trains12 Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Hi all Those that know me know that I do mad things so it shouldn't be a surprise when I say that I am building a new bridge but so far have no layout for it. The bridge in question is Connel Ferry which crosses the narrows of Loch Etive. The bridge was built by the Callender & Oban Railway and I have always thought it to be a graceful structure. It has style and together with its rakish main supports and up close its massive girders and its complex steel work I feel that it will be a challenge. The other day, while waiting for some supplies to be delivered I started doing some sketches and drawings. I have taken the dimensions off some old plans and reduced these by a quarter to maintain the desired shape and angles of the bridge, so I now have overall dimensions. As usual, like everything I make, they always turn out big and this is no exception. The overall length is some 2250mm or approx. 7'6" with an overall height of 360mm. Its Big. The main structure at present is intended to be made using plastruct sections but some calculations will have to be done to see if plastic will take the weight of a train. If not then brass will have to be used. It is not going to be an exact copy but it will be so that people will know that it is based on Connel Ferry. The biggest difference could be that instead of just having the single track rail line and a roadway I may opt to make the structure wider and just have 2 lines. Will keep you posted with hopefully some drawings and photos in the next few days, but there are two areas where I don't have much information and would be grateful for any assistance. Where the main supporting columns meet on the foundations at river level? Where the supporting columns meet at the viaduct ends? Cheers Peter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
66C Posted September 3, 2013 Share Posted September 3, 2013 Hi Peter Some time ago drawings were posted to the RMweb galleries here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/42974-connel-ferry-bridge-4aa/ And a photo here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/43198-connel-ferry-joint-main/ A Google search for images may provide some more. Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trains12 Posted September 5, 2013 Author Share Posted September 5, 2013 (edited) Hi Peter Some time ago drawings were posted to the RMweb galleries here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/42974-connel-ferry-bridge-4aa/ And a photo here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/43198-connel-ferry-joint-main/ A Google search for images may provide some more. Regards. Hi Bill Many thanks for that it has been a great help. In the mean time here is a shot of the first girder still a lot to on this then three more of them to make. I am now drawing out the support girders. but am away up in Scotland for a few days but not at Connel Ferry. Peter Edited September 5, 2013 by trains12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trains12 Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 Hi allWell I am sat here in Mortherwell ready to go up to near Inverness for the holiday with the family and have just been told that we are going via Connel bridge tomorrow so I will be allowed to stop and take some photos of the structure. Will post these when i can. In the mean time going to the Sumerlee Museum site to day. Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trains12 Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 Hi all Here are a few shots of the girder work on one side of the large bridge. The size can be judged by the Heljan railbus. I have included a view of the real bridge which I took last week inn the pouring rain and mist. I ended up like a drowned rat taking all the detail shots of the bridge structure. Peter 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tender Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Hi Peter, that looks impressive. Been under this bridge a few times when I was doing some work in Loch Etive a few years back. Hope the plastic strut has enough rigidity to hold up that span with the weight of a train crossing it. I think I'd be tempted to build it in brass or add some brass reinforcement to what you have. Ray. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trains12 Posted September 26, 2013 Author Share Posted September 26, 2013 Hi Peter, that looks impressive. Been under this bridge a few times when I was doing some work in Loch Etive a few years back. Hope the plastic strut has enough rigidity to hold up that span with the weight of a train crossing it. I think I'd be tempted to build it in brass or add some brass reinforcement to what you have. Ray. Hi Ray Yes if all goes to plan there will be two 7ft long brass reinforcement girder's along the length of the bridge which will take the weight of the train and road system. It has now been decided that it will be single track with a road system (like the Faller system) running along side the railway track. In the mean time here are a few shots of the work to date. Cheers Peter 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flubrush Posted September 26, 2013 Share Posted September 26, 2013 Yes if all goes to plan there will be two 7ft long brass reinforcement girder's along the length of the bridge which will take the weight of the train and road system. I wonder if you might be underestimating the strength of your bridge. If all your plastic joints are well made then you might find that the deflection of the bridge under load on its own is less than that of the seven foot brass girders. Jim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Hi All The feet for the bridge and what will be the brick wall support which the Bridge feet will rest on... All comments welcome Jamie 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Hi All More on the Bridge photos and the Arches at the ends... All comments welcome Jamie 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiltedsignaller Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) I have been over this amazing bridge SO often. You are capturing the scale of it beautifully, Jamie. I look forward to seeing it complete and the Falls of Lora passing below it. Cheers, John Edited October 1, 2013 by kiltedsignaller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) I have been over this amazing bridge SO often. You are capturing the scale of it beautifully, Jamie. I look forward to seeing it complete and the Falls of Lora passing below it. Cheers, John Hi John Thanks but sadly, all praise as to go to Peter Midwinter aka trains12, I just take the photos for him while he models away and make coffee and talk trains... Thanks for your comments, I’m sure Peter will be adding the falls in, we were looking at photos today of that and it looks pretty fierce, and I would say the fall gets quiet high, would you know how high the fall gets at its peak times... Peter is the person in all the Pictures, don’t there are many shot with me in the photo, I think you see my hand on the odd occasion while I hold a part together so I can take the photo... but thanks for acknowledging my hand if you do see 3 arms in the photo from time to time... Jamie Edited October 1, 2013 by 7APT7 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Alister_G Posted October 1, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 1, 2013 Peter, that's a wonderful bit of work, a real triumph. The prototype has always struck me as a marvelous piece of engineering, and your model is definitely echoing that. Great stuff! Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 3, 2013 Share Posted October 3, 2013 Hi All Glen Gillie in its Full Length will be at the Boonybridge Model Show in Scotland this weekend 5th & 6th October 2013 at Bonnybridge, Falkirk (just off the M80 / M876). If anyone will be there off the RMWeb, then please do come over to us and introduce yourself to Peter (aka RMWeb user trains12) or me and the guys working the layout... I think Peter is taking part of this bridge to display. 20 miles from Glasgow 33 miles from Edinburgh Jamie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trains12 Posted October 8, 2013 Author Share Posted October 8, 2013 Hi All Here are a few more shots of the progress of the bridge to-date. A lot of people at The Bonnybridge show this last weekend knew the actual bridge and said how good a model it was. Peter 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi All Some Photos of the bridge Jamie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi All Some Photos of the bridge Jamie 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Hi All Pictures taken at Bonnybride Jamie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRDBLUE17 Posted October 10, 2013 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Very impressive structure Peter, enjoying following the progress. I had seen the bridge in books and have even been to Ballachulish (probably spelt wrong) the lines terminus in the past. Its only this year i finally saw it in person thanks to a family wedding in Oban and it captures the look of the real thing very well. All the best Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Hi All Peter and the Gang are at Gaydon this weekend, so thought I would show some more photos Close-ups of the bridge, which were all taken at Bonnybridge, Falkirk in Scotland this past weekend gone. You Comments are welcome... Jamie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruced2 Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Hi Jamie, The bridge looks stunning both in the flesh and in picture form, it got a lot of great comments last weekend. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Very impressive!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Hi Jamie, The bridge looks stunning both in the flesh and in picture form, it got a lot of great comments last weekend. Bruce Hi Bruce Yes Peter does a Good Job with his Modelling, Yes it was great to have meet you all up in Scotland, and a lot of scotties seem to know the bridge very well, with the comments we got back from those who know the bridge... Peter does a good job with his photo research before he starts to model things first. Thanks for your comments, Bruce Jamie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7APT7 Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Very impressive!!! Hi Neil my mate... How things dude, yes... it will look even better once Peter as completed the bridge... I will be at your show in a few weeks time mate, and looking forward to seeing you all over there. Jamie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bon Accord Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 What a superb model and subject. I don't think I've ever seen a model of the Connel Bridge before, I look forward to watching it progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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