Glen Ogle

[B.Meldon]

It is a bit late now but one trick with the shorter blades is to file a V both sides into the flat bottom of the rail. This will make the blades a lot more flexible.

I have always found that week section on any hand made point is the blade to stretcher/tie bar joint.

Brian Meldon

[duttonbay]

I have always found that week section on any hand made point is the blade to stretcher/tie bar joint.

True. I have had to resolder point blades to the throw bar often on the Dutton Bay Tramway, but have not had to do any work anywhere else on the turnout. A pivoting join to the throw bar would be much better, but much more complicated to construct.

[Gerhard Novak]

Thanks! Interesting. I never tried that. must give it a go one day.

[gtmspyder]

To make a pivoting tie bar action, I have in the past used two Peco LIL pins as pivots at the switch blade ends.

The point is made as I have shown, but instead of soldering the two ends of the switch blades to the piece of PCB, I cut the over long tie bar PCB, and mark where I would be soldering the switch blades, and drill a hole with the smallest drill I have got, to accept the LIL Pin diameter, through the PCB at the two marked positions.

I would then cut through the copper cladding on the PCB and check that the continuity is broken across the two segments, then I would turn the PCB switch tie bar over so that the copper cladding is at the bottom, to stop any overzealous soldering on my part, depositing any solder onto the copper cladding when the next stage is undertaken.

We now have the Tie Bar with two LIL pins positioned vertically in the point tie bar position, with the two LIL pins on the inside of the two switch blades, the LIL pins are carefully bent at 90 Degrees, and laying alongside the switch blade, these two horizontal legs are then carefully soldered to the inside of each switch blade, and the solder is cleaned up so that the wheel flange does not impinge on the Solder as the flanges pass by.

You now have a tie bar that is not straining the soldered joint each time the point changes position as the LIL pins pivot in the tie bar PCB.

A bit log winded I'm afraid, but doable.

Regards,

BrianT.

[duttonbay]

That's a neat sounding approach Brian. I'm not certain how well it might work with flange clearances on the code 55 rail the DBT uses, but it seems the easiest solution I have found to produce a pivoting throw bar. Certainly worth a try next time I build myself a turnout.

[gtmspyder]

Just a little update on the Glen Ogle sawmill extension.

The area has had a covering of builders foam around the perimeter back scenes to simulate a rock cutting, and this has had it's first covering of paint.



The white patch is a pasting over with kitchen towel where the Fulgarex point motor shaft protruded through to operate the point tie bar.





I couldn't resist dressing the scene a little with the sawmill output and some rolling stock.





The laser cut wooden stable building is now going to be a riding stable, I hope the sawmill sounds and the visiting steam loco's don't spook the horses?



The sawmill exit point is now going to be operated by this servo motor, hence the white patch over the Fulgarex position.



There's still a lot of scenicing to do, but at least, there is a little forward movement.

Bye for now,

BrianT.

[gtmspyder]

We have had a fall of greenery, only the base coat green flock, but it looks a bit better.



Although I doubt you can see it, the sawblade is now motorised and spinning, and being powered supposedly by the three phase alternator attached to the single cylinder steam engine.  The sawmill is in full production cutting timber for the local building trade, supplying ready made roof trusses, and floor boarding.



Some of the manufactured roof trusses and cut floor boarding has been loaded into a wagon ready to be collected by the next available pickup goods.

 

It's a good job the roof is removable, or you would not be able to see any of this activity.



The last log has been delivered for the day, and the mill is winding down ready for the end of shift buzzer.



With the last log going through the blade, the two carpenters are marking out the timber for the next rafter constructio.



It's difficult to see the spinning blade, but the noise is quite realistic. The blade is driven by a belt from the below base board mounted motor, via an elastic band to a pulley fixed to the extended saw shaft.
I didn't think to photograph this, but I will post a picture soon.



The nearby stables, are certainly within earshot.



The site flagman is signalling to the wagon loader, while the two empty bogie bolster log delivery wagons await there pick up.





A view behind the scenes at the wood yard.



That concludes this edition of the story for now. 
Tomorrow, I am being taken up into the wilds of Sutherland, to a beautiful spot on the West coast of Scotland
Called Achmelvic  just north of Lochinver, my wife and I visited this spot 30 odd years ago while caravanning with our two young children, we had a week of wall to wall sunshine, with the beautiful white sands, 20 yards from our caravan door, bliss.  My daughter and son in law are doing the honours this time, and we are staying in a holiday bungalow, on the side of the Loch.

Kind regards,

BrianT.

[Gerhard Novak]

Brian, enjoy your holiday!
Holidays are always a good possibility to collect items for model railways! A few unusual stones, a weird shaped dry plant, a piece of moss....
Gerhard

[gtmspyder]

Another update on the Glen Ogle supplementary scene.

A quick growth of trees and broom bushes has added a little texture and colour to the scene.



The stable has acquired a couple of shire Horses, because  some of the country lovers who frequent this site, were concerned that the combined noise of the screaming saw blade, and the occasional loco, would frighten the riding stable horses, so they have been stabled elsewhere.  The more placid Shires are raring to cross the line just as soon as the handler gets his backside out of bed and walks across to take charge. The two Shires are all ready in harness thanks to the two stable lasses, and set to tow a few logs for the saw men.  The handler is not going to be too chuffed to find the Shires have opened the gate and are waiting patiently, very clever these here horses are.





The brass A1 I think loco, in its primer coat, I( It's a ong time since I assembled it), waiting for it's battery and receiver to be installed, so that it can, under radio control, do some thing use full, new Del Tang/Micron receivers have arrived today, and will hopefully be installed in the very near future.
From this angle, it looks as though the loco cab roof has had a bash, it's a good job the cab is not occupied yet.



The flag man looks a little inebriated, maybe the LIL pin up his nether regions is proving a tad uncomfortable, we'll have to see if he will stand more to attention, or he's on his way to the dole office.



Well that's about it for this episode in the life of country folk, I'm hoping to take the scene to the South York's 009 meeting on Saturday, whether the loco will move under it's own steam by then, we will have to see.
And before some wit on here points out it's a diesel, I'll remind them that it's battery driven, if it ever moves by itself.

Regards,

BrianT.

[petersmith1942]

you have ended up with a delightful scene in a very small area Brian; the greenery makes all the difference
Good story well told and illustrated. Enjoy the holiday
Peter Smith

[gtmspyder]

I am offering my Glen Ogle layout for sale, this comprises 2 x 4ft scenic sections of the Glen Ogle viaduct in Perthshire, with 2 additional scenic sections to convert this end to end layout into a tail chaser layout of 12 ft.


There are lots of pictures of this layout's build on this forum.


I haven't a clue as to it's worth, so please make a bid.


I am having to sell it as I am losing the use of my hand, and my modelling days are coming to an end I fear, and I need to clear my garage out of this layout, and the 4x2ft very scenic rabbit layout I created eight years ago for my then young Grandson, who is now ten.

Regards,

BrianT.

[clayliner]

Brian -

This is sad news indeed, not least because we have enjoyed the continuing tale of Glen Ogle so much over past months (possibly years, though it doesn't seem like it!)

Also sorry to hear that, while the spirit is willing, the flesh isn't keeping up with it. I'm sure that Glen Ogle and other modelling endeavours have given you a lot of pleasure over the years, which is what it's all about, of course. I can only wish you many years of armchair modelling to come to maintain your interest and pleasure.

All the very best,

David.

[gtmspyder]

Thank you David, so I can't interest you in a purchase then ;D ;D ;D

Your comments are very much appreciated, I would love to see it on show somewhere, but it's not to be under my piloting unless it happens before this loss of use gets any worse.

Will I see you at Mansfield tomorrow?

Kind regards,

BrianT.

[gtmspyder]

Hello again fellow members, well here we go again, it would seem that the incapacity I was starting with, (The loss of feeling in my hand.) whilst still with me, has not got much worse, so I am able to resume some of my modelling activities.
It is Very frustrating and I seem to have a handful of thumbs now, but at least I feel that I can do something useful.

So, I have decided to re-model the forestry area that was the 600 x 600mm (2ft by 2ft) extension above the Glen Ogle station, which is just a curved section of track that took the trains round to the back of the layout, behind the back-scene, and down to the bottom and the Lochearnhead station 600 x 600 extension board.

So I have removed all the forestry commissions Christmas trees off the board, and the time of year allowed me to recover the substantial sum of money I had laid out on the Chinese market, by selling them to the public to place in there houses as part of the Christmas festivities, HO HO HO. ;D

A picture of the now de-nuded board shows the start I have made.  I now have to try and remember how to reduce the size of the picture to 800 x 600 for your delight.   Old age is a terrible thing. ;) ;)

I'll be back as soon as I have fathomed it out again.

Regards and Merry Christmas to you all.

BrianT.

Well the picture below is what I was referring to and I did manage to get it onto Photobucket, but I don't know if this is the 800x600 image or the full size image, I thought you could hover the curser near or on the picture and it would show you how many pixels were displayed, as far as I can see now, this facility is no longer available.
Does anyone know?
BrianT.



The board fits at the top of the Glen Ogle layout, it was going to be a simple fiddle yard originally, but I soon found out that fiddle yard to fiddle yard layout is not really my type of layout, much preferring the building and scenifying part of the build, then just watch the trains trundle around to occupy me.  So I added a small 600x600 board to each end solely to be able to allow the trains to be turned at the top and bottom  and run endlessly.

The bottom extension board now hosts the Lochearnhead station, this top board was originally forested with fir trees as the quickest and simplest way of covering the bare board, and in real life this area of Perthshire is heavily forested by the forestry commission with fir trees down toward Crianlarich.

I well remember them being planted some 30 or more years ago, and cursing them every time I revisited the location as they grew and obliterated more and more of the beautiful Scottish countryside.

The short spur was to be the branch line down to Killin on Loch Tay.

BrianT.

[Elmgate]

Brian,

Good to see that you are back into modelling, even if with slightly reduced dexterity. Good also to see your article in the latest 009 News!  :)

Regards

Tim