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From the very beginnings of the construction of the P4 layout based on Brighton (Sussex) BR(SR) motive power depot - 75A

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75A Brighton: Spring Report 2015

.... it's been a long time since the last update and, as ever, progress has been slower than planned. (Board 1 in progress - 25 of the 2 turnouts now completed, so much easier when you don't have to worry about crossing polarity or insulated tie bars! Basic coat of Humbrol Track Colour which will be weathered in due course, as will the Bachmann Mogul) Over the winter and with the help of a local craftsman (he runs the local tractor club and I give them lectures on railways, so he helps me in
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

1

75A Brighton MPD: 140720 Progress Update

I see that I haven't updated the blog since last year so here's an update on progress. (Image created with Templot Sketchboard - completely impossible to have progressed this far without Templot!). Green track is completed, yellow is work in progress. Basboard outlines in red, magenta shapes are the baseboard supports - an 'H' gateleg arrangement. 6 of the 11 boards are now constructed. I won't complete the others (3, 6, 7 and 8 and particularly the turntable board 5C), until the shed board (
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

11

Brighton 75A: Today's post 131229: Assembling the first baseboards-2

We left yesterday's blog with the first of the side members clamped to the inverted baseboard for the PVA glue to stick. This was the inner of two pieces that together make up the 12mm thickness of the side pieces. I believe that Chris laminates the two pieces together first, makes up a carcase and then offers up the baseboard top. I decided that because the boards were to be irregular with a number of them having curved edges that I would stick one side member to the baseboard top, let it set f
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

0

Brighton 75A: Today's post 131227: Assembling the first baseboards

This is how I launched into the making of the first baseboard(s). The first stage was to load the Templot templates on to an 8x4 sheet of 6mm ply for a repeat of a previously abortive effort. This time I followed Martin's advice and printed the templates on 160gsm card on an inkjet (i.e. not laser) printer. I used 3M spray mount to fix the templates to the board. The spray mount allows repositioning and does not distort the templates. Once laid out properly (and it is amazing that, no matter
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

1

Brighton 75A: Today's post 131226: Report on last few months progress

Here we are again after a few months away from the blogsphere! I've not been idle meanwhile and this is a report on latest developments. The track plan is now finished as far as the end of Phase 1 (the loco shed and platforms 1 - 3 as a fiddle yard) but not without the excellent help received from Martin Wynne, Templot creator. I struggled for a week or so to create a pair of curved tandem (3 way) turnouts and eventually had to turn to Martin for help. The result is on the Templot forum and now
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

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Brighton 75A: Today's post 130701: The juice is now on the plan

No, not some coded message designed to get GCHQ buzzing, nor a plantiff cry that I spilt my orange.... the 'juice' referred to is the third rail and I have now completed adding it to the Templot plans for the two Hove branch tracks and the three West Sidings. The problem now is to work on which side of the track the rail was located in the various parts of the formation. I have quite a few photos but there are still gaps where it is not evident whether the third rail was on the left or the ri
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

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Brighton 75A: Today's post 130621: The Longest Day's activities

Because I was wrong about the OS plan being in Crown Copyright (Martin W pointed out that the 50 year rule applies, so my 1953 plan is out of copyright), here is the track plan superimposed on the 1:2500 so that you can see the extent and where everything goes. I had got stuck yesterday with not knowing how BR(SR) organised the timbers under points and crossings, but again Martin came to the rescue with a definitive answer. The timbers are usually square to the main running line for a post 19
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

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Brighton 75A: Today's post: Desk developments

I have always wanted to play jazz piano like Oscar Petersen or Dudley Moore and somehow never managed to, for two good reasons: I am too lazy and too impatient to practise! And the same goes for modelling - too impatient and expecting instant results. But with the will to get Brighton right I realise that I have to put the time in and this weekend and past few days I have had to face the inevitable - learn how to use Templot properly so that the trackwork bears some resemblance to the actual lay
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

2

Brighton 75A: Today's post 130611: Disaster strikes!

A somewhat frustrating point has been reached Here's the problem. In order to make the baseboards a) a manageable size b') have as few irregular or curved sides as possible c) fit each other precisely, I drew what I thought would be suitable shapes on the original 1:2500 OS plan. However, when I get to the actual model, I realise that, to avoid the point switches and crossings on what is a very tight track layout, the planned baseboard edges run through one or more switches or crossings, or do
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

2

Brighton 75A: Today's post 130606

I'm in the great position of having the space to lay out 8 x 4 sheets of plywood and also lay out completed baseboard components and the even greater position of being able to 'come up for air' from the day's labours and spend the odd few minutes on the layout. In the mid morning break, I lined up all the templates on the curve of platform 2 (and near the edge of the board to minimise wastage) and spot glued the centre of each one to the board. Just before lunch, I finished off the remaining tem
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

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Brighton MPD: A 30 year dream becomes reality: Today's post 130605

Today's post... The first decision in constructing the baseboard using the laminate method described to me by Glevum Group's Chris, is to decide, as in the diagram, whether to put the top sheet on top of the side members ('B) or to let it sit on a recess formed by the two side members laminated together (A). Chris' method is A, and although this might be obvious, I don't think it's that clear cut (no pun!). The traditional (and awful) method of 2x1 framing is usually to screw the top to it and
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

2

A 30 year dream becomes reality

Stimulated by seeing the layout by Robin Whittle and the Glevum group at Scalefour North, I came home and dusted off the papers, maps, plans and photos built up over 30 years for the time when '75A' would come to life... that time, I have decided, has come! I was impressed by Chris' (??) baseboards. He took the time and trouble to describe to me the construction of the baseboards which he produced. He uses 6mm beech ply in two laminated layers to construct the edges of the board, the inner lay
NorthHighlander

NorthHighlander

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