Coxheath Sidings goes DCC

[Dava]

Thanks for good wishes, layout building on hold whilst visiting UK for 2 weeks, took delivery of Heljan railbus & Bachmann buildings from Tower Models

 

Now in Scotland & hoping to visit Bo'ness for steam action next weekend, hope to see/ride behind 'Morayshire'!

 

Wrist is getting better but don't yet have full movement but nothing I can't do

 

Dava

[Dava]

Its been a while since I added to this thread on an 0 gauge microlayout being built in Canada from foamboard.

 

The layout has the working title of Coxheath Sidings, after the area we live in. 

 

Since we got back from the UK I have been using DAS to ballast the tracks, this is then acrylic painted and awaits an ash ballast ground surface. I haven't yet worked out what the ash ballast will be so it stays like this for the time being. This has taken a few weeks to do, in between other distractions (such as the arrival of 'summer' in Nova Scotia, mainly taking the form of more rain!).

 

 

I've started on a few structures for the layout. The loading platform at the sidings end will gain an awning and warehouse in low relief in due course. 

 

 

The main structure built over the past few evenings is the footbridge which will provide visual separation between the yard sidings and the sector table area. As I have lots of foamboard, the pillars are stone-scribed foamboard with a card bridge span with wood bridge supports.This will be accompanied by a retaining wall and low relief buildings....mainly from foamboard.

 

 

Here it is from the other side.

 

 

None of this is spectacular or setting high standards, but continues to be therapeutic. Just to make it more interesting lets add some small locos from the excellent Scottish railway museum at Bo'ness I visited (again).

 

 

Barclay 0-6-0 diesel, I think from Bandeath naval depot. Finally, the two classic pugs which remind me of the Slaters kit (of the CR variant) which awaits building some day....

 

 

Link here to other Scottish rail preservation photos from my visit

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/99850-scottish-railway-preservation-boness-mixed-traffic-gala/

 

Dava

 

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2015 by Dava

[Dava]

I've started building some low- relief structures from foamboard to go on the back line of the baseboard. It's pretty quick to work & should have some results soon.

I'd like a 4 or 6 wheel coach body to sit in the yard, this was a common feature at many stations but I don't intend sacrificing a running vehicle or an expensive kit. Any ideas welcome, this would be an attractive resin, lasercut or even 3D print kit in 7mm scale. There is even a Flickr photopool of grounded bodies showing how they ended up. Maybe the old Highfields Models coach kits would be ideal for this.

 

Here is a grounded NER coach body on the Derwent Valley Light Railway, a typical light/branch line feature

Looking at what people are doing with CAD, Silhouette cutters etc makes me feel well behind the curve but I already spend enough time using a computer for work etc and the attraction of modelling is that it's hands-on. Written sitting on the decking here in backwoods Cape Breton, feeling like ED Reardon (available here on iPlayer). Just heard the Greeks have stuffed the Euro!

Dava

Edited July 6, 2015 by Dava

[peter220950]

I'd like a 4 or 6 wheel coach body to sit in the yard, this was a common feature at many stations but I don't intend sacrificing a running vehicle or an expensive kit. Any ideas welcome, this would be an attractive resin, lasercut or even 3D print kit in 7mm scale. There is even a Flickr photopool of grounded bodies showing how they ended up. Maybe the old Highfields Models coach kits would be ideal for this.

 

Dava

 

 

The Highfield kits would be good and are often available on eBay, or you could get Ian Kirk panels, he usually has a box of bits on his stand, if you get over to any exhibitions here, failing which he will send just body parts and roofs if you want. Similarly Slaters will sell parts of their kits such as GWR body sides and ends.

 

Loving the thread, nice work.

 

Peter

[Dava]

Thanks Peter,

 

Good ideas, I should have paid more attention to Ian Kirk's bits box!

 

I follow your 'Out of doors' thread with interest, as well as the Cadbury's. I've thought a microlayout based on part of Rowntree's factory in York could be an interesting project, but not this time!

 

Dava

[Dava]

A few evenings and weekend work has brought some progress to Coxheath Sidings.

 

I had bought a couple of loco flywheels in the UK and intended to fit one to the Peckett 1287 class, which was my first 0 Gauge scratchbuilding project a few years ago.  The flywheel fitted onto the motor  shaft no problem at all and certainly smoothed the running.....

 

 

Some modifications mainly using a heated scalpel were needed inside the body to obtain the clearance in the firebox area for the flywheel, after which it looked and ran satisfactorily. This little loco is ideally sized for the microlayout and runs nice and slowly. 

 

 

Meanwhile I had been using foamboard to build the first of a series of low relief structures for the backline of the layout. Here is a workshop having its roof slates added this afternoon. The sandstone effect is carved into the foamboard with a pencil and then coloured with acrylic paints.

 

 

Later on, after two coats of paint on the roof (and the evening out at the pub) the building is placed on the layout next to the retaining wall and footbridge. It requires gutters, bargeboards & small details adding.

 

 

Here is an under-bridge view. The structures will be bedded into the foamboard as the bridge piers have been before surface texture & track ballast is added. Lots to do.

 

 

Finally the Peckett on the sector table. Lots of shunting practice now taking place with this delightful loco, before a congratulatory beer on this hot evening.

 

 

NB Beer footnote: Big Spruce did not make it to our Farmers Market this morning but this catastrophe was mitigated by the opening of the Breton Brewing microbrewery on site which provides alternative tastes!

 

Dava

 

 

[BG John]

I had bought a couple of loco flywheels in the UK and intended to fit one to the Peckett 1287 class, which was my first 0 Gauge scratchbuilding project a few years ago.  The flywheel fitted onto the motor  shaft no problem at all and certainly smoothed the running.....

 

Peckett chassis.jpg

What motor and gearbox did you use in this? I'm planning my first scratchbuild to run on my new 7mm micro, and as it only needs to move two wagons at a time, I'm not sure what I need to power it.

[NeilHB]

The workshop looks good Dave! I particularly like the view looking out from under the road bridge - very evocative.

[Dava]

What motor and gearbox did you use in this? I'm planning my first scratchbuild to run on my new 7mm micro, and as it only needs to move two wagons at a time, I'm not sure what I need to power it.

 

John, 

 

Thanks for your interest. The motor is a small Mashima, a 1824 I think, driving a Scale Link 40:1 gearset. I made the gearbox which you can see in the chassis view on my gallery because the axles are Slaters 1/8" as the driving wheels are from their narrow gauge range, I had to use these to get the 2'3" diameter

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/42965-peckett-class-1287/

 

I hope this helps

Dava

[BG John]

Thanks Dava. Ideally I need 2'6" 6 spoke wheels for what I've got in mind. No one seems to do them!

[Dava]

You may not find exactly what you want

 

Slaters do a 2'7" 8 spoke wagon wheel in their 21mm gauge range, you'd need to adapt the wheel centre/spokes

 

Or a 4mm scale 17mm dia driver & cut out half the spokes

 

Either could work

 

Dava

[Dava]

I'm doing a building every couple of weeks. The summer here in Cape Breton is not exactly hot and the evenings are good for modelling.

 

The latest project has been the warehouse which is next the loading dock and the main source/destination of traffic at the sidings.

 

This is also crafted from foamboard but I wanted to avoid a monotone texture of sandstone, so decided on brick finish for this. The structure is one wall, with scribed brick, mounted on a card backing. The design is influenced by many such warehouses. In the UK it would be easy to acquire ready to use structures from Skytrex but building them is more interesting. Here is the basic structure after shaping and painting.

 

 

Doors were added from card, and gutters/downspouts formed from alu drink cans. The cabin at the end is from cat food card packaging. It conceals section switches. No plastic is used at all. Using commonly available and recycled materials helps as access to modelling or even craft supplies is limited.

 

 

Here is a low level night view.

 

 

Finally a view with the layout turned to the viewing side.

 

 

The next project will be a timber yard in the space between the warehouse and workshop featured above. We have lots of wood to use.

 

Dava

 

 

[Dava]

I noticed in moving the baseboards that one of them - the loading dock end with the point - had developed a slight twist. I used foamboard since at the time it was all I could cut. The top is a double thickness but maybe more bracing would have been advisable. So better late than never?

 

 

I cut extra diagonal bracing and fixed this to  both boards last night. They seem more rigid but there was no point adding further scenic effects to a warped base. We'll see how it pans out. If I use ballast or ground cover it is likely to be very fine stone/earth dust which will have a weight, which would make any sagging worse. I have some scenic flock and granulated cork but not enough range in the colours. I'll probably experiment with a few test areas.

 

Its all good learning about the advantages & limitations of foamboard. All I wanted was a micro-layout therapy project which is working out quite well. I'll carry on with the structures as they can be re-used on a future layout if required. I think I'll revert to plywood for the next layout project, whenever and wherever that may be.

 

The woods here have plenty of natural moss which I like to use as bushy vegetation, plus real live lichen on trees. A harvesting expedition is coming up this week, if we get a dry day.

 

Dava

[Steam_Julie]

Any material that can absorb moisture will change shape, when the humidity in the place it is stored changes. Therefore any board requires braching to keep it square and it's surface flat.

Julie

Spelling error correction

Edited August 25, 2015 by Steam_Julie

[Steam_Julie]

There is another alternative, that is to seal the surface with a waterproof coating, such as perhaps paint or waterproof PVA glue.

 

Julie

[CourthsVeil]

There is another alternative, that is to seal the surface with a waterproof coating, such as perhaps paint or waterproof PVA glue.

 

Julie

 

... best from both sides!

 Armin

[Dava]

So, back to rail modelling in the near-railless land of Cape Breton...no point whinging about non-delivery of your Dapol locos here. Just getting on with resource-constrained thrifty modelling as therapy from the ennui of it all.

 

Thanks to suggestions that the foamboard bases needed painting, after diagonal bracing was fitted they got a coat of paint underneath and on the sides. That was last weekend and the work rather delayed the building program. I had been doing (or aiming to do) about one structure a week.

 

I decided to build a loading dock on the other siding. This was created quite quickly out of foamboard and the outline structure is in the first photo. You can also see the wall added at the end of the sidings which helps close off the yard. To the left beside the warehouse is a mockup of the timber yard which will be the next project. This is based on photos of the timber drying sheds which used to be on Baltic Wharf in Bristol Docks.I have lots of wood bits to use. Even strawberry punnets have their uses! Forgive the domestic & lawn mower stuff in the background.

 

 

The next photo shows the dock infilled with foamboard and a scribed flagged top ready to go on after initial painting.

 

 

The final view is the dock after finishing with DAS modelling clay and wet paint drying. A Peco crane will be mounted on the dock which can be used for timber and general traffic. More on the timber yard  next time.

 

 

Dava

[Dava]

So here's the weekly update from Cape Breton...the week which saw definitely the final loco movement on our full size railway linking this bit of Canada to the mainland - see separate thread. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/88033-cape-breton-nova-scotia/page-2&do=findComment&comment=1985380

 

Meanwhile we've been trying some options for a passenger service for the workers at Coxheath Sidings.The first attempt was our little Peckett and the Midland 4-wheel coach. However this does not like the track over the baseboard and sector table joints, so the workers will be denied such comfort!

 

 

Instead we repaired the brake van with drover's compartment, trimmed the footboards and this runs more reliably, so workers will now have the advantage of rail transport to their employment....in the background is the Peco hand crane I built this week, which actually works.

 

 

Dava

[Dava]

Not much progress on this layout in the last week. Hot & thundery weather and a trip round the Island being two reasons.

 

The next project is the long-planned timberyard. I made a start on that with the office hut. Bear in mind finding modelling supplies here is hard, so I recycle materials.

The shell for this was from a card whisky box, cut & folded to shape. Then scrap wood from strawberry punnets was cut, scored for planking, stained with water-based paints (both sides, it warps as you work), pressed flat & dried, then glued on with plenty of dilute pva.  I'm quite pleased with the planked wood effect on the sides. The roof simulates wood shingles, these have bowed quite a lot. They do that here with the weight of snow....

 

A few evenings went into this. As with everything else its an experiment in using these materials. A few detailing touches are needed, it needs a gutter & downpipe.

 

 

I have what I need for the rest of the timber yard. I bought a pack of wood lolly sticks which are sold for crafters...so I have to use them. They will form the planked deck of the yard. They've all been cut ready to go.

 

Dava

 

[DanielB]

Outstanding!

 

I'm trying to find something like India Ink for staining wood, but I think you just saved me the trouble of buying some.

 

Subscribed!

[Dava]

Outstanding!

 

I'm trying to find something like India Ink for staining wood, but I think you just saved me the trouble of buying some.

 

Subscribed!

Thanks Daniel

 

I used very dilute Daler/Rowney gouache but any cheapo poster paint should do. The wood is surprisingly ok to work with. Don't over-stain!

 

Dava

[CourthsVeil]

Can only agree and recommend these simple watercolours for staining wood (and plaster hardstanding).

I - for example - use the set our doughter had when she went to school

(Pelikan is the brand name - others as well suited…).

Regards

  Armin

[shortliner]

Outstanding!

 

I'm trying to find something like India Ink for staining wood, but I think you just saved me the trouble of buying some.

 

Subscribed!

 

Daniel - see http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/20149

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/18207

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/magazine/mrh-2013-05-may/oep_wood-staining-fixture

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/21320

http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/node/7325

[Dava]

Its been a few weeks since we took a train ride down Coxheath sidings...good reasons for this, not the least being that some modelling has actually been taking place!

 

The main project has been the construction of the timber drying sheds, inspired by the aptly named Nova Scotia and Baltic Wharf structures in Bristol Docks, latterly run by Bamberger's (see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48455-the-changing-face-of-bristol/page-11 #267) 

 

I wanted to use recycled wood for this project, as already seen in the office hut #69. Quite some time was spent drawing the project up so it would look right on a small, narrow site.

 

Mrs Dava is quite partial to sushi lunches. The wood chopsticks have a square end on a dowel rod. I thought these would work well for the upright columns. Four sets of front-rear columns were made. I had a large bag of lolly sticks to use so some of these were halved to be the stringers and spacers. The distinctive curved arch roof sides were formed from proper nice thin ply, with a basswood spacer and two layers of card catfood packing curved between the sides with lots of dilute pva, then painted after drying.

 

 

The roofs were surfaced with plasticard corrugated roofing (the only plasticard used in the structure on the whole layout!) after my experiments with making corrugated metal from drink cans showed indifferent results - another time....

 

The back and sides were made from treated strawberry boxwood, like the office hut. Finally the decking was laid using cut lengths of the ubiquitous lolly sticks (only 2/3 of the packet left!).

 

 

Details such as stacked timber, steps and other items are being added.

 

Yesterday the layout was turned round to show the 'display'side I'd not seen in months. It was tarted up a bit and we had an open house party. Lots of people including two small guys who fancied shunting practice trooped through to the garage to admire it all!

 

 

 

Various locos visited to do some shunting, including the Fowler diesel (ideal) our little Peckett, and even the troublesome 'P' class which is just too big, heavy and fast.  Lots of fun. But now being packed away and there will be more news from Coxheath Sidings soon...

 

 

NB: this is a Terrier-free zone (so far).

 

Dava

Edited September 14, 2015 by Dava

[Dava]

The latest from Coxheath sidings is box related. Small boxes & big boxes. 

 

The foamboard structure has been packed up in some card & f-board packaging to make a hazardous journey to its new home.....lets see what shape its in at the other end.

 

 

 

Lets call it the Coxbox!

 

There has been lots of other boxing of things and no modelling or anything much else in prospect for some weeks

 

Then today what rolls up our drive but a big box.....

 

 

Into which the Coxbox & everything else has been loaded and is now en route to Halifax & in due course a big box boat back to the UK!

 

 

Our adventure in Canada nearly over, we follow on Monday. Hello again the pleasures of the East Midlands, Great Central Railway and the autumn model rail shows, all of which I`ve been deprived of here in CA.

 

See you next month....

 

Dava