Ron Heggs

It is true in my case, converting photographs into scale drawings, and then cutting and fixing the materials to produce the basic model is far more interesting and creative, and sometimes a better result than 3D printing. Every model build has its 'most suitable construction materials and tools', as well as the skill of the builder with the tools at hand. I have progressed from card through styrene, and resin. With many hundreds of modelling knives, 2 Silhouette Cameos cutting machines and 2 UV Resin 3D Printers. I would say every material and tool has its good points, preferred uses, and bad points which are unique to the model and the modellers skills. Only the modeller can decide which is the best and preferred way to achieve his goals. Time and cost are not always the deciding elements. Overall I prefer to use my hands to create a model rather leave it to a machine I am still working on the Sri Lanka project which is nearing an 80% completion in my input, but about 40-50% in overall model layout build by the client. He has all the baseboards, trackwork, landscaping, electrics to carry out, as well as managing the construction of the premises to exhibit the layout to the public Ron

Hi, Thanks for your continuing interest I have ongoing problems with arthritis in both of the third and fourth fingers of both hands. Although I do get some occasional respite, any prolonged time modelling causes almost a shutdown. Any progress on the build in progress is exceptionally slow. However I haven't stopped and intend to now post when I can show some real progress, rather than a blow by blow account I have had to give up driving my Ford Mustang as although my reaction times are still good, I have no confidence in my ability to retain a good grip on the steering wheel if an incident should occur or when driving around all the vicious bends on the local mountain roads Ron

Last night's pictures - The build starts with the interlaced cross beams, which is the reverse of previous builds where the interlacing was done last The lower of three cross beams is the normal/standard beam. Made from two 20thou machine cut styrene, placed and fixed back to back, with top and bottom flanges of 10 thou x 2mm wide strips. The beam's dimensions are 7.5mm high x 110mm long with 12 equally spaced cross braces The middle cross beam is a part modified beam which will allow the standard beams to interlace. The beam's dimensions are 8mm high x 110mm long with 16 cross braces with modified spacings The top cross beam is a fully modified beam with the leg of the top and bottom T sections removed, to enable the standard beam to pass through and be fixed at intervals of 19.8mm. Each removed section is 2mm wide to match the flanges of the standard beams. To ease the removal of these small sections the cuts are made immediately the flanges are attached and before the solvent dries. Tricky !! A quick look at the interlacing completed. Still a number of standard beams and bracing pieces to be fixed in place, but the complex part of the build is done

Thanks Mike It is never too late, even after 15 years of modelling this project. The real aim is to try and capture some of the atmosphere and continual decay of these structures Ron

I think that should be melting not just warping

A friend has managed to get some close-up pictures of the bracing and cross-bracing details, which have been elusive for quite a few years as access to the viaducts is not normally possible. However, with some telephoto equipment and a lot of patience, success has been achieved What all this means that the previous guessing game can be replaced by a more accurate representation of the real structural build, and should ease the overall model design and build process The second span which is under construction has been modified with three new types of bracing, replacing the single type used previously. When I have removed the old type bracings from the build, the latest designs of bracing will be added Pictures of the revised part build will be posted tonight, after the heatwave cools slightly

The span is complete, and awaits painting This is the first of six spans which will extend the existing viaduct model into the garden A reminder of the existing viaduct model - The short angled span will be removed and replaced by the new span A few piers and castellated towers will be needed to make all the necessary span joints The second span is under construction

Finally finished the second span beam. Modelling during the week is nigh impossible The second span beam is to the front A view of the central portion of the span beam showing the detail of the crossing of the cross bracing beams The overhead tie beams linking the two span beams are next to be constructed

Hi, Mike Certainly has a higher UV resistance, but the cost is rather prohibitive, and would require a complete change in construction methods Ron

Pictures held over from last night - Bit of a dash in construction to complete before the truss machine cutting was finished The angled end for the attachment to the third span deck A closer look at the deck structure The first 28 of 80 truss cut pieces. 72 required for the second span beam Looking for more progress this weekend

The bridge model is still on display in the railway room and regularly receives a few 'oow aahs' from visitors The route of the railway tracks out of the railway room over the length of the viaduct spans and bridges is always in shade. Under non-operationing conditions and during those times the trackwork, viaducts and bridges will be completely covered by a removable weatherproof & insulated structure. With summer coming up rapidly (24-26 deg C today) now will be the time to carry out temperature checks prior to placing the viaducts and bridges in position. The real death dealer is UV radiation which can destroy styrene within a couple of weeks I do have sample structures both painted & unpainted which could also be used as 'guinea pigs' during the testing period Ron PS. All the structures within the railway remain stable and show no signs of degradation, weakening or warping. Some of the structures are now approaching 15 years old

Thanks Phil. I'm as healthy as can be expected, although I do suffer a little from Osteoarthritis in both hands (nobbly and painful finger joints). This is not causing me any problems modelling, other than slightly shorter working hours Ron

More work done to try to get up to speed again - That's the work on the deck finished for now On to the first of the two span beams - Cut ? one of two 220mm x 330mm sheets of the truss pieces. Each sheet contains 80 pieces which will make up into 40 trusses. The Cameo cutter will not cut through 20 thou plasticard, so the Stanley knife will sort out this little problem - The lower item is two truss pieces fixed together to create the cross bracing of the truss. The upper item is the remaining piece of a completed truss member after it was cut to enable the cross bracing of the trusses within the span beam The inside view of the first completed span beam The outside view of the span beam with the deck temporarily in place The second span beam is next. Cutting of the next 36 trusses (A 220x330 sheets will produce 40 trusses) underway, which will take about 4 hours altogether Whilst the cutting machine is busy, the second deck is being constructed. The deck beams have already been cut and in process of being assembled and fixed to the deck. This second deck is the longest of all the decks, being 865mm in length with angled joint at one end, which means two different span beams lengths More pictures later on this evening

Pictures of the start of the first viaduct span build for the final four spans - A view of the underside of the viaduct span deck with 27 deck beams The first 19 beams are fixed on the deck with flanges of the 6 longitudinal beams used as spacers fixed to deck . The next 4 beams along the longitudinal beams await fixing to the deck, and the last 4 beams remain to be threaded onto the longitudinal beam extensions The overall dimensions of the deck are - 770mm long x 146mm wide x 18.25mm deep View of the far end of the deck with the beams still to be fixed in place The top flange strips for the longitudinal beams are still to be fixed, and will also act as spacers. The flange strips for the deck beams will be added last

Have inspected the outdoor 'trench' in which the viaducts will pass through on leaving the basement, and after a little thought decided that the length of the viaduct will be extended to almost 3 metres (2.995m to be exact) beyond the exit point. This will make the transition from the viaduct to the concrete track base supporting structure easier to make The curvature of the trackwork will need four viaduct spans all of differing lengths - 770mm, 765mm, 815mm and 645mm. Unfortunately none of these match the length of brass etched viaduct span, and the modifications needed would be fairly onerous. So, unfortunately this has been abandoned, and a start made on the first viaduct span of 770mm using STYRENE (Now who would have guessed?) The required 27 deck beams have just been cut, and now in the process of being partly wrapped with the flange strips to allow them to be fixed to the deck plating. At present there are 9 beams still to be wrapped and fixed Pictures later this evening Ron