martin_wynne

Remember all those branch lines built for double-track, but only ever laid single-track? ... ... Martin.

If it's only OOC to Birmingham does it need to be double track? If it's fast enough to get from one end to the other a single track shuttle service might do. That would leave the other side of HS2 free for trolleybuses. Remember them? All-electric vehicles long before it was trendy. You could have a whole fleet of them, diverting off HS2 to serve local places along the route without needing to build stations or interrupt the Birmingham trains. With the addition of a battery, there would be no need to string up wires in local places, they could run into existing bus stations and connect with existing local bus services. Which would remove a lot of the local traffic from the WCML, leaving paths free for trains to Manchester and the Frozen North on the original tracks. Martin.

James Walters has just released his review of the low-cost Alkaid printer:

I don't understand about the "saved money" from HS2. Speaking personally, I have saved myself £1 million pounds already this week by deciding not to borrow it. Martin.

Presumably there would be no problem with sewage discharges if storm water didn't enter the sewage system. Why does it? Why can't rain water go straight into the river/sea? What do other countries do? Martin.

I'm a confused traveller. Please help. At present I can get a train from home and arrive at Birmingham Moor Street. I walk across the platform and get a Chiltern service to Marylebone. Which looks like London when I get there. Or I could walk across the road, instead of the platform, to Curzon Street. And get a super fast service to Old Oak Common. Where is that? Is it London? Martin.

Hi John, I made some 7mm timbering bases a few years ago but I haven't made any resin chairs in 7mm yet. I'm just about to do that now that I've got some proper code 131 rail to measure. Previously I was using the Peco 0 gauge rail. I've been wary of starting the 7mm stuff because I know it will be a total distraction from getting on with the plug track programming. I've also got some Code 250 bullhead rail and I want to make some Gauge 3 track. I've ordered a bigger FDM printer for that. It's all coming at me too fast at the moment. Especially today with my phone system in a mess. cheers, Martin.

Hi, It's not some day, it's doable now for turnouts and crossovers. Any scale, any gauge, curved to any radius, any size of turnout. Templot is free, you just need the printers, a bottle of resin and a reel of filament. And some rails of course. 🙂 But -- REA BH only so far. Not yet any GWR, flat-bottom, diamonds, slips. But tandems soon if I get the half-bolted chairs done. But the main thing missing is -- no instructions. Writing them will be a massive task. But there are moves afoot on the Bexhill West youtube channel to help with that. At present it's all doable but you have to read through many pages of stuff on the Templot web site to find out how. cheers, Martin.

Well obviously the more people you take to Birmingham, the more trains you will have to put on to bring them all back. Martin.

It's not supposed to replace them, it's in addition. But whatever the actual figure, it's the frequency, not the breakneck speed, which sells the service. Turn up, walk on and sit down. The perfect marketing slogan -- "If there's no train at either platform when you turn up, you get a free mug of soup in a warm waiting room with a log fire and nice seaside pictures on the wall." Martin.

HS2 shot itself in the foot by the marketing idiot who christened it HS2. Had it been called HC2 (High Capacity 2) with a train every 10 minutes and plenty of seats, not only would that have been a more honest description of its actual purpose, the public reaction would have been far more favourable. It was the ludicrous idea that anyone would want to get to Birmingham 20 minutes quicker than before that turned so many against it as a silly waste of money. What possible difference can 20 minutes make in a lifetime of 90 years, if you can do some work on the train anyway if it's absolutely essential. A nice seat and plenty of room and a frequent service would have sold the whole idea hands down, and it would be open by now. Martin.

The new Main Line from Birmingham to the North West: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers/new-main-line

But not here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FnXr7k9FaqvoKxqS7 Or thousands of similar places in what is mostly still a green and pleasant land. But not if we don't fight for it. A camera on a pole would look great, wouldn't it? Already that road sign is 3ft higher than it needs to be. Martin.

Millions of cameras sounds expensive, and spoiling the landscape. How about a tamper-proof rev counter attached to one of the wheels? To be read every year during the MOT? Martin.

But how much input? It might not need much. I'd be willing to chip in a fiver. Martin.

Can someone explain to me where the money spent on HS2 actually ends up? As far as I can see the state gets most of it back. Many thousands of HS2 workers paying income tax, national insurance, VAT on a new fridge, car tax, fuel duty, council tax ... and buying stuff from firms who pay corporation tax, business rates, and pay wages to employees who are paying income tax, nat... ... Buying masses of HS2 concrete and fencing from firms who pay corp... ... Not paying social security benefits to workers not building HS2 or anything else ... The same goes for building hospitals, repairing schools, and all the rest. If you have someone capable of mixing concrete, how does it benefit the country to pay them to stay at home not mixing any concrete? When we need lots of mixed concrete? What am I missing? Martin.

Hi Ian, Yes, timbering bases can be milled from solid if you have a bench CNC miller/engraver machine. It uses the same files from Templot as for the laser-cutting. This is EM gauge in MDF: I haven't yet provided any detailed notes about it -- I assume that if you have such a machine you would know what to do. cheers, Martin.

Hi Ian, Resin printer for the chairs. FDM (filament) printer for the timbering base. Martin.

Hi Don, Here you go. A curved C-8.5 turnout. Exported from Templot (free) and ready to be 3D printed. Also files to print the filing jigs for it if you want. Can be exported for any gauge or scale from N gauge to full-size. For any curving radius. Any turnout size from A-4 to F-20. Martin.

Just a reminder for members of the Templot Club forum that there is a ZOOM meeting tonight at 8pm UK time (19:00 UTC). All welcome, full details on the Templot Club forum: https://85a.uk/templot/club Martin.

You can grow your own food. Making your own water is tricky.

How frequently?