“WASHBOURNE”

[F-UnitMad]

 

You should also note that we have several outbuildings, none of which apparently contain anything other than Edwardian's 'stuff'. It seems to occupy every nook and cranny of this house.

 

 

One glimmer of encouragement from this post - the reference to "this house".

Once the Ownership Terminology changes to "your junk in MY house", then you'll know you're really in the mire...

[Northroader]

[Northroader]

It must be on topic, how to build a pyramid using an item of gym equipment, although I doubt if it will escape the eagle eye of any spouses walking into the railway room. Hope everyone is succeeding with whatever rebuilding work they're doing?

Edited October 6, 2016 by Northroader

[Nearholmer]

An ideal cameo to liven-up an otherwise dull corner, and to help children understand what we mean when we say "stop playing with electronics, and get outside for some fresh air and exercise".

 

K

[Edwardian]

It must on topic, how to build a pyramid using an item of gym equipment, although I doubt if it will escape the eagle eye of any spouses walking into the railway room. Hope everyone is succeeding with whatever rebuilding work they're doing?IMG_0657.JPG

 

Can't see such effete Gallic frippery catching on in Edwardian Norfolk.

 

Something much more Clean Living, English and Manly for Castle Aching:

[Nearholmer]

Hard to tell, Simon. My two will zoom outside if there is football/tennis, or trampolines, involved, respectively, and I have feeling that faintly dangerous human-pyramid building would appeal to the younger of them. The problem comes when none of the preferred forms of exercise are availablle.

 

K

 

PS: i haven't tried tempting them into Moorish dancing, but I have feeling that they might not find it to their tastes.

 

PPS: I'm now going to be humming Speed The Plough and hopping from foot-to-foot all b****y day!

Edited October 3, 2016 by Nearholmer

[Donw]

By the time one reads a few posts it is hard to remember which thread this is and what would constitute being on topic. Now are we in West Norfolk or somewhere on the south coast?

 

Not complaining mind you I am as much for allowing things to wander as the next man.

 

Don

[Edwardian]

By the time one reads a few posts it is hard to remember which thread this is and what would constitute being on topic. Now are we in West Norfolk or somewhere on the south coast?

 

 

 

Don, spot on, and you are not alone in having this problem!

[Northroader]

What problem is that then? ( you might spot the "surreptitious" insertion of a new baseboard in this shot)

Edited October 3, 2016 by Northroader

[Nearholmer]

It What is that interesting van?

 

I ask, because I have a long half-finished 1:20 scale one, that is very similar, from the Castlederg & Victoria Bridge Tramway. It was put aside due to 'louvre tedium' just before my son was born, so I have ready-reckoned on the length of pause.

 

K

Edited October 3, 2016 by Nearholmer

[Northroader]

It does have G S W R on it, that's G S & W R, not G & S W R, the secret's in the ampersand. Fairly close to your van.

[F-UnitMad]

 

When England play the New Zealand All Blacks, this is what I always think the England team should be doing in response to the Haka.

I know which one would scare me more!!!

 

Sorry for another OT diversion!!!

[Northroader]

Well, after that spell of confusion, it's gone quiet on here. It looks like the broom cupboard job hasn't reached a solution yet, as I see Kevin was working out in the garden on his fiddle yard. (Winter draws on, vicar) Then there was a tantalising visit from a Fragrant Presence on one post, how many threads can boast of that? I haven't had news from any bygone engineers since, although a recent post from our hero shows that she's resorted to the time honoured practice of keeping him dangling. Plenty to mull over as I push on with the layout, - New Zealand Haka, French Gymnasts, English Morris Dancers, which is best???

The CEO paid me a visit recently, and had a vague presentiment that dimensions had changed, but I'd got a lot of old artefacts from the old line about, and also taken the precaution of placing a pretty little pantechnicon I was working on in centre foreground, which made a nice distraction, so the inspection went without a hitch.

The old baseboard has now been scrapped, as well as the fiddle yard. I've made a brand new baseboard, which will form the left hand part of the layout when you're viewing from the front. It's got a standard 2x1 (48x22) framework, but to keep it lighter, there's a top of 9mm ply, rather than my usual 12mm chipboard. The old scenic support fits nicely, which again gives a sense of continuity with the old line. I will need a new platform unit, however, both longer and wider. I'll put some slates on the station soon, promise. The dimensions of the new board are 60" x 16" (1525mm X 405mm)

Then I've got on with trackwork. The central operating feature is a double slip point. This is the first one I've tried, so far I've managed to test from one side, I might have got away with it, but it's too early to start bragging. This board clamps on to another, which was the old Irish Ballycombe line, which I have only shown one photo of. This is getting a full strip, rebuild, and resize with new simplified track. The two boards will then work as one layout. There's a third layout whose function will also be pooled into this line, which will rationalise things nicely.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Northroader

[Nearholmer]

Coming along nicely, and congratulations on the success of your hiding-in-plain-sight baseboard extension.

 

Kevin

 

(Operation Broom Cupboard hasn't yet progressed beyond Phase 1, the accumulation of credits by doing Useful Things, and is unlikely to do so for the foreseeable future, judging by the rate at which Useful Things To Do are being added to the list.)

[Devonbelle]

Really interesting thread and quite an inspiration - the models are lovely. It always lovely to meet Northroader and his modelling is quite an inspiration. So thank you for that, and look forward to more photos - The photos and accompanying text have given me all sorts of ideas for my layouts existing and future - both Lapford Gate and Britvik will see further work on rolling stock and scenery as the days get shorter. Paul

[Northroader]

Thanks for that, Paul, also the hatful of ratings! You got me worried now, the pace you produce good layouts for shows, being in full time employment, and there's me plodding along in retirement seemingly with all the time in the world. Bringing a slice of Japan to Staplegrove, then?

[Northroader]

Of course, it was too good to last. I had to work on the second, right hand, board, as I couldn't fix anything down on the first, left hand, Washbourne replacement, board until I'd checked how they worked together. This board was in use as an Irish terminus, and was quite nicely finished, but I needed to get the whole lot up, track, and chipboard surface, and get down to the basic frame. You'll agree that this sort of thing will make rather a mess, so I was in full swing when SWMBO came in, looked around the loft, and said: "It looks just like the Jungle in Calais", (this was the day after the French had started demolition) and I got another long pep talk...

Well, I've pushed on, this part was just right dimensionally, and having tried out various items, I'm quite confident it will work nicely. Here's a picture now the new top is going in, everything is just laid loose while I get the scenic background support properly fitted, and starting to get the track made up.

[Nearholmer]

Interesting. What are those curved back scenes made from, and how did you form them ; they seem to be without visible means of support. (The stealth bit didn't go so well this time then?!)

 

Kevin

[Northroader]

Lifting this piece out of post#11: quote

"The next job is a scenic back support, made from 3mm hardboard, and supported on battens glued to the back. (The position of the battens is shown by the arrows in the picture) There's a patch at the far end as it's come from a previous job. The sheet is curved at the back corner, and I thought I'd mention how this was done. You can take a curve down to a radius of about 4", and first thing is to mark out where the curve begins and ends on the sheet with vertical pencil lines. This area at least has to be fully immersed in water for at least four hours, maybe a bit longer. Presumably you'll be doing this in the bath, so take precautions such as a groundsheet when it comes out, or you'll be very unpopular with your better half. Then clamp any old wood, ply, chipboard strips either side of the marks on the sheet for support, and you can start to bend. As you do this watch for any signs for cracking or flaking away on the back. If this happens the bend is too tight or the sheet isn't sufficiently wet. Leave the sheet to dry out with one end on a flat surface like the floor, and the other side upright against a wall, so that it takes a right angle. It wil take several days to dry out, but you can repeat the whole process if you need to correct anything. Once it is fully dry, the battens can be glued on."

There are two battens on the back of this one as well, which I've got passing through the top to bolt to the frame underneath, at present they're just slotted in, and somewhat droopy. I need to rejig the curve at the nearest end, and then trim the front vertical edge back. The scenery is just cartridge paper which clips on loose, rather than pasted into place as I like to be able to change the scenery with differing lines.

[Donw]

When I was little my granfather made a wagon (as in wild west cowboy sort) and formed the canvas top from ply which he bent by steaming it using a big old kettle on the gas stove and running the line of the bend across the jet from the spout. Got it down to about 2 inch radius in 3mm ply.

Don

[Northroader]

I've been pushing on with the right hand board last seen in the rough. The framework is now sorted, and the 9mm ply top cut. This is laid on a 3mm hardboard underlay at the far end which fills in the gap under the board where cassettes will go, and the lot screwed down. The hardboard scenic back support we've were talking about is now fixed, and this has enclosed an area at the front left of the board, which will be a station. Cork tiles from Wickes have been cut and glued down for a track underlay. The track is laid and fixed, being a single line reverse curve with a point to a short siding. Then a platform has been knocked up, and the station building put in place. This has now had a slaters attention, but there's still work to do. It's been moved from the other end board as it has a good frontal aspect, but you'll spot it isn't quite full width. The other key building, an agricultural warehouse, has been placed in to get an idea of the composition, with a train and wagons. I've also put a sheet of blank cartridge paper for the scenery behind, but this isn't trimmed until after painting, as the dimensions change. Here are two pictures giving an idea of how this is shaping. There's a lot of work still to do, but next I'm going back to the left hand board now I know how the track lines up.

Talking dimensions, the main board is 52" x 21" (1320 X 530mm) and the station portion in the pictures is 40" x 15" (1010 X 380mm) This is perhaps of interest as we were talking about microlayouts a week or so back on Kevin's thread;http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107911-1910-mini-layout/page-8,

I've also gone back over this thread, as one regular contributor, Simon Dunkley, has left, and his posts have been deleted. He did make useful contributions, and I have restored one link he made. Otherwise, anyone new who is studiously catching up with this thread might have difficulty following a reference affecting the layout design. Should such an hypothetical person exist, particularly if he is of a politically correct turn of mind, he may have difficulty in understanding some of the twists and turns. Myself, I'm quite proud of the tangled web we weave, citing it as evidence of the cameraderie that can be built up by a shared interest between folks who would otherwise be total strangers.

Edited November 12, 2016 by Northroader

[Edwardian]

I've been pushing on with the right hand board last seen in the rough. The framework is now sorted, and the 9mm ply top cut. This is laid on a 3mm hardboard underlay at the far end which fills in the gap under the board where cassettes will go, and the lot screwed down. The hardboard scenic back support we've were talking about is now fixed, and this has enclosed an area at the front left of the board, which will be a station. Cork tiles from Wickes have been cut and glued down for a track underlay. The track is laid and fixed, being a single line reverse curve with a point to a short siding. Then a platform has been knocked up, and the station building put in place. This has now had a slaters attention, but there's still work to do. It's been moved from the other end board as it has a good frontal aspect, but you'll spot it isn't quite full width. The other key building, an agricultural warehouse, has been placed in to get an idea of the composition, with a train and wagons. I've also put a sheet of blank cartridge paper for the scenery behind, but this isn't trimmed until after painting, as the dimensions change. Here are two pictures giving an idea of how this is shaping. There's a lot of work still to do, but next I'm going back to the left hand board now I know how the track lines up.IMG_0744.JPGIMG_0743.JPG

Talking dimensions, the main board is 52" x 21" (1320 X 530mm) and the station portion in the pictures is 40" x 15" (1010 X 380mm) This is perhaps of interest as we were talking about microlayouts a week or so back on Kevin's thread;http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107911-1910-mini-layout/page-8,

I've also gone back over this thread, as one regular contributor, Simon Dunkley, has left, and his posts have been deleted. He did make useful contributions, and I have restored one link he made. Otherwise, anyone new who is studiously catching up with this thread might have difficulty following a reference affecting the layout design. Should such an hypothetical person exist, particularly if he is of a politically correct turn of mind, he may have difficulty in understanding some of the twists and turns. Myself, I'm quite proud of some of the tangled web we weave, citing it as evidence of the cameraderie that can be built up by a shared interest between folks who would otherwise be total strangers.

 

Great composition - tracks on the slant and the 2 prominent structures in balance - and great modelling. 

 

More, more!

[Northroader]

So, back to the left hand board, pictured in post #163. Now I can line up from the other board, cork down, and fix the double slip down, with the platform line and a siding put in. It's the first time I've tried making a double slip, and it shows! I just traced over a Peco medium radius point, turned it round, and traced again. I've also got a 72" radius trammel from Metalsmiths, and this confirmed the curves. Then use my jig for sleeper spacing, and off to go, using Marcway rail and copper clad sleepers. Looking at a Peco OO slip, I thought the live frogs looked good, save messing with switching polarity along with throws, so I went for that, rather than use the Marcway cast frogs.i placed a strip of double faced copper clad strip on its side, then soldered up the chamfered vee rails to either side, followed by filing it all to a vee. I'm more used to small radius points, a large radius means longer crossing gaps, with gaping holes for little wheels to drop into, particularly when I'm sloppy with the flangeway clearances. Pushing a wagon chassis through showed the harsh realities, so I've made some filler strips, filed up from some glass fibre sleeper with the copper removed, and araldited them into the bottom of the hole, giving flangeway support. The wheels can't dip, with the diagonally opposite wheel waving round in the air. Wires on either side, and try powered running. Problems with the Brighton fleet, which all have short wheelbase and not many pickups. I also find that even the limited running on Washbourne mark 1, has crudded up the wheels,so work to do there. Some of my older, larger locos have restored my faith, and persuaded me with a bit more work and fiddling round I might succeed, rather than tool off to Sheffield and buy a RTR double slip. You've probably realised I'm rather a Scrooge.

While this was going on, the Inspector General made a surprise visit. I was planning to have the area around the point as plain area for operation with controller and a so on, partitioned off from the station by an overbridge, but she feels this area should be scenicked, which has a lot of merit. So, I've decided to run it in as part of the station, but then I really need something to fill the space in front of the double slip. A kickback siding into small engine shed should fill the bill, meaning another point to do.

"The cold wet wind blows,

Last yellow leaf of the birch

Spring, remember me"

[Donw]

Looks quite good to me. For anyone doing a double slip the  key measurement is the distance between the crossing which obviously varies with the crossing angle. However it is also affected by gauge so if you adopt 31.5 instead of 32 make sure you are using the correct measurement. Templot will sort it out for you. This is in contrast to turnouts where the placing of the crossings is less critical.

I agree with the inspector general don't waste scenic space.

 

Your piece of poetry resonates with me. We have had the pleasure of cold wet winds of late and having just planted 26 assorted small trees including 8 Birch we are rather hopeful of the spring.

 

Don

[Northroader]

Templot!!??