Cholsey & Moulsford (Change for Wallingford)

[Nick Gough]

 

Going back to the visiting 'Terrier',  I was a little surprised that no one at Didcot had decided to paint it green, put 'shirtbutton' roundels on the tanks, and '5' numberplates on the cab.

 

Or, as the porter said to the old lady, who had just missed her train,

"Why don't you go to the WC & P!"

 

 

Here the train is surrounded by numbered, stone blocks that will shortly be reconstructed as the Heyford station building.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Today I have mostly been sticking small pieces of plywood together to create a flight of stairs:

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[MrWolf]

There's far worse ways to spend your day.

Such as spending eight or more hours working to make someone else a millionaire....

[Nick Gough]

8 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

There's far worse ways to spend your day.

Such as spending eight or more hours working to make someone else a millionaire....

 

Fortunately I haven't had to do that since my early working career.

[Nick Gough]

Starting to cut window and door apertures for the down main building:

 

 

Rear of the building at the top and platform side at the bottom.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[ChrisN]

1 hour ago, Nick Gough said:

Starting to cut window and door apertures for the down main building:

 

Rear of the building at the top and platform side at the bottom.

 

Is this card or something thicker/heavier?

[Nick Gough]

56 minutes ago, ChrisN said:

 

Is this card or something thicker/heavier?

 

It's 3mm MDF - mostly cut with a Stanley type knife.

[Graham T]

You must get through a lot of blades!

[Nick Gough]

9 minutes ago, Graham T said:

You must get through a lot of blades!

 

They do tend to go blunt a bit quick - but I get straighter edges (and less dust) than using a saw.

[Graham T]

When I'm cutting card I use the cheap craft knives with the snap-off blades, they work well and only cost a euro.

[Nick Gough]

18 hours ago, Graham T said:

When I'm cutting card I use the cheap craft knives with the snap-off blades, they work well and only cost a euro.

I have some of those but I don't think they are up to the job of dealing with MDF.

[Nick Gough]

With all the holes cut out:

 

The Reading end wall is blank.

 

Since most of the windows/doors in Cholsey station buildings are arranged in pairs I have just cut a single hole for each pair. I have also allowed an extra 2-3mm around each border for mounting the windows/doors in position.

 

The surface will be embossed plasticard, with the correct size openings, with the windows/doors mounted from inside.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Graham T]

I'll be even more impressed if you are working to 1/4 inch accuracy!

[Nick Gough]

29 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I'll be even more impressed if you are working to 1/4 inch accuracy!

Maybe in the full size world, but not to 1/76!

 

I can just about manage to the nearest 0.5mm.

Edited December 10, 2021 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Starting to assemble the carcass:

 

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Three walls, platform level floor and staircase middle landing fixed in place:

 

I shall leave the rear wall unattached, for the time being, so I can more easily work inside.

 

Unfortunately the staircase I assembled a couple of days ago doesn't fit and the total rise/fall of both flights is wrong:

The lower flight should also have four more steps. I shall have to do this differently.

 

Still - Nil desperandum!

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[MrWolf]

This is coming together nicely, never mind the stairs, it's practically the law in model making that something doesn't work.

It's making me want to get on with something now.

[Nick Gough]

3 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

This is coming together nicely, never mind the stairs, it's practically the law in model making that something doesn't work.

It's making me want to get on with something now.

Thanks.

 

I have another cunning plan!

[Nick Gough]

Placed in position for a look:

 

 

The floor height should match up once I have put the platform surface on.

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[MrWolf]

On the subject of knife blades, don't bother with the el cheapo pound shop Stanley knife blades. The tip snaps off almost immediately and embeds itself in whatever you're cutting, then deflects the blade on the next pass.

[Nick Gough]

27 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

On the subject of knife blades, don't bother with the el cheapo pound shop Stanley knife blades. The tip snaps off almost immediately and embeds itself in whatever you're cutting, then deflects the blade on the next pass.

 

I currently have two packs of Stanley type blades.

 

One pack is fine.

 

However, those in the other pack flex and bend when in use, particularly with MDF, so can't be used for anything important.

 

[Nick Gough]

Making a start with the Mk II stairs:

 

The first four in place:

 

Three more to complete the top flight:

 

 

With a single one separating the two sides of the middle landing as per the prototype:

 

Sixteen more to take us down to ground level:

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

I have 'boxed in' below the top flight of stairs:

Edited April 24, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Tallpaul69]

Great stuff Nick,

I am looking forward to how you are going to reproduce the balustrades?

Cheers

Paul

[RJS1977]

1 hour ago, Nick Gough said:

I have 'boxed in' below the top flight of stairs:

 

Hopefully the subway/stairwells will be getting some much-needed attention before too long as apparently Mark Hopwood and Peter Hendy weren't too impressed when they passed through on the way to the opening of the Wallingford Canopy (which incidentally has recently received a National Railway Heritage Award - we just need to work out what to fasten the plaque to!)