Catenary Question

[Suffolk Rob]

Having found myself a bargin Class 90 in the MRD sale I find myself having to think about installing OHL on a small urban terminus I'm currently building. I'm thinking of using the Dapol masts and wondering If anyone has any experience of using them, positive or otherwise. Probably not going to worry about the wires themselves.

I've also noted when observing the real railway, that, in a dead end siding, there's typically a mast behind the buffers with weights attached to keep the tension in the wires. Has anyone come across a decent representation of these anywhere?

Many thanks

Rob

[crewearpley40]

Rob

Have you read reviews?


https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/14940-dapol-catenary/


https://www.modelrailforum.com/threads/what-would-be-the-right-spacing-between-dapol-catenary-posts.13639/




Depending on what track your using and spacing issues.

@AndyRA @njee20


Maybe consider 3d printed

Gaugemaster give a good review on dapol. Easy to fit with the right Size hole
https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/categories/model-railway-track/model-railway-track-catenary.html
Show the different products including

Ncat1 and 5 which are the tension weights

Since nbrass retired probably best to consider all options

Chris

A quick video

[njee20]

Not sure on those products numbers Chris. They've never done tension masts (or anything other than plain masts) in N. The last article definitely looks like it refers to tge OO gauge system.

Their masts are good. They're quite fine, and flimsy, but by design, so catching one with an arm will break it, but you can easily just replace it.

They don't do the termination masts, nor tension systems. I've never knowingly seen an off the shelf product in N, aside from some European systems. If you just want some plain masts then they're a good bet   

[crewearpley40]

Ncat1. Probably scroll too far down
I can see ncat 1 to 5

Maybe worth calling dapol or Gaugemaster

Adam maybe able to confirm please . Agree the masts are flimsy

[njee20]

Why? The products don't exist. They do NCAT1, plain line masts. They planned a system, but never actually made it in N.

[ntpntpntp]

Not that it helps the OP, but I have tension masts for my ancient Vollmer/Minitrix catenary

[Suffolk Rob]

Thank you for the replies, Think I'll get a set of the Dapol masts and see what I make of them. The notion of these being part of a more comprehensive range that never quite materialised did ring a bell when I read it above, but didn't pay much attention at the time as OHL was never a direction I saw myself going in.

Basically the layout is only 80cm long based on the classic Futers viaduct terminus scheme but with one of the facing sidings going through to the fiddle yard. I may just "electrify" one of the platforms for my 313/314 and the kickback siding to park the 90 in from time to time because I can. I'm thinking that may make a more basic mast set up more realistic.

Looking at those mast distances I should manage with 1 pack with a few spares left over. Sounds as if I'll be needing them. I'm thinking the best approach is to settle on the spacing based on what looks right to me when I've got them.

I am impressed by the 90 though, very smooth and quiet.

[jpendle]

Ncat1. Probably scroll too far down
I can see ncat 1 to 5

Everything apart from NCAT1 shows the price as TBA. Dapol have never released anything other then the NCAT1.

Which is a pity, or maybe a PITA. 

Not sure how I could model this even if the N Brass range were still available.



Regards,

John P

[crewearpley40]

Point taken John
I was only looking at Gaugemaster site.  Unsure too how you would replicate that John.

3d prints maybe way forward


Anyone thoughts on West Hill?
That's a good thought

[njee20]

The big problem with OHLE is that it's bespoke for each location. Although modular construction is more common now, with the F&F stuff used on the GWML particularly, but any given stretch of the WCML can have totally different styles of mast in a very small distance. From a manufacturer standpoint that makes it a bit of a nightmare, as there's not a 'one size fits all' approach, or even an obvious range that would cater for most.

Rob - yes, a single pack of NCAT1s will suffice. You could always modify one to be a terminating mast. Just cut the registration arm off, potentially leaving the insulators, and place it end on. You could make the tension weights if you wanted, but you can have terminating masts without them.

Alternatively sidings can have the wires extend to an adjacent running line mast.

[KevTheBusDriver]

Agree that the terminating wires don't necessarily need tensioning at that end (they can be tensioned from the 'other end'); I think the only rule you need to obey is not having live wires above a platform i.e. where people can stand under it. At places like Stafford (bay platforms) they use in-line plastic insulators to achieve this. I suggest you have a day out to study OHLE - it's very interesting stuff! Kev E.

[Gordon]

There are lots of off the shelf options, you just have to look at the whole N gauge market not just 'British' - it makes no difference style wise as modern overhead is fairly similar across the world (apart from a few countries that have very distinctive styles and have stuck to them (eg Spain and Italy).

In addition to Dapol, look at:

Kato:
https://tinyurl.com/5veud83f

ref 23065 has H girder posts
23058 has lattice posts
ref 23059-1 are very neat and pretty close to all modern UK and European systems - possibly aside from the round post

Some of the Kato sets include tensioning items

Tomix

Various types , including ref 3280



Sommerfeldt

https://www.sommerfeldt.de/en/

[njee20]

Can you fix your link @Gordon its broken the page width.

Your post grates. It makes no difference to you to use something which is vaguely British, but actually most of our systems are very different. I'd never use the Kato ones, taking the 23059 - if you cut off the protuberance above the registration arm (which is wholly un-British) then it's sort of close. Except the registration arms are different, and the post, and they use a 3' encumbrance, whilst much of the UK is 6'. The Shinkansen ones look nothing like anything British.

Nothing in the Sommerfeldt range is British. Given the price (and lovely quality), why would you pay that much for something wrong? They even (correctly) market Austrian/German and Swiss ranges, which undermines your "it's all the same" point. Plus theyre 1:160.

European suppliers are excellent sources, but for some things, their products are just not correct for UK use. Some may be happy with that of course, but nothing wrong with wanting accurate items either.

[Steven B]

OHLE masts can be fitted using magnets glued to the base (Or some soft iron with the magnet on the baseboard). If they're knocked they just fall over rather than breaking.

Not so great if you want to model the wires.

[Newportnobby]

Can you fix your link @Gordon its broken the page width.

That URL is now shortened