Page 13 - March April 2012

board and ply base are cut across in one go at the baseboard joint.
In order to ensure electrical isolation between the rails, in the middle of each crosstie cuts are made in the metal layer of the circuit board. Soldering the rails to the circuit board firmly anchors the ends, and alignment is assured by making both ends in one piece, then cutting later.
Well-upholstered Scenery Rod Coombs Scenery is an aspect I love to get to grips with. I’ve made
numerous layouts and learnt many tricks to good scenery, but first you must have a good foundation. Just as your house needs one, so does your scenery.
There are many ways to form the sculpture of the earth’s con- tours; chicken wire, crumpled newspaper, expanded foam from an aerosol can and sheet foam cut with a hot wire cutter or kitchen knife. I’ve gone back to the earliest method of basket weave cardboard strip. My first attempt at scenery build- ing was many moons ago where I cut Weetabix boxes into strips. Today I’ve moved up a notch with “Back Tacking Strip” as used by upholsterers. It comes in either cut lengths or rolls approximately 12 mm wide. A hot glue gun and a pair of scis- sors and the job is done in no time at all. Don’t forget this is only the basic form; on top of this is placed plaster bandage followed by more plaster and/or rock mould and finally earth textures.
This is an easy project as basket weaving is so therapeutic . . .
The Hyde Pulp Mill Mike Carter One of the more dominant features on Prospect Point is the
Hyde Pulp Mill. This is a limited-edition craftsman kit of over 1000 pieces, which I originally built as a diorama for Wycrail 2000. The kit comprises several buildings and is equipped with a sound module, which replicates a scale 24-hour period in 3 hours. This complex will be eventually joined by a Saw Mill from the same kit manufacturer, also featuring sound, lights and possibly smoke effects! That kit also has over 1000 pieces and little in the way of instructions, so it is taking a little time to complete.
The Little Trestle Roger Tatton The large trestle looks magnificent, but there’s also a more
modest one on the layout. One of the 4% grades crosses a small creek and at that point has a 39" radius curve. Mike Carter scratchbuilt a charming rustic timber structure for this, with relatively simple bents and helped by a 36" Tracksetta template; that was the nearest available size, and fortunately any differ- ence in radius barely shows in a short length.
So far so good. But conventional track looked very strange on top of the planked trestle deck. And it became obvious that both track and trestle would need to be removed for access to the tipple structure that will later nestle into the creek behind. We decided to attach the rail direct to the basswood planks. Then the same system we had at baseboard edges could allow track and trestle to be lifted in one piece out of the creek (see Track Ends, above). After some investigation we found real brass pins to use as shoes for the rails. The pins were matched to a suitable drill so they would push-fit into the deck. We drilled holes under the line of one rail, into every fifth or sixth plank.
Pins were shortened with cutters then (very gingerly!) pushed down into the structure until the heads sat a few thou above each plank, and as level as possible.
Soldering took time! We had a length of Code 75 flextrak with some 9" of sleepers removed from the centre. A small-tipped iron for fine electrical work was used at first, but we soon graduated to a heavier model. By using locking tweezers as heat sinks we managed to solder the first rail to the pinheads without igniting the timber. We were then able to repeat the process for the other rail. So far everything seems to be in gauge.
To make the whole thing removable there is our usual “3-ply and copperclad” pad under the rail, held down by brass wood- screws; another pad next to it is glued down to the trackbed. The result is a small detachable trestle that looks remarkably permanent!
Morning Sessions Tim Spafford One of the main reasons we have been “getting to the point” is
that all the group involved with the layout get on very well together. Most of us were involved with the construction of our previous layout, Prospect Valley, which has been on the exhibition circuit for a few years now.
A number of us can meet on Thursdays during the day. We are able to get on with various aspects of construction of the new layout unhindered by the general club banter. That is not to say that club banter is not important, but sometimes it does get in the way of layout construction when deadlines have to be met. After each Thursday and normal Monday evening session we assess what has to be done next.
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