Rob
By sheer coincidence, I grabbed an earlier copy of MRJ (from the wardrobe in a spare bedroom where I store my grandchildren’s toys, and also where the overspill of copies of the mag are kept, and which I’d forgotten about) and opened it at an article on modelling ‘bad track’ by the late Iain Rice.
Unfortunately, the modelling section of the article relates to scratch building this which isn’t of much help here, but what I thought might be of interest was a covering thumbnail photo at the head of the article, which immediately put me in mind of what I think you’re trying to achieve here, and which hopefully may prove useful as some form of reference?
Anyway, for what it’s worth, here it is, and which I trust nobody will mind me reproducing here for the purpose off reference:
As you can see, Rob, it would appear that apart from one or two minor sections of the pointwork, most of ‘the look’ can be achieved by ‘messing’ with the plain sections of track, which would make matters a little easier for you perhaps, without knackering the smooth transition of locos over pointwork (Iain even makes mention that in ‘real’ life, it wasn’t unusual for locos or stock to become derailed whilst negotiating such aged track work!).
A few kinks here ‘n’ there in the plain sections, before and after the curves would, I reckon, admirably portray the look you’re going for without worrying too much about the points themselves, which would merely benefit, I suspect, from a couple or so of distressed and sunken timbers?
Granted, the effect would probably look more effective on longer runs of plain track, but I think it would still be possible to produce a gentle nod even within the cosiness of the space you’re afforded here.
Anyway, hope it helps.
Jon
