richardswain

Inspiring!!

Love the sweeping curves!!

Now I've actually seen your layout, I have to say it's looking very promising indeed! The track plan is excellent, and you've laid the track really well, so keep going! Regarding the C+L plastic fishplates, they can be used, but the rail faces have to have absolutely no burrs, otherwise they won't slide on and will just snap instead. Even with optimal rails they're still very fiddly to get on. But once they're on they look great, and do just what they're supposed to.

That was really interesting! I was especially impressed by your point changing apparatus!!! Kadees are something I have toyed with as an idea for avoiding the hand of God. But I like my stock to run feely, and the thought of having to put on artificial braking seems a bit odd. Do you know how other people solve the problem?

I admire your staying power/bloodymindedness!

Well done, my young Paduan. You did not give in to your anger, but instead through pungent fumes have come to the path of peace, yea, the very path that goes in two directions.

Wait a minute. It's been two years. Has it really? Have I been asleep?

But you didn't, did you? You built your own points, and still almost had something running inside a year!

a 70mm long drill bit!!! Be careful you don't snap it! I have managed to snap several, and they haven't been anything like that long. Otherwise...stonking progress!

Dear "Vistiaen"(?) I've had a look at the 3 points and adjusted one (the long left hander - could be called PL368. I shall call it Bob). The only thing I have changed though,is the slide chairs on the diverging stock rail, as that part of the point was slightly too narrow. I've also resoldered the tie bar/timber with 0.8mm copper shim under the rails to give it the correct height. But all the important bits though the common crossing and check rails are super as they are, as far as I can test (Jinty and various wagons and coaches). So don't beat yourself up! The point with the dcc rail I might do the same thing to - I think you need to be extra careful to keep everything in gauge through the switch/stock rail area as you have the same problem here. But my Jinty still went through without snagging. I won't solder the tie timber as I have shown myself incompetant with the steel rail. I have a few suggestions for the point building method, beyond making quadruply sure that everything is in gauge, and (as we discussed verbally) making all the component parts the right shapes using the template before covering the template with timbers. - Make the tie timber number S2 and not S1. If you do that then the switch rails are supported both in front (on S3) and behind (on S1) the moving timber. - is there any reason you've soldered the feed to the common crossing to the top of a timber instead of the underside of a rail where you won't see it. Would you mind if I moved it? - The small wires soldering the stock rails to the switch rails are between two timbers with slide chairs, which stops the switch rails moving there. I think it would be better to move them a little closer to the common crossing after the slide chairs end. Otherwise things are going fine. Perhaps you can bring your Prairie tank over with you, as that was the one which was getting stuck and shouldn't (ie. has finescale wheels). Mount that plasterboard! Yours A friend

That is going to look spectacular!

Glad to see you using the admirable "keeping the glue and the flux in a chopped up egg box" method. This will prevent you from upsetting the glue all over your work. Though it wouldn't do much damage now, as most of the glue came out last time I did it... err, I mean last time it happened...

Astonishing strength!

Gordon S wrote: Can't recall if I mentioned it in this thread, but over the years I have amassed around 150 turnouts from the various incarnations of ET. They've been piling up on the floor and I was close to binning the lot until I asked for advice on RMweb whether or not they were worth selling. I'm staggered by the response I have had. Within hours 35 went in a job lot. Then a double junction and another order for six turnouts. Tonight another 33 have gone, so the whole day has been spent cleaning, testing and fettling every one to make sure they are 100% and the new owners are pleased with their purchase. Tomorrow will be the same, checking and cleaning the all the turnouts from this latest order. Many thanks guys, I really appreciate your custom and your investment will ensure purchase of new materials to fund this version of ET. ------------------------ I'd just like you to know that I've been following your work from time to time for some years. A year ago I started contructing my own turnouts, and you were the inspiration. I looked at what you could make, and immensely helpfully HOW you had made them, and wanted to try and do something even half as good myself. So I might never again have anything meaningful to write on to you, but I owe you a huge thank you!

PS there really is quite a slant on those rails. Is it something you notice when not using a zoom?