Layout Progress (II)
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Further developments on the trackwork construction after a week or two's respite while I awaited essential track parts.

Again, the site will take a wee while to load, probably about a minute at 28.8, since it contains more largish .JPG files.

Scale7 Trackwork Laying down the crossing nose of the second double slip

The straight edge is a metal meter stick bought at the local DIY store - more than straight enough for tracklaying purposes. The other nondescript lumps are some of my collection of lead weights, used here to hold things fairly firmly in place.

Scale7 Trackwork A close view of the crossing nose before soldering to the brass pads. The brass pads hold the rail at the correct height and are stuck to the sleepers using quick setting epoxy resin.

This whole setup ensures that the crossing nose is aligned accurately for one road through the slip. The nose is tack soldered then alignment for the second road is checked before fully soldering the nose.

Scale7 Trackwork Once the crossing noses are placed, the obtuse (or "K") crossings are positioned. the straight edge comes into use again, being clamped to a closure rail and held against the nose of the farther crossing.

The obtuse crossing is clamped in position in the centre of the slip.
Scale7 Trackwork A close view of the obtuse crossing before being tack soldered to the brass plates on the sleepers. After tacking, the alignment is checked for the other road through the crossing, then fully soldered to the plates.

Scale7 Track A poorish quality view of the latest stage with work on the two remaining slips under way.

Construction has been moved to a room with a north facing window so the amount of ambient light available doesn't suit my old digital camera.

And I haven't cleared up the detritus of track building either.

Scale7 Track The outer slip with the diamond elements installed and awaiting check rails, slip road rails and switch blades.

You may note that lurking behind the ashtray top right is the Slaters Midland brake van chassis, still incomplete. This has now become the test vehicle for the pointwork since you get a clear view of the wheel to track relationship when doing a rolling test. It might get finished one day.

Scale7 Track The skeleton of the inner "UP" road slip with parts of the obtuse crossings laid.

A bit more work will get most of this laid and the crossing of the point in the top right, then it will be down to making all the switch blades.

As a matter of interest, the building of this formation has used 16 metres of rail so far and will probably use about 20 metres when the point blades are fitted.

About 450 chairs and 100 slide chairs have been used, but another 100 or so chairs will be required for cosmetic purposes to hide the PCB and brass pads.

Sleepering was cut by hand from 1.5mm plywood sheet and about 1.5 square feet (approx 0.1 square metres) have been used.
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