dessire_luvals Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Hi, Very impressive start - the trackwork looks fantastic. I am interested in Barnstaple junction too - you mention books above - could you please recommend some titles? Regards, James Hi James Have a look at the following, The North Devon Line Irwell Press In the tracks of the ACE Jeffery Grayer Branch lines to Torrington Exeter to Barnstaple Branch Line to Ilfracombe The last three all Middleton Press Lines to Torrington The North Devon Line Both by John Nicholas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innerhome Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 James Books See also LSWR Country Stations (Ian Allan) - small section on Barnstaple Junction & plan of Town Station. LSWR Engine Sheds has a couple of pages on Barnstaple Junction. British Railways Operating History Vol 3 has a nice photo of West box at the end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jamest Posted June 7, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 7, 2011 Thanks guys - sorry for the delay in thanking you, I've been away for a few weeks. Regards, James Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 New section of track on the work bench. The big V is the entrance in to the South (east) end of the platforms. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
binesrail Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Great track work! not a big unsightly blob of solder in sight. Cant wait to see this finnised or even just the track finnished. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sn Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Cracking pointwork! I will be watching this one with interest. Came across the Ilfracombe line in 74 and have had an affection for it ever since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Brinkly Posted June 23, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 23, 2011 This really is going to be a cracker once completed. Just out of interest how are you going to wire the layout up? DCC? Regards, Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
3 link Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Nice to see that you have mastered Templot, I have just about given up myself . Nothing better than nicely flowing trackwork, and you have certainly captured that so far. ATB, Martyn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted June 24, 2011 Author Share Posted June 24, 2011 This really is going to be a cracker once completed. Just out of interest how are you going to wire the layout up? DCC? Regards, Nick Hi Nick, DCC for Locos. Old fashioned wiring for pointwork. Rgds Russell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Russell I have just built one turnout where I cut the isolation slits in the sleepers first and filled in and sanded the gaps,much easier but it was only 1 turnout and not tried it on a formation which would be a lot more work. Great bit of track building going on, thanks for shareing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
binesrail Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 Hello again, Just wondering how big the layout is going to be? Cheers Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Hello again, Just wondering how big the layout is going to be? Cheers Chris Hi Chris, Garden Shed is 20' x 10' Rgds Russell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted October 9, 2011 Author Share Posted October 9, 2011 Bit more track laying taking place. Probably only one more turnout to build before I lay the track through the station and start on the wiring.. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggesford box Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggesford box Posted January 4, 2012 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Hi, sorry about that with no info, a bit new to adding attachments to forum. Front and rear of island platform building at Barnstaple drawn some thirty or more years ago. Will add more later but have to rush, off on the school run! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 Barnstaple junction all wired and working, only on analogue at the moment but plans afoot for DCC option. A couple of pictures on the Barnstaple side of the layout so far, 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 I've also made a start on a representation of Ilfracombe. I say representation because I have had to make to major compromises. Firstly in order to fit a continous run circuit in to the shed the line rises in to Ilfracombe rather than dropping down the steep hill. Secondly due to lack of space the Engine Shed and Turntable arrangement has had to be moved around a bit. Anyway here's a few piccies of the general templot plans with some initial point work built and sitting in place. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted October 28, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 28, 2012 (edited) Hi John, I started out with great intentions to build using ply and C&L chairs but to be honest I have got so many other things to do in my life I simply wouldn't have made any progress. I love the look of the real chairs but had to compromise I'm afraid. If I was working on a layout of such complexity, I would have done exactly as you have done! If I do a layout with a small number of points, plywood sleepers and individual chairs it is. I have quoted this story before but a friend of mine, who had operated one of the layouts at many exhibitions, threw his hands up in horror when I told him that the next layout was going to have copperclad points to save time. When I told him that the layout he had been operating for several years had copperclad points he was gobsmacked! It takes me approximately three times as long to make a point with individual chairs compared to copperclad. After all, copperclad was good enough for High Dyke, Retford, Dunwich and Blakeney as well as many other layouts. So I am with you 100% on your decision. Well made, nicely aligned track (as yours clearly is) properly ballasted and painted matters more to the overall look of the layout than individual chairs. Even looking at the photo showing the two types side by side, I doubt anybody will notice once they are painted alike. Edited October 28, 2012 by t-b-g Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 This weekend's work so far, 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 If I was working on a layout of such complexity, I would have done exactly as you have done! If I do a layout with a small number of points, plywood sleepers and individual chairs it is. I have quoted this story before but a friend of mine, who had operated one of the layouts at many exhibitions, threw his hands up in horror when I told him that the next layout was going to have copperclad points to save time. When I told him that the layout he had been operating for several years had copperclad points he was gobsmacked! It takes me approximately three times as long to make a point with individual chairs compared to copperclad. After all, copperclad was good enough for High Dyke, Retford, Dunwich and Blakeney as well as many other layouts. So I am with you 100% on your decision. Well made, nicely aligned track (as yours clearly is) properly ballasted and painted matters more to the overall look of the layout than individual chairs. Even looking at the photo showing the two types side by side, I doubt anybody will notice once they are painted alike. The thing I find takes the time building chaired and timbered track is building the common crossing, cutting the ply (Brooke Smith) or cutting turnout timbers from a sprue is quicker than cutting and filing PCB sleepers. Once you get used to sliding chairs on to rail you can do that quite quickly and glueing them to the sleepers does not take much longer than soldering rail to PCB strip. You do however get a better looking turnout using chairs, especially if you use the Exactoscale switch, crossing and check rail chairs. Large layouts normally are viewed from a distance and with painting and weathering unless you are looking for chairs on track then you will not notice they are missing. A smaller layout (which may be more detailed) can be enhanced with fully chaired turnouts as the eye is drawn into the finer detail rather than the overall effect of a larger layout. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 The thing I find takes the time building chaired and timbered track is building the common crossing, cutting the ply (Brooke Smith) or cutting turnout timbers from a sprue is quicker than cutting and filing PCB sleepers. Once you get used to sliding chairs on to rail you can do that quite quickly and glueing them to the sleepers does not take much longer than soldering rail to PCB strip. You do however get a better looking turnout using chairs, especially if you use the Exactoscale switch, crossing and check rail chairs. Large layouts normally are viewed from a distance and with painting and weathering unless you are looking for chairs on track then you will not notice they are missing. A smaller layout (which may be more detailed) can be enhanced with fully chaired turnouts as the eye is drawn into the finer detail rather than the overall effect of a larger layout. I would have loved to have done everything with timber sleepers and chairs but it was taking me much too long, I'm sure others may be able to use that method and match the spead but I cerainly couldn't. Every time I look at a layout built with separate chairs I wish I had the time to go that route but I know that having tried both it's just not feasible if I want to finish the layout anytime before the next ice age. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 fantastic trackwork. looking forward to seeing this progress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted October 28, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 28, 2012 The thing I find takes the time building chaired and timbered track is building the common crossing, cutting the ply (Brooke Smith) or cutting turnout timbers from a sprue is quicker than cutting and filing PCB sleepers. Once you get used to sliding chairs on to rail you can do that quite quickly and glueing them to the sleepers does not take much longer than soldering rail to PCB strip. You do however get a better looking turnout using chairs, especially if you use the Exactoscale switch, crossing and check rail chairs. Large layouts normally are viewed from a distance and with painting and weathering unless you are looking for chairs on track then you will not notice they are missing. A smaller layout (which may be more detailed) can be enhanced with fully chaired turnouts as the eye is drawn into the finer detail rather than the overall effect of a larger layout. Couldn't agree more! That is why a number of my smaller layouts have individually chaired track. I often cut my own sleepers from thin ply sheets because my favoured GCR used 14" wide sleepering through most pointwork. My latest layout has 7 points, all GCR pattern with correct 4 holed chairs. The slow bit for me comes in more comple pointwork, as on Barnstaple. They usually involve lots of very short rails, perhaps only supported by a couple of plastic chairs and these chairs often have to be cut to fit. I have a good pair of cutters and I just nick the PCB sleeper to mark the length and snip it cleanly. No filing is involved but I agree that the time difference is not in the sleepering but in the supporting of crossing noses and suchlike as well as the extra requirement for electrical bonding of short rails, which takes care if you don't want to melt the chairs. I also find that I tend to glue the chairs on quite slowly, checking gauge and clearances all the time, then allowing the solvent to set properly before going on to the next bit. If I make a mistake on PCB, discovered when a vehicle runs through and bumps (doesn't happen often but it can happen) I can wave an iron at it and sort it. A mistake on individual chaired track can be sorted out but it is more difficult, so I take more time to ensure that it doesn't have to be amended later. In an ideal world I would always use chaired points but for a project like Barnstaple, I can fully understand the decision to go PCB as I would have done the same. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted October 28, 2012 Author Share Posted October 28, 2012 Couldn't agree more! That is why a number of my smaller layouts have individually chaired track. I often cut my own sleepers from thin ply sheets because my favoured GCR used 14" wide sleepering through most pointwork. My latest layout has 7 points, all GCR pattern with correct 4 holed chairs. The slow bit for me comes in more comple pointwork, as on Barnstaple. They usually involve lots of very short rails, perhaps only supported by a couple of plastic chairs and these chairs often have to be cut to fit. I have a good pair of cutters and I just nick the PCB sleeper to mark the length and snip it cleanly. No filing is involved but I agree that the time difference is not in the sleepering but in the supporting of crossing noses and suchlike as well as the extra requirement for electrical bonding of short rails, which takes care if you don't want to melt the chairs. I also find that I tend to glue the chairs on quite slowly, checking gauge and clearances all the time, then allowing the solvent to set properly before going on to the next bit. If I make a mistake on PCB, discovered when a vehicle runs through and bumps (doesn't happen often but it can happen) I can wave an iron at it and sort it. A mistake on individual chaired track can be sorted out but it is more difficult, so I take more time to ensure that it doesn't have to be amended later. In an ideal world I would always use chaired points but for a project like Barnstaple, I can fully understand the decision to go PCB as I would have done the same. I couln't have described the challenge better myself! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dessire_luvals Posted November 1, 2012 Author Share Posted November 1, 2012 Couple more tunouts constructed. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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