Swanley Junction - Large four track 4mm Southern electric DCC (30' x 12')

[Oldddudders]

6 hours ago, Greengiant said:

Bill,

The new station also has four platforms.

Martin

I think Bill means the 1939 new station, not the Kent Coast Phase 1 version. 

[Greengiant]

Shops and a pub have started to appear on the road bridge which disguises the exit to the southern most fiddle yard.

 

 

 

Martin

[Greengiant]

Houses that face the station along the back road now have front gardens. The Range Rover is a model of one that has sat on a driveway of a house in Orpington, rusting away since the late 70s.

 

 

 

Martin

[Greengiant]

Work has begun painting and weathering the station canopies.

 

 

A bit of the roofing has lifted on this one!

 

 

Martin

[muddy water]

Photos of pictures in the present day waiting room on Swanley station.

Did the post office have its own unique franking stamp?

[Greengiant]

Work has been continuing with the creation of the CAD files for laser cutting the Station footbridge step units. These consist of two sets of step units, made up of a sub base unit which performs the main structure support function as well as locations for the step treads themselves, to the outside of this will be laminated further laser cut panels which will contain the brick and framing details, packed out to various heights using laminations of card, at least that is the plan!

This is the CAD file for one unit..

 

 

The two sub base units taking shape, the step treads in one of them already installed, whether this is a worthwhile exercise or not I don't know because in reality I doubt you will be able to see much further than halfway up the first flight and only if you crouch down low enough and peer under the canopy.

 

 

Martin

[Dagworth]

Amazing work, really impressed to see this and not quite sure how I'd missed it!

 

Are you going to model the traffic lights on the junction end bridge? Gave me a hell of a scare one night, coming up from Otford I'd had greens all the way and then saw the red of the traffic light on the bridge in the dark. Emergency brake application until the green signal came into view!

 

 

Edit, they aren't on the bridge, but on the road next to the line and it's a pelican crossing  https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.3943545,0.1760958,3a,75y,286.25h,92.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWXtZng9vL2QAroIJjC4tlg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

 

Andi

Edited November 5, 2019 by Dagworth

[Greengiant]

5 minutes ago, Dagworth said:

Amazing work, really impressed to see this and not quite sure how I'd missed it!

 

Are you going to model the traffic lights on the junction end bridge? Gave me a hell of a scare one night, coming up from Otford I'd had greens all the way and then saw the red of the traffic light on the bridge in the dark. Emergency brake application until the green signal came into view!

 

Andi

Thank you Andi.

I think the traffic lights you refer to are actually pedestrian crossing lights. The road they are located on we have taken liberties with to fit on the curved boards and is now a roadway into what will be a builders yard.

 

Martin

[Dagworth]

Just now, Greengiant said:

Thank you Andi.

I think the traffic lights you refer to are actually pedestrian crossing lights. The road they are located on we have taken liberties with to fit on the curved boards and is now a roadway into what will be a builders yard.

 

Martin

See my edit in my post

 

Andi

[Oldddudders]

Andi's story reminds me of a driver who had had a comparable experience coming up through Sevenoaks Tunnel. He was approaching the portal when he saw red blinds - and naturally dropped everything, before realising some idiot had left them showing on a unit safely berthed in the up siding.

 

No driver needs this stuff! 

[Greengiant]

With all the steps installed in one unit...

 

 

...attention turned to the lower infill panels to complete the lower inner wall.

 

 

One of the side outer walls with cutouts for windows, doorway and raised panelling.

 

 

Some of the panels and frames along with a doorway frame.

 

 

Outer panel temporarily in place, brick pillars still to do, plus handrail bending and drilling jig to create.

 

 

Martin

[dj_crisp]

Some awesome stuff

 

What laser cutter do you use? It's an area I'm getting more and more tempted to learn

 

cheers

Will

[Greengiant]

3 hours ago, dj_crisp said:

Some awesome stuff

 

What laser cutter do you use? It's an area I'm getting more and more tempted to learn

 

cheers

Will

Thank you.

I use a diode laser, not as fast as a CO2, but takes up no more space than an A3 printer, can be easily picked up and put in a cupboard. The maximum material size I can get in is 500mm x 300mm, which is more than adequate for my needs. Generally I cut 2mm MDF, 3mm ply and heavy coloured card which does for my modelling needs. I usually work in 7mm and 16mm scales, but getting used to getting stuff done in 4mm the club layout.

I have an Emblaser 2, they now do a much cheaper version called the Emblaser Core, but this is not Class 1 laser machine, i.e. it does not have a safety cutout lid, so you need to wear protective glasses and/or make your own container.

 

Martin

[dj_crisp]

Thanks Martin

Very interesting read. Definetly something I need to have a go at

 

cheers

Will

[Greengiant]

I now have all the outer side pieces done, so I can start gluing these up and then onto painting.

 

 

In the main towers there is a small ventilation grill, I tried cutting these as they are but things were a little tight, so I opted to make them in two layers with offset bars. They were also cut with tabs so they will be easier to paint. This is a strip of offset bars with a few spares.

 

 

When two sets are laid over each other it gives the effect of much finer bars.

 

 

My next task it is draw the layers for the window frames, these will consist of a base layer of acetate and then probably three card layers to make up the frame shapes and thickness so they fit nicely into the recesses in the wall while not being too deep set back, well that's the plan!

 

Martin

[Greengiant]

Windows for the step units are made from three layers of laser cut card.

 

 

Then sprayed with Halfords white primer before being cut from the holding frames.

 

 

The brick walls have been sprayed with Halfords red primer.

 

 

Windows dropped in place to see how they will look.

 

 

Window cills, frames and panels in white primer, held in place with narrow double sided tape.

 

 

Martin

[Greengiant]

This Sunday we had the use of the village hall to test the layout. Basically it ran well with a few tweaks to do. We also decided on operator and controller locations, at least until we prove otherwise, but I think we have got them correct, only time will tell. Need to design and cut some mimic panel holders so they can be mounted between each pair of operators without getting tangled up in handset leads! What it did prove is that it is easy enough for four operators to control eight trains at the same time without being taxing, so we should have plenty of movement on the layout.

I need to do some research in to sound chips for the 4CEP units, anyone have any experience with these?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin

[KDG]

Layout looks grand. Is that Pratt's Bottom Village Hall? Might have been tipsey in there at a Stage Door Canteen do a couple of times.

[Greengiant]

19 minutes ago, KDG said:

Layout looks grand. Is that Pratt's Bottom Village Hall? Might have been tipsey in there at a Stage Door Canteen do a couple of times.

 

Thank you and yes it is.

 

Martin

[Oldddudders]

I recall being taken to the Bull's Head there for a pint or two. With the daughter of an engineer who Mr Reeve would have known - Allan Barter.

[paulr1949]

44 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I recall being taken to the Bull's Head there for a pint or two. With the daughter of an engineer who Mr Reeve would have known - Allan Barter.

I knew the engineer well, he lived less than half a mile down the road. Knew his son quite well too, but not the daughter.

The Bulls Head has just reopened after being "refurbished". Not been in there for a loong time

[ikcdab]

Great layout, well done looks fantastic. What radius curves have you used either end? I ask because I am looking at a new layout in a large shed and thinking about 1600mm as minimum radius. What did you go for?

[Greengiant]

40 minutes ago, ikcdab said:

Great layout, well done looks fantastic. What radius curves have you used either end? I ask because I am looking at a new layout in a large shed and thinking about 1600mm as minimum radius. What did you go for?

Thank you.

The outer curves are about 6’ radius, the inners about 5.5’ radius. The curves also have transition and superelevation which vastly improves the appearance of the trains as they negotiate the curves.

 

Martin

[Greengiant]

Have now painted the concrete bits and the lower darker brick courses.

 

 

Also tested out my proposed method of painting the bricks.

 

 

Also made a start on the painting and weathering of the infill parts.

 

 

Martin

[Greengiant]

Making good use the time I find myself with due to the current situation we are all in, I opted to paint and weather as much as possible before final assembly of the two stair units.

Having photos of the real thing is a great help when doing this.

 

 

In the flat and before the mortar is applied.

 

 

Gluing up of one side to the sub base unit, now mortar is applied, which is nothing more than very fine ready mixed filler with a few drops of coloured acrylic added, this is then wiped off carefully with a moist sponge with frequent washing.

 

 

These are the component parts of one of the wall infill panels, the thin black card is a packing piece for under the grey panel frame, this lifts it just proud of the brick wall surface. The panels on the right have been stuck on and you can see the frames just above the brick surface.

 

 

One complete side with a scalpel to give an idea of size. I am out of my comfort zone in 4mm, much prefer my normal 7mm and 16mm scales, but quite pleased with how they are turning out.

 

 

The pair of them now with the window frames installed plus the small trim strips at the very top of the walls, just under what will be the roof lip. Next is to cut the glazing, for which I have laser cut a template to make cutting easy enough, then it will be the roof pieces to do, then onto the main overbridge element.

 

 

Martin