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Black Country Blues


Indomitable026
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Mark, what were the axle loads of the stock we're running?

 

Initially we are looking at bogie bolster C and E which have a gross laden weight of somewhere between 40 and 45 tonnes over 4 axles. If we future-proof to allow for more modern stock we would be looking at more like 80 tonnes for a BDA (again over 4 axles) - although presumably there were locations on the real railway where these were used (for theoir length), but not loaded to their maximum weight capacity.

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Thinking about the issue of loco and loaded wagons being on the bridge at the same time, could we have a rule that the bogie wagon nearest the loco is unloaded? A match wagon type of thing??

No idea if there is a prototype for this, but it sounds like a bostin' excuse to (a) build some grotty internal user wagons (b ) engage in some additional shunting moves before setting off from the exchange sidings.

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Hope your planning on making this fine bridge out of brass and wood ;)

 

Not sure if it helps with beam height calculations but don't forget the bridges on the old tettenhall line are still in-tact and while being probably a bit more substantial than your bridge are publically accessible and thus easy to measure/access (and are contemporary with the layout).

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How far has it traveled? It's like waiting for Christmas.

 

Here's the reason it hasn't found Birmingham yet... somehow found it's way to Sweethome, Alabama...

 

post-57-0-81966600-1345666252.jpg

 

(evidently looking for the wrong Birmingham...)

Edited by Captain Kernow
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1/10th of the span for the main girders is not a bad rule of thumb for the depth of a railway bridge girder; above 1/12th sounds rather delicate for a railway bridge. The dynamic loads that railway locos introduce are much more significant than for a road bridge so they will generally be more "beefy" than a road equivilent. I would say not less than 15 inch for the way beams and I suspect that the transoms (what you called "5-6mm girders" ought to be not less than 12 inches but probably on a more regular spacing than you are showing of 24inch - they are also likely to be girders as you note.

 

Your bridge abutment looks good, but remember wing walls or is it going into a retaining wall?

 

With regard to sources, the Wills "varigirder" kit is actually very good. On mine, I introduced stiffening plates between each plate as this was a more common form. I did think the top plate was a bit chunky and upon reflection I should have made this from brass with my rivet tool (use the GW Models one, it is excellant for doing rows of rivets that match perfectly). This would equate to a girder depth of circa 6 feet, which feels typical to me. This is what mine looked like:

 

post-7769-0-01789800-1345667267_thumb.jpg

 

Alternatively, an even better solution would be to use the Masokits etched brass girder kit. See page 5 of this link http://www.scalefour...kits/index.html. I think Waterloo Road used one - didn't you James?

 

Bridges have tended to hang around for a long time, many that we travel over today date from well back into the Victorian era if not the initial construction of the lines. Prior to circa 1880, plate girders were less common and lattices were used. Bolted plate girders would be good until WWII, where welding really took off. All very big generalisations, so don't lets get into finding the exceptions, but in broad terms these principals are about right.

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Interesting discussion about bridges. Before reading this thread, I was under the impression (to paraphrase Gertrude Stein) "a bridge is a bridge is a bridge" and would have happily plonked down Dapol's Girder Bridge on my layout, regardless of traffic type (mostly beer wagons :imsohappy: if you must know). I obviously have a lot to learn before I could add "bridge building", to my list of construction skills.

 

Great Stuff

 

F

 

By the way, 2manyspams, you have a PM

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The Wednesday night Division of Labour summit saw four out of the five boards back together in the same county to look at the next steps after Chris (2manyspams) had littered Leicestershire with polystyrene. Once he'd filled all the neighbours' bins with his waste we were granted access to the workshops and John (Old Gringo) comes up with the idea that any redundant plans can be used to papier mache the csnerey.

 

Papier.jpg

 

Damian (Indomitable026) at the back of the garage wonders why he hasn't been offered a cuppa.

 

Plans.jpg

 

John tries to out-stare Andy (wagonbasher) over a point of debate. Damian now has a cuppa and his Action Man swivelling eyes turn to see if Andy has cracked yet.

 

Draw.jpg

 

As the night draws in some beer has helped the allocation of tasks whilst John has found more plans to festoon the boards.

 

Late.jpg

 

The fact that Geoff hasn't brought any track along hasn't deterred Mark from playing trains with his pink Janus.

 

Janus.jpg

 

Serious business this layout building. That said it has to be said that the scope, subtlety of topography ably interpreted from John's drawings into polystyrene by Chris and the fidelity of the layout is excellent.

 

Bescot.jpg

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No worries, Pete.

 

Hope you're enjoying the pictures of "the BCB team at work". Drinking tea and beer and twiddling with a biro in a nice clean garage. Just the job!

 

All the best, John.

 

I got a very real sense of the internal politics from Andy's photos, not to mention the "majesty" of a couple of Pie fueled bellies.

It reminded me of those photos from the Situation Room when the guys went after Bin Laden.

 

Best, Pete.

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I got a very real sense of the internal politics from Andy's photos, not to mention the "majesty" of a couple of Pie fueled bellies.

It reminded me of those photos from the Situation Room when the guys went after Bin Laden.

 

Best, Pete.

 

You mean this one?:

 

post-632-0-52814000-1345840651.jpg

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