Hornby TT track ballast spreader

[Skelton Junction]

Good day everyone,

Is there a ballast spreader that works on the higher profile hornby track? The cheap one I bought catches on the sleepers so I’m guessing was designed for lower profile peco track.

The search engine on this forum suggests this tt specific question isn’t in the archives.

I’ve tried doing it freehand and was hugely disappointed with my efforts.

Regards.

[Fishmanoz]

Lots of previous ballast spreading discussion but hidden in individual layout topics. Check out High Fell.

[Skelton Junction]

thanks fish.

Just trawled 14 pages of the (impressive) high fell thread to no avail as it is peco track and no posts about hornby tt track ballast spreading. Is there another high fell thread?

[Skelton Junction]

And, as previously mentioned on these pages, the forum search function leaves a lot to be desired

[96RAF]

Try an old matchbox tray with a slot cut in it to match the ballast size.

[Fishmanoz]

Apologies Al, must be one of the other layouts.

Try this one: https://uk.hornby.com/community/forum/ballasting-made-easier-350041#post-353045

[ntpntpntp]

Quite honestly, I'd suggest persevere with doing it by hand. I've never found a need for a spreader tool and not always been impressed with the results shown on youtube when people use them.

A tablespoon and a soft makeup brush works great for me, plus a smaller detailing brush to work carefully around pointwork. Remember to tap the rails gently to bounce loose grains off the sleeper tops before applying the glue mix.

[Too Tall]

I used this one: TT Gauge 1:120 Ballast Spreader - Ballast layer | eBay

But on points I used a spoon and the handy vac tool I linked to on my post linked above.

I obviously don't have the technique, I found a makeup brush just made more ballast go where I didn't want it stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye

Ntpn has many years experience, for myself as a beginner, the ballast spreader and vac tool really made life easier. slightly_smiling_face

[Rallymatt]

Nice promo @ Fishy 🤣 thanks, it really is a practice thing. I think the biggest mistake is to think it’s a quick job, just settle in and plod. And less is more when it comes to pouring it on, small amounts at a time are a lot easier to work with. It’s the detail work that takes the time.

[D9020 Nimbus]

If the tool is catching on the sleepers, that suggests it is expecting higher rather than lower profile rail, I'd have thought.

Proses make ballast spreaders for OO/HO and N. Don't know whether they do TT as well or not.

[Skelton Junction]

If the tool is catching on the sleepers, that suggests it is expecting higher rather than lower profile rail, I'd have thought.

Proses make ballast spreaders for OO/HO and N. Don't know whether they do TT as well or not.

 

 

either way, it juddered as I tried to glide so it was catching on something. I’ll try the Proses one next as there does appear to be a TT version.

 

 

[My name is Bond]

The Hornby track is not higher profile as such. It is an illusion caused by code 80 Peco track being partly embedded in the sleeper moulding giving it the appearance of code 55.

The actual distance between the top of the sleeper pins and the top of the rail on both is similar.

However, the moulded rail to sleeper fixing pins on Hornby track are wider than on Peco track and so the central clear width between the raised sleeper pins on Hornby track is narrower.

The ballasting tool is probably catching on these.

Is there any way of cutting a small notch in the part that runs along the rail so that the ballasting tool does not foul the sleeper fixing pins?