RMweb Gold Harry Posted July 29, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2012 I am currently finishing planning a small test track in p4 of Herston Halt on the Swanage branch. Hopefully if this goes well, I will extend this to a model of Swanage itself. I know Herston wasn't originally on the line before restoration but I was hoping someone could tell me what kind of chairs/sleepers the southern generally had so it can be prototypical? We're the chairs 3 bolt for example and were the sleepers 8'6"? Thanks in advance, Ps, if this is covered somewhere of there is a general fact sheet with the information then pointing me in the correct direction would be much appreciated! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bedding Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 I am currently finishing planning a small test track in p4 of Herston Halt on the Swanage branch. Hopefully if this goes well, I will extend this to a model of Swanage itself. I know Herston wasn't originally on the line before restoration but I was hoping someone could tell me what kind of chairs/sleepers the southern generally had so it can be prototypical? We're the chairs 3 bolt for example and were the sleepers 8'6"? Thanks in advance, Ps, if this is covered somewhere of there is a general fact sheet with the information then pointing me in the correct direction would be much appreciated! Hello Harry, The briefest answer would be: 8ft 6in sleeper from Grouping onwards. Either ex-LSWR 3-bolt chairs at almost any time, or near-random usage of BR 3-bolt chairs after nationalisation. The trick is that BR chairs had the single bolt outside, the ex-LSWR chairs had the single bolt inside. There's much more to it, but that would not be a quick answer! I have some pics, but they are subject to copyright of others. I shall now try some more research...... PB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bedding Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 Not the best plan of LSW chairs, but the quickest I could find: It gives an idea of the individual character of the LSWR chair, which lasted in quantity to the 1990s. It would certainly be valid for the Swanage branch before closure. HTH PB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted July 29, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2012 Hi Peter, Many thanks for that really quick answer which provides me with all the info needed! The only thing I was wondering is if there was any rule as to how the sleepers were interlaced after a turnout - ie were they still parallel (as Templot draws them by default) or are they alternating and interlaced? Not sure if that makes sense without a pictorial representation, I'll see if I can find one! Thanks again, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted July 29, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2012 8ft 6in sleeper from Grouping onwards. For renewals. Sleepers typically have a life of 20 years, so 9ft sleepers could still be found in running lines into the war years, and in yards and sidings to the end of steam or later. regards, Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted July 29, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2012 The only thing I was wondering is if there was any rule as to how the sleepers were interlaced after a turnout - ie were they still parallel (as Templot draws them by default) or are they alternating and interlaced? Hi Harry, To see, in Templot click real > V-crossing options > parallel V-crossing menu item, and then lengthen the template using F4 mouse action. regards Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 I was down at Swanage 3 weeks ago this may help Shows the interlacing on one of the turnouts, all the other phots of turnouts I have at Swanage are facing or trailing crossings with no interlacing Exactoscale do both S1 chairs (3 bolt single bolt outside BR?) and LSWR 3 bolt also do the Special chairs for common crossings, switch chairs all 4 bolt. They also do check rail chairs, but they are realy for P4 and EM gauge only I have close up photos of the crossovers, all look to be BR 3 bolt style with 4 bolt specialist chairs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Harry Posted July 29, 2012 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2012 Thank you Martin for that tip - I knew there would be a way (as there is with everything in Templot!) I have made a couple of the Exactoscale turnouts before but wanted to have a go at the C and L Timber Tracks one for this mini-project. Although I know the range of chairs is not quite so broad I wanted to try the different method of construction to compare. I think the necessary chairs are available, the only one I can't find is an appropriately fine one for the check rail that complies with Templot's S4 dimension. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Harry, I am currently building a Timbertrack P4 single slip. This is the second Timber track fret I have used and I must say that the idea is very good and saves time in cutting sleepers. You need to watch out though as they use the same fret for both EM and P4 gauges, when P4 units should be longer, according to Martin this not too much of a problem with plain turnouts as you can adjust the alignment of the switch rails. With Diamond and Slips the fret needs stretching a bit in P4 so the two V's are the correct distance apart. I have also used both C&L and Exactoscale chairs together without problem. Exactoscale checkrail chairs are interesting, they are available in P4 gauge and 0.8mm gap !! I have used the latter in EM gaige by cutting half a chair off each checkrail chair and fitting the checkrail with a check rail gauge after fitting the stock rail, the half chairs left over are then glued in place Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bedding Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 I am currently finishing planning a small test track in p4 of Herston Halt on the Swanage branch. Hopefully if this goes well, I will extend this to a model of Swanage itself. I know Herston wasn't originally on the line before restoration but I was hoping someone could tell me what kind of chairs/sleepers the southern generally had so it can be prototypical? Were the chairs 3 bolt for example and were the sleepers 8'6"? Thanks in advance, Ps, if this is covered somewhere of there is a general fact sheet with the information then pointing me in the correct direction would be much appreciated! A little more info in response to the OP. Firstly, as indicated earlier, some of the answers are time-dependant. Pre-grouping track and details lasted a long time after Grouping, and in isolated cases to the end of steam. Three early rail sections; two others (90lb BS and 95lb BS followed before Grouping). Changes to the width of the rail head affected switch rail planing lengths and hence turnout leads. This might affect a P4 layout, where historic accuracy is an issue. This French drawing of 1882 is the only chair drawing that I have, but the appearance of LSW chairs hardly changed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted July 30, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2012 Changes to the width of the rail head affected switch rail planing lengths and hence turnout leads. Hi Peter, Turnout lead lengths are based on the geometry at the gauge face, and shouldn't be affected by different rail widths. To see this, try changing the rail width in Templot. regards, Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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