Gill Head: Kirkby Luneside's neighbour

[Rowsley17D]

12 hours ago, Physicsman said:

To be honest, I thought it was a bit flimsy by my standards.

 

Especially as I've just discovered the ply fascia is only 3mm. Oh dear, I wonder if it will drop off in the next 200 years?!!

 

J.

 

I'm sure that 1mm will make a great deal of difference.

[Physicsman]

I wasn't entirely happy with the occupation bridge I built yesterday.

 

So I've built another one. Pics later.

 

J.

[Physicsman]

The proportions of the bridge didn't look quite right, and I thought the centre piers were just a little bit too close to the track (about 6mm for each pier). So I went back to my 3mm ply sheet and 12mm birch ply and made another.

 

The pics appear to show 2 different ground colours. Pics 1 and 3 were with the DSLR, the rest off the phone.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Rowsley17D]

Looking at plans and photos of 3 arch Midland bridges in a book I have on LMS architecture the middle span seems to be be just about the right width.

[Physicsman]

6 minutes ago, Rowsley17D said:

Looking at plans and photos of 3 arch Midland bridges in a book I have on LMS architecture the middle span seems to be be just about the right width.

 

Thanks for that, Jonathan.

 

I drew up my initial plan about 2 years ago, using images of the structure at Kirkby Stephen. I went back to about a dozen pics last night and decided I could stretch the central width a little - so I now have it at 27 feet (108mm) rather than the 24' (96mm) previously. Whatever the "true" value, I think it just looks better.

 

I also made some detailed measurements of the central arch, and the curve is a bit different to yesterday's. Both changes make it easier for locos to get round the point where the curve is the tightest on the layout (30" for about 2 yards) .

 

Jeff

[John Besley]

3 minutes ago, Physicsman said:

 

Thanks for that, Jonathan.

 

I drew up my initial plan about 2 years ago, using images of the structure at Kirkby Stephen. I went back to about a dozen pics last night and decided I could stretch the central width a little - so I now have it at 27 feet (108mm) rather than the 24' (96mm) previously. Whatever the "true" value, I think it just looks better.

 

I also made some detailed measurements of the central arch, and the curve is a bit different to yesterday's. Both changes make it easier for locos to get round the point where the curve is the tightest on the layout (30" for about 2 yards) .

 

Jeff

Looks good, you sometimes have to adjust real life dimensions to make them work, bearing in mind the actual radius of your curves you dont want a 9f getting tangled up on the centre arch pier

[Physicsman]

8 minutes ago, John Besley said:

Looks good, you sometimes have to adjust real life dimensions to make them work, bearing in mind the actual radius of your curves you dont want a 9f getting tangled up on the centre arch pier

 

Agreed.

 

The situation needed to be resolved, whatever the track radius. It's just pure coincidence that I'm using the bridge at the point of tightest radius. Anywhere else would have been around the 36" (91cm) mark - or larger.

 

And yes, I'd worry about a 9F, Brit or class 40 struggling round there. Hopefully not!

 

J.

 

 

[Physicsman]

An update on today's proceedings - work on the Occupation Bridge...

 

Pics 1 to 4 show the fitting of the brick arch liners. Ply supports were fitted to the bottom of the road deck and the Slaters brick sheet cut to size and glued in place with evo stik.

 

Pics 5 and 6 show the beginnings of work on the fascias. The brick plastikard is only 20thou (0.5mm) and needs "packing out" with cut-to-shape 40thou as the arch rings will be made from 80thou, and mustn't stand too proud. Both front and back faces are at this stage. 

 

Pic 7 shows the (strange, partially covered) structure in position.

 

Further progress tomorrow.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

A few pics showing today's efforts, so far.

 

I've spent around 3 hours cutting arch rings out of plastikard sheet. Always fiddly, but the tedious bit was scribing grooves into the ring surface to represent layers of brick. It's much easier fitting bricks and stones onto a ring if you can do it individually, but in this case the bricks are far too small. Only one side done so far, so I'll have the joy of the other side tomorrow. Maybe read a popular bestseller tonight....The Joy of Sides. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

A demolition job was done on the cutting areas in proximity to the bridge to facilitate access for the farm animals - and future wall positions sorted.

 

Image 1 is a reminder of what the bridge should look like. Plenty of weathering, painting and general grotting-up to go yet!

 

Jeff

 

 

[John Besley]

Just close your eyes...

 

It's a warm summer's day in late '67 in the fells.. the air is full of the sound of insects buzzing, in the distance sheep are grazing and the sound of a skylark is carried as it climbs higher and higher before dropping back to ground...

 

Faintly at first carried on the breeze can be heard a loco working hard, the sound fades and comes back stronger as the train approaches... suddenly bursting into view under the bridge comes a Brittania with a long train of boxvans, she surges past with the Van's rattling behind brought up by the guards van... the Brit' climbing hard heading to Carlisle.... the sound fades leaving just the fragrance of coal smoke and steam oil...

 

The sheep carry on grazing, and the skylark carries on with its song as the silence of the fells return...

[Physicsman]

John, I think you have a touch of William Wordsworth in your lineage.

 

That's the writer, not the Brit loco you alluded to....wonderful machines.

 

J.

[John Besley]

37 minutes ago, Physicsman said:

John, I think you have a touch of William Wordsworth in your lineage.

 

That's the writer, not the Brit loco you alluded to....wonderful machines.

 

J.

Remember the scene in Zulu... when they approach Rookes Drift from over the hills... 

 

And I well remember standing in a field just below Dainton Tunnel at Coombe Fishacre one summer everning as 60009 Climbed up from Totnes... just as described above apart from the Crows and a distant shotgun

Edited May 12, 2021 by John Besley
.

[Physicsman]

I remember the film very well - Stanley Baker was always one of my favourite actors.

 

If I get chance tomorrow - in between fiddling with plastikard on the bridge arches - I may be able to put something in place for those British troopers to hide behind.... We will see.

 

If Jonathan looks in, he'll accuse me of being a "tease" again!

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

Very quiet on here...

 

.... nobody got anything to say?

 

 

[lambiedg]

Bated breath here in Motherwell.........

[Andrew P]

Slow Mojo in the Souf.

[John Besley]

1 hour ago, Physicsman said:

Very quiet on here...

 

.... nobody got anything to say?

 

 

Enjoying the silence of the Fells waiting for the next Brit' or 9F ... maybe a 8F...

[Rowsley17D]

Busy with a supply of ModelU point rodding components. They are incredibly small.

[Physicsman]

Ah, I will let you off then.....just don't hold your breath or sit still too long.

 

Andy, you can go for a swim in your new river; John, beware of those Zulus; David - breathe.....

 

I've just got new specs, Jonathan. It has helped. I now realise the 9F I thought I had on the layout was, in fact, a Gronk....

 

I've been very busy, but maybe some photos tomorrow.

 

Jeff

 

 

[figworthy]

4 hours ago, Physicsman said:

Very quiet on here...

 

.... nobody got anything to say?

 

 

 

I'm not saying nuttink.

 

Adrian

[Donw]

Well we have been a bit lacking on the sound of trains this year and the number of skylarks seems to be less. The crop in the fields behind us is corn this year perhaps not to their taste. Not bad when it is your garden and maybe I might be able to lay track this year for the live steamers.

 

Don

[Physicsman]

I did promise there might be photos today.

 

So, it's now Saturday, and I'll throw this pic into the mix...

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

[Neilgue]

That was quick. It used to take ages for you to build walls last time...

[lambiedg]

Do I spy a little recycling of walling from KL2 

Or have been really busy?

 

D

[Physicsman]

Well spotted, David.

 

Building walls is a slow process - I think I averaged about 8cm an hour - a cm has about 30 stones in it. KL2 ended up with about 25 metres of walling and I salvaged around 10 metres during the demolition process - all straight pieces from relatively level terrain.

 

I've managed to use around 2 metres over the last day or so, matching and linking some sections together. Those 2 metres have already saved me about 30 hours work.

 

However, I'll have to build all the walling that goes up and down slopes. I made a batch of DAS strips last night, so - if they are dry - I can do some building later.

 

Work continues on the bridge. It has all 6 arch rings and I'll get back to that shortly.

 

Jeff

 

 

Edited May 15, 2021 by Physicsman