Radstock - Midford Tramway at Wellow

[Tim V]

Initial experiments with brass angle did not convince, plus would have been pricey. So I've taken some scrap PECO rail from Streamline track, milled off the head on one side to make the L section rail.

 

Here is is on the miller.

 

I've cut it into 18' lengths. A batch ready to be put into the jig - I've yet to make.

 

[Tim V]

Spent today on a painting figures course at Pendon, where I was scanned by Alan Butler (ModelU) to be a driver on the horse drawn train. Drawing inspiration from the Lee Moor tramway, I'm assuming the driver would have been sat on the corner of the wagon.

http://cornishmemory.com/item/WMA_P1_1_493

[Tim V]

Figure arrived today, now to paint it.

[Tim V]

Finally booked a session to view the tithe map.

 

Also, been looking at a scrap N gauge engine - a Dapol 45XX chassis, to convert to the gauge, to form the basis of the steam engine.

[Tim V]

Just back from viewing the Tithe map, minor changes needed to plan, but can I fit the aqueduct in?

[Tim V]

Right, here is the revised plan. I can actually make a scale model from the tunnel to the aqueduct, but as I said it is only based on the area:

And initial testing of the baseboards:

Here is the aqueduct at Stoney Lttleton, luckily not destroyed by later railway development. Getting this in may be difficult. It is on the far left of the model.

 

 

[Captain Kernow]

I was scanned by Alan Butler (ModelU) to be a driver on the horse drawn train.

Well, you've got to build this layout now!

[37114]

Will follow this with interest as I used to live in Somerset and drove past the Radstock area a lot. Nice Series Land Rover in the back of the last picture by the way, V jealous of your garage space.

[Tim V]

I have spent most of today anguishing over the aqueduct. I know where it was, but there is a huge problem with height. By using OS mapping, and benchmarks, I know what the heights are for the road, the canal, the church. But there just isn't enough headroom on the road! Maximum of 10', usable 8'. It is a parish road, not a turnpike. Here is a first mockup of the aqueduct, with an Anglia van for scale. Some readers will remember I used to have one of these ...

The internal stretcher is set at the height of the towpath.

 

[Tim V]

And to give an impression of what all this waffle is about:

 

Scenery to follow!

[Tim V]

Busy day today.

 

set out the assembly table, as you can see, a kitchen worktop on some trestles. I'm just checking it for truth.

Ready to start, cup of coffee and some Gorilla glue - it was what they had in Wilko. Any glue in my cupboard is very old, so new glue.

The worktop is bent, here is the gap under the pieces, I'll have to be careful.

Progress!

And I'm stopping for lunch at this point.

 

[Tim V]

Other end on the first (right hand end) board. The kit was a joy to put together, just light taps from my hammer. It went together quicker than any scratchbuilt baseboard I have made. I'm leaving off the top rail, I think it will get in the way of the next stage.

[Tim V]

If you watch the video of the horse back a few posts, you'll see that he uses a carriage to transfer the train back again. I plan to do something similar. I'm hoping to use this Lima HO diesel from the scrap box to power the carriage. I've checked it over, it seems to work!

Bit of PECO track to form the run round the back loop.

[Tim V]

A trial fit, to get the heights in, ready to start making the profile board. The tunnel, behind it the road level, and then the church level are at their correct relationship.

 

edited for spelling ...

Edited June 21, 2018 by Tim V

[Captain Kernow]

an Anglia van for scale. Some readers will remember I used to have one of these

Memory of said van is still extant.

Edited June 21, 2018 by Captain Kernow

[Tim V]

Today, I've been thinking about the motorised (!) traverser that is under the church. Initial thinking of using a Tortoise motor didn't pan out, so I'm looking at one of those geared motors, plus a bit of Meccano. Note the plateway waggon on top of the diesel, this is how the train gets round the back.

 

One of the criticisms of Clutton was how long it took a train to get from the back to the front. I could have run the tramway round in a big circle, but most of the trackage would be hidden. It would take a long time for a train to get round the back, plus the extra wear.

[Tim V]

Just had a look and the tithe maps have now appeared on the web site!! You can check yourself if I'm getting it right ...

http://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?edition=banes

[Adam]

Just had a look and the tithe maps have now appeared on the web site!! You can check yourself if I'm getting it right ...

http://maps.bristol.gov.uk/kyp/?edition=banes

 

That's great! I'll have to have words with my sources for not tipping me off...

 

Adam

[Tim V]

Today I have been concentrating on getting rid of the "corner" in the baseboard. Initial experiments with corrugated card were unconvincing:

A quick bit of work on the band-saw produced some corners:

Which fit thus:

And here is the state of play, the plan is to laminate some thinner card over this former, to provide a smooth surface.

There is still a lot to do before laying track, it is vitally important that all work on the baseboards be completed before the pretty bits get added. Yet to do is to make the protective end pieces for transportation, work out the lighting, etc.

[Tim V]

I've also started making the motorised traverser.

Couple of limit stops, diodes and it's done.

 

[Tim V]

Experiments with microswitches have been encouraging, but they need lever type.

The bottom switch was OK (recycled from a Clutton telephone) the middle one was too stiff, so I took the top one apart, and fitted a lever to it. The switches can be modified to accommodate levers. It's just getting them back together afterwards ...

 

[Tim V]

Initial trials seem good. I'm building the motorised traverser on a sub-base - easy maintenance.

Glueing down the various bits.

Here is the state of play this evening. So far it works, and after lubrication, the motor is quite quiet, but the diodes result in extra juice being required to "un-stick" the motor, so I'm going to have a think about it.

[Tim V]

The solution came to me late last night, but it needs a four wire system. However it eliminates the diodes.

[Tim V]

Well that didn't work, so back to the diodes, but three instead of one. Back to two wires from the reversing switch to run the motor.

Plus I've removed surplus material round the traverser on the band saw.

 

[Tim V]

Crisis The motor started running slowly, and I don't have a spare. So take it all apart, and strip the motor. The brush gear was covered in some sort of grease, the commutator was in a mess as well.

A quick clean with IPA, and it started performing well again.

Now drying out.