Before I go any further I should explain the the following is just a test piece and as such I haven't taken as much care with my soldering and finishing as I would usually.
Most folk would make a sensible start by building some plain track. I've started with a point. The first move was to obtain some templates, and here I must thank Keith Angus for his generosity in providing a whole bundle of different point templates. I've used C&L Code 55 steel rail.
To begin I chose a point, in this case a Peco copy, and made a photocopy of the template. This was taped to a piece of mirror, and was used to make up the 'V'. I filed a notch in one length of rail, an angle on the other, placed angle in slot and soldered them together;
I then wrecked a blade in my NSWL Chopper 2 cutting copperclad strip to size (well it seemed like a good idea when I started...), covered the template in double sided tape and stuck the sleepers in position. Then I soldered the 'V' in place;
The straight stock rail was added next, using my newly made roller gauges;
Followed by the curved rail, bent to shape between thumb and finger;
One switchrail is made up and soldered in place;
Followed by the other;
Finally check rails are added, along with the tie-bar;
The tie-bar is just a strip of copperclad with the copper filed away with two holes drilled 7mm apart to accept brass craft pins. The switch rails are soldered to these pins which are free to rotate in the tie-bar..
All in all, quite easy really. However, I hadn't filed the stock rails where the switch rails and stock rails meet (I forgot!) and I should have inserted the pins into the tie-bar from below, not above as I have done, as the tie-bar keeps falling off (this wouldn't be a problem with the point in situ to be honest) and the head of the pin hits the stock rail. All soldering, apart from the 'V', was done with 145 degree solder and Eileen's Strong Flux. The 'V' was soldered using electrical solder, however I found that electrical solder didn't work for me when trying to join the 'V' to the copperclad, possibly due to my 25w iron.
I haven't cut any insulating gaps at this stage, messing with electricity will come later when I'm feeling brave...
Here's the point next to one of Mr Pritchards;
I now feel that with practice and a bit more care I could make my own trackwork, which I feel would not only look better than commercial offerings but be a lot cheaper as well.
Paul.
A massive improvement, Paul. Well done. I hate Peco track. It's the one thing that makes County Gate unacceptable to me, for instance.
ReplyDeleteThanks Martin. Its a bit rough but I'm certain that I can make a neater job next time. The only good thing about Peco track is that its made in this country.
DeleteThat looks excellent. I must admit to being rather remiss as I still haven't ordered any rails or sleepers, but it's going on tomorrows todo list.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing the code 55 is steel flat bottomed from C&L? I was unsure about it with it being steel and I'd always assumed nickel silver was the way to go given that all the RTR stuff changed over to that years ago and it doesn't corrode in the same way. Any thoughts either way now you've built one point using the steel rail?
Thanks Mark. Yes its steel C&L. I haven't formed an opinion either way to be honest, in a way I'd prefer n/s but I'm keeping an open mind.
DeleteAh, steel rail...let it rust and use micro R/C! And lots of grass.
ReplyDeleteBrian Clarke, of Saltford Models fame, made SM32 Jubilee track (pre-assembled narrow gauge Hudson track panels) using metal sleepers pressed to shape. The ones he sold were made from brass, for his own use he made some from old bean cans and left them in the garden letting them rust away...
DeleteWell done Paul, your first attempt is miles better than the Peco effort. Building your own track and points isn't as difficult as most people believe, the more you build the easier it gets and the better they become. Best of all you can break away from Peco's rigid geometry and can tailor things to suit your own layout.
ReplyDeleteDespite my best efforts using steel rail was a disaster, it's lovely to work and solder and really looks the part but mine rusted so it was back to n/silver for me.
Thanks Geoff. As I work in EM as well pointwork is something that I need to master should I ever get so far as building a layout.
DeleteAs I have no intention of using this point I've not cleaned it up just to see what happens.
This looks great, as I knew it would! Very encouraging. I had a spell some years ago of building narrow gauge track but somehow lost confidence along the way. Trouble is, you are a superb engineer and fabricator of all sorts of clever things so I can't take any encouragement from what I expect you to accomplish with panache, but you do explain it rather well and make it sound very do-able. I do have a memory of building track for a narrow gauge (00n3) engine shed, late on the night before my English A level...the confidence of youth :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm not that good Iain, but thanks for the compliment!
DeleteWhatever happened to your early n.g. efforts? Is there photographic evidence that you could share? And did you pass the A-level?
There aren't any photographs of my early efforts, as I didn't think they were good enough at the time. I did finish the loco depot- and some of the points worked well, others I could never get to work properly...but amazingly, I did pass the "A" level! I should say that the rail came from some Wrenn track, given to me by a dear old chap who worked at the Dinting Railway Centre...so it was like trains running on RSJ's. Not really P4. :-)
DeleteThere were at least two n.g. industrial railways that used s.g. rail, although I think that Wrenn track was heavy even by mainline standards!
DeleteI have some etched fishbelly rail knocking about (Ambis), I wonder if I could get away with using that for n.g.?
I think that I passed 'O' level English, can't remember the grade though.
Fishbelly rail would be entirely appropriate for many of the quarries in north Wales at the turn of the 19th century, and some lingered for a while later. I've found fishbelly rail in quite a few places, Oakeley Cesail and Dorothea to name just a couple. I reckon a seldom-used siding would look rather wonderful laid with it...if you decide to, I could look up some of my books to see how it was fixed and laid.
DeleteHmm, food for thought. I did wonder if I could get away with using it for a siding or even tipping dock where locos seldom venture.
DeleteIt would look rather good I think!