'O' gauge treasures
 

While searching the garage for a length of 4 core cable a bundle of brass wire was spotted beneath my feet. Moving assorted boxes and bags aside the bundle was lifted into the open air and found to be (as I expected) 2 foot lengths of a rectangular section brass wire. I had made this some 25 years previously when laying an 'O' track around the garden which at that time reached 80 feet in length but I do not remember making this extra amount of 'rail'.
I had rolled a 1/8 inch brass wire into a 3/32 by 1/8 inch rectangular section which has the same height as the Peco 'O' gauge rail producing it in 2 foot lengths which then became my standard track panel length. An evening would produce 5 panels rready for storing until the big track laying session. Sleepers were 2 1/2 inch long and 7/16 inch square (no sillymetres in those days) and a jig held them at 1 inch spacing ready for track assembly. Chairs were from pieces of electronic stripboard each 2 rows wifde and 4 holes long which were pinned to the sleepers in suitable positions. Rail was soldered dirctly to these 'chairs' taking care to keep the gauge correct and rail straight. Curves were pre-fabricated in a similar manner with one rail being soldered in place before tremoving from the jig for bending to a line drawn on a board after which the second rail was soldered in place. Eventually the panels were butt soldered together after laying the track onto a prepared bed at ground level. This track did last for many years until the mini Beechings (2 young sons) lifted it as a way of entertaining themselves.
Anyway the treaure trove got bigger after some more excavating in other parts of the garage when the jig came to light with an almost complete set of sleepers still in place plus left and right part finished turnouts. In total I recovered 105 by 2 foot lengths of home brew rail enough to nearly go all round the space that is now available. Henry of course has already been recued from a cupboard and awaits his new boiler so restoration has been encouraged but track will also be required.
Home brew track might not look the best but it did serve the purpose allowing scale 60 MPH GNR Atlantic plus 6 coaches to run happily so it could not have been that bad. One hundred and five feet of track, sleepers every inch, two chairs per sleeper means a lot of work to be done.
Now I'll attempt to put a couple of treasure trove pictures up.
John

Should have read this before commenting on the pictures!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

If you include a 040 vertical boilered loco in 7 1/4, assorted model steam boats, large boxes full of sleepers for 3 1/2 track, various parts for 3 1/2 inch locos, home made corn mill, old guinea pig cages and a Porta Potti there is not any room left for a car. One day we will start the promised clear out and then OO can come out of the roof (and get used), O gauge through the wall, various milling machines moved from a cramped workshop and there will still not be any room for the car. Better put a decent front door on and some heating and then use it for a play room.
John

Good God John!!! You 've told me in the past that you had a lot of stuff packed away in there, but I didn't quite realise how much! Found anything else? The Holy Grail? A piece of the One True Cross? :D

Nothing quite as much in the trelic line but there are a few demi-johns and other brewing equipment bits that can be seen hiding at the back.
John

Full of Chateau-Sawtry 1980 no doubt?