gismorail

Now that looks like the business and the rail appears to be secure in the chairs, simple, functional with a good prototype appearance. Good old Peco knew they would do the business.

Yes agree with you there some very creative photo indeed can almost smell the mixture of fumes and soot

Managed to get a few of hours in the man cave tonight. and have started to prepare the track bed and have given all the cork under-lay a good sanding to make sure that the surfaces where the track is going to be laid are nice a level and smooth. As the point work is going to be hand built to suit the location I have re-marked the layout of the track diagram. I have started to convert my '00' stock to Kadee's and have decided to install electromagnets in the main uncoupling locations and these will have to be installed before the track is laid so it is important that I know exactly where to sink them into the base board. Looking towards the Mill / main fiddle yard end. (the white blotches on the back scene is some filler on the counter sunk screws which is still await a final sanding down. ) Track layout towards the station / dairy end I have not built custom points before so it's all a bit of a learning curve for me personally. I read all sorts of articles / books/ video's etc and I reckon that the way I'm going to tackle it is to build them in formation directly on the base board so that I get the 'flow' as smooth as possible. I have marked out the pattern of the crossing timbers which will be glued to the cork underlay in readiness of the PW gang when they turn up on site. I have found that a mirror placed at different angles to the track formation is a good way of checking the flow of the rail . This will be extensively used once I start laying rail and it is a bit like a PW foreman putting his 'eye' to rail level to check that it's running true.

Oh dear.......just bring back the exploding bogie wagon ......or the operating mail coach ....it'll be far more fun

or my heart

Well lets get you booked in for the weekend Andy you would be very welcome to get up on the footplate and drive mate , but it will only in the shed limits I'm afraid ......there is a shunting turn on the Brewery too......

Well with all those 'let downs' Andy you seem to do a pretty good job and your work is a excellent in my book. I'm hoping that this cassette system will stand the test of time and serve other layouts in the future. Might well do a rebuild on Northgate shed fiddle yard for it's appearance at Wigan next year. The important thing with the system is that each cassette end has the same alignment at both ends to each base board exit and you might have noticed on the jig I have mark which side of the cassette is towards the front of the layout, as the other end of the cassette is opposite hand as it were

You are quite right about the lack of Fire Bricks and Brake Blocks etc and it's a shame that no one seems to want to produce this type of 'junk' piles as it were. I was aware of the lack of such items when finishing off Chester Northgate shed for the show at Bala and since then I have had an invitation to Wigan next year so I do feel that I need to address the situation.

cause black eyes

I trust that the new and younger model is not going to distract you from the job in hand Jeff.........

Wow what a fix this week .......................think I've overdosed ...... What a shame this layout only home based............ it would be a real show stopper at an exhibition Many thanks for sharing

on the table

Good evening all. Had a excellent day out yesterday at the Wigan Model Railway show and am glad to report that it was up to it's usual high standard both layout and trade wise. Managed to get all the bits and pieces I was after and more that I did'n't expect to purchase......... oh well what the hell can't take it with me Anyway all fired up today and have put in a good shift on Chumley End ..... Very nearly at the track laying stage now but have a few jobs to complete in preparation for the PW department moving in. The main task today has been to sort out the connections of the storage cassettes to the main running line at both ends of the layout. As I mentioned earlier on in this thread I have opted for this type of fiddle yard storage to get the most out of the space available and am hoping that the cassette's once made will do for other layouts in the future. following Nigel Burkin's excellent article in this months 'Hornby Magazine' the base of each cassette is 18mm ply board cut into strips 7cms wide, the length is dependant on the train length of course. Both ends of each cassette and the exit from the main base-boards are fitted with a rectangle of 1.6mm single sided copper clad board and a very thin slither of plastic-card to get the rail height level and this is glued and screwed to the base. To make sure that each track is soldered in the correct position I have made a jig out of plastic-card When soldering track to the copper clad board I placed a straight Peco track-setter in place to make sure that the rails are both straight. After careful measurement to make sure that there is sufficient clearance from the track to avoid fouling the stock 3/32 Brass tube is soldered to both sides of the copper clad end plates with brass rods in place whilst this is done to make sure all line up correctly The cassette now simply unplugs from the main base-board with the brass rods giving a reliable electrical connection therefore eliminating any need for any wiring on the fiddle yard boards. It is my intention that the brass locating rods will remain on the main base board end for easy of operation. Further work on the cassettes will require ply board sides being fitted and a gate system to make sure that stock is safe when moving around the fiddle yard but this will be done at a later date. Well that's where I am up to for now and I hope that this cassette system will inspire others to give it a go, it's a very simple system which I'm sure will give reliable operation. If you want further information Nigel Burkin's full article is in Issue 112 October 2016 Hornby Magazine

you can't get away with anything on here Andy ........though I think you know that

hooray henry what !!!!

one long pong

Excellent viewing Andy do enjoy you video entertainment gives me inspiration

no..... take away

Like John cleese

that a locomotive ???

I personally smell a rat regarding the whole Allardyce farce. There must have been something going on for the Telegraph to even consider setting this whole interview up in the first place. i think it's a great shame as I honestly believed we had a good manager in place at last. so who's the next victim ?????????????

on a Wednesday

Many thanks John I used to live between Helsby and Dunham on the Hill had a farm on the right hand side used to produce poultry and eggs. I can remember the UKF and Stanlow oil trains on the branch to Mouldsworth Class 25 sometimes in pairs Class 47 etc. Found a picture of a J10 on the turn table at Helsby and Alvanley station the other day it's in my phone a present will send it to you when i download it . hop[e you enjoy the thread Many thanks

Thanks for your kind comments but no more shed extensions as it would fall into building regulations .......and i've got enough buildings to make for the layout