[Lawrence]

The last turnouts (more or less) completed for Rewanui. Fishplates still to be added as well as the operating mechs.

3D printed bases with wood grain sleepers, appropriate fastenings etc. Based on the 1926 70lb rail drawings. 1 in 7.5 10′ switch. Should really be 12′ switch with 2x head rods, but I can gain a wee bit of extra yard with the shorter version.

All invisibly soldered via hollow rivets beneath the rails. Head rods are 0.5mm wire stubs inserted into a PTFE tube. The switch blades are not held with this system, which is entirely cosmetic. The operating mechanism, fixes the throw and spacing.

Something of a mission to refine the process, but individual turnouts are now easy to build in a very reproducible way. Not that I need any more…

[Kevin]

I trust your rivets are non-ferrous? A lot (most?) early P4 track in Pomerania has died ‘cos they soldered their rail to steel rivets which corroded away.

[Lawrence]

Brass PCB rivets. The rail, however, is steel.