Latton Fields

I decided I wanted something in the right shade of green to pull the odd rail tour into Latton fields, and last month I 'won' this.





It was a bit dusty, but I've cleaned it up and as one of the tyres on the front bogie was a bit loose, I bough a new front bogie from Peter's Spares.

From what I can make out it's the 1997(ish) model, but it still had those 'orrible split plastic axle type wheels on the tender, which sometimes cause derailment through points. So I managed to source a pack of Peco R-18 spoked 16mm tender wheels, which although still plastic, don't cause derailments.

Just got to fit a decoder.

Ed

 

As the weather warms, it's a case of Puzzle Plank on hold and back to the garage layout.

Knowing my luck, it'll start snowing next week Ian.

Keeping an eye on New York and where their current weather goes as it crosses the pond

 

Rake of three teaks

Ed

 

Sound before DCC . Yes it did have Gary, but I took the clip off the rear tender axle hoping it would then run through the point work without derailing, but it didn't make much difference.

The Peco R-18 replacement wheels are the same ones I managed to find for the Caledonian Single Wheeler's tender a couple of years ago.

Ideal tender wheels would be Jackson/Romford JR8 and although they're advertised as 'on back order' at quite a few model outlets, I have serious doubts whether they will actually be produced again.

Ed

 

Back in December I mentioned making a double loop.

The plan is to lose one storage line and add a facing crossover.

Green and blue are new/moved sections of track.



Then I thought I'd make the lift off section look a bit more like a bridge, although I hadn't originally intended it to be anything more than functional with no scenery.

So I got some Peco bridge sides and did a sort-of mock up.





It's going to be a very low bridge, but not dissimilar to this.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/635382

with a lot of modelers license.









Of course once I've done it, I've just got to figure out how to get Catenary across it

Ed

 

'Food for thought' there Toto.

Was thinking of making up some more portals similar to the station, but that's another option.

It has brass contacts for the power at the moment Gormo, but I might switch to a plug as I find they do stop everything being completely flat at the join.

If you make the cut out they sit in on the underside of the lift out section too deep, they don't touch on the fixed baseboard side with enough pressure to provide a reliable contact, as your just relying on the weight of the section.

I did look at hinging this section as it makes the power easier as you then don't need the brass contacts, but due to the angle I can't very easily be done, and the shelving behind would prevent it lifting any more than the vertical.

Progress is very slow as I keep having to wait for PVA to dry, but there's no rush

Ed

 

Yesterday's gluing.



The bridge piers are bits of wood I found in the back of a drawer. I think they were salvaged from a shoe rack that was being thrown out.



They just happened to be about 9mm, which with the bridge deck being 3mm (two bits of 1.5mm card stuck together) butts up quite nicely to the approach roads at each end which are two bits of 6mm MDF stuck together.

The weight of track and train should be held by the piers ok, but as the deck is card I've added some longitudinal support between the piers to stop any sagging in the card deck.

Quick test fit of the deck.....



and one lot of bridge sides.



It's not really possible to see the additional deck supports under the bridge.

Now for some painting.

Ed

 

Gary wrote:

Chest freezer and tumble drier in the way ..................................... damn

Magnets could be an option but I was thinking last night, I've got one brass bolt holding the lift off section in place.

It only needs one as it's at an angle and sits against a stop on one of the main boards.

If I put another brass bolt on (I've got two as I used them when I had a hinged section), could I use them to carry the power to the lift off section

Ed

PS. Just slapped some undercoat on the bare wood, so I'm now waiting for paint to dry

 

Another option, thanks Pete.

I don't think we have any Biro pens with springs in anymore, but I have got some springs

Ed