RMweb Gold Budgie Posted July 26, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 26, 2013 Thanks for the comment Jane, I wasn't aware of the track with guard rails built in. Unfortunately I have already laid my track and it is to code 75.They also do it in code 83 http://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Shinohara_Track___Pointwork__HO__Code_83.html (again third item down the page) which is 6 thou higher than code 75 and will probably connect O.K. I'm don't really want to rip up track that I have already put down. Wanted to use plastic as a guard rail to reduce the risk of shorts, however caused, on a DCC layout.Fair enough. The info is there for anyone else who might be thinking along the same lines (sorry!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I have been experimenting with inlaid track using DAS modelling clay. So far the results are not to bad. I originally used the terracotta clay as that was all I had in stock, but I went out and bought some white to try. When I look at the two together I think the white will be the better option and will take the light grey paints required for granite setts and cobbles. As per Chris Nevard all I used was a square tube of brass o impress the setts while the clay was wet. Any cleaning up can be done after it has set for a while. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. First try with the terracotta clay. White clay. Both clay colours together. Two low angle shots to see what the effect looks like in close up. I have also opted for two different cranes on the layout. On the warehouse boards I am going to use the Dapol dock crane. This will run on 1.5mm square plastic strips acting as the rails set in the clay. The other crane will appear on the station quayside boards and will be a modified Thomas the Tank crane with the large plastic base cut away. The bodywork and arm will be suitably grunged as befits an old quayside crane. With the base trimmed back to the casting. After such a long pause in modelling I am trying to catch up with jobs that need doing and others that need completing. Watch this space............... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold nickwood Posted July 29, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 29, 2013 Hi Andy The setts look really good. I agree the white is probably best as you should be able to reproduce any colouring that you want. Can I ask how did you decide to keep the flangeways clear in the end? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Many thanks Nick. I am quite pleased with the test result. As you say the white is not bright white but more an off white very light grey. This will lend itself to colouring really well. As for the flangeways, for the test piece I cleared them using a thin steel rule. But on the model I still want to use something to act as a guide rail. I am now thinking about using 1.5mm square rod stuck on with contact adhesive as the dummy rail. The extra width should give a bit more gluing area. I'll give it a go and see how it does. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Andy you are welcome to borrow my roller if its useful http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/50958-pressing-cobbles-into-das-clay-an-idea/ re the hand crane - don't forget a set of steps so that the operators can reach the operating platform - they will need one either side. Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Andy you are welcome to borrow my roller if its useful http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/50958-pressing-cobbles-into-das-clay-an-idea/ re the hand crane - don't forget a set of steps so that the operators can reach the operating platform - they will need one either side. Jon Thanks for that Jon. I did manage to get a roller from a local shop to help roll out the clay. Its about 3in wide. I might get another one to make the same sort of moulding tool you have or make my own convex tool of different widths with a negative pattern on. I hadn't forgotten the steps and I need to fabricate some from some wire and solder. All the best Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 A few more jobs have been going on for the Salcombe Harbour build. I have managed to complete the two starter signal and have nearly finished the bracket signal for the harbour branch. A rather cruel close up of the arm and lenses This starter needs some extra work. I've only just noticed that the black stripe on the reverse is missing. The other thing, if you can see it, is that I have mounted the signal and ladder the wrong way round on the base. The bracket signal is to control movement over the junction for the main line and harbour branch. The platform is a brass etch and has been painted using a Tamiya acrylics and weathered with Tensachrome Lifecolors. I promise you that the dolls are not crooked. It is just an optical illusion. Mind you I did have to go and look at it just to make sure. Still to do are some ground disks and a route indicator. If I can't get the R.I. to work I might opt for a larger bracket signal. These are my first attempts at scratch building signals and many thanks must go to SteveAtBax and Jon Fitness for their topics on how to build signals and their encouragement to give it a go. I will finish this layout, I will finish this layout, I will finish this layout................................ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Nice to see the progress Andy, regarding the cobbles/setts, a rub down with a fine sandpaper might smooth them over a little. They had hard wear. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Thanks for the kind comments John. To receive hints and tips from a modeller such as yourself is fantastic. I have had several comments that the sets are to well defined. I think this was to much pressure using the square tubing. I need to decrease how hard I press it into the clay or find another way. I do have one in mind which I need to trial and if successful it should make adding setts to the harbour a lot easier. Adapted from a club friends idea, http://www.rmweb.co....s-clay-an-idea/, instead of a roller I have made a reverse stamp of the Wills stone setts on what appears to be an old rocking paper blotter. It is in fact the back of a hand held rubber sanding block. As soon as I can take some pictures of it I will post it on here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 Hopefully these pictures will show how I intend to print the stone setts onto the quayside. The very narrow one has been made to fit in between the rails for the infill setts. The adapted sanding block with an original Wills stone setts sheet from which the negative was taken. The smaller wooden blocks and the track infill piece for use in smaller confined areas. Thanks to jonhall for giving me the idea to adapt his roller version of this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Andy, well, I don't know about that I'm pretty sure I couldn't do as well as you have with working signals. But just a though about your cranes, what tonnage/kind of vessels will be using the quay? If they are comparatively small coasting vessels for working cargo the ships own derricks were often employed rather than a shore based crane. Also straddle cranes were not customarily seen in the smaller ports as perhaps Salcombe is. Perhaps you might wish to consider these matters, unless, of course, you have already done so and I have missed it. Regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 Andy, thinking more about this on my my regular morning walk (40 minutes at a brisk pace) I recall that at Weymouth, just up the coast from Salcombe, the cargo sea traffic was handled on a separate section of the Quay. There pre-war (1939) the ships cargo's were handled by its own shipboard derricks and two or three rail mounted steam cranes. Post war the steam cranes were replaced by mobile road cranes. Hope this helps. It was a pleasant trip for me down the memory lane of the happy hours I spent on that Quay when I was a boy. Thank you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 Hi John, glad I was able to re-ignite some memories for you. I have managed to find this picture of Weymouth Quay form 1971 which still shows the derricks that used to sit there. Weymouth Harbour 1971 by Renown, on Flickr Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 You have made me think though John. I do have the Langley Models coastal cargo ship to build, with on board derricks. I could free up space on the quayside and make it look a little clearer with out the large mobile crane. The one I have is the Dapol item so would not matter to much financially if I left it off. Certainly any trawlers that came alongside would use their own equipment to unload. Two of the industries using the harbour were/are going to be a timber merchant/cooperage and a builders yard/brickworks despatch. There was a brickworks at Steer Point near Yealmpton and I have assumed that they manufactured bricks that were highly sort after on the Continent, so they were brought down the line to Salcombe and shipped over to Cherbourg. Because of the heavy and large nature of these loads I had thought that a quayside derrick would better cope with these and could also be used to move these loads around the dock and warehouses when no ships were present. At least no crane would mean I wouldn't have to worry about extra inlaid track for it. All the best Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Thanks Andy, not quite like that in my younger days. You can see the attraction of it even if things have changed. The old steam cranes were adequate enough at that time. Coasters had pretty hefty cargo handling tackle and I would have thought they could handle bricks as presumably the load would be broken down. There were containers for these that would facilitate handling. You can indeed see a 'container' of sorts in the RH side of the picture. These were used for lighter loads as a lot of CI produce came to Weymouth. Containers are not a new invention, I think I read somewhere the Romans and others used them. They really are only large baskets and they have been around since time began.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john flann Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Andy, following up my comments yesterday there is an excellent book on the subject of 'The Weymouth Harbour Tramway in the Steam Era', author Gerry Beale, Wild Swan 2001, ISBN 1 874103 67 4. I have a copy and it is full of most informative photographs and I do commend it to you. I'm sure inter-library loan can procure one. There is also my article on the subject of the WHT in BackTrack of July 2008. That contains excellent illustrations. Apart from that the WHT would form an excellent basis for a layout and I'm surprised it hasn't been done already. I have toyed with the idea. Regards, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 Andy, following up my comments yesterday there is an excellent book on the subject of 'The Weymouth Harbour Tramway in the Steam Era', author Gerry Beale, Wild Swan 2001, ISBN 1 874103 67 4. I have a copy and it is full of most informative photographs and I do commend it to you. I'm sure inter-library loan can procure one. There is also my article on the subject of the WHT in BackTrack of July 2008. That contains excellent illustrations. Apart from that the WHT would form an excellent basis for a layout and I'm surprised it hasn't been done already. I have toyed with the idea. Regards, Many thanks for that recommendation John. I will keep a look out for that book and see if I can add it to my library.. I was at the REC exhibition in Woking yesterday and managed to pick some bollards from the Langley stand. So that's another item ticked of the list. The next show to visit is Scaleforum in Aylesbury where I can hopefully see some of the more specialised suppliers, such as Model Signal Engineering. After a considerable lull and loss of interest in modelling I really am trying to keep up the momentum in this current block of work with at least some work for the layout going on. As I keep saying, "Watch this space..." All the best Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 Frustration, frustration, frustration...... Having been so pleased with the last couple of signals I have managed to complete, I have now hit a barrier trying to construct the Route Indicator signal. The problem is I can get the RI's to work on their own and I can get the signal arm to work on its own, but can I get the both of them to work together. Bu****ed if I can. I am now wondering if a can operate two servos using one switch. In other words when I pull the main route it also operates the arm servo and when I also pull the bay switch it also operates the servo controlling the arm as well. I hope I have the wiring right. The have used the two diodes to stop either route switch from operating the other when pulled. I hope this is correct. Any assistance would be gratefully received. Ideally I would like to make the signal arm operation mechanical and do away with one servo but if I can't so be it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twright Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 I am very impressed with your progress and I look forward to it developing. This is probably too late now (or of no use), but when I made inset tracks, I used polyfilla to represent concrete/tarmac as when it is drying you can create the clearances for the flanges with a tea stirrer (or something of similar thickness). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Keep posting and keep the pictures coming. That photo of Weymouth Harbour reminds me a several Holidays in Weymouth in the very late fifties. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 Pics of inset track at Sutton Harbour, Plymouth http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.uk/sutton-harbour-and-north-quay-branches.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
twiggy1969 Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 Hi Andy as to your route indicator if you go to the mse web site it has instructions on how to make it work In short you make the route indicator work which then throws the signal arm Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Hi Andy any updates? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted March 3, 2014 Author Share Posted March 3, 2014 Hi Andy any updates? Thinks have been a bit quiet on the modelling front since the end of last year. An operation on my right shoulder just before Christmas and unexpected emergency admission on New Years Eve rather took the wind out of my sails. Some foam work scenery has been done on the corner board but that's about it. I am going to try and get some Reductex textured paving at Ally Pally see what their stone setts look like for my harbour side.. I also need to repair/remake a couple of signals that have some how got damaged. I really must make a proper storage case for them to offer some protection. Things are happening but a lot slower than I would have hoped for. When I have some thing a bit more constructive to show I will post some more pictures. I am also playing around with a running sequence to try and sort the type and amount of stock I will need to run a reasonably entertaining service. All the best Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Sorry to hear about your health issues. Hope everything is OK now and that you can get back to some serious work on Salcombe Harbour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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