3 link

 

I have never seen scale size working rodding I suspect you might have problems with rigidity which is a factor of cross sectional area over the length which is therefore affected by the scale factor. Perhaps the answer might be to have a point motor close to the turnout operating the blades and the rodding which could have a free end in the box. With no load on the end of the rodding it might be rigid enough to operate.

 

Don

Hi Don,

I remember a EM layout at an exhibition with working point rodding, I think it was owned by Uckfield Model railway club, over in East Sussex.

Cheers,

Martyn.

Hi Chris,

I take my hat off to you, those C&L stretcher bar brackets and the Ambis versions are far to fiddly for my sausage fingers, so what material are you using for the actual bar? Thin strip of copper paxolin?

Cheers,

Martyn.

Morning, Martyn,

Glad to hear about the mojo, though given the sunshine, it might be more of an outdoor day today, particularly given the forecast for the rest of the week! I’m going to support the Folkestone club at the show in Tenterden tomorrow, but I’ll get some vitamin D today.

Brakes? Yes, if you can see it on the real thing, then it should be there on the model. Preferably aligned with the wheel treads.

Pet hates? Billy Connell’s excellent 3-link and screw couplings fitted to otherwise beautifully built, painted & weathered stock, without being blacked first. Whoever heard of brass coupling hooks on the real thing?!??!

Best

Simon

(Fully paid-up member of the association of Grumpy Old Gits)

Outdoor day, the dogs had already had their 2 mile walk along the beach before I wrote the first post this morning. : )

Martyn.

“brake shoes and rigging fitted”

Pretty fundamental for a brake van...

Best

Simon

Hi Simon,

I agree, but sadly missing from a lot of coaching stock, and rolling stock incorporating bogies, as you can see this is a pet hate of mine.... : )

Hopefully making a return to the workshop this morning, think mojo' s on its way back fingers crossed......

Martyn.

Another new (to me) supplier found this morning, J and M Hughes: https://www.jandmhughesogauge.com

Not come across them before, looking through their price list they seem to make a fair amount of SR stuff. Apparently have applied to attend Telford trade show this year.

Hi Chris me again,

A good friend of mine has recently brought a SR Queen Mary guards van from the above, it was already built and I must say very good quality for the price, even the bogies had brake shoes and rigging fitted which a lot of suppliers still fail to include.

Martyn.

Thanks Martyn. You rate them higher than ABC?

Just as good and possibly cheaper, I fitted one of their larger motors to a 42xx I built, and it's now earning its keep pulling lengthy goods trains around Mr Watermans Leamington Spa, a good endorsement if any.

Martyn.

Hi Chris,

Yes I use them and in my opinion they are the best on the market, I have one of their motor g/boxes waiting to go in my 2251 when I finally get round to it. I use the one they stock that was originally from Ron Chaplin and has helical gearing, so smooth and quiet, also they did and probably still do, give you 10% discount if your a member of the guild.

Martyn.

Hi Chris,

Are you going to use the sprung wire supplied to drive the turnouts, or are you going to beef them up a bit. I had to with the ones in the fiddle yard, I had built these using copper clad sleepers and that might have made the blades a bit more rigid than the C&L built ones.

I have yet to power the C&L turnouts, so I cannot give you any advice on these yet.

Martyn.

Hi Tony,

I have only used Loctite 601 before, I note you have used the 480 do you use this instead of super glue or Araldite?

All the best,

Martyn.

Martyn,

“No”

(Relays have a coil like a solenoid but with a much higher impedance, so they draw very little current when on. This attracts a pole piece which operates the contacts like a switch. So they do have moving parts. You can buy solid state relays which are fancy transistors [sort of] and they don’t have moving parts but are more pricy. Microswitches have a neat spring arrangement which means they operate very suddenly & quickly when pushed far enough which tends to prevent arcing. You can sometimes feel it on ones with a lever)

Best

Simon

Hi Simon,

So the main difference between the relays and the micro switches is that the micro switch is operated though a lever or similar whereas a relay is operated through the voltage sent to the terminals?

Regards,

Martyn.

Cheers Duncan,

They do look interesting, the only off putting thing is it says 2 amp max at the frog, I have a Lenz 5 amp jobbie powering my layout at present. Also it seems to think your using track manufacturing points where mine are C&L , maybe I'm being to critical.....

One positive is Gaugemaster is only a 15 minute drive from home. : )

All the best,

Martyn.

Hmmm, would relays be more reliable than micro switches ? Albeit a grey area to me, I know Chaz chose relays because there are no moving parts, is that right ?

I'll stop now because I feel like I am digging a hole.......

Regards,

Martyn.

I think most of the C&L templates were based on LNER practice, so unless your modelling that region you just take the template as a rough idea of what goes where. I have used those templates without problem and I model the GWR which use 2 bolt chairs.

As for " pricey " kits, well once you get the hang of building these turnouts, have a go at filing the blades and the vees yourself. Then you can knock them out at a very cheap price, I think I worked out I built a tandem for around £12 , so beat that Peco.....

Can't beat handbuilt track.

Martyn.

Love the Moggie Traveller....

Another nice bit of work, Ken.

Between you building stock lightening quick in North Wales, and Steve doing the same with dioramas in South Wales ...

Do you think it’s something in the water?

Best

Simon

Yes, it's called " no full time work ". : )

Hi David,

Always look forward to reading your updates, the cab looks amazing and your work is an incentive to us all.

Regards,

Martyn.

PS, Your magnetic uncoupler is earning its keep, and has come in very handy.

Rod were kept straight to compensator arms wherever possible. Multiple compensators were staggered on the primary longitudinal axis, e.g. http://www.clag.org.uk/pics/rodding/comp02.jpg

 

I don't recall seeing any that were staggered laterally.

Regards,

Martyn.

Hi Brian,

You've beat me to it , I think they were called " Door bangers " and the smaller pieces on the etch are lamp brackets.

Martyn.

My 50W Antex - sounds as if we use the same one - went just at the start of the Christmas holidays a couple of years ago. I'd had my use out of it and replaced it with another as soon as I could. I don't think you can find better for hobby use.

Supposedly " Esra " are the Rolls Royce of soldering irons, but I nearly fell off my chair when I found out how much they cost.....

Martyn.

Hi Guys,

My wife noticed Lidl's have a solder station on offer at the moment for just £9, obviously fairly basic with no digital read out and only a dial to adjust the temp but it does comes with a 3 year guarantee.

Martyn.

Hi Brian,

Must be a bit cold up in the loft at the moment, my layout is in my garage and just a bit to chilly for a Southern softy like me.

I have two radiators waiting to put in, but like most things back in the summer it was not at the front of the queue, how I regret that at the moment.

Martyn.

Everything has ground to a halt. My new Antex TCS 50w iron has failed. Now awaiting a replacement. So frustrating

Hi Ken,

I have alway been an Antex user as the first one finally died after over 20 years of service, so I then brought the latest solder station from them expecting the same sort of longevity. This ( expensive ) one last just two years !! The chap at Antex was very sympathetic and offered a discount but on further investigation I found out they are now being made in China !

So that's the end of that for me as they were originally British made, just thought I'd bring this to your attention.

Regards,

Martyn.

The one little thing that has really impressed me is that they have included a rendition of brake shoes. There are many kits let alone RTR that seem to think it's alright not to include these parts. Maybe I'm being fussy, but they are needed in my opinion.

Martyn.

Sunshine in Wales at this time of year ! Whatever next ; )

Morning Paul,

Touchcab takes some beating, very user friendly.

Martyn.