Ron Heggs

It's been a tremendous experience working with you Ron. Your work is just fantastic.its brought model railroading in Sri Lanka to another level.

I am enjoying every moment creating these models reflecting the unique character of Sri Lanka and its railways, and working with such an enthusiastic team

For those of you who are on Facebook, Chrissleisure's FB page is https://www.facebook.com/modeltrainvillage/, the first pictures of the start of the layout are shown

The initial module is intended to show the stretch of railway between Ella and Demodara

If you have any comments and 'likes' on the layout, please leave them on FB

There will be more models to follow

Ron

... and for something completely different -

Lattice post Semaphore signals - still the main method of railway signalling on this part of Sri Lanka's Railway System

Scratchbuilt from photographs of actual signals in Sri Lanka. Brass etchings produced by PPD from my original DXF drawings

These first two of an initial ten signals have been finished with appropriate LED suitable masked, and coloured filters in the spectacles

I understand the first signal is fixed on the layout

Christo Perara will no doubt post any additional photographs he feels appropriate

A number of structures have been constructed which due to time constraints pictures of the finished items were not taken

2 Arch, 3 Arch and 4 Arch Viaducts -

Ella Station -

Main Station building is very similar to Demodara with an extensive steel supported canopy the complete length of the main building and beyond with a total length of approx 700mm 

All these completed models are now in Sri Lanka, and await fitting to the layout as progress allows

Pictures will be available when they are in place on the layout

Close to Demodara Station is Southam Tea Factory

Copyright - Christo Perara

Copyright - Christo Perara

The challenge was to produce a single structure with LED lighting to each floor and the attached low-level structures

The LEDs had to be fitted in such a way to enable easy future replacement, if found necessary, without removing any of the floors or roof

The main tea factory building model is 861mm in length and 131mm in width, and comprises five floors with a shallow single apex roof. The overall height is 224mm

The model is built from Styrene sheets with Acrylic sheets used for glazing. The building is provided with warm white internal lighting

The main structure core is constructed using 2mm thick Acrylic sheets with internal vertical divisions dividing the length into five separate sections. These internal partitions will be edge lit by SMD Leds

Horizontal floors are provided four upper levels and the ground level are made from 1mm thick Styrene sheet

These vertical and horizontal divisions provide structural strengthening as well control the lighting to each section of each floor level

The external walls are made from three additional laminations to the outer face of the 2mm Acrylic glazing. The first lamination is produced from 10 thou thick styrene with all the individual windows cut into it. The second lamination provides the outer window framing using 20 thou thick styrene. The two laminations are painted on the internal face with a dark grey paint to reduce light bleeding through the walls from the inside. The outer face is painted light green to match the existing building window frames. The final outer lamination employs30 thou corrugated styrene sheets for all the external wall surfaces. The roof is also finished with 30 thou corrugated styrene

Approximately 140 individual windows are fixed in the open position, as per the present original building

The lighting which is provide by SMD LEDs fixed on sealed tapes, are fed up the building at both ends of each of the four dividing acrylic partions, and provide edge lighting to each floor level

These are designed for a 12volt DC regulated power supply. An adjustable 3v-12v potentiometer is provided to allow the appropriate level of lighting to be set when installed on the layout

At the junction between the internal partitions and the outer walls a vertical channel 12mm wide, 7mm deep and 270mm high was made from 40 thou white styrene. This allows a strip of 12 smd LEDs to be fed up from the base and light the vertical edges of the partition walls. The light feeds through the walls to illuminate the each floor level throughout the building

Finally, all the external walls and roofs are clad with Slaters Corrugated Styrene

Single window frames have been attached to the open windows, and Fire Escape structures fitted at the corners of the main building

The whole of external faces and roofs have been weathered with a dirty/grey wash

Three external storage buildings, two bungalows and six open sided storage structures have also been constructed -

No pictures have been taken of the six open sided structures, but following picture shows the actual storage buildings located between the two bungalows -

Copyright - Christo Perara

All the above buildings are now crated and await shipping instructions

Back with a few more structures

Demodara Station and the associated Goods Sheds are now in place on the layout

The tunnel under the station has been provided with the necessary stone built openings -

Four small buildings close to the station have been built with LED lighting, and installed on the layout -

Ron

 

Are we allowed any more updates on the Sri Lankan project, or is it still sub judice?

 

SS

Have had note from the project owner that he is going to provide photos and a write-up on the status of the layout build in the near future, which I will post on the Sri Lanka thread. My present involvement is coming to a close shortly with another shipment of model structures to Sri Lanka

Ron

Just beautiful   . A fine piece of modelling

Ron

Hi Ron,

Just thought I'd enquire as to what's happening with your model? Any progress?

 

Rich

Hi, Rich

Completed the first round of models for Sri Lanka, and immediately received an additional commission for the same project. Looks like this will extend into May this year. Might be able to take a week or two out then for my layout, but not holding my breathe. At least I have been able to lay in sufficient materials to make the restart a quick one

Cheers

Ron

Morning Ron,   what an amazing structure. Trying to do the same on a curved platform .

 

I wonder if I could ask for some help as I have just come back into modelling ?

A friend of mine is helping to build an extension to my existing layout. On the upper layout we have built a large terminus on one of the curves. Its an oval shaped layout. As the up and down lines enter the station they fan out to give four running lines through the station and two lines which go outside of the platforms between lines 1 and 2 and 5 and 6. 

We are looking to build a curved canopy roof similar to York station which spans the two platforms and the four running lines.

With my very limited modelling skills I am not sure if this is possible.

Just wondering if anybody has any advice they can offer us?

 

Many thanks and best wishes,

Chris

Hi, Chris

Doesn't sound too difficult. You need to set out all the important dimensions - typical roof truss span and curvature, curvatures of the two outer supporting walls/columns, height of supports above platform level, number of truss supports and spacing. Produce elevation drawings of a typical truss with supports, etc., and an overall plan

Decide on the materials to be used for modelling the structure, and produce a sample of a typical truss. Use this to modify your design and construction methods until you are happy to proceed to build the complete structure

Any problems or assistance just PM me

Cheers

Ron 

Any more updates please, Ron.

Have had a request to stop posting updates on this project for the time being. Will re-commence with many more pictures when advised by Christo. Hopefully in the New Year when the project has the models in place on the layout

Ron

Hi Ron,

Any timescale for your return to this wonderful project yet? We devoted followers wait with baited breath!

 

Eward

Hi, Edward

Just about completed my part in the first stage of the Sri Lanka Project, and expect to be back in action on this layout towards the end of January

Cheers

Ron

Have used a variety of styrene sheets from a number of suppliers, and as has been noted above Evergreen does appear to be a little harder than most. Now use styrene from Eileen's Emporium more or less exclusively. It does pay to keep to one manufacturer/supplier as your cutter settings can standardised, and reduce the volume of failed cuts

Ron

Ron, please forgive me if this has been covered but 128 pages take a lot of reading!

 

Whenever I build structres using small sections of polystyrene they warp eventually. I use MEK (the real thing bought from a checial supplier). I wonder how you avoid this and what solvent or glue you use?

 

Thanks for producing such inspiring modelling.

 

Ian

Hi, Ian

Using any type of adhesive which has a solvent in its formula will cause some tendency to warp especially with small section styrene. The only occasion when this does not happen is with butt jointing sections or sheets. The solvent first softens the two joint surfaces and subsequent drying and solidifying causes the joint surfaces to shrink, and creates warping, Sometimes flooding the joint will cause excessive warping, and on occasion controls the warping by shrinking the whole of the two sections more or less uniformly. This method is not to be recommended, as the styrene can lose all its form and strength 

An example is making handrails from 20thou rod. If you attach the handrail to one side of a post using a small brush stroke of solvent, warping will occur along the complete length. If the handrail is attached to the posts with say Cynoacrylate then very little, if any, warping will occur

Depending on the structures the warping can be controlled by counter positioned joints and clamping in small jigs

Ron

Just takes your breath away, the audacity of the whole thing - almost a Sri Lankan "Pendon" project. If HO gauge is being used for the track, what scale will the engines and rolling stock be to reflect the 5'6" gauge?

The track will be HO gauge at 16.5mm, not 19.25/19.27mm, but the locos, etc. will be 1:87 or 3.5mm/ft scale

On the subject of speed settings, I have been cutting 40 thou styrene recently (over 30 sheets of 220 x 330 mm) for various viaducts and station platforms - the maximum thickness that the Cameo will accommodate - of course the sheet cannot be used with a cutting mat. The downside is there are unusable margins at the left and bottom edges 

To ensure accuracy of cuts, especially where curves are involved it is necessary to use multiple cuts at speed 1 starting at a low thickness (pressure) setting and following up with subsequent cuts at increasing (pressure) thickness settings, all with blade depth 10

This procedure of low speed and progressively increasing pressure prevents the blade grabbing the styrene and causing it to move slightly from its initial path through the roller

The final result is accurate cuts to approx. depth of 25 - 30 thou, which means the sheet can be snapped fairly easily

I hope you are all enjoying the 'ride' with a difference

There is a lot more to come

Cheers

Ron

Ron,

 

Are you giving any consideration to the difference in temperature for where these models will be situated ?  Whilst I appreciate your location in Spain is considerably warmer than Cornwall, will there be any chance of the models not coping with any additional temperature in Sri Lanka ?

 

Stu

Hi, Stu

I have already given Christo an outline of temperature and humidity requirements, which he was already having to deal with for the layout baseboards, etc.. The preference is to keep styrene/ABS as the main modelling media, as this would obviate any concerns with regard to humidity problems with the use of wood and card, and the use of mixed media in the models

You could ask Christo if you have any specific concerns

Cheers

Ron

View of the rear of the Bandarawela Bus Station from the Railway Station -

Bandarawela Railway Station

View of underside of main station canopy

The latest stage of the model build -

- more to follow

Bandarawela Bus Station

The first stages of the model of Bandarawela Bus Station which is directly across the tracks from the Railway Station (to be shown in a later post) -

.. and after painting and some assembly -

Windows and Roofing still to be added

Ron

 

As always, some outstanding modelling, did you use your normal test loading method on the bridges?

 

The weathering on that tin shed is exquisite.

 

Thanks for posting, I can now understand why Manchester Central has taken a back seat.

No load testing of the bridge spans as track/deck width is rather too tight, and also fairly short, so any deflection would not be noticeable

The viaducts don't pose any loading problems because of the depth of the deck structure and the arches are relatively narrow

This is my first attempt at weathering structures taking it slowly with plenty of light coats

Ron

Interesting project indeed. But it begs the question: how are you going to get such delicate and sizeable models in one piece to effectively the other side of the planet w/o reducing them to their constituent parts? I know, several large package shippers exist, but local staff might not be so familiar with the required care for these "fragile" models.

 

PS: I notice Google has some StreetView imagery nearby, might be handy!

With the exception of the Nine Arch Viaduct, all the models are designed so that the overall length of each piece of the model is no longer than about 600mm - 2 feet. The Viaduct deck is in one piece with each of the nine piers being separate to be plugged into the underside of the arched deck

There are always going to be exceptions such as the stations with long canopies

All the models are packed first in foamboard with cut-outs to hold and support them, then within strong cardboard boxes, and finally wrapped in plastic sheeting

Christo is personally arranging for the transporting of the models to Sri Lanka

I have been able to find a great number of suitable pictures on the web, including Google Maps/Streetview images. Although not all structures are accessible to Google's Camera Car. Christo has also been a great help in adding additional pictures for some of the detail requirements which are not usually seen on 'tourist' photographs

All in all, it is a remarkable and fast moving experience to be involved in producing some very interesting buildings and structures very different from my own layout

Ron

Oh boy - I've been commissioned to build the Demodera Tea Factory - I have a rather high bar to reach to match your exquisite models.

Are you likely to post your build - it would be interesting to see your methods on such a large structure. I did prepare drawings for the cutting machine, for the main factory building and some of the associated buildings, but couldn't meet the deadline of mid-December with all the other structures being built. If you want some pictures of the site, about a dozen or so, I could PM them to you

Cheers

Ron

Ron

 

Would be very nice if we could see what you are doing as quality workmanship is always admired, good to hear you are well and enjoying life and I expect a change of direction from your normal modelling activities is a pleasant distraction (for the want of a better word)   

Will see if I have enough time to get the camera out, in between breaths. I am bobbing about a bit between models trying to keep them all at the same stages of build, etc.

Cheers

Ron

Back in May of this year I was asked whether I would be prepared to get involved in producing scratch built models in HO scale, of various railway related structures for a tourist attraction in Sri Lanka. After series of discussions I agreed my part in this project

The Project -

Chrissleisure (Pvt) Ltd, a Company dealing with the hospitality industry is on course to create Sri Lanka's largest model train project in HO scale at a popular holiday resort in the high mountains of Sri Lanka

The layout of approx. 2,500 sq ft will feature the scenic railway from Demodera to Haputale, passing through Ella, known among many of the tourists to Sri Lanka, and winding its way past beautiful tea estates, gushing waterfalls, lakes and fields through the stations of Bandarawela, Diyathalawa and onto Haputale, nestled at 1431 meters above sea level

The project is expected to open for the public in early 2017

The project requires good modellers to undertake some of the other structures. About 100 plus structures of buildings, bridges, tunnels, etc.

Those interested in more details, and a passion to be involved in the project may contact Christo Perera, Chairman / Managing Director of the Company on +94 716 805900 or christo.perera@chrisslogix.com

My part in Stage 1 of this project involves the production of the following fifteen models -

2 Arch Viaduct, Demodara

3 Arch Viaduct, Ella

4 Arch Viaduct, Demodara

9 Arch Viaduct, Demodara

Demodara Bridge

Bandarawela Station

Bandarawela Bus Station

Demodara Station

Diyathalawa Station

Ella Station

Haputale Station

St. Andrews Church, Haputale

Heel Oya Station

Kinigama Station

Kithalella station

The first three completed models -

Nine Arch Viaduct - Located between Ella and Demodara

The model is 1350mm long and 420mm high with a single track deck. It is designed to be freestanding whilst it is being incorporated into the valley landscape

Demodara Station –

A popular destination to enjoy the experience of viewing the Demodara Loop which the railway line takes to travel around a hill to pass through a tunnel under the station as it continues over Demodara Bridge on towards Badulla. Without this diversion route the gradient would exceed the maximum allowed on Sri Lankan Railways

The platform length is 1425mm long. The approach platform from the south is straight, and it curves through the station

Demodara Station Goods Sheds -

These three sheds are approximately 100m south of the station on a goods loop line. There are now disused and in a state of disrepair

Demodara Bridge –

This bridge is approximately 200 metres from the tunnel exit towards Badulla over the Badulu Oya River

The model is 960mm long and 165mm high with a single track deck. It is designed to be freestanding whilst it is being incorporated into the river valley landscape

.. more pictures to follow as the remaining models are completed