Have Hornby missed an opportunity?

[The son of Triangman]

With Hornby doing lots of Era1, have they missed a big sales opportunity? Having the early loco's and rolling stock is great, but how about some correct period fish belly rail track to run the models on? C'mon Hornby there must be money in making a correct period track system to standard geometry? Thoughts please?

[What About The Bee]

Hi Son of Triangman

We have wonderful drawings of the precise fishbelly rail used, given in Nicholas Wood, 1853. Plate III, figure 8.

The accompanying text is in french, but crisply describes it as the rail used.

Birkinshaw provides the process of the rolling mill, to slitting mill and to structural shape rolling in his patent. Yes, a patent! The critical shaping of the wrought iron fishbelly, however, is lost in the mists of time. I've spent many a hour in discussion with my engineering pals, trying to determine this final critical step. It is clear that Thomas has this final step wrong and is unfamiliar with the process. We have some thoughts, that would be entirely cost effective. (Untested)

The question of why bother with that final fishbelly shape trim for the LMR and Birkinshaw is one of economy in materials. Wrought iron was expensive, and the material removed could be returned to the furnace. The deflection between chairs was controlled to within spec, but the excess material wasn't needed at the chairs.

Later, as the locomotives and stock became heavier, and the wear more than expected, parallel rail took over, as the additional fishbelly step savings in material did not equal the economy in production.

We can see how to mill the rail in CNC, but this would drive the price through the roof.

I would buy fishbelly rail in a heartbeat. But only if it did not cost as much as a new automobile

Bee

[What About The Bee]

I should like to add that we have the mechanical drawings in Wood, 1838, which detail the points and turntables. Plate IV.

For points, figure 4 shows the rails and figure 7 shows the eccentric capstan used to bend the stub rails to change the rails to diverting // non-diverting routes.

For turntables, figure 9 shows the plan view, figure 10 the isometric and figure 11 the cross sectional view. We need to scale these up, as the LMR turned the locomotives separately from the tenders, something we would shy away from. Not an enormous detail, but one nonetheless.

Everything you would require to complete an Era 1 track system, with respect to the prototype.

Having the fishbelly rail on square stone blocks and mounting chairs is one thing.

Having the more advanced components would be my dream! All of the mechanical drawings exist....

Bee