Ron Heggs

Hi, Ian Thanks again for your much appreciated comments This second span does complete the bridge structurally - but it still needs to be finished properly Cheers Ron

.. thought the temporary support was a bit flimsy so I had to knock the proper one up quick, well the basic structure at least Cheers Ron

... the second and final bridge span beam is complete - The two span beams on temporary support structure now for the bridge deck, deck beams, overhead bracing beams, and the decorative pillared viaduct abutment ... to be continued >>>>>

Plasticard wouldn't last a day in the hot sun here in Spain They are made from wood slats and laminated plywood surrounds - existing when we bought the villa Inferior build quality - slats were stapled and rusted away and surrounds de-laminated - brush painting just one of them took over an hour Rebuilt them over a year ago - used External PVA to bond the slats and surrounds and used brass impregnated varnish to preserve them from Hot Sun and Rain Storms - Now still looks better than new Cheers Ron

Hi, Steven Much appreciated comments Would you believe I don't have any straight track. All the track I have handbuilt is the complex crossings and multiple turnouts on the station approach roads. Proprietary straight track will be used for the garden section of the layout, which is probably 12 months off But yes, I would like to see tracks/trains on these bridges, if only as a temporary photo shoot Cheers Ron

Hi, Paul Thanks for your comments, hope I can keep you entertained Cheers Ron

.. et voila - finished last night .. .. and just to show it isn't one the earlier spans .. suitably posed on top of existing bridge now for its twin ... to be continued >>>>>

Hi, John I know the area very well, although the last time I visited my birthplace was 6/7 years ago, and lived in Bury between 1972 and 1984. Most unlikely I will ever get back to the UK, at least in the near future Cheers Ron PS. Yes, the canals and wharves will be modelled

Hi, Stu I won't be adding any rivets, as at normal viewing distance they wouldn't be seen. ... and once you start you have to finish and be reasonably accurate in size and spacing Anyway not all the ironwork has been modelled, again as it would not be seen or practicable to model it in 4mm scale *** So rivet counters turn away, and go count somewhere else Cheers Ron

A summary of the span/truss construction process Just two templates - To construct the actual cross-braced trusses this one - The diagonal strips are placed on the top template, and the horizontal strips fixed The assembly is then removed from the top template turned over and placed on the bottom template, and the vertical strips fixed Producing something like this - .. which is split into individual trusses (although I don't fit the end ties anymore) - Then using one of these templates - Place the top & bottom span beam side pieces, and fix the plain diagonal bracing strips in place then the cross-brace trusses - ... finishing by turning the assembly over, and fixing the remaining lattice/bracing strips in place, with the opposing span beam sides The span is completed by fixing top & bottom strips to the span beams, and constructing the end beams to tie the top & bottom beams together Voila ! - One Span completed

Hi, Sean Thanks for your much appreciated comments Patience is required, although not too much dexterity - I'll post a quick summary of the span/truss build process to confirm that it is mainly patience Cheers Ron

Hi, Stu Yes, you quite right about the shear amount of work involved, especially as all the iron work was rivetted - no welding Ron

Hi, Colin It took a few trials to determine the best way to construct these trusses and enable the most effecient way to produce the interlacing trusses Unfortunately I don't have any single straight track to place on the bridges at present. I also would like to see one or more of my Jubilees and Black 5's on them. I am afraid Duchesses never ran into Central, although there was a guest exhibit in the early 1960's in the Goods yard The only Pacifics that ran into Central were Britannias and Scots, although there again A4 Sir Nigel Gresley put in an appearance in 1938 on Platform 9, and A3 Flying Scotsman in 1964 ... and there would be no thundering over the bridges as the speed restriction in place was 25 mph Cheers Ron

Thought you might be interested in seeing the progress on the first span lattice work at the stage of the interlaced cross-braced trusses in the central portion of the span - 9 pieces - 5 in one line and 4 in the other - to the left of centre - to be fixed 11 pieces - 5 in one line, 4 in next and 2 in remaining line - to be fixed Close-up showing fixed pieces and spaces awaiting pieces to be fixed ... to be continued >>>>>

Hi, Carl Thanks for confirming the detail about the viaduct trackbed By the mid 1980's I had moved down South with my job, but I still have a few archive photos of the station, etc. as it was in the 1980's, so your memories confirm everything I was aware of Still building the shorter bridge spans, it will be at least another week before they are completed (Easter will slow down my modelling a bit) Cheers Ron

Hi, Sorry, I didn't answer your question fully with regard to the trackwork over the model viaduct bridges I intend covering the decks with either self-adhesive plastic faced flashing (modern equivalent of lead flashing) to act as sound deadening or rubber based sound absorption sheet, then possibly a layer of cork (not yet decided if necessary - will have to carry out some tests), fixing the track and finally ballasting with you guessed it a PVA solution Ron

Hi, From the pictures I have, it would appear that the deck plating was originally painted with bitumen and then covered with an ash bed. The sleepers were then laid on a ballast bed and presumably re-ballasted after the rails were fixed to the chairs. The height of the deck edge upstands were approx 12" (300mm) to retain the ash/ballast beds. A 25mph speed restriction was in place over these bridges The latest re-incarnation with the Metro Trams - the decks have been completely cleared and the plating painted. Reinforced concrete track support beams have been laid longitudinally on the deck and rails fixed to chairs mounted on the longitudinal beams The only place originally where the track was supported on longitudinal steel beams was the station platform roads where they crossed over Great Bridgewater Street . This was also the only sections of the platforms to remain timber planked Cheers Ron

Hi, The trackwork for the station, goods yards and approach roads will all be hand built using C+L and Exactoscale components with some of my etched bits and bobs. The trackwork outside through the garden will be Peco Code 75 Flexitrack, there is no pointwork proposed for outside The track will be fixed with PVA on Cork over a Plywood base Cheers Ron

HI, Ian It is always good to read your comments Patience has its own reward Cheers Ron

Hi, Kelly Thanks, your comments are much appreciated My modelling, and Plastic or Victorian engineering Cheers Ron

... not meaning to blow you away just yet - my build continues Just to show I haven't stopped the final build for this bridge, the basic cross-braces have been built for the first span beam, and now producing the cross-brace assemblies Completed the first span beam side with outer lattice braces in place, ready for the cross-brace assemblies ... to be continued >>>>>

Your comments are much appreciated Now only got to weather them both - rain streaks, rust and grime, etc. - good job I have some old colour pictures of the bridges Cheers Ron

Well, here are a few pics. of the bridges after painting - The smaller bridge - #1 took far more passes (12 + 2 to the underside) to get a complete and satisfactory coverage - the larger bridge - #2 only 8 passes + 2 on the underside Still threading the lattices for the second span B) *** We'll keep knitting *** Don't think it tastes as nice as Shreddies - Oh, I don't know though ... to be continued >>>>>

Regardless of any problems, the end result WILLbe OK Cheers Ron

There are limits to my construction activities Ron