Inspired by Brent June 1947

[The Fatadder]

Having just re read the mess of English that was my last post, it has now been rewritten to make more sense! The peril of typing up an entry in the early hours of the morning once I’ve got in from the garage I guess…

 

Progress has once again slowed, with most of my time spent trying to help my wife find a job post maternity leave (thanks to her former employer making her redundant a few weeks before she was supposed to go on maternity…)

As a result I didn’t get remotely the amount of work completed that I had planned for the layout. That said I did manage a couple of hours late on Saturday night. Starting with the “Exeter” end double slip, I have removed the copperclad tiebar and I am now preparing to install the replacement plywood one. It just needs the point motor removing from the baseboard in order to get the new timber in place. I have sufficient 1mm brass rod (left over from the points used on Blackcombe) which is ideal to make the pins. All that remains is to get on and do it…..

 

At this point I got rather side tracked by the non working locos from the previous session, one of the most annoying things with the fiddleyard at the moment is that if you want to do any programming you need to remove all locos from the fiddleyard. Ideally I’d love to get a sprog and start doing my programming via computer, but the budget just isn’t there at the moment so a solution needed to be found.

When I started the control panel I purchased a batch of DPDT switches from Rapid, only somehow managed to make a mistake and order the wrong size. Rather than returning I put them away for future use, which has now come to the fore. The Powercab does not have a separate programming track output, so instead I have wired up one of the DPDT switches between the powercab panel and the track, with the second pair of wires routed around the baseboard to the fiddleyard. Here I have installed a yard of Peco Code 100 (circa 1999) which is temporally screwed into place on the right hand side of the fiddleyard. It may need to be moved or shortened eventually to clear the Kingsbridge fiddleyard, but I think it should be ok…

A small mounting board was knocked up from some hardboard and fitted next to the Powercab panel. So the layout can now be isolated for programming. I am now thinking that I will add a couple more of these switches to enable the fiddleyard to be disabled while testing the scenic section…..

 

Programming track in place attention moved onto sorting the two troublesome locos, first up the 42xx. It was occasionally showing life, but refused to be programmed through the normal route. After manually doing a reset on CV8 it started to behave properly and after reprogramming was ready for test running. The Hall on the other hand was not so lucky, and now needs the decoder removing and testing. I am thinking of soldering a lenz harness direct to the programming track (I think I have an old CD player motor which can provide a load). This should give a more definitive test of performance minimising the variables of pickups / wheel cleanliness / loco wiring.

 

The focus at present is on drawing up the station buildings, at present I have finished the basics of the up station in Autocad (with the down to follow tonight).

At present my intention is to use the silhouette cutter to cut the components, consisting of an outer skin of SE Finecast brick and an inner skin of 10 or 15tho plasticard laminated together with D-Limonene. The inner skin contains the window frames / door detail (behind which will be the glazing and a core structure from foam board or plywood to keep it all square).

Along side this the canopy and valence has also been drawn up (the latter hopefully will cut ok on the silhouette, else it will have to be laser cut). I still need to draw up the canopy support brackets…

 

Tonight’s job will be drawing up the down station building, at which point both can be test fitted on the layout later in the week to ensure sizings etc before I start trying to work out how to use the cutter…

[The Fatadder]

Here is the first draft of the drawing. It is now ready to start cutting at the weekend, the canopy needs further refinement (in particular as I am unsure how well the thin plastic will stand up over time) as such laser cutting has significant appeal.

 

I am now half way through drawing the more complicated down building (more complicated in that all of the wood needs to be drawn on.) I am seriously reconsidering the construction technique here, as I have a feeling laser cut wood would be more suitable (and more robust) than my original plan of using the Silhouette cutter to do a triple layer (10 thou for the dark stone wood (which would be very very delicate), then a layer of slatted timber (evergreen) before adding a final layer of 10 thou with the window frames / doors). I worry enough about warping with the brick building, but with this being thinner (and more detailed given it is much more visible).......

 

I do have the basic outline finished, so will be able to test fit on the layout on Friday afternoon. I want to check that my platforms are going to be wide enough, or whether I need to make adjustments to either the width of the building or that of the canopy. Out of interest, does anyone know what is the "standard" distance a platform canopy should overhang the running line by?

 

[Mulgabill]

Have looked at my crib sheet which was printed off from some model suppliers site.

 

It doesn't have a limit, although it would appear that the canopy would not encroach on the profile of a "tunnel radius"

 

i.e a segment of a circle, centred on mid - double track centre, and at mid body height. (Unhelpfully there is no height given for the radius centre).

The radius is given as 52mm for 4mm scale.

 

Hope that helps

 

TONY

 

ps did you get my pm earlier?

[St Enodoc]

Out of interest, does anyone know what is the "standard" distance a platform canopy should overhang the running line by?

Rich, the minimum clear height from the platform surface to the bottom of the canopy is 8 ft. On that basis, I would be inclined not to have any overhang at all if possible. I know this isn't the answer you wanted...

[The Fatadder]

Rich, the minimum clear height from the platform surface to the bottom of the canopy is 8 ft. On that basis, I would be inclined not to have any overhang at all if possible. I know this isn't the answer you wanted...

Is it just an illusion that in a lot of photos the canopy seems to extend 4-6 inches or so over the track?

I suppose answering my own question we are talking about a mm maximum on both sides.....

Looking at the Plymouth end in photos it also appears to have more of an overhang on the branch platform side due to the curve of the platform (but a straight canopy)

 

Back to the drawing the down platform is circa 20mm to narrow (it was compromised in that the 2 foot of compression reduces the transition curve available to increase the width (whilst staying within my minimum curve radius), instead it was designed based on the minimum clearances.) once I’m home the plan is to re measure the platform width and confirm that the waiting room is within the rules width wise (it should be...)

Then it just needs a new offset to reduce the overall width of the canopy by 5-10mm on each side.

 

As the up canopy is to the same dimensions this will also need modifying to preserve proportions, this along with the narrow gauge track) explains why the narrow footbridge looks right on the layout.

 

 

Now for the train home!

[Trains&armour]

I am now half way through drawing the more complicated down building

 

Did you never see these?

 

Made these for gwrrob, A nod to Brent, but i don't mind sharing them

If you would like a copy of these files, send me a PM

(Example as JPG file, other formats are available)

[gwrrob]

I shortened the canopy as the length would have dominated the platforms so it was a compromise I was prepared to live with. Sierd's drawings are a treat and helped my builder a great deal. The Ladies Lobby writing is worth doing too Rich.

[The Fatadder]

I shortened the canopy as the length would have dominated the platforms so it was a compromise I was prepared to live with. Sierd's drawings are a treat and helped my builder a great deal. The Ladies Lobby writing is worth doing too Rich.

Thanks

The shortening is something I am considering, once I lay out the floor plan on the platforms and see how it looks. A card mock-up to see how they interface with the footbridge will also be useful I think to verify that with my platforms the true length doesn’t look wrong.

[The Fatadder]

After a couple of days distraction of late c20 china clay layout planning, tonight it was back to Brent...

 

Really there was only one job to get on and sort, the double slip....

 

I started off with the Exeter / Kingsbridge end, drilling 4 holes in a wooden tiebar and then soldering L shape brass pins (filed to a rectangular profile) to the switch rails.

With everything soldered in place I reattached the point motor and tested with a mk3 sleeper from both the down main and Kingsbridge which worked nicely. Of course at this end it all worked fine with the old copperclad tie bar....

 

More interesting was going to be the other end, especially the route from the Kingsbridge platform to Kingsbridge. Again I followed the same approach as with the first end. Testing the yard to Kingsbridge was ok, but checking the yard to down main the coach derailed. Further inspection shows that the switch rails are about a mm too long, meaning that now I have increased the gap between switch rail and outer rail there is not enough clearance between the two switch rails. Looking at the other end I think this side has about a mm more in length. Some very careful work with the dremmel is needed to reduce the length and reprofile the tip.

I then checked the route from the Kingsbridge platform to Kingsbridge, only to find that it still goes straight on through the slip road. Having previously rectified the gauge issue, and now sorted the switch, its back to the drawing board. After 10 minutes of constantly running back and forth, i noticed two potential areas. The far check rail is a little tight, forcing the wheel against the far rail which follows the natural curve (I would prefer it to tend to the other rail against the ruling radius.) Removing the check rail seemed to help a little, but it still failed 9 out of 10 times. The other area of interest is the vee and knuckle rail. I think the vee is slightly out of alignment (again kicking the wheel against the far rail. My current thinking is tending towards ripping up the vee assembly and completely rebuilding it.

Edited October 24, 2017 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Further work on the slip rebuilding the vee, it still doesn’t work but I think I may have sussed it out. There is an awarkward reverse curve out of the platform into the slip, partly bad design and partly bad construction. Hence it is only the route out of the platform I have issues with as the curve is forcing the coach away from the direction it should go in

 

I think the answer is to reprofile the right hand half of the slip, move from a 1:6 vee to a 1:8 and redraw so that it the slip determines the angle of the platform approach not the platform. I will then need to build a complete new slip (probably off board this time to allow for testing). Hopefully I have enough chairs left (sleepers will be lifted, cleaned up and then reused)....

[The Fatadder]

This evening I think I am going to work on the cameo layout as Brent is driving me crazy!

 

The issue is definitely with one road of the slip, going from 1 to 4 in the below diagram.  As stated earlier this week I believe the route cause is the reverse curve out of the platform (which tends from right to left looking towards Exeter) whereas the route 1>4 through the slip is going from left to right.   

 

So I would like advice, is the issue a result of poor design (I can share the Templot file if anyone wants a closer look), or is there something I can do to resolve it (a longer check rail through the reverse curve maybe to ensure stock stays close to the right hand rail?)

 

My intention is still to rip up the whole slip and rebuild, but I want to confirm whether I need to make changes to the design first.  (tracks 2 3 and 4 are all fixed due to the rest of the layout, but the platform track leaving 1 can be changed so long as it doesn't reduce the width of the platform.

 

Now to print out the Cameo Challenge layout and start looking at track building...

 

Thanks in advance

Rich 

[Mulgabill]

This evening I think I am going to work on the cameo layout as Brent is driving me crazy!

 

The issue is definitely with one road of the slip, going from 1 to 4 in the below diagram.  As stated earlier this week I believe the route cause is the reverse curve out of the platform (which tends from right to left looking towards Exeter) whereas the route 1>4 through the slip is going from left to right.   

 

So I would like advice, is the issue a result of poor design (I can share the Templot file if anyone wants a closer look), or is there something I can do to resolve it (a longer check rail through the reverse curve maybe to ensure stock stays close to the right hand rail?)

 

My intention is still to rip up the whole slip and rebuild, but I want to confirm whether I need to make changes to the design first.  (tracks 2 3 and 4 are all fixed due to the rest of the layout, but the platform track leaving 1 can be changed so long as it doesn't reduce the width of the platform.

Capture.PNG

 

Now to print out the Cameo Challenge layout and start looking at track building...

 

Thanks in advance

Rich 

Hi Rich

 

Visually to a non-expert eye, I would say that IF you could move the centre of the slip towards 2, that would allow a straight approach from the platform.

 

Obviously 3 and 4 would need some adjustment, but there would be (a little) more track between their current "ends" and the actual slip. Now to a man of your

calibre (after all you can handle Templot), that may be a doable approach.

 

All the best with it.

[Siberian Snooper]

This evening I think I am going to work on the cameo layout as Brent is driving me crazy!

 

The issue is definitely with one road of the slip, going from 1 to 4 in the below diagram.  As stated earlier this week I believe the route cause is the reverse curve out of the platform (which tends from right to left looking towards Exeter) whereas the route 1>4 through the slip is going from left to right.   

 

So I would like advice, is the issue a result of poor design (I can share the Templot file if anyone wants a closer look), or is there something I can do to resolve it (a longer check rail through the reverse curve maybe to ensure stock stays close to the right hand rail?)

 

My intention is still to rip up the whole slip and rebuild, but I want to confirm whether I need to make changes to the design first.  (tracks 2 3 and 4 are all fixed due to the rest of the layout, but the platform track leaving 1 can be changed so long as it doesn't reduce the width of the platform.

Capture.PNG

 

Now to print out the Cameo Challenge layout and start looking at track building...

 

Thanks in advance

Rich 

 

Have you tried asking on the Templot forum?

[The Fatadder]

Have you tried asking on the Templot forum?

I have now you have reminded me...

 

Will be uploading the box file later.

[The Fatadder]

For completeness the thread on the Templot club is here http://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=3117&forum_id=1&jump_to=22641#p22641 

 

​I am hopeful that the advice received from Martin is going to assist me in resolving the problem. 

​First step is going to be checking that the inset for the switch rail is correct, I have a fair idea that the gauge is going to be too narrow in this area which will be part of the issue.

 

Second thing will be redoing the vee / knuckle rails for the same reason.  

 

Third consideration is to replace the K crossings with moveable ones, giving a much smoother passage through the point (even if it diverges from the prototype).  

 

I need to get some more copperclad sleeper strip as I want to be able to solder the rail in place around the switch and vees this time (rather than using thin copperclad glued to the plastic sleeper.) I also intend to build this fully off baseboard in order that much more checking can be completed prior to installation. 

[Siberian Snooper]

For completeness the thread on the Templot club is here http://85a.co.uk/forum/view_topic.php?id=3117&forum_id=1&jump_to=22641#p22641 

 

​I am hopeful that the advice received from Martin is going to assist me in resolving the problem. 

​First step is going to be checking that the inset for the switch rail is correct, I have a fair idea that the gauge is going to be too narrow in this area which will be part of the issue.

 

Second thing will be redoing the vee / knuckle rails for the same reason.  

 

Third consideration is to replace the K crossings with moveable ones, giving a much smoother passage through the point (even if it diverges from the prototype).  

 

I need to get some more copperclad sleeper strip as I want to be able to solder the rail in place around the switch and vees this time (rather than using thin copperclad glued to the plastic sleeper.) I also intend to build this fully off baseboard in order that much more checking can be completed prior to installation.

 

Glad to hear that you have had a pointer or two, from the Templot forum and hopefully get your slips sorted.

[The Fatadder]

Today I spent a very insperational day at Pendon under the instruction of Mick and Nick on the scenery modelling workshop, was a very informative session covering several different techniques (some of which I had not heard of before) along with time to have a good look at Pendon itself (finally!)

 

An added bonus was getting to try out 4 different static grass machines (5 if you include my puffer bottle), a request has now been made to get a flockit for xmas.

 

I’m looking forward to having a chance to start putting what I’ve learnt into practice on Brent, it might actually tempt me back out into the garage and away from detailing 1980s China clay wagons...

 

I’d really recomend the course, whether you are starting out or as a refresher. For me the difference comparing back to the scenery on Blackcombe Tor is massive!

Edited November 6, 2017 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Finally a little work on Brent after a couple of weeks of working on Wheal Imogen.

 

I have made a start on finishing off the Avon bridge, as I want to get it installed on the layout and finish the foam scenary in that area in order to get the river laid (which means I can also do the river on Imogen.)

 

the missing length of wall has now been glued into position and is awaiting paint, as is the (fictional) retaining wall which is needed due to the compression on the Plymouth side of the Avon.

 

The approach to painting is to start by picking out a large number of stones in different grey paints, before covering the whole area in a dirty brown.

 

Once dry, a thick wash of Humbrol desert sand is spread over and wiped away with kitchen towel. Not only does this sort the morter courses, it blends in all the different colours of the stones.

 

Finally a weathering wash of dirty black needs to still be applied in order to blend it all in.

 

The first span (over the river) is nearly finished (it needs weathering). I also need to re do the engineers blue bricks on the top, for which I am not happy with the finish

Edited November 13, 2017 by The Fatadder

[The Fatadder]

Today after receiving a bottle of d limonine in the post it was finally time to crack out the silhouette cutter, after cutting out the frames for a bridge intended for Wheal Imogen, it was time to make a star on the up station building for Brent. The plan was for a 3 layer lamination, 20 thou core, 10 thou window frames and then the sef emobsssd bricks

 

After some set up teething problems I soon got the hang of the cutter, removing 10’thou from the bed was tricky without damaging the parts (will add a fret in future). I liked working with the new solvent, hopefully it works and there’s no warping

There were a few issues, I alshould have made the 20thou layer windows bigger to clear the glazing. (Manual cutting to correct) and while the ends were fine the front has serious issues with miss alignment of windows. I haven’t enough plastic to scrap and restart so I am looking at whether it’s possible to fix (using a convenient drain pipe to hide a joint)

 

The other area of issue was miss cutting due to the bricks. Next time I will cut on the back.

[The Fatadder]

I failed to get a photo of the parts before I started the build, I have replaced the rear of the building with 40thou and added a reinforcing layer to the sub roof (using the original rear which had been cut too short.)

The front required modification due to the cutting not coming out as accurate as I would like, I ended up cutting it into 3 sections (making each joint above a door) these were then independently aligned to their respective windows (along with some minor cutting to fit) and glued in place. Once dry the gaps between the sections were filled with offcuts of brick sheet followed by a coat of filler (and re-scribing the bricks across the gap).

With that complete the ends were glued onto the front wall, at which point I put it aside to give the glue plenty of time to dry.

 

 

I am not entirely happy with the end result here, eventually I may well end up going back and rebuilding this building.  But for the moment I think the platform canopy, coupled with the fact it is located right at the back of the layout, will mean that it is much less noticable. 

Edited November 26, 2017 by The Fatadder

[The Great Bear]

I am not entirely happy with the end result here, eventually I may well end up going back and rebuilding this building.  But for the moment I think the platform canopy, coupled with the fact it is located right at the back of the layout, will mean that it is much less noticable. 

 

I think you are right. Once painted it will look good and in place even better.

[The Fatadder]

Just need to get a roof on now (and then start the detailing and the canopy. But I think I need to buy more 20thou in order to do it (certainly for the canopy)

 

I have drawn up the roofs core as 2 triangles and 2 sides (with ten thou overlays for the window), which along with a vertical section as a support should form the complex shape of the roof. I have a plan for a couple of triangular formers which will slot onto the central spine.

 

I might have a go at using the silhouette cutter to make some roof tiles out of an off cut of 10 thou and save an order to 4d.

 

[The Fatadder]

A little more work, the station now has a rear wall, the thicker brick areas, windowsills and a couple of extra spacers.

 

More importantly I have finished the design of the roof support structure which should ( if my calculations are correct) slot together before adding the roof itself. Just need to solve the roof tile question now,....

 

One feature left to add to the walls are the curved arches above the doors and windows, given true miss cut I can’t use my original plan of using the cutter m. Would welcome any thoughts. At the moment I’m torn between using evergreen strip and covering in filler and scribing on the bricks...

 

As it has proved so successful, I’m placing another order for 10 and 29 thou plasticard, which should allow me to start the water tower and Plymouth end road bridge

[Siberian Snooper]

SE Finecast do a sheet of brick arches, if I can find my sheet I will see what sort of size they are. I know there is a range of them on each sheet.

[The Fatadder]

SE Finecast do a sheet of brick arches, if I can find my sheet I will see what sort of size they are. I know there is a range of them on each sheet.

Thanks, that will be really helpful. Even if it will not Work for this building, it may be something I can design into the goodshed and water tower...