RMweb Premium Chamby Posted June 11, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 11, 2021 6 hours ago, St Enodoc said: ...There's only about 5mm or so difference along the whole quadrant but that made the gradient about 1 in 70 instead of 1 in 100 - almost certainly enough to make the 42xx locos struggle up the hill with the long china-clay train... Should be fine for a brace of panniers or 41xx's though? I recall that somewhere in the distant past of this thread, you posted an overall plan for the proposed layout... it would be useful for us mere observers if you can post that again, to see how this recent work fits in to your master plan re: where the new branch lines are heading! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandhole Posted June 11, 2021 Share Posted June 11, 2021 7 hours ago, St Enodoc said: If you thought that the single line track base that I installed last weekend looked a bit steeper than 1 in 100, you were right. I'd messed up the calculated heights of the risers, so I adjusted those before laying a yard of track on each line and connecting them to the Branch track bus. There is now enough track to shunt the short china-clay trains (I have a cunning plan) but not the long ones and I still haven't got an offcut of track to lengthen the single line spur as far as the end of the track base. So, going further round the bend with more plywood was the order of the day for the rest of this afternoon. I cut a further quadrant for each line and erected three more joists to support them. I started with the inner (Wheal Veronica) line, so I could work forwards from the back without getting in the way of myself. No dramas with that but not enough time afterwards to erect the single line track base, so that's just lying on the joists in its approximate horizontal alignment. This shows where I've got to so far. At the right-hand end of the Wheal Veronica line, the track base is about 30mm higher than at St Enodoc station. I might go a bit higher but probably not much. On the left you can see the fishplate that will support the single line track base. If you compare this with Sunday's photo, not only can you see the extended Wheal Veronica track base but also, I hope, the shallower gradient on the single line. There's only about 5mm or so difference along the whole quadrant but that made the gradient about 1 in 70 instead of 1 in 100 - almost certainly enough to make the 42xx locos struggle up the hill with the long china-clay train. Here's the extent of the track so far. In the middle, in front of the joist with its name on it, you can see the red and black feeders from the bus to the new track. Finally for today, a view back Up towards St Enodoc, with the buffer stops left out of shot deliberately to make it look as though the tracks might be longer than they are. You can just see the new feeders in this photo too. That is lovely carpentry. Great workmanship. Regards, Chris. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 12, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2021 (edited) On 12/06/2021 at 01:21, Chamby said: Should be fine for a brace of panniers or 41xx's though? I recall that somewhere in the distant past of this thread, you posted an overall plan for the proposed layout... it would be useful for us mere observers if you can post that again, to see how this recent work fits in to your master plan re: where the new branch lines are heading! Yes it will, Phil. In fact, many trains on the Branch will be double-headed, just as they were in real life (I don't think I'm going to run any with two up front and a banker on the back though - at least not in normal operations). Here's the overall block plan and the latest version of the as-built project plan. Once I've finished this stage, Polperran - the third fiddle yard that represents the Newquay - Chacewater line; St Dennis Junction (where the long china-clay trains go); and the Southern connection from Wadebridge via Ruthern Bridge - will be next. The triangle and terminus will be the last parts to be built. Edited June 29, 2022 by St Enodoc images restored 13 1 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 12, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2021 10 hours ago, Sandhole said: That is lovely carpentry. Great workmanship. Regards, Chris. Thanks Chris. Flattery will get you everywhere. In fact, it's all a bit of a bodge-up. One of the joys of L-girder construction is that as long as the basic foundations and the trackbase are right, you can get away with pretty well anything in between. 5 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post St Enodoc Posted June 12, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 12, 2021 (edited) I went round the bend a bit more today. First I erected the next quadrant of the single line and added two lengths (about four feet) of foam trackbed to each line. These two photos show very nicely, I think, the vertical divergence between the two lines as they turn back on themselves. The vertical separation at the end of the track bases is now about 60mm. I then laid another yard of track on each line. Getting the alignment right on the single line was easy enough, as I have Tracksettas of the right 30" radius, but for the Wheal Veronica branch (670mm radius) I don't. I therefore pre-curved the track with 24"radius Tracksettas and opened it up gently as I laid it, following the centre line. This isn't too hard as the join between the two halves of the trackbed shows up quite nicely. In the second photo you can see how the falling single line is partly-hidden by the rising china-clay branch. This effect will continue as the single line continues behind St Enodoc. Once I'd finished all that, I just had time to test the temporary shunting arrangements for both the long and short china-clay trains. More on this another time. For now, suffice it to say that the 42xx had no trouble lifting the long china-clay train up the two yards of curved 1 in 100 - thank goodness! It's now time to celebrate World Gin Day and then, after dinner, to see if the Waratahs can finish their 2021 season with their 100% record intact... Edited June 29, 2022 by St Enodoc images restored 25 3 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin S-C Posted June 12, 2021 Share Posted June 12, 2021 Can I enquire what your system is for arranging a correct and steady gradient around a curve where you're having to build the trackbed in sections - limited I'm guessing by the dimensions of the ply sheets you're using. Do you have a long spirit level with a pre-measured support at one end? Or some other means of getting the grade correct, because I understand that around a curve all kinds of odd geometric things happen to a slope. I have exactly this task ahead of me in the second iteration of my own layout and have been wondering how best to do it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 12, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2021 43 minutes ago, Martin S-C said: Can I enquire what your system is for arranging a correct and steady gradient around a curve where you're having to build the trackbed in sections - limited I'm guessing by the dimensions of the ply sheets you're using. Do you have a long spirit level with a pre-measured support at one end? Or some other means of getting the grade correct, because I understand that around a curve all kinds of odd geometric things happen to a slope. I have exactly this task ahead of me in the second iteration of my own layout and have been wondering how best to do it. Martin, I find that a spirit level is usually too coarse for accurate setting out (although I understand that digital levels are better). Also, they tend to be straight (of course) so can only follow a chord not an arc. Having said that, I've used them successfully on straight track in the past. The longer the level you have the better, as you would expect. My method is based on the joists and risers. You can see that the "radial" joists are roughly equally spaced. I measure the distance between them, along the track centre line, and work out the rise or fall accordingly. So, if two joists are 300mm apart and the gradient is 1 in 100, the riser at the lower joist needs to be 3mm shorter than the other. To minimise cumulative errors, I start with the outermost joists on a section and interpolate the others as I go. For example, the section I did today was 1350mm along the track centre line from the first to the last (fifth) joists so the fall was 13.5mm. The height of the first riser, from the top of the lowest joist to the bottom of the ply, was 81.5mm so the riser at the fifth joist was 68mm high. It's quite easy to measure to the nearest 0.5mm which is accurate enough for my purposes. At the top or bottom, to get a nice vertical curve between the gradient and the level track, I work out the measurement in the same way but halve it. You guessed right about the length of the sections. They are the longest I could get from standard 1220mm x 610mm ply without wasting too much (the pointy end gives it away). Hope that makes sense. 7 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin S-C Posted June 12, 2021 Share Posted June 12, 2021 Your measurements are around the curve of the track centre line I take it? But yes, very helpful, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 12, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 12, 2021 9 hours ago, Martin S-C said: Your measurements are around the curve of the track centre line I take it? But yes, very helpful, thanks. Yes, using a 2ft steel rule that is flexible enough to follow the curve. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chamby Posted June 13, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 13, 2021 Another simple method to measure the drop along a curve is to ‘walk’ a pair of dividers along the track centre line. 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 14, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 14, 2021 (edited) No MCL action yesterday as we went for a very pleasant walk, not in the bush this time but in the city. We walked from Wynyard station via the old Hyde Park Barracks, down to Mrs Macquarie's Point, and through the Royal Botanic Gardens to Circular Quay, where we stopped for lunch. After that we carried on through The Rocks and Walsh Bay to Barangaroo along the recently-opened waterside path before completing the circle back to Wynyard. A sparkling winter's day and not as cold as earlier in the week, so very enjoyable. Today being a public holiday, I did spend some time on railway matters, wiring the feeders and droppers to the track I laid on Saturday and then fiddling around to see where Wheal Veronica china-clay kiln might finally end up. No decision yet but I've narrowed it down a bit. This needs to be confirmed as it will define the end of the gradient and the curve on the branch. I also had another go at shunting the china clay-trains and found a much simpler way, subject to a) hand shunting the loco and brake van on the long train (not a problem, as that is what will happen eventually when it disappears off-stage at Polperran); and b) checking that the short train will in fact sit on the Wheal Veronica branch without running away down the gradient (for good or ill, it will!). Local Working Instructions WTT draft 10a stage 3 main line, railbus, clay SE.docx Here are the revised local instructions for these moves. I'll take a couple of photos another time. Edited June 29, 2022 by St Enodoc images restored 17 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted June 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 14, 2021 Exciting times..plus I see some wombats were encountered on the walk. Baz 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted June 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 14, 2021 6 hours ago, St Enodoc said: via the old Hyde Park Barracks, down to Mrs Macquarie's Point, and through the Royal Botanic Gardens to Circular Quay, where we stopped for lunch. We did that walk just over 6 years ago, but starting/finishing in Hyde Park. Your photo is better than mine as mine was taken into the sun. Just like a Scottish walk . . . except that we didn’t recognise any of the trees, weren’t used to budgies in trees not cages (flocks of them too), and ibis not pigeons in the park. A very pleasant walk it was. I did get a better photo of the bridge/opera from the back of the Manly ferry later. Paul. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post St Enodoc Posted June 19, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 19, 2021 (edited) This week seems to have been taken up largely by eating and drinking (not that's there's anything wrong with that) - first a big industry dinner on Tuesday with over 400 people present - a great occasion - then birthday drinks on Wednesday and finally my birthday dinner yesterday. Nevertheless, I've had time to finalise the location for Wheal Veronica kiln and got most of the way to erecting its baseboards. The kiln needs to leave room for the road that crosses the bridge at St Enodoc Down end to execute a double bend round the back of the kiln. To accommodate this, I decided on an arbitrary 150mm gap between the back corner of the kiln and the edge of St Enodoc baseboards. I also needed to match the track alignment at the front of the kiln to the curved approach track. To cut a long story short, after a lot of shuffling bits of plywood around I fixed the location and started to put it all together today. First I had to cut back the approach baseboard to match the tangent from the curved approach to the two sidings at the kiln. There will be a left-hand point here, the diverging road leading to the loading siding next to the kiln itself and the straight road leading to the second siding. I also adjusted the levels and the superelevation to avoid the cant gradient coinciding with the vertical curve. After doing this, the final vertical alignment at Wheal Veronica is now 30mm higher than that at St Enodoc. Next I made a bridging piece to connect the approach track base to the kiln baseboard, to be fixed in place with two fishplates underneath. This photo shows the first of these, with the kiln baseboard just resting on the main joists. After that, I added two extra joists and a few risers to support the kiln, then connected the kiln baseboard to the bridging piece with another fishplate after checking the alignment of the track centre lines. That was all I had time for today, apart from resting the kiln on the board to see how it looked. Tomorrow I should have time to add a couple of subsidiary joists to support the kiln and possibly lay the trackbed. Edited June 29, 2022 by St Enodoc images restored 32 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted June 19, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 19, 2021 And congratulations on another year on the planet. 8 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted June 19, 2021 Share Posted June 19, 2021 On 14/06/2021 at 08:50, St Enodoc said: No MCL action yesterday as we went for a very pleasant walk, not in the bush this time but in the city. Blimey - That rather knocks into a tin hat our modest plans to go out for a walk this morning! 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted June 19, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 19, 2021 Glad to hear of the great birthday week. Hope the meal went well! Drinks photo from Veronica has gone to the Uni "mob". And more progress on the layout. Well done! Baz 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 19, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 19, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Barry O said: Glad to hear of the great birthday week. Hope the meal went well! Drinks photo from Veronica has gone to the Uni "mob". And more progress on the layout. Well done! Baz Yes, all good thanks! I got some photos back from Smithy of your Chinley weekend and also a birthday card from Captain Seffers. Edited June 19, 2021 by St Enodoc 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Popular Post St Enodoc Posted June 20, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Popular Post Share Posted June 20, 2021 (edited) The first job today was to fix the Wheal Veronica plywood in place. I then extended the trackbed to the end of the line at Wheal Veronica. I used the DCC Concepts foam on the outside of the two tracks then cut some 3mm cork to fill the space in between. I painted the cork with the usual Slate Grey Base... ...and placed the kiln back in position while the paint was drying. I should have no problem laying the track here and getting it working before our next running session in four weeks' time, albeit with a temporary control panel for the point. I might even have time to ballast the track I've laid recently. Other than that, there's some setting out to be done for the single line through Indian Queens Halt towards Treloggan Junction. Never a dull moment in Mid-Cornwall. Edited June 29, 2022 by St Enodoc images restored 30 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted June 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2021 As there appears to be no loop at WV, will the clay wagons be pushed all the way around and up the incline ? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 20, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2021 12 minutes ago, Stubby47 said: As there appears to be no loop at WV, will the clay wagons be pushed all the way around and up the incline ? That's right, Stu. The operation will be similar to the old Carbis branch at Bugle. The loco will run round at St Enodoc and propel the train to Wheal Veronica. After shunting the incoming "empties" and outgoing "fulls" (in inverted commas, because at the moment they're always empty) the loco will pull the outgoing train back to St Enodoc and thence onward to St Blazey (Paddington fiddle yard). 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted June 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2021 32 minutes ago, St Enodoc said: a temporary control panel for the point. Commonly known as a switch. “Control Panel” seems a bit grand when there’s only one. ;-) If it wasn’t going to be a hand built point you would be able to use Digital Control! Paul. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 5BarVT Posted June 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2021 35 minutes ago, St Enodoc said: ...and placed the kiln back in position while the paint was drying. All of a sudden this is looking like a system rather than a roundy roundy (not that it was ever operated as a roundy). It’s looking good. Paul. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 20, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2021 42 minutes ago, 5BarVT said: Commonly known as a switch. “Control Panel” seems a bit grand when there’s only one. ;-) If it wasn’t going to be a hand built point you would be able to use Digital Control! Paul. Well, yes - but the switch will be mounted on a panel (piece of MDF) rather than just hanging on the end of the wires... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 20, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2021 40 minutes ago, 5BarVT said: All of a sudden this is looking like a system rather than a roundy roundy (not that it was ever operated as a roundy). It’s looking good. Paul. Thanks Paul. As someone once said, we're getting there. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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