Caley Jim

I recently made some corrugated sheeting for a small shed using two lids, one of which is on a bottle of Carrs 188 solder paint and the other on a jar which once held styrene solvent (I think it was 'Plastic Weld', but it now has a label 'Polyclens' stuck over it!). These have ribbing at a pitch I estimate to be just over 0.71mm, a scale 4¼ inches or thereabouts. The downside is that the lids only have a usable depth of 14mm. I used ordinary kitchen foil and fixed the (individual - wouldn't do that again!) sheets to the (styrene) roof by putting them in place, tacking the edge with cyano and then flooding cyano down the underside of the ridges. The idea behind this was that the set cyano would give some strength and rigidity to the foil. I have a small stone barn-type building to make for Kirkallanmuir and I intend to try roofing it in the same way.

Sorry,Rob. I should have said that you have to hold down the 'Alt' key while you type the numbers. When you release the 'Alt' key the character will come up on the screen. Another way to do it is it add 'Character Map' (in windows accessories) to your taskbar. You can then open this whenever you want a character not on your keyboard (°, ½, ¾ etc.) click on the character you want, click on the 'select' button, then the 'copy' one and then go back to where you were typing, right click and select 'paste'. This might be easier for you. HTH Jim

Is that not going a bit far just to clear a clubroom? Jim

If you are using Windows, Alt+0232 gives you è and Alt+0233 gives you é. Jim

Or put a small industry (dairy or agricultural merchant?) there. The headshunt could also double up as a carriage siding. The more complex track layout means that the siding can be shunted without interfering with passenger arrivals and departures. Jim

Except in the area of the crossing and the knuckle of the wing rails the closure rails should only be attached to the sleepers to which the relevant stock rails are attached. Not to every sleeper. Getting that right on a tandem turnout with interlaced sleepers is a real test of concentration! Jim

There are several listed on P18 of the Yearbook, though some of them are getting a tad out of date now. Jim

I've never used chamfers in any of these situations. Far better to have an accurate means of alignment. The fact that a chamfer will introduce a section which is wide to gauge is likely to cause more problems than it's worth IMHO. Jim

Apologies James et al (who is this Al guy anyway?) When I made the above response I didn't realise that it wouldn't appear until 2 pages later! I should have know, such is the speed with which this thread moves. Probably faster than the trains on the WNR! I must pay more attention when I return from a meeting of our area group. Jim

Now you've got the idea!! :-) The run-off of the stock rails is a bit on the sharp side, but then perhaps that was the way the WNR PW dept. would do things. Jim ( who does not wear woad and did rather like the Claytons as they looked less like a motorised biscuit tin than most of their ilk!)

And I'll bet there are plenty Scots in your neck of the woods! :-) Jim

Can't have green engines stealing all the glory! The general understanding is that it was inspired by a design Buddicombe produced at Crewe for a French company and the drawing somehow found its way to St Rollox (there were strong links between the two works through Alexander Allan in the early days). I believe the Caley were the only British company to employ outside cylinder 0-4-2's with 5' wheels and the horizontal cylinders in line with the wheel centre. They had several such classes and found them useful in colliery and industrial areas where tight curves abounded. One of the later classes were even Westinghouse fitted and one was used as a station pilot at Glasgow Central. Jim

Here's what an 0-4-2 should look like. And in model form (see my avatar for a head on view) Jim

I suspected that's where it was, but haven't had time to check. I'll see Alistair tomorrow and will ask him about the other building. Jim

At first look it would appear to be one of those on the Strathmore line, many of which were to a similar plan and had that V window. I'll look back through the copies of 'The True Line' (the CRA's journal) and see if anything fits. It might be a day or two before I get time to do that. The drawing may have been for a layout we started constructing in the 1970's based on a station on an imaginary line running North West from Dundee, but which never got beyond the bare boards and track stage. Jim

While I'm waiting on the etches for point rodding stools coming I've been making some of the boxes and ramps which the Caley were considerate enough to use to cover over the cranks, compensators, FPL's etc. I've made up the cover over the rods etc. at the front of the box along with the first sections of the rods which will cross under the Down Loop and then run along the 10 foot between that and the Down Main. The ramp in the 4 foot covering these rods means that they can be made in two sections avoiding any risk of touching the rails and causing shorts. The Down Main Home will have to be moved a couple of mm to keep it clear of the box covering the other ends of these rods. This has allowed me to get the signal box finally bedded in and the lamp hut and coal bunker fixed in place. Compare these with the lower photos in post 113. Here endeth the saga of Kirkallanmuir Weighs signal box! Jim (edited to correct post number)

I do indeed! There was a layout at the Perth Show last year - I can't remember the name of it, but it was of a prototype location - which had a backscene done in that style and it struck me as being very effective, setting the scene, without drawing the eye away from the layout. I have a notion to do a similar thing for Kirkallanmuir, though I have to admit to being 'artistically challenged'. In other words my artistic abilities are somewhat less than nil!. Jim

Put 'Character Map' ( in Windows Accessories) onto your taskbar. Then all you have to do to get any character not on your keyboard is open that, find the character you want, click on it and look in the bottom right corner of the dialogue box. This will say 'Keystroke Alt+0xxx'. Note what the 'xxx' is, go to what you're typing, hold down the 'Alt' key and type 0xxx. For example è is 0232 and ½ is 0189. Seemples Igor! Jim (sorry to those who already knew this)

Just had an email reply from Gareth saying that he has been very busy at work, but hopes to deal with orders by the end of the week. Jim

But when did Hollywood, or for that matter journalists, ever let the truth get in the way of a good story! Jim

I 'm getting a bit worried that I'm beginning to lose the plot here. Is this thread about a model railway or the JA appreciation society? Confused of Biggar

Indeed not! He was a good Presbyterian and, as such, equal in status to all his fellow Ministers of Word and Sacrament. I do, however concur with your abhorrence of the American term in a UK context. Jim (One of whose ancestors was a Covenanting martyr)

Andy is correct. When I looked at the photos on my phone something didn't look quite right, but i couldn't put my finger on it. Now that i see them larger on the computer I can see what you've done. The two lower rails coming in from the left (crossing end) should flare out wide of gauge. The switches are then on what would be the continuation of these rails. I hope this photo (which I posted before waaaay back) will make that clear. (My stretcher bar is phosphor/bronze wire, so you can barely see it in the photo.) Having said that, fiddling and fettling is all par for the course and you've come a long way in a short time and conquered one of your demons. Well done! You'll be scratch building loco chassis next !! Jim

I'm in the same boat re. shop 1. I was assuming Gareth was on holiday. If I don't hear anything by tonight I'll email him direct. Jim

An Ell measure can still be seen on the wall of Dunkeld Cathedral. Jim