Scalefour Forum

For track making you don't need expensive pliers. Here are a couple of ideas I have posted before: http://85a.co.uk/forum/gallery/2/original/2_041828_140000000.png http://85a.co.uk/forum/gallery/2/original/2_041840_270000000.png Despite costing nothing, the results are actually better than using pli...

Hi Tony, +1 from me on your latest instalment. Never too old to learn. :) Using a rotating rivet to align the wing rails is a brilliant idea. I have never seen it mentioned anywhere before in 50 years track building. Certainly never thought of it myself. Making the flangeway adjustment after the rai...

Do the distances in the table scale down correctly for us in P4? Hi Julian, Which table? Generally prototype dimension can be scaled exactly for S4 (S4-X in Templot), but not always for P4. The knuckle for P4 will be further from the nose of the crossing. Add on the amount of extra flangeway multip...

Do the distances in the table scale down correctly for us in P4? Hi Julian, Which table? Generally prototype dimension can be scaled exactly for S4 (S4-X in Templot), but not always for P4. The knuckle for P4 will be further from the nose of the crossing. Add on the amount of extra flangeway multip...

On my limited experience so far I found it difficult to judge how far from the crossing nose the knuckle should be. Hi Julian, The extent of the knuckle bend, and its centre, are marked across the gap on the Templot template: http://85a.co.uk/forum/gallery/2/original/2_061034_030000000.png You coul...

Much of the information that we take for granted now just wasn't available back then. Above all the item not available then was the digital camera. It's sobering to remember that at the time every press of the shutter had to be paid for . Twice. Once for the film, and again for the processing or ch...

I am sure neither of you chaps need this tip from me, but for those who don't know, a small mirror can help in both these matters! And for anyone like me, who builds their track in-situ, it is a must! A mirror is great for straight rails. Also the lightest grade of nylon fishing line, stretched bet...

I did used to look along the rail to detect any misalignment, but age and a receding near point have put paid to that now. I still remember the day I lifted the work board to my eye to look along the rail. An unnoticed pointed needle file slid along the rail towards my eye. I just managed to avoid ...

But as you can see from the attached shot, a little filing is not un-prototypical (though this is probably wear). Beware though this photo was taken at the site of the Ditton Junction disaster in 1912 on the LNWR! Crossings_1912_Lnwr.jpg Hi Peter, Many thanks for that photo. Clearly there is someth...

I guess I am trying to recreate this: Pages-from-LNWR-Track-Book.jpg These look far from sharp. Following the previous advice however, I made mine sharper. I would not describe the running as OK and maybe this is partly to blame. I did not appreciate the subtleties at the time and just trusted the ...

Is there any suggestion that this knuckle gap was actually necessary for good running, or was it just the inevitable consequence of using bent rail? Hi Will, If the angle is exactly correct and the rail exactly aligned, and the check rail correctly positioned, and the wheelset back-to-flange settin...

Here's a follow-up to the knuckle gap discussion. These are the REA crossing dimensions, showing the knuckle gap (in mm) on the right: http://templot.com/martweb/bh_xing.jpg Note that these dimensions are all silly metric conversions from the original imperial dimensions. For example 2.692m is in fa...

Martin. Thanks for clearing this up. How would one go about correcting the mis-built wing rails, following the previous advice, without resorting to a complete rebuild? Would filing suffice? Hi Peter, Do you need to, if they are running ok? Bear in mind that the P4 flangeway gap is already overscal...

Hi Tim, Here's a 1978 photo at Shrewsbury, showing continuous check rails on the lines curving to the right. If you look closely you can see that the check rail on the right is not connected to the check rail in the turnout. There is a gap of 4 timbers between them to allow access to the fishplate b...

For instance, the digest instructs you to produce a sharp wing rail knuckle bend. That was the perceived wisdom at the time, but I cringe at that now. This bend was just that, a curve, not an angle. On the prototype the flangeway gap is 1 3/4" but the knuckle gap is more like 2 1/4" for b...

A useful tip for gapping PCB sleepers A different approach is to stick a narrow strip of masking tape along the middle of the timbers. Spray the entire turnout with rattle-can red oxide primer. Or grey if preferred. Peel off the masking strips. Rough the edges of the peeled areas. Avoid damaging th...

+1

Hi Andy, Email sent. Martin.

I have now got to scale it by getting some OS co-ordinates or some other measurements. Hi Keith, OS 25" map here: http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=18&lat=50.4648&lon=-4.7151&layers=168&b=1 If you use that URL in Templot, it will make the screenshot for you and scale it to 4...

Tony Wilkins wrote:All in good time Martin, all in good time.

Not rushing you Tony.

Just clarifying the position -- you mentioned swapping to Templot Club in order to be able to post them.

cheers,

Martin.

+1

p.s. Tony, .box files can be posted on here.

LesGros wrote:As you are well aware, and have demonstrated (proto 87)

Hi Les, I think you may be mixing Andy Barrowman with Andy Reichert.

p.s. Andy, "The Snooze" is Scalefour News, the members' printed magazine.

Martin.

Proto87stores wrote:Thanks for the invite. I will sign up shortly.

Hi Andy,

You are already a member. Joined 29th Dec 2007. User name: Andy Reichert

If you have forgotten your password, let me know and I will set a temporary one for you.

cheers,

Martin.

If Martin Wynne would be so kind as to pass on the proto:87 stores site detail to Andrew Barrowman, I can provide him with more details directly. Hi Andy, Have done: http://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=2734&forum_id=6&jump_to=23476#p23476 But why not join in the discussion on Templot C...

No, there is no FB tandem for comparison. Such a thing would be far harder to construct than a bullhead one in my opinion. Hi Colin, Hi-res images of a FB tandem in this sequence from Michael Davies: http://85a.co.uk/forum/gallery_view.php?user=1679#gallery_top Click the small image, and then again...