Track screws

[TheGreenGuit]

I've bought some track screws and the appropriate screwdriver off a very helpful guy called Alan Robinson on Ebay. They are excellent. I have bought the 6mm length screws with a 1mm diameter described as suitable for N gauge. They self tap into the Hornby sleeper holes with no significant distortion. They then self tap very easily into my plywood base and hold the track very firmly. You would do best to pre-drill holes in Peco sleepers as they would distort the sleeper.

They are also easy to remove if you want to reposition. I think they are a very interesting alternative to pins or glue, either as a temporary or permanent fitting.

It is also very easy to position them half screwed down to act as "chocks" to keep other baseboard features temporarily in position.

[Rallymatt]

Interesting you mention using screws at a temporary fixing, I do this with flexi when it could want to move out of alignment during glueing track down. However, I use a small countersunk wood screw between the sleepers. It only needs the lightest contact to grip the plastic. You can run locos and stock over to test and the hole disappears under ballast.

I prefer the look of ‘no pins or screws’ on the finished track, but certainly the idea of a non permanent fixing down to test a track design is a really good idea.

[My name is Bond]

Must admit found track pins problematic into plywood without pre drilling a small guide hole. Tried some old Marklin track fixing screws that I had but the heads could not cope with the amount of screwdriver torque required to fix so again pre drilling required.

I will try these screws suggested above complete with the appropriate screwdriver supplied by the seller. If they drive into the plywood without pre drilling or the heads failing because of screwdriver torque then in my book great!

[TheGreenGuit]

I had no problem driving them in despite their extreme small size. The screwdriver supplied looked a bit big but was in fact just right. They went into the plywood very easily and silently with no pre-drilling, and gripped very firmly (Grainge and Hodder modular baseboard). 6mm long "N gauge" screws are more than adequate but one may need 8mm if significant thickness of any underlay. It is possible to damage the head but only due to excessive pressure on my part. The screwdriver has a convenient rotating end to the grip which fits into your palm. The screws are magnetised which helps.

[Chris98]

I have used the 9mm n gauge screws, they are very good.

[ADShimmin]

Yes just to add to the recommendations I have used these for my TT120 layout and would highly recommend them.