Hayfields turnout workbench

[hayfield]

In between emptying the bedroom(old work room) I have been finishing off the turnouts either side of the slip. Pretty standard stuff I just need extra sets of gauges to do them quicker

 

 

Started the slip in forming the bent stock rail and a set of Exactoscale single slip instructions, there are 2 rail breaks either side of the bend so I had to find out if any full chairs are needed before I solder 2 cosmetic fishplates

 

 

As it happens there are 2 bridge chairs. I could have added them later by cutting them in half, which would have been fine with plastic sleepers but with ply sleepers I like to keep chairs complete for strength. When building crossings you have to build the obtuse (K) crossings in situ unlike the common crossings, so planning  where to solder these crossings is important as it will become clearer later on in the build. Next is to fit the remaining chairs on this rail.

[hayfield]

The stock rail was chaired first

 

 

Then work was done to line one half up with both common crossings and chairs were glued down

 

 

Then the other side had the same treatment. Now on to the curved stock rail

 

 

Notches were again cut into the stock rail to represent rail breaks and chairs were slid in place before the cosmetic fishplates are soldered in place

 

 

Close up view of the centre section showing chair types transferred from guide to plan just for clarity later

[hayfield]

I was called in work early today, so my little jobs I had planned to do this morning had to wait till this evening.

 

 

When building either a crossing or slip after fitting the common crossings I then fit the stock rails, not too difficult but you have to think about what you are doing next and in what order, this part is quite easy other than working out what order to fit the chairs in relationship to the etched chairs

 

 

The centre of the slip stock rail is equally about which chairs you leave out as which ones you want on. You cannot fit full chairs where you will solder copperclad strip to the rails which will be the centre sleeper numbered 23 and sleepers 21 & 25 The centre chairs are the bridge chairs (L1) and small chairs (M1), bridge chairs are used on normal turnouts, only come across small chairs on crossings 

 

 

Once the stock rail has been gauged against both common crossings and fitted by eye in the centre, I then fit the slide chairs which sets the curve of the slip. Next up will be making and fitting the slip and crossing rails.

 

 

Starting to come together

[hayfield]

Now at the business end of the slip and the first job is to make the bent switch rail by filing the backs of both switch rails

 

 

Make it slightly longer than required, as its always easier to trim it to length, you can make it in 3 pieces but I prefer to have it as one unit

 

 

These two photos show how I only file the head of the rail on the inside as leaving a foot at the bottom is not only prototypical but also makes for a stronger soldered joint on the tiebar

 

 

I then bend the rail, cut notches in the rail to represent the rail joins and solder cosmetic etched fishplates (see bottom photo), you could of course make these in 3 pieces and perhaps use metal fishplates soldered at one joint only

 

 

These next two photos show how you gauge each crossing rail, as they need to be in line with half of the switch rail but 1mm away from the other half. Now check its in gauge with the other side

 

 

You can see where I put thin copperclad strip (you could use brass shim) to hold the centre of the crossing in gauge on the centre sleeper, and the 4 pieces which also hold the 2 obtuse(K) crossings together. These will be trimmed back later in the construction

[hayfield]

 

A close up view of the crossing rail at the end which is filed to a point

 

 

The second crossing rail fitted with chairs, not stick in place yet, I just solder the rails to the copperclad strips. The next thing is to check the crossing with a wagon, should go through with out check rails

 

 

Here you see the second chaired crossing rail before fitting

 

 

Now all 4 crossing rails are in place. I tin the bottom of the crossing rails where they are to be soldered to the copperclad strips, these need to be solidly soldered to the copperclad strips to stop the joints from failing once built

[Colin parks]

Hi John,

 

I shall watch with interest as you add the chairs to the slip. The C&L chairing diagram is quite a challenge to understand!

 

Colin

[hayfield]

Colin

 

If its raining hopefully it will be Sunday, if not I will be doing a Gordon S (playing golf).

 

There are plans on the C&L site which are quite easy to follow, the problem being knowing what packs to buy, in this case an obtuse and a slip pack plus 2 common crossing packs( plenty of other crossing parts left over) in addition some check rail, bridge and small chairs are needed.

 

I also have the Exactoscale plans for their turnout and crossing kits (they were a download from the Exactoscale site) which sometimes help to show how it all comes together.

 

Just think of them as scratch building aids, in most cases the parts fit fine, the odd one may need a slight trim, or where in the kit rails are pre-joined together a slight bit of adaptation is needed. 

[hayfield]

A bit of time this evening decided to adjust one of the obtuse (K) crossings as it looked very slightly long, so took 0.5mm off

 

 

I am doing the double ended slip rail and I am showing again how I hold the rail whilst I file the head only off the inside of the switch rail. I like clamping it to a steel bar and have a small metal ruler against the rail so it stops the rail from bending whilst I file it

 

 

The slip rail is now in place as are the check rails

 

 

This is the Exactoscale plan for where the chairs go, the check rail lengths on the obtuse crossings differ from the Templot template, as I am using the Exactoscale chairs I followed this plan

 

 

These are the obtuse chairs which are designed for 1: 5 / 6 / 7 & 8 crossings, you will have plenty of chairs spare but unlike the common crossing packs this pack will only do one crossing, as some of the chairs are common to other angles

 

 

The slip chairs are only for either 1:7 or 8 crossings, though I think you could adapt chairs for other angles and or use spare chair parts from other sprues. You cannot do this if you are using the chairs to hold the gauge, but as I am using the thin copperclad strips to do this they are cosmetic only

 

Tomorrow I will start to chair the centre of the crossing

[hayfield]

I have enlarged the centre part of the Exactoscale plan

 

 

This part is slip end on the left of the crossing. Loads of numbers and letters, the numbers not in brackets are the sleepers, those in the brackets are from the special sprues. 

 

You will see other markings for other chairs

S1 are the 3 bolt chairs, P are the slide chairs, L1 are the bridge chairs & M1 are the small chairs. You will also see !, 2 & 3 PL and also 1, 2 & 3 PR on the plan, these are the block chairs for the switch, for the slip these are on the slip sprues. There are 4 slide chairs on on the obtuse sprues, but be aware these are for P4, not EM or 00 which both require slightly larger ones

 

 

Here are the centre chairs, some of the block chairs are in two parts, others in three and some in 4 parts.

 

On the two outer of the 3 sleepers where we have the copperclad strip you can only use the two outer parts of the chairs. If using ply sleepers I would never use the chairs to hold the rails in place and gauge and don,t forget they are designed for P4 tolerances, I have found that using the process I am using  both EM and 00sf gauges are fine. If you are very careful you might get away using these chairs on plastic sleepers to hold the rails firmly in place and gauge

 

 

 

 

[hayfield]

Unfortunately only had time for a quick test with a loco today, still it works fine through the centre of the crossing. Wife now happy as everything now out of the bedroom and the paper has started to come off. The old desk is in bits in the front room as I might cut the top down and use it in place of the right hand part of the bench. Thinking I might keep it for our next home. Also have an old music filing cabinet which I will take apart for the wood. Must have a few days grace so I can get back to modelling

 

Anyway happy the crossing is fine, will start to chair the crossing tomorrow 

[hayfield]

I seem to have spent quite a bit of time I had hoped to spent on the slip doing other things, yesterday morning in the end could spend less than an hour.

 

 

Where the Exactoscale 13 sleepers either side of the centre sleeper the Templot has 12 either side. I have no idea if its because the Exactoscale plan is for P4, having said that EM which this is is not that much shorter or if its because they both based on slightly different prototypes. The end result is that I have decided to slightly alter the chair formation to fit the space available. The centre 5 sleepers will chaired at the end after I stick the units to the sleepers. This will become  clear when I do it.

 

Whilst the plastic slip chairs on the P4 Company slip kit is partially functional in holding the rails to the sleepers and in gauge, on this build they are cosmetic, so they fall into a scratch builders aid.

 

More later

[hayfield]

Having followed the plan (as a guide I have fitted the remaining chairs, except for those on the centre 5 sleepersNow this is the part where I want to anchor the crossings to the sleepers to maintain the track gauge in the centre of the slip.

 

 

Peel back the back of the first outer section

 

 

I have now cut back the copperclad strips to the rail sides, so I can attach half chairs up against them. I now put superclue on to the copperclad strip and replace the sleepers

 

 

The same is done to the other side, trimming the copperclad strips and gluing the sleeper to them

 

 

Once they are set I now fit the chairs to all but the centre 3 sleepers, super gluing the chair to the rail and using solvent to attach the chairs to the sleepers. This will now be left to set hard for a day before we do the same to the remaining copperclad strip, which is maintaining the track gauge at this moment. Sounds far more difficult than it is

[hayfield]

Work has been manic and had to refuse overtime today as wanted to finish the turnouts and do a bit more to the room. Plus holf filling in the bedroom

 

 

The central copperclad strip has been cut back to the rail sides and stuck to the sleepers

 

 

The cosmetic crossing chairs have been fitted. Now its down to tiebars and testing

 

 

[hayfield]

Just had a quick go at filing down the backs of some block chairs and it seems to work

 

 

The bug gaps are now filled, will have a go at the smaller ones later.

 

 

[hayfield]

Can't believe it is 6 days since my last posting, I have now fitted a few extra half and block chairs

 

 

 

As I said these parts are specifically designed for the P4 company kits so unless you are either using their kits or building a P4 turnout some of the parts are not an exact fit, You either have to adapt the part, use another of where necessary leave out.

 

Certainly these are far more detailed than any rtr offering and I hope you have learnt very easy to use. There is no need now to have an inferior looking product under your stock and I would hope its not a kings ransom to build them yourself.

 

The next offering is a code 100 copperclad turnout for my loco shed layout. The reason is quite simple, I want to have a piece of trackwork to run some older locos or kitbuilds with older chassis, but that will be the weekend as I am off to the club

[hayfield]

I did say I would build \ code 100 copperclad next and I have nearly  finished cutting the sleepers, but a P4 A5 has got in the way

 

 

Sleepers cut with a junior hacksaw using my simple cutting jig

 

 

I then gapped the the sleepers, makes then a bit tidier, and when I do the code 100 I will fill the gaps prior to soldering the rails to them

 

 

Vee fitted first, followed by the straight stock rail

 

 

My favourite bit of kit, a D D Wheelwrights block gauge with a crossing alignment aid, think they are also available in EM gauge as well

 

 

Just need to fit the tiebar and test.

 

Back to cutting sleepers before I go and do a bit of overtime at work 

 

 

[hayfield]

Back from work and started to work on the code 100 flatbottom turnout

 

 

I was given a few of these B K Enterprise partial turnout kits. These are American and I guess were used for spiked track. Basically the rails are formed and held together in gauge by 3 strips of metal. I would guess you lay the Ties (sleepers) then put the rails on top and spike them to the sleepers. Remove the 3 strips of metal and you have a turnout in gauge.

 

I will strip down the parts and use most of them. I will rebuild the Vee as they seem not to be completely true,. I will remove the check rails from the stock rails and replace with a design more in keeping with UK practice. I will also remove the wing rails from the switch rails, again making new wing rails. I am thinking of making hinged switch rails rather than sprung ones. More of these details later

 

 

As you can see the sleepers have been cut and gapped, as it is tidier using a hacksaw than slitting disc and I plan to fill the isolation gaps and sand them before fitting the rails, simply as its a lot easier to sand them flat now rather than after rails have been fitted

 

 

I have used Green Squadron filler, but any model filler that sticks to fibre glass sleepers will do fine. Now will let set till tomorrow.

 

If I get time later I will start building another turnout to match a Peco spiked point which I think is about 2'radius, this for a proposed retro layout based on the Minories track plan by C J Freezer

Edited December 7, 2014 by hayfield

[hayfield]

 

I have used the Green Squadron filler and as you can see on the right hand side I have started to file flat

 

 

Close up or the filed part of the turnout

 

 

All now filed flat

 

 

Here you see I have disassembled the rails and cleaned them up, check rails have been binned as were the metal spacing bits.

 

Now before I start cutting then to length and soldering in place I will double check that the sleepers isolation gaps are still doing their job

[hayfield]

 

All rails fitted in place, had one problem last night and on checking this morning it was a loco front wheel being under gauge. The wing rail is a bit short, but I think the rail may be slightly larger than UK code 100 so I used the kit ones.

 

Will need to either fit extra sleepers to the toe end or cut the rails back.

[3 link]

Hi John,

 

Like yourself I also enjoy building the p/way, at present I am building some track work for a friend of mine. I am building it in one piece and it includes 2 L/hand turnouts, Double slip and a tandem. These photos were taken a couple of weeks ago and I just have the tandem to finish off now.

 

 

 

 

Martyn.

 

 

[hayfield]

Martyn

 

Looking very good, 0 gauge by the look of it. Can I see a slab chair on the nose timber ? and some form of block chair on the sleeper before. Are they Shapeways products? and if so how do you find them

 

I also like to see how others approach the building sequence of crossings, would be nice to see the build of this complex. Much better to build complexes as one unit, even if they are made in sections

[3 link]

Martyn

 

Looking very good, 0 gauge by the look of it. Can I see a slab chair on the nose timber ? and some form of block chair on the sleeper before. Are they Shapeways products? and if so how do you find them

 

I also like to see how others approach the building sequence of crossings, would be nice to see the build of this complex. Much better to build complexes as one unit, even if they are made in sections

 

Hi John,

 

Yes it's 7mm and the gauges are 31.5mm, the slab and bracket chairs are made by Shapeways and are built to the GWR patten, the chair before is a C&L  4 bolt slide chair cut down to look like crossing chairs. 

 

I like to do a complete complex as it is easier to make the track work flow, I have recently built my fiddle yard turnouts using the copper clad way thinking it would be a cheaper option and also as it would not be on show. But the cost of the sleepers surprised me as the last time I used them was back in the early 90's when I was into EM.

 

If you go on the Shapeways website, put in "off the rails" in the search bar and you will find all the other items David has for sale.

 

I have got some other photos of the build but not of the complete build if you are interested, hopefully I will have the day off on Friday so I am hoping to complete the unit.

 

Martyn.

[hayfield]

Martyn

 

I have been toying with 7 mm turnouts and have been looking at the Shapeways items, When bought in bulk the price is reasonable, its a pity there is not a sample Check chairs, crossing chairs and the other combined chair set)) pack available at a reasonable cost. May bite the bullet with the check chairs and the GWR slab chairs.

 

Please do up load a few photos of the build in progress, I and others will be very interested

[3 link]

Hi John,

 

Yes I agree it's a shame there is not a combined chair set, still with the advances in 3D printing maybe this might be feasible in the future. On Davids site nearly all the chairs he has created are for the LNER, I do not know if that was personal preference or someone asked him to build them? 

 

Regarding the GWR slab chairs I just contacted him, gave him the dimensions and within a week they were made, brilliant.  His only stipulation was that they would also be made available to the general public, which I do not have a problem with.

 

C&L use to make a slab chair in w/metal but they were £4.30 just for 2 chairs !!, whereas these work out roughly £8.00 for enough for 6 turnouts, and have much more detail.

 

With regards to the way I build my track work I think my methods are basically the same as how most of us build it, the one thing I always do is to start at the bottom of the template and work away from me. That way you will ( should ) always keep within the correct gauge, because you are not getting ahead of yourself, so to speak. ( I hope that makes sense ).

 

 

 

I have just started to fit the tie bars, as you can see in this picture below.

 

 

ATB,

 

Martyn.

[Godders]

Hi John,

 

Yes I agree it's a shame there is not a combined chair set, still with the advances in 3D printing maybe this might be feasible in the future. On Davids site nearly all the chairs he has created are for the LNER, I do not know if that was personal preference or someone asked him to build them? 

 

Regarding the GWR slab chairs I just contacted him, gave him the dimensions and within a week they were made, brilliant.  His only stipulation was that they would also be made available to the general public, which I do not have a problem with.

 

C&L use to make a slab chair in w/metal but they were £4.30 just for 2 chairs !!, whereas these work out roughly £8.00 for enough for 6 turnouts, and have much more detail.

 

With regards to the way I build my track work I think my methods are basically the same as how most of us build it, the one thing I always do is to start at the bottom of the template and work away from me. That way you will ( should ) always keep within the correct gauge, because you are not getting ahead of yourself, so to speak. ( I hope that makes sense ).

 

P1070516-1.JPG

 

P1070517-1.JPG

 

I have just started to fit the tie bars, as you can see in this picture below.

 

P1070518-1.JPG

 

ATB,

 

Martyn.

Hi Martyn, 

 

you've lost me. Where is the, "bottom", of the template

 

Cheers Godders