Eastwood Town - A tribute to Gordon's modelling.

[gordon s]

Thanks for your input John as it is a similar process I was envisaging but really didn't know if it was a hare brained idea.

 

I have cut out a rectangle which covers the area of the dummy sleeper/tie bar and dropped in a piece of 1.5mm plasticard into the hole in the 3mm cork. I've poured PVA onto the card and added some ballast. This should mean the ballasted surface will be below the 3mm level and allow the tie bar to slide back and forth over the ballasted surface. Once the rest of the ballasting is in place, it may show a slight indent but hopefully won't be noticable.

 

I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks for your input. It's great to hear from someone more experienced that you are thinking along the right lines.

[artizen]

As an added thought about what to put under the track - I have a large quantity of floor vinyl after we replaced it all with tiles and I am gluing it down under the track upside down (it has a moulded pattern). So far it appears to work fine. Does not reduce the noise at all once ballasted. I have used latex / rubber adhesive to glue it down but now I am tending to either cheap craft glue or PVA as the latex was struggling to hold it firmly unless it was glued over its entire surface. I build small dioramas that link together and that allows me the option of turning the track 360 degrees to work on it. As for the tiebar issue, I have simply left out the ballast in that area and painted under the tiebar dark brown/black for the time being. I always use sleepers at a minimum of 2mm high so that I have more than one grain of ballast vertically. This gives me some leeway in levels around the pointwork etc. Thin sleepers on C+L track really gave me the pip when I was toying with a 1:76 layout about two years ago as my ballast was only one stone deep (N gauge!) and I couldn't get a realistic result whatever I tried.

[tender]

Hi Gordon.

Can I ask how you attach the switch rails to your tie bar/sleeper? This is an area I've been pondering over for the last day or two and haven't come to any decision as yet.

I thought of a hair-brained scheme of incorporating a sliding tie bar within a sleeper, but that would require Santa bringing a micro milling machine for Christmas, a bit OTT I think.

 

Ray.

[gordon s]

Ray, I have to say I'm just using a dummy sleeper as I was certainly unaware of Martin's comments on this practice until today. I must say I've had no problems with this method as yet, but then my usage has certainly been limited and not under exhibition conditions. I'm also using Tortoise point motors which are very gentle on tie rods (or is it stretcher rods?).

 

The problem is that none of the solutions I have seen so far are simple to build, or they come with associated problems with bars underneath the baseboard etc. Of course Martin is far more experienced than I and I'm sure eventually I will have to change them, but as it stands right now, I'd rather push on and get my layout up and running and deal with failures if they occur in the future. Even if a joint fails, then to me it is only a second or two to resolder it, versus an unknown time to fabricate a proper engineering solution across 60 or 70 switches.

 

I feel sometimes I'm sitting right in the middle of this hobby. I'm building my own track and have attempted building some kits and loco chassis, but don't feel able to go that extra mile to crossover into prototypical solutions or really high quality engineering. Perhaps if I were much younger and able to achieve some of the outstanding work I see on here, then I may feel differently, but right now life is about compromise and cutting some corners to achieve an end product, even though I know it won't ultimately be to Pendon standards.

 

Had one of those days reworking bits and pieces. I realised that ET has gone through so many changes, even in the last few weeks, that minor realignment of an earlier track layout had meant either tweaking the track or realigning the platform bases I had already built. After sleeping on it, there really was only one solution and the platforms had to come up and be rebuilt. Thankfully it was quite a straightforward task and with the radio for company, they've been done and now the track will fit perfectly. Of course there was one other reason, I spent most of Friday and Saturday building another complex of turnout and single slip which of course were a few mm out of line with the old platforms, so it was a no brainer.

 

Oh well, no harm done in the great scheme of things, just frustrating having to redo work that has been done already. On the plus side, it does look much better, so I'm pleased I tackled it today.

 

Next one will be a single scissors, which I haven't done before, so looking forward to that.

Edited December 18, 2011 by gordon s

[artizen]

Throw bars for 4mm track are $2.49 from this man - http://www.proto87.com/00-EM-P4-Track-Turnouts.html

 

I have bought stuff from Andy in the past. He is an engineer so the design and detail are high quality. Don't let the title of the site put you off - he is looking to expand into UK style hand built track.

[tender]

Hi Gordon.

I think your'e right, you can spend too much time thinking about problems and get nothing done. I've achieved little over the weekend thinking about tie bars instead of just getting on trying something simple like your solution. Like you say if it does fail, on a home layout it's no big deal.

 

Ray.

[92220]

Gordon,

I'm sure you're plotting a deft course (even you feel it involves a minor compromise here and there), through the complex journey to getting ET running. I'm very impressed with your work and grateful for your time and expertise in helping me too.

Best wishes,

Iain

[Siberian Snooper]

Throw bars for 4mm track are $2.49 from this man - http://www.proto87.c...k-Turnouts.html

 

I have bought stuff from Andy in the past. He is an engineer so the design and detail are high quality. Don't let the title of the site put you off - he is looking to expand into UK style hand built track.

 

 

Hi

 

Do you have a picture of these please? I have had a look at the site but no piccy

 

Cheers SS

[artizen]

For Siberian Snooper. Here is a photo of the etch for the turnout details - http://www.proto87.com/turnout-details.html

 

And here is a another photo - http://www.proto87.com/turnout-points-and-throwbars.html

 

Hope this helps. Not quite sure if the UK track Proto87 sells incorporates a UK style throwbar or if he is using the US HO double throwbar. Whatever, they are made of stainless so have the grunt to do the job prototypically, particularly if you are using wire in tube point operation. Heavy duty solenoid throws would probably slam the blades across a little too hard and over time you may have issues. Send Andy an email - he will soon tell you what is what.

 

Sorry Gordon, hijack over now.

[gordon s]

Another chunk of life has disappeared forever, but this time there was a plus to RMWeb being down. In between Christmas and family duties, the absence of RMWeb got me away from the PC and back into track building.

 

When I was looking at how to improve ET, I had several chats with Martin Wynne who very kindly offered some assistance on the station throat. He did a great job but presented me with some of the most complex pointwork I have built.

 

Thank you Martin, I really appreciated your help, even if it did push me out of my comfort zone...

 

It took a while, but really was worth the effort with switched crossings, slips and single scissors opening up all the platform roads to each of the up and down lines. The shed area has also been realigned with the new approach, but that was just a paper exercise on Templot. One of the downsides was that the platform layout was then a few mm out of alignment, so after much soul searching the decision was taken to take it all up and re align each of the three platforms. It's one of those things that was a real pain at the time but it had to be done or I would have had to live with sub standard work forever. It would bug the hell out of me, so up they came and replacements are now in place.

 

The pointwork for this board is now complete, but I feel like a break from trackwork now so will focus on making the overbridge and retaining walls and then finish off the platforms by building them to their full length, adding the ramps and finally the platform top surface. This will be a big plus as it will allow me to drop the station buildings in place and really start to see how the station is going to look.

 

Edited January 3, 2012 by gordon s

[Pete Harvey]

Looking very good Gordon who's are the house buildings they look very good as well?

 

Pete

[gordon s]

They were built by Alan Downes and came from Gilbert's original Peterborough layout. There are pics of the original layout in the earlier version of RMWeb, but I can't access it at the moment.

[hayfield]

Gordon

 

As ever some lovely trackwork. I like the outside slip, I think they are far better looking than normal slips and much more enjoyable to build.

 

Copperclad turnouts are far to underated, as they are simpler to build and much easier to maintain. OK up close chaired trackwork does look better, but from a distance once ballasted and painted its hard to tell the difference.

 

I quite often drive pass the East Coast main line in the London suburbs and wonder what it was like back in the steam days, I think what you have done to date captures the sceen very well of a main line through station. Thanks for sharing it with us

[Siberian Snooper]

Hi Gordon

 

Some impressive S & C you have there.

 

Cheers SS

[ColinW]

You are making good progress there Gordon, the station throat is going to look good.

 

Colin

[gordon s]

Another week gone and once again modelling challenges have been tackled. I would always have thought platforms would be dead easy. Cut a few pieces of wood, stick a top on it, a bit of painting and a white line, job done. If only....

 

I'm getting there and eventually went for Scalescenes tarmac as an overall surface, plus some edging stones cut from their paving range and some slivers of paper, cut 3mm wide, to represent the white line edging. This was my third attempt at trying to get something that looked reasonably like a platform and was not without it's problems. The top is made from 2mm mdf over 6mm strips to form the base. In limited lighting, I hadn't noticed I had printed the first lot of sheets in grey scale and the second in colour. Of course it was the next morning in daylight that I noticed, so I will have to deal with that. Thankfully they are not too different and an airbrushing will soon disguise the difference. Add to that sticking the paper on the wrong side of the mdf and you will understand my frustration. Give me track building or wiring any day of the week.

 

So they are 70% done and at least this board is starting to take shape. I've had to make some minor mods to the station buildings that came from Peterbororough version one, to straighten out some warping that has occurred during storage and also to cut one in half and add a fillet to angle the assembly around a curved platform, rather than the straight ones they were designed for. Even though the curve here is around 30' radius, the length of one of the secondary buildings was such that the canopy supports looked a little strange on a curved platform.

 

Here's a couple of pics of the platforms so far.

 

 

[3 link]

Hi Gordon,

 

Praise where praise is due, that last photo is amazing so full of atmosphere just needs the ballast and I would of had to look twice. Nice to see all your hard work coming together.

 

All the best, Martyn.

[sixoh8sixoh]

Gordon, it's shots like those two that really help get my modelling juices flowing after a while of not doing any...

[S.A.C Martin]

Been watching this thread from afar, and thoroughly enjoying reading the updates, but on seeing the latest pictures had to chime in and say it is shaping up to be absolutely stunning.

 

(Sorry for joining the bandwagon with little else of merit to say!)

[Coldgunner]

FIne work all round. I like your 4MT, can you tell me what kit it is?

[gordon s]

Thanks once again for your kind comments. As a semi pc luddite, blogs are alien to me so these updates are literally that, just a rambling account of the trials and tribulations of building a layout. In actual fact it semi forces me to do something, as I know if nothing happens for a while, someone will ask me for a progress update.

 

After several years of doing ET in its various guises, I'm now quite certain that the decision to simplify the whole thing was the right one. I've said it before, but I'm staggered just how long it takes do some of the simplest tasks. I spent a good couple of hours last night printing, cutting and glueing edge paving to another platform and now I dare not look ahead at the baseboards, track, wiring and scenics that are needed to complete the layout. At least now I can now enjoy the journey, rather than a race to the finish line which was the motivator before.

 

I'm sorry I can't help with the origins of the 4MT. I bought it as a finished loco from Cove Models some 10 years ago. I can only guess it was kit built, but next time I have the body off the chassis, I'll see if I can find any tell tale marks or names.

[D1059]

I've said it before, but I'm staggered just how long it takes do some of the simplest tasks. I spent a good couple of hours last night printing, cutting and glueing edge paving to another platform and now I dare not look ahead at the baseboards, track, wiring and scenics that are needed to complete the layout. At least now I can now enjoy the journey, rather than a race to the finish line which was the motivator before.

 

Its taken me over 30 years and several unfinished layouts to work that one out. Thats why my latest layout is 8' by 18" - maybe, just maybe I can get this one to look like its complete !

 

STEVE

[skipepsi]

You have finally nailed the station Gordon and I feel the rest is going to be relatively simple by comparison, time consuming maybe but easier to get the look you want. Only a thought but one of those easi ballast jobs might speed up finishing some of the track work.

[Guest Max Stafford]

That station is a classy bit of modelling Gordon and the platforms look great too; your efforts in that department certainly haven't been wasted. I share your opinion about the slow, time consuming nature of most modelling tasks. These days, even simple tasks appear to take forever to do!

 

Dave.

[gordon s]

_{The end of January approaches and work continues at the same rate as before. Two steps forward and one step back. The positives were construction of the retaining walls to separate the through station from the goods loops and the smaller versions to safeguard the public from the adjacent houses. I still had several sheets of Slaters card left over so persevered once again. The look OK but shouldn't, as they are produced for 0 gauge. All week I've been deliberating, to continue or not. I've tried 4mm brick papers in various shades, but from normal viewing distance they just become a single coloured sheet. OK, I accept 63 year old eyes may not be able to see as well and I accept youngsters make feel differently, but in the end the stone walls won out again.}

 

_{These are mounted on 4mm mdf using double sided tape and painted with two colours of grey. I still have to add drain pipes and additional weathering, but at least they are under way. I'll probably follow a similar route for the second tier of walls, but want to experiment further before going ahead.}

 

_{I've laid about 6 yards of track, whoopee!. This has been painted and ballasted, but still needs weathering.}

 

_{Platform wise they are well underway, with just the white line to added to most of them and some airbrushing to smooth out some of the colour variances.}

 

_{On the downside, I have been struggling with consistant underlay and as every day goes by, JSW's practice of no underlay at all is becoming more attractive. My real passion is smooth trackwork and despite my best efforts, the slips and turnouts that were mounted on cork sheet still were far from perfectly flat. OK, I use the word perfectly and I accept that may be over the top, but I really do want smooth running and few derailments. Martin, you will be pleased to know I have taken up your suggestion of 1/8" balsa as I feel this may give a better result. I've ordered some, so will let you know how it goes.}

 

_{With all of that in mind I had to lift the double slip and two turnouts from the goods loops. Thankfully some boiling water and care allowed me to lift the formations and clean them ready for relaying on balsa sheet. So some plusses and one big minus. An everyday tale of railway modelling I guess.}

 

_{OK, some pics. Here's one you will be unlikely to see in the future. Taken from behind ET station, it shows some of the cost cutting measures taken by Alan Downes. His view was probably why spend time on sides of building that will never be seen and I can sympathise with that view although they do look strange unfinished from this side.}

 

_{The foreground is ready for laying the goods loop track....again!}

 

 

_{Here's a couple of loco shots, just to keep me going. An N2 trundles into platform 6 with a stopping local and one of my loves, a Peppercorn K1 62037 with some suburban stock. To pick up on an earlier thread, I was offered this one by Graham Varley who built all my DJH kits. He had written an article on it's construction for Railway Modeller several years back and it was looking for a good home. Needless to say he didn't need to ask twice.}

 

_{I really must see about getting some of these pristine loco's weathered, as they are OK ex works, but really could be improved considerably with some gentle dirtying. I am tempted to try but the risks are too high, so nothing gets done and they stay clean. One day I'll pluck up the courage....}

 

 

Edited January 26, 2012 by gordon s