SRman Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Ha ha , yes that might be pushing the friendship . I do want to get the upper level running but there is still way too much to do, in particular the carpentry, track laying and presently nonexistent wiring! Maybe another year or so will see trains running there! B) p.s. I'm not sure if we'll get to catch up this weekend but hopefully we will do so on the long weekend next week. Edited May 31, 2013 by SRman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) Further fiddling with the bridge and its near environs: I am reusing second-hand components at the moment but will buy new stuff once I work out what I need. The plate girders are, I think, the Peco Wills vari-girder kit(s). I have broken the existing ones down a bit and reassembled the bits into something nearer what I need, and for the moment simply Blu-Tacked the bits into place.The lower girders will probably have to be a bit deeper than the depth of the MDF forming the bridge base.I have also added a little of the Vollmer embossed brick sheet to lead into what will be brick arched viaduct. As I envisage it, there will be a small rise in the ground to the foreground and up the base of the brick wall, making the area of brick shallower than in the photos. For the last one I removed the ProCab to improve the view. The controllers will eventually be moved to a lower and different location when I get the control panels in place. This is intended to give some impression of what I have in mind. Edited June 1, 2013 by SRman 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted June 1, 2013 Author Share Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) For the viaduct section I have bought some Scalescenes print-it-yourself viaduct files but I am never entirely happy with the lack of relief in paper/card kits, at least for the longer term (I happily use such things for place holders).Recently I spotted a Vollmer HO kit for a brick arched viaduct, single tracked with three arches in the kit. What's more I found some in Miniatur Wunderland's online shop for half price so ordered two (after ascertaining that postage was reasonably priced too). I then ordered a couple of the extension arches from another German dealer, with a view to hacking these into a four arched double tracked viaduct.The extensions arrived first, today, so I set about experimenting to make a singe double tracked arch, just to see if it could be done. This has only the basics in place and none of the extra walls or the supporting piers yet - the piers will need their height cut down a little to suit my location. I would deem the experiment successful!The German kit comes with parapet railings but I will make some brick walls up to replace those, in due course.The arches are a little narrower across than I really wanted but the brick texture is so much better than printed paper can provide. I may well order another couple of the three-arched version to extend this one. As I haven't done the supporting piers yet, a couple of recently constructed containers are providing support, coincidentally, at just the right height!! Because of the way I have used the side walls/arches, I will end up with one spare from each arch (I'm using three walls per double track set). The spares may well provide arches further down the track. Edited June 1, 2013 by SRman 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share Posted June 2, 2013 The cutting and hacking continues! I found I had rather more pieces than I originally expected to cut down on the piers because of the brick overlay panels on the sides. I worked out that I needed to remove eight courses of bricks from each panel and side to get the correct height. However, I did stuff up one of the inner sides by miscounting and removing nine courses! Still, it doesn't seem to have weakened the structure at all and I can easily fill the gap and weather it as it will be mostly hidden anyway - it can be seen on the far side of the pier in the first photo. Of course, I will have six more arches to do this way when the main viaduct kits arrive - I ordered another two from the Miniatur Wunderland shop to follow the first two, making a seven arched viaduct in all, when I'm done! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 As an idea why don't you have a person running into one of the columns.... trying to get to another platform 3/4's??? they might need a trolley with an owl.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 Well ... I do have that Knight Rider bus I made from two EFE RT models ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Now that I have a bit of an idea of what I'm doing with the viaduct double-track conversion, I have commenced work on the second arch. It is posed here resting on those containers (again!) because I haven't done the next supporting pier yet. The photos cruelly show the rough spots, particularly the inner arch lining on one half having slipped - I'll have to trim it and reseat it. Note from that last pic that I have also been straightening out and levelling the station canopy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 12, 2013 Author Share Posted July 12, 2013 I have been on school holidays for the last two weeks and have made a small amount of progress with the layout building, although not as much as I had hoped/planned for!I have done some further levelling and grading of the polystyrene landscaping at the village end. I am generally happier with it now. No photos of that to show at this point but I will take some soon.I have been fiddling with the track diagram for the LT lines and have now printed it and laminated it, ready to mount behind some clear acrylic (also shown in the photo). I will then drill holes where he switches will go. Normally the track section switches will be left on for DCC but sections will be able to be isolated for DC analogue running. Apologies for the reflections. I have been giving some thought to the Oxted line bridge - part brick arches and part under-line lattice girder. I have not found any suitable bridge kits from the kit manufacturers (Faller, Vollmer, Kibri, Walthers, Atlas, etc.) but I hit upon another idea; the Ratio Pratt truss signal gantry! I am ordering four such kits to play around with. Each gantry on its own would not be sufficient to support the bridge span (in real engineering terms) but two or three side by side should look the part, in conjunction with some plate girders ... I hope.Google Earth street views are quite helpful in visualising this, if anyone wants to look. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oldlugger Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 When are you going to name your layout SRman? Best wishes Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 12, 2013 Author Share Posted July 12, 2013 Good question, Simon. I still favour something like New Hey but I also still think I can come up with something better. Suggestions are welcome! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oldlugger Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 (edited) Hello Jeff, What part of the SE of England is it in your mind? It would help with name suggestions... Cheers Simon Edited July 12, 2013 by oldlugger Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazmanjack Posted July 12, 2013 Share Posted July 12, 2013 G'day Jeff, why not something like 'Gladensen'. It is SE England rearranged ! Cheers, Gary. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 Simon, the problem is I want it to be fairly 'generic' so the location can sort of drift a bit, depending on whether I am running the Brighton Belle or a 4 CEP or a 4 REP. Even so, New Hey has overtones of New Haw and Weybridge. It has to be the London (ish) end of the line. Clapham Junction would be ideal but I don't quite have enough room to model that properly!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted July 13, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 13, 2013 I like the way the brick viaduct is taking shape. I am reminded of the pair of those structures on the eastern approach to Fareham. Naming the layout is a curious beast. My layout name arose in mind before I even had track laid but refers to the smaller of the two stations. The larger one was nameless until christened almost by chance one day by my wife. Taking your general area and intent to make it generic for a variety of rolling stock why not borrow a street name from outside Clapham Junction station and consider something like Lavender Hill? It sounds 100% London and can be visited by all manner of rolling stock including your excellent Underground fleet. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 Yes, I like the idea. Rick. Thanks also to Gary for his suggestion.Maybe a fictional variation on Lavender Hill, like Primrose Hill? No, wait, that's a real one! Daisy Hill? Rose Hill (sounds like girl's name!)?A street name can work. Many years ago I made an exhibition layout with wintry snow scenery. The station and signal box were named "Winter Lane", which summed up the layout's theme nicely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 Just mucking around on Google maps there is a Burnt Ash lane near Grove park in south east London.. sounds spot on for what you are chasing... May be change it around a little and up grade it to Burnt Ash Road change for Chin Brook. Hows that for 10minutes on Google maps! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 I like the way the brick viaduct is taking shape. I am reminded of the pair of those structures on the eastern approach to Fareham. Naming the layout is a curious beast. My layout name arose in mind before I even had track laid but refers to the smaller of the two stations. The larger one was nameless until christened almost by chance one day by my wife. Taking your general area and intent to make it generic for a variety of rolling stock why not borrow a street name from outside Clapham Junction station and consider something like Lavender Hill? It sounds 100% London and can be visited by all manner of rolling stock including your excellent Underground fleet. That's weird, I built a Southern Steam Shed Layout called Lavernder Hill and I think it is a very good name for YOUR layout, I have SCRAPPED mine now so we will not clash on here, ha ha aa Bodgit 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 13, 2013 Author Share Posted July 13, 2013 Another possibility occurred to me just now, in view of having the church at the top of the hill: Church Hill! Thanks for the further suggestions, guys. Seeing as the LT station is mostly complete now, I will have to start putting names on it soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Another suggestion: Church Lane (or Street or Road). I have been laid low with the bad back but am starting to improve now. My first modelling task since then has been to experimentally swap the station buildings from the Hornby Skaledale Italianate style to the Bachmann art deco style. I didn't really intend to use this building here but I think it looks rather good. It will be linked to the platforms by a footbridge (Ratio modular covered footbridge on the way from Hattons right now for experiments to commence!).The lighting was not the best and the white of the all that polystyrene swamped the camera a little, although I have tweaked the photos a bit to compensate. Another thought occurred to me while I was laid up: I have a large Kibri modern tower building that has close to the same footprint as the large Tudor hotel in the existing photos. If I am careful with the scenic surrounds I may be able to swap them from time to time to suit a more modern image period. I had a similar idea way back at the planning stages for the main line station: have two interchangeable modules, one with platforms in use (1960s or earlier), the other with derelict, weed-grown platforms to fit more modern settings. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted July 21, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 21, 2013 It has rhyme and reason Jeff. I see nothing wrong with the art deco building at street level given the style of the platform structures below. Interchangeable scenery would be fascinating - that's something I considered myself at an early stage and discounted if I accepted some licence on signage and colour schemes. It's also encouraging to hear your back problems are easing; I hope that continues along the right path for you as well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Hi Jeff, Heard you had a bad back at the meeting yesterday. Glad to hear you are on the improve. I have had the same myself and had over a week off work, I went back last week but on light duties and only did 3 days. The layout is looking pretty good, I have been playing with polystyrene myself, the garage is a right mess so I have been cleaning up today. Cheers Peter. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted July 21, 2013 Author Share Posted July 21, 2013 Sorry to hear about your back, Peter. I don't go back to work until Tuesday. Hopefully I'll cope by then.The polystyrene does make a mess, doesn't it?! I always keep a vacuum cleaner handy, just to get the stuff off me! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tender Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 (edited) That's weird, I built a Southern Steam Shed Layout called Lavernder Hill and I think it is a very good name for YOUR layout, I have SCRAPPED mine now so we will not clash on here, ha ha aa Bodgit Sounds like an Ealing comedy, not that there's anything comical about your layouts Andy. (The Lavender Hill Mob, for those not old enough) Ray. Edited July 21, 2013 by tender 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted July 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 21, 2013 Maybe a fictional variation on Lavender Hill, like Primrose Hill? Having spent two years at Grove Park, Chinbrook and Burnt Ash sound all too familiar. Close to the Downham estate, where many colleagues lived! The station at Clapham Junction isn't really much of a junction at all, actually, although it is a very major interchange between services. Basically the two sets of LSWR lines to/from Waterloo (the Main and the Windsor Lines) parallel the LBSCR lines to/from Victoria, and the platforms enable the interchange. The one real junction is where the West London Line joins the LBSCR local lines, immediately to the south of the station. That is actually called Falcon Junction, and the sidings by the old B Box are/were Falcon Lane sidings. Any further inspiration from that? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest oldlugger Posted July 21, 2013 Share Posted July 21, 2013 Yes, Falcon Lane/Junction would be an unusual name. What about Queen's Park Exchange or Queen's Park High and Low Level as other possibilities? All the best Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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