GNRi1959

Does solder come with flux? I didn’t use any and the solder just melted into the joints.

Things were going well up until a few days ago.......... I decided to change my control are to the opposite end of the layout so I could facilitate manually operating my points. In doing this I decided that my attempts at inserting two additional droppers were far from good. (a good workman never blames his tools!) well, I proved myself wrong in this case. I bought a really good soldering iron that can achieve temperatures up to 450degrees and I set about replacing two sections of track and my baseboard joints using this new gadget. After watching a new videos, I was so proud of myself, making up wired railjoiners and getting shining bright silvery solder joints. I was amazed at how easy it was, all down to a much better iron.

Anyone know what is the correct sizes of copper/brass tube plus piano wire to make manual point controls.

JB, in America, they have a lazy Susan sitting in the middle of the dinner table with various varieties of food on it. It revolves, giving you access to all the samples

Do point motors, in general, cause any harm to the springs and locking of Peco streamline points?

0 gauge model of Fintona Horse Tram that I built when my friend Norman was writing the book. Purchased by Folk and Tranport museum, plastikard and brass. Spiral staircase made from plastic and also, to perfection.

I've just scrolled through some amazing pics of your layout JB and it is inspiring, well done.

Thanks guys for the useful guidance on uncoupling possibilities, I guess I am thinking ahead because today I started making preparations for the baseboard joint and soldering my track. I decided to go with a tip Dhu Varren expressed back in 2018 where he suggested using his tried and tested method of inserting copper pins into the baseboard, tight to the outsides of the rails and soldering to these. I took the heads of my copper pins and inserted them into the baseboard, l then soldered the rails and made a perfect cut of the track using a brand new track saw, perfect job.

Colin, glad you brought it up. I have used Cork on four layouts in the past and after all the care and attention I paid in chamfering the shoulder, there was little reduction in sound transmission. However, the noise is that of a moving train and to be honest sounds good.

Your diagram was most interesting and offers ideas that will help. I presume the magnets are for uncoupling? Can these be used on Dapol type wagons for this purpose? Thank you for sharing David.

I’m at a fairly important part of my layout where I have laid my track, fitted all insulated railjoiners and droppers and I’m now underneath thinking about connections and where everything should go. I don’t envisage wanting to display it at a model Railway show just yet but l have made it in two sections, bolted together with 3” bolts, washers and wing nuts. What is the best way of connecting cable under the boards, with a view to quickly separating them if it does need to be moved.

David, I looks really interesting and well thought out. Good luck with it.

Bit of track laid today but not fixed, wired temporarily and ready to test loco. Runs pretty well too. 20211107_161329.mp4

Even though I have a good supply of point motors, I am seriously considering mechanical point control. Has anyone used DCC Manual Point controls, expensive but looks great.

Thanks, the track is cut but just sitting there loose. I came across around ten Gaugemaster point motors and CDU so I suppose the next step will be to paint the baseboards before I lay the track. Don't think I'll lay any Cork, there was no ballast shoulder I'm aware of at Fintona.

All previous discussions on Fintona will now be posted here as Fintona Station has been born. This morning I laid out my track, based very closely to new drawings I obtained during the week. My only sacrifice being the shortening of a siding, which will only be used to conceal the line emerging from my fiddle yard, as recommended by Galteemore.

I used DAS modelling class on Omagh Goods Yard but I brush the baseboard with pva first and it was fine

Looks good but I'm happy to settle for a few points in the FY. Have you used cork? I don’t think Fintona has much of a ballast shoulder, the horse had everything trampled under foot.

Absolutely brilliant, thanks for sharing. I wanted to ask, where my single line disappears into the fiddle yard, is it common practice to run a series of points off this line to form the fiddle yard.

What's the scene on the other side of the viewing area, in the fiddle yard?

Thank you so much, that works really well.

Great idea, I think there is a goods store I can use, what do your actual opening look like them, if you don’t mind

What work around is there when your fiddle yard is accessed by a bridge or tunnel when the prototype doesn't have one.

A copy arrived in the post this morning, I’ve been so busy I didn’t even get a chance to open it - such is retirement!