Kiwi_Ed Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Hello Jesse, I've been following your layout with great interest! Great execution of Minories (the best one I've seen so far!) and excellent modelling. I have one question: how much ballast did you use? I really like the ballast you are using and I would like to use it on my - yet to be build - small layout, as the ballast is sold in different quantities/weights and because I need it shipped to Ireland I would like to get a fair idea on how much I would need. This would save me from being stuck with buckets of ballast and having to pay extra postage because of the weight or the other way around, me not having enough so I would need to buy more and spent more on postage.. Keep on the good work and thanks! Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 (edited) I think the signal needs to go back a bit so it is on the flat part of the platform. But someone will probably come up with a photo that proves it possible. Colour of the brickwork looks good. But I'm not sure about stretcher bond. I think that there should be some headers. Thanks! I found a couple examples of platform starters placed on ramps, that shouldn't look too odd. I agree that the bond is probably incorrect, but I don't think that's really visible when finished and besides, I'll just blame Mr. Peco. What site did you do or get your track plans from I used Anyrail to scale the classic Minories plan to N and fit it on two 60x20 cm baseboards. You'll probably be able to find plenty of other Minories plans using the search function on this forum. Hello Jesse, I've been following your layout with great interest! Great execution of Minories (the best one I've seen so far!) and excellent modelling. I have one question: how much ballast did you use? I really like the ballast you are using and I would like to use it on my - yet to be build - small layout, as the ballast is sold in different quantities/weights and because I need it shipped to Ireland I would like to get a fair idea on how much I would need. This would save me from being stuck with buckets of ballast and having to pay extra postage because of the weight or the other way around, me not having enough so I would need to buy more and spent more on postage.. Keep on the good work and thanks! Ed Thanks Ed, though I think that's too much honour. There are some excellent Minories layouts around of a quality I could never achieve. So far I haven't actually used that much ballast: just a 250 gr bag that has ... let me weigh it... 86 gr. left in it. Some more ballast will be needed to fill in some areas around the tracks, but as I'll use a mix of this Porhyr dunkelbraun and a lighter colour for that this single bag would probably suffice. And for those interested, this is all modelling I managed to do this week: a little tool to fit the platform sides at the correct distance. Edited March 18, 2016 by Jesse 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium maq1988 Posted March 18, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 18, 2016 Nice work, to echo others you've done a grand job on the ballasting and colouring of the track work so far. When operating are you going to use auto-uncouplers for the loco hauled stock or will it be a 'hand of god' arrangement? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 Hi, I fitted my stock with Dapol magnetic couplers and intend to install some magnets for uncoupling (indicated with O's in post # 86). So hopefully no need for hands of God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Ed Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Hello Jesse, thanks for your reply. That would save me some money for actual trains... Are we going to see your platform edge distance tool in action? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 19, 2016 Author Share Posted March 19, 2016 (edited) You're welcome Ed. This is how the little tool works (and also its first test ): Some scraps of plastic, cut off in a square angle, are placed a couple of centimeters apart along the track, all the same distance from the rails. Then the platform sides are glued against them. I use standard Peco platform sides, but lowered them a bit by cutting along the bottom flange and filed little triangles out of the top flange to make bending them easier. This alteration means they need some kind of support to keep them upright, hence the scraps of plastic. A check with the Peco tool: that looks about the right distance! Edited March 19, 2016 by Jesse 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 20, 2016 Author Share Posted March 20, 2016 Hmm, too much red? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted March 20, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2016 Looks OK to me. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi_Ed Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Looks perfectly all right in that photo! (could be different in real life, but from what we can see in the photo that looks great!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) Okay, forget about the platform tool, that didn't quite work. For straight platforms it's a perfectly fine method, but for the curved platforms on my layout I couldn't quite get it to work. The forces on the bits of plastic are too big for the slowly setting liquid plastic glue. They kept coming loose. So I need something stronger to keep the platform in place. Perhaps this will work: I glued bits of plastic at a square angle to the back side of the platfoms, like the flange that was on there originally. The little holes will be used to nail the platform sides to the baseboard. I'll let the joins set for the night and try this method tomorrow. That should stay in place. Edited March 22, 2016 by Jesse 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangor Lad Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 have you tried warming the platform edges in hot water to introduce some pre-bend before fixing the layout? I've used this technique to take some of the stresses out of plastic sheet when making curved walls or corrugated iron roofs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost of IKB Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Colour looks fine, but is it still a bit high? From that shot it looks like the platform edge is higher than the bottom of the door on the coach. If that was the case the passengers couldn't get out as the doors wouldn't open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 have you tried warming the platform edges in hot water to introduce some pre-bend before fixing the layout? I've used this technique to take some of the stresses out of plastic sheet when making curved walls or corrugated iron roofs. No I haven't, but it sounds like an idea that could have prevented a lot of frustration . Will definately give it a try, thanks! Colour looks fine, but is it still a bit high? From that shot it looks like the platform edge is higher than the bottom of the door on the coach. If that was the case the passengers couldn't get out as the doors wouldn't open. You're right, the platform edge is too high in this picture. It placed it on top of the ballast for the colour check, the edge will be a couple of mm's lower when fixed permanently. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 Nailed it! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 31, 2016 Author Share Posted March 31, 2016 Preparing and painting the rest of the platforms using the same combination of Railmatch, Revell and Anita Decor acrylics. All at a relaxed pace so not much progress to show. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jesse Posted April 3, 2016 Author Popular Post Share Posted April 3, 2016 (edited) This weekend I managed to install most of the platform sides; the shape of the station is finally becoming visible. I'm quite happy with the curving shape of the platforms. With the buffer stops and the sloped ends the platforms have turned out to be a bit shorter than originally planned, but I'm glad they're at least long enough for a 3-car DMU. The overall roof should help disguise their limited lenght on the finished layout. Edited April 3, 2016 by Jesse 25 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 Excellent work, with a really nice flow to the trackwork. Platforms are looking terrific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted April 7, 2016 Author Share Posted April 7, 2016 Very happy with the latest addition to my fleet! I am getting more and more tempted by the BR blue period, resulting in the recent purchase of this 3 car Class 108. Perhaps a couple of Suburban coaches next? Having just read the article on Tom Cunnington's Minories I must conclude they'll go rather well with this layout . 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 (edited) Today some new Dapol signals arrived from the UK (half of them not working), and I have just finished installing the platform 1 starter. The mechanism just fits between the two point motors, which was something I was a little worried about, but most importantly: the signal appears to be sufficiently visible from the drivers eye of a departing train. So that's a relief!My plan is to build the platform ramp around the base of the signal, taking off a little of the lower part of the ladder. The idea for the platform 2/3 starter is to cut off the upper parts of two Dapol signals, and place them as dolls on a P&D Marsh LMS lattice post junction signal base. No idea if it will look like any prototype signal (or if it will work at all), but it's worth a try. And besides, it puts my defective Dapol signals to good use. Edited April 12, 2016 by Jesse 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Boco_D1 Posted April 13, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 13, 2016 This really is starting to look superb now. Will be interesting to see how you get on with your Dapol hybrid signal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 (edited) Being one of the most important scenic features on the layout, the bridge looked a little dull in view. Mostly because of the fact that the adjoining walls were about the same height as the bridge itself. I've been working on some added decorative elements which, I think, make it look a bit more interesting. Edited April 15, 2016 by Jesse 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium maq1988 Posted April 15, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 15, 2016 I think the bridge looks better with the addition of the higher pillars. The ballasting is superb. Can I ask how you've crafted the coping stones for the bridge walls? Looks like they are carved from a single strip of plasticard? Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 Thanks Martin. You're right, I made the coping stones from plasticard strips, some (like on top of the abutment) glued together in an L-shape. The individual stones were shaped using small files and sandpaper. I tried not to work too neatly to give the stones a more natural look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempfix Rich Papper Posted April 24, 2016 Tempfix Share Posted April 24, 2016 Hi Jessie. I'm really enjoying reading this, and I'll echo what others have said - the detailing is superb. I doubt I could even put an N gauge model on the track! Keep up the good work - looking forward to seeing more. Rich 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted April 25, 2016 Author Share Posted April 25, 2016 Thanks Rich! Though I feel like I'm still doing the structural work, the detailing is yet to come... By the way, I'm having a wonderful evening over here playing with my trains ('testing the layout'), amazed my dodgy soldering has held and everything is still working as it should. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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