Skinnylinny

The tracklaying has had to take a back seat this week. Very much a back seat, about 95 miles! I've been resting up with my partner in Oban. The weather was traditional for the Scottish highlands, so most of the time was spent indoors, but I did manage a little CAD work to pass the time. I've started on an LCDR high open (4 plank). Not masses to show yet, most of the bodyside and solebar detail is complete, but nothing on the outside-framed ends or under the solebars yet. Yet another reason to clean off the printer and have another crack at printing. I've been having several failures lately, but I'm going to try a couple of tricks I've picked up from the internet (as well as re-levelling the print bed, I'm going to try reducing the lift speed and see if that helps) to see how things go. In the meantime, a rather pretty sunset, on the one day we have been able to see it!

Spotted on the Hardy's Hobbies website: https://hardyshobbies.co.uk/shop/partners/rapido/rapido-trains-hunslet-16in-0-6-0st-plain-versions/ They appear to be offering unlined, unlettered versions, subject to meeting minimum pre-order numbers in each livery. Plus, each one will come with a driver and fireman figure from the Hardy's range. An easier answer to those wanting their own liveries without having to remove various printed-on details?

I've played around with that idea before, and I liked the effect. I found it had the effect of pushing vehicles slightly apart, which kept the couplings taut. This has the advantage of the screw-coupled trains moving (mostly) as one unit, rather than picking up each vehicle in turn as with a loose-coupled train, although I'll have to see what effect it has on propelling! I think I still have the magnets and elastic kicking about somewhere, I shall have to have a rummage...

Which is precisely why my little 0-6-0t on the Electrotren chassis doesn't particularly like Peco Code 75 flatbottom points, as I discovered when I tried to use it to shunt South Park Quarry - it lifts itself up on its deep flanges, and cuts off its own power! The infill seems marginally shallower on the bullhead Peco points, so it glides across nicely. When someone comes up with a NEM compatible coupling that allows hands-free uncoupling and coupling, looks better than a tension lock, and still provides some buffing (as I don't trust scale buffers with the amount of slop between 00 wheels and track!) then I'll think about it. Oh, and I don't want to have to build dozens and dozens of couplings by hand, either! I do use scale couplings within fixed rakes (eg: fixed carriage sets), although I have tension locks at the ends. Loose vehicles such as luggage vans have tension locks at either end for now. Each carriage rake is exhaustively tested over the station throat, even though they're unlikely to be propelled, just in case. I really must do something about those uncoupled brake pipes though!

Indeed, and unless I standardise on one wheel standard, not much that can be done about that!

I did consider it, but the bloke at C&L said I'd be better matching the other ready to lay trackwork, rather than mixing and matching standards. I do still have some stock with coarser wheels, some of which don't take kindly to having their back-to-backs adjusted.

Thanks all for the advice. I managed to get a closer photo of the common crossing. From inspection, the bump is definitely the wheel tread dropping into the flange way. I've triple checked and the check rail is laid to gauge, and the running rail is straight and true horizontally and vertically. I could get away with a bit more tidying of the point of the crossing though... As has been said, the plan is to only have to build this once, so none of the rails are permanently fixed in place yet,with the exception of the check rail.

But I'm building this one to Peco geometry! Trackwork is interesting, and I'd love to have the space for longer, gentler point-and-crossing work, but... I've plenty more to do on the layout too - I'm already scratchbuilding signalling and various rolling stock. Besides, if I let the desire for more accurate pointwork bother me any more, I'd start heading down the EM or P4 route... And I'm not ready to give up my tension locks and RTR-chassis-bashes yet!

Fair comment! Although "Six-common-crossing polarity switcher" doesn't have the same vaguely magical sound to it as "Hex Frog Juicer"!

I have to admit, I'm rather hoping this will be my only piece of handbuilt track for the layout! (With the possible exception of a (probably cosmetic) trap point...)

Do you mean on the furthest left stock rail in the photo? I was torn between using a single bent piece, or two separate pieces, as I found when bending the check rail that it was very hard to keep the bend "straight" such that one section wasn't at an angle when the other section is vertical. Not such a problem on a check rail, but more of a concern for a running rail. Incidentally, that joint is not yet supported at all, which I hope explains the step and misalignment! The upper rail in the photo is only held in place by three chairs beyond the frog.

Well, the first frog of the slip works in one direction! There's a bit of a bump if pushing down on the wagon, but I suspect that's due to a combination of the sharp angle and overscale check gauge. The bump is only there on my Gibson-wheeled wagons - a stock Hornby wagon rolls over smoothly. One frog down, three more (and four blades) to go!

The LNWR arms are corrugated along their length, rather than the smooth front of the LSWR ones, and the spectacles are very large for LSWR ones. The correct spectacles are those at part no. 10 on this image: https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/signals/s0011/ The LNWR are more akin to no. 11, or even larger The GWR ones have smooth arms, but the spectacle is a different shape (where the glasses meet isn't a straight line on the GW ones, as they are curved all around) they also have a cutout at the top where the spectacle meets the arm, which isn't present on the LSWR arms.

Not when it comes to lower quadrants as far as I know, but they do offer lattice post Southern-style upper quadrants in two heights - I don't believe they've done any brackets yet though. They ought to do to for representing an ex-LSWR post retrofitted with an SR upper quadrant arm. The Ratio kits are the rail-built post type - if you want lattice posts (the LSWR were very fond of lattice posts) you'll need the LNER kit, which is upper quadrant again! The correct pattern of arms and finials can be got from Model Signal Engineering.

They do indeed, Annie - The arms are nice and clean but the posts and spectacles could definitely do with a lick of paint! Even so, it was lovely to see the old LSWR signals still doing what they were built for so many years later.

It was definitely a little spirited, especially when starting away smartly. Something of a waddle, but not necessarily rhythmic, and you could feel every rail joint! Fantastic fun though, and I'm very glad of the chance to experience it. Incidentally, the Austerity was also running that day, as was the DMU.

Thanks, I'm actually working from a printed Peco template as I'm trying to match the Streamline geometry. I'd just plonked it in place on the layout to confirm I'd got the chair keys the right way around (alternating, as the slip sees movements in both directions).

The LB&SCR cattle wagon body I acquired from @woko has now had its supports removed and a misting of primer. There are one or two tiny spots where I'll tickle it with primer, mainly where I messed up removing supports. Otherwise, it's come out beautifully and I'm really looking forward to getting it onto the layout! I've also laid out the timbering for the single slip, to get a feel for it. From memory, the important points (pun definitely intended!) are to make sure that there's a timber supporting the tip of the frogs, slide chairs for the blades, and insulating fishplates so that I can change the polarity of the frogs. My plan is to lay the short straight sections at each end, in order to ensure everything lines up, then the curved stock rail, before working out the rest, starting with the frogs. Wish me luck!

It was lovely to get to meet you, and your Q1 has inspired me to get on with the GSR 0-4-4t - thank you!

Well, it has been a busy week or so - I went down south to visit my grandmother who has been in hospital (mostly being kept in under observation after surgery) and visited the Oak Hill works while I was down. The Uckfield show was excellent as always - I especially liked Sherton Abbas in 7mm and Llawryglyn in P4. Indeed, Llawryglyn had a lovely Met tank in Cambrian livery shuffling around, and an interesting discussion was had about the LSWR Met tanks. I especially liked the period photographer! Unfortunately I missed the Sunday at the show, as I'd been offered a rare opportunity - a footplate day (as an observer!) on the K&ESR on "Yank tank" no. 300. A bit modern for my tastes, but with five Mk1s on, it certainly made some noise on the gradients between Rolvenden and Tenterden! We were even treated to that footplate staple, shovel-fried bacon rolls. After a lie-in, I tagged along with Gary for a visit to the Bluebell Railway on Monday where we met @Sophia NSE and were treated to the sight of not only the visiting Schools class 30925 Cheltenham in steam for a photographers' charter but also the O1 65 with the Metropolitan teaks as the service train. We didn't go for a ride, though - just a gentle wander around the station, Steamworks, and museum. By this point though, the fatigue was really kicking in, even with a lot of early nights and resting, so I spent most of Monday evening and Tuesday in bed asleep! Another trip was made to London for more visiting on Wednesday before the coach back up to Edinburgh again. I did acquire a few bits at Uckfield, though - two bow pens (plain and divider) from Golden Arrow Models, an LB&SCR cattle wagon and SER brake van from @woko, a DJH LSWR 0395 class kit (sans chassis) from an Uckfield club member, and (hopefully!) enough bits from C&L Finescale to build a bullhead-rail single slip - I've decided this is the easiest way to goad Peco into releasing theirs! That being said, kitbuilding to fit the location would mean that (all going well) I could get the timbering looking better than set-track, with long timbers across the crossover linking the adjacent line a bit further. Should be an interesting experience either way!

All looking good there, though, Annie. Lovely to spot one of those slotted-post signals peeking in there too! The irish 4-4-0 is rather gorgeous too, although is it not 5'3" gauge?

Thanks, Jim - it's one of my laser-cut slotted-post ones. I'm rather pleased with how it's come out! Unfortunately the ladder got knocked off the back a while ago, so I need to dig out a new one for it, along with a safety loop and lamp platform.

There is movement! The first servo has had its movement limits programmed, and I'm playing around with different speeds. Currently I'm working on the basis of a slow pull "off", and a faster return to "on", and I'm not doing any fancy stuff for bounce or anything fancy like that yet!

Goodness, I go away for a few days and you all bring the thread over the 100 page mark! I'm back in Edinburgh again, from a week at my partner's, and last night I attached the first servo point motor to Linton Town, using a 3D printed servo mount with inbuilt microswitch for frog switching. I also tried mounting a servo for operating one of the signals but unfortunately I had cut the operating rod rather too short, so I had to bodge a mount (for now!) by lightly gluing the servo to some pieces of scrap wood to the correct height. Now that it's in place, I can measure up to produce a better-proportioned mount for that one signal. Grrrrr! It's unlikely I'll get much more work done on the layout this week, as I'm travelling down south on Wednesday for the Uckfield model railway show next weekend, among a couple of other things. If you're at the show on Saturday, do come and say hi - I'm the one with the bright purple hair, as always!

I have another two semi-detached kits, so the complete terrace would be... 10 houses? Two of which are above the shops. I do like the idea of a passageway between some of the houses to a back lane, and also the covered passage (here in Edinburgh the term would be "vennel", but in West Sussex I've heard "twitten" (does this extend to Surrey?), and I've also heard "ginnel" and "snicket") between each pair of houses to provide access to the rear. The difficulty with a twitten is that I'd need to extend the roof neatly to cover it. I'm leaning towards having a terrace up the slope of the road towards the right of the layout, where the road climbs to meet a junction, where it will pass over the line to form the scenic break. This allows me to use the break between the buildings for the step as the road climbs. Maybe an occasional access gap?