Ron Heggs

Completed the second link section of ties and windbracing yesterday, then started on linking the south end gable/transom, and disaster Eleven of the seventeen transverse tie beams which should link to the gable/transom shattered as the solvent was brushed on the joint to the gable span - the gable span remains unaffected. This does happen very occasionally with new styrene strip, but never before on older styrene. This means that another eleven tie beams need to be made to replace the damaged ones - don't want to risk doing a repair job Took time out, before tackling the replacement transverse tie beams, to produce a mock-up of the roof cladding and glazing. The glazed sections occupy just over 55% of the roof cover. The strip lighting in the railway room is fortunately directly over the centre of the roof. Visibility under the roof cladding, etc. is very good, enabling all the roof structure detail to be viewed easily from below (platform level), and with clear (not frosted/weathered) glazing also allowing good views of the platforms, etc. from above - much better than the prototype ever was Now have the design of the cladding and glazing to detail, and work up a construction method - timber planking with bitumen felt cover (never worried about the fire risk) Have also been testing one of my laptops with 6 webcams attached, just to prove that good views of the platforms/track/concourse, etc. will be possible from within

Hi, John The complete approach trackwork into the Train Shed from the viaducts is one complex unit, and will be built entirely to 00-SF. Platform roads, carriage and goods sidings may be built to 16.2 gauge also Besides the standard and sliding 3 bolt chairs, the Exactoscale check rail chairs are used, cut to provide the 1mm check gap Ron

Hi, Andy I know that you are stuck with the size of the recess being slightly larger than the punch tip, which is something I anticipated when I designed my bridge etches - the recess sizes are just 75% of the actual required rivet size, and the punch tip has been ground to match Is it possible to locate the punch tip always to one and the same side of the recesses each time to try and maintain a straight line of rivets ? Ron

The 00-SF track/check gauges from C+L, turned up this morning, so trackwork will commence again next week

... and the clocks are missing, as well as the roof cladding/glazing Thanks Ron PS. these remaining breeze blocks will soon disappear - covered by the final section of foam panel lining - temperature is now stabilized at 19 deg C, and a relative humidity of 48% (outdoors it is 15 deg C daytime and 8 deg at night)

Pictures of the first of the three sections of overspan ties and windbracing linking the the three roof sections and gable ends - Ties, etc. are white styrene - to be painted later The apex steam and smoke vent will be extended when the structure is complete The small cantilever braces still to be fitted The modeller's view from chest level - it's back to the bar stool for the next link section

I must thank everyone for their recommendations and comments (Likes/Agrees/etc.) on rivetting tools. All are much appreciated Have stuck with my home-built drop rivet press, because I'm making good progress with the rivets. This is only a part-time operation, and should be complete by next weekend Most of my time is being taken up with the Train Shed overspan ties and windbracing. I found it to be impractical to fix these whilst stretching over the roof, so have resorted to fixing from below, within the roof structure which is a bit fiddly (sat on the bar stool, neck bent backwards, and hands above my head for minutes at a time), feeding the curved ties through the structure, and requiring the use of long tweezers and small weighted clamps to hold the styrene in place whilst the adhesive dries. A very slow process, but working well, and should also be completed by weekend Ron

Hi, Pete Have ordered a jeweller's butane torch and solder paste on-line - these should go some way to resolving the soldering issues. The use of a hot air paint stripper is still an available option, and can be purchased locally Ron

Progress with the soldering trial is at a stop - definitely no pictures Whilst small details can be soldered successfully, the larger linear joints are a non-starter due to the heat required to maintain a running solder joint Need to obtain solder paste and a small blowlamp to provide and sustain a greater heat transfer and tighter control of the solder application - Managed to order the 00-SF track & check gauges yesterday, they should be with me sometime within the next couple of weeks - Producing a few more 3D CAD designs for various detailing items - this mornings work The 'tricky' fixing of the overspan and windbracing to the train shed will be tackled this afternoon Printing of additional brickwork detailing for the GN Junction walling and the Train Shed walls will be carried out tonight

Managed to punch just short of 1500 rivets in 21/2 hours today - only another 50,000+ to go - need to make some adjustments to the drop punch to speed up the operation Will start the construction/soldering of a couple of deck beams tomorrow to check fits and determine the best order of assembly Pictures tomorrow

After taking a long look at the etches, have come to the conclusion that the first section to be built should be the viaduct deck. The construction is the simplest, and will allow me to gain experience with soldering brass using the new temperature controlled soldering station The deck comprises 22 deck beams with interspaced beams providing support under the track rail centres, above the deck plating. There is plenty of T and L rivetted detail to produce. So the rivetting detail will be the first task. Need to produce the rivet punch using info. kindly provided by jamie92208 - Lancaster Ayre Green CAD representation of underside of deck

Packages received - 15 printer ink cartridges Hornby LNER 2-8-2 P2 TTS (was ordered as last year's Xmas Present) Brass etches for the Castlefield Viaduct Unfortunately, two etched sheets (for the Overhead Beams) are missing. Have contacted the etchers, and await their reply

Thanks Richard Surely we have enough buttons to push As SWMBO says laughingly, it's only sticking bits of plastic together Cheers Ron

Thanks Michael There is a whole lot more to come - working on many fronts now Cheers Ron

Hi, Gary Thanks An unusual occurrence in modelling - When I am stood inside the structure it brings back many memories from the late 1950's and through the 60's, and recall some of the details which need to be modelled My daughter is bringing the packages from the UK round Sunday lunchtime. Will post some pictures of their contents later that evening Cheers Ron

Thanks Ian Definitely more to come Cheers Ron

Hi, Adrian The Train Shed is 2105mm long over the gable ends (excluding the front canopies/offices), 840mm wide across the span beams, and 370mm high from platform level to apex ventilator upstand Cheers Ron

Thanks -- There's always room for improvement -- Ron

Thanks Follow Liverpool Lime Street with interest, and acknowledge their decision to not clad/glaze the roof structure Cheers Ron

This is still under consideration to provide realism, visual impact, practicality, lighting and viewing - access is via the platform hoist. Will need to carry out a number of partial trails to try to achieve most if not all the main requirements Ron

Hi, Chris Having just fixed it to the baseboard, the overall weight is subject to a calculation The two gable ends being still unfixed, weigh in at 1.44kg total (actual) Based on the construction of the 14 span beams and 255 transverse beams, the weight would be at least a further 4.5kg (calculated) Good job the build was in sections - couldn't hope to have lifted and positioned it in one piece The roof cladding and glazing will add a further 1.5kg approx. (calculated) So the roof in total will weigh in at approx 7.5kg The curtain walls which are of card construction weigh 3.8kg for each 2.2m length (actual) Hope this is of interest Ron

A few hours late - the latest pictures of the progress on the fixing of the train shed roof structure View from the Concourse end at platform level The curtain wall is only placed in position - still requires a great deal of detailing, etc. View over the Station & CLC goods yard area The gable end transom placed but not fixed - the external platform extensions and canopies continue from this point to the right View thro' the West side - the white patches will be covered with brickwork detailing, etc. The span section links/transverse beams fixed, and await the over span ties and windbracing View from outside the North end gable - restaurant/cafe building to the left (to be finished and detailed Views of the East side curtain wall - Platform 8 canopy will be fixed along the length of this wall The concourse gable end - additional lower level glazed canopy, timber facing and station offices will be added - ..... and the clocks Working under the roof has been assisted by the use of a bar stool complete with fluffy black cushion The first part of the West wall is laid by the corner ... work on the Train Shed can now proceed alongside all the other work which is progressing - shouldn't get any excuse for an impasse now

Yesterday, checked the levels of the bases to platforms 1 & 6, along their 2200mm lengths. Then marked out the span beam locations on these bases - 15 x 140mm centres and 840mm across span. The train shed span sections have now been fixed in place using epoxy The two gable end transoms will be fixed when the three span sections have been linked together with the 34 transverse beams - Tomorrow Working from within the platform hoist area of the baseboard, the internal height to the train shed roof is approx 1700mm AFL, which means that my neck is bent slightly, causing a little discomfort during the three hours fixing the span sections in place. Will have to arrange a high seating arrangement for further work Fixing the over span tie and wind bracing to the link sections is going to be a challenge with access over the baseboard from either side approx. 800mm across to roof apex, and no room for sky hooks Pictures of progress tomorrow

The good news is - The package of etchings was finally delivered to my daughter in the UK on Thursday Morning - that's six weeks from pickup by TNT from the etchers, and by the scenic route of Scotland to Spain and back to Scotland and then the South of England Luckily, this was just in time for my eldest daughter who is visiting the UK from Spain, to pick the package up on Friday. The package should be with me next Sunday 30th November, along with a few other railway modelling related items A rolling stock item from Locomotion also took the scenic route via Spain and back to Shildon and then to the South of England. Now safely on its way via road and ferry back to Spain Don't have any problems with DHL and UPS, and items couriered from Amazon, or posted via Royal Mail and Correos It's going to be a busy time this December and the New Year

The beams fresh from the spray booth - The smaller beam is for over Collier Street (Note: Previously attributed to Ivy Street - another senior moment) It's not that big - it's an optical illusion ... and if you look closely there may be some rivets visible May get round to installing them tomorrow