Gill Head: Kirkby Luneside's neighbour

[Physicsman]

17 minutes ago, PeterBB said:

Had never really thought about making large scenic portions on individual 6mm bases but that has given me some thought.  On another aspect there is a parallel set of dotted lines running from the cess to the top of the hill ... ?

 

The bases were done out of necessity, Peter - as explained in Monday's 16.19 post, above. It works very well, with 2 provisos:

 

1) Keep the base well back from the track to avoid having a 6mm step, from the edge of the board, too close to your ballast shoulder. At the distance I've used I can disguise the ply edge with a little bit of clay or mod roc.

2) Make the bases no larger than about 60cm as the construct gets quite heavy when plaster is applied. Of course, there's NO need for plaster, really, as a couple of layers of mod roc does produce a paintable surface.

 

As for the parallel lines - have you never listened to the Blondie album from 1979, or seen the film "Signs"?

 

No, seriously, the dotted line is the path the boundary wall will take up the cutting. Have a look at the class 158 pic further up this page. Two lines? I changed my mind and was too lazy to rub one out!I

 

Hope that clears things up!

 

Jeff

[PeterBB]

Thought it might be the wall.  

 

No quite the same but because Cadley Hill - must change the name as it does not 'conform' was hinged when Andy initially made it - I built a scenic tunnel on the backboard.  This and the road bridge are stored in 'home made' wooden boxes that contain the one or two. Recently added a capacitor to help with the points.  Other scenic buildings and could also store in these boxes, with divisions, an amount of the running stock.  These take up space but are easily stored ... apart from the fact that 'appropriate' storage space is currently very limited. 

Edited April 8, 2021 by PeterBB
typo

[Physicsman]

I've built the cutting former on the west side of the reverse curve. I'm limited in the depth I can put in this, and the pics show the structure after a first coat of plaster. It will end up being a couple of cm taller and the lower part will have a slightly lower incline. Having said that, it's in keeping with the prototype, as you can judge below - I've attached a different Arten Gill view...

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

Right, the final former of the reverse curve cutting has been constructed, though only up to the mod roc stage. Plaster will be applied tomorrow. Pics below.

 

Can I point out that I can't fix all the sections permanently in place because the board that has the majority of the reverse curve is directly in front of the door and may need to be removed to allow a few larger items (you'll see one next week) to have access. I was going to leave this board as a "lift out", but it will now be fixed in place - probably in a couple of months, or so. Landscape at the far end of the reverse curve will certainly be fixed in the near future....but that's to come.

 

Here are 3 more pics showing views along the (very rough) outline cutting.

 

In other matters, track at both ends of the viaduct is now electrically connected. The continuity of signal is excellent.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Curves is good...

 

[jacko]

Loving the view along the cutting back to the viaduct.

 

Graeme

[Physicsman]

17 hours ago, Peter Kazmierczak said:

Curves is good...

 

 

I agree wholeheartedly. There's something about a loco going round a curve that raises the spirits.

 

7 hours ago, jacko said:

Loving the view along the cutting back to the viaduct.

 

Graeme

 

Glad you like....

 

 

[Physicsman]

I don't feel like I've made much progress today, despite 3 hours in the Bunker.

 

I've fitted some cork along the line of the reverse curve (it will need proper trimming to size when the track goes on) and put another couple of kg of plaster onto some of the mounds. Pics attached.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

And here's a couple of "mood" shots - the viaduct at dusk? Ha Ha - problem is, the light is coming from due north - so maybe the S&C has been transported north of the Arctic Circle!?

 

Whatever, I like the shadows! 

 

Jeff

 

 

[chuffinghell]

That really is superb! 

[lambiedg]

The first “mood” shot is particularly good.

 

I for one can see great strides being made.

 

[lambiedg]

This tickled the chemist in me.

I hope it does the same for our esteemed physicist 

 

[Ramrig]

1 hour ago, Physicsman said:

Whatever, I like the shadows! 

 

Jeff

 

 

I wouldn’t have had you down as being a Hank Marvin fan? .......

 

 

I’ll get my coat ......Taxi!

[Physicsman]

2 hours ago, chuffinghell said:

That really is superb! 

 

1 hour ago, Ramrig said:

I wouldn’t have had you down as being a Hank Marvin fan? .......

 

 

I’ll get my coat ......Taxi!

 

Thanks to both Chris and Steve for the comments.

 

And actually, I DO like the Shadows - must be the Apache in me.....or maybe it's just a sign of age (I mean being old enough to remember them,, NOT implying that I'm senile!! ).

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

1 hour ago, lambiedg said:

This tickled the chemist in me.

I hope it does the same for our esteemed physicist 

 

 

Yes, David, it raised more than a few chuckles!

 

As for great strides - I think that will happen once I've started ballasting the viaduct and got some brown paint on the plaster.

 

J.

 

 

[Physicsman]

I went into the Bunker at lunchtime with the intention of fitting some DAS shoulders onto the sides of the cork at the north (clock) end of the layout. I did complete the shoulder on the viaduct, but that's all. It does mean, though, that I can apply a coating of sleeper grime onto the entire viaduct road deck early next week. That will be messy and a bit of fun - I've 2 cans of grime in stock....if they still work!

 

So, what is there to do on the layout build? More mod roc, plaster etc etc. Nope, I decided to attack something that's been bugging me, get it sorted and give me yet MORE opportunities for landscaping with level changes.

 

I refer to the rail connection from the reverse curve back to the station, as this is the place with the tightest curves. I always aim to keep my track at 36" (91cm) minimum radius - or larger - if possible, but the return curve to the station comes in at 30" in places. Of course, transition curves are in place, where possible.

 

This area includes the extension of the hillside to the rear of the cutting and an embankment leading to an underbridge, then the station. All will become clear in time!

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

The 12mm ply supports shown in the previous post have now been properly levelled and fixed in place. A cork layer has been added on top, along with guiding lines for the track, which I'll fit tomorrow.

 

I've also spent a good deal of time planning out the dimensions of the underbridge that will be placed adjacent to the station. A rough copy of some of my scribblings is shown, along with approximate contours for the landscape for this area. Numbers in black pen are in cm above floor level. The track level is 110cm.

 

I'll provide much more detail about the underbridge when I start to build it. I'm still in a scratchbuilding mood, so it may start next week. DAS brick coating, again, I think I can build the thing in a fortnight. We will see when we get to that bit!!

 

Jeff

 

 

[lambiedg]

From the Railcam site this morning

 

I know it’s Ribblehead not Arden Gill but it shows the prototypical accuracy of the current state of your build.

 

D

 

 

[Physicsman]

That's a lovely image, David.

 

Snow on the fells in mid-April and a glorious sunrise.

 

Wonderful.

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Pretty viaducts and underbridges are all very well. But the pics below exemplify the "grotty" side of railway modelling....you know, PVA everywhere (especially where you don't want it), cuts and nicks from scalpels and protruding screws, suitable objects to weigh down the track that just WON'T maintain the curve you put into it, etc.

 

I exaggerate a little, as it's this side that is also the most satisfying and fun.

 

Something a little different tomorrow, which tidies, rather than messes, a scene...

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

I said I'd post something that tidies, rather than messes, the place up. So here's a couple of pics of the fascia I've just fitted. It allows the hillsides to be properly filled in at the front - mod roc stage at the moment, plaster later.

 

And should we forget this is supposed to be a model RAILway, I've chucked in a pic showing the view along the main line towards the station. There's supposed to be a slight curve to the line from one end to the other and I think it looks ok.

 

Please forgive the bits of "hillside" scattered all over the place. They'll find their way home shortly!

 

Jeff

 

 

[Mulgabill]

Hi Jeff, you've made a nice job of that fascia.

 

But....

 

It may be the photos, so your real life view is the important one. However to me it looks

as though the viaduct has become a bit hemmed in. The more definite edge of the world

emphasises  that the ground is only so wide, whereas before the general whiteness helped

kid us that the country continued.

 

It's perhaps not as noticeable in the centre, where everything is lower. But towards the sides,

the higher ground, does seem to need more of a lead in. As an option, perhaps, would it be

possible to radius the fascia, so you could squeeze in a bit more foreground?

 

Just some ideas before it's all put to bed, and of course if it looks good in real life, then just

carry on.

 

You're usually  the one who get it right.

 

All the best

TONY

 

 

[Physicsman]

Hi Tony.

 

Thanks for your comments - just the kind of post that I find extremely useful.

 

As Baldric may have said in Blackadder, "I have a plan"....

 

I'm sending this from my phone, but when I get back home I'll explain what I will do - at some stage. It does involve an "expansion" at both ends - more later.

 

J.

[Physicsman]

Ok, I'll explain the rationale for the fascia - and remember there'll be fascias of varying sizes right the way round the layout by the time I've finished.

 

The existing open-fronted valley needed a fascia in order to tidy up the appearance, allow me to build the valley out to a constant width and to stop bits of insulation board, mod roc and plaster flaking off everytime I went near it. It also needs a solid frontage across the Gill to stop the "water" (Woodland Scenics gel) leaking out all over the floor when it's added at a future date. It makes sense to shape the fascia to the outline of the valley, as has been done.

 

Pic 1 gives an indication of the depth of the valley - with the 30cm ruler showing the valley depth around 90cm.

 

As Tony said, the upper left part of the fascia produces an apparent "disconnect" between the top of the valley and the surroundings when viewed front on. I had no choice but to extend the fascia to the valley top. Pic 2.....there is only wood, to which the fascia is attached, along the bottom of the fascia (the low-level L-frame on which the viaduct sits) EXCEPT for the green asterisk area where I fitted a backing block and screwed in. This is well up the fascia towards the top of the valley.

 

The blue hatched triangle is the location of a board, to be fixed later (I can't even fit the cutting hills because of the need for access), which will add-in another part of the valley top and link to the cutting hillocks. This should add to the "continuity" of the valley landscape.

 

Pic 3 shows the view to the south, and the reverse-curve. The fascia is narrower, and 15cm lower at this end and the link to the cutting at that end should keep things looking reasonable.

 

I know I'm not obliged to explain my thinking, but Tony's comment was spot-on and worthy of a response. I think the KEY point is that there will be times - and they've occurred often enough, when I HAVEN'T thought something through properly and would be grateful for relevant input.

 

Hope that all makes sense!!

 

Jeff

 

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Physicsman

[uax6]

It that compromise again isn't it Jeff?

You could quite easily build a scenic model railway, where you build out the valley under the viaduct to maximum width so that the viaduct is way in the background, but to do that you would have to sacrifice the station area, which to me would be too far a sacrifice to make. I admire those who can build a model of just a bit of double track and run trains back and forth over it, but sadly that would bore me very quickly.

 

One thing that I always find a shame, is that we have to have of railways so we have the fighter-pilots view. If you could work out a way to have a sightline from the valley bottom, so that you are looking upwards at the trains running over the viaduct, which your camera makes look real, then I think you will get the human scale well.

 

With regards to your water running out, if you had used my suggestion from KL1 to have the valley running to the rear, rather than the front, the wall would have held it in!

 

Having said all that the viaduct section is looking very nice, but a softening of that hard edge needs to be considered. even just rounding the edges off might make a difference.

 

Andy G