Layout design case study

[colin penfold]

No mate, although Pete 75c used some ratio stuff the other day and reinforced the view i took when i saw yours. I might just go with theirs. If i get to Aylesbury i'll see what's on offer.

[Guest]

Hi Colin. I had a Devil of a job using the plain arch mouldings with those Wills retaining walls. I just couldn't get them to curve properly and stick. I ended up using a thin sliver of the flexible Wills tunnel lining and that worked a treat.

[colin penfold]

Thanks Pete. I plan to use the brick infills flat so it will be a solid wall. There won't be any arches as such.

[colin penfold]

So I completed some mock up buildings today. This represents all the main structures except for the platform canopies.

 

 

 

 

 

Left to right: Masonic Hall, overbridge, Pub, corner shop, terraced house backs, ramp from street to rail level, water tower, bonded warehouse, goods office, city wall section with tower. Center front Bargate tower, goods shed, cattle dock foundations, weighbridge hut.

 

Might need to put some stock on and try some photos of posed trains. Looks OK so far though, quite well-balanced and urban.

Edited April 17, 2016 by colin penfold

[Clearwater]

Good of Amazon to provide mock-up materials!

 

Looks good

 

David

[colin penfold]

Mucking about this morning and decided to mock up City of Truro arriving at Bargate in 1957. Train formed of E159 brake compo (Bachmann collett) and D95 brake third L/H (Hornby Collett) either side of a third corridor (Bachmann Collett) subbing for a C67 third i don't have. I learned the formation of this service from friends over on A Nod to Brent. I wish i had the depth of knowledge to look at a photo and recognise every vehicle. At least i know a man who can! Thanks Nick Gough.

Edited April 29, 2016 by colin penfold

[Guest]

Any physical progress on those building mock-ups, Colin?

[colin penfold]

Any physical progress on those building mock-ups, Colin?

I think I have enough "proof of concept" so will probably go straight from what you've seen to full on buildings. They won't start to appear till i have track laid and operational throughout. Back with saw, drill and screwdriver in hand this weekend!

[colin penfold]

Spurred on by seeing a photo of a train of Sherman tanks leaving Southampton Docks, I have been amassing well wagons and tanks for an unusual train.

 

Yesterday I made up some tanks from Milicast and Airfix kits:

 

Crusader Mk.III 40mm Anti-Aircraft Tank Mk.I          

M3A3 Stuart turretless Recce Tank (Late)                                                                                        

Humber Mk.I/II Scout Car                                                                                                           

Sherman V (M4A4 Late production)                                                                                                          

Cromwell Mark IV

 

 

Here is the train mocked up. It represents elements of an armoured regiment headquarters squadron freshly delivered from the USA being shipped to its first deployment. Thanks to Sierd Jan (Trains and Armour) for his help with this

 

 

 

Next steps will be to paint the tanks, relivery the Q1 and get some sleepers and chains to fit the tanks properly onto the wagons. Crocodiles were used for this work until Warwells and Wartanks became available. When Bachmann bring theirs out I may get a couple for comparison.

[gwrrob]

Very nice Colin . You've sowed some seeds there.

[2ManySpams]

Very nice Colin . You've sowed some seeds there.

You're buying a Q1?

[colin penfold]

So, especially for Pete, I have done a small building. The nice weather has limited modelling time overall and made me reluctant to go into the man cave.

 

This seemed like a nice "above ground" project so I combined the Airfix water tower with a scratch built brick base. Pictured here with the cardboard mock-up that can be seen behind the platforms in previous pictures.

 

 

 

[Guest]

Quality bit of modelling there, Colin. Particularly like the weathering. Spot on!

[Cheshire001]

Re. post 309.

 

Not sure about these vehicles being an American division having just been delivered to Southampton.   Everything except the Stuart and Shermans was of British origin so they would not be imported in new condition and unlikely to have been serving with American units.   Suggest it may be safer to have the train going the other way, i.e. a British unit going to be embarked at Southampton?

 

On a more helpful note, if you have a copy of "The Living Model Railway" by Robert Powell Hendry.   On page 155 there is a picture of a Comet tank (bit like your Cromwell) loaded on a Warflat.   The turret is pointed to the rear and the (long) gun secured to the back decking on a support resembling an upturned 'V'.   The securing chains are fastened to the tank low down on the rear of the body between the drive sprockets and are crossed over to form an 'X'.   Under the rear of the body it looks like part of the front mudguards are stowed.   Don't know why.   Looks like small triangular chock under the tracks but also two timbers place longitudinally behind them with 3 sleepers laterally between them.

 

Another picture shows a train of approx. 9 tanks loaded on Warflats with what could be 3 or 4 4-wheel vans behind the loco and of course a brake van on the end.   Got a feeling I have read somewhere that there could also be a coach for the crews. 

[Guest nzflyer]

I'm set to follow your progress Colin 

[colin penfold]

Elsewhere in these hallowed pages i am doing a couple of full brake builds. An LNER one for a pigeon special and an ex LSWR one for a parcels train. I am at the stage of weathering them and to be honest i've never weathered a vehicle. I thought i ought to try the technique on an old cheap open wagon first.

 

Before

 

 

After but with no "Klear"

 

 

 

Finally a test side brushed with Klear

 

 

 

 

I would welcome opinions. I was worried the Klear would dry shiny if not glossy but Im quite pleased with it. I do feel the brush application took some of the weathering powder off. I have just sprayed the other side with Klear using a trigger pack so will see how that dries.

[Guest]

It looks great Colin. Spraying the varnish is probably the best bet, as I can't help thinking you're right...  brushing it on would surely remove some of the weathering. I've never weathered a vehicle either, but on buildings etc, I'm quite keen on Humbrol Acrylic Matt Varnish in those little rattle cans. I'm always impatient and it dries in seconds!

[colin penfold]

I decided as the weather continues to be nice I would try to do one more above ground project before returning to tracklaying in the man cave.

 

Southampton Bargate's station building is based on the rather impressive building erected at Winchester Chesil by the DNS. See the mockup in post 304 above

 

First job was to make templates for cutting out the windows and doors. The walls will be 1mm plastic card with 0.5mm embossed brick plastic card layered on top. This is the wndow one, showing the pattern for marking the brick (outer) layer and 1mm (inner) layer

 

 

The windows and doors from York Modelmaking are in three layers. The top layer represents the outer frame and sits nicely in the brick. The other two layers make up the depth of the doors and windows, and sit in the 1mm plastic card inner layer. This shows how it works with the window

 

 

 

And this shows the final effect on the doors. I cant recommend York Modelmaking highly enough. See the relevant thread in small suppliers and you'll find I'm not the only one.

 

 

I then cut the main shell of the building from the 1mm plastic card and had a test

 

 

 

Now begins the long job of cutting out the window openings from the 1mm layer, which is really tough. I follow the "multiple shallow cuts" method and trust me - there were a lot of cuts!  Still this is the hardest one (the three window bay) and there's only two of them ) 

 

 

More anon

Edited September 11, 2016 by colin penfold

[MikeHohn]

For me the single most unpleasant job in modeling with plastic card is cutting out windows and doors. However, when you are using a sub wall to which you will be adding an embossed layer you can speed things up by scribing the outlines of the openings, with scribes in one direction extending the full width or height of the wall. Then you bend and snap all the pieces apart, discard the pieces where openings are, and gluing things back together. Then you add the embossed brick layer and cut out windows etc.

 

Perhaps you know this already.

[colin penfold]

For me the single most unpleasant job in modeling with plastic card is cutting out windows and doors. However, when you are using a sub wall to which you will be adding an embossed layer you can speed things up by scribing the outlines of the openings, with scribes in one direction extending the full width or height of the wall. Then you bend and snap all the pieces apart, discard the pieces where openings are, and gluing things back together. Then you add the embossed brick layer and cut out windows etc.

 

Perhaps you know this already.

 

Thanks for the suggestion Mike but I wouldn't be happy doing that. Firstly the reason for creating a sub structure is for strength. The embossed brick layer is not that thick so the strength of the structure lies in the shell. If I cut it up it will lose lots of its strength. Also the windows are very close together in a number of locations which would make a very weak point when scoring and snapping. You will see what I mean in the photo above - the two uprights between windows are very narrow. Of course (note to self) had I commissioned the windows as doubles and triples for the relevant locations it might have cost more but I'd have only needed one bigger hole!.

 

Thanks for your interest

Edited September 13, 2016 by colin penfold

[MikeHohn]

You are right about that. The score and snap technique requires bracing, sometimes a lot for large structures. I generally use a lot of bracing, but maybe I'm a belt and braces kind of guy.

 

I enjoy watching your progress.

Edited September 13, 2016 by MikeHohn

[colin penfold]

Not bad progress on Bargate station buildings this weekend.

 

Did a bit too much cutting out yesterday. Got all of the forecourt side and both ends done, but at the expense of sore, numb fingers, and this rather odd double blister

 

 

Anyhow, looking promising

 

 

So I decided today that I should give my fingers a rest from cutting out windows and crack on with the roof. I broke out the calculator and schoolboy Pythagoras

 

 

I made some test paper templates

 

 

 

 

Then cut out all the bits from Plasticard and did a test assembly with Blutac. Very happy with progress

 

[colin penfold]

Hi all,

 

I am soon to start tracklaying and basic infrastructure on my Burghclere model and want to pre-wire the lighting

 

I have photos and diagrams showing the position of the platform gas lights in the 1930s. I also have a photo in 1951 which clearly shows the posts are still there but there are no lamp heads.

 

So, my question is, does anybody know when the gas lights were removed from DNS stations in general or Burghclere in particular?

 

Also, what arrangements were made to light the platform after removal? Photos would suggest nothing was done - presumably reliant on the illumination from the station building lights.

 

Thanks

[colin penfold]

Pressing on this weekend with the Bargate Station buildings.

 

I have cut out all the internal partition walls some of which sit either side of the structural partitions I have already made. The idea is that the roof and structure interlock with the floor and internal partitions (which will also include the interior detail)

 

Getting some initial painting and detailing done which will be harder once the shell starts to be assembled.

 

Firstly the chimney breasts and representations of fireplaces

 

 

 

 

Painted the internal partitions cream. Note the representation of the ticket window (apologies for the poor white balance)

 

 

 

Where the partition walls have doors in a basic representation of the door has been painted on the structural partition, and a doorway cut into the outer sheet. I drew a representation of panels onto the door

 

 

I also assembled and painted the excellent doors from York Modelmaking

 

 

and painted the dart castings clocks. 1 for the ticket office (staff) 1 for each waiting room and 1 for the main hallway. (They are a few minutes slow!)

 

 

 

Coming on OK but will soon be stopping this and returning to tracklaying - with Burghclere

 

 

[wizmacnz]

I'm following your thread with interest. Particularly interested in your use of York Modelmakers doors and windows, but was prompted to actually comment by the chimney breast and fireplace. Now I'm not particularly skilled or patient with a knife, so I started modelling my "trick bits" and having them 3D printed at Shapeways. I've also made all the models available for others to buy, and have adapted them when requested or even modeled brand new things for others if I think there will be a general demand for them. One of the things I've modeled is chimney breast with fireplace. Yours looks great, but mine is just plonk and stick. Anyway apart from just wanting to say "what an interesting thread", because my layout is back in the design stage, I thought you might be interested to know that there are quite a few of my plonk and stick items at https://www.shapeways.com/shops/modelrail if you are ever looking for some modeling time savers.