TT2 boards assembled in full for first time

[Rod Cameron]

The DRAG test track management committee met today in the village hall in Kingswear to assemble the complete set of boards for TT2 for the first time. This went very smoothly bar one or two minor glitches to see to and fitted rather more snugly into the room than we anticipated, with about 3 inches clearance each end (this room was used as a one-off because John has all the boards at his house pending acquisition of a suitable larger trailer to transport them to regular meetings). The whole thing is 30 ft long and 13 ft across.

Firstly, the kit of parts awaiting assembly, all varnished and painted.

Legs and struts being fitted to centre straight board. There is one of these each side in the middle of five boards - the others piggy-back onto this central one. Dave is taking notes so we can produce an assembly and break-down procedure manual.

Curved boards have their own gatefold legs which make them free-standing, located by wooden dowels into the board and fixed with vertical bolts.

The final assembly.

And the team (taken by Tim Maddocks) - Dave Browne, Rod Cameron, Denis Griffiths, Brian Pearce and John Farmer

Now we can start tracklaying!

[grovenor-2685]

Looks fabulous, did you time the assembly?
I would be just a little concerned that the legs need to be fitted with the boards upside down, the board edges don't look as though they will give the track much protection in this position?
Regards
Keith

[Re6/6]

I would be just a little concerned that the legs need to be fitted with the boards upside down, the board edges don't look as though they will give the track much protection in this position?

I was waiting to see who'd spot that one Keith! We'll be epoxying some polypropylene? type U-shaped channel, both to protect and highten the upstand.
We are also making protective covers for the track ends and top, shoe box lid style, which will remain fitted until the board is offered up to it's mate.

We did an approximate timing of about 40 minutes, but should get along a lot quicker, once we get to know what we're doing! There was a lot of jiggling and faffing about as it turned out that it only just fitted the room that we had for the day, and it was our first set-up! Once we all know 'the system' and practice a bit, we should get it down to about 20 mins.

Prior to the next set-up, we'll be double checking and finely adjusting each pair of joints and fitting the remaining copperclad end strips. Also the adjustable feet have to be finalized.Then onwards and upwards with fitting the first trackwork, which will be the selection of points and crossovers already made, ranging from A5 to C12 IIRC.

Regards
John

[Rod Cameron]

Thanks Keith, and John for explaining the track protection measures not yet shown. First tracklaying should be on 5 September when we have a day booked at Holcombe and the whole DRAG membership have a chance to see it.

As John says, all the P&C is already done (A5 to D12 in fact) and plain track lengths are being assembled using Exactoscale Fasttrack bases, so things should proceed fairly steadily. We also need now to start finalising wiring and operating arrangements, the latter probably including plug-in sockets for walkabouts at each of the four corners so that we don't get in each others' way too much - although the more I look at the size the less I think that will be a problem!

The various circuits (4 x P4 and 1 x 00/P87 ) will be wired for either DC or DCC operation.

[Russ Elliott]

Looks excellent - let's hope we can see it at a Scaleforum.

Have you tested the height compatibility of the copperclad end pieces and the FastTrack base?

[Rod Cameron]

Looks excellent - let's hope we can see it at a Scaleforum.

Have you tested the height compatibility of the copperclad end pieces and the FastTrack base?

Thanks Russ

Yes we have. The P&C work has also all been done with copperclad of a thickness that matches the FastTrack bases.

[Tim V]

It's very big, are you sure it's just a test track

[Re6/6]

It's very big, are you sure it's just a test track

[Rod Cameron]

It's very big, are you sure it's just a test track

We like full-length main line trains down here - btw Tim, do you like the legs?

[Mike Garwood]

Rod
That looks fantastic! As there are no wives on this forum (?), what did you cost the build, plus track to be? If its not too an improper question..

Looking forward to the next series of photos with some track down.

Cheers

Mike

[Tim V]

It's very big, are you sure it's just a test track

We like full-length main line trains down here - btw Tim, do you like the legs?

There are a lot of them

[Rod Cameron]

Rod
That looks fantastic! As there are no wives on this forum (?), what did you cost the build, plus track to be? If its not too an improper question..

Thanks Mike

Cost, hmmm, the treasurer would know and I have an estimate based on income from subs less hall rental and cash in the kitty, but I'll check.

[Rod Cameron]

Just for information, cost to date has been

Board construction (wood and other materials, fittings) £647
Resin and paint £153
Cork, copperclad, sleeper bases and rail £422
Sundries £72

Total £1294 (or about £80 per member)

This includes nearly everything we need to get the track down, but nothing yet on electrics.

[Mike Garwood]

Thanks Rod

That gives me a basis for the new club layout of similar proportions...Little Mill Junction, just in case you're wondering - based on the real location.

cheers

Mike

[Captain Kernow]

Cork, copperclad, sleeper bases and rail £422

This includes nearly everything we need to get the track down, but nothing yet on electrics.

Ooops, sorry folks, forgot to mention that we need another 40 metres of rail to complete the job!.....

Tim (Trackmeister)

[Captain Kernow]

Here are a couple of photos showing most of the pointwork for TT2 laid out on my dining room table, prior to being transported to another construction session, and the possible start of tracklaying!

IMG_6249.jpg (72.48 KiB) Viewed 9463 times

IMG_6250.jpg (99.15 KiB) Viewed 9462 times

The points are all copper clad construction, built from Rod's Templot print-offs, and built by a variety of DRAG members, including some folk who had had little or no experience of track construction before and who were tutored by more experienced members of the group.

I think it was the A5 and a D12 crossover that are missing from that group shown above, they are in the care of one of the other members.