shanks522 Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Hi Mike, Only just discovered your thread, very nice indeed! your attention to detail is excellent. look forward to more. Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 22, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22, 2016 Incredible looking track Mike, love it! Wow!! Cheers James, I'll take that as a massive compliment coming from you :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 22, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22, 2016 Hi Just come across your thread.... It is looking really good & I like your description s of how you do things & where you get stuff from..... I think you underestimate how good a modeller you are.... Will follow with interest Cheers Bill Thanks Bill. Trust me, it's the camera that makes it look better than it actually is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 22, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22, 2016 I've not really done a lot over the past few days due to a) the heat.......nothing wrong with it apart from I'd rather be outside in the sun instead of being stuck indoors and b) I had a wedding to attend and getting drunk seemed a much better proposition than modelling fiddly bits and pieces that only Superman can see.. My next task is to learn how to model trees, bushes, shrubs, plant and weeds. I've armed myself with a load of Woodland Scenics stuff and anything else I could find that I thought would be suitable and I'm going to lock myself away for a few days and watch a few videos..... MODELLING ONES!!! My first effort resembled a swan - not bad if I needed a bit of topiary but I don't! People seem to make all this modelling lark look so easy but in reality it's quite complicated......if you don't have the right stuff.....or the ability to turn your ideas in to reality Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 27, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27, 2016 (edited) As a distraction from bramble, tree and bush making, I thought I'd have a go at some Tarmac. It's not quite there yet but it was surprisingly simple to do. I went to the Range and bought some Mangers lightweight deep gap filler.....it's er.....lightweight.....always a bonus for a portable layout I guess, and plastered it over some of the paving slabs with a paint scraper. It only takes about 20 minutes to dry and then I attacked it with a nail buffer pad (coarse side) until it was sort of smooth. Tarmac has more shades of grey than the best selling book so I mixed up some dark grey and black and literally sploshed it on, followed by stippling on some plain black whilst it was still a bit tacky. I then finished it off with some plain dark grey using the same method. Tonight's job will be to add a weak mix of satin lacquer to see if I can get it to look like the real thing. Edited July 27, 2016 by scoobyra 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 27, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 27, 2016 Hi Mike, Only just discovered your thread, very nice indeed! your attention to detail is excellent. look forward to more. Graham. I think you should edit that to say 'your OCD needs some medication'!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 30, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2016 (edited) I think I'm going to need a bit of help with my bramble making. The Tree Lady made it look so easy too! Oh well, if at first you don't succeed.....get some one else to make it for you Edited July 30, 2016 by scoobyra 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 31, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 31, 2016 (edited) Due to the lack of decent point levers available (and the cost of etched ones), I thought I'd have a go at making my own. I'm a bit gutted that I've lost the bolt detail I put on the base plate but I'm sure I can sort that out later. I haven't cut the rod too short if anyone is thinking that, it has to allow clearance for the mechanism of the Peco point. There's also a good chance that the lever is actually too long due to the fact that I couldn't find any sizes! The gap in the rail to the left is waiting for the cosmetic fish plates - I've not used any 'toy train' rail joiners on the track at all. Edited July 31, 2016 by scoobyra 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddy water Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Looking good! You are adding all the detail that we all see on the railway, but forget to put on our layouts. Will the lever move when the point is thrown? We can not have the track circuits not operating correctly to set the shunt signals!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted July 31, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 31, 2016 Well the point lever is in and finished along with the dummy (which needs repainting). The sleeper that's wonky is actually copied from something I saw at Eastleigh - I thought I was seeing things until I got close up to it! I should've removed that stupid bit of plastic from the side of the point but I wasn't sure if it kept the tie bar in line. Next up, another clamp lock for the other point and some more weeds :-) 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 2, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) Jeez........what on earth is my life coming to? I can't believe I was so excited waiting for the Postman to turn up with some bits of plastic!! Tonight Matthew, I will mostly be........sticking my fingers together with superglue whilst trying to attach more ridiculously fiddly bits!!! Edited August 2, 2016 by scoobyra Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 2, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 2, 2016 (edited) Hmmmmmmmm! Bad news! £23 later and the C&L fishplates DON'T fit Peco code 75 rail!! The wheel flanges catch on the inner ones which is really flippin' annoying To be honest, you can't really see them but it's not the point, I want to use them to finish off my rail joints. It's worse with my Bachmann 37s for some reason. I've had to file them down which rather defeats the object. Back to the drawing board! Edited August 2, 2016 by scoobyra Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 3, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 3, 2016 Ok so here's an update on the fishplate calamity. I took a photo this morning and I'm pretty hacked off. Where I've had to file the fishplates down, I've ended up removing the chairs either side of them! Now to some of you, this may not seem like a big deal but I've gone to so much effort to get things looking a real as I possibly could, only to ruin it in a few minutes. Whilst it's not C&L's fault, it would've been useful to know that the fishplates were too thick for inside of the four foot because I wouldn't have bothered wasting my money. I'm now going to need to find a way of hiding the damage or taking the track up and replacing the damaged sleepers / chairs. I've got no hope of using cosmetic chairs either as they're designed for code 83 rail and the Peco sleepers don't look very good once you've attacked them with a scalpel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
treggyman Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Hi Very sympathetic to your problem...Really frustrating when you spend a lot of time & effort,& in this case money on something that doesn't work out.... Just a suggestion....Would it be possible to make some dummy fishplates out of Phosphor Bronze or similar strip ? (similar to that used for pickups) It might even be possible to punch out representation of the bolt heads.... It would be fiddly but a lot thinner....Height might be an issue unless you could find the correct height... Wish you good luck with progress & am following avidly..... Cheers Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 3, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 3, 2016 Hi Very sympathetic to your problem...Really frustrating when you spend a lot of time & effort,& in this case money on something that doesn't work out.... Just a suggestion....Would it be possible to make some dummy fishplates out of Phosphor Bronze or similar strip ? (similar to that used for pickups) It might even be possible to punch out representation of the bolt heads.... It would be fiddly but a lot thinner....Height might be an issue unless you could find the correct height... Wish you good luck with progress & am following avidly..... Cheers Bill I was thinking exactly the same thing Bill. A few years back there were some etched ones but people complained that they were too thin! I'm not worried about the ones on the outside (although they still don't fit in the groove very well - possibly as they're designed for bullhead and not flat bottom rail) but the whole point here is to try and make it look like finescale. I'm more annoyed that I've ruined my existing track work and it's going to be a killer to have to rip it up! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 3, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 3, 2016 Well I've just spoken to Pete (of C&L for anyone who doesn't know who I'm talking about) and he's confirmed that the cosmetic fishplates don't fit the Peco code 75 rail. Next task is to file / sand them down, all 96 of them, to make them fit (or find another method for the inner ones). I can feel some very sore fingers and a lot of swearing coming on. I could of course, send them back.........but that would be far to easy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 8, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 8, 2016 (edited) I managed to get the two boards out in to the garden at the weekend but only for about 20 minutes because it was so flippin' hot, it nearly melted my MK2 coaches! Here's a picture I took with natural sunlight and a 158. The ballast and track still has an annoying sheen on it, almost like I need to cover it in dust or something - has anyone got any ideas to get rid of the shine? Here's another view looking towards the curve As the weather was good I also built the other station board so I'll be able to get track laying again sometime this week. Whilst I'm talking about track, I've got another little setback as the mainline crossover needs taking up and redesigning. It looks like it flows really well but coaches jar really badly due to the awful Peco crossing angles! I'm going to try and use large radius points and bend them in to the correct shape for the curve - I feel like another tourettes moment coming on very shortly Edited August 8, 2016 by scoobyra 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
treggyman Posted August 8, 2016 Share Posted August 8, 2016 Hi That looks really good..... The sheen is not apparent (at least to me ) in your pics & the scene looks really realistic.... A pain about the crossover.... I would have assumed that commercially produced pointwork would not have thrown up such problems.... Good luck with your remedy..... Sugar...Was that what you said.... Cheers Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 9, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2016 (edited) Hi That looks really good..... The sheen is not apparent (at least to me ) in your pics & the scene looks really realistic.... A pain about the crossover.... I would have assumed that commercially produced pointwork would not have thrown up such problems.... Good luck with your remedy..... Sugar...Was that what you said.... Cheers Bill Hahahaha, a bit stronger than that Bill! I think the issue with the pointwork is that I'm trying to make it do something it wasn't designed for. If the mainline was straight I'd back to back large radius points and I'm sure it would be fine, but where it's curved, the Peco points just don't have the capability. The curved Peco points are way too sharpe when they diverge and although the layout of the curved point and the Y point is prototypical, they're just not long enough which is causing the problem. My next attempt is going to involve large radius LH and RH points bent to shape. Watch this space......... Edited August 9, 2016 by scoobyra Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
treggyman Posted August 9, 2016 Share Posted August 9, 2016 Hi I'm watching....Good luck........ But hope you don't need it.... Cheers Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 11, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 11, 2016 Fishplate update!! I've managed to find some alternative cosmetic fishplates to C&L's which will fit my code 75 track. They're not overly expensive so I've ordered a pack to see if they clear the Bachmann wheel flanges. As per normal......watch this space.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 17, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 17, 2016 As the weather was nice last weekend I thought I'd get the three boards I've made out in to the garden (it's the only place I can set the whole lot up....and there's still another board to go) and start laying the track on the other station board. It's surprising just how long an 8 coach HST is.... ...it overhangs the platform by half a coach and a power car so not that bad. Best finish off the track laying so that I can do the rest of the station! 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Revolution Mike B Posted August 21, 2016 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted August 21, 2016 BFO anyone? Needed a break from the track laying as it wasn't going so well. Still needs a bit of work under windows 7 & 8 but not bad for my first ever cut and shut! I just need to find the right colour green now! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutyDruid Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Hi Mike I finally got round to stopping by this thread. Looks good, keep us posted. Elliott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
big T Posted August 23, 2016 Share Posted August 23, 2016 Hi Mike Ive only just stumbled across your thread. Cracking attention to detail. Cheers Trev Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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