The Bigbee Line Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 2 hours ago, DLT said: Good luck with that! When he wanted authentic ballast, a friend of mine once tried crushing a lump of Meldon Quarry granite on his garden path. He damaged the path before he made any impression on the granite! I’ll second that. Tried crushing a small piece in some stout pliers. I was like the “7 stone weakling.....” 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 I’ve been “fart arsing” about with the canopy: How long.... How wide..... How high... I’ve got a drawing of sorts, but the jury’s out on the accuracy. So I did a couple or realty checks and adjusted to sit right with the platform edge and coach roof. Now I had an idea of key dimensions I could build the core of the canopy. A box girder for strength. Here being assembled from 2 parts. The sides were folded up and reinforced with a bead of PVA in the scored fold. To hold them square I used Allen keys and clamps. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 I’m also roughing up a prototype support from coffee stirrers. Here is the station building end... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 The ribs to go inside the box girder core have been cut. Glued in one end with the sides held in line... There are vent holes to allow glue and shellac to dry fully. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 2, 2020 Author Share Posted August 2, 2020 Some test posing of the canopy. Just need to compare with pictures of the prototype. The angles on the supports look wrong. Need some work there. It is a key feature on the real platform so needs to be slightly dominant 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 The first version of the supports were too chunky. So here is version 2... I used bamboo skewers... A little piece of paper for reinforcement. Finally a piece of coffee stirrers front and back. Just waiting for it to set. Best overnight. I’ve got another 4 on the go.... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 I’m progressing with the canopy. 5 stanchions were built and a start made to make up the canopy. The canopy was trimmed for height and then marked for fitting. Last night the outer supports were glued in place with PVA. Today I clamped a piece of timber to the outer supports to act as a guide for the intermediate supports. Here all 5 in place. This is the view along the canopy. Not perfect but it will do. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to plant my canopy in the platform. I’ve had an idea floating about in my head for a while. These normal flop..... This is my idea for this task. I will use the outer tube from BIC biros. A length will have a flat base added but retaining the hole. Under this hole there will be a hole in the baseboard to allow any debris to go straight through. I will carve the bottom of each upright to fit the tube. Then each piece of tube will be stood in its position and with the canopy providing the position they will be glued / grouted into place. Test carve and fit below. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 Test fit, now onto the valance... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 Too hot today. Must do a bit first thing. May be cooler. Tonight set to to make and fit sockets to plant the canopy. A section of BIC biro tube was cut to sit on a plasticard plate. The sits on the baseboard and the platform will be built around it. One corner of the canopy is joined to the building. Originally the canopy was full length. Shortened later giving the front a strange appearance. I’ve started cutting the walls, that go all the way down to the baseboard. The whole building will sit in a socket within the platform. Here is my bit of tube. The bottom is covered with a PVA / sawdust mixture. One down four to go. This is the front wall, consisting of two layers. Glued face to face which should counteract any tendency to bow. Here roughly in position. Clamped to dry... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 PVA pulls quite a bit as it dries. Some of my canopy supports ended a bit on the wonk as we say in Norfolk... So I’ve added some extra braces, not exactly prototypical, but add some busyness and do the job... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 8, 2020 Author Share Posted August 8, 2020 First dry run with the station building. Not in the right position. Just to get a feel for the size. With canopy. Lots to add... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 10, 2020 Author Share Posted August 10, 2020 Tonight cutting out and assembling the station building....... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 The station building is making progress. I was making it too tall. Fooled by the remains of the canopy at the front. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 After I’d realised the height was wrong, a little adjustment had it looking better. The chimney stacks go down to the fireplaces. The Porters Room is next 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 13, 2020 Author Share Posted August 13, 2020 The chimney cores were trimmed to height yesterday and a pattern made for the roof. I’d like the roof to be removable to allow some internal detailing. Seems to be looking better. There’s no roof over the toilets... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 13, 2020 Author Share Posted August 13, 2020 I printed off various pictures to go in my construction folder. I like to draw imaginary diagonals. The view from the car park is normally from the fence near the buffer stops of the headshunt. So why kind of guessed the location of the window in the booking office extension to the rear. Tall and narrow. Ok so far. Then in a shot of the demolition, I could see it was centrally placed..... Here as cut... Solution, cut a piece of scrap and glue in.... Cut new correct hole.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sturminster_Newton Posted August 14, 2020 Share Posted August 14, 2020 On 02/08/2020 at 14:08, The Bigbee Line said: I’ll second that. Tried crushing a small piece in some stout pliers. I was like the “7 stone weakling.....” Meldon Quarry produced 'Hornfelsed' a form of mudstone renowned as one of the hardest stones in UK geology. So you ain't going to break it with a hammer or pliers. Remember it was used as mainline track ballast as it needed to support sleepers and rail as well as the passage of loco and trains. There was a small feature on the Meldon Quarry operation in 'Walking Lost Railways' last night, 13 August. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 14, 2020 Author Share Posted August 14, 2020 (edited) In the oppressive heat I’ve avoided the workshop... Tonight I tasked myself with the erection of the next section it the layout lighting, otherwise known as the pelmet. The first sections were to test the concept. The supports were tacked to whatever I could reach. Now I had the height etc worked out I have gone for supports down from the structural roof timbers. Here is the next section.... I’ve roughly cut some scrap chipboard. I’ll add a couple of cross members to stop that sagging. You can see that the top of the support is a Tee. This allows the timbers to align better. The end of this section is also the end of the visible section. I’ve teleported the road over rail bridge from the outskirts of Havant... Edited August 14, 2020 by The Bigbee Line 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 16, 2020 Author Share Posted August 16, 2020 I needed a scenic break, so chose the only overbridge on the line. Bridge No.1 near havant... 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 19, 2020 Author Share Posted August 19, 2020 The bridge is too chunky. Maybe replace with bushes... So tonight I worked on the front edge. Up cycled timber from next door. With 6 mm mdf on the front. Them a general view... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 21, 2020 Author Share Posted August 21, 2020 Front edge goes on. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 22, 2020 Author Share Posted August 22, 2020 The front end is progressing. Strange that it was not initially planned to be on this alignment, but comments like "how do you stop the trains going over the edge if they derail?" and a desire to model the Mess Room prompted the change. I'm pleased with the effect. The alignment is achieved in various ways. Wood packing, cantilevers, all sorts. It has strengthened and reinforced the front edge. The use of 6mm MDF makes the lining up etc easy. The is the end of the visible section and the frontage is at 90 degrees to the baseboard joint... You can see the void to be filled... Pieces of random timber chosen to fit, with a little shaping .... One of my better joints, carpenters look away now.... Plenty to screw into.... This wont fall off in a hurry... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 As light relief I made a place marker for the 4.1/4 mile post.... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 Should the frontage of my lights align with the frontage of the layout itself... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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