Since I started building locomotives, I always wanted a rolling road to test them on without the necessity of digging the layout out of the loft. These have been available for 00 gauge for years (at a price), but for broad gauge nothing was available.
A few years ago I got quotes for manufacture of such units, and requested in the Newssheet that anyone interested get in touch, as a minimum order of 10 units was required. Maybe the price was a little offputting (around £110 I think), but the level of interest this generated (much less than 1 reply) meant that manufacture did not go ahead.
I have now come across another firm who manufacture rolling road units. They already have units for N, TT, OO, EM, P4, O and G gauges and state that they are willing to manufacture to other gauges on request. Unlike the firm I was negotiating with a couple of years back, they do not require a minimum order quantity. The spacers are laser cut and apparently changing the gauge is simply a matter of entering the dimension into the software controling the laser. The prices are very reasonable - £33.00 (plus postage) for a set of four cradles.
Their website is http://www.directtrainspares-burnley.co.uk, and they also sell on ebay as "train-playmobil-supplies". Their phone number is 07561-179117 or 01282-438083.
I have already ordered a set of four units to BG4 gauge (28.08m). The units come packed in a small plastic storage box with an allen key to adjust the gauge. This was a necessity as I found them to be set too tight on delivery. Simply a matter of popping them on a piece of track, loosening the screws and pushing them apart so that the screws touch the rails.
Being designed for normal sleeper based track, the length of the
screws (which would fit between the sleepers on normal track) protrude
too far for baulk road, or the storage cassette unit shown in the
pictures. This prevents the modules sitting securely on the track
and means power is only picked up from the inside of the rails via
the screws. I subsequently modified a storage cassette by inserting 3mm
rivet washers under the aluminium angle so it is spaced up from the
base. The modules now sit flush on the angle and power pick-up is much
improved.
Page updated : 19 Dec 2015