David Halfpenny
Western Thunderer
I’m David Halfpenny, and I've been a member for nearly six months.
I'm interested in promoting better wheels and track because I'm convinced that the great bulk of G1 enthusiasts don't grasp the issues. I certainly didn't, even though my professional background is high speed railway suspensions, including wheels, Switch & Crossing work and, er, derailments.
Because I run two G1 forums, I get my ear bent at length about all the things that those particular people get worked up about, including the can of worms that we call Standards. I find that among the articulate few there are large numbers who are genuinely bewildered because they literally cannot see why Standards matter: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it,"
So I decided to demonstrate that G1MRA Standard is broke, and do so in a way that is absolutely clear to both hand and eye.
Here's my stall set out:
The caption sheet on the left says:
two crossings:
- which looks better?
- which will last longer?
- which gives better running?
(try all the wheels and wagons)
The photos on the right show terminal damage to a G1MRA Standard crossing after roughly 100 get-togethers:
So those who stop to chat and play are at last accepting that getting the geometry right makes everything better. And from here they divide:
- "At my age, lad, Standard track will last me out."
- "I see what you mean, but I'll stick with Standard so that I can run Vintage and G-Scale."
- "I've been really bothered by rapid crossing wear, and now I can see how to prevent it without having to re-wheel my Standard stock."
- "I've been excited by the idea of 'Finescale' but just assumed it wasn't as practical."
Now while the last bunch have been in a minority, they are the potential converts to ScaleOne32. Well, I've ordered some of Roxey Mouldings ScaleOne32 wheelsets to add to the fun, and now I'm looking for suggestions about how best to put them to work in 2013.
David 1/2d
I'm interested in promoting better wheels and track because I'm convinced that the great bulk of G1 enthusiasts don't grasp the issues. I certainly didn't, even though my professional background is high speed railway suspensions, including wheels, Switch & Crossing work and, er, derailments.
Because I run two G1 forums, I get my ear bent at length about all the things that those particular people get worked up about, including the can of worms that we call Standards. I find that among the articulate few there are large numbers who are genuinely bewildered because they literally cannot see why Standards matter: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it,"
So I decided to demonstrate that G1MRA Standard is broke, and do so in a way that is absolutely clear to both hand and eye.
Here's my stall set out:
The caption sheet on the left says:
two crossings:
- which looks better?
- which will last longer?
- which gives better running?
(try all the wheels and wagons)
The photos on the right show terminal damage to a G1MRA Standard crossing after roughly 100 get-togethers:
[The Book is British Railways Track 1971 edition.]
On wheeling various wagons over the crossing, the majority of punters are astonished to find that it's the Finer ones that look better, the Finer ones that demonstrably run better and the Finer ones that will clearly last a great deal longer.So those who stop to chat and play are at last accepting that getting the geometry right makes everything better. And from here they divide:
- "At my age, lad, Standard track will last me out."
- "I see what you mean, but I'll stick with Standard so that I can run Vintage and G-Scale."
- "I've been really bothered by rapid crossing wear, and now I can see how to prevent it without having to re-wheel my Standard stock."
- "I've been excited by the idea of 'Finescale' but just assumed it wasn't as practical."
Now while the last bunch have been in a minority, they are the potential converts to ScaleOne32. Well, I've ordered some of Roxey Mouldings ScaleOne32 wheelsets to add to the fun, and now I'm looking for suggestions about how best to put them to work in 2013.
David 1/2d