Portsea Town

[David Todd]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Southampton+Terminus+images&newwindow=1&rlz=1C1CHFX_enGB530GB530&espv=210&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=33-EUtntLIKShge7soHADw&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=642

[David Todd]

Thanks David . I follow your Dover sagas and really enjoy them

 

[lash]

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Southampton+Terminus+images&newwindow=1&rlz=1C1CHFX_enGB530GB530&espv=210&es_sm=122&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=33-EUtntLIKShge7soHADw&ved=0CDEQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=642

Thanks for the link David,  nice pics some I had seen before, some new. The atmosphere in those close to closure images are just what I am after

 

The canopies are coming on and I will post some pics of my own soon

[lash]

After a bit of inspiration from Westerham I've been patching ballast and trying out Faller tarmac paint on the platforms . Nice solid grey and a little bit of texture so I should be able to work on this with some weathering and distressing effects

 

Also worked on painting the platform canopy with some smudgy weathered black effects , wet brush and wipe off followed by the same with a dry brush, quite pleased with the attempt at the neglected 60s look, pics soon

[lash]

Working on platforms and caonpy , progress with dry brushing a long way from perfect but progress nonetheless

 

 

 

 

[westerhamstation]

Looking nice and grubby, I am really glad that I don't have third rail to contend with, yours looks stunning.

[lash]

Its been a big day

 

I wired the fiddle yard ,the connection to the main board and the missing section switch for the fiddle yard. After a bit of messing around , track cleaning and correcting loose wirng the result is that portsea town is a working if unfinished layout

 

I ran a test with my terrier and all was ok. I followed this with a simple sequence of the 2bil, 2h and a short parcels train with the crompton and shunted by the o8.

 

All good stuff but there are a couple of derailment issues with the multiple units at the baseboard join which I have still not sorted and is a bit of a puzzle

 

No doubt I will sort it and here are some pics

 

[lash]

Been giving my derailing problem a bit of thought

 

The fiddle yard road shown nearest the controller with the 08 at the camera end is the problem, It goes from a peco y straight over the baseboard join with the track on the main board straight. There are no problems with locos derailing at this point. The y is 3 foot radius so that should not be a problem ,so I reckon the issue is a combination of this comparatively gentle curve and the a less than perfect alignment of the baseboard join exacerbated by small wheels and the short wheelbase on coach and multiple unit bogies .

 

There are a number of solutions that occur

 

• A very precise alignment of the boards and track . Problem, I am not a very precise modeller
• Checkrails or similar, could do the trick and easy to give a try
• Inserting a floating piece  of track of the join with fishplates to help align everything via a flexible join. Problem visually intrusive on the main board
• Move the y back a couple of inches .Problem ,no room for a 4 cep or similar
• Extend the board by a couple of inches . Could be the best solution and easily done with some 2 by1 and a chipboard off cut

Your thoughts and suggestions are very welcome

[David Todd]

Before doing anything,   please check the, point of the  "vee"...in the  Y point..it maybe everso raised, above the outer raill's.

Any rogue minute pieces of ballast ?

Use your camera on "movie", to determine the "fault".at the place of delailment.

[lash]

Thanks

 

Tried the ballast check but will check the V

 

Video is brilliant idea

[lash]

Work busy in the run up to christmas and had a weekend in london so not much modeling from me.

 

Hornby announcements are rather exciting. Who would have predicted a 2hal , wonderful , and when I have some reasons to run goods trains a blackmotor will undoubtably make an appearance.

 

Now who's producing that 4 cor ..........

[lash]

Managed my first session on Portsea for a while.

 

Baseboard join derailment issue is resolved with some jiggling and realignment

 

I have been running my Hornby 2bil on all tracks to test all ok and a new problem has occured and diagnosed with the video on my tablet so thank you David .

 

The issue is that the pick up shoe on the 2bil is fouling on curved sections of the third rail. As avid follow

ers of this slow saga will know it was laid pretty well in the approved manner as recomended by Peco and if anything will be a bit low as I left out the the tiny washers that raise the rail to the correct height when using code 100 Streamline in the interests of my mental health

 

So has anyone else come across this problem and any ideas for a fix

 

Befuddled of Wolstanton

[lash]

My 2bil derailing mystery has been solved in the Southern Electrics forum, the pick up shoes foul everyone's third rail laid at regular Peco height, so I think my unit will be getting the snip and file treatment

 

I've been working on the canopies and roof today. Avid readers will recall the trouble I had with the overall roof with some dodgy paint work and a dose of Modelstrip working fine but causing total destruction. I have been reassembling the three modifed Airfix/Dapol canopies and the excercise has been much improved and simplified by using a jig made from a cheap pack of balsa offcuts

 

All good stuff

 

 

 

 

[lash]

More work on the overall roof so steady progress. The jigs were a good idea and have helped create sold and square components .Now I am working on creating the correct pitch while gluing glazing bars

 

[lash]

Still going with the overall roof . All three sections now built and being painted before glazing and assembly

 

Hard work but enjoyable and I am keen to keep up regular progress

[lash]

Work and family commitments are getting the better of modelling again but I have managed to get a good few hours at the Stafford show today. It really is very well run and there was a lovely mix of layouts .I particularly enjoyed  Black Country  Blues , well done all who have contributed the atmosphere is amazing and very well done to the  young train driver who really knew how to keep the speed of a freight train realistic and worked pretty well all day so far I could tell .

 

Fisherrow Yard was there with personal hero Ian Futers . I have seen it before but once again was so impressed at the simplicity and effectiveness of Ian's approach to modelling and operation . At the other end of the modelling spectrum was The Gresley Beat , stunning totally stunning

 

Amongst a few purchases were  bargain blood and custard Maunsell break third which I  plan to weather as a very late survivor not yet painted southern green .

 

Most importantly I bought some great looking Langley white metal pillars which should be  perfect for the overall roof,  I hope they  will spur me on to get this completed . Also found some etched drains and manhole covers for the platforms.

 

Good day but have developed non gender specific flu and cold like symptoms.....heading for a mug of cocoa

[lash]

Been working on Portsea on and off but little to show for it at the moment but to summarise

 

Fiddling with signals and think about  to paint some arms

 

Overall roof coming on very slowly but roof sections complete and painted ,glazing cut to size and canopy end on the way to completion. Need to work out how it will stick together but I do now know how it will look

 

Hornby art deco signal box acquired as stop gap pending building an LSWR type 3  ( in my dotage at this rate )

 

Purchased some  Portsea Town station name boards from Trackside Signs ,very nice

 

Everything else sorted in my head ! Just need time ,energy and the other thing

 

I would post some pics but have managed to loose my tablet with camera, not a clue how I managed that its in the house somewhere

[lash]

Just about completed the platform end of the overall roof, basically three Airfix/Dapol canopy ends joined, hacked , extended augmented with Plastruct girders and mouldings. So here are a couple of plcs

 

 

[lash]

Bother missed one so here is the front side

 

 

[lash]

Glazing is in the canopy roofs .I used glue n gllaze , wonderful stuff and no smears

 

Now I've started to assemble the roof components using one of my balsa jigs . I have to say I am quite pleased

 

[lash]

Been a good modelling day. Went to the model shop at Dagfields near Nantwich this morning and and bought a few odds and ends and then spotted a Hornby Maunsell push pull and so what could I do given my lovely M7 just waiting for it. Think I'm being rather indulgent at the moment because I bought a stunning second hand weathered King Arthur last week but it is a beauty . I'll post some pics soon .

 

This afternoon I've been working on the overall roof and its coming on but mainly on some retaining wall from Wills Flemish bond sheets and parapet kit so here it is primed and ready for paint and weathering.

 

Also my place and plonk art decaux signal box has acqired a name

[lash]

Bother forgot to attach pics so here they are

 

 

 

 

[lash]

Completed the run of retaining walls and very pleased with these. They are built as described above , primed with humbrol acrylic 1 spray and then a wash of diluted railmatch concrete is applied making it the sure the paint runs into all the mortar gaps . When that is well dried I rub over a series of artist's colour pencils first a dark brown then a redder brown and finally more sparingly a dark blue . I then blur the colours with a damp finger tip, finally a light spray from about 3 feet of modelmates soot black

 

beware of the modelmates spray , too close and its just a big black smudge !

 

[lash]

Having seen the pic posted I might apply a matt varnish or fixative , under a spotlight there isca tiuch of shine in places

[David Todd]

Post #   143

 

Nice work,.....What glue, did you use ?