Eastwood Town - A tribute to Gordon's modelling.

[coachmann]

[gordon s]

A pretty full week what with golf and Wimbledon, so work on ET has been limited to track building for the inner loops.  The premise is still to complete the outer loops first to get something up and running, but with this stairwell board, it makes a lot of sense to build the inner loops whilst the board is set up in the middle of the room, rather than having to stretch across.

 

One of the minor shocks this week was the increased cost of PCB strip.  I have been buying from C & L for years and cannot fault their service, but clearly the increased cost of raw material is filtering through.  A pack of 10 strips is now approaching £9.00 plus postage, with 5 packs and postage coming out to the best part of £50.  With a C10 turnout using three strips, that's £3.00 per turnout, just in PCB strip.  Once you add in the rail costs and all the ancilliary bits needed, the costs start to approach £5.00.  Initially this sounds expensive, but once you check out comparable products, it puts the whole thing in perspective.

 

These eight turnouts will form the crossings from fast to slow on the main running loops plus access to the now central storage area.  This will be on two levels with six goods roads and eight passenger roads.  Access to the goods roads will be via steel over bridges, so that will pick up design features of earlier versions of ET.

 

I say will be, but that really is in the future and will form part of phase 2 once a complete loop is up and running.

 

Today will be mostly the Murray game and F1, but I will get this pieces of track sprayed up and finished and then it will be the dreaded pointwork ballasting.  Previous disasters will mean this will be done differently to the plain track with the turnout being sat into wet PVA and the ballast spread on immediately.  I'm quite prepared to accept that this does give a 'floating' track appearance, but that is a small price to pay once the disasters of the past are considered.

 

So not a lot to show, but progress is still under way...

 

 

 

 

 

[PhilH]

Nice.

'not a lot to show' - that's about ten years work for me.

Edited July 7, 2013 by PhilH

[Ian_H]

Hi Gordon,

 

Nice to see the progress,

 

I've looked back through a few posts but haven't seen the revised track plan, is it the same plan as you published March last year, two separate loops?

 

new_plan.png

 

Ian

 

Edit: Not sure why the plan didn't show up but if you click it then it will open in a new tab!

Edited July 7, 2013 by Ian_H

[gordon s]

No, not at all Ian.  One of the reasons for past failings was the sheer enormity of the task for one person.  Others don't seem to suffer the same feelings, but past experience for me has shown that once a build crosses over from a hobby to one that demands endless hours with little to show with the finishing line years away, it then ceases to become a pleasure and becomes a job.  Time spent then starts to dwindle and eventually the whole thing becomes 'the elephant in the room' and a huge millstone round your neck.  Followers of this thread will know that has happened on at least three occasions, so something had to change.

 

Taking up golf again has got me out of the house and improved my fitness.  It's satisfied the competitive urge that was a way of life for me when I was working and given more of a balance to my life.  ET now fits around my life and is no longer that hungry beast that just eats the hours away with little to show.

 

Several people advised me to simplify the whole thing or make something smaller.  Having really taken that on board, I have retained the basics that were important to me i.e. large locos, long trains and main line running, but broken it down into three phases that can get something running a lot quicker and hopefully keep my interest and enthusiasm levels high.  Basically there are six loops.  The outer raised loops will be built first.  The inner loops will hold ET as a through station that has been simplified considerably with just four lines.  Up and Down, fast and slow.  I have removed most of the intricate pointwork to allow access to every platform, so trains will stop, but most will run straight through.  Storage has been moved from under the eaves with limited headroom, to a central position that will make it easy for guest operators.  The last phase will be a shed area, but not dedicated to serve ET.  I need somewhere to hold a large collection of locos and a multi road shed is the simplest answer.

 

I do have a plan, but don't want to publish it at this stage.  I'm still working on some of the detail in terms of industrial areas etc and would rather hold off until it is finalised.  Changes won't impact the basics, so that's why I'm pushing on without a publishing a plan. 

[skipepsi]

I am all in favour of pushing on Gordon the sooner an A of whatever flavour is running round the room trailing 10 behind the better. Some forethought is needed but you have the picture in your mind.

[Brass0four]

I am all in favour of pushing on Gordon the sooner an A of whatever flavour is running round the room trailing 10 behind the better. Some forethought is needed but you have the picture in your mind.

This my first post on this thread but I've been watching it for quite a while. My own layout has been stalled for sometime due to health issues, but it allows me to run an A with ten coaches around gentle bends, a sight I never tire of. Aim for that! ;-)

 

Tony.]

 

PS: I don't know why the hell I'm getting multi-same-quotes when I post! I'll delete the content but I can't delete the box, I don't think.

 

PPS. Oh, I did delete the box this time.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Brass0four

[gordon s]

It's been a few weeks since the last update, but work is progressing and so far, so good.  Spent 10 days on the Costa Del Sol which was OK, but found myself getting fidgety after a few days. I'm not one to sit the sun all day and realised just how much I like doing things rather than sitting down with a book.  Of course a few San Miguel's and a staple diet of crisps and doughnuts made the day enjoyable, but did nothing for my waistline....

 

All the pointwork for this board was completed before my holiday, but the dreaded ballasting had yet to be done.  Last time I wrecked a whole stack of custom built pointwork and I came close to packing this hobby up altogether.  One thing that did come out of that fiasco, was the process of painting all the pointwork first and then bedding it into neat PVA.  Whist it is wet, make sure everything is aligned correctly and then tip on the fine ballast and immediately hoover up the excess.  Using neat PVA means it has sufficient strength to hold the ballast in place whilst the excess is removed and this stops any potential problems with capillary action turning the tiny pieces of ballast into congealed lumps.  I accept this process is not ideal as it can look like the track is floating on the ballast, rather than sat in it, but the alternative for me was not achievable.

 

The second issue I have always struggled with is ballasting around tie bars.  Once again, I make a compromise by using a dummy sleeper as a tie bar, but always found a problem with the tie bar dragging on the ballast, the PVA gumming up the works, or being left with an unsightly hole around the tie bar for the actuating rod of the Tortoise motor.

 

Whist sipping a cold beer, this solution came to me and it works well.  Cut away the 3mm cork directly under the tie bar and cut a piece of 2mm Plasticard to sit in the hole.  This is roughly 35mm x 15mm.  It's very easy to cut and drill, so I cut out a 2mm x 10mm slot.  Stick the card in position, cover it in PVA and then add the fine ballast and hoover up the excess.  Once dry you have a ballasted piece of card that sits just below flush with the underlay.  This will allow the dummy sleeper to move from side to side without any drag and hide the hole through the baseboard for the Tortoise motor.

 

Next stage will be to lay the plain track in position and then ballast.  I'm still playing around with ideas on what to do at the back of the goods loop.  The options are more stone walls, an urban backscene or just leave it with a false sky.

 

There is a real problem with the lack of urban backscenes.  The old 'Bilteezi?' ones show various factories etc, but they are artists drawings and not really convincing.  It would be great is someone could bring out a backscene suitable to urban grot railways....

 

Anyway here's some pics from this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[trisonic]

Card idea is brill, Gordon!

Have you a had a look at the latest iteration of Hartford Street recently? This East End layout may give you some ideas....

 

Best, Pete.

[jon_1066]

Those points look fantastic.  However you have reached this method it will be worth it as the look you have achieved is second to none. 

[MichaelW]

 

Whist sipping a cold beer, this solution came to me and it works well.  Cut away the 3mm cork directly under the tie bar and cut a piece of 2mm Plasticard to sit in the hole.  This is roughly 35mm x 15mm.  It's very easy to cut and drill, so I cut out a 2mm x 10mm slot.  Stick the card in position, cover it in PVA and then add the fine ballast and hoover up the excess.  Once dry you have a ballasted piece of card that sits just below flush with the underlay.  This will allow the dummy sleeper to move from side to side without any drag and hide the hole through the baseboard for the Tortoise motor.

 

 

Gah!  I wish I'd read this before I did the ballasting for my latest layout...  As with all clever things, it's so simple, and so obvious, once someone lets you know how.  Glad to hear you're still enthused and progressing Gordon.  I thought you'd gone back to golf in the good weather

[coachmann]

I put masking tape where tie-bars will be located, spread the neat PVA, remove masking tape and put point in place. Sprinkle on ballast and add weights. Job done after vacuuming suplus off. Your points look flippin marvelous Gordon. It must be nice watching your locos drifting over them instead of making a sharp right or left as on RTP jobbies.

[Rowsley17D]

Good to have you posting Gordon. I can see what you mean regarding "floating" but it still looks a neat and tidy job all the same and seems convincing enough to me, and as you say no clumping.

[The Stationmaster]

I put masking tape where tie-bars will be located, spread the neat PVA, remove masking tape and put point in place. Sprinkle on ballast and add weights. Job done after vacuuming suplus off. Your points look flippin marvelous Gordon. It must be nice watching your locos drifting over them instead of making a sharp right or left as on RTP jobbies.

I tried that method on our recent module mods and it worked a treat - thanks Larry

[tender]

I put masking tape where tie-bars will be located, spread the neat PVA, remove masking tape and put point in place. Sprinkle on ballast and add weights. Job done after vacuuming suplus off. Your points look flippin marvelous Gordon. It must be nice watching your locos drifting over them instead of making a sharp right or left as on RTP jobbies.

That's the method I use as well, but its worth doing a test piece first with the grade of ballast you intend to use as like Gordon says with fine grades it can lead to clumping if left too long before removing the surplus.

 

Gordon's idea of rebating the ballast under the tie bar is brilliant, well done for thinking of that. Will give it a try on the next project.

 

Ray.

[gordon s]

The last couple of weeks have seen an exchange of track plans/drawings with Pete Harvey who has been incredibly helpful with the design of the overbridge for ET.  He has very kindly produced some CAD drawings showing the width and size of the support pillars plus a quite complex deck which will allow straight sections of steelwork.  Thanks Pete, I really appreciate your help.

 

So having mapped out the track layout again and sharpened the angle of the bridge track across the main lines, I was pleased that I could substitute a B8 turnout for a C10 and get back to my self imposed minimum 36" radius.  The turnout has been built and awaits painting, but sits very well onto the existing curved track layout.  The wall will have to be removed and a new support pillar added, so I attacked it today with a saw.  A bit like two steps forward and one back, but it had to be done.

 

Next stage was the production of the bridge deck itself.  I'm quite a fan of bridges that support the track on wooden beams and having built one before for ET, this one followed the same process.  I cut a 60mm wide template to suit the curved track and glue balsa strip along the edges of the track bed and under the rails.  Cross beams are added every 10 sleepers and then the track glued in position.  Once completely set, the excess sleepers are cut away with a new scalpel blade and then the whole lot sprayed with red oxide primer and track colour.  Having established the sunken bed, additional side pieces can be added to suit the straight edges needed for the steel spans and thin ply strips stuck down to simulate wooden flooring.

 

The next task will be to build the support pillars and then place the overbridge in position and complete the inner retaining walls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[yorkie_pudd]

nowt I can say that the pictures don't already state in skill and atmosphere of the new bridge. Excellent Gordon. 

[Kenokie]

Gordon

 

What material did you use to cut the 60mm wide template?

 

Chris

[skipepsi]

Gordon Andy Y did a topic about working on photo shopping actual phot's together for BCB if you have a look because at this time of night I can't do a link myself.

[gordon s]

Gordon

 

What material did you use to cut the 60mm wide template?

 

Chris

 

Hi Chris, the floor of this 60mm wide section is cut from 2mm MDF.  It's widely used by picture framers and I've ordered sheets of the material from this company.  I tend to use it widely as the backing for retaining walls and the top surface for platforms etc.

 

No link to this company.  Just used them and their service has been very good.

 

http://www.diyframing.com/store_viewItem.cfm/ItemID/158

[Guest bri.s]

Excellent stuff glad this layouts got "back on track " great to see it making progress I've still the mag with the towering stone retaining walls and railway on various levels picture in

Awesome modelling

Brian

[southern42]

I've just been doing some catching up on here.

Superb stuff, Gordon.

Oh, yes!

[gordon s]

Morning fellow ET 'ers.  Well another few weeks has disappeared and in between all the major sporting events, a two week break in Spain and more than a few rounds of cussing and swearing, work has continued, albeit at a very leisurely pace.  Somehow the frantic efforts of earlier versions, have been put aside and perhaps it's being retired, being another few years older or the enjoyment of golf, mean the build is now fitted around other demands of life and has become more enjoyable.  The finishing line is now irrelevant and a few hours work can provide it's own therapeutic value.

 

As I have explained before, this board will fit over the stairwell and is the most complex of all.  Limited access over the stairwell, means it has to be almost completed before being  manhandled into position, but at least there is something to see.  First job was to ballast the two pairs of running lines and the upper level goods loops.  Unlike previous attempts, these went quite smoothly as I have changed the process by ballasting pointwork first by bedding the prepared track into PVA and then tipping the ballast onto the wet PVA.  Plain track was done as before by painting on PVA and a wetting agent with a small paint brush between each sleeper.  Yes, it is a slower process, but there is little or no rework and no waiting for hours if not days whilst the ballast dries out.

 

 

Looking at the plan, it made a lot of sense to push on with adjacent pointwork, so the last couple of evenings have been spent on these four which form the start of the lower level storage access off to the right.  I guess if you've seen one turnout you've seen them all, but at least something has been put together.  Somehow seeing and feeling a test chassis running smoothly across complex formations does it for me.  One of life's simple pleasures.

 

 

The construction of this board means a subframe that sits into the stairwell and the track surface overhanging about 8" either side.  With pointwork at either end, it was envisaged that the adjacent boards could be built and then the pointwork put into place, bridging the join between the two boards.  Having looked at this again, I may extend this 8" overhang to allow the pointwork at each end to be completed on the main board.  This will make it easier to assemble, but I am concerned about the stress on this overhang when it comes to lifting this board into position.  I'm sure there are simple solutions to deal with this, so the old grey matter will have to be put to good use soon.

 

 

 

Thanks to some much appreciated help from Pete Harvey, the alignment of the curve over the main tracks has been completed and the base of the bridge roughly laid in place.  Walls have to be built and covered with Wills sheet, but at least this mock up is starting to take shape.  A few years back I was able to work as a guest operator on South Pimlico with Colin of this parish.  One of the views that stuck with me was the access to his goods storage, where a line dived off to the right through a deep cutting.  Somehow that must have subconsciously been at the back of my mind when playing around with my own storage.

 

 

 

The final pic gives you some idea of what I'm aiming for.  This bridge is one of the remnants of an earlier ET that I've just rested in position to get an idea of what the finished product might look like.  I'm sure there will have to be some variation though as the spans will be different lengths and much experimentation will be called for until I arrive at something that will look reasonable.

 

 

 

Still much to be done.  The cess needs to be laid, the bridge supports and decking needs completing, plus the changes to the baseboard overhang.  The second bridge/tunnel needs final planning and then the whole thing will need final wiring and weathering.  I really take my hat off to those who seem able able to turn out masterpiece layouts in next to no time.  Gentlemen, I salute you.....

Edited August 23, 2013 by gordon s

[chris p bacon]

Gordon that looks really good. I have to say that this and the Peterborough North thread has spurred me on to try and achieve a much better standard of work, I stand at the drawing board this morning with the outlines of the new boards trying to work up a scheme incorporating the lessons learnt.

 

Don't get the golf thing though.....

[artizen]

Nothing beats well-made, hand built track!!!!!