First time fitting a platform

[Lacathedrale]

Hi all,

 

I've got a layout with a large space for an terminus platform. I am planning to have the front half of the platform using Peco platform sides, and the rear using brick plasticard with lips and ridges. If possible, I would like to make the platform removable until I have painted and added scenic details to the areas behind it. The whole area for the platform is flat and contiguous, but the shape is quite irregular. I have made a card template and it is pictured below:

 

 

The overall goal is to end up with something like Bromley North, with a short section platform canopy capped by the end of a covered forecourt:

 

 

(Out of interest, an earlier view shows my direct inspiration for the track layout):

 

I am not really clear on the best way to proceed with this - any advice at all sought and gladly appreciated.

[gordon s]

Going through a similar exercise right now on my own layout, but found this post from CoBo (Mike) very helpful. There's also some pics etc on my own layout thread that may give you some ideas.

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/92022-help-with-building-a-station-platform/&do=findComment&comment=1672003

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/3422-eastwood-town-still-working/&do=findComment&comment=3461975

 

[young37215]

 

 

I have done something similar with the stations on my layout. Page 2 of the link shows pictures of how I achieved this by joining the 2 platform edges together with a series of plasticard strips. Once the plasticard platform surface was glued on top, the structure become sufficiently robust to be lifted and moved around. It is over a year since I built these and I am still able to lift any of the staions without problem.   

 

When/if you get to the stage of securing the track and platform, you will probably need to do some fettling to ensure that you are within guage and do not get rolling stock making contact with the platform. Using plasticard makes this a simple enough job with just a file.     

[Lacathedrale]

Ah, so it seems the common pattern is to

1. Use the template (huzzah!) to make a surface either of balsa or mdf + cork, and frame underneath
2. To snip the backs off the Peco facing? 

I will go back and make sure my template is the proper size - I've got a fair bit of balsa in the study and long roll of 2mm cork, so that should be good. I'm surprised that cork would make a good material for a platform surface, any finished examples?

[Lacathedrale]

So one thing I've realised I haven't covered, is paving slabs up against the platform edges - all of the platforms I'm looking to model have this! I've ordered some wills sheet which is 2mm (i.e. the same thickness as the cork I'll be using for the tarmac) so I think that's mostly OK - I just need to cut the cork to be the width of the paving slab LESS than the substructure of balsa/mdf/foamcore (which itself needs to be less than the thickness of the peco platform sides than the template I've made).

[Andy 53B]

I'm going through a similar process on mine, if you're using solid platforms i.e. using MDF as Gordon S, you could always screw up through the baseboards in to the MDF and as long as you're not frequently lifting the platforms, should hold pretty well.

[gordon s]

Hi William, I'm virtually at the same point right now. I've made the platform from strips of 6mm mdf, cut to 15mm. The height of the Peco edging is 18mm, so I've used 2mm mdf as the top surface, topped out with 1.5mm cork sheet. Like you, I want to have a row of paving slabs inboard of the Peco edging stones and had a rummage round and found some 1.5mm Plasticard. The edging stones on the Peco strip are 11.5mm wide, so I set about cutting some individual 'stones' 11.5mm square with the thought of laying each one up against the Peco edging to align with their edging stones. It wasn't 100% successful as trying to cut them consistently will need some form of jig and a better saw blade for my Proxxon. The coarse blade tended to chip away the plastic whereas the fine blade did cut better, but the linear speed of the blade caused a little melt of the plastic, so neither was ideal.

 

In any case a 7' long platform needs 14 strips and the there are 14 stones on each, so that's 196 stones per platform edge and there are 5 of those plus two bays. The thought of cutting and sticking well over a 1000 squares of plastic caused me to rethink.

 

I know, no staying power.....

 

As I'm using 1.5mm card, I'm going to cut it into strips and once firmly glued down I'll scribe the stones, rather than use individual ones.

 

The last challenge will then be to cut the cork to fit snugly up against the curved card strip. I'm working on that one....

 

 

[Nick Holliday]

I am not familiar with the Wills paving sheets, and the images I could find weren't particularly clear, but will they actually provide you with suitable strips of slabs, as paving tends to be bonded, whereas the platform edging seems to be laid end to end? When I made my platform I used strips cut from sheets of siding (I think) of suitable width between grooves, but I was trying to replicate the brick type edging, rather than the much larger modern sort. I also used textured masonry paint to create a tarmac type finish to the rest of the platform.

There is another old thread on this topic that might be of interest 

 

[Pete the Elaner]

I am working on my platforms right now. I have also decided to build my own flagstones because I cannot find anything commercially available which looks right.

I tried cutting flagstones from 40 thou plastikard with a previous layout. Their size varied, which left me very dissatisfied with the appearance.

I n ow have a laser cutter & had found the 2mm acrylic was acceptable. 3mm was just too thick & the cutter's heat causes anything thinner to warp too easily.

Even when cut with a laser, the stones are not as consistent as I expected. They are an improvement on hand-cut plastikard though.

Even laser cut, each slab needs to be tidied with a file then painted. Not the most interesting of tasks!

 

[Mike Storey]

This thread interests me, as I will face having to produce three different types of platform across two stations, due to subsequent extensions and changes. So the ideas and links are gold dust - thank you!

 

Just one pedantic point, if I may - on the railway, the edging slabs to platforms (where used) are "normally" referred to as copers, or coping slabs (well, that is what we and contractors called them during fifteen years of building the real things), whereas flagstones are usually just those used on paving, such as within the copers. Only of interest if you undertake a web search for real life examples.

 

[gordon s]

Some interesting info there, Pete. Seems there's no shortcut, whatever way you do it....

 

I'm aiming for a mix of edging then row of slabs and the platform in cork sheet representing tarmac, something akin to this.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=haringey+west+platform&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJ68iJ0b3gAhUEYlAKHfwXDcIQ_AUIESgE&biw=1439&bih=967#imgdii=C9RUVmgeKGUe-M:&imgrc=G_2Ch6XqsRuMiM:

[Pete the Elaner]

48 minutes ago, gordon s said:

Some interesting info there, Pete. Seems there's no shortcut, whatever way you do it....

 

If there is, it seems that neither of us have found it yet 

[Pete the Elaner]

50 minutes ago, Mike Storey said:

Just one pedantic point, if I may - on the railway, the edging slabs to platforms (where used) are "normally" referred to as copers, or coping slabs (well, that is what we and contractors called them during fifteen years of building the real things), whereas flagstones are usually just those used on paving, such as within the copers. Only of interest if you undertake a web search for real life examples.

 

I have described them as coping stones before, but sometimes it is easier to follow the language already being used.

[gordon s]

Still a fair bit to do, but overall, I'm pleased with the result so far. I masked off the area where I didn't want cork, including a 12mm strip down the front edge. Glued the cork down with PVA and then marked and cut back the areas without cork. Cut some 12mm strips of 1.5mm plasticard and fixed that in position using mitre bond glue. So far I've cut back seven edging panels, but now realise I need fourteen per platform. The platform edge was lightly sanded smooth and the edging stuck on with mitre bond, flush with the cork/plasticard edge.

 

Once I've finished the other seven edging pieces, I'll scribe the plasticard in line with the edging stones and then fill all minor gaps and spray with an airbrush.

 

 

 

[Mike Storey]

What have people used for glueing the side wall or edging strip to the MDF or balsa (or whatever) - such as the Peco concrete platform walling or the Wills brick facing?

[gordon s]

This is a link to the post I made earlier when I asked a similar question. Click on the arrow top right.

Edited February 15, 2019 by gordon s

[Mike Storey]

6 minutes ago, gordon s said:

 

 

Thanks Gordon - the Gorilla, or equivalents, can certainly do the job, but as the final comment says on that thread, it is instant, and that could be a problem in many situations. I tend to use epoxy mix for my outside constructions, which seems to stick anything to anything (almost), but it also means a setting time of up to 20 mins, and thus clamps or weights are needed.

 

The mitre bond is something I had not considered (and I have used it on kitchen builds before, albeit not Screwfix) and I recall that gives you a few precious extra seconds to re-position before it holds permanently. Sounds like the stuff to use here.