'O' gauge ? first tentative steps. Corrugated goods shed part 3: Painting and weathering

[Donw]

I have tried the PECO double slip. There was a slight drop at the crossing but not serious. The thing is if you hand build the rest of your track will the PECO one look slightly out of place? If you do use one be careful about getting bits in the operating parts.

Don

[greenglade]

I have learnt something new here, I never knew what a slip was before.... well I did say I was new to railway matters... regarding using a Peco double slip.. nah.. Dave make it.. it's looks a lovely piece of kit to make and you'll sure get a buzz from doing so, plus a Peco item may stand out if all over turnouts are kit ones on your layout.

 

regards

 

Pete

[3 link]

regarding using a Peco double slip.. nah.. Dave make it.. it's looks a lovely piece of kit to make and you'll sure get a buzz from doing so,

 

Hi David,

 

I must agree with Pete on this matter, and a double slip looks the biz when built using C&L parts.

 

Why don't you build all the rest of the turnouts first to get that bit more confident, and you can always find help on here if you need any advice.

 

Just don't ask me anything to do with switched diamonds .

 

ATB,

 

Martyn.

[David Siddall]

Thanks guys (as always) but I'm coming round to thinking that discretion might be the better part of valour in this instance...

 

...much as others may enjoy track building I can't say that I enjoy it enough to take a punt on one of the most complex turnout formations around! On reflection I just want to build a model railway – to the best of my current abilities – in a scale I've never tried before and I think I'll still get just as much satisfaction from the simpler plan as long as I can say 'I did that and it all works pretty well as I'd hoped'!

 

So... probably better two simpler handbuilt turnouts that look and perform the way I want them to in a slightly less ambitious trackplan! And I'm particularly grateful to Don for so discreetly encouraging me to ask myself whether I'd be happy with a Peco d/s amidst my hand-built track – seemed like a good wheeze when I had the idea, but on reflection? Probably not :-)

 

D

[David Siddall]

Well stone me... I've almost finished a baseboard! Only two more to go and I'd have to say that these are going to be the most sophisticated (a.k.a. labour-intensive) means of supporting a model railway I've ever attempted. Surprisingly light and (probably) strong but hell's teeth they do take a while! OK, so the first one involved a fair amount of thinking time and several 'oh ....bother' moments when I had to back-track to add things like holes for wiring in the cross-members, check that point motors wouldn't be impeded and make the end for the next board to ensure an accurate match, but still a great deal more work than I bargained for.

 

For those who are remotely interested... dimensions 4' 6" x 2'. Framework 4mm MDF separated by 2" x 1" softwood blocks (reclaimed timber). Top 40" off the floor (2" x 2" legs also reclaimed).

 

 

Leg braces still to be added but that's for another day, and apologies for the dire phone camera shot... SWMBO and dogs snoozing peacefully in front of the telly so disturbing them to retrieve the 'proper' camera probably not a good idea after a day's worth of banging, crashing and cursing!

 

David

[Chrislock]

The idea of a traverser instead of a crossover points is interesting - but are you sure you can't fit a couple of points in and still have room for at least a couple of coaches in the loop? It would look so much better imo, and you could lose the RH bridge, or at least move it back a tad if you want the illusion of the line continuing.

Are those catch points too close to the main lines? Any rolling stock becoming derailed that close would still foul the running lines methinks.

I like the sweep of the curve, that will look so much better tham those straight branchline layouts you see about.

I would second the comment about C+L - I've built a number in 4mm and its pretty straight forward with minimum tools. I built one fromthe ( expensive) full kit; one just using the Vee crossing; and four by building them up myself on Templot templates, stuck to a sheet of glass.

All seem to work as well with test wagon.

[Warspite]

Oh, very nice. Looks very solid and well constructed. Bet the next two take half the time.

 

You might have trouble putting track around that big clamp thing in the middle though ........... Sorry, I'll get my coat .....

 

 

Stephen

[David Siddall]

Thanks Chrislock... those early plans were unfortunately a bit of a triumph of enthusiasm over practicality - particularly in respect how much time I would have to invest in building everything myself and how steep the learning curve would be. The whole thing came very close to frustrating me to the point of scuttling back to the convenience of 4mm scale where so much can be bought 'off-the-shelf' to get you going quickly (and for rather less money). The amount of space those early plans were going to take up also caused what could best be described as 'a bit of a debate'.

 

Fortunately, good friends encouraged me to keep going so the project has been scaled back to something I hope will be rather more achievable - even if the baseboards are now straight. Well... the first one will be when I put the top on and use it to pull the errant outer side-frame into line :-/

 

David

[David Siddall]

You might have trouble putting track around that big clamp thing in the middle though ........... Sorry, I'll get my coat .....

 

Stephen

 

Inspired by your dairy I was thinking about a scenic feature to disguise them... ;-)

 

D

[Donw]

Pretty solid boards there David but once done should last. You may have trimmed your plans a bit. But if you look through RMweb some of the most popular threads are of layouts where the trackage is minimal. Looking forward to seeing this develop.

Don

[David Siddall]

Gazette arrived this morning and quite accidentally fell open at pages 78-79 ...a double-page ad' suggesting that DJH will be making a Class 14 available as a 'starter kit' in the second quarter of next year.... oh yes please :-)

 

Note to self... must change the livery requested on my Dapol 08 pre-order!

 

David

[greenglade]

I got my Gazette this morning too, perfect timing as I'd read all of my other mags....

 

Pete

[David Siddall]

Seeing as I now have my first baseboard finished (two to go) I though I'd see what a bit of track and a turnout looked like sitting on it in roughly the locations determined by my plan - just for the for the hell of it :-)

 

What followed was a bit of an 'OMG' moment when the sheer size of 7mm became apparent in actual context for the first time... two 60' track panels and one A5 turnout = a couple of inches shy of 4'6'!

 

'OMG' moment was followed by a 'OS' moment when it dawned on me that there was something missing from the first turnout I built ...any means of connecting a turnout drive to it's ultra-delicate tie bars ...blast (but fortunately I didn't forget with the second one) :-/

 

 

For those who like detail, track panels are constructed using C&L's nickel-silver rail and individual moulded chairs on Timbertracks 60' pre-cut ply sleeper bases (stained before the chairs are fixed using Colron 'dark oak'). Rails will be joined using Exactoscale cast/moulded fishplates (brass for live connections and plastic for insulated).

 

TTFN

 

David

[Donw]

Its true 0 gauge is big but it does have presense just stand a loco and a couple of wagons on that track

Don

[David Siddall]

Its true 0 gauge is big but it does have presense just stand a loco and a couple of wagons on that track

Don

 

Just tried the Hymek for length on the headshunt and sat my three wagons clear of the turnout and you are so right Don! Finally... I think I am finally starting to get the feeling that this venture into 7-mil might deliver the benefits I was hoping for - not least of which is that individual rail chairs are large enough to find after being dropped on the carpet ;-)

 

Now..., my thoughts are starting to turn to what goes under the track - preferably something with a lttle bit of give in it and some sort of noise-reducing properties. C&L closed-cell foam underlay or foam-core board... thoughts anyone? What I don't want is a rock hard road of the sort created by PVA soaking though the ballast onto cork and and welding it all to the baseboard. Having gone to the trouble of producing 60' track panels I want to hear the effect of those rail joints!

 

David

[The Nth Degree]

Gazette arrived this morning and quite accidentally fell open at pages 78-79

Really enjoyed this months edition, best yet (of only 4 so far). Liked the review of the Beattie Class 21 as I'd quite like one of these. I'm wondering what could be done about the castings.

[David Siddall]

Really enjoyed this months edition, best yet (of only 4 so far). Liked the review of the Beattie Class 21 as I'd quite like one of these. I'm wondering what could be done about the castings.

 

I spoke to Steve at the Bristol Show at the beginning of the year about how his plans for revising his D63xx kit were coming along and it's real shame he's packing it in, a charming bloke with real comittment to producing affordable kits but I understand why he feels he wants to quit. Maybe if he finds a buyer they might re-master some of the castings? None the less there are plenty of component suppliers who do buffers and the like - I've bought some exquisite sprung replacement buffers for my Heljan Hymek from Invertrains.

 

David

[David Siddall]

I emailed DJB about their planned Class 14 kit yesterday (as featured in the latest Gazette ad') and, according to their very prompt reply, "(their) intention is to try and keep it close to the BR03 spec and price". So, eminently buildable by someone like me and hopefully eminently affordable if the kit includes wheels, gears and motor... :-)

 

Can I suggest that anyone else who wants one (or a G5) emails them pronto with an expression of interest. A little moral support after an announcement of two more 'starter kits' will, I'm sure, do no harm.

 

David

[The Nth Degree]

I'll be going to Reading so I'll catch up with him there. He should have a buyer, or a shortlist, by then. I've got my eye on a few of his kits - classes 15, 21 and early 24 for a BR(E) layout I'm planning. I'm in no rush to get them but I don't want them to be discontinued or abandoned by the time I'm ready for them.

[hayfield]

Now..., my thoughts are starting to turn to what goes under the track - preferably something with a lttle bit of give in it and some sort of noise-reducing properties. C&L closed-cell foam underlay or foam-core board... thoughts anyone? What I don't want is a rock hard road of the sort created by PVA soaking though the ballast onto cork and and welding it all to the baseboard. Having gone to the trouble of producing 60' track panels I want to hear the effect of those rail joints!

 

David

 

Closed cell foam is the way to go, but use Copydex or some other laytex (these are water soluable ) type of glue to retain the sound deadening qualities. PVA type will just turn it into a solid lump

[Gilbert]

I emailed DJB about their planned Class 14 kit yesterday (as featured in the latest Gazette ad') and, according to their very prompt reply, "(their) intention is to try and keep it close to the BR03 spec and price". So, eminently buildable by someone like me and hopefully eminently affordable if the kit includes wheels, gears and motor... :-)

 

Can I suggest that anyone else who wants one (or a G5) emails them pronto with an expression of interest. A little moral support after an announcement of two more 'starter kits' will, I'm sure, do no harm.

 

David

 

Did so this morning.

Chris

[David Siddall]

...and then there were two! Baseboards that is :-)

 

One of those very rare days when I'm pretty well up to date with the work for both my jobs so I decided to take a little time out and complete my second board (...one of the great advantages of working from home :-). Construction as per the first but with the cross members left out pending final positioning of it's three turnouts - two of which I obviously still have to build. Biggest task was to ensure the joint between the two was dead flat and that I hadn't introduced an ghastly 'hump' in the formation when stock passes from one board to the next. Quite a challenge as this board will be supported by the two at either end - it's legless as it has to be easily demountable to allow access to the window.

 

 

Sorry, another rubbish phone shot. Today's excuse... forgot to recharge the camera batteries!

 

Closed cell foam is the way to go, but use Copydex or some other laytex (these are water soluable ) type of glue to retain the sound deadening qualities. PVA type will just turn it into a solid lump

 

Thanks for this... been doing a bit of online research on the subject and I think I'll have a go with some of C&L's - it seems fairly highly regarded as a sound-deadening track underlay and after a little online research it looks like some of the non-model railway intended alternatives have a nasty habit of dissolving in the presence of aerosol paint.

 

I might still however experiment with foam-cored board though... apparently Chris Nevard has used it to great effect as a track base on his delightful 'Polbrock' - and we've got acres of 5mm left over from an exhibition display commission last year.

 

D

 

 

PS: How about this for a simple but delightfully atmospheric layout? A superb example of 'less is more'...

 

http://youtu.be/ZpgolWb9oCc

 

David Long's exquisite 2mm finescale 'Ley Hill'... nice ...and rather inspirational methinks :-)

[hayfield]

Not used foam board, but have read that it deforms in shape if it gets wet !! Glueing it to a baseboard may prevent this though.

[David Siddall]

Not used foam board, but have read that it deforms in shape if it gets wet !! Glueing it to a baseboard may prevent this though.

 

From experience of using foam-cored board as the basis of model buildings John, and to form the trackbed on the curved gradients on my last N gauge layout I'd absolutely agree... so this time I was thinking of securing it to the boards with double-sided carpet tape (which incidentally can be released with lighter fuel if needed). I dug out Chris Nevard's 'Model Rail' article on building Polbrock earlier and he seems to have effectively waterproofed the card surface by applying several mist coats of acrylic primers - it would have to be acrylic as I know for a fact that cellulose-based primers would dissolve the foam between the card.

Chris also mentions his use of foam-core on his blog: http://nevardmedia.b...ang-around.html.

 

I shall experiment and we'll see if I can get it to work as well as he does - shame to waste a free resource (in my case anyway) and it's so easy to work :-)

 

David

[David Siddall]

Grrrrr.... a turnout issue and split gears, I am not a happy modeler!

 

Buoyed up by the successes of track panel construction, two baseboards and (at last) a bit of time to devote to modelling I decided that the time had come to connect several of said panels to my first turnout and try my second-hand Heljan Hymek – the poor thing's been lurking neglected in its box for the last six months with nothing to run on!

 

First discovery... that it doesn't like the crossing on my first hand-built turnout, despite the fact that wagons pass through it perfectly!!! Hmmm... can't tell whether it's the 'vee' or the checkrails it's taking exception to. A back-to-back issue or a gauging issue, I wonder?

 

Second discovery... it's progress on plain track, whilst impressive, wasn't exactly as I had expected. Closer inspection revealed that one wheelset wasn't turning smoothly! Upending the beast and popping the keeper-plate off the offending power-bogie revealed a split gear. Rats!

 

Thoughts on the former invited. An email to Howes – a quick search revealed that they are the people to talk to – should (hopefully) resolve the latter.

 

Hey ho... I will get there, eventually!

 

David

 

PS: Before anyone suggests it... I'm not going to have a go at the Hymek's vendor. I bought unseen and couldn't test what I'd bought so it's my responsibility to sort it out. From the number of grumbles elsewhere it would appear the 'split gear' issue is not uncommon :-/