Ron Heggs

Check build of first deck beam - Centre pair of longitudinal rail support beams fitted to check positioning and depth Vertical end T braces fitted All appears OK Will complete the remaining 24 beams and build the deck for the first section of the viaduct ... to be continued >>>>>

Cut another twenty deck beam blanks, enough for two trials - which were both successful It's cooler in the workshop (its under the drive), so I can carry out some modelling Each stack of 10 blanks produced a lot of swarf making cutting slow. Had to stop every few seconds to allow the plastic swarf to cool and be snapped off, and returned to the bandsaw to continue cutting. So cutting a larger stack would not be a good idea That makes 25 deck beams so far - 137 to go - just need cleaning up, and the ends shaping into quadrants, then the flanges, etc. can be added ... to be continued >>>>>

Yes, Ian - what the eye will not see, I am not going to grieve over (although it would be nice to model), but enough is enough Still trying to decide whether to do a bit of modelling in this heat, but it saps all your energy and concentration, so may attempt some CAD drawings of the remaining buildings for the layout - pre-Victorian brick built terraced housing, which were close by the viaducts until as late as the 1970s Cheers Ron

Just a photo of the prototype deck beam details - Copyright Richard_T NO rivets being modelled Note - the tie beam between the two piers - more cross bracing Ron

Hi, Pete Not something expected - just Agua con gas - Gaseosa - try to keep the alcohol intake down to a minimum - use it mainly for bridge load tests , and my son-in-laws' visits Cheers Ron

Hi, Ian That's not the tedious bit I have to fit the top and bottom flanges, and the vertical strengtheners to each beam web Its going to be a long hot summer - and a slow modelling time Cheers Ron

The temperature here today was almost 40 deg C in the shade - so modelling has almost stopped On the viaduct build, the deck beams are spaced 28mm apart, that means over the 4.5 metre length there will be some 162 beams required After cutting the first one, the task ahead required a just a little thought - Possible solution - tack a number of blanks together along the edges which will become waste, and cut the curved outline on my bandsaw through all the stacked blanks The blanks are 40thou x 14.5mm x 174mm plasticard Trial run - Stack of 5 blanks after cutting One beam component detached from stack The stack will be filed clean before detaching the separate components This is looking like the way forward - next trial will be with a 10 blank stack Only one thing to look out for - when cutting, the plastic swarf melts on the underside of the stack and causes the stack to catch on the blade opening in the bedplate, but cutting very slowly reduces this problem ... to be continued >>>>>

Hi, Colin Thanks Have to consider the disc wheels and centre pivot/spindle attachments now Waiting for delivery of 300mm dia cutting compass to start the well construction Cheers Ron

Not much done today - ... to be continued >>>>>

Still producing the glazing bars for the canopies, and the trusses for the next viaduct span beam - just a little tedious - so to break the tedium, have started the 65ft station turntable construction Not worth a special drawing, even though it is a unique structure The rails will be fixed using C+L chairs - Details of disc wheels, and well will follow The basic table structure with a single handrail support in place Underside view Table deck and main support beams constructed from 40thou plasticard with detailing in 20thou strip Table walkway and handrail support detail Handrail support detail Handrail support is 40thou x 20thou strip with 0.35mm dia drilled holes for 0.3mm dia brass wire Angle fixings 60thou Evergreen L section strip ... to be continued >>>>>

Hi, All I have had a request to build and sell bridge components - not really on, as it would cut dramatically into all my ongoing layout structure construction However, I would consider one-off unique bridge constructions - preferably scaled prototypes - the more spectacular the better - if anyone is interested just PM me Ron

Hi, Colin Don't have a webcam set-up , so you will only get updates either late night or early morning (dependant on stage completions and photo lighting conditions) I only model in the evenings, and produce drawings,etc. during the early morning - as it's too hot, and I have SWMBO tasks during the main part of the day Cheers Ron

Hi, Pete Thanks for your comments, much appreciated For large projects methods and planning are paramount Although some may say 'there's method in your (my) madness' Cheers Ron

Hi, Colin Have at least three build projects on the go at present I will keep the canopies, etc. all in this thread, so as not to confuse followers of these builds Have now started the build of the 65ft station turntable - table first then the well - this will be a slower build, fitting it in between the viaduct and canopy constructions The first batch of viaduct deck beams are under construction Will post pictures, etc. when I have something meaningful to show, etc. My two week break ends tomorrow, so will be able to speed things up a bit Cheers Ron

Hi, Jamie I have already produced the etching drawing ready to go Just have to make the master column ready for the mould production and the castings. The threaded rod for fixing the columns is a good idea which I will take up, Thanks The glazing bars, etc. will be produced from plastic strip over a template, painted and then fixed over frosted glazing sheet - in a similar way to the Train Shed gables Cheers Ron

Hi, Ian Nice to hear you are going to be active modelling again soon Will watch your construction as it unfolds Cheers Ron

With starting work on the station canopies, I forgot to post the pictures of the finished Span Beam S2B (179mm long) - - just making up another batch of trusses so I can start Span Beam S2A (370mm long) ... to be continued >>>>>

Hi, Andy Thanks for your info. much appreciated Cheers Ron

Hi, Ian I was just about to order the silicone rubber and casting resin, but will wait for any info. you can get, just in case as this will be my first venture into casting, etc. Cheers Ron

Hi, Andy As I suspected Geoff's etched brackets are a different design and size. May have a go at producing them in plastic first before going for an etch - 102 needed on 51 columns Cheers Ron

I have seen their work, but it costs far too much for what you get. Maybe ok for the occasional one off, or for exhibition layouts working to deadlines with more than one person contributing to the costs Ron

Hi, Ian Rapid prototyping is expensive for anything other than commercial ventures 3D printing I have tried, but the surface finish is just not up to much Looks like resin moulding is the way forward, just need to build a master. I am thinking of using resin moulding to produce the remaining 14 piers for the viaduct Cheers Ron

To keep my Train Shed build on course, I have started to construct the external canopies, in parallel with the Viaduct build A few drawings, etc. of the external canopies - The Train Shed has external canopies to all the platforms except Platform 1, and Platform 7 is a bay platform Plan showing steelwork detail - Platforms 8 & 9 to be completed A couple of 3D CAD views - A view upwards over a canopy column at the glazing Support Column detail - Plan ------- Side Elevation --------------------- Front Elevation 3D rendered image Close-up of Upper Column detail Close-up of Lower Column detail Dimensions - have added the main dimensions to the plan (below), and the support columns are 53mm high As is my usual build process, I have started with the most complex construction first - it can only get easier .. and I haven't bothered with a trial build The construction is in 20thou plasticard/strip, the curved section to the left is as prototype, and also shows a little flexing in places The flex will disappear when the remainder of the roof support structure is added The canopy valances are constructed using Evergreen, left over from Train Shed - Booking Offices The channels are the roof drainage guttering, and the apex member is 40thou x 30thou handmade tee section using 10thou strip The support structure for the glazing/bars has yet to be produced - next job The cross braced trussing has also to be constructed - just 5mm deep The gusset/brackets may be etched brass .. and the support columns still deciding on build method ... to be continued >>>>>

Found an archive picture in a copy of Backtrack, which gives detail from inside the viaduct, which is not apparent from all the other pictures I have This means what was going to be Span Beam S2 (549mm long) is now split into two Span Beams S2A (370mm long) & S2B (179mm long) The following photos were taken this evening after a couple of hours modelling - Span Beam S2B under construction, with second facing ready for the completion of the beam The start of the interlacing of the cross bracing trusses The use of the template to build 25 trusses at a time is definitely speeding up these Span Beam builds ... to be continued >>>>>

Well I won't be doing any modelling for the next two weeks. I have two of my daughters, son-in-law and one of my grandsons over starting tomorrow .. that means days out, sitting in cafes and bars watching the world go by, down by the various beaches close by ... and modelling withdrawal symptoms ... very dangerous and stressful ... must have a drink Ron - I will be back