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Tulloch Bridge, West Highland Line, Mid 2000's - Present day, 4mm Scale


Rammstein2609
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13 minutes ago, Rammstein2609 said:

Hi Sulzer71

 

I've used Peco PS-311 medium brown ballast as I find it looks the closest to the pink/red stone found on the railways in Scotland.  It's not 100% correct but I'm happy with the result.

 

I originally tried the Woodland Scenics red ballast but it's far too red unfortunately.

 

Cheers

Martin

Thank you Martin

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Hi All

 

Another slight change I've made to the underside of the layout is to use a rack & pinion style servo mount rather than the 90degrees swing arm normally used.  I have 3D printed this using a resin printer and a design from a fellow MERG member.  I've sprayed it black for no other reason than it looks good.  When set up correctly, this produces a nice linear movement which can be easily adjusted using my DCC relay control board.  The number of teeth on the rack are designed to allow full movement of the servo without the risk of the pinion disengaging from the teeth.

 

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Once I've installed this on the layout (hopefully tonight) I will post a quick video of it all working.

 

Cheers

Martin

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Hi All

 

I have created a quick video showing how my servo & relay DCC decoder works:

 

 

The idea is that you can set these boards up along your layout and take power from either a 12V DC bus or the DCC bus and you will also need a DCC signal feed too.  You can use the onboard buttons to set the left & right movement of the servo as well as the speed.  Once these settings are stored, they will remain there until you overwrite them, even once the power has been turned off so all settings are memorised.  There is a programming switch which allows you to assign a DCC address to each individual servo.

 

I have connected a 5V relay module to my board to switch the frog polarity but you can also use the output without a servo to switch items such as signals, lights, etc.  I have used my small RETB board to show how easy it is to connect accessories although I am working on a standalone DCC RETB control board so watch this space.

 

Thanks

Martin

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Hi All

 

A major part of the layout which hasn't had any mention yet is the footbridge which will be situated to the left of the station building to help create a scenic break before the back scene.  I wanted to incorporate a HR footbridge design similar to the one in use at Rannoch.  I have a Lochgorm Kits etched kit from several years ago which is excellent but I messed it up a few years ago and these are no longer available unfortunately.

 

I've turned my attention to CAD and have been working on creating a 3D printed version for Tulloch Bridge.  I'm happy with the results so far but have a 'bandy legs' problem which I now know how to solve.

 

I thought I'd add some images of progress so far but these are not the finished prints as there are some tweaks to make before re-printing them.

 

Thanks

Martin

 

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Hi All

Further progress has been made today by printing the stairs and supporting legs separately as can be seen below.  The legs in one of the photos look a little wavy but I think it must be down to using the 2x zoom lens on my iPhone as they look straight in person.

I've started to paint everything before final assembly, first the white is airbrushed on then the violet is hand painted on.  The close up photo shows up a few crude lines and where the white needs to be touched up but it doesn't look as bad from normal viewing distance.

Cheers
Martin

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On 05/01/2021 at 20:50, Rammstein2609 said:

Hi All

 

Progress on the layout has slowed since I returned to work from furlough back in August.  I've been working in the background as and when I get the time on the electrics including layout control using JMRI (Perhaps a post for another day).  I've also been working on the design for the station building.  Tulloch Bridge is a kind of test layout so I have long term layout plans which will involve me building several WHL station buildings.  This has sent me down the path of creating a WHL station building kit of parts which I can simply cut on the laser and build at my leisure.  So far the kit for the station building alone has over 600 parts!

 

I'm pretty happy with the building structure so far but the roof needs tweaking to get it just right.  I have attached a few photos below of the first full test roof construction.  There are obvious 'panel gaps' at the ridges which need to be addressed and I'm awaiting a delivery of suitable tape to represent the ridge caps along with the flashing around the chimneys.  I've also purchased a box load of some fantastic 3D printed guttering and downpipe components from ModelU which I'll use on my station and signal box.

 

The photos below may look off as the roof hasn't been properly attached to the main building yet so sits at a slight angle.  This roof is just a test so will be discarded once I've modified the design and built a better version.

 

I should be able to make more progress over the next few months since I'm going back on furlough from tomorrow until the end of March so should have plenty of time to get cracking.

 

Cheers

Martin 

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That's a stunning bit of modelling. Are you planning on selling any of these as kits I  the future. Thats a lovely model

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1 hour ago, Simon Moore said:

 

That's a stunning bit of modelling. Are you planning on selling any of these as kits I  the future. Thats a lovely model

Hi Simon

 

Thanks for your kind comments.  I must say I’m really happy with how this has turned out.

 

Originally I produced this ‘kit’ as I needed one for Tulloch Bridge and another for a future project but since posting the above pics I’ve had loads of interest.

 

I don’t want to fall foul of RMWeb rules but if you’re interested in a kit please drop me a PM and we can have a chat.

 

Thanks

Martin

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Hi All

 

A quick update with an almost completed footbridge.  I just need to add wire handrails, light weathering and matt varnish to finish it off before glueing to the platforms.

 

I'm really pleased with how this has turned out so I've now got loads of other items I'll be designing and 3D printing for the layout.

 

Here are a few photos of the footbridge placed on the layout to show the overall effect I'm going for.  The station building in the photos was a test build so not the final model which will be used on the layout.  The signal box has a 3D printed body which I'm still currently painting but a new roof will be added later as the roof in the photos was also a test build.

 

Thanks

Martin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi All

Progress has been made on the new photo backscene to a point I'm happy with.  I curved the corners first before adding the self adhesive backscene to reduce shadows since the baseboard isn't very deep.  The gap at the bottom of the backscene will be hidden with scenery which I hope to rough out with foam over the weekend.

Now that the backscene is done I can start to fix the footbridge down and ballast the platform tops.  The new station building is also progressing well so things should start to take shape quickly.

Cheers
Martin

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Hi All

 

Today I've spent some time working on the station building and signal box.  I really wanted to finish the main signal box structure so I can glue it onto the platform before ballasting the platform tops.

 

I originally designed the signal box as a laser cut kit but it ended up being quite complicated.  I thought I would then test out my 3D printer to see what the results would be and I'm pleased to say the results look good.  The main signal box structure is 3D printed as one piece, the windows and door are laser cut from 0.8mm laserboard and everything has been painted with a mixture of airbrushing and hand brushing.

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The above photo shows the development of the design starting with the laser cut kit (left), painted laser cut kit (middle) and 3d printed structure (right).

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I wanted to add a little bit of interior detail but not too much so I've started with the inner brickwork which has been laser cut from 0.8mm board.  I could have added this into the original 3D print but I thought it would be a lot easier to paint the floor first then slip the laser cut brickwork into place.  I have a lever frame kit to add at a later date.

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I used the first version of the roof to help give the overall impression of what the signal box will look like when complete.  I won't be using this roof but the new one will look similar and will include all guttering and downpipes.

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And just for reference, here is the prototype I'm looking to recreate.  My model isn't perfectly accurate when compared to the real thing but I'm happy with it.

 

Thanks

Martin

Edited by Rammstein2609
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Hi All

 

I've made some more progress this afternoon in the sunshine by glueing the signal box structure to the platform and adding the ballast to the platform tops.  The ballast was first spread out then sprayed with a fine mist of 'wet water' before I added some Klear with a dropper.  

 

I've also started sculpting some land forms with foam and polyfilla at the front of the layout.  I've got a few little things to sort for the back of the layout before I can start forming the land but that might take a few weeks to get right.

 

Lastly, the new station building is taking shape and should be finished within the next week.  The roof is next on the list along with the roof for the signal box.

 

Thanks

Martin

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Hi All

Slightly more progress tonight in the form of a test piece of fencing for the station.  I was in two minds whether to 3D print all the fencing I need or laser cut it so thought I would design a small test piece for the laser because if this works then it will speed things up massively.

The pickets are cut from 0.4mm laserboard and are around 1mm wide each.  The horizontal timbers are also cut from the same 0.4mm laserboard (you can see these just below the pickets) and these are cut from the sprue then glued onto the pickets along the engraved guideline.  Once this sets, the posts are cut from 1.5mm MDF and are glued onto the horizontal timbers in line with the etched guidelines I've included on the sprue.

I've given the test piece a quick blast with some white primer and must say it does look good.  There are a few stray fibres which only show up on the photo but these can easily be cleaned off.  I'm pleased with the results so will move on and design all the fencing I need for the laser cutter.

Thanks
Martin

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The fencing looks very good indeed, and it’s probably just me, but I can’t get away with the little ‘blobs’ at the top of each picket*.   They are probably not noticeable at a normal distance but once I’d seen them in the photo I would have to go along with a couple of swipes of a file and make the pickets pointy.

 

 

* if that’s the correct term for the vertical planks of wood.

 

 

Edited by BoD
And I’m probably just ‘nit-picking’ here because everything else is so darn good.
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36 minutes ago, BoD said:

The fencing looks very good indeed, and it’s probably just me, but I can’t get away with the little ‘blobs’ at the top of each picket*.   They are probably not noticeable at a normal distance but once I’d seen them in the photo I would have to go along with a couple of swipes of a file and make the pickets pointy.

 

 

* if that’s the correct term for the vertical planks of wood.

 

 

Hi BoD

 

You're right, they weren't visible to my eye but once I noticed them in the photo I've already gone back over them with a sharp knife.  The blobs are small parts of the tabs I had designed to hold all the pickets in line and I obviously let my knife slip a little off line while cutting these off the sprue.  I've also gone back and removed the stray fibres which ruin the look too.

 

Cheers

Martin

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Hi All

I haven't made as much progress as I had planned over the last few days due to suffering side effects from my second vaccine dose but I've moved things along a little this morning as things get better.

I've now added the picket fencing along with back wall of platform 1 and started to form the land behind the station.  The lamp posts have now been glued onto their bases on the platforms but will need to wait until they can be wired up.

I decided to pose a couple of trains for some photos to show the overall effect I'm aiming to produce.  I must mention that the roof for the station isn't sat on the building properly and it's also not the one I'll be using.  The roof on the signal box also won't be used as a new one will be made.

Cheers
Martin

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Wow the layout is starting to look brilliant  the dgeballast really makes it set in Scotland  the background adds to the total effect.I like your footbridge and am tempted to purchase one if you sell them overall this is a great layout .I think you will understand I like layouts north of the border my own is being transformed to being in Ayrshire. 

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Hi All

 

Yet another quick update.

 

I haven't been able to spend too much time on the layout this week as work has been rather busy.  I did manage to fill the large holes in the front of the baseboard and repaint all the outer surfaces though.  I ordered some custom self adhesive vinyl lettering for the layout name and this has now been stuck to the lighting pelmet.

 

The last portion of fencing for platform 2 was built, painted and installed on the layout as was the base layer of static grass behind it.  I've spent a small fortune on trees only to find that I need to buy more!  The trees have only been posed for the photos and won't actually end up like this.  I couldn't resist posing them to see if I was going to achieve the overall look and feel I want.

 

Cheers
Martin

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Hi All

 

This weekend I've been working on the fiddle yard boards to allow me to start track laying.  I had some of Tim Horn's 2ft 6ins lite curved baseboards from an abandoned 2mm project a few years ago so thought I might as well use these up.  I had to then built a 5ft straight baseboard to plug in between the curves.  In the end, I decided to build two 762mm baseboards instead of a single 1524mm as this part of the fiddle yard will only have straight track and two boards means it will be easier to fit into the back of my car when transporting the layout.

 

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I decided to use a method of joining the baseboards I haven't used before.  On my previous layouts I've used T-Nuts on one baseboard and an M8 bolt screwed through from the other baseboard.  While this worked well, the T-Nuts were a bit of a problem as they would work themselves loose now and then.  This time I've used 6mm insert nuts with M6 bolts.  For the insert nuts, I drilled 8mm holes, counter sunk the opening then screwed the insert nuts into the hole with an Allen key.  This ensures the flange of the insert nut is flush with the baseboard edge and gives a solid connection.  

 

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To ensure perfect alignment with every baseboard, I laser cut a couple of drill guides to ensure accuracy.

 

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I'm really happy with how it looks and even happier with how quickly, easily and accurately it all screws together.  I've also used 8mm dowels for alignment as I've always used these on my projects.

 

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(Two of the curved boards haven't been connected as I ran out of space)

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Lastly, I designed and laser cut end plates for the fiddle yard boards which will make transporting them much easier.  

 

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These incorporate a handle and bolt holes at the correct spacing to allow me to bolt two baseboards face to face which will protect the track.  The cut out for the handle has been smoothed with a round over bit in a router followed by a quick sand so there are no chances of getting a splinter!

 

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I need to come up with a solution for the legs.  I was planning on using a similar method to that used on Ketton Cement but those legs were a little heavy and bulky.  I have a few ideas to test so watch this space.

 

Thanks

Martin

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