... create third rail

by Vic Freemantle

This picture was taken by by Geoff Helliwell at the Wessex Meeting in 2001. It shows the third rail on my overbridge using conductor rail pots designed by Ian Smith and produced by Ian Osborne and obscure code 55 rail. They are as near to the real thing as possible but were found not to be conducive to extensive use. There are many variations in prototype rail section, size and weight. Spot the difference in the following picture.

This picture shows the same bridge planted in the layout now using Peco IL120 - 00/HO pots. These are made for Code 60 rail which we use for 3mm fine scale. The rail is blackened with Birchwood Casey liquid gun metal blue fluid which helps to differentiate it from the same rail used in the four foot. The Peco pots grip the rail which is not prototypical. It mostly just sits in ‘u-shaped supports, so the tops are painted dark brown. The hole in sleeper to take them is slightly countersunk to lower them and the conductor rail from their 4mm height.