Ray H

Brilliant. Just what I wanted to cheer me up on this damp and dismal day. Have you been opening your presents early?

Would that be you Gordon after the blighter that nicked your golf ball? Best wishes for the festive season and the New Year.

Looks bl**dy brilliant. Can't wait to see trains running on it. I presume that you airbrush in the room. Is there any problem with smell/overspray?

And that's just supping the brown falling down liquid. Sorry, couldn't resist it after seeing the earlier picture of the basedboard with an almost full glass in it. I've managed one 3-way point before I got distracted over a week ago and I have another 26 ponts to build and I've not laid any track, so Gordon is miles ahead of me but his work still provides the impetus for me to keep going.

Is surface mounting not an option? Could they be covered by buildings or some other structure?

I'm sure the mail loaded to more than 2 coaches from Shrewsbury on Friday nights/Saturday mornings in 1970/1. It was certainly more than two vehicles from Crewe so there may have been a BG on it as well or that was detached at Shrewsbury (whilst I was asleep). I don't recall seeing any 3 car DMUs although I invariably only ever travelled north on the first from Mach on a Saturday morning - returning by bus via Bangor on a Sunday night. And I only ever recall seeing class 101s. The first Pwllheli train stood for 30 minutes at Barmouth - long enough for me to decamp and wander into town to get something for breakfast - a pasty! I also think that it was scheduled to divide at Barmouth with a unit returning south on Mons to Fris for school traffic. I think I recall one Saturday trip with 2 x 2 units but I think they both went through, with onea replacement for a failed unit at Pwllheli. However, it is 40 years ago and I have trouble remembering the day of the week now so anything more taxing from that far back could be subject to correction. I believe that Barmouth bridge was the limiting factor on the Pwllheli line although I heard a tale of a (diesel) driver who reputedly took a restricted (by weight) loco north of Barmouth, realised he shouldn't have done so, phoned Control and told them he couldn't take this restricted loco back and Control are alleged to have told him that he'd darn well taken it north over the bridge so he could darn well take it back south again. Not sure how true that story is/was.

Haven't you provided a crossover and siding for the banking engine then Gordon? P.S. That pointwork, like the rest that you've produced (and your woodwork/scenery) is awesome. The platform on my proposed layout isn't as long as that crossing!

Many thanks.

Gordon I'm about to embark on some track making using pcb sleepers. Do you meticulously clean each sleeper individually before you solder to it or is there a means to do it in bulk? I am having a lot of trouble getting the ends square when using a pair of Xuron cutters for cutting the point timbers. How do you get the ends square? Thanks

Losing the spring from an O gauge Peco point when fitting an under baseboard point motor only to kneel on it with a yelp several weeks later after sourcing a replacement and whilst looking for something equally minute that we're stil looking for (and can't now remember what it was!!

I've managed to the OPC book in the aforsesaid mentioned website's link from the library and I found the other book fors less than £4 (plus p&p) so I ordered that. Early indications from the library book are that the passenger service on the line was boosted with the advent of (several different classes of) DMUs and there are a few pictures of freights on the line around the same time. There's 4mm to the foot plans of the Bicester London Road buildings that look quite similar to the ones in the pictures of Winslow. In fact I believe that Winslow and Bicester were the only two stations to sport brick built buildings. At first glance there seems a vague resemblance to parts of the Metcalfe (brick) station building kit. Passenger access between platforms was almost universally by barrow crossing rather than footbridge. I've got 3 weeks to study the 150 pages and decide whether the OPC book is worth buying as a reference.

Many thanks for the link. I had seen that site before but had failed to note the two books which are referenced thereon. I might try the local library as well (if it is still open!). Many years ago LTE (as it was then) were required to send copies of all working timetables to the British Museum library. Were BR similarly required to do so and/or is there anywhere else - like the NRM? - that holds copies of these historical documents for reference purposes?

My attention has been drawn to the operational potential of a layout based on the line west from Bletchley with its links to Oxford, Banbury and London and beyond. This has been confirmed by the recent purchase of a book entitled "Oxford to Bletchley including Verney Junction to Banbury" first published in 2005. Even in the latter days there seemed to be a reasonably hectic passenger service given the rural nature of the line with around 20 passenger trains each way in 1962. DMUs appear to have been trialled but the book doesn't show much freight and none that is diesel hauled. Some passenger trains non-stopped a lot of stations suggesting that there may have been even more using the line albeit not advertised (aside from any that might have used the line whilst the WCML was being electrified). I'd like to try to learn a little more about traffic on the line around 1960 and wonder if anyone has WTTs or any other summary information about the line that they'd be prepared to share. I'm minded to use the operational potential of Winslow as the basis for a small layout (although not attempt to build a replica thereof). The station building appears to have been demolished before I even knew of its existence so any pictures of the area would also be welcome. The local history group's information about the line published on their website relates more to the origins rather than the operational history. Many thanks.

So, just to quickly recap, the rail and point timbers come from C&L, the ordinary (pre-cut to the correct length) track timbers are from SMP? I can certainly see the advantage of using the ready cut sleepers where possible. C&L will be at the Aylesbury show next weekend so I want to get my shopping list sorted. I cobbled together a crude O gauge point a while ago for our club so I think I'll gamble that I should be OK with OO ones and make a bulk order up for collection at the show. I'm off to the Templot site for an afternoon of discovery, learning and entertainment.

Thanks for both replies. Gordon The planing jig I was was referring to was your home made one for the switch rails. I initially got the impression that there was a shallow groove in the wood's surface into which the rail was placed. I presume from your response that all you actually do is to clamp a piece of rail onto the piece of wood and let the clamp keep the rail secure. I note the reference to 1.6mm sleepers and 1.06 sleepers. If you used the former for all the track could you use the latter for tiebars? Do SMP do copper clad point timber material as well or does that come from C & L? Thanks for all the other comments/responses. I like the idea of the black plasticard and will certainly consider following that up. Martin I'm hopeful that I shall be able to find space for points of nothing less than the equivalent of 2' radius and, if I can negotiate a little more space - see separate thread - the same will apply to the curves. If I'm really lucky the curves might get even bigger. I've managed to sneak a bit of time to look at the Templot website - that must have taken you hours, so thanks for that and, more so, thanks for Templot. I still tend to think in terms of point radiui and wonder wither there is anything anywhere that equates standard size e.g. A5, B4, to radius measurements more specifically so that I can bat around a few figures in my head before I start playing with Templot. I certainly like the look of the 00-SF points.

Gordon I discovered this thread by accident a few days ago and have been enthralled. Unlike you in being confident that yu'll see something running on one level at least this year, I was less confident that I'd manage to read right through the thread this year. However (and I'm a slow reader), I started at page 15 this morning and have worked my right through during the course of the day only to find a further page has just started as I neared the end. At least now I shouldn't have so much to read to keep up to date. Very many thanks for the time taken to write everything up and for not being afraid to disclose the various hiccoughs as you have gone along. I've been wrestling with my third recent attempt at a layout after two false starts. Whereas I usually rip one attempt up and start straight away on the next, this time the last attempt is still there, usable if I wish in the interim (if I fit a replacement for a failed point motor which was the trigger for me rethining the present layout). Having seen your attempts I'm keen to move forward and will be happy if I manage to achieve your apparent standard in the woodworking department, let alone the rest of what you've managed - Oh how I wish that I'd paid more attention to woodworking lessons at school 50 plus years ago. I do have a few questions if I may be so bold. I recall you started with a cork underlay, tried foam,, moved over to balsa and now appear to have returned to cork. What was the reason for returning to cork and what put you off foam? I've heard that the latter results in much quieter running than cork and I was keen to try it. There is a recent mention of a minimum radius for 00-SF. Do you know what that is. Like you and many others space is at a premium and I will have little option but to accept much tighter curves than you if I want to have the ability to sit and watch trains go by. Your blade planing jig looks almost pristine. How do cut the slot to hold the rail and how long does each jig last before you replace it? I recall in Norman's Right Track DVD that he makes specific mention of the fact that the nose of the V must be supported by a sleeper - he also mentions that there are a few other areas where bends in rails must be precisely opposite each other. I note that you seem to do all this but I haven't seen it mentioned. Do you leave your rail gaps exposed or do you disguise them with replica fishplates. I suspect if it is the latter that you get through quite a few sets! You use both SMP and C & L components. Doesn't one supplier offer all the various components?

Daughter wanted to go cycling with her dad this morning so I contented myself with working on the group's new control panel when I wasn't pedaling, doing some VBA in Excel for daughter's school, painting the control panel top (or building its frame) and dozing (during the afternoon after several weeks of not getting too much sleep at night). Currently having to listen to Foo Fighters through an open window. Hopefully they'll pack up about 10.30pm (but they're back again tomorrow). Hope it went well and sorry I missed it.