What's the point!

As this layout was started during the first Lock Down of 2020, it was hard getting materials. The Lock Down saw many people suddenly with time on their hands. Things like model railways and other similar hobbies got a much needed boost as they became popular once more and it seems that their popularity has continued which is great! However, with a sudden surge in interest and shops shut, getting hold of materials such as track became a major problem. I recall points for all gauges simply disappearing from the on-line retailers. Luckily I had some 009 track in stock for this project. I had specifically bought the Peco ST-412 First Radius curves as I find with tight radius curves a set track curve gives a far better curve than trying to make flexi track do things that it really doesn't want to and was probably never envisaged by the designers as being able to. I also had some flexi track and some points. What I did not have was an 009 left hand set track point. Searching through the WMD HQ stock pile of things I never throw away I came across an N gauge left hand set track point. It looked a bit worn and dirty but testing with a multi meter showed electrically it worked which was a big relief. 

Whilst I know N gauge track has been used by modelers to depict a narrow gauge track, with all my other track being 009 an N gauge pint would stick out. I therefore got a small saw balade and cut alternate sleepers out of the plastic base of the point. I took care not to weaken the overall structure and I ended up with this.

 The white blobs on the sleepers to the left are filler where I filled in the holes for track pins as I would not be using these. Overall it looks more 009 then N gauge which is what I wanted. We will see how this fitted in later on but sometimes when a problem comes up rather than thinking 'What's the point?' thinking outside of the box can provide a solution.