Stour Valley Dream - start with point rodding
I've made a start on the point rodding for Clare. Before anyone asks this is NOT functional! It has been great fun trying to work out the rodding runs from photographs as they changed over time at the Cavendish end when the coal siding was realigned. The prototype was built using round rod rather than the more modern square section - typically I had bought a load of .5mm square brass wire from Eileen!
I've used cranks from Brassmasters and rodding stools from DCC concepts. These rodding stools are hand-cut in purest platinum by a zen hermit hiding in a cave in the Himalayas* and cost an appropriate amount.
The lead-out from the signal box was made up as one unit and sits in the hole in the platform face. I've still got to put in the wire runs for the signals but most of these just go straight across to the face of the opposite platform.
The platform isn't stuck down yet so there is still a bit of a gap.
Just as the run gets to the baseboard joint it takes a 90 degree angle to jump to between the tracks in the loop, however one of the rods also goes straight on as it operators the catch point on the coal siding. The run then continues between the tracks until just after the river bridge where it jumps back to the far side of the original siding's alignment. This will mean in my timescale that there is a space between the running line and the rodding where the siding used to be.
Please bear in mind these photos are pretty cruel enlargements!
* actually I think they are molded in Delrin or a particularly hard plastic. It has been quite easy to cut out one of the central wheels to make a 1-rod and 2-rod stool.
I have also purchased some of the Woodland Scenics static grass which seems to be quite a bit less 'shiny' than some of the other brands (I'm looking at you Peco). I've tried adding some using a layering glue aerosol. The result is better but I obviously still need to do a lot more varieties of texture before I'm done.
You can see the difference between the area on the far side of the track and that nearest the camera.
Must get the hoover on the track again - I just used the little dust buster with a sock over the end to pick up most of the loose fibres.
I've found one nice photograph which shows a row of beehives along the bank where the track is. These were obviously only positioned there once the siding had fallen into disuse. I wonder whether they were tended by a railway man?
David
- 9
- 4
7 Comments
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now