unravelled

Another album, recording trip on the Thame brancch organised by Oxford University railway Society. I think the date was 20 November 1965. OURS Thame branch special by David Harvey, on Flickr On the platform there are concrete sleepers which were later used to replace the down line through th station. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unravelled/albums/72157690327022742 Dave

Here it is, I had uploaded the files before I remembered that there was a bigger file limit. If this doesn't work I'll PM you the file. Dave

Interesting, what school? I went on a similar OURS trip, but post demolition. To avoid going further off topic I'll post a Flickr album of it soon. Incidentally, one of my picture of the concrete sleepers dumped on the platform ready for laying is on my Wylde thread. Dave

I've got some photos taken at Thame, just after the overall roof was demolished, and it looked as if it was about to be relayed with second hand concrete sleepers. This photo (while it lasts) shows the station after the relaying. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thame-Railway-Station-Photo-Bledlow-Tiddington-Princes-Risborough-Line-7-/251714428244 Dave

I came across these diagrams and notes in "Modern Railway working" dated about 1912. There are a few more pages of description which I could scan if they would be useful. I hope the detailed drawing could be used to fill out convincing details in the diagrams. Dave

Perhaps plasticard is too generic a name. I was referring to polystyrene sheet and HIPS, both of which a quick search suggest are sold as OK for lasercutting, (though they don't easily produce good results). I wouldn't consider cutting PVC which does give off chlorine/hydrochloric acid. If this is being sold as "plastic card" it's introducing a dangerous confusion. Dave

Could the goods shed roof have slates from two different sources. The diagonal effect could fit with a change of colour after the first section had been laid. Dave

I've cut plasticard on my laser cutter, but it doesn't cut very well, and there's a lot of melting and distortion. This can be reduced by fiddling with cutting speed and power, but I've never been able to do it as well as I wanted. I hadn't thought that it was particularly toxic, unlike PVC which is a definite no. The material often mentioned, and used by commercial cutters is Rowmark. Unfortunately I've never found a suitable supplier for small quantities. Rowmark doesn't appear to glue well with the gentler solvents, needing something quite aggressive. Btw for glazing I've sometimes used 0.5mm acrylic, which cuts well and is nice and rigid, if a bit brittle. Dave

I think this is a bit further west, and significantly older than the building you are after, but it was taken in Tooley St in 1978. This building might be no 51, as looking at the more recent large scale maps at NLS, there are 2 TCBs marked, which I assume are telephone call boxes hth Dave

A couple of observations on looking again at the pictures. The height appears to have been set quite precisely, with the floor cut round the uprights of the stops. Also there appears to be a raised edge along the wall side, the same height as the wooden beam of the stops. Dave

Is there a signal box just off to the left, I can see some steps? If so perhaps a convenient place to drop off supplies quickly, without having to get them to ground level. Dave

I think it's a combination of airsmoothing not being optimised for reverse running, and the wind direction. The down service showed a lot of billowing steam too. Churchill funeral train by David Harvey, on Flickr Churchill funeral train by David Harvey, on Flickr Dave

Handborough area it is.I remember it was a cold wait for the return working, but I stayed to see Winston Churchill following light engine. It's somewhere behind this cloud of steam. 2-18-2008_004 by David Harvey, on Flickr I had cycled out from Oxford after seeing the start of the journey on TV. Thanks Dave

It seems to be a slight crop from one of my photos... Dave

One of the factors which made me abandon the loft was that of noise. If bedrooms are immediately below any activity is likely to be heard, so restricting times when I could work and play there. thanks Dave

I saw the BUT other scales , and thought they might make a nice G1 project and could be bought in instalments. I'm happy with the idea of 1/32 for any Gauge 1 I buy now, but I guess the good thing about 3d is that you can offer both. Thanks Dave

Ooh, that G1 parcels railcar looks tempting. Have you considered the AEC/BUT vehicles in G1? Are the later 4 wheel railcars too recent for you to consider, as they would make an interesting gauge 1 vehicle. Thanks Dave

Almost exactly what I was in the middle of typing, only better put... Thanks Dave

If you have a local freecycle (or similar), group, it might be worth putting a few lots on there. It will at least save them from the dump. I've got rid of some magazines that way in the past. Dave

Good news for me, as my plans need a single slip. All I need now is a short crossing... Dave

I think "Shackles away Samuel" was a regular line from "It's a square world", followed by a clip of a lifeboat launch, (Swanage I think). A great shame that almost no recordings survive. Btw, "the reluctant jester", Michael Bentine's life story, is currently on radio 4 extra./iplayer Well worth a listen. Dave

After the end of steam at Oxford shed, almost the only steam seen passing was on the York Bournmouth and Bournemouth York services. The pattern seemed to be two sets of coaches, alternating on the north and south bound services. Locos also alternated, a Bulleid or standard heading north one day, and back the next, balanced usually by a black 5 in the other direction. One onre occasion when I was on the station, the York Bournmouth tutned up hauled by a 9F. A qiuick decision saw me paying excess fare to Reading West. Sometime mid 1966, 34023 and 44942 at Walton Well Road bridge. Many years later I had an couple of interesting cross country runs travelling back to London from the NEC. Among other places these called at Oxford and Reading before turning north off the main line after Acton. After a crawl through what appeared to be some very rusty and overgrown sidings, I was able to change at Kensington Olympia. I'm not sure where these services wer destined for. Cheers Dave

Thanks you for the quick response Martin. Part of my idea was to allow me to tinker with cad files, which I find relaxing, rather than struggling with accurate cutting and drilling, which I don't. My hope was that once soldered up, the assembly would be strong enough to lay, without the sleepers falling off. Perhaps superglue applied after soldering might help, or a copper bus soldered under each sleeper. The waste of ply isn't a problem for a one off short crossing, which might be all I need, and I can always cut a second set of sleepers in the gaps, as long as I need two the same... I think my next step will be to demonstrate to myself that this won't work, with some test pieces using available materials. Incidentally, what is the approximate head size of the "Brook Smith" rivets? One of the things that the veropin method has for me is the small head size. Thanks again Dave

In spite of the efforts of Peco, I am still considering building some elements of my trackwork. This will be 00 bullhead. The trackplan is not absoulutely final, but I will need a short crossing, which I see as lower in the production schedule than the long crossing or slips. I first learned of the veropin idea in a mention on the inspirational Eastwood Town thread. It has more recently been mentioned in the Peco points and Pleye Wood threads. As I have some ideas of my own to try, I though it best to start a new thread. I did buy a C&L kit a couple of years ago, and had a play with it, but didn't get too far. The first issue I came up against, (thanks to RMweb), was that of standards, in that the track produced wouldn't suit my stock. I have since collected some 00SF gauges to use in the build. I want to use familiar tools and processes to make the job easier, not having to learn too many new skills at one time.My plan is to start with a cad sleeper layout drawing, and laser cut it, producing sleepers and a jig at the same time. Holes for the pins will be cut at the same time. I know this will be wasteful, but it should keep things simple. Also I am not anticipating making too many crossings, unless I get hooked on the process... There are some areas I need help on, and I would be grateful for your ideas. The first one is sleeper material. I am considering mdf or ply. A second is about the pins. It seems that there are various qualities about. Are genuine veropins the best for this job? The final question is something which takes me well outside my comfort zone. Is Templot the killer app which will produce dxf files which I can tinker with and then cut from? I know there is the templot forum to go to later, but my quick question is whether it will enable hole locations to be plotted relatively easily. I guess as long as it exports rail and sleeper centrelines, I can draw in the holes to the size I need. After I learn basic Templot, that is. Thanks Dave

Another thank you for this inspirational thread, I'll be sorry to see it go. As a regular reader, but not follower, I've always looked forward to seeing progress. I hope the modelling, and golf, go well. All the best Dave