martin_wynne

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?

Hi John, James is the man to explain it all -- he's much better at doing that than me. He's just preparing a review of the low-cost Alkaid resin printer for the chairs -- and for lots of other stuff. It will be on his channel soon: https://www.youtube.com/@BexhillWest cheers, Martin.

Hi Martyn, It's important to understand these are not products. I'm not selling anything and you can't buy them. You have to make them yourself on your 3D printer (FDM) using files exported from Templot (free). Or get a friend to do that for you. Or maybe your club has a 3D printer in its workshop? The files remain my copyright and are licensed for personal use only. Martin.

Thanks John. They are actually available now, from the current version of Templot. Just click the filing jigs option on the STL export dialog -- more info on the Templot Club forum. I'm still doing final tweaks on the designs, but the ones available now work fine. Be sure to FDM-print them using eSun PLA Plus filament for maximum resistance to filing -- darker colours work best, brown or black. cheers, Martin.

Hi Keith, May I point out that Templot is not a commercial product. It is just my hobby, which is free for anyone to use if they wish. "Should be" does not apply although I try to make it as easy to use as I can. In this case the whole 3D plug track project is still a work in progress and there is a lot still to do -- including writing a full user manual. To enter a custom rail size for 1:120 (or any other scale): 1. set the required model scale (via the gauge menu). 2. click the rail tab on the export dialog. 3. click the set custom rail... button. 4. enter the dimensions measured from your rail. Some of them may be difficult to measure and can be estimated and adjusted by trial and error. The chairs will be adjusted to fit whatever rail dimensions you enter, but will remain to scale size for the base outline, etc. If you prefer to enter in inches, prefix the dimension with a letter i (as you can do anywhere in Templot when asked for mm). For example to enter code 60 rail you could enter the overall height as i0.060 It's important to have set your model scale first, because the entered dimensions will be converted to the prototype equivalents when stored internally. They will then be converted back to your model scale when exporting the file. But if you have any problem, just ask on the Templot Club forum for friendly help. Martin.

Hi, The FDM (filament) printer will be very happy on the dining room table. No smell, no mess, no attention needed. The resin printer will not be. The process is messy and smelly, and needs to take place away from living areas in a work room with a door and good ventilation. Martin.

Hi Keith, Chairs in Templot are defined internally in prototype dimensions and can be output for any scale, from 2mm/ft to full-size. Whether you can 3D-print them of course is over to you. Likewise the rail section can be set for any rail. The default section is the S4/EMGS/C&L code75 bullhead, and that will be rescaled to any other scale if you don't enter a specific rail section for your model scale. You can also use the exact-prototype BS-95R bullhead rail section, but no model rail matches that very well (C&L code 131 for 7mm is close). James Walters will have some samples of Templot 3D Plug Track on his demo stand "Starting in P4" at Scaleforum this weekend. Including for 00 and EM. cheers, Martin.

If only. Try ringing a builder and getting a quote for a skew arch in brick.

How old was the woodland the West Coast Main Line was built through?

This is probably a response to this recent press release from RAIB: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/lady-howard-crossing-reopening-of-raibs-investigation It's not a whacky sign if it saves a life. Martin.

Hi, The end gap increases by the same amount as the increase in the flangeway, matching the gauge-widening. The normal prototype end gap is 3.1/2" and this can increase up to a maximum of 4.1/4" with gauge widening. Special check rail chairs are made for this purpose. Strictly speaking, when there is gauge widening, the check rail remains where it was, and the stock rail is moved away from it. cheers, Martin.