Thanks. It’s great to hear of your approval. 😄 At present I am moving the overhead frogs (trolley pole junctions) to make them even more reliable. So far so good!
This is a great video! Did you develop all the methodology yourself? It's fascinating watching just because my tramway developed in isolation as well, but many things ended up being similar. I solder overhead the same way, except I hold it with a crocodile clip and use a butane torch. I used a similar process for building a 21E truck too, but definitely not as nice as that one with the moving axle boxes! The 59mm gauge really looks the part, the aesthetic and atmosphere is perfect. I love the Sydney trams, hoping to eventually build some more as well.
Thanks. If you mean making of gearboxes and wheels on the lathe, yes I worked it out for myself with no formal training. My overhead wire is phosphor bronze and I expect that a gas torch would anneal the wire while soldering. Many years ago I got a former telephone exchange 50 V soldering iron from a scrapyard and I can temporarily boost overhead voltage to that and mostly use it for soldering overhead. As a teenager, O scale just seemed too small, 12 inches to the foot too big and half an inch to the foot about right and I calculated the gauge at 2 5/16 inches which was fairly right. The axle boxes move because the track is not necessarily even and springing keeps the wheels on the rails. Axles which don’t have springs are very flexible to follow undulations in the track. What is your scale? Are you in Melbourne?
Thanks for your kind words. I have enjoyed fiddling with things for which I never had any training ever since I got my first Meccano set, maybe aged about 5. LEGO is not a patch on Meccano.
The actual trolley wire is phosphor bronze. Span wires are thinner copper wire with the plastic removed (mostly scrap Telstra wire). It’s reasonably hardy but generally the trolley wire is just fed through the frogs and bent over. If someone walks on the OH, it just pulls out of the frogs and is largely easily repaired.
2008 would have been my previous layout in the south of Brisbane. Much of the track and overhead was reused here, probably a factor in the bouncy ride along the long straight! Unfortunately I am not familiar with the magazine but have heard the name before.
Hi Tressteleg1 I enjoyed watching you tackle the track and overhead repairs. I was also impressed with your Bachmann G scale tram conversion to your 59mm gauge. I was trying to see what type of trolley heads you have but couldn't quite see what they were like. Do you use a fixed V section wheel or a swivelling trolley head? Regards Julian
Tuckaway None of my trolley heads swivel as that tended to be a purely British approach in relation to trams. The two works trams are the first out each day and they have trolley skids. These scrape the muck off the wire and usually need cleaning several times in the first few trips. After they have rubbed the wire clean, trolley wheels may operate. This seems to work quite well.
So happy to keep you amused. 😄 But if you think I invented the idea, I did not. These reversers were common on British tramways which used trams with only one trolley pole.
Note there is a triangular junction there. When poles are further from the track, you can have more span wires from the same pole so you don’t need as many poles, especially when curves are involved.
Attention to detail!! And so real looking!!
I think that's a labor of love😀😀
My favourite layout! Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
Thanks. It’s great to hear of your approval. 😄 At present I am moving the overhead frogs (trolley pole junctions) to make them even more reliable. So far so good!
This is a great video! Did you develop all the methodology yourself? It's fascinating watching just because my tramway developed in isolation as well, but many things ended up being similar. I solder overhead the same way, except I hold it with a crocodile clip and use a butane torch. I used a similar process for building a 21E truck too, but definitely not as nice as that one with the moving axle boxes! The 59mm gauge really looks the part, the aesthetic and atmosphere is perfect. I love the Sydney trams, hoping to eventually build some more as well.
Thanks. If you mean making of gearboxes and wheels on the lathe, yes I worked it out for myself with no formal training. My overhead wire is phosphor bronze and I expect that a gas torch would anneal the wire while soldering. Many years ago I got a former telephone exchange 50 V soldering iron from a scrapyard and I can temporarily boost overhead voltage to that and mostly use it for soldering overhead. As a teenager, O scale just seemed too small, 12 inches to the foot too big and half an inch to the foot about right and I calculated the gauge at 2 5/16 inches which was fairly right. The axle boxes move because the track is not necessarily even and springing keeps the wheels on the rails. Axles which don’t have springs are very flexible to follow undulations in the track. What is your scale? Are you in Melbourne?
Very impressive tressteleg, you're a true artist.
😊
enjoyed watching. you are talented.
Thanks for your kind words. I have enjoyed fiddling with things for which I never had any training ever since I got my first Meccano set, maybe aged about 5. LEGO is not a patch on Meccano.
Great stuff! Many thanks for posting!
I'm impressed with the overhead power. I would have though that the parts would be too delicate to be functional, but you make it work well!
The actual trolley wire is phosphor bronze. Span wires are thinner copper wire with the plastic removed (mostly scrap Telstra wire). It’s reasonably hardy but generally the trolley wire is just fed through the frogs and bent over. If someone walks on the OH, it just pulls out of the frogs and is largely easily repaired.
Good viewing
Thanks John. Son of AWP? If so you can get me via your mum if you wish. Richard
Great to see work on the layout! I was reading about your layout in TramliNZ which is a New Zealand made Tram magazine
Thanks! Brent Efford was here a couple of months ago so I guess he passed on some comments.
Well the Magazine is from 2008! It was made by the person who made the city depot line (if you have seen that)
2008 would have been my previous layout in the south of Brisbane. Much of the track and overhead was reused here, probably a factor in the bouncy ride along the long straight! Unfortunately I am not familiar with the magazine but have heard the name before.
Hi Tressteleg1 I enjoyed watching you tackle the track and overhead repairs. I was also impressed with your Bachmann G scale tram conversion to your 59mm gauge. I was trying to see what type of trolley heads you have but couldn't quite see what they were like. Do you use a fixed V section wheel or a swivelling trolley head? Regards Julian
Tuckaway None of my trolley heads swivel as that tended to be a purely British approach in relation to trams.
The two works trams are the first out each day and they have trolley skids. These scrape the muck off the wire and usually need cleaning several times in the first few trips. After they have rubbed the wire clean, trolley wheels may operate. This seems to work quite well.
I am easily amused :-) 10:49
So happy to keep you amused. 😄 But if you think I invented the idea, I did not. These reversers were common on British tramways which used trams with only one trolley pole.
Near the depot, some overhead poles are quite far from the track. It can be seen at 13:04. Why is this?
Note there is a triangular junction there. When poles are further from the track, you can have more span wires from the same pole so you don’t need as many poles, especially when curves are involved.