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Scanman's stone wharf


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'Tis better to try & fail than never try at all' - and I should know - this is my third attempt!

 

Those who folow the blogs will know that I'm creating two layouts - one in 'EM' based in the Cotswolds ('Ambridge'), and one in 2mm based on the Box Hill Quarry entrance. The common denominator is that both areas move worked architectural stone by rail!

 

Ambridge will feature a 'stone wharf' ac ting as a scenic block for the fiddleyard, and theres a rather good website -

 

www.choghole.co.uk/LOCATIONS.htm

 

with some rather good images like this one -

 

Masons_5.jpg

 

and this one -

 

Masons_10.jpg

 

which will provide inspiration for the scene.

 

Well, that's the plan, anyway! :mail:

 

Regs

 

Ian

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  • RMweb Gold

Looking forward to this! If all else fails, you can do some of the scuplted stones in the last photo and submit them as scratchbuilt entries for the competition :-)

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Looking forward to this! If all else fails, you can do some of the scuplted stones in the last photo and submit them as scratchbuilt entries for the competition :-)

 

Hi Mikkel -

 

Yep - and look at all those Edwardian-period workers!

 

Regs

 

Ian

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Not much action so far - work gets in the way as usual (but not for mch longer!) and I need to get the 'groundwork' done (tracklaying & the wharf (platform) itself. The competition entry will evolve round the itmes *on* the wharf, namely:-

 

The cutting sheds -

 

post-3469-0-24785500-1332380445.jpg

 

complete with 'interiors' viewed through the open fronts

 

post-3469-0-60316100-1332380448_thumb.jpg

 

(Mikkel - looks like the man in the boater will be in there!)

 

Model(s) will be constructed from 'Depron' foam with stonework scribed (the 'inside' of the walls will, of course, be visible), with roof /aperture framing probably cut from timber.

 

There were multiple cranes - one of which is a 'must have' -

 

post-3469-0-51931700-1332380451.jpg

 

again, probably in timber with metal banding etc.

 

The point of it all -

 

post-3469-0-02316300-1332380444.jpg

 

loads of architectural mouldings, probably using casting techniques in dental plaster

 

and how it was all moved around, either

 

post-3469-0-48652800-1332380450.jpg

 

although the horses would have to be 'bought-in' & I'm not sure how that fits with the rules OR-

 

post-3469-0-47848700-1332380442.jpg

 

A real scratch-build challenge (particularly if it was motorised!

 

Should be enough to keep me busy for a while!

 

Excuse the quality of the images - they are very cruel enlargements from images posted earlier.

 

Regs

 

Ian

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  • RMweb Gold

This is great stuff Ian. The atmosphere is just oozing from those images. I like the idea of the interior views. I'm intrigued by the carefully "packed" piles of stone blocks in the background of the horse shunting photo.

 

If you finish it all, surely some quarry museum somewhere would be interested in the model.

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This is great stuff Ian. The atmosphere is just oozing from those images. I like the idea of the interior views. I'm intrigued by the carefully "packed" piles of stone blocks in the background of the horse shunting photo.

 

If you finish it all, surely some quarry museum somewhere would be interested in the model.

 

Mikkel - thanks for the vote of confidence - I'll write it into my will. Something for the executors to worry about (in about 30 years time I hope!)

 

In the Dorset quarries when they were mostly undergrounds, not opencast. The quarry men often wore bowler hats, as they are hard and gave them some proction.

 

Hi Brian -

 

Funnily enough as an archaeologist with more than a passing interest in nautical & forshore archaeology I'm fascinated by the Purbeck sea quarries round Dancing Ledges & Winspit. Just the pure B***S of the mariners who deliberately grounded themselves below the cliffs, loaded up 15-20 tons of Purbeck stone then sailed it round to London & anywhere else it was needed. A lot of them didn't make it of course and I've dived on several isolated clumps of rock, alien to the local geology. Look carefully underneath & you can see timbers sticking out.....

 

In any case, the cliff line from Old Harry to Weymouth is one of the most beautiful in the world.....

 

Regs

 

Ian

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I used live in Langton Matravers and Worth Matravers. I was in the building trade so used lots of the stone. It used to be nice when going London because you still had Dorset all around you. As you say one very nice stretch of coast.

 

I went down an old underground a few years ago. I could never of worked in them. It is all the pot marks around the area from the 2000 years of quarrying, that get me.

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  • 1 month later...

Well, the entry is at last up and running (well going at a slow crawl). The last month or so has been spent getting the 'groundwork' in place - but I got bored with making track etc (see the 'Ambridge' blog and have finally reached the point where I can start the competion element. So here goes. The first things to be tackled are the buildings - basically a unit of at least three - a central 'office type' flanked by two open-fronted sheds.

 

So - starting with 'Shed A' - the lefthand open shed :-

 

post-3469-0-22303600-1335460556_thumb.jpg

 

There is a lot of detail here - the rough stonework that looks whitewashed, wooden roof beams, what 'looks' like the underside of a thatched roof (but not borne out by other views - although there may have been a re-roofing), 'clutter' on the walls (note the workmens jackets), stone blocks piled everywhere - some with 'setting-out' lines on them and of course the workmen themselves.

 

The main construction material will be 'Depron foam' which I've mentioned elsewhere. Used by our allies the flying aero modellers, it is an extremeley light semi-dense urethane foam (you can also find it at 'fast food outlets' holding chips!). Importantly from our perspective, it takes a pencil-line indent so is ideal for representing stonework whilst at the same time being thick enough not to require multiple layers if constructed in styrene. This model will infact have two layers, enabling a 12" thick wall to be represented and at the same time presenting the opportunity to embed raftering timbers etc.

 

post-3469-0-56757200-1335460541_thumb.jpg

 

The walls being initially marked out (note the designations of 'inner' & 'outer' ends and te recesses for the timber lintel).

 

post-3469-0-05303700-1335460545_thumb.jpg

 

The basic 'marking out' & cutting of the three walls is complete - this allows for

 

post-3469-0-92612800-1335460546_thumb.jpg

 

registering the quoins round the edges & corners

 

post-3469-0-00032400-1335460549_thumb.jpg

 

Timbering will be with actual timber... Amazing what you find in the deeper recesses of the modelling room! Various sizes of 'Northeastern' lumber - a relic of a long-ago project modelling US practice (and I think some 'Dollshouse' material as well!)

 

post-3469-0-92895500-1335460550.jpg

 

The main lintel was cut to length from 12" square timber & the same was used for the central column - this will be braced by 6x6 timber from the same souce -

 

post-3469-0-46450500-1335460552_thumb.jpg

 

So this is the progress for today (so far). All the stonework has been scribed. The interior has been 'washed over' with very dilute 'dark grey' acrylic, which 'lifts' the mortatr joins and 'grimes' the stonework in one pass. Next job (now the interior is dry) is to assemble the basic structure and paint the individual exterior stonework using a very limited palette of suitable acrylics.

 

Regs

 

Ian

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Progress on 'Shed A' has been steady this week -

 

post-3469-0-29808600-1335919188_thumb.jpg

 

The basic walls & main lintel unit were assembled - 'Depron' requires a 'limonene'-based adhesive. Similar to 'Evostik' but not so fierce!

 

post-3469-0-65223700-1335919191_thumb.jpg

 

The exterior walls were then painted with a very limited palette of acrylic colours - Tamiya ' Yellow-green' , Humbroll 'Matt Leather' & 'Matt Sand', with no colour being used 'raw'. The 'depron' can be seen peeping through the 'mortar', but this disappeared ubder a wash of Tamiya 'Matt grey' and the 'yellow-green' - well watered-down & allowed to flow.

 

The beams were washed-over with a similar mix to represent 'new wood'. At this stage I was starting to reconsider my options regarding the roof. I really wanted some way to draw the audience into the detail inside the building. The logical step was to portray the roof being re-tiled.

 

At one time I marketted various architectural details, laser printed on adhesive paper. So back to the computer files and run off a couple of sheets of tiles. These are in individual strips, complete with an 'overlap' mark. The strips were then laid on a thin card base suitably scribed with guide-lines -

 

post-3469-0-85824300-1335919194_thumb.jpg

 

which then became the laths onto which tiles are normally pegged.

 

post-3469-0-59650500-1335919198_thumb.jpg

 

By the time the interspaces had been removed, it was becoming very much a 'spiders web'. However I used the old styrene trick of leaving the end bar in place until the very last.

 

post-3469-0-22695800-1335919201_thumb.jpg

 

The laths were then painted with the wash as described above & the roof partly fixed in place. Looks distinctly decrepeit! However,

 

post-3469-0-56000400-1335919203_thumb.jpg

 

a little 'fast-grab' PVA resolved that!

 

Another time-consuming job was prepping the stacks of tiles that would be placed on the laths. Tile strips were again cut & stuck to thin card -

 

post-3469-0-40899700-1335919210_thumb.jpg

 

and then individual tiles removed , glued in stacks complete with a tile 'leg', and the exposed ends washed with dilute 'matt sand'

 

post-3469-0-00288100-1335919207_thumb.jpg

 

Last job was to add the stacks to the laths and add the ridge tiles (again from the range).

 

post-3469-0-89970100-1335919213.jpg

 

So now the shell of Shed 'A' is basically complete. There is obviously a lot of internal detail still to go in - but hopefully it will be able to be seen. Of course it also provides the basis for another scene - the tilers at work. The building also needs ' toning-down' with weathering powders - this will be done when the whole unit (building 'C' & shed 'B') is completed. Shed 'B' will be a close copy of Shed 'A'. Potential for a very run-down roof (corrugated iron etc)........

 

Regards

 

Ian

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  • 3 months later...

Hmm, cannot believe it has been three months! However, major rebuilding has been in progress (12"-Ft - type) which has resulted in a) lack of modelling time & disruption to services including internet access. However I have now completed building 'B' and this entry will show how it was done....

 

Building 'B' is designated as the 'office suite' and is based on an example from Corsham...

post-3469-0-03293800-1345503028.jpg

 

Unusually for a 'stone building' area it appears to be made from brick. Therefore the model carcase is made from 30-thou plasticard faced with 'SE Finecast' 'English-bond' brickwork. First - make the windows...

 

These are made using computer-generated glazing bars & frames printed on adhesive paper & various grades of card, dependent on the thickness of frame required -

post-3469-0-97521000-1345502939.jpg

 

First job is to cut out the template provided for each aperture and affix it to the walling in the right place & having care for bonding -

post-3469-0-04376500-1345502943.jpg

 

Then cut round the template -

post-3469-0-88953700-1345502936.jpg

 

Repeat for all other openings, and the carcase can then be assembled and painted (avoids getting styrene solvent & paint on the windows) -

post-3469-0-23078500-1345502945.jpg

 

(the 'roof' is detachable at this stage for easy access - the corners of the walls have been braced by right-anged offcuts of styene).

 

Work now commences on the windows & doors proper - I will only show a generic example here, all the other apertures were similarly treated.

 

The casement inner & outer frames are cut from card

post-3469-0-47625000-1345502947.jpg

 

and the outer overlaid on the inner (provide the recess for the glazed opening casements)

post-3469-0-48578400-1345502949.jpg

 

The casement frames are then inserted in the building from the rear -

post-3469-0-74202900-1345502956.jpg

 

The casement glazing bars are then removed complete from their backing sheet & overlaid on clear styrene -

post-3469-0-02557900-1345502959.jpg

 

The 'panes' are then carefully cut round and 'picked' off the styrene -

post-3469-0-02820700-1345502961.jpg

 

post-3469-0-34667700-1345502964.jpg

 

The completed casements are then inserted in the frame. wire can be used to represent metal fastenings.

post-3469-0-61138400-1345502999.jpg

 

The advantages to the system are

a. All the windows/doors of one type are identical - generate one on the computer then copy!

b. It only takes a modicum of skill (and a scalpel) to acheive fine glazing bars (they are all the same width - see (a) and being stuck to the glazing material cannot wander...

 

On to the roof - and more adhesive sheeting! Tiling is generated in single rows and printed in a suitable colour. I also place a faint 'guidline' 1/3 of the tile height - this allows accurate placing of subsequent rows.

 

The roof obviously has a 'substructure' of styrene nad I place suitable guidelines across this ass well (although after the first couple of rows they're not really neccessary) -

post-3469-0-56930400-1345503003.jpg

 

The tiling strips are then cut out complete with the backing. The individual tiles are cut through up to the a/m guideline, a suitable length cut from the strip, the backing removed and the strip affixed to the roof. Continue up the roof remembering that the second tiles lie directly over the first but offset half a tile width -

post-3469-0-76390900-1345503006.jpg

 

When the tiling has been completed the roof can be fixed in place-

post-3469-0-69873900-1345503009.jpg

 

All thats needed is coping tiles... These are computer generated but on thin plain card and (carefully) formed round the scalpel handle-

post-3469-0-16795600-1345503012.jpg

 

They are the cut out and affixed individually with PVA.-

post-3469-0-31313600-1345503014.jpg

 

Because of the pyramidal shape of the roof the apex was finished off with flashing (more adhesive paper) and a 'finial ball'. If adding coping to a sloping ridge do not forget the 'retaining irons'-

post-3469-0-83280200-1345503017.jpg

 

Last job is the guttering. 'Evergreen' 'half-round' rod was stuck down to the bench with strong double-sided tape and the channel gouged out -

post-3469-0-66458300-1345503020.jpg

 

When fixed to the roof and the chimney pots added -'Evergreen' tube with rims from (you guessed it) adhesive paper -

post-3469-0-81492400-1345503022.jpg

 

the building is essentially complete. Down-pipes and other ancilliary plumbing still needs to be added but that will take place just before final placement (less to be knocked off)!

 

Right, on to 'building 'C'. This will be in correy- corra- wriggly tin(!) on a wood frame & will house the 'power' for the works (a stationary boiler) powering a stone saw etc.

 

Hopefully not so long (in time or entry!)!

 

Regs

 

Ian

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  • 2 weeks later...

So on to building 'C'.....

 

Take one traction engine -

 

post-3469-0-41650200-1346447157.jpg

 

and cut its bunker off...

 

post-3469-0-01966700-1346447160.jpg

 

As it will also be minus it's road wheels (being a 'stationary engine'!) it will need some form of physical support to keep the boiler from falling over..

 

post-3469-0-82700700-1346447163.jpg

 

out with the plastikard --

 

post-3469-0-05670400-1346447168.jpg

 

The engine would have been partially walled in - and the walls will also take the framework for the corrugated (there - I can spell it!) iron cladding, so the outer walls are now under construction from 'Finecast' 'English bond' brick sandwiching a 60 thou thickener -

 

post-3469-0-32747700-1346447171.jpg

 

post-3469-0-31484400-1346447176.jpg

 

The eagle-eyed among you will have noticed that the 'stationary engine' needs more gubbins - however, having mucked up a couple of parts I'm off to the shops tomorrow to buy a new one!

 

TTFN

 

Ian

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I indicated above that the 'original' boiler would be replaced - so here is the replacement -

 

post-3469-0-71620000-1346842016.jpg

 

One area that needed modification was the access to the 'ashpan' - so having removed the coal bunker a new ashpan access was fabricated -

 

post-3469-0-29281600-1346842018.jpg

 

the door will be added once the unit is finally placed.

 

I am not happy with the piston/conrod representation on the model (in fact there is none!) so, despite the fact this area will be hidden under the roof, I will need to fabricate it. Fortunately a search of the web revealed a wealth of images, and an example of an 1874 engine appears about right.

 

Talking of the roof which will be of corrugated iron - courtesy of 'Ambis Engineering' ( http://www.ambisengineering.co.uk/Scenery.htm ) - some experimentation was called-for to give the correct air of dilapidation.

 

The product comes in strips a scale 8' wide & about 25' long so the strips were first cut to 8'x4' sheets -

 

post-3469-0-14318700-1346842020.jpg

 

The trial piece was then dipped in Ferric Chloride (available from 'Maplins' - check the PCB board area) normally used for etching circuit boards. A 'dip' of about 30 mins produced

 

post-3469-0-91678300-1346842021.jpg and some stained fingers & shorts :scratchhead:

 

which was deemed sufficient at this stage. 'Mass production' then commenced which led to a fair variation in the effect.

 

post-3469-0-01665800-1346842024.jpg

 

A frame will be soldered up from various grades of brass strip & the panels soldered to it. I will then investigate methods of making various holes in the sheets (probably using a combination of fine drills & more Ferric Chloride).

 

So I'd better get on with it!

 

Regs

 

Ian

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I do like the distressing on those corrugated sheets - very impressive (Oh, and Maplin have just opened a new store within 500m of my house :imsohappy: )

 

Cheers Stubby - makes a change from spending pennies at the model shop....

 

Regs

 

Ian

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If only it was only pennies I spent !

 

I'll second that ;)

Of course, I always tell SWMBO "but it was only pennies!" ;)

 

Ian, I like this idea

There's some nice modelling going on there already

I'll be watching this with interest - it's something a little bit different

 

But I think you really should scratchbuild the little loco....

Or better still....

A motorised horse!

 

.... I'll get my coat :)

 

Cheers

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Hi Marc/Stubby

 

Thanks for that. I've got the loco definitely in mind - even got a tiny 'Maxon' motor to power it. Whether it'll get done before the comp ends is another matter! as to the horse - well there'll be a nice display of roses outside the office windows!

 

Regs

 

Ian

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On with the stationary engine's working gubbins...

 

First job - arrange a connection between the cross-heads and the driving axle. I decided not to replace the cross-heads - they are (just about) represented on the kit & I doubt whether replacing them would be time-effective. A problem arose with the 'big ends' -

 

post-3469-0-09671800-1346936438.jpg

 

as the axle was already in place. Again I compromised, cutting a slot rather than removing/replacing the axle. Same considerations as above..

 

post-3469-0-42084300-1346936440.jpg

 

Thought was then given to some of the other metalwork visible in some of the photos. 20 thou plastic road passing through a new 'dashboard' would suffice, but first -

 

post-3469-0-44918400-1346936447.jpg

 

a somewhat unprototypical hole in the steamchest needed filling -

 

post-3469-0-41137500-1346936448.jpg

 

then various operating rods could be represented. I also realised that the operation mechs would be somewhat altered from those of a traction engine as there's no bunker to stand in!

 

post-3469-0-99019300-1346936449.jpg

 

post-3469-0-04305700-1346936452.jpg

 

I think a footplate of some description is inevitable anyway, positioned between the firebox door & the ashpan, but as with the ashpan door, this will be a job for Ron (later ron :declare: ).

 

Still a few gaps to fill with 'Milliput' and a blast over with matt black I think.

 

Right, on with the shelter in all it's dilapidated glory...

 

Regs

 

Ian

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'I've been framed, guv'... Well in the case of the stationary engine, very true!

 

The framework consisting of two pitched roofs at rightangles (you'll see what I mean in a minute) and a large flat roof (future installment) would have to be of soldered construction because of the corrugated iron. So out with the trusty TC iron and some rather expensive brass milled angle.

 

post-3469-0-12617800-1347315428.jpg

 

At the point illustrated the main frames are together, and the middle longditudinals have been added, Whilst 'wonky' they do add to the dilapidation (more as a result of poor soldering than design - for some reason even at max heat the iron would not bite). So the TC iron went to bed and out came the RSU (or mini arc welder as I call it).

 

The lower longditudinal can be seen as one piece, notched to take the verticals. Slipped into place with some drops of solder paste, on with the RSU an WAMMO - job jobbed...

 

post-3469-0-57228900-1347315430.jpg

 

Just for a trial I added some of the previously-treated corrugated sheets and was fairly pleased with the result.

 

The same technique was used for the two roof ridges, and

 

post-3469-0-36795200-1347315432.jpg

 

I've even added some more wriggly tin...

 

post-3469-0-27141000-1347315435.jpg

 

Whilst all this was happening I was also experimenting..... A previous post stated ' once the sheets are in place I'll attack them with small drills etc to open up more holes'.....

 

Lets try a more 'techy' approach -

 

post-3469-0-10834000-1347315437.jpg

 

Sheets of corrugated were covered with 'Maskol' - unevenly on one side but completely coated on the other. Once dry they were popped into a ferric chloride solution (for the technically-minded I added four teaspoons of FeCL crystals to three teaspoons of warm water. The mix goes a fluorescent yellow - as did SWMBO after she stirred her tea with the same spoon :angel: !)

 

They were left to soak for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. When I could see patches of clear Maskol, I stopped the reaction by dropping in cold water & gently agitating.

 

When dried on tissue, the Maskol was (mostly) removed and

 

post-3469-0-89234600-1347315438.jpg

 

'Voila'! I'm quite impressed with the result - and it only cost me an old paintbrush. I think I'll be able to get more 'Maskol' off by soaking the sheets in acetone. The next trick will be to solder therm in place!

 

Being serious for a minute I'm fairly certain this is not a new idea. I seem to remember an article by Dave Rowe in the model press some years ago about using 'Maskol' in a similar fashion when he built a model of a sand-hopper. I cannot remember whether he used it in conjunction with multiple layers of paint, or whether he used this method. Very impressive tho'. (If anyone remembers the article, feel free to chime in).

 

(authors note - no wives were hurt in the making of this article)(Just in case you were wondering....)

 

Regs

 

Ian

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