Scalefour Forum

I have one, like Rod I used carefully selected wheels.

If they are not quite round, you do get used to the wheel wobble, but it is what else the wagon detects you are interested in.

Here is a drawing of the L girder principle. Note that the trackbed does not float on the supports, but is screwed to every support, thus providing rigidity. Homasote (Sundeala in this country) is laid on top of the roadbed, for the track to be pinned to.

So, it was 4' long, screwed down at the ends only.

I'm not surprised it bowed.

Even more reasons not to have missed the show!

For those who missed it - a cracking show.

The only 00 representative was the Thomas layout.

At five P4 and two EM layouts, this show certainly flew the finescale flag. 7mm and N gauge layouts as well.

Next year's date 21 November.

I should be there as well, an excellent show, the only one day show I ever took Clutton to, and I was very pleased to be invited.

Getting back to the ply problem. The principle of the open-top system in my understanding is that any horizontal plane is stiffened by a vertical one either below or above it. In other words, a strip of ply forming a base for the track should have at least one corresponding strip glued and pinned, ...

One of those little pleasures I get is when I am blocking at Pendre (Talyllyn Railway) seeing the engines shunting around silently . Steam engines (on their own) can move around virtually noiselessly. Hence blowing the whistle before any movement, to attract attention. Diesels, on the other hand ......

I didn't have a noise problem on Clutton.

Baseboards were 4mm ply, in box sections. Track was glued to 1/8" cork, with stone ballast.

But my locos were built to be quiet, most noise came from the rolling stock!

Thanks for the replies. Tim - I use L-girder construction as per American practice; cross beams and risers to support the trackbed are at about 300mm centres. My model is set around Buxton in the Peak District - all cuttings, embankments, and flying junctions so a traditional British flat top baseb...

I agree with Terry, MDF is not suitable for baseboard use, it is heavy, delaminates easily. Might be OK for kitchen units (just), but not for our purposes.

You say you cut the track bed, is it attached to any framing?

Will L wrote:Pendantic of Cheshir

I've never heard of that county

Excellent news!

Agree there Philip, decent wheels are key to good running. Unfortunately, most modellers seem to want to race to the bottom, and won't pay more than the bare minimum for wheels, but then moan when they can't get good running.

300 mile round trip - a tad far methinks, but I'd have liked to come.

Lambourn at Scaleforum 1989!

I think Alan added the embankment leading to the station.

To get the links into the hook, you must have pushed them in, widening the gap at the top. I broached the hole for the links out, to ensure the links would hang freely. This also made a burr across the top, ensuring the links would not fall out. The links were then threaded into the holes in the hook.

Branchlines?

This has been a very interesting thread, that I've only just come across. Perhaps the title needs amending?

Just checked my copy of MRN June 1950 - the coal tank article still provides inspiration.

Actually, I preferred the dark lighting at Railex.

It meant that those layouts that bothered to have their own lighting could better control their colour balance.

Being blasted with stadium lighting (it is a sports stadium, not an art gallery) does nothing for rendering colours on model railways.

What is the position on parking at Stoke Mandeville?

I believe the parking cameras are turned off for Railex, is that the case this September?

An electric pencil is actually an extremely unreliable method of contact - see 'Design for reliability' by Stewart Hine, February 1976 Model Railways.

You need to alter the heading on your first post!

Done,
Keith

I think that Chris has put a lot of work into something which has been very neglected. Back in City University days there used to be the society dinner, a sit down affair. These days it's 'come to the show' but nothing else. One of the big pulls for Scaleforum (for me) is the social side, and OK the...