Lifting 700 Metres Of Track! Overall Progress Report & The Multi-Storey Car Park.. 

Soldering droppers... from my own experience... it's not the gauge, but the wire. I now use exclusively copper stranded or solid copper. There is a LOT of alloy strand wire about these days. It is absolutely fine for crimped termination, like in Wago terminal blocks, but is rubbish for soldering. I'm a (lapsed) IPC qualified engineer - and it took me a while to work out why my soldering had become so bad! 🙂

Another great video looking forward to seeing the next one 👍

Re the Sherpa 260 “Ice Cream Van” (as they were nicknamed) the BR ones were E, F and G reg (i.e. 1987, 88 and ‘89) would not have made it to privatisation. BR kept its vans for circa 5 or 6 years after first registration. Railtrack didnt use them, nor did Network Rail. When we were privatised, all the former Jarvis Rail vans were disposed of after a while and we got Transits.

Great to see the progress you are making Simon, that's a good tip moving on to another job to save a nervous breakdown.

Hi Simon, another great video.............I recently had just two OO gauge sidings of ballasted track to lift, so I feel your pain! I don't know if you considered this, but I use an old wallpaper scraper to lift the track once soaked in soapy water to loosen the ballast............I find they have a flatter blade which doesn't damage the track so much...........Just a thought.............Look forward to the next video. All the best Dave.

Another enlightening video. I really dont know how you do it, its mind blowing in terms of its enormity. Well done though, I use the same strategy for boring, challenging jobs👍 I do find that Im waiting longer for bits and bobs now, as suppliers are retiring etc. Ive a couple of those dented Sherpas to convert into BR vans, thevye been in pieces for awhile (3-4 years), as I was pondering RC too. Ive had to pin track either side of the sleepers (outdoors), that makes it a challenge to take up when using Kato pins. Ive had two batches of wood (baseboards) fail, due to timber merchants lying to me (despite the boards being well weather proofed by us), on the small garden section. Ive now renewed - with help - a third of this "MK3" layout 💔 with recycled plastics for the baseboards. Your issue with dropper wires? The solder can crystalise for various reasons (especially cold and damp). Its why I chose to make the garden section dead rail and RC (the indoor section will by DCC/DC and RC), basically bigger locos are RC, smaller, indoor, locos, will be DCC or DC. Sounds grand, but indoors is the equivalent to a 00 8x4 with an operating well, but in O. The garden section is the link lines and beautified almost hidden amongst the greenery. Also nice on a good day to watch trains pass by. Your videos keep me going 👍👍💜💜😊😊

Consider a flat paint scraper to lift the track. It spreads the load over more sleepers.

I think you will be inundated with volunteers to drive the vehicles!

You have multiple parallel paths for the power to the tracks so a larger gauge is not needed.

I do like the Sherpa, but I doubt any were still in service by the tine of Railtrack/Network Rail- the ubiquitous transits seem more likely. Vans tend to have a much shorter life, especially with big companies, than rolling stock or even cars. They get used for a few years, are auctioned off for a new life and replaced. I suspect companies with big fleets might get a good tax write off by replacing vehicles. Even vans that are just ten years old are on their second or third owner and a complete rust bucket.

Hi Simon,really enjoy the vids keep up the great work.just wondering where u got the Lorrie’s from which you are converting ?

Shame on you Simon How does it feel, being the new Dr Beeching. Brilliant stuff, I also had the same feelings when i started my Layout, in the loft What the hell have got myself into.