garden railway track ?

[smudger68]

hello

i have had this track in my possession for many years

it has no markings anywhere as to maker etc

we wanted to use it in a garden railway layout but want to be sure first that it will do the job

it has aluminium baseplate with bakelite type sleepers , rails are some sort of alloy no rust at all just dirty

connectors are brass looking with bakelite between them

they are approx 23" long with 3 pieces making a curve of 48" across

we would appreciate any info as to who made this it appears to be oo gauge etc

 

[Grovenor]

I think Its Graham Farish Formoway, I would not rely on those section connectors for continuity in a Garden setting, or even indoors for any length of time.

This was also sold as flexible track without the metal base.

You would find ads for this in 1950s mags.

Regards

Keith

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Several things to test.

 

Can you solder reliably to the rails? Clip on connectors do not work reliably for any time outdoors.

 

Does your stock pick up reliably from the rail surface once it has been cleaned?

 

If that's good put a few lengths down outdoors attached to whatever support you propose using at the earliest opportunity, where it gets maximum exposure to sunlight, and everything the climate will throw at it for a year: the full seasonal cycle.

 

What you are looking for is whether it degrades in any way to impair running qualities. Connect up to a power supply, then test run every week. Corrosion especially imparing pick up,, failure of any components, deformation, are the principal potential problems. I would not be too optimistic. For a start the differential expansion of the aluminum and the rail alloy - which are bound together at the ends - means you probably have a bimetallic strip; and what look like different metals in contact at the ends means an electropotential which accelerates corrosion in the wet.

 

Peco code 100 n/s streamline flexi  - that works (in the UK at least). I have lengths still in use after thirty years, the first fifteen of which were spent outdoors. The point bases embrittled outdoors; if I ever return to outside operation, then I would paint the bases black first with something like Hammerite, to reduce UV exposure.

[smudger68]

Thank you very much for replies

Lots to think about there

Any ideas as to make of track I have in photos

Don't think it's what's suggested

Have lots of different makes this one's puzzling me