Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Hi,

This morning I had to go to the screw shop as I was running low on materials and while away from home an early Christmas gift arrived from America; many thanks Gil!

With all the base boards for the curved track pretty much finished a couple of false legs have been made so that they will stand on their mono legs.  I am quite pleased each pair of boards weigh in at only 4.5 kg about 10 lb add about another generous 2 kg/4.5 lb for paint and track it will be considerably lighter than the existing layout for the same parts. There is going to be a bit of a space problems as soon as I start connecting more than two boards together which is OK and is how the track will be laid one board to the next and so on.  If, sensibly before laying the track all the base boards are erected to see if they join together in one piece I will need to find somewhere to do; it during the warmer months the garage could be used but for the next four or so months it will be too damp and cold, anyway the existing layout is stored there during the winter.  We used to have access to the school’s car park at the bottom of the garden where the existing layout was erected and first run on in 2006 but the car park was enlarged and fenced.  So, I think I will check with the committee of Cardiff MES to see if I can use one of the rooms in the club house during a day when it isn’t being occupied.

Next, I could carry on making the six remaining wide boards for the straight track but I need to get timber for the legs and I have to design and make different brackets for the double folding legs.  I have a friend who visits and helps by doing a lot of the repetitious jobs like machining and drilling these brackets.  So, I think I will either make a cradle to fit in the trailer to hold the four hinged together boards already made or design and make the lifting section for the entrance to the layout.

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Regards Tony.