Overhead mast choices

[Kelvin White]

Not sure where to put this?

Anyway - just taken delivery of a Farish 350/1 Desiro in London Midland livery.
I have a simple layout in planning. A junction with an non electrified branch.

I will need appropriate overhead masts. I don't intent to string any wires. Straight line through with no turnouts on the OH.

I'm aware of Dapol plastic OH posts, but would prefer metal. What are the options?


Thanks 

[PostModN66]

You can scratch build them; I did so on Deansmoor before Dapol masts were available.  I made a simple jig and they were quite easy to do using square brass tube and wire. They are much more robust than the Dapol ones.  In my case they needed to be rigid enough for tensioned wires.

Cheers Jon

[njee20]

N Brass are the default choice. They do single masts and multi-track portals, with a choice of registration arms.

The Dapol masts are good though, cheap and simple.

[jond]

I've been using N Brass masts and gantries - get a thumbs up from me.  A little bit fiddly to start with, but once you get the hang of it, they are easy to make. You can buy the "formers" for them at the same time. Just need one for each type/size of gantry.

At N scale, the actual wire catenary would be almost invisible, and hinders access to the track, so many layouts don't bother installing it.

[AndyRA]

Yes, I would say N Brass structures are certainly the best.





Andy

[Kelvin White]

Thank you - N brass it will be.

[Railwaygun]

I've been using N Brass masts and gantries - get a thumbs up from me.  A little bit fiddly to start with, but once you get the hang of it, they are easy to make. You can buy the "formers" for them at the same time. Just need one for each type/size of gantry.

At N scale, the actual wire catenary would be almost invisible, and hinders access to the track, so many layouts don't bother installing it.

N scale wires would be invisible anyway!

And removing broken down / derailed trains under dense tangles of overhead wires is a nightmare!!

[Cooper]

[kirky]

We made our own ECML headspan catenary and also used the dapol ones for the single arm ones.
If you look in my sig you can see some pretty shoddy catenary before painting. I used a jig to make the catenary. Theres a short description and some pics. 18 months on and its still standing which is a relief. I have to say we've lost a couple of the dapol ones though.
On the Northallerton thread in my sig, page 19.

cheers
Kirky

[robert shrives]

I've been using N Brass masts and gantries - get a thumbs up from me.  A little bit fiddly to start with, but once you get the hang of it, they are easy to make. You can buy the "formers" for them at the same time. Just need one for each type/size of gantry.

At N scale, the actual wire catenary would be almost invisible, and hinders access to the track, so many layouts don't bother installing it.

N scale wires would be invisible anyway!

And removing broken down / derailed trains under dense tangles of overhead wires is a nightmare!!

Just like the real railway !  N Brass the way forward at this time

[robert shrives]

Hi
The Dapol posts are great for single line ole but without more in the range a bit unloved. Certainly quick to install and reasonably robust.

Several years a go I talked with Joel at Dapol about a modular system for the portals in two sizes - one for over platforms and a suitable one for junctions plus a tensioning/ end  post with weights.  I think it fell by the wayside on making a robust but almost scale system.  It has to be said the over scale steelworks on the Great Western ML scheme is much worse !!  Hopefully the forthcoming Brumilino will help projected sales.
Robert   

[njee20]

It's definitely a bit 'chicken and egg' with all things OHLE - the plain line masts aren't hugely useful on their own, so they don't sell, so the market might be under-represented, so Dapol don't expand the range.

Personally I'm not sure there is really all that much of a market. The problem is that there are too many variants, people who really care will probably build their own, or at least use a modular system like N Brass where they can choose the appropriate type of registration arms, and those who aren't that bothered are less likely to buy anything.

[cjdodd]

Scalemodelscenery are about to release some, I don't know if they will be doing them in 'N' but it might be worth dropping Justin an email and asking, I know he's finishing up the 'OO' ones at the moment for release.

[njee20]

That's interesting - made of what? Isn't most of their stuff laser cut card?

[cjdodd]

They have started to do some 3D printed stuff to recently.