Building a couple of wagons made pleasant change, so back to a bit of work on the layout itself. The way things have worked out I have ended up modelling 11 of the columns that hold up the bridge, a slight compromise since 3 more would be right at the backscene and just wouldn't fit. Of those modelled 7 were fabricated from riveted channel, the 4 on the platform were circular cast iron.

No real problem then, the riveted ones from styrene section, the circular ones from brass tube with the fancy ends soldered up.

Then I had a think. Even with the bridge removed I am going to have to stretch over there a bit to clean the track. At some point I am going to clonk one of them and break it. No doubt about it.

So I made them up to the right height with a bit of transformer lamination glued to the foot. Get them all in position and mark out where the feet are going to sit. Then cut a 1 mm deep recess in the baseboard to suit the magnet, glue it in and stick a 10 thou plasticard cover over it.





Ok, so with some cling film tightly wrapped round the foot of each column I messed about until I had them sitting on their magnetic plinths in just the right place. Lift the whole bridge off, then a base scenic mix of sand and ash very carefully working in round each one. Dilute PVA applied in the time honoured modelling tradition.

Next day and the test; had it all just got stuck together with PVA? Much to my delight it hadn't , the columns just lifted of with a gentle pull, cling film removed and thats it. I have tried the knocking them over test, they do just knock over without taking any damage and can be put back into the magnetic socket with ease. In fact, with just a bit of a knock they spring back of their own accord.



Finally a general pic of that end of the layout.