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Arbroath Station


Aberbrothock
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  • 2 weeks later...

The block of 1952 vintage flats is now beginning, finally, to take shape - two pics attached of today's progress, with still much to do re windows, doors and curtains,etc., - and the roof!

 

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It's almost like coming out of hibernation...........

 

 

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Just a minor diversion.........

A friend is passing on an old tinplate Hornby station building, and I've posed a rusty loco and coaches beside it just for effect.

 A hint of the way things were many years ago!

 

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Now to get back to assembling my block of flats for the "real" layout.

 

Pics to follow soon - honest!

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Very much of interest - a lovely study of the C16 going about its lawful business - and with 6 coaches rather than the usual 4 - it must have been a busy service then.

Also of interest is the building above which shows itself as a taxi office - in my researches, and memory, it was Swan Office Supplies, but clearly had at least one previous use.......

Many thanks, Ken

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No problem, but it's John!

Very much of interest - a lovely study of the C16 going about its lawful business - and with 6 coaches rather than the usual 4 - it must have been a busy service then.

Also of interest is the building above which shows itself as a taxi office - in my researches, and memory, it was Swan Office Supplies, but clearly had at least one previous use.......

Many thanks, Ken

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After what seems like an age - about 4 months or so, the "Coronation" flats, originally built in 1952 are nearing completion.

Here are some shots, firstly of the real thing recorded in 1973, followed by my interpretation, posed in the garden as it was a good afternoon light-wise - and it's a good way of seeing any glaring parts requiring tidying up - there are a few! 

 

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The black and white detail shot captures the post-war austerity style of building quite well.

Now they need to be tidied up and installed on the layout - pics to follow............

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"Planted" the flats on the layout this morning and attach two pics - one colour one b&w - the same shot, but they have quite a different effect......

 

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Sorry about the conflicting signal indications - the post came off worst in a collision while I was cleaning the track, and I need to glue it together again.

The arms do work remotely, but I also have the Model Signal Engineering parts to assemble a much more correct gantry/array on the embankment just before the signal cabin, which will show the NBR setup complete with calling on arms, shunt signals, etc.

Just a matter of soldering up the parts, then!

 

However, the flats do fill in the upper level of the "gullet" quite nicely.

 

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Further to my previous post, I have now embarked on the ex NBR lattice post signals which used to guard the northbound approach to Arbroath.

For sighting purposes, they were mounted on the up side of the cutting and will be a most imposing addition to the layout when completed.

 

So far I've made up the basic posts, and still have the angled struts to make for the base and access platforms, the very long ladder to the tall post top, plus the highly distinctive NBR arms.  (The long ladder will be a pain to do as all of the holes for the rungs have to be drilled out prior to the rungs being soldered in - ho hum....)

 

I may or may not link them to remote control, but they will be fully wired to the balance weights and provision made for below baseboard movement.

At the very least they will be able to be posed for their various indications for photographic purposes.

 

Here's a pic of progress so far - I have yet to receive the brass angle strip to make up the lower struts, but I hear they have now been despatched, so no excuses for lack of progress in the next week or so!

 

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It's almost a week since I posted the first images of the signal gantry, and today some assembly was done, giving a better impression of the finished article, although quite a bit remains to be done - only one hand burn and a couple of finger punctures with the axle wire for the balance weight arms - nothing serious enough to go into the accident book so far............

 

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Work o/s involves ladders/platforms, operating wires, arm fitting, painting and probably at least six other jobs I haven't even thought of yet!

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Prior to painting, the assembly has been cleaned, and most of the "non-arm" parts are now in place.

The ladder from the top of the central post will be plastic - heresy, I hear you say! - and will be fitted after the first white coat.

There will also be some planking, also plastic, along the upper girder section to allow access for maintenance.

 

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It will be quite an impressive structure........

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Are there no intermediate stays (at 1:1 scale ~ 2" x 0.2" ?) between the ladder and the tall post?

Going by my only photo of the signal in situ in 1958, it's difficult to see what  provision was made - there is a platform at the upper girder section for anyone climbing the ladder to get round and on to that platform, but another photo of  a high signal at Reedsmouth Junction does have couple of stays, so for the safety of my S & T staff, I'll add a couple in.

I'll also need to add a wire rail at each platform at the top of the taller posts.

I'd better at least pay lip service to H&S rules although they hadn't yet been enacted.

You're just giving me more work!

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More work, I agree.....

But, it's before you've painted the signal, which in itself is an excellent piece of work.

 

I have a plenty of examples of items that I've had to strip etc., to add obvious (in hindsight) bits and pieces,

and there's still plenty of them left on the layout.

 

PS : I think you've captured the spirit of Coronation Flats very well, one of my aunties lived there in the 50's and 60's, before moving to the outskirts.

Edited by Penlan
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I've now added the long post stays and the railing at the top - I'll do a better pic tomorrow when natural lighting conditions are better.

The Coronation flats are my interpretation as the real ones are two separate L shaped blocks, but my space constraints dictated that I do them as one block, but the spirit of local authority post-war housing has been captured, IMHO....

 

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Thanks all for your interest and support.

 

 

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The Coronation flats are my interpretation as the real ones are two separate L shaped blocks, but my space constraints dictated that I do them as one block, but the spirit of local authority post-war housing has been captured, IMHO....

I agree, I posted one of the pictures to my cousins* in Arbroath* yesterday,

with a tag line of "..do you remember aunties place....",

they instantly knew what the model represented.  

* I still have a few first cousins living in Arbroath, there were 21 back in the 1950's.

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I agree, I posted one of the pictures to my cousins* in Arbroath* yesterday,

with a tag line of "..do you remember aunties place....",

they instantly knew what the model represented.  

* I still have a few first cousins living in Arbroath, there were 21 back in the 1950's.

You can fool some of the people some of the time...................

Many thanks.

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Tonight we had the first fitting of the painted arms, and posed the structure on the work table - it will look good on the layout, methinks - but the arms need to be connected to the balance weights - a tricky job of measuring and fitting, but not tonight!

 

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Now to check for "nasties"from the construction process..............

 

 

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Thought I'd try the beast in situ to see how it looks - the B&W version shows up better, so that the one I'm posting below.

Having wrestled with the operating wires, I decided for the time being that I could live with it being non-working, although the arms can be posed with differing aspects for photographic purposes.  It's either old age or just a reality check of what can be reasonably achieved in the time available, and with my somewhat ham-fisted attempts at precision wire measurement and cutting/fitting.

 

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I'll need to tidy up the backscene buildings, etc., to make the scene more realistic, but the gantry is a vast improvement on the rickety, (my fault, not Ratio's!), Ratio version which was forcibly removed before the new signals were put in place.

 

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Thought I'd try the beast in situ to see how it looks - the B&W version shows up better, so that the one I'm posting below.

Having wrestled with the operating wires, I decided for the time being that I could live with it being non-working, although the arms can be posed with differing aspects for photographic purposes.  It's either old age or just a reality check of what can be reasonably achieved in the time available, and with my somewhat ham-fisted attempts at precision wire measurement and cutting/fitting.

 

attachicon.gifNBR Gantry 7.jpg

 

I'll need to tidy up the backscene buildings, etc., to make the scene more realistic, but the gantry is a vast improvement on the rickety, (my fault, not Ratio's!), Ratio version which was forcibly removed before the new signals were put in place.

On reflection, I think I should move the telegraph post over to the left, as it seriously gets in the way of the photo shot........

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On reflection, I think I should move the telegraph post over to the left, as it seriously gets in the way of the photo shot........

Agreed, and that signal is very, very good.

The only caution I would make on the telegraph pole's new location,

is ensure the line of (imaginary) wires don't go through the signal post(s) etc.,  - Just one of my niggles.

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