Ripple Lane BR(E) East London 1980s/90s.

[Guest]

Thanks Rich. Enjoy your holiday!

The road deck is in place, as are the brick piers and steelwork around the tunnel. Need to make up and paint/weather the other main girder today and also some brick wall sections that meet the main girders. Not sure of the correct terminology - "parapet" walls? As usual, the long weekend got in the way of progress and I was dragged away to engage in more "normal" stuff. Beer was involved, so no great loss. Photos soon.

[Guest]

Well, I'm finally happy with the skew cantilever walkway thingie. Just needs some weeds and shrubs in the little triangular "dead space" between the bridge and backscene. Clearance is tight, but that's what I wanted. Makes everything look a little cramped. If I could only get the DMU to spew out a little dirty smoke from the exhausts as it exits the tunnel...

 

 

In the final shot, the buses are only there to provide a sense of scale. I'm not trying to make any kind of "bus on a bridge" statement, 'cos that would be silly...

 

[Guest]

I forgot to mention... when I was about to fix the road deck for the main span, it occurred to me that I should do something with the underside in case it's ever seen in any low-level shots. I spent a while on Google manoeuvering the little yellow "Streetview" man under various girder bridges because I had no idea what the underside looked like.

 

 

I then quickly decided that looked too complicated to replicate, especially as it would rarely, if ever, be seen. Needing to do something, I just glued some plastic strip to some plastic sheet and then painted and weathered it. I think I was very lazy and just sprayed the MDF with grey primer on North Street, so this is better than nothing.

 

[jonny777]

Excellent stuff. I have been considering something similar (but in stone) for my tunnel so your efforts are most inspiring.

 

I couldn't see any tunnel lining issues on the photos, but I bet you are glad that you don't have to do any tunnel weathering, as I wouldn't want to try and create this - http://kwvr.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/M79964-1602071-CK.jpg

 

My only worry with your dmu service, is for the passengers on the Limehouse to Colne service. Is the human body (moulded plastic) up to the trip?

 

 

 

[Guest]

I couldn't see any tunnel lining issues on the photos, but I bet you are glad that you don't have to do any tunnel weathering...

My only worry with your dmu service, is for the passengers on the Limehouse to Colne service. Is the human body (moulded plastic) up to the trip?

 

I did go to the bother of weathering it but it's basically "brown, with some added dirt", so not a lot of effort involved! There is actually nothing of the lining to be seen in the pictures, 'cos that pesky DMU is in the way. I'm pretty sure there must be a Colne in East London somewhere, so that's where the DMU is headed. Changing the destination to Limehouse at one end and somewhere like Barking at the other is one of those little jobs at the bottom of a very long list of other little jobs!

[russ p]

Thats looking really good, shame you haven't got room for a disused opening just to add to the grime of the area at the time

[colin penfold]

Re the DMU exhaust you could rig something under the bridge with a concealed pipe, activated by a reed switch or Irdot. That would save altering the DMU. Course it would need an off switch for electrics if u do put third rail back!

[jonny777]

Sorry, I was

 

I did go to the bother of weathering it but it's basically "brown, with some added dirt", so not a lot of effort involved! There is actually nothing of the lining to be seen in the pictures, 'cos that pesky DMU is in the way. I'm pretty sure there must be a Colne in East London somewhere, so that's where the DMU is headed. Changing the destination to Limehouse at one end and somewhere like Barking at the other is one of those little jobs at the bottom of a very long list of other little jobs!

 

Sorry, I was being rather flippant. There is a Colne Road in Hackney, not far from Hackney Marshes so that must be the Cravens' destination.

[Guest]

Re the DMU exhaust you could rig something under the bridge with a concealed pipe, activated by a reed switch or Irdot. That would save altering the DMU. Course it would need an off switch for electrics if u do put third rail back!

 

Ooh... stop it with the temptations. Some kind of Seuthe unit burping out a bit of black smoke would look rather good.

 

Sorry, I was being rather flippant. There is a Colne Road in Hackney, not far from Hackney Marshes so that must be the Cravens' destination.

 

I know. I should be grateful it doesn't say "Blackpool" or somewhere like that... then I wouldn't have a leg to stand on! It is funny how these little jobs add up. There's a blog on RMWeb somewhere about changing the 105's destination blinds and apparently it's a pig of a job. I shall look forward to that. Not.

 

Edit: I guess the next job should be to butcher some Celotex and make up the raised embankment that carries the walkway along the backscene towards the station. I've deliberately done nothing to the frontage of the fiddle yard board - it's not even ballasted yet. My modelling mojo seems to be centred around the station/road bridge area so I'll stick with that.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Pete 75C

[Kelly]

The bridge is coming along nicely.

 

Paying attention to details like the inside of the tunnels might seem like a lot of effort no-one will see, but don't be so sure of that. When I go to exhibitions and take photos of layouts I'm usually at eye level with the baseboards due to being in a scooter, so get a very different perspective to when looking from above

[rob D2]

That bridge is great , it complicated enough to look real if you know what I mean.

Sometimes model bridges look like a five year olds drawing of a bridge if you know what I mean - I've certainly been guilty of that !

 

Keep it up !

[ess1uk]

Looking great.

[Guest]

Legislation regarding public walkways... a ramp should be provided in addition to steps?

 

Now there's a headscratcher for a Saturday morning. I need to drop the angled walkway leading off the road bridge by about an inch and a half or 35mm in new money for it to meet up with the rest of the walkway which is at a lower level (obviously - duh). Now on North Street (see cropped pic below), I just chopped a section of Ratio footbridge to fit. I fancy making life harder for myself and providing a flight of steps (one third walkway width) alongside a ramp (two thirds walkway width) for no other reason than I think it would look good. However, in my head, there needs to be justification for it. Would a public walkway circa 1990 have to be provided with a ramped section for disabled access? Or bearing in mind this is nearly 30 years ago, would those with reduced mobility just be expected to "get on with it" or find another route? Also, I don't want to do just another carbon copy of North Street or I'll be accused of being a one-trick pony. I can already see some remarkable similarities as the build continues!

 

 

Edit: This is what I had in mind. Side view with the steps foreground, ramp behind low dividing wall. Hope it makes sense.

 

Edited April 2, 2016 by Pete 75C

[KeithHC]

Back in the late 60s early 70s there was a footbridge built over the A23 in my then local village Salfords. This had both steps and ramps with low steps every 6ft or so on a shallow incline. Also don't forget Frank Spencer coming down a similar ramp on roller skates....... The bridge is no longer there as with the opening of the M23 traffic declined. But as ever traffic has increased again and there is now a pelican crossing.

 

Keith HC 

[The Stationmaster]

Legislation regarding public walkways... a ramp should be provided in addition to steps?

 

Now there's a headscratcher for a Saturday morning. I need to drop the angled walkway leading off the road bridge by about an inch and a half or 35mm in new money for it to meet up with the rest of the walkway which is at a lower level (obviously - duh). Now on North Street (see cropped pic below), I just chopped a section of Ratio footbridge to fit. I fancy making life harder for myself and providing a flight of steps (one third walkway width) alongside a ramp (two thirds walkway width) for no other reason than I think it would look good. However, in my head, there needs to be justification for it. Would a public walkway circa 1990 have to be provided with a ramped section for disabled access? Or bearing in mind this is nearly 30 years ago, would those with reduced mobility just be expected to "get on with it" or find another route? Also, I don't want to do just another carbon copy of North Street or I'll be accused of being a one-trick pony. I can already see some remarkable similarities as the build continues!

 

manorroad_024_cropped.jpg

 

Edit: This is what I had in mind. Side view with the steps foreground, ramp behind low dividing wall. Hope it makes sense.

 

walkway.jpg

 

No rement back then for a slope for those of reduced agility Pete - the legal requirement to provide such is fairly recent (late 1980s or possibly even the 1990s) and only initially for new construction;  I think the requirement to alter existing access is much more recent.  (Incidentally the extra cost of providing ramps pushed the early1990s cost of a metal footbridge over a double line railway above £1 million)

[Guest]

Thanks Keith. I well remember the kind of footbridge you mean... maybe 10ft of shallow incline and then a step before another 10 or so feet of shallow incline.

Mike - I had a feeling any legislation was probably later than the period modelled. As the cantilevered walkway across the tunnel mouth is meant to look like a much more recent addition (a "new build" if you like), I may stretch the point and go for the ramp/steps combo anyway. I'll mock it up and if it looks rubbish, I'll stick with the steps. Thanks.

[bobster]

Back in the late 60s early 70s there was a footbridge built over the A23 in my then local village Salfords. This had both steps and ramps with low steps every 6ft or so on a shallow incline. Also don't forget Frank Spencer coming down a similar ramp on roller skates....... The bridge is no longer there as with the opening of the M23 traffic declined. But as ever traffic has increased again and there is now a pelican crossing.

 

Keith HC 

 

Hi Keith - I knew that bridge well - It never reopened after it was hit hard by a large HGV (Caused chaos on the day), it was taken down soon after -, there are pedestrian  traffic lights there now.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[KeithHC]

Hi Bob, I did wonder what had happened as I had moved away and also all my family had moved as well. I remember the effort that went into getting the bridge built in the first place. Not long after it opened one of my ex junior school teachers was seen just nipping across the road not using the bridge. That I always thought was setting a very bad example. At least two of my school friends had been knocked over crossing the road.

 

Keith HC

[Ian Smeeton]

Legislation regarding public walkways... a ramp should be provided in addition to steps?

 

.....I fancy making life harder for myself and providing a flight of steps (one third walkway width) alongside a ramp (two thirds walkway width) for no other reason than I think it would look good. However, in my head, there needs to be justification for it. Would a public walkway circa 1990 have to be provided with a ramped section for disabled access? Or bearing in mind this is nearly 30 years ago, would those with reduced mobility just be expected to "get on with it" or find another route?

 

manorroad_024_cropped.jpg

 

Edit: This is what I had in mind. Side view with the steps foreground, ramp behind low dividing wall. Hope it makes sense.

 

walkway.jpg

 

Chances are that the walkway was in place long before the legislation (Disablity Discriminaton Act 1996,  think) and probably long before any provision was being made for the impending legislation.

 

So not necessary, but how East London, Left Wing is your council?

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Kelly]

The DDA came into force first in 1992, revised in 96 and 2005, and then partly superseded by the Equality Act.

 

However, whilst it means buildings and service providers have to provide adequate and reasonable means of accommodation for disable customers needs, there are exclusions for old buildings and the like. Such buildings get exclusions on basis of either listed status or similar. For instance if putting in a lift would be impossible due to the nature of the building.

 

These days it'd be more common for a small platform lift to be put in if a ramp couldn't be for wheelchair use. Otherwise a removable ramp that goes over steps would be used.

[Guest]

I think the consensus is that for the era modelled, the walkway would already have been in existence and steps are the most likely option. There would have been other ways to get down to the station by road, just a longer diversion, the walkway being a pedestrian shortcut. I shall continue to butcher little bits of brick sheet and steps and we'll see what we end up with.

It's just occurred to me that I've shot myself in the foot with regard to perhaps laying third rail into Platform 1. Having got the tunnel, tunnel lining and steelwork in place permanently, I've left myself no way of drilling sleepers to lay third rail into the tunnel. Doh! I can just about access the tunnel from the fiddle yard for track cleaning, but that's about it. Having shifted the layout's supposed location to East London, I hadn't planned on any 3rd rail, but it has been mentioned since and was a possibility. Ah well. No big deal. I'm no slave to the prototype, but running the occasional 2EPB into Platform 1 without any 3rd rail would bother even me! I shall have to get a DMU in NSE livery as a consolation.

[Kelly]

You could perhaps use glue instead and lever it in with care?

[leopardml2341]

Pete,

 

2EPB and a 73 or 33/1, simples

[Guest]

You could perhaps use glue instead and lever it in with care?

 

I've had a go with a spare length of 3rd rail. The problem is that height is critical especially when using Code 75 rail. A gnat's whatsit too high and it will snag on shoe gear. I can get a minidrill down between two of the girders and drill a hole just prior to the tunnel mouth, but as the line curves inside the tunnel, the potential for misalignment is too great. Having gone to all the bother with the lining, I'm not going to just stop the 3rd rail before the tunnel and "hope nobody notices". I shall invoke the "lazy" card and not bother with 3rd rail into Platform 1. I got a little bit fixated with the tunnel lining and just didn't give it a thought! Classic example of "think things through"! No big deal, really.

[Guest]

2EPB and a 73 or 33/1, simples

 

Show me the prototype evidence and it may just happen. Not working in multiple as such, but I always wanted to model a loco dragging some EMU stock, like the condemned VEPs that ended up at Shoeburyness for a while.

I have just spotted the current header photo on RMWeb of a 31 hauling some Mk1 suburbans. Now I like the look of that.

Totally irrelevant but the last time "drag" was mentioned in this household, I ended up buying a set of false boobs for a tarts and vicars party. Mercifully, I don't remember much about it...

Edited April 3, 2016 by Pete 75C