Oswestry Works Diorama

[Simond]

Alan

 

I've seen some excellent effects using plasticine, which can of course be ripped up if unsatisfactory.

 

On my O gauge layout, I've used embossed card layered on top of Paketo cornflako, not very happy with it.

 

Can you not laser the top layers to fit, and then have suitable packing?

 

Best

Simon

[alanbuttler]

Alan

 

I've seen some excellent effects using plasticine, which can of course be ripped up if unsatisfactory.

 

On my O gauge layout, I've used embossed card layered on top of Paketo cornflako, not very happy with it.

 

Can you not laser the top layers to fit, and then have suitable packing?

 

Best

Simon

 

I think that's worth a try, I've some sections of hand built track I can practice on using card cut to size and filler or plasticine to smooth over the joins.  I've also just been searching a while on RMWeb and seen Andy York's Keyhaven Quay... wow That's worth a go as well as the finished result is amazing.

[JeffP]

To go back to the sound discussion, briefly, don't forget the saturday afternoon and sunday sounds...almost none....and that's when most enthusiasts would have visited.

 

Memories of my own visits to Doncaster Works, between 1960 and 1963, are of the sounds of ventilators humming quietly in the roofs, the occasional clank, and over everything, the sigh of thre wind passing through long grass and weeds, semi-open buildings and quiet steam locos.

 

Atmospheric? You bet.

[alanbuttler]

Well the first wall's worth of brickwork and colour coding has been completed, in a little under 2 and half hours... not too bad but I'm new to Illustrator and still learning how to speed up repetitive tasks.  I did mention months ago that I'd share some of the time saving techniques I've come across for using Sketchup, I'll do the same for Illustrator once I've got my head around it!

 

Illustrator - prep work for the laser cutter by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

Edited October 17, 2014 by alanbuttler

[PaternosterRow]

Hi Alan,

 

just been flicking through the illustrator prep work and am wondering about cost.  How much does all this work out at and how expensive is the laser cutting etc.  Just want to know because I'd love to get into this.  Also, how do you go about painting these walls?  The layout looks brilliant laid out like this and clearly makes construction easier.  What attracts me most is the relief in the brickwork and how precise it all looks - given me plenty of ideas!

 

Mike

[alanbuttler]

Hi Alan,

 

just been flicking through the illustrator prep work and am wondering about cost.  How much does all this work out at and how expensive is the laser cutting etc.  Just want to know because I'd love to get into this.  Also, how do you go about painting these walls?  The layout looks brilliant laid out like this and clearly makes construction easier.  What attracts me most is the relief in the brickwork and how precise it all looks - given me plenty of ideas!

 

Mike

 

Hello mate, cost is something that can be quite variable as I've experienced so far.  The quality of the artwork is what ultimately determines the cost, beyond specifics around per hour/minute prices etc.  For example, some basic artwork without any colour coding is going to generate some extra cost as the company will charge you for any work they need to do to prepare the artwork for the cutter.   I asked for a quote from York Model Making who I think produced the laser cut work for Barrow Road.  I was quite surprised at the cost for one sheet of laser cut brick, which led me to look into alternatives.  That ultimately led me to the maker spaces or hacker spaces, one of which is in Brighton and has its own cutter.  It's only A4 so not big enough for the works, but was big enough for me to get some idea of what could be produced.

 

Getting the artwork optimised is the key and it's an area I've spent (and wasted!) many hours on.  The faster the laser can move around the work the more you save and the more you can get cut essentially.  I learnt this all the hard way, by concentrating all my efforts on producing the artwork exclusively in Sketchup.  Sketchup is great for conceptualising and working out how things will fit together, it's awful for optimising artwork for laser cutting (unless someone can show me another way ) Sketchup generates a line at every single intersection, so for the cutter that means thousands more lines/cuts than are needed.  When I realised this there was no choice but to start the whole project again from scratch, just creating the outline and essential features in sketchup to make sure everything looked right and fit together correctly.   The brickwork I now do in Illustrator which is primarily designed for working with vector lines.  

 

There are some gotcha's and time saving techniques I've found this week, some from reading books/blogs, some the hard way!  The biggest complication I've found is dealing with brickwork around circular or arched windows.   Finding a fast way of producing the right sized bricks and aligning them against a semi circle saved me hours this week.  I had to perfect the technique further today when I discovered sketchup creating more lines than needed again.  When I get a minute I'll try and put into words with some descriptive pictures of what I did.  It's quite hard to explain but saves a huge amount of time and guarantees perfect brickwork around archways every time so I'll definitely make the effort the share what I found.  Maybe a video is the best way of explaining!

[PaternosterRow]

Hi Alan,

 

Thanks for the info bud.  I've also replied via the email.

 

Mike

[alanbuttler]

Just a quick update tonight, I've finally cracked a decent workflow in Illustrator so I'm now pushing through the layers at a good pace.  So I don't go completely out of my mind looking at lines for hours I use a the Pomodoro technique for time management - basically working in 25 minute time slots with a 5 minute break.  Every 4 rounds of 25+5 you have a longer 25 min break.   I was recommended it by a programmer mate and I've been using it about a week now.  I can say that it's improved things 100%, getting regular breaks and actually being much more productive for it!  I can highly recommend it for anything which requires long periods of concentration, particularly on a computer.  I use this app - https://code.google.com/p/pomodairo/

 

Back to Illustrator.  Using layers has really helped with having piece of mind that everything is actually lined up correctly, as the next 2 pics show.  The first shows the layers of the rear elevation lined up for checking things over, the second each layer moved around the 1200x600 artwork to be ready for the cutter:

 

Illustrator - Using layers to ensure work lines up correctly by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Illustrator - testing Rear elevation for cutting by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

And a couple of quick screen grabs from Sketchup to show where I'm at - main works windows are the latest addtion.  The yard buildings will have to wait!

 

Works Sketchup Progress 20/10/14 by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

[Focalplane]

The pomodairo technique is interesting. When I was a manager with geophysicists who worked on seismic work stations I insisted that they took regular breaks to "look at infinity". It is not surprising that many of my work station oil explorationist colleagues needed to wear glasses. I first realized, in my 40s, that I had a problem when seismic sections on a computer gave me headaches. I have worn glasses ever since and now need bifocals.

 

Seismic sections basically look like an aggregate of squiggly lines in black and white (color these days) that are worse than brick patterns in Illustrator. So you are doing the right thing in taking those breaks!

[alanbuttler]

Morning all, I'm fresh back from attending Missenden Abbey's Autumn weekend with a few test 3D prints.  8 of us took up the 3D Printing course which was running for the first time, involving an introduction to Sketchup and then as much 3D printing as you could fit in!  It was a great weekend, with so much else going on in the other rooms as well.  I was able to drag myself away from the 3D printer for a half hour or so to see Kevin Wilson demonstrating soldering and having a bit of hands on myself.    I'd highly recommend the weekend, not only was the modelling good, its a nice place to spend a weekend with good food and good company - being able to put some names to faces and chat to some of the best in the field was great.

 

My aims were to improve my abilities with working with some of the solid tools in Sketchup and creating complex shapes such as fillets and bevels, along with getting an understanding of how 3D designs need to be engineered with 3D Printing in mind.  Such as taking into considering overhangs, bridges etc, by either using support material or printing in multiple components.  Here's some examples of what was produced:

 

GWR 9000 Class 4-4-0 'Dukedog'

I'm interested recreating some of the subtle variations between the many Dukedog's seen on the Cambrian (as superbly researched here on the GWR Modelling site).  These 2 items were good first steps to try out with the printer - above footplate sandboxes (as per 9000 and 9005), tall top feed (9021, 9004, 9000 and many others).  

 

Dukedog Sandboxes (9000, 9005) by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Dukedog Top Feed by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

The sandboxes were straight forward enough, taking the sandbox and wheel arch/splasher measurements from J.H. Russell's Pictorial Record of Great Western Engines.  The top feed was a tougher to get right and I'm still not 100% happy with it, but it was a good test of skills using the follow me tool in sketchup.  I'd not been able to find any drawings of it before hand so it was a best guess from photos and drawings of other top feeds.

 

Craven Crane Hoist

This is part of the Erecting Shop crane that I have on my list of things to do for the works.  It's a little early days to be thinking about detailing the works interior but this was a good chance to see what the printer could do.  I'll need to revisit the 3D Design later to get it right, but this wasn't a bad first pass.  I've roughly modelled the crane within the erecting shop to get an idea of scale as I've no drawings to work from, just photos from the surviving crane at MOSI.

 

Crane Hoist Panel by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Oswestry Works - Erecting Shop Overhead Crane Progress by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

GWR Manor Chimney

Lastly, by far the hardest task was attempting a chimney.  I've been looking for a BR-era Manor chimney for about a year, the DMR model seeming to be the best production but they are very hard to find.  Next best option has to be printing my own!  Find drawings however has been a challenge, I had a quick look at the NRM but didn't have enough time for a thorough search.  This drawing is based on the GWR Chimney (loosely!), but it was more of an exercise in learning how to make the complex curves and shapes as the chimney meets the smokebox.  After getting a headache from trying to get this to work natively with sketchups toolsets, I had to use a plugin after reading this post on RMWeb.

 

Manor Chimney by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Finally, here are all the bits printed out!  They were made using a MakerBot Replicator 2.0 at 200mn resolution.  They certainly have given me an idea of what is possible and more importantly got me thinking about how things need to be made in order for them to be printable.  I'd already taken the plunge and bought a 3D printer before doing this course.   After reading up and also seeing Rab's achievements with his printer, I bought a B9 Creator 1.2.  The 1.2 B9 is capable of 30mn resolution so my first job will be reprinting these pieces as a comparison.   I've bought the kit version of the printer and haven't started the build as yet, I've another course on Monday evening at the B9 distributors in London, I think it best to go there first to see one in action before make a start.

 

Missenden Abbey - 3D Printing Course by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

 

 

In the mean time, it's back to Illustrator to finish the brickwork and component cutouts for the laser.  All being well that should be happening in the next 3-4 weeks.

Edited October 27, 2014 by alanbuttler

[Rabs]

Good luck .  I've not gone up to the better resolution yet so I'm very keen to see how you get on.

[Simond]

Alan,

 

might it be worth printing the skirt/flange of the chimney a little thicker to avoid the rather fragile edge - it would be pretty easy to rub down on a suitable bit of pipe wrapped in wet&dry?

 

HTH

Simon

[Andy M]

Hi Alan,

 

The DMR range of brass fittings, including the BR Manor Chimney, are now in the hands of Pheonix Precision. They were in stock at Scaleforum last month.

Nice work with the 3D printing by the way.

 

Regards,

Andy.

[Axel.Richardson]

Wow, very impressive work, just shows what can be done these days using modern technology.

Can't wait to see it all together

[alanbuttler]

Alan,

 

might it be worth printing the skirt/flange of the chimney a little thicker to avoid the rather fragile edge - it would be pretty easy to rub down on a suitable bit of pipe wrapped in wet&dry?

 

HTH

Simon

 

Hi Simon, that's a good plan, I did wonder how it would be best to deal with it.  It was drawn in a bit of a hurry to be honest at the very end of the course the next time I print it will be to scale and on the B9 so it'll be interesting to see how it handles the thin edge.

[alanbuttler]

Hi Alan,

 

The DMR range of brass fittings, including the BR Manor Chimney, are now in the hands of Pheonix Precision. They were in stock at Scaleforum last month.

Nice work with the 3D printing by the way.

 

Regards,

Andy.

 

Cheers for the heads up Andy. How's the 94xx coming on? I might give Illustrator a rest one evening this week and revisit the 74xx, you've given me some ideas with your posts

[alanbuttler]

Wow, very impressive work, just shows what can be done these days using modern technology.

Can't wait to see it all together

 

Cheers Axel, it's slowly coming together, a lot on the computer but the next months should see some actual real modelling happening finally

[alanbuttler]

A new update on the blog, leaving Illustator and Sketchup alone for a while and started wielding a soldering iron!

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1519/entry-15068-74xx-first-attempt-at-a-whitemetal-kit/

 

7410 - 2/11 Progress by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

[alanbuttler]

I'm back in Wales at the moment and Oswestry is only an hour or so away I popped up there for a look around for new ideas. The gates to the inner yard are usually closed, but by chance they were open on yesterdays visit. This yard was situated between the machine shop (which was linked to the loco works) and the smithy. In the yard to the southside were the coppersmiths, brass foundry, engine house and the boiler house.

 

The yard itself had a number of wagon turn tables though by the 1950's it looks as though only one was left in use to access a short spur off of the works thru road. This spur was used for the loading of refuse, ash and such into wagons for disposal. On the north side of the yard were the stores and departmental offices.

 

Seeing the low afternoon sun shining on the buildings got me thinking... it would be quite something to make the works a modular layout, in the same vein as Mikkel's Farthing layouts, building the works up with 3 cut-a-away diorama's. This would include a 4th module to represent the works sidings and up/down main lines to the north of the works. To get an idea of the scope, I've put them together in Sketchup and colour coded the proposed modules:

 

Red - Locomotive Works (Erecting Shop, Traverser Shed, Tender Shop, Loco works yard)

Green - Machine Shop, Offices & Stores, Inner Yard, Smithy

Blue - Wagon Department, Carriage Shops

Yellow - Up/Down main line, loops and sidings, works bridge

 

Oswestry Works - Modular Layout design by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Oswestry Works - Modular Layout design by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

These views show the whole works, but I still think a cut away has the most potential, extending the cut from the existing diorama, exposing the inside of the machine shop, the inner yard, the wagon shop and the carriage shops. Quite a challenge but building it up in manageable sections like this should make it more achievable.

 

Oswestry Works - Modular Layout design by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Surprising what an afternoon wandering around in the sun can lead to!

 

Oswestry Works visit 5/11/14 by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Oswestry Works visit 5/11/14 by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

 

Whilst being at home I've set a little side project, having a go at scratch building some injectors using the Iain Rice method for the 74xx. Was a bit hit and miss with the soldering iron, fared a little better with super glue but I'm struggling to make the unit small enough to fit between the tanks and the running plate. If all else fails I'll go for some Alan Gibson ones as suggested by Buffalo, or once the B9 creator is up and running I'll try 3D printing the main body, will be a good test!

 

74xx Injector scratch build test by CAMBRIAN AL, on Flickr

[Simond]

nice injector!

 

The problem I find with the cast ones (and mine are bigger than yours!) is soldering the pipe to the casting in a way that doesn't break off when subsequent fettling and fitting is going on.  It may not be possible with current technology, but if you could find a way of soldering the wires (perhaps suitably pre-bent) together, and then stopping the printer at the right moment to insert the preassembly, and then restart the printer, the pipes/wires would be very firmly embedded in the body of the injector / brake setter / pressure gauge / whatever.

 

possible?

 

best

Simon

[Rabs]

I can promise you that you won't look back when you get the B9 set up to print fiddly bits like that.  In the last few months I've printed things that have saved, quite literally, days of my life.  That's even including the time taken to draw it and set it up!

[alanbuttler]

It may not be possible with current technology, but if you could find a way of soldering the wires (perhaps suitably pre-bent) together, and then stopping the printer at the right moment to insert the preassembly, and then restart the printer, the pipes/wires would be very firmly embedded in the body of the injector / brake setter / pressure gauge / whatever.

 

possible?

 

best

Simon

Hi Simon, I'm going to give it a go printing the main body and the valve and then drill holes for the wires, but I think I'll give the scratch built method one more try before powering up the computer

[alanbuttler]

I can promise you that you won't look back when you get the B9 set up to print fiddly bits like that.  In the last few months I've printed things that have saved, quite literally, days of my life.  That's even including the time taken to draw it and set it up!

I can't wait Rabs! I was at iMakr's store in London on Monday evening to see theirs in action before I make a start on building mine. I've a long list of projects for it so once I've got to grips with it this thread should see a lot of output from the B9.

[Mikkel]

Aha! I was wondering what you were up to when I saw those drawings and photos over on Flickr.

 

I like the idea of doing this in small sections with cutaway scenes. As you say it will be a big project so breaking it down like that should help focus work and maintaining motivation. It will also allow you to stop after the first two dioramas if your grow sick of it, and still have achieved a finished product.

 

The works look magnificent in the sunshine. It seems from Wikipedia that there's a health centre in parts of the works now - you could exhibit the model there once finished (if you dare!).

[Locoworker]

Work on the old gas works in the rear yard of the works is progressing nicely, mainly due to the purchase of Sketchup for Dummies 2014 which has some fantastic tips for increasing the speed of work.  In particular dealing with repetitive tasks and automating the creation of inter-locking brickwork.  

 

Gas Works - ISO.JPG

 

Gas Works - Exploded.JPG

 

Each layer is exported as a DXF into illustrator for brickwork and colour coding for the laser cutter.

 

Gas Works - Textured.JPG

 

I've altered my workflow to avoid sketchup grinding to a halt with millions of lines for the brickwork, this is now done in illustrator which is much more suited to working with the lines and paths in 2D.  More to come shortly

 

The gas works is pictured in this image, to the left of the locomotive. 

 

Hi there Alan

 

I'm not a modeller but your model of the Loco works is superb, it makes me feel as though I am back there, which I was between 1957 and 1963 as a boilersmith apprentice. The picture taken of the five men in the boiler shop, the two to the left were  my colleagues Arthur Kynaston (boilersmith) second from the left Don Rees (Apprentice boilersmith) the gentleman in the middle was the boilersmith chargehand. (who's name I can't remember) However I do remember he used to pop into the boilershop in morning when I first stated there after he had retired, so the photo is pre 1957 but no older than 1952.

I don't know from what year your model represents, but at the time I was working there,  the gas works was the plant & machinery workshop with the electrical repair workshop at the back.

If there is any information regarding the works I can help you please contact me, however to my regret I have no photo's.

 

John Dyke