire van-load of packages at a distribution shop somewhere within a mile or so of where you live.

 

But I digress  

 

Said box contains a 55 foot GWR turntable from Greenwood Models (no affiliation yadda yadda).  I was slightly concerned, having read @Neal Ball's tale of woe on getting a turntable sent to Spain, but am pleased to say that this has arrived without any hitches whatsoever.  Now I must resist the temptation to start fiddling about with it until I've dealt with a lot of other more pressing jobs on the layout...

 

 

Good luck @Graham T have fun building it - have you been able to download the instructions?

[Graham T]

46 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Good luck @Graham T have fun building it - have you been able to download the instructions?

 

Yes I have thanks Neal.  I might come to pick your brains when I finally start the build, if you don't mind.

[Neal Ball]

42 minutes ago, Graham T said:

 

Yes I have thanks Neal.  I might come to pick your brains when I finally start the build, if you don't mind.

 

Of course

[Graham T]

Right then, after a bit of playing testing, the new Dremel was unleashed on the unsuspecting problem child, and the large radius point has now been successfully amputated.  I'm pleased to report that the patient has survived surgery and seems to be doing well.  In fact, the Dremel really proved its worth, as I managed to remove the old point with very little in the way of damage to anything else on the layout.  Even the point rodding is still intact.

 

The medium radius point fits in place nicely, and I'm hoping that (after a good clean-up) I might be able to get it installed tomorrow.  Just a shame that Peco bullhead points are still as rare as hens' teeth.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Graham T

[Graham T]

The new(ish) medium radius point is now in place, wired up, and working!  I still need to fit the motor, so there's still a chance to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

 

Getting the short length of rail in at the toe of the point was a challenge.  I tried using N gauge joiners, but couldn't them into place.  Eventually though I managed to coerce some standard joiners into playing ball.  I still need to add in a few more sleepers, obviously, and I'm going to get the motor installed and checked before I actually glue down the point...

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Graham T

[chuffinghell]

removing previously laid and ballasted track isn’t for the faint hearted

 

You’re a braver man than I so I salute you sir on a job well done

 

 

[Graham T]

I didn't really have any other options Chris, unless I wanted to rely on the hand of God for changing the point.  And that would have soon got on my nerves!  Plus I probably would have broken things reaching across the layout all the time.

 

Using the Dremel made it easier, as I could cut through most of the ballast very cleanly, and the joints at the end of the old point of course.  The hardest part was getting that little short section in at the toe of the point, because I didn't want to have to lift the track to the right of it in the photo.  That meant that all the joiners had to be pushed right onto the new rail section, or it wouldn't fit into the gap!  And then everything had to be accurately  lined up so that I could slide the joiners onto the track that was already fixed in place, and the new point.  Tricky, and needed some accurate cutting, which isn't my forte!

Anyway, next to try and get the motor installed.  Gulp.

[MrWolf]

This is all rather familiar...

 

Well done with the battle of Awkward Point.

[Graham T]

Thanks, but I still haven't won the war yet.  There is no extra length to spare on the operating rod, and I'm having a b@stard of a job getting it into the tiebar from under the baseboard.

[MrWolf]

I found that the only way I could do it once the operating rod was trimmed down is to hold the motor by the other end of the rod and feel it into place. It's quite a easier that way.

 

KBO.

[Graham T]

Well, I got there in the end.  Profanity store is running on fumes again.  I hope the walls of this flat aren't too thin, or my Austrian neighbours will have learnt some interesting new Anglo-Saxon words this evening...

[Graham T]

One end of the operating rod had been trimmed right down for the (failed) offset point motor adventure, which meant I had to turn the motor upside down.  And that meant I couldn't use the twist locks, so I had to modify the mounting and just screw it to the bottom of the baseboard.  I think peco should be done for trade description about what they call "screws" as well.  Bloody awful little things, impossible to get them to bite into the ply, even with a pilot hole.

 

Ok, rant over.  Sorry!  The point is now glued down and sitting under a weight.  Fingers crossed that it still works in the morning

[Graham T]

Guess what happened this morning...

 

I lifted the weight off the point and turned the key on Chuffnell Regis.  There was a short!  Sounds like "clucking bell" were heard.  Went away for a cup of tea and a good old scratch of the head.  After a while it occurred to me that in my enthusiasm undignified rush to get the point replaced, I'd used a metal rail joiner where I should have used an insulated one.  Fortunately a couple of minutes careful work with a razor saw put things right.  

 

Next time I'm going to try something a bit simpler, like solving the Middle East peace process

[Andrew P]

On 04/10/2021 at 21:43, Graham T said:

Right then, after a bit of playing testing, the new Dremel was unleashed on the unsuspecting problem child, and the large radius point has now been successfully amputated.  I'm pleased to report that the patient has survived surgery and seems to be doing well.  In fact, the Dremel really proved its worth, as I managed to remove the old point with very little in the way of damage to anything else on the layout.  Even the point rodding is still intact.

 

The medium radius point fits in place nicely, and I'm hoping that (after a good clean-up) I might be able to get it installed tomorrow.  Just a shame that Peco bullhead points are still as rare as hens' teeth.

 

 

Graham, have you tried AC Models, Eastleigh, they had some a week or two back.

[Andrew P]

12 hours ago, Graham T said:

Thanks, but I still haven't won the war yet.  There is no extra length to spare on the operating rod, and I'm having a b@stard of a job getting it into the tiebar from under the baseboard.

BLUETAC,

That's your answer, that's what I use in such scenarios.

 

A little Bluetac to hold the point blades central, and the same under the Motor to hold the pin upright and central.

[Graham T]

45 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

BLUETAC,

That's your answer, that's what I use in such scenarios.

 

A little Bluetac to hold the point blades central, and the same under the Motor to hold the pin upright and central.

 

Absolutely, really useful stuff

[Graham T]

So, poor old Chuffnell R has been under the knife again this evening.  Only minor surgery this time though, fortunately.  Moving the point meant that I also have to move the point rodding, so there has been some choppage to that; I've managed to recycle the parts luckily.  And I've also had to dig out some small holes in the ballast for the cranks to locate in.  Once they've been glued back in position I'll paint the new section of track and then ballast it all (again!)  I think I'll plug the holes from the original position of the point motor with some good old blue tack first.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Graham T

[Graham T]

The recycled point rodding back in place.  I still need to add an actuating rod from the crank to the toe of the new point, and touch up the paintwork here and there.  I don't think I will put in the mechanism for the facing point lock, as it will be covered by the ramp anyway.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by Graham T