RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 1, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 1, 2018 Yesterday's layout tour went very well. Everybody visited four layouts in their owners’ homes and also viewed Charles's 0 gauge Uley Junction which was set up at our lunch venue, Tom's house overlooking the Lane Cove River. The weather was fine but not hot and nobody got lost irretrievably, although a couple of groups were misdirected by their GPS which couldn't cope with the flexible lane layouts on the approach to the Harbour Bridge, and so had two unplanned crossings between the North Shore and the CBD. After lunch several groups went on to the Liverpool model railway show while others set off for home and one or two people made their way to the NRL Grand Final. I hosted some visitors to the Mid-Cornwall Lines, with more this morning including Harold from Modratec who was delighted to see his creation built, installed and operational. He was even more delighted when I told him that in due course I would be ordering two more lever frames. One of this morning’s visitors is a real signalman from Melbourne who shamed us into using all the levers for each move, not just the points that are connected up. I must say that this was a good idea, as it will get us used to the interlocking ready for when the signals are built and installed. Finally today Graeme from Queensland and a couple of others called in, with Graeme trying his luck on what he calls “the lever frame from hell” too. Overall a fine Convention weekend and I am now looking forward to getting more done on the layout than has been possible for the last few months. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 6, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 6, 2018 After lunch today I had a chance, for the first time in about six weeks, to sit down at the desk and do something productive for the layout. Since the beginning of June the three-quarter scissors has been waiting for more progress and after the Convention I was determined to lay at least one more rail on it this weekend. In fact, once I got started things went smoothly and I managed a lot more than that. The first job was to complete the "triangle" forming the vees of 29 and 27B points and one of the stock rails for the diamond. Once they were in place the diamond vees were next. I took a fair bit of time on these, as they are (like all diamonds and slips) the most critical part of the assembly. It was tricky filing the 1 in 2.5 angle and in fact I gave up doing it the proper way and just filed all the metal off one side of the rail. Filing one side then bending the rail to file the other side just didn't work with such a short length of filed rail to play with. I extended the rails on each crossing to help with alignment, especially at the bottom left where as you can see the rails start to curve towards 27A points. I then laid the wing rails for the diamond. Two of these are also extended so that they form the check rails for 29 and 27A points. I also left the wing rails over-length to help with alignment at the elbows. The top two closure rails went in next, followed by the lower stock rail. The vees are set at 16.5 mm gauge but the elbows are at 16.2 mm gauge with 1 mm flangeways to provide a smoother passage through the crossing. After the stock rail was in place I laid the remaining two closure rails then cut 27A points away from the formation as these can be built and laid independently. I pushed a wagon through the diamond and everything seemed OK, so I called it a day after that. To finish this part of the formation, I just need to lay the check rails for the diamond then finish 29 and 27B points. All in all a good afternoon's work. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted October 6, 2018 Share Posted October 6, 2018 Well done there. It's nice to sit down a do some modelling.... I managed to start a kit from the bring and buy today... I suspect that this is going to take a lot less time than I expected! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 6, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 6, 2018 Joseph, I think the Hornbys might be a bit high and the TSMs a bit low. I'll check them both. I've never heard of TSM before or since. From memory they were in the Preston area. As an impecunious schoolboy I only bought one each of the BSK, SK and CK. Possibly they were the forerunner of one of the other manufacturers - does anybody know? Well, well, well. While searching through some files for something else, I found my notes on building the TSM Collett coaches and stapled to them was the original TSM price list dated 5 March 1972 (just before I took my O Levels...). The list is a single typewritten foolscap page and includes 16 LMS and 16 GWR types, plus various accessories. Most body shells cost the princely sum of 80p (not 50p as I thought earlier). Details of the firm were: Traction Scale Models, 4 Fiveacres, Croston Road, Farington, nr. Preston, Lancashire, PR5 3PZ I wish my pocket money had stretched to more than just three shells! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 7, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 7, 2018 Too wet today for a walk or any other outdoor activities, so after watching the Wallabies in Argentina - truly a game of two halves - I finished off the diamond, 29 and 27B points. The diamond check rails went in first, then it was just a case of finishing the two points. No problems there, or so I thought... This view shows the formation "nearly complete". Actually, I thought it was complete until after I had cleaned it up and photographed it. Can you spot what I'd done wrong? Yes, I'd gone into auto-pilot for building the points and as a result I didn't extend one of the wing rails on each to form the final two check rails for the diamond. I didn't notice this until I had cleaned the formation up with hot water and Jif. If you compare this view with the last one you should see what I mean. I solved the problem by easing the flared ends of the wing rails off their timbers, straightening them and fitting an extra length of rail to extend them. So this time the formation really is complete and ready for gapping, spraying and installation. I should get the gapping and spraying done next weekend so that I can lay it a week later. I'm very pleased to have got this far as this is certainly the most complex piece of track that a) I have ever built (so far) and b) will be needed for the entire layout. In that sense it's been a bit of a crux and things should, I hope, gather some momentum now. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 Nice work John, all you need now is a double slip ! Go on have a go ! G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 7, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 7, 2018 Nice work John, all you need now is a double slip ! Go on have a go ! G I've built three of those already (one trial build, two installed) plus two single slips! Do try to keep up... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 I've built three of those already (one trial build, two installed) plus two single slips! Do try to keep up... OOOPS ! Sorry mate, I'll just go and stand in the corner for a while....... Back now, thank you 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 13, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2018 This morning I had an unexpected window of time before we went out to see the 40th anniversary production of "Evita", starring the fabulous Tina Arena, so I took the opportunity to gap the points and diamond and then spray them brown. Before gapping, I did something that I don't usually do but thought would be useful with the complexity of this formation; namely, to mark the rails with their polarity - black, red or green - using felt-tip markers. This was certainly a help, particularly around the overlapping vee areas, and meant that I got the gaps right first time. The elbows, of course, are always at the same polarity as the corresponding running rails. Not only did I have a time window but a weather window too, so I also sprayed the formation before going out. Tomorrow I should be able to clean it and free up the switches but whether I have time to lay it as well remains to be seen. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 I've never seen that done on the actual rails, but what a simple yet affective aid to getting your wiring correct. Enjoy Evita ! G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 13, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2018 I've never seen that done on the actual rails, but what a simple yet affective aid to getting your wiring correct. Enjoy Evita ! G Thanks Grahame. Evita was a revival of the original London production and we really enjoyed it. The tickets were a bit pricey but worth it on balance. Nothing worth watching on the box tonight, so while listening to the radio I built the third point (27A) for the three-quarter scissors. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwich station Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 Too wet today for a walk or any other outdoor activities, so after watching the Wallabies in Argentina - truly a game of two halves - I finished off the diamond, 29 and 27B points. 20181007 001 PM 29, 27B diamond check rails close.JPG The diamond check rails went in first, then it was just a case of finishing the two points. No problems there, or so I thought... 20181007 003 PM 29, 27B nearly complete.JPG This view shows the formation "nearly complete". Actually, I thought it was complete until after I had cleaned it up and photographed it. Can you spot what I'd done wrong? 20181007 005 PM 29, 27B complete close.JPG Yes, I'd gone into auto-pilot for building the points and as a result I didn't extend one of the wing rails on each to form the final two check rails for the diamond. I didn't notice this until I had cleaned the formation up with hot water and Jif. If you compare this view with the last one you should see what I mean. I solved the problem by easing the flared ends of the wing rails off their timbers, straightening them and fitting an extra length of rail to extend them. 20181007 006 PM 29, 27B complete wide.JPG So this time the formation really is complete and ready for gapping, spraying and installation. I should get the gapping and spraying done next weekend so that I can lay it a week later. I'm very pleased to have got this far as this is certainly the most complex piece of track that a) I have ever built (so far) and b) will be needed for the entire layout. In that sense it's been a bit of a crux and things should, I hope, gather some momentum now. John, I'm blowed if I can see any difference between the last 2 pics. I've studied and studied them but it's like spot the difference when you can't find it. Any chance of a pic with an arrow to put me out of my misery? Nice work by the way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 14, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2018 John, I'm blowed if I can see any difference between the last 2 pics. I've studied and studied them but it's like spot the difference when you can't find it. Any chance of a pic with an arrow to put me out of my misery? Nice work by the way. Thanks! The last two pictures in post #1706 are the same, other than one being a close-up and the other showing the wider view. Compare the first two pictures, which show the nearly complete formation, with the last two, which show it completely complete... Can't do arrows, as I'm not clever enough with computers. Look at the wing rails leading from the two points towards the diamond. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwich station Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 I think I have it now? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 14, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2018 I think I have it now? 123.jpg Yes, that's it. I had to extend those two wing rails by another four timbers. Easy enough but I shouldn't have had to do it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 14, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2018 Having made use of another weather window that let me spray 27A points, I rounded off a successful two weekends' work today by laying the entire three-quarter scissors formation and connecting it to the Branch (Platform 3) and Loop tracks. Here it is just after laying, with the adhesive still showing up white very strongly. In the end there was only room for one timber between the toes of 27B and 36A points, which was a bit disappointing, but never mind. The two stubs on the right will form the start of the branch eventually. You can see some draft pencil marks showing roughly where the facing crossover (41A) will go, at the start of the 180 degree curve round to St Enodoc. Here's the whole Down end of Porthmellyn Road looking in the Down direction. I pushed the china-clay wagons over both routes without mishap, although what will happen when I stick a loco on them heaven knows.... This is a view of the whole station complex looking in the Up direction, taken by a train spotter standing on the as-yet-non-existent bridge that will form the scenic break between Porthmellyn Road and the Penzance loops. I rather like this one. There does seem to be a little wiggle in the short length of track linking the Branch platform to 29 points. I'll have a good look at this next week and if it is still noticeable I'll try to fix it by relaying the short length of track and possibly a foot or two of the Branch platform track too. After that, the point motors and wiring should get done before the next full running session in mid-November. That will let us run round in the yard without fouling the main lines. 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgman Posted October 14, 2018 Share Posted October 14, 2018 I've said it elsewhere and I will say it here John.... G Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 14, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 14, 2018 It's almost like you've planned all this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 14, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2018 It's almost like you've planned all this. Almost... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted October 14, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2018 Lots of ballasting...... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 14, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 14, 2018 Lots of ballasting...... You must have time now the umpiring season is over... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 15, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2018 Lots of ballasting...... And weathering... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LBRJ Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 I am guessing Porthmellyn Road is Par in disguise? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 15, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2018 I am guessing Porthmellyn Road is Par in disguise? Well spotted - yes it is, but only "based on" Par for various reasons, and to suit the operational concept of the layout I've moved it a few miles West, roughly to where Burngullow is in real life. If you're interested, I wrote about the background to the layout and the choice of station names starting on the second page of the thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/94350-mid-cornwall-lines-1950s-western-region-in-00/page-2&do=findComment&comment=1748085 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted October 15, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 15, 2018 (edited) There does seem to be a little wiggle in the short length of track linking the Branch platform to 29 points. I'll have a good look at this next week and if it is still noticeable I'll try to fix it by relaying the short length of track and possibly a foot or two of the Branch platform track too. I went out to the railway room after I got home tonight to remove the weights from the three-quarter scissors. While I was out there I checked the alignment of the Branch platform track and, sure enough, the last six inches or so of the main part that was laid several months ago was not quite parallel with the Up Main, which explains why it didn't line up with 29 points and hence the wiggle in the linking piece of track. I'll fix that at the weekend. I also had a look at where the curved road of 27A points leads into the diamond crossing and found that there was a bit of a dog-leg there - it shows up in the middle photo above - which might be a bit dodgy for the eight-coupled tanks. A bit of work with the soldering iron, a Tracksetta and the roller gauges will fix that too. Lesson learned - next time, leave the stub ends beyond the vees unsoldered until the points are laid, then solder them in a smooth curve on site. As I've said before, thank goodness for copperclad! Edited October 15, 2018 by St Enodoc 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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