7mm Trethevy, NCR, SR 1930's.

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Not a lot happening, life seems to be getting in the way.
I have done some plain track, it looks like I will need another ten metres of rail, and a load more etched fish plates
The way I'm doing it, is to put the chairs on the rail, solder two tails per rail to the bottom, wash to remove the flux.
First rail in place.

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The one below has four wires as it will be cut at base board joint once set.

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At the base board join I drill the last two sleepers 1.6mm to take a rod to which the rail is soldered to, washed then chairs cut in half fitted over. You can see on the far rail in following picture, chairs in place and the rail cut.

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I've gone back to what I've done so far to fit the etched fish plates before it becomes to daunting.

Firstly I saw through the rail head.

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Once that is done I super glue the etched plates on. Fortunately I noticed that they have etched an internal and external one.

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Hopefully progress might gain speed again, or at least look like I've actually done something.



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Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Finally I managed to start the last two boards. I've got the corner one ready to give a coat of paint.

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What was going to be a triangular board has a little added extra so I do not have a board joint going through the blades of the bay entry, and the centre of the three way. As is not a portable layout it doesn't really matter.
It looks like I will have another slope on the layout, need to reprint the plan or part of it, to see where. My new 3mm cork is 2.5mm and the original is 3.2mm. Not sure what they use here for measuring or QC.

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I now just need to do the sector plate. But for that I need to clear the stored stuff from behind the door, so it opens up to 90° not to just level with my stock cupboard.
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Final board the decor plate is being built. This is an experiment, I'm not quite sure how the plate will end up. I'm undecided whether it will have one or two tracks on it. One will be adequate, but two will mean I can have a train ready to go.

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It's not needed for storage as I will have two or three lines behind the main layout. This will mean I can keep stock out but under cover.

This picture shows roughly how the track gets to the sector plate, the new plan is being printed as I write. Then I can work out how the sector plate will work. Or whether I need to move the pivot, reshape the business end etc.
As you can see there is plenty of room behind the visible track work to get the storage lines in.

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I'm actually in the process of glueing the cork down, on the corner board. It should be interesting as we will end up with three levels, not sure it will be noticeable that there are three but should be fun.
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Pete,

I imagine your operating potential will be much greater with two sector plate tracks (the Smellchequer got you!), particularly if you have three storage roads. Effectively you need one of the storage & turntable roads empty all the time, so it can accept an outgoing train.

I think you’ll get blocked quite quickly with only one, as it offers you one more “train parking space” that you can clear a storage road into.

Atb
Simon
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Pete,

I imagine your operating potential will be much greater with two sector plate tracks (the Smellchequer got you!), particularly if you have three storage roads. Effectively you need one of the storage & turntable roads empty all the time, so it can accept an outgoing train.

I think you’ll get blocked quite quickly with only one, as it offers you one more “train parking space” that you can clear a storage road into.

Atb
Simon
I did think much along the same lines, but a lot depends on the track radius needed to join the running lines.
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
The cork Is down and sanded, the plan reprinted and glued in place.
Hopefully you can see the two ramps down to the goods shed and cattle dock sidings, these are not quite in the same place, hopefully adding to the character.

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Next came cutting the crossing timbers for the three way and bay platform entry. I could not believe it took me a two and a half hour session to do them. And they are not even glued in place yet.

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Looking from the sector plate end, it seems to all run nicely together.

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Whilst measuring up the other day, I found I'd managed to get 3.2 metres of running plus the sector plate. Which I did not think was bad for a 3.1 metre square room.
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Hi Peter

Great work!

I like your idea of using brass rod at the ‘join’ instead of the usual PCB sleeper method. Very neat.

May I ask: I’ve used flux to solder electrical wires to rail in the past, but I’ve read that this can cause acidic(?) residue to form in time, resulting in loss of current, which is why electrical solder without flux should only be used? I’m afraid I’m quite ignorant of these matters so can’t comment, but I’ve always achieved a better bond the way you do it. I do note, however, that you ‘wash’ the joint afterwards; does this solve the problem, Peter? If so, what do you use?

Hope you don’t mind my asking, and thanks for sharing your methods.

Best wishes,

Jonte
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Jonte,

electrical solder is typically “cored” with flux, you can see it if you chop a bit off with a scalpel, rather than melting it. The flux in electrical solder is chosen so it won’t cause corrosion.

fluxes work by chemically removing the oxide layer on the metal, so the solder can form a metallic alloy with the metals you’re joining. It is needed, you won’t solder without!

Some fluxes are adhesive and stay on the metal, and can cause corrosion, some less so. Most are acidic and can be washed off / neutralised with a mild alkali. I always use electrical solder to fix wires to rail, because I don’t want to wash it. On my pal’s outdoor layout, there’s no choice due to years of accumulated corrosion, and bird droppings, aggressive flux, and wash afterwards with dissolved dishwasher tablet.

Old story, hot iron, clean metal, in & out fast, job done

hth
Simon
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Jonte,

electrical solder is typically “cored” with flux, you can see it if you chop a bit off with a scalpel, rather than melting it. The flux in electrical solder is chosen so it won’t cause corrosion.

fluxes work by chemically removing the oxide layer on the metal, so the solder can form a metallic alloy with the metals you’re joining. It is needed, you won’t solder without!

Some fluxes are adhesive and stay on the metal, and can cause corrosion, some less so. Most are acidic and can be washed off / neutralised with a mild alkali. I always use electrical solder to fix wires to rail, because I don’t want to wash it. On my pal’s outdoor layout, there’s no choice due to years of accumulated corrosion, and bird droppings, aggressive flux, and wash afterwards with dissolved dishwasher tablet.

Old story, hot iron, clean metal, in & out fast, job done

hth
Simon

Many thanks for the clear explanation, Simon!

Jonte
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Hi Peter

Great work!

I like your idea of using brass rod at the ‘join’ instead of the usual PCB sleeper method. Very neat.

May I ask: I’ve used flux to solder electrical wires to rail in the past, but I’ve read that this can cause acidic(?) residue to form in time, resulting in loss of current, which is why electrical solder without flux should only be used? I’m afraid I’m quite ignorant of these matters so can’t comment, but I’ve always achieved a better bond the way you do it. I do note, however, that you ‘wash’ the joint afterwards; does this solve the problem, Peter? If so, what do you use?

Hope you don’t mind my asking, and thanks for sharing your methods.

Best wishes,

Jonte

Thanks.
The brass rod idea was stolen from Chris (pencarrow).

I think Simon has covered the flux issue well. I'm just hoping it will all be ok. It only needs to last about 20 years, just hope I get to finish it.
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
As you have two exit tracks from the station and staging yard then I'd be inclined to go for two tracks on the sector plate which means trains will not accidentially be driven onto a trackless board.
I'm trying to get 2. I'm almost there. Just final alignments to get right.
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Thanks.
The brass rod idea was stolen from Chris (pencarrow).

I think Simon has covered the flux issue well. I'm just hoping it will all be ok. It only needs to last about 20 years, just hope I get to finish it.

Thanks, Peter, and good luck with the build! I’m sure you’ll get there in the end.

Yes; Pencarrow is a rather clever sort :)

Jonte
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Well, I've been struggling to get the sector plate right. I started with the pivot at the far end but with the position of the entry it just didn't work.
So I moved it to the centre line, and tried various places across the centre line. I found the best place was roughly in the centre of the baseboard with the sector plate away from the operator.
Here is mart two, but on this I've placed some rulers to show how mark three will be.

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Here's mark three, on which I can get two tracks just some adjusting to do.

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Here we can see the adjustment to the bay entry turnout. It's basically just straightening out the switch end a bit. And starting the sector plate curve in at the end of the 3 way switch blades. Should be a 6 foot radius in the sector plate.

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Just to show it all lines up.

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It moves over to where the storage sidings will be. The further track will reach all three but the closest will only reach the first, unless I move the storage further forward, which will effect my scenic ideas.

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I've started to lay the cork, so track work can begin.
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Right, thanks for the comments guys. Mark 4 sector plate has been made, more on that later. But, for now I'm back to track work. I've made the bay point and connected it to the rest of the platform line. But seem to of not photographed that bit. I am pleased to say, that a Slater's wagon sent running from the sector plate end will run all the way to the wall at the other end.

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I've got most of the three way, it's just the right hand stock rail and two check rails. It takes what seems for ever to do this point, lots of cutting of chairs.

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Although I have found it hard work these two points I think flow very nicely. I have about 400mm oft track between the three way and the rest of the loop, then it's a stock take to see what I need to finish the sidings ect.


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I'm on mark? Sector plate. I will show it in another post, it needs photos taking which I'll do when I set it up again.
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
More progress. The three way is now complete, and I'm working on the sidings. The connection to the loop has been done. Now with some jiggery-pokery I'm going to be able to finish the track work on the visible side of the layout. And the tracks on the sector plate, not so sure about the hidden sidings. If not I'll just have to put things away after playing.

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Also the sector plate mark 5 I do believe.

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It has now been lengthened, to remove the very short lengths of track that would of been needed. You can now see the plate encroaches onto the corner board. The tracks line up well, I just can't have both engaged at the same time. It's something I am quite happy to live with, the closest track will also be a large 4 foot in length.

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At the back for the hidden sidings, the far track on the plate will service all 3, but the front one will only get to the one furthest from the wall. Again not a problem.

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The the plate now longer than the board, I think it will aid me in how it goes to the end of the layout. To take down the plate lifts off then the board with its legs lifts out. Being to parts, makes it all a bit lighter as I'm growing any younger.
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Pete,

might be an idea to put some brass woodscrews into your plate and the end of the tracks, you can adjust them to get the height right, and solder the rail to them for strength. The plastic chairs are very good, but I doubt would resist a snag from a sleeve or whatever.

sorry if granny, eggs, etc
Simon
 

Peter Cross

Western Thunderer
Pete,

might be an idea to put some brass woodscrews into your plate and the end of the tracks, you can adjust them to get the height right, and solder the rail to them for strength. The plastic chairs are very good, but I doubt would resist a snag from a sleeve or whatever.

sorry if granny, eggs, etc
Simon

Simon at the board ends the first two or three sleepers are drill and a brass rod inserted, to which the rail is soldered.
 
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