Philou

This is a really interesting topic - love it! I am a fan of trolleybuses as I lived in Cardiff until my thirties and the system was in use until January 1971 - can you believe already 50 years ago! Insofar as Cardiff trams were concerned (gone before I was born) most had reversers at their terminals (I don't know if the frog was operated by the conductor or sprung) whereby the tram would reverse and the pole would follow a diverging route pass a sprung point and the tram continuing in reverse would then draw the pole forward and through the now correctly returned frog. The tram and pole would then continue in the 'right' direction. Insofar as I can tell, at junctions the frog was operated by the tram itself. The tram would take a diverging route through the pointwork with the pole continuing a short distance along the straight ahead line. The pole now at an angle to the tram would arrive at the frog that had a lever hanging down with which the pole would push and operate the frog. I think there was only one balloon terminus for trams at Roath Park. On the other hand, all the trolleybus routes had balloon terminii (though a few reversers were provided until the routes arrived at their definitive ends) save one route at the Docks terminus in Bute Street (Tiger Bay) (Route 16 originally became Route 14). It was always a reverser until the abandonment of the route. There is a film of it in use on Youtube. Oh, it was also the only single decker trolleybus route in Cardiff (possibly the only one in the UK?). I was intrigued that the reverser existed as it ran parallel to the balloon terminus of the Nos 6 and 9 routes. It was the same electricky as the routes reconnected at the Monument terminus at a standard balloon terminus! I have a question relating to both tram and trolleybus overhead: How were the bronze hangers that were attached to the span wire (similar to those shown in the photo above) insulated? The blade holding the contact wire was fixed inside but if there was no insulation there would have been a direct short between live and neutral in the case of the trolleybus system as there was no other form of external insulation on the span wire prior to its attachment to the traction pole - but what at the actual interface between the contact wire hanger (?) and the span wire itself? In response to the OP's original question, that I took to mean tram - tram overhead, I have never seen pantograph and trolley pole using the same contact wire. What I did see in Montreux (possibly Vevey) was a trolley bus (pole) - tram (pantograph) contact wire along the same route. In this instance though the two were interlaced over a short distance BUT the trolley pole was deliberately dewired by a built-in deformation of the trolley-bus overhead (the pole being attached to an auto-rewinder) so the the pole never came into contact with the tram overhead. IIRC, it was to allow the tram to pass at a pre-determined point on the route. Once passed, the conductor had to reconnect the trolley pole to its contact wire. Didn't have a camera and as I was driving I couldn't stop and take in any other details. Cheers, Philip

@The Stationmaster He is a one-man-band and doesn't seem to take much time off - beside which 'round these 'ere parts there are no 'proper' restaurants - can't say rough'n'ready as it's not a fair description, but the villages are so small there just isn't a large enough clientele to be open everyday, some do well at lunchtime - mainly pizza type - and others do better in the evening - but they're not open every day, or evening. Most people go home for lunch - hence the two hour closing time at midday. Out here in the sticks, shops tend to open early in the morning and close later in the evening than in the UK and so they make up their hours by having a longer lunch. I can't speak for larger towns as it seems more hit and miss. It would seem that the smaller the shop the more likely it will be closed over lunch. Don't forget that in the UK a lot of shops did shut at 1pm 'til 2pm and then there was half-day closing on Wednesday. Cheers, Philip

My local builder's yard is very good - usually always there even during lunch (other than on collection/delivery and there is always someone on duty) and he will deliver for a small fee (about €20) which suits me as the last load was over 1T and in 6.0m lengths. He allows me credit provided I settle at the end of the month - good again as my pension is paid into my UK bank a couple of days before and as UK/France transfers normally take no more than 1hr (weekends excepted) I can pay him before the end of month. @ikks If I laid my stuff out on the floor, I'm sure Mrs Philou would soon have it off the floor - and me! Cheers, Philip

No flooring this side of the weekend - maybe I'll have news on Monday. The two old beams are still waiting to be removed - we need to be mob-handed due to the weight of them. I certainly couldn't do it on my own as I can just see me being lifted in the air on the end of the rope ....................... ! Wood collected and cut and all the kit was back indoors by 3pm. Have a good weekend one and all, Philip

Hello chums, Altogether a better morning. All the posts are up (even on the recast pad) and secured. I'm at a loose end . Tomorrow will be a change of plan - unload the trailer, take it and the large circular saw out of the barn, reload the trailer and down to the tip - err - recycling centre. They're very good as they recycle just about everything - household waste excepted. Then return to where my logs are stocked, fill up the trailer, back to the barn, unload and pile, go get another load and if time permits start cutting - which will save time as I can off-load direct into the log-cutter. However, whatever I do, I shall have to be quick (me?) so that I can re-park the trailer and the saw in the barn before nightfall - trailers and big machinery tend to disappear (not from our village, but I shan't want to be the first). Maybe my flooring will arrive too by Saturday. If not, there are the two big beams to take down anyway. Or of course, I could carry on with my WIP plans Cheers everyone, Philip

@JeffP I know what you mean! My neighbour has a wonderful set of wood machining tools dated from the inter-war period - all made from cast-iron and originally belt-driven. He's converted them with 3-phase motors. One of them is a huge planer that he used on my Elm planks to square them up when I rebuilt a staircase in the house. He also has a modern Swiss-made machine that seems to be able to do just about anything - circular saw for panels, routers, planing etc. The only problem is that his workshop is so crammed full of machines and 'things', that if you need to work on anything longer than 2.0m - you can't! My barn looks uncluttered in comparison! I'm hoping that I shall be able to sweet talk him in cutting some plywood panels to size for the layout. Onto today's foray: Harrumph!! I only managed to shatter one of the concrete pads that I cast the other day. Problem was two-fold - The one post I cut was a tight fit so tight that it became bash-fit and that's when it crumbled to dust and of course, the concrete hadn't gone off enough. Undeterred, I removed the post, trimmed off about 2.0mm (which I should have done in the first instance) and used it for the second post. It went in reasonably well, just a light tappity-tap and it was in and then secured. I recast the pad and I shall just have to be patient. Tomorrow I have two othes to do - but the pads for those I cast some time ago. Looking on the bright side of life - tee dum tee dum etc., I completed all my noggins and 'fingers' - stabilisers I suppose - just after lunch and I now have one complete sub-floor . Here are a few photos: As my flooring hasn't arrived yet, it looks as if I'm going to have to go Friday and do some log gathering and cutting as I haven't brought in any winter supplies yet. The weekend will be reserved for the removal of at least two of the big beams the are obstructing my stair-well. Cheers everyone and take care out there, Philip

Bit of a slow day - I just couldn't get started properly this morning. It was shimmying up and down the ladder all day yesterday wot probably dunnit - honest. Any way, once underway, I attacked the 'fingers' and some more of the noggings. If I do as much as I did today and hopefully more awake, it will be done by tomorrow afternoon. Then onto the posts - I expect the whole lot to be done by Thursday pm. On the weekend, I hope to tackle the stairwell by taking down the two original beams that are in the way. I have a staircase lurking in the barn. It came from a neighbour's house who was chucking it out, it was fairly modern, for something even more modern! The downside, it's only 80cm wide and if I have club members over, I should have preferred 1.0m (the French equivalent of Building Regs require it). One thing though, until I heave the staircase out of its hiding place, I won't know if it fits! Maybe some photos tomorrow showing the works to date. Cheers, Philip

Given the after-effects of Covid, I've got used to paying with 'no contact' which I prefer. I understand though the terminals are not free AND you have to have a wi-fi connection that is not always available so credit/debit cards may just not be a viable option especially for smaller exhibitions/clubs. Our forthcoming show is free as we have the Parish Hall for free (otherwise it's €600 if we charge) and we probably wouldn't have enough footfall to cover the cost otherwise. We shall have a box for donations at the exit - no coshes or lock-in - if the public want to. We shall make some money on food and soft drinks (definitely cash only). Cheers, Philip Edit: Sorry, I missed the bit where @Kris already mentioned wi-fi.

I'm in the process of doing 'that' layout as I type this. Started three weeks ago and I'm at the stage of putting noggings in between the new joists of the railway room - it's 3m up in our barn. Arrival of flooring materials is awaited as there seems to be a shortage over here. My plan is fairly big - 7.80m x 6.30m (26' x 21') approximately and has been in gestation for about 4 years. However, the grand plan was formed over 40 (yes - 40!) years and I've had to wait. Really, I've waited too long but it's under way. As @Phil Bullock has said it'll be down to what you want to run that may dictate specific details of your layout. Just because I can, I'm having two prototypical stations, one still exists and has quite short platforms, so short that when HSTs stopped there, the last three coaches were not in station. The other was demolished (probably at the time of Dr B) but had longer platforms that can just accommodate the equivalent of a HST. I shall be having a branch - well two branches that connect at one branchline station - this is my Rule 1 as the branches from the two stations could never have joined up geographically, though the two stations did. What am I going to run? The stock I've collected over the years has been eclectic - again 'just because' - but over the last few years I've become more focussed (but have been known to get side tracked all too easily) and I'm really concentrating on the North - West line and Welsh Marches area but over a long time span - 1922 onwards (thought some stock pre-dates that too). I happen to really like modern block train workings (not for everybody). As they're freight they shan't be stopping at my stations so no need for long sidings BUT BUT the fiddle yard will be 4.0m long to accommodate the freights (and even then I think it may be tight). Over ambitious? I won't know until it's time to lay the track - I have half of it stock. There is enough to lay at least one continuous circuit right away. I think it's important as it'll be something tangible - something to show - something to allow that stock to stretch its legs after all this time. As for managing the construction of the boards, I'm not having any duck-unders and my access is from below so no doors in the wall. Even though I have no intention of taking the layout to exhibitions (too big and probably not of a high enough standard) it will be modular for ease of access if and when things go wrong (I'm looking at you point motors). Additionally, if and when I pop off, there won't be any need to tear it to bits to take it away! And what led to the design? Just happened to live in the town with the short platformed station and it was geologically interesting and the other I chanced on an old black and white Edwardian photo with two express trains in station and a very busy yard with a mixed branch line train waiting for the right of way. I thought it would make a jolly good model and away it went. I will say that the RMWeb collective were very good (and kind) when I showed the plan, which after a few tweaks and ideas became the final Magnum Opera - Dymented!! Yay Don't wait too long - do it! Cheers, Philip

Not much to report today and definitely no photos! Just been noggin' away. I've broken the back of it and no more going up to the top of the ladder as tomorrow's work is accessible without much need of the ladder. My fears that the pieces that I pre-cut were too short were mostly unfounded. I did have to cut two new ones though, the rest went in fine. I think the problem came about as the ladder was resting at the mid-point of the beams causing them to bow and hence the larger dimension - doh! After that, it'll be adding 'fingers' to the free end of the joists so they touch the house wall - should there be any movement in the wall-plate or the big beam. Then it'll be the remaining posts - I struck the bits of formwork today but as the concrete is still 'green', it'll need to dry out some more. Cheers, Philip

@The Johnster I like your take 'impressionist' in dealing with the area around Glyncorrwg (was part of my 'patch' when I worked for Mid-Glam. County Council). Chimer of this parish, did also remind me that at the end of the day the difference in height at Ledbury station and the hills beyond is only of the order of 200' which is approximately 800mm above my proposed track level - so not too high as to worry about compression as I have the space and height to go full-scale. I shan't be doing Ledbury tunnel full length, mind. I lived in Ledbury for about 4 years and quite liked the town. I caught the HST (full length) from there to go to London a few times (dep. approx 6.30am arr. 8.50am or so). Return journey was always interesting as the platform was about three coaches short - so getting aboard at Paddington, you had to remember to board towards the country end! It's partially why I decided to base my layout on Ledbury as I can model the station at a prototypical length and yet run a full length HST! Win win all-round I say. Pontrilas, my other station, of course no longer exists, so in my world it has remained and co-exists with Ledbury. As the station platform there was longer it is conceivable that HSTs could have called there, but I don't think they have ever travelled over the North-West on revenue earning service - or have they? Where or how am I going to operate the layout. The straight answer is that I don't really know. I envisage that the layout will be in four distinct districts - Ledbury, Pontrilas, 'Dymented' and the fiddle yard. I shall probably be sat down and I have set the layout height at 900mm above floor level - which happens to just about coincide with the true scale height of the stations above sea-level (my floor being 'sea level') - clever, eh? I AM going DCC and the club is setting up their new layout to be DC and DCC. For the DCC side of things they are incorporating a lot of RJ11 plugs so you can unplug your controller and set yourself up any where - hot desking I suppose! (I shall NOT be walking around with a controller other than for trouble shooting (faulty pointwork or some other problem)). If I do the same, it means that I can control the whole thing from one or any spot and if some club members (or RMWebbers of course - you're all most welcome Vin Jaune and Comté cheese will be available - yum) come my way, then we can simulate four 'signal boxes' and operate the layout as if it was the real thing. (On my own, I'll be happy to do roundy-roundy or have a shunting session in one of the three station yards). Oh, and because Ledbury tunnel is single track, there is absolutely no option of having two trains let loose on the main to just go round and round in opposite directions - they will need to be driven! In my OMO mode, trains that start at Ledbury will be passing through Pontrilas only and vicky-verker. However, trains at Dymented will go to Ledbury OR Pontrilas as neither of the branches could ever have been connected (Ledbury and Pontrilas are connected geographically but there were very few trains that linked the two directly. Mike, The Stationmaster, did kindly show me an extract of a WTT that did list the one train. Cheers everyone and here's hoping I get those noggins done by end of play tomorrow. Philip PS: I called in to my builders' merchant on Saturday and he was mildly optimistic that I could have my flooring by the weekend

Interesting to see the torpedo wagon in shot too. Cheers, Philip

Noggin the Nog here! The rain held off until about 3pm which gave me plenty of time to make up a small amount of concrete for my two pads and to erect, level and secure a post for the main beam. I wanted to get this one in as it is under the join of the stairwell joists and the beam. That's done. The noggins could be a long job as the measurements at the centres and the ends do not tally. Whilst it's 'only' 10mm, I should have preferred an interference fit rather than a sloppy fit. However, I found that the extra-long screws did take up some of the slack - so fingers crossed that what I have pre-cut will all be used up - luckily I only cut about half of what is required (and I did measure many times and cut once). Some photos of today's work: and some noggins Cheers everybody and enjoy the rest of your Sunday, Philip

Not a lot to report today as the morning was taken up with chimney sweeping. I did get to the timber that I had set aside to use as posts so they're now accessible. Do you remember the photo near the top of this page with the delivery of wood? Well, same place today and but a pile of noggins ready to be put in place tomorrow: Unfortunately, I am a very messy worker. It'll all come good in the end. Apparently we're not having heavy rain until the afternoon tomorrow, so two concrete pads to be made for the stairwell posts in the morning. Whilst that is going off, I can secure one post, for which the pad was made up a fortnight ago, and then onto the noggins. I did say quick and dirty earlier, hmmm, I think not as it'll be off the ladder most of the time and I'm using 160mm screws so it'll take a little while. Cheers everyone, Philip

Hello chaps and chapesses, I couldn't post up yesterday nor this morning due to the server problem. I've just come in off the ladder and the stair-well opening and the missing joists are all now in place, fixed and secured. Tomorrow morning it'll be chimney sweeping time as a period of cool and damp weather has been forecast for Sunday, so I want to be ready to light up. In the afternoon, it's going to be making up a bit of concrete for two pads for the stair-well posts and hunting them down as I have some in stock. I have located them - they're under a pile of lengths of decking that are behind my two grandsons' layouts that are behind a trailer that is half-full that I can't shift as it's on a slope and stuck behind a HUUUGE log cutting saw, which is itself trapped by one of the layouts - see where we're going? (Just a bit of exaggerated drama !). Here's the last couple of days work: The space for stair-well on Wednesday evening after securing the joists to themselves and their hangers. It took ages for me to decide how to set things out as the wall-plate is not straight as it follows the line of the wall and the wall is not parallel to the beam opposite: By yesterday evening the opening was formed and the in-fill joists put in place and fixed. My neighbour who happened to be passing by gave a hand to drop the longer pieces in place as it was a tad awkward off the ladder: Today's job was to pull out the rest of my long lengths of timber and cut them into lengths just shy of 4.0m and put the remaining joist hangers in place. As the timber had had some time to dry out, I had to reject one as it had twisted badly. It'll be cut into noggings. I was able to manhandle the joists on my own. They too are now fixed in place: Cheers, Philip

Shirley the simple answer would be that the prices are marked with 'ex. Sales Tax'. It would be clearer to the rest of the world - no? Over here its 'hors tax' or 'TTC' (Tout Taxes Comprises - including all taxes). Cheers, Philip

@JeffP and @The Stationmaster - it is simple PSE as the equivalent in T&G was twice the price (€1500) and at least a month before delivery. Add to that the fortnight to allow the wood to acclimatise to the room, I considered that I would take a chance on any curly-wurly and short-circuit the wait. The secret is to store it flat and then lay it such that the curve of the grain is uppermost, thus if it does curl it'll form a hog across its width rather than a sag with raised edges. It'll be screwed at each edge and in the centre at every joist and reduce any curling to a minimum. Today's job has been done using sash-cramps to straighten and tighten the joists before screwing together with 100mm screws. There was a bit of wibbly-wobbly horizontally along their lengths but that's now gone. Here's a photo and it's about as exciting as it gets: Tomorrow's adventure will be forming the timber-work for the stair-well and checking what is now up is similar to the computer drawing (like heck it will!). At least I haven't cut any lengths yet! Cheers everyone and thanks for your encouragement, Philip

Just a 'phone call from my local builder's merchant saying that the wood floor I'd ordered this morning has gone up 31% and with a delay of 1 month and 15 days acclimatisation within the barn makes it a) too expensive and brings it within the price of OSB (€1500) and b) too long as I need flooring NAOH (as they say on t'intertubes). I've gone for planking squared and planed finished size 25 x 250mm untreated. I have the necessary wood treatment here. Price has dropped to about €900 for my 52m² and with a delay of about 15 days. I shall live with the shrinkage (if any) and tighten it up if required. At least the delay has been reduced! Right! Orf to screw the joists together. Cheers, Philip

In laying out a new floor (thread elsewhere), I had to move a box last week and found a crateful of assorted Airfix and Trix wagons that I too had forgotten. Dunno how they got there as I thought I had catalogued everything I had in the Spring - French equivalent of the Borrowers had probably stashed them away. Cheers, Philip

Thanks to all following this - especially the rounds of applause - it really is appreciated! Today's final offering isn't much but it all takes time. I secured all the ends of the joists into the hangers and into the cleats. Tomorrow I will be using sash-cramps where needed to ensure the joists are parallel to each other before I screw them tight. It'll be all off a ladder at their mid-points. I doubt if there will be much to show by way of photos. I shall nonetheless press on and I shall order my flooring (I didn't think I'd be this far ahead) and tackle the stairwell opening and once set out, the missing three joists will be put in place. These I shall do easily as they will only be about 3.5m long and therefore relatively light. After that will be noggings to put in-between the joists. This ought to be a quick and dirty job as the spaces between the joists should be identical. Just a question of cutting all the same lengths out of all the off-cuts and left-over lengths that I have. Job would have been a good'un with my chop-saw but it became a Norwegian Blue a fortnight ago - so cut by hand it will be. Cheers, Philip PS: My brother heads back to Blighty tomorrow - I shall miss his help. He's aware of the fuel shortages and will fill up before getting the ferry.

Yesterday was a very fruitful day - all bar two of the joists were grunted and slid into place with the last ones this morning - all thanks to my brother and his help. To be done tomorrow is final fixing of the the joists into their hangers, putting the cleats into place and strapping down the main beam. I'll need to use some sash cramps to ensure the beams are level with each other before final screwing together: Cheers, Philip

Taking up 0 gauge sounds the better option . Joking aside, there have been a couple of threads regarding quartering (I believe touched upon on Tony Wright's thread as well). The last time I had a go, I used Romfords that came with the square axle ends that automatically quartered the wheels. I expect someone will be along with help. Best of luck, Philip

I nearly gave up after my last message as I'd manoeuvred myself into a corner and the joist was just too heavy to get into a convenient position - besides which I couldn't remember how I had done the very first one. After lunch, a completely different approach ensued and just sheer grunt and a cord (no pulley) I slid one of them into position using the old beams as a slide, heave-hoed it into the hanger and then fasten it to the cleat at the free end. The second one followed - much heavier than the first - that too into the hanger, and a quick tappity-tap on the end with my lump hammer to drive into the hanger. Second cleat screwed into place and fixed to the joist and the joist secured to the hanger. The joists themselves I also screwed together so I now have one 100 x 220mm x 6.2m joist in place and all was level. It 'only' took 2 hours to do that. If I can do two pairs tomorrow it'll look good for the end of the week. Here it is in position: Cheers, Philip

@The Black Prince Scell-It is what my local wood-yard has in stock and as he does me a good price for being a loyal customer, I buy what he has. He does also Simpson Tie, but can't get wall-plate straps (restraining straps) as it seems to be a UK thing - just as well my bruv (he of Lord and Butler) was coming over as he was able to get a box of 10. It means that my main beam can be safely strapped and not go anywhere! Here are the new joists delivered and stocked. They were heavy! Just as well my neighbour saw me struggling and he helped me get them in, as we had thunder and lightning which was very very frightening (wasn't really) and heavy rain later that evening: Fun and games will commence in lifting them up in place (once squared-up). I have a pulley so once one end is up resting against the new beam I can pulley up the other end, hook it onto the scaffolding and then manhandle it into the joist hanger - rinse and repeat 23 times! End of the week? Maybe not given the weight. Off to play now and have a trial run. Cheers, Philip

@Andy Hayter Well! Quelle surprise! My joists will be delivered in about an hour (as I write this). Trouble is Mrs Philou is very concerned that if I leave all 24 outside this afternoon they may not be there when we return later this evening - besides it's forecast very heavy rain tonight. Looks as if I may have to forego club this afternoon and hump my joists under cover . If all goes well, I may have the makings of a new sub-floor in place by the end of the week - yay ! Flooring to follow and that will be another kettle of fish. Cheers, Philip