Les Green Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/uploads/monthly_01_2012/post-8613-0-32631500-1325494361.jpg I previously had details of the Lime Street Sation project on the old RmWeb site (see http://www.rmweb.co....php?f=8&t=32466) and I thought It was time to resurrect it on this new site. For those who are new to this layout topic here are a few details of the layout. The total footprint of the layout is 15 metres long and 3 metres deep. It is not DCC as work started on the layout and the stock long before DCC became popular. I am not the owner, John Holden is the owner, but I do some of the structures on the layout as you will see later in this topic. Other people contribute to the layout with their own particular skills when required. The track plan is as shown below, though the size limitation of the .jpg file does not do it justice. I would like to thank Simon for the post below showng the link to the old RmWeb layout topic. So, sit back and enjoy the ride! 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
(The) Youth Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32466 Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted March 10, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 10, 2011 I was just thinking about this layout the other day - will be good to see how its progressed since the end of the old forums! Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 Our next outing with the layout is at Utrecht in October. By then we hope to have at least part of the roof in place. Now we are back on RmWeb I expect we will add some more production photos at a later date. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 It seems a long time since I last updated the progress on the Lime Street Station model. This does not mean there has been no progress. Plenty of progress has been made and we are hoping to have at least some of the roof, if not all, in position for October when the Layout is exhibited in Utrecht. First a bit of a flashback to some photos of the roof supporting columns from the original forum as a reminder. This is the CAD model prior to the production of the rapid prototype models, The first rapid prototype model prior to painting. One of the rapid protptype models of the station columns was produced with all the detail possible on and was painted in the current colour scheme and is shown in comparison to the real thing. Luckily in the era we are modelling the columns were a very dirty black. I breathed a sigh of relief here as painting each column in the red and white colour scheme would have taken ages. One of the first production models made from resin castings from our original rapid prototype masters. The castings were made by Unit Models of Keighley. The trays on the top of the columns are not prototypical, but on the model they will support the detachable roof sections. A photo of the model showing some of the columns in temporary position. All the columns are now made and painted black. I was goiung to photograph them today, but my camera batteries were flat, so I am updating the progress whilst I wait for them to charge up. At this stage they are ready to permanantly fit to the station model. Once this has been done then we can start on the construction of the roof. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 Another Mega project on the Lime Street Station model is the North Western Station Hotel. The hotel is still standing but is now student accomodation. We have been granted special access to the building and many photos have been taken. During one visit we were taken on the roof of the building. Again many photos were taken. So expect an accurate and fully detailed model to be produced eventually.The final model will be about 1.2m long and 500mm high (ish). I am currently making a CAD model of the structure. We have had a test piece cut by York Modelmaking. The components for the test piece as cut by York Modelmaking. The constructed test piece. Note that the stonework is an exact copy of the original. One of the sadder aspects of making this model! The decorative strings of stonework are cornices/skirting boards/dado rails for dolls house models. Some of the finer strings were specially cut by Wood Supplies of Wallington in Surrey. The test piece painted and supported by the mock up of the hotel in position on the layout. Progress on this aspect of the layout is currently on hold whilst the station roof is under construction. 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 28, 2011 Author Share Posted May 28, 2011 My camera batteries are charged now, but I have no time left to do the photos! Another day! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
artizen Posted May 28, 2011 Share Posted May 28, 2011 You could sell copies of the hotel. This layout is turning out to be absolutely mega in every respect!!!! Overload us with photos please! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 Camera Batteries now recharged so here we go with some new photos. There are 61 columns supporting the station roof, some are double columns that are on the station centre line and support both the North arch and the South arch. Of the 61 columns there are 21 different designs of column!! And here they all are!! I have numbered the columns here in case anyone has a query wirth respect to a particular column. Columns RMW01 - RMW04 Columns RMW05 - RMW08 Columns RMW09 - RMW12 Columns RMW13 - RMW16 Columns RMW17 - RMW20 Columns RMW21 which is a special pair of columns that support a bridging piece across a section of track. Onwards now to the actual roof. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 The station roof is supported on large bow string roof trusses. Each roof truss has several links. The links on the full scale station are made up of several formers and four lengths of L section girder. On the model we have substituted 0.6mm wire for the L section. This is the CAD drawing of one of the roof trusses. As can be seen there are lot of links to be made. To speed up the manufacture of the links several jigs were made. So this is how it was done. Firstly the jig is assembled using three support pieces and two end plates. The end plates are slotted to allow the fourth support plate to be located later in the process. Then the formers are slotted in to position on the support pie\ces. . The fourth support piece is then located on the formers and an extra end plate is added and locked in position with a wire staple giving a very stable jig with all the formers locked in position. The pre bent wires to the correct radius are soldered in position. Once the four wires have been soldered in position the end plates are removed followed by the support pieces and we are left with one roof truss link. Easy! Then in to the dishwasher to clean it up! Except there are 7 different lengths of link and 740 links are required. Without the jigs one link took all of four hours to make it was so fiddly. With the jig we got down to about five minutes per link on a good day. Taking all the links into account we soldered about 13000 joints and used 6000 components! To give an idea of the enormity of the task this is about half of the links! Next, the roof girders. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 The roof girders are simple 'I' section lattice girders. Each girder is made from three etches, one centre lattice plate and the two end plates. Again making a single girder took time. In fact on my first day I managed to make two girders. Another jig was made to speed up the process. The jig was made from Tufnol and used three cams to clamp the three girder items in place. The clamping jig. and here with the components clamped in position ready for soldering. Using this method I managed ninety girders on a good day! To show the enormity of the task here are a few of the girders. Some single length and for aditional strength some double length girders The photo show only 41 double length girders. We actually made 269 plus 156 single length girders. A total soldering run of about 250 metres!!! 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 Finally for today we will take a look at the end screen structure. The south arch and the north arch have end screens at the street end of the station and the throat end of the station. The south screen at the street end requires the following support structure. This again is the CAD model of the support structure. And the girders manfactured for the end screen. The double girder at the bottom is almost a meter long! And just for the heck of it the station clock!! The clock will be a working clock and will keep accurate time by being linked to the atomic clock at Greenwich(?). Cos we can!! 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted May 29, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2011 WOW, sorry that's all I can say. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 The next stage is to permanently locate all the columns on the layout. Once they are in their permanent position we can make eight roof section templates showing the exact location of all the support trays. Eight, as the roof will be made in eight sections. The CAD drawing shows us where the trays should be, but we need the absolute positions before we can make the roof trusses. Once the templates have been marked up the roof will be on the go, followed by the hotel, followed by......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 WOW, sorry that's all I can say. Sometimes, that is all I can say. I am just one person doing the roof and the hotel. Steve is the signalling man, Geoff the sofware man, Chris the track and building man. John does everything else. We had a bit of a chat together the other day to see who went the extra mile. One person made some of the links on a caravanning holiday, one person designed the software on holiday. I designed part of the layout on a flight to Australia. What a mad lot we are! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 29, 2011 Author Share Posted May 29, 2011 The current status of the CAD model of the North Western Hotel. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulleidnutter Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Why can I see such similarities with Rons Manchester Central. Both of these layouts make me speechless with the sheer attention to detail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brush47337 Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Can't help posting the kind of "me to" posts we are not meant to do but.......... As a Modeller ................. - Wow...! As an Architect ................- Wow....! Hope to see this in the flesh one day on tour Stuart 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 30, 2011 Author Share Posted May 30, 2011 All the signals on the layout are made by Steve Hewitt and are all fully operational. The main signal gantry at the end of the platform is particularly spectacular. No doubt Steve will add more details to this particular topic when required. Other general types of signals on the layout include, colour light signals, ground signals, theatre indicators. All working! 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poindexter Posted May 30, 2011 Share Posted May 30, 2011 Sorry but its going to have to be another 'me too' post. warrants more than just a +1. Excellent workmanship on all counts. Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Steve Hewitt Posted May 31, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 31, 2011 Quick progress report: Today, John, Brian and I brought the layout home from storage where its been for several months. Looking forward to getting my hands on the controls in the not too distant future. Steve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Also looking forward to getting my hands on the layout in the not too distant future. I can then make a restart on the station roof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Good stuff Things like this and ron's project make me wish new street's roof was something more than a huge slab of concrete! Cheers Jim 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Green Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 Things like this and ron's project make me wish new street's roof was something more than a huge slab of concrete! I think there are times when I wish Lime Street had a concrete slab roof!! Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
binesrail Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 This is truly epic! great work Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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