It's been a long time since there were any updates to the viaduct project (and no I haven't done any more to that footbridge). This has been due to a variety of non-modelling issues for both John and myself.
Anyway, we're back looking to rebuild some momentum. This weekend we have made significant progress in conceptual planning of the final presentation format (of which more in due course). The main thing was to decide how high to have the track, bearing in mind that it will be different
More work has been done with the balustrades on board 4. They have been refitted, filled, smoothed and sprayed in undercoat to be 'photographically proved'
The 'proving' has been useful in showing up all the imperfect finishing.
Normally this would have probably been OK for 'normal viewing distances' but not for 'cruel' camera close-ups which are now such a part of out hobby nowadays!
The new visitor arrived last week which will be used for our 'blue/grey' operating period. It will a
Some medium sized silver birches.
A few more smaller ones will be made and then some other more predominent species will be next, oaks, chestnuts, sycamores and probably some elms would be nice.
There was quite a prominent stand of pines (Scots or Maritime) at the Brighton end embankment. They stood on the road side of this embankment during the main time period that we are modelling. Totally different techniques will have to be mastered to make them!
This is the first actual part of Balcombe station. One of its features from the period we are modelling is a cast iron footbridge - not the one there now, which is an Exmouth Junction concrete product. It is shown here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Balcombe_railway_station_1745357_cc3c259a.jpg . Of note is that at one end there is a conventional landing and staircase, but at the other the bridge connects with a covered staircase coming from the road above. The main bridge deck is also quite
After the 'great lift' it was time to start fixing some of the balustrades, refuges and pavilions back onto the viaduct deck.
Here are some shots from today of the two boards that we will be showing, about 40% of the total. Lengths of 7mm wide stripwood were temporarily glued with Copydex along the edge of the deck to allow the balustrades to be set at the right distance in from the edge; a simple jig was then used to set them in the right place with respect to the refuge outriggers. The
After the first attempt at tree making using Gordon Gravett's methods I wasn't happy at all with the efforts. Some had the 'broccoli tree' look whilst others looked too dense or with too much 'space' and with the wrong colour foliage! Using the Woodlands 'foliage' just doesn't cut it, at least until I can master a better technique in using it. The Monterey pine has been sidelined with it's dark Woodlands foliage, as it all looks too flat.
The ones illustrated here have all had their original
The 'great lift' is now finished, with the addition of the final 2mm at the bases of the pavilions, and I have also put all the moulding detail around the tops of the pavilion columns - at least as far as practicability allows. I had previously done this on one of them, but that got trashed when I separated the roof slab to add the 2mm in there, so it's just as well I hadn't done them all before.
This is what I'm referring to:
Anyway, it's useful to show again how I did it.
Mai
Apart from two pieces on 15 refuges (waiting for timber delivery) the refuges are now all done. Here are all 72 of them lined up, with the incomplete ones at the back. They still need trimming and fitting in places.
With each refuge having 19 pieces, when the last 15 are done there will be 1368 pieces in the photo above!
Balustrades are also all done, and here they all are, 70 'standard' ones and 8 'specials' which are a bit longer for the runs between the pavilions and the inner
Some more trees and an armature for Balcombe. These are all experimental ATM and will be placed at the rear of the layout. I've still got to improve on tree recognition and produce better models of particular types.
Some of these will probably be removable for use on other projects. The smaller ones will be used on the Matford rebuild on the new extension board.
Despite John's excellent forestry experiments, it's probably true to say that we've 'relaxed' a bit since the intensive run-up to Scaleforum last September - see http://www.rmweb.co....post__p__496055 for a refresher.
This hasn't been helped by diversions due to work, other projects, work etc although John and I have been busy at times mulling over some of the lessons learned and ideas stimulated from the exhibition. One of these was to add between 0.5 and 1m scenic section at the front and
Here is the first attempt at a tree armature, following Gordon Gravett's methods (with a few variations in method) shown in his new book.
I can't recommend this book highly enough as the definitive 'how-to' work on tree making. I couldn't have achieved anything without it's guidance.
This is an attempt at a 'grisly' old oak. The small lumps need removing from the thinner wire bits. The 'greenification' is still being worked on for the right formula.
We'll need a large quantity of va
Been doing a bit more on the refuges, bringing some up a level in detail with sleeper timbering and limewood.
Here is what they look like before light sanding, filling, painting etc. Each one has 16 pieces.
The first area to be 'terra-formed' has now been done.
Two of the main reasons for doing it this way is for lightness and durability. Using traditional plaster bandages, they're too easily damaged as I found out on Matford. The whole area is only supported along the edges with the chicken wire doing all work keeping all in place. It may need an second coating with resin as I've missed a few bits here and there. I'll see when it's all cured nice and hard, and of course it adds virtually no ex
(From John) - some more progress. Much experimenting on the mortar course 'grouting' was done under the guidance of Tim Maddocks. Several paint combinations/types and finally Games Workshop 'Citadel' acrylics came out as the most user friendly and best for speed of application/process, considering the amount that has to be done!
The resin cast corbels are only temporarily attached and are to be replaced with ones from Shapeways 3D printed ones in due course.
The top structures in gr
Six weeks to Scaleforum, and the London end is really starting to take final shape. The corbels (brackets) for the refuges are preliminary versions, more detailed ones are on the way.
We also now have the stripwood for making the copings for the balustrades. In due course the levels of the pavilions and balustrades will be adjusted to get the relative levels of pavilion and train absolutely right (something also affected by the track and ballasting configuration).
Good day's progress today over at John's. Pavilions finished apart from decoration around top of columns, finalised track bed cutting on end boards, and attached 'plinths' to balustrades - using 3.3mm ply sleeper strip, makes a surprisingly big improvement to their 'solidity'. Not done the coping yet, walnut stripwood not yet arrived. Also made a jig for consistent fitting of the corbels supporting the refuges - Mark has finalised the design and a trial run of 20 has been ordered from Shapewa
Centre section cladding completed. Some more work still needed here and there, but I think that we're gradually getting it how we want it.
Some expermintation has been done with the primary undercoating as it's important to get the base colour just right when finishing with light airbrush misting. The real thing is like a 'patchwork quilt' of colours. Light browns, oranges, greens, limescale staining, even with engineers blue brick in repaired areas and even individual differently coloured b
Nice to see that we have passed the 10000 views mark - we appreciate the interest.
Here are the two prototype 3d-printed corbels loosely in place on one of the viaduct sections. Just the job, although I can see we may have to face the edge of the track base with plasticard strip to disguise the lamination join - or fill it with something prior to painting.
Yesterday John made up a jig from some bits of brass in his scrap box which enables the accurate trimming of the pier apertur
Thanks to Andy for sorting access to our blog problem. I have already posted this by way of the 'edit' feature, but anyone who might be interested will not have been notified and it will have slipped out of sight. Apologies to those who may have seen this already.
Here are some more snaps of progress. A few more clad with brickwork along with the first couple of the 'longer hole' piers where the hole goes into the supporting plinths.
It's been very difficult to clad the piers properly when
It's been a while since the last update, but progress has continued nonetheless - even if not much of it has been by me (work just continues to get in the way). And John seems to have lost his ability to post to the blog directly (Andy is looking into it).
After finishing off some of the outer piers (where the plinths don't come into play) John moved onto, or rather returned to, the inner ones. This is where the tapered piers are inset slightly on the rectilinear plinths, and we now seem t
First snap of near finished first pier. Red oxide undercoat applied prior to finding the correct brick colour.
Still some work to do with gap filling and the edge face brickwork will have to be refitted.
Here are some more snaps of progress. A few more clad with brickwork along with the first couple of the 'longer hole' piers where the hole goes into the supporting plinths.
It's been very difficult to clad the piers properly when using Staters embossed Plasticard. As discussed
A dry run to check fit of the pier assemblies. The screwed rods are to allow accurate adjustment between the piers and arch sections. All the holes through which they pass are oversize to allow for this prior gluing together and for final bolting to the 'undercarriage'. They will also serve as 'droppers' for track power so no need for wiring through the piers.
The next (big) job will be cladding the piers with plasticard and the curved brick etches.
Also the same with the arches.
Muc
