Minffordd Update: Round The Bend

Last week I posted a picture of Himself's first attempt in the best part of 20 years at making 009 points by hand.

These are required for the sidings which peel off as the line plunges down the steep 180 curve into Minffordd exchange yard.

As I wrote, after finishing the first one he realised he'd soldered the frog to the wrong sleeper, leaving too much of a gap, so another pair have been produced and pinned into position.

They really are works of art, aren't they!  I am impressed beyond words.

This time the alignment is spot-on, and has been proven by the ultimate test.

The line is on such a gradient here that slate waggons will hurtle down by gravity, and they pass quite happily through both of these points before ending up in a heap at the end of the 'coal hole'.

Yes.....accurate coupling heights to prevent runaways are going to be crucial on this layout!

Minffordd Update: The Handmade Point Tale

 As much as we can we're trying to do the Minffordd project the easy way, with ready-to-run stock in both OO and OO9, DCC sound and all the rest.

That's why we've mixed 'n' matched on the standard gauge Cambrian loop using Peco code 75 Bullhead track on the scenic section, code 100 'streamline' in the fiddle yard and even a few 'settrack' curved points to help us cram it all in.

On the FR narrow gauge we're using both the 'mainline' track and points with the neat, straight sleepers and the larger radius turnouts, but also the original 'crazy track' product for the rougher trackwork in the yard.

However, Himself has come to the realisation that there really is not an alternative to constructing some handmade points for where sidings peel off from the tightly curving descent into the yard.

We've needed to use handmade points in places on all three of our layouts.

On Ddaullt they were the only option for the curved points into the passing loop and bay platform at the Blaenau end.

And on Bron Hebog he felt we could only do justice to the large radius points in the station by making them from scratch.

This was the first point he's made for at least 15 years, if not longer, and he's not completely happy with it.

The frog is slightly out of position and the tiny OO9 waggon wheels drop into the gap a little more than he would like, so he'll probably have another go.

Apparently it's only a full afternoon's work....