Kirkallanmuir

[Caley Jim]

I do like the down pipe idea

It's one I read in an article somewhere years ago.  I thought it was common knowledge.

 

Jim

[airnimal]

I do like all the atmosphere you bring out with your models. Superb modelling.

[Caley Jim]

I do like all the atmosphere you bring out with your models. Superb modelling.

Thanks Airnimal. I don't try to make things pristine and perfect, but rather try to capture the character. This often means putting in what might at times seem insignificant details, such as the odd broken or slipped slate, not making everything a uniform colour,etc. All my wagons are hand lettered, mainly because when I started there were no suitable transfers, but now I feel that transfers would be too 'perfect'. Wagons were hand lettered in any case and the lettering is not always consistent. Also, those which have seen a bit of service often have the lettering rather faded with the body colour showing through.

 

Glad you like my efforts.

 

Jim

[Caley Jim]

Having finished off the mineral wagons half way through yesterday evening I turned my attention to the signal box etch, a photo of which can be seen here.

The main walls are a single piece which bends round with an extra layer folding down from the top to give thickness to the window mullions and provide tabs to support the floor.  There are also strips along the bottom of each wall which double in to stiffen them.

 

 

The half-etched strip up the back will have a strip of brick paper attached for the chimney.

 

So far, so good.

 

Jim

[nick_bastable]

what a productive chap you are unlike me 

 

Nick

[Caley Jim]

what a productive chap you are unlike me 

 

Nick

It goes in fits and starts,Nick.  Depends what time I get around other commitments. i expected to be out at a church meeting last night, but it was cancelled.  Today being miserable, wet and dreich and no grandparenting duties means I can get on a bit more.

 

Jim

[Caley Jim]

More progress this afternoon.  The floor and the two middle layers of the cabin walls are assembled.  These two layers form the window frames of the fixed windows and are partly half etched so as to form pockets for the glazing. The chimney breast and hearth have also been fitted.

 

 

This was a rather tight fit into the main shell, but after a bit of judicious filing it now slide in fairly easily.

 

 

I noticed the first problem at this stage.  The slots to locate the supports for the instrument shelf hadn't etched.  Checking the drawing showed that the software had 'filled' these in error and I hadn't noticed it!  I could see their locations, however, by the un-etched areas in the floorboard line, so I was able to make a small hole and then make that into a slot.

 

A further double layer fits inside this again, forming the inner mullions (they were 9" deep overall on the prototype) and the sliding windows in each corner.  I've made a couple of these in a partially open position.

 

 

At this stage these are just sitting in position, located by tabs that fit into slots in the floor.  Once everything is painted and they are glazed they will be glued in place, as will the door handle (it would project out and stop the floor unit sliding into place if fitted now).

 

As can be seen, the window astrigals are rather fragile and easily distorted.  One of the 'problems' with using CAD is that you can see things 'blown up' on the screen and they look ideal, but when you see them actual size they can be so delicate as to be almost impossible to use.

 

Next up some 'fiddley' bits.

 

Jim

[Nig H]

 

I noticed the first problem at this stage.  The slots to locate the supports for the instrument shelf hadn't etched.  Checking the drawing showed that the software had 'filled' these in error and I hadn't noticed it! 

 

As can be seen, the window astrigals are rather fragile and easily distorted.  One of the 'problems' with using CAD is that you can see things 'blown up' on the screen and they look ideal, but when you see them actual size they can be so delicate as to be almost impossible to use.

 

 

 

Jim

Hi Jim, I couldn't agree more with your comments. I find it hard work checking the tooling from the etchers for errors like wrong fills/ hatches, and more often than not I miss something on the test etches. Its when it happens on the production version that its a real nuisance. I've lots of bits that are impossible to use on my last set of test etches too.

 

Nig H

[Caley Jim]

The fiddly bits I mentioned above are the brackets supporting the walk-boards around the windows.  These are very fine and half etched, so only 5thou thick.  I had envisaged fixing these into their slots (the tabs are full thickness) and then attaching the boards on top of them, however it proved easier to attach the board along below the windows first, then fit the brackets.  Another wee problem arose in that the boards didn't quite meet properly at the corners, so I had to file a piece of scrap etch surround to just fit in the gap and solder that in.

 

 

 

I'm leaving the floor out meantime to avoid any further distortion to the glazing bars.

 

The brackets under the overhang are drawn exactly the same as those under the boards, but left full thickness so the look a bit more substantial.

 

Locking room windows next.

 

Jim

[Caley Jim]

Not much modelling time yesterday, but I got the locking room windows made up.  They are multilayered to give the depth,incorporate the sill and have 'pockets' for the glazing.  They plug into the apertures from the inside.

 

 

They are just sitting in place as they are another item which will be glued in once they are painted and glazed.

 

Roof next, which involves soldering over 30 wee brackets to the underside!

 

Jim

[Caley Jim]

Well, I told you there were a lot of them (32 to be precise) ! 

 

 

It's starting to look like a Caley box now! 

 

 

Especially when the roof is added. 

 

 

At this point the roof and it's internal supports/locators are just sitting in place as I need to check that the chimney will fit correctly before soldering them up.  The gap between the roof and the base is to allow me to fit in strips of styrene whose outer edges will be grooved and contoured to form the gutters.  The roof will be removable, but it's a tight fit and a faff to get back on, so it won't be coming off very often!

 

when I built the model of Haughhead junction box for 'Connerburn' c1970 I had to solder up the crawling board brackets from 5amp fuse wire and cut the roof ones from styrene sheet.  Much more accurate and consistent with etching!

 

I won't get much more done until Sunday evening now as we have a lot on this week end.

 

Hope this is not boring folk and thanks for all the kind comments and ratings.

 

Jim

[Argos]

It isn't boring at all Jim.

 

It is always interesting to see how others tackle modelling projects, it helps educate and refine my own approach.

I don't envy you doing those brackets though.....

 

Thanks

[Caley Jim]

It isn't boring at all Jim.

 

It is always interesting to see how others tackle modelling projects, it helps educate and refine my own approach.

I don't envy you doing those brackets though.....

 

Thanks

Thanks, Argos.

 

Surprisingly, I only lost one bracket to the carpet monster and that was one of the crawling board ones which shot off into the wide blue yonder when I cut the tab between it and its neighbour without putting my finger on it!  I did, of course, put plenty spares on the etch!

 

Jim

[John57sharp]

Keep the updates coming Jim, they are really inspiring.

 

Thanks

John

[Caley Jim]

Apologies for the hiatus in updates, but I was laid low yesterday by a bug that's doing the rounds up here.  Blinding headache, iffy tummy and generally feeling yuck!     Feeling much better today, so more progress.

 

On Sunday evening I got the chimney fitted and the roof fixed.  The latter only needed a little filed off the lower edge of the opening to fit round the chimney.

 

Work has now started on the stairs.  I etched a little jig to help with the assembly.

 

 

The slots along the bttom on one side are wide enough to take the depth of the treads, while the corresponding ones on the other side fit the tabs on the ends of the treads.  The jig is big enough to take the longest flight of steps.

 

The treads are threaded into the lower slots with their tabs engaged inthe small slots.

 

 

One side rail of the flight is then placed over the projecting tabs, making sure the correct face is outwards (in this case the inner rail for the upper flight).

 

(Sorry some of these shots are a bit fuzzy, they are crops from larger shots.  Bear in mind that this flight of steps is only c2cm x 2cm))

 

Once that is soldered to all the steps it is removed and located into the open slots on the edge of the jig.  A slot at the end allows the landing to be properly aligned.

 

 

The second side rail is then placed over the tabs and soldered on.  I'll be giving the jig a smear of vaseline before I do the other two flights.  Why...? Use your imagination!!

 

 

The completed flight of steps.

 

 

And finally the flight sitting on the side of the box with the heavy timber brackets supporting the top landing soldered to it.

 

 

I intend that the full set of stairs will be removable to make painting easier, being glued in place at the end.   Getting the brackets fitted in the correct place with only two small tabs holding the steps in place took several attempts, eventually resulting in the generous use of Blu-tac !

 

Jim

[bécasse]

That would be impressive in 4mm scale, in 2mm rather you than me!

[Branwell]

Really starting to look the part now, Jim.

 

By the way, where are the facilities going to be? Tis a long way down that staircase ...

[Caley Jim]

Really starting to look the part now, Jim.

 

By the way, where are the facilities going to be? Tis a long way down that staircase ...

Thanks.

 

According to Jim Summers' book, facilities were not always provided especially if there were some nearby, such as when the box was near or on a station.  In the case of Kirkallanmuir, there will be a toilet in the adjacent weighbridge office.

 

Jim

[Caley Jim]

To ensure that the stair sections all line up properly I need to have the support for the lower landing in its proper relationship to the box.  I've printed out a plan with the outline of the box, the four pillars of the support and the position of the bottom of the steps and attached it to a piece of hardboard to form a base.  A second printout is ready to fit on the layout.

 

Two strips of hardboard, which are a neat fit in the ends of the box, have been glued to the base to accurately locate it and holes drilled for two pegs which will project from diagonally opposite legs of the support.  The latter has been soldered up and fitted in place.

 

 

I've removed the locking room windows as they kept popping out when trying to fit the landing support brackets and I don't want them getting lost!      One has already had a sojourn under my desk!  The top flight of steps are held in place here with some Pritt Stick.

 

Jim

[Caley Jim]

Middle flight of stairs added along with the brackets under the second landing down.  A lot of cleaning up to do once the other flight is added.

 

 

Fitting the steps in the jig takes a wee bit of time as all traces of etch tag have to be removed from each long edge before they will slide through the slots, but it ensures everything is dead square.

 

Jim

[queensquare]

Lovely Jim. I am particularly fond of signal boxes and that's a really impressive example.

 

Jerry

[Caley Jim]

Thanks, Jerry. I take that as high praise coming from you. Thanks to my time spent as a teenager 'working' a box close to our then home I am rather fond of them myself!

 

Jim

[Caley Jim]

The stairs have now been completed, tidied up and cleaned. (I popped the windows back in for these photos.)

 

 

 

I couldn't resist the temptation to try it in situ on the layout.

 

 

When I was designing the etch, it was taking me so long that I began to question my sanity (no comment from you at the back please!) in going down the etch route as I began to think I would have been quicker just building it from scratch in styrene.  I now have no regrets as, among other aspects, the stairs and railings have turned out not only much neater and finer than I could have made in styrene, but much, much stronger.  It would take some serious effort to distort them, even slightly.  In styrene they would be very delicate.

 

On now to some interior detail, lever frame, instrument shelf and furniture (well, desk and chair).

 

Once again thanks for all the kind ratings.

 

Jim

[Northroader]

That does look really good, and when it goes on the layout, wow! Lovely skill.

[Branwell]

It was looking good before, but it looks even better in place on the layout