Loved seeing the update , how do you manage with rain etc , apart from laying the track you must have top consider drainage and winter ....you have to lift and relay the track ? A great labour of love , thankyou for sharing your passion with us .
Robert, Drainage is pretty good and the water does not collect to form a problem. I laid the track using preformed concrete bases, locally manufactured and they have proved very stable, but after several years and bush/tree roots there are several places where the track is moving slightly, but the real railways are far from level so it is no real big deal at the moment. I had a problem after the first two winters eith electrical continuity between the rack connectors and so took up the whole track and cleaned it. Before relaying the track I used a tool to drill two 2mm holes at the end of each piece of track. The tracks were relaid and were connected by brass fishplates at each side of the track rail and 2mm screws and nuts were bolted fast together as prototype rails are connected. I also used electrical graphite paste before screwing the plates together to provide a really good connection for the electricity. The tracks are held fast about every 18 inch with a screw through the sleepers into the concrete with a rawlplug. This allows the track to move when it expands and contracts due to the heat and cold. After this time consuming exercise I just clean the track by vacuuming the rubbish out from winter and then going over the top of the brass track with a very mild abrasive pad. I have never had a problem with the electricity connections since and it is left out all year. Regards Tom
Great pictures Tom, Looks like you had a great day and the weather was kind too. I'm still looking for a wagon with 40 Hommes 8 Chevaux written on it though Cheers Andy
This allows the track to move when it expands and contracts due to the heat and cold. Regards Tom I remember James May and his three mile long Scalextic track at Brooklands. The track came up quite high in places as it heated and expanded. [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE] A reminder of a quality piece of entertainment.
Not just leaves on the line, but giant Rhubarb leaves blocked my first goods service of the year. In just over a week from the lines first outing this year, the Rhubarb plant had grown so much that two big pieces of Rhubarb blocked the track. I never thought to walk the track where the fruit bushes and Rhubarb are planted and I almost paid the price Luckily the Engine did not derail and I was able to pull up the offending pieces which later made a great pie The bogie trucks are made from Bachmann kits and run very well. The gravel loads which I made weighing quite heavily. A few photographs attached. Regards Tom
I do not get to drive the train, nor even ring the bell. But watch the train go off the tracks and see who catches 'ell!
Tom Don't know if you can watch this tonight but the BBC 2 is showing Toy Stories at 8pm all about a model railway run between Barnstaple & Bideford. Other forum members might also like to watch this, a previous documentary on the same subject was a little gem Ron
Tom Don't know if you can watch this tonight but the BBC 2 is showing Toy Stories at 8pm all about a model railway run between Barnstaple & Bideford. Other forum members might also like to watch this, a previous documentary on the same subject was a little gem Ron Ron I can only get BBC World on our Cable provider, but would certainly appreciate it if you could copy it for me. Regards Tom
Tom My recorder is chundling away at this moment. Send me your address via a PM or e-mail and I should be able to post it Monday pm Glad to be of service Ron
Tom My recorder is chundling away at this moment. Send me your address via a PM or e-mail and I should be able to post it Monday pm Glad to be of service Ron Ron, PM sent. Regards Tom
I saw the track Tom, but missed out on the Rhubarb pie. I told you how much I liked it! Geoff, There was not enough hours in the day during your visit Regards Tom
Tom This is the link to the "catch-up" BBC2 program BBC iPlayer - James May's Toy Stories: The Great Train Race Your own recorded copy, on DVD format, is being posted within the next hour. The one hour program on Ireland (on the same disk) is also well worth watching Ron
Ron, I have just arrived home from the Legion Wednesday morning meeting, to find the post from your goodself. Many thanks and I will view it later. Regards Tom
Bumping this lovely thread to show you this: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ACkmg3Y64_s?rel=0 I defy you not to be impressed ! Ron
Ron, Yes it is a great attraction and a wonderful place to visit, having been there a few years ago when they were just building the Norwegian Fiords. I can recommend a visit and hope to pay another visit this summer. Last week was a short documentary on the Model Wunderland showing the work regarding the American shoot out with Police and Robbers. Very novel ways of using magnets to resurrect those shot. Regards Tom