Studiolith "Worn rail", early 1980s?

[essdee]

I have been excavating and assessing my rail stash, prior to getting busy.

There are three cardboard tubes of rail from the past 40 years, including Studiolith 36" lengths, Scalefour Soc. 50cm lengths (Nov 1982 dated order) - and a third labelled "Worn Rail" in felt pen, nominally 50cm as well.

Now, I do recall the issue of the "Worn Rail", and I think a caveat that it would be OK for sidings, but not main running lines. The head depth is clearly a shade lower - I have yet to measure.

A quick search through Protofour journal failed to find any reference - please could someone point me at the details again?

Cheers,

Steve

[Tim V]

Lucky you, it has a slightly wrong head - so is suitable for some older track not laid is BS95R rail.

I wish it was still available.

[Paul Townsend]

ISTR that EMGS sold "worn rail".
It had a flatter head.

In fact I have argued for years that all the 3 current suppliers have been selling worn code 75 rail compared to the original Studiolith supply.
The visual impact is considerable.

[Tim V]

I checked my Studiolith catalogues, not mentioned.

I thought it was a Scalefour Stores item - but I can't find any early catalogues for them.

[grovenor-2685]

Memory suggests it was just temporary as a result of a bad batch being supplied so probably didn't make into any price list. You may find a reference trawling through the P4 and S4 mags. Or just use it in sidings and not worry.

[essdee]

Paul, Tim, Keith, many thanks,

It's definitely Studiolith (Rofford, Little Milton.. remember that?) - see attached pics. But EMGS could also have had some I guess? I actually joined all three societies at the same time in 1981, hedging my bets and unaware of the Red/Blue issues. Reading through all the combined bumf on my daily commute from Patterton to Central via the Cathcart Circle filled several weeks very enjoyably.

Tim's comment does confirm that sidings use would be very appropriate! Especially, in his case, since they will be occupying the same former canal tramway as his Wellow opus - mine being just down the line at Braysdown.......

Cheers,

Steve

[Philip Hall]

I had some Studiolith rail given to me some years ago in exchange for some steel I no longer needed. I was pleased because I thought it might be a better section than some of the modern stuff. Now for all that Studiolith protested it (so it seemed) that their products were the ‘only ones to use’, this rail was diabolical. Many lengths were stuck together with congealed oil (fair enough it was very old) but it was badly distorted in the vertical plain and the lengths were stuck together, all distorted as one piece in the same places. I did think of using this rail in the storage yards and filing it level, but it was so far out I’d have been down to the rail web in places! The head profile was very nice though.

Philip