As the winter nights draw in I am actually finding some time for modelling, albeit so far in a rather 'virtual' form. I have been experiementing with Google Sketchup as a cheap and cheerful (free) means of producing CAD models suitable (.stl files) for 3D printing at Shapeways.*

www.shapeways.com

(*usual disclaimer of satisfied customer with no other link to the business)

The odd thing is that Sketchup seemed to be created Google Earth in mind, for creating pretty buildings to populate virtual worlds, but probably never to break free from the screen of a computer. In order to create these .stl (stereo-lithography) files, easily downloadable add-ons are required, and more than a little patience to ensure that the shapes you design adhere to a number of subtle rules..

Today I sent off the following items for printing. Those who recall my sporadic blogging on my Victoria Bridge diorama will recoginise the following objects as useful in that scene... that is, for a 'modern image steam' version of the Severn Valley, set in the last ten years or so.

First off, something you may have seen a 'preview' of a couple of weeks ago, my little '813':

http://www.gwr813.org/ (The loco's homepage)

(813 in a scene I might soon replicate thanks to Dapol!)

http://www.sharpos-world.co.uk/cpg/displayimage.php?album=615&pos=-13090#top_display_media

The model, to be printed in the finest quality 'Frosted Ultra Detail' plastic, is designed to fit snugly around an N gauge Dapol Terrier chassis with minimal modification. Folks with a keen eye for proportions will probably see that the saddle of the saddle tank is a little wider than it ought to be, in order to fit around the motor. It is, truth be told, more 'in the spirit of' than a finescale reproduction.

Having experimented with the bare chassis running without the body, it is clear that weight is vital for achieve electrical pick-up, let alone for basic adhesion.. The body has been designed with lots of voids, in the saddle tank top and bunker, to be filled with that 'liquid gravity' that I nearly remembered to buy from the Warley show!!! (doh)

Some of the details like lamps are a little experimental in nature, and may, or may not print out succesfully. If they appear, they appear, if not it is no great loss, they can be replaced with something 'off the shelf'... I have done old fashioned 'moulded' handrails around the front of the tank, something I am hopeless at with actual wire, but have left pilot holes in the sides of the tank for proper handrails to be fitted.

The next project takes as its starting point the excellent Ultima Models Hawksworth GWR inspection saloon kit.

http://www.ultima-mo...cs?Item=UME1220

These are also a frequent sight on the modern SVR, with two examples in service, which added to trains as and when charters require them. The kit is really excellent, but I fear my skills in bending and soldering brass are far from sharp, so I have designed a plastic 'core' to which the kits etched sides and various detail parts can be attached. The whole thing will sit on the shortened chassis of an old Farish Class 101 DMU centre car.

As you can see, I have got a little carried away with interior details, I will also add a party of people before the whole thing is fixed together.

Again, pilot holes have been left in the roof for ventilators, which will help to ensure that I glue them in nice and straight, the protruding, er, protrusions are supports for piping that runs along the roof.

This model will be printed in the cheaper 'white, strong and flexible' material as with the final finish being etched sides, the fine resolution of printed detail is less important.

A further experiment in the use of 'WSF' is for creating masonry, to suit a particular structure. This is a time consuming process, but hopefully the end product will be like embossed plasticard magically produced to match a particular structure. These are bridge abutments for Victoria Bridge.

I had tried to fashion them, in the diorama, from DAS Clay, but the results were clumsy to say the least.. hopefully the appliance of technology will sort it out and get the scene finished off. There is scope yet for traditional techniques, I look forward to painting, dry brushing and variously weathering the finished product, as well as somehow giving them a sandy, sandstone-ish texture..

but that is a story for another day.

I will update as soon as the UPS van arrives..

..congratulations if you have read this far, quite a long post!!