Changing my Mind

Not a lot of visible progress for a while, but I have been beavering away building track. Having built a couple of points using the jig I have (equivalent to about 3 foot radius) I scanned them, and printed paper copies which were cut out and used for trying to mark out the track layout on the baseboard. Try as I might, I just could not get the track to match the original layout, with the outside slip. So, I decided to revise my plans, and follow the later track layout without the slip. This also means losing the locomotive facilities, but does reduce he number of points that need to be built. The revised layout plan is shown below:



I also used the scanned images to put together a template for the crossover at the buffers end of the platform road. With some care and attention, I managed to build most of it in the point jig, re-inserting the construction into the jig in different orientations a few times.



If I had realised that the jig is exactly the right width, I could have used it as a sawing jig for the full length sleepers. Note, I have not used chairplates for this layout in a bid to save time. Previously, when I have used chairplates, the daylight gap beneath the rail disapeared during ballasting anyway.

Here is the track built so far. Three more points and plenty of plain track needed for the layout board. More needed for the fiddle yard.



Having tried traversers, sector plates, turntable points and cassettes on previous layouts, proper points have proved to be the most reliable solution, albeit they take up a long length of the fiddle yard. I will be attempting a 4-way point for this fiddle yard. Wish me luck.