My recent endeavours have been struggling, struggling I say, with the track-beds for the embankment. Getting these level, without twists, and sagging has not been easy. I thought 12mm Birch Ply would be sufficient but it has not proven so. I’ve tried braces, supports, different types of wood in fact the final manifestation (the fourth) is a mix of all three. I’m sure there must be an easier way than I have adopted. The garage floor dropping over 20mm through the length of the railway has not be
My recent endeavours have been struggling, struggling I say, with the track-beds for the embankment. Getting these level, without twists, and sagging has not been easy. I thought 12mm Birch Ply would be sufficient but it has not proven so. I’ve tried braces, supports, different types of wood in fact the final manifestation (the fourth) is a mix of all three. I’m sure there must be an easier way than I have adopted. The garage floor dropping over 20mm through the length of the railway has not be
Over the Easter Holiday I’ve turned my attention what would be the east end of the layout. Here the lines leaving Bosmelin Junction pass over the river on two bridges before disappearing along the valley as they diverge to their different destinations.
Due to the nature of an oval layout the river, embankments, bridges and the exit portals for the lines are a little compressed which is made wore by the whole are being on a curve. Frankly it’s a bit busy.
The approaches to the ri
Referring somebody to this Bosmelin Site today I discovered that I had made no updates since February 2021. I was somewhat aghast although it was never my intention to document progress that frequently, a year was far too long between updates.
Nevertheless when I observe what progress there has been it is actually hard to see that much has happened despite my toil and endeavour. So without excuse here are some pictures of the baseboards. In fact a test run around the layout to check join
During my enforced rest from vigorous carpentry I decided it might be a good idea to make a cardboard mock up of Bosmelin so I could get some idea of what the scenery might look. Of course such a course of action is recommended by most layout designers and often mentioned by the more skilled builders. Of course like most people I initially omitted this step and ploughed on with wood cutting and baseboard building.
But I have to say having effectively been forced into making a mock up I have
During my enforced rest from vigorous carpentry I decided it might be a good idea to make a cardboard mock up of Bosmelin so I could get some idea of what the scenery might look. Of course such a course of action is recommended by most layout designers and often mentioned by the more skilled builders. Of course like most people I initially omitted this step and ploughed on with wood cutting and baseboard building.
But I have to say having effectively been forced into making a mock up I have
With increased woodworking activity on the baseboards now that the door to the railway parlour has been replaced my enthusiastic sawing, sanding & rasping has caused me to develop tennis elbow. So all that industry has ground to a halt. So I’ve been working on Parsnip Cottage – one of Petite Properties products and I’ve now started making a 1/4 scale model of the layout to mock up the scenery. Of course conventional wisdom decrees that this is the first thing you do. But we dew diff’runt in
With increased woodworking activity on the baseboards now that the door to the railway parlour has been replaced my enthusiastic sawing, sanding & rasping has caused me to develop tennis elbow. So all that industry has ground to a halt. So I’ve been working on Parsnip Cottage – one of Petite Properties products and I’ve now started making a 1/4 scale model of the layout to mock up the scenery. Of course conventional wisdom decrees that this is the first thing you do. But we dew diff’runt in
Yes, it’s nearly eight months since I last ‘writ’ something for this blog. But it’s not been eight months of complete idleness in the construction of Bosmelin as there’s been bursts of frantic activity, periods of self doubt, periods of re-planning and periods of, yes, finding other things to do rather than railway modelling. So today’s update will be a compilation of where I am today with the project and why.
Concept: originally Bosmelin was to have been a reasonably close representation
Yes, it’s nearly eight months since I last ‘writ’ something for this blog. But it’s not been eight months of complete idleness in the construction of Bosmelin as there’s been bursts of frantic activity, periods of self doubt, periods of re-planning and periods of, yes, finding other things to do rather than railway modelling. So today’s update will be a compilation of where I am today with the project and why.
Concept: originally Bosmelin was to have been a reasonably close representation
METAMORPHIC ROCK is ANY OF A CLASS OF ROCKS THAT RESULT FROM THE ALTERATION OF PREEXISTING ROCKS IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, SUCH AS VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, AND MECHANICAL STRESS, AND THE ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION OF CHEMICAL COMPONENTS.
The underlying rocks of Bosemlin are plywood and deal and I am altering these by a process involving the application of a saw and drill slowly turning them into sawdust. Yes, I am still rebuilding the landscape at the River E
METAMORPHIC ROCK is ANY OF A CLASS OF ROCKS THAT RESULT FROM THE ALTERATION OF PREEXISTING ROCKS IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, SUCH AS VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, AND MECHANICAL STRESS, AND THE ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION OF CHEMICAL COMPONENTS.
The underlying rocks of Bosemlin are plywood and deal and I am altering these by a process involving the application of a saw and drill slowly turning them into sawdust. Yes, I am still rebuilding the landscape at the River E
METAMORPHIC ROCK is ANY OF A CLASS OF ROCKS THAT RESULT FROM THE ALTERATION OF PREEXISTING ROCKS IN RESPONSE TO CHANGING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, SUCH AS VARIATIONS IN TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, AND MECHANICAL STRESS, AND THE ADDITION OR SUBTRACTION OF CHEMICAL COMPONENTS.
The underlying rocks of Bosemlin are plywood and deal and I am altering these by a process involving the application of a saw and drill slowly turning them into sawdust. Yes, I am still rebuilding the landscape at the River E
Boscarne station on the heritage Bodmin & Wenford Railway. There were virtually no trees of any size at the time the model depicts. Copyright: Richard Slipper 2016
The topography of Bosmelin (Boscarne Junction) is not straightforward as it comprises a variety of landscapes and the associated plant life.
The railway lines sit on a ledge carved into a hillside. The single line approaching from the west runs along the valley side whereas the two lines exiting the junction area leave on
Boscarne station on the heritage Bodmin & Wenford Railway. There were virtually no trees of any size at the time the model depicts. Copyright: Richard Slipper 2016
The topography of Bosmelin (Boscarne Junction) is not straightforward as it comprises a variety of landscapes and the associated plant life.
The railway lines sit on a ledge carved into a hillside. The single line approaching from the west runs along the valley side whereas the two lines exiting the junction area leave on
Boscarne station on the heritage Bodmin & Wenford Railway. There were virtually no trees of any size at the time the model depicts. Copyright: Richard Slipper 2016
The topography of Bosmelin (Boscarne Junction) is not straightforward as it comprises a variety of landscapes and the associated plant life.
The railway lines sit on a ledge carved into a hillside. The single line approaching from the west runs along the valley side whereas the two lines exiting the junction area leave on
The railways in the UK would not have been built without the labour provided by navvies. Navvies were hard working ground workers digging cuttings, boring tunnels and building embankments with shovels and barrows.
Now serious navvy work is not something you normally associate with model railways but over the last couple of days I have been doing some industrial scale topographical remodelling on Bosmelin. OK, I’ll admit it’s not navvying but the principals are not dissimilar.
The river
The railways in the UK would not have been built without the labour provided by navvies. Navvies were hard working ground workers digging cuttings, boring tunnels and building embankments with shovels and barrows.
Now serious navvy work is not something you normally associate with model railways but over the last couple of days I have been doing some industrial scale topographical remodelling on Bosmelin. OK, I’ll admit it’s not navvying but the principals are not dissimilar.
The river
The railways in the UK would not have been built without the labour provided by navvies. Navvies were hard working ground workers digging cuttings, boring tunnels and building embankments with shovels and barrows.
Now serious navvy work is not something you normally associate with model railways but over the last couple of days I have been doing some industrial scale topographical remodelling on Bosmelin. OK, I’ll admit it’s not navvying but the principals are not dissimilar.
The river
There are many elements to good running on a model railway but the foundation is always the baseboards and this is particularly true on a layout that is designed to be portable. Making sure that the baseboards are straight, true and, where they should be, flat and level is absolutely vital and must not be skimped.
I have been keen to ensure that weight is minimised but true to form my baseboards for Bosmelin are starting to get heavier. I shall reduce the weight where possible in due course
There are many elements to good running on a model railway but the foundation is always the baseboards and this is particularly true on a layout that is designed to be portable. Making sure that the baseboards are straight, true and, where they should be, flat and level is absolutely vital and must not be skimped.
I have been keen to ensure that weight is minimised but true to form my baseboards for Bosmelin are starting to get heavier. I shall reduce the weight where possible in due course
There are many elements to good running on a model railway but the foundation is always the baseboards and this is particularly true on a layout that is designed to be portable. Making sure that the baseboards are straight, true and, where they should be, flat and level is absolutely vital and must not be skimped.
I have been keen to ensure that weight is minimised but true to form my baseboards for Bosmelin are starting to get heavier. I shall reduce the weight where possible in due course
I can happily report that the brass dowels work quite well and all the scenic boards aligned first time.
Dowels in place and before boards bolted together
Furthermore, by a coincidence or was it some long forgotten element of my plan the height from the floor to the bottom of the scenic boards is 100cm which just happens to be the one of the predetermined heights allowed for by my Aldi adjustable trestles. This is pretty handy as any for the obvious reasons.
Happily the bottom of the
I can happily report that the brass dowels work quite well and all the scenic boards aligned first time.
Dowels in place and before boards bolted together
Furthermore, by a coincidence or was it some long forgotten element of my plan the height from the floor to the bottom of the scenic boards is 100cm which just happens to be the one of the predetermined heights allowed for by my Aldi adjustable trestles. This is pretty handy as any for the obvious reasons.
Happily the bottom of the
I can happily report that the brass dowels work quite well and all the scenic boards aligned first time.
Dowels in place and before boards bolted together
Furthermore, by a coincidence or was it some long forgotten element of my plan the height from the floor to the bottom of the scenic boards is 100cm which just happens to be the one of the predetermined heights allowed for by my Aldi adjustable trestles. This is pretty handy as any for the obvious reasons.
Happily the bottom of the