Fastdax

It looks to me like the holes you were using for the square framer spacers are actually for plunger pick-ups, as there is a hole near each axle, directly behind the wheel rim.

Thanks Robin.

Thanks Andy!

Bridge The bridge carrying the high level over the exit to the goods yard had been in bare plastic for quite a while. I blacked the brass railings and gave it a coat of grey primer, followed by matt black. I also added some Archers rivet transfers to break up the 2' beam a bit. In place. Standard Joe keeps watch: Then it was finished with some dry-brushed grey and Model Mates Rusty Red wash. You can see that the fencing has also had some white paint applied, but mostly on the platform side as the painters couldn't reach the other side!

Platform I ran out of enough Slaters slab plasticard to surface the whole of the platform tops, so I decided to finish them in tarmac. The backstory is that the platforms were extended sometime in the 1950s, with the cheaper tarmac. This is actually 2000 grit wet-and-dry paper, which has a nice blue-grey colour and a bit of texture. I had to back it up with some cornflake box card to bring it up to the same height as the plasticard. I've also started making some Poppy's Woodtech Midland diagonal fencing. This is slow to make but gives a fantastic realistic wood look.

Thanks Jim. Glad you found your way back to RMWeb!

I've got this brake van and I do like the way the guard rails can be propped in the closed position to stop the guard falling off the veranda. Brake vans would have run with the guard rails always in place when on the move.

Platform Time to add decorative sides and tops to the foamboard platforms. First, a rather simple jig. This cuts away the foamboard platform top to a consistent height of 19mm above the rail tops. In action: Then, from the same MFC-covered MDF offcut, another jig which sets the edge of the platform stones a consistent 19mm (and a bit more round the curves due to the overhang of the jig) from the rail running face. This is 1mm more than the GOG recommendation, but I want to be sure I have clearance for long coaches round the platform curves. In action: I used 2mm laser-cut platform edge stones that I picked up from (I think) Warley last year. Mr. Sticky's PVA fixes them to the foamboard without dissolving it. I find a mirror is useful to see whether a curve flows or has kinks. The platform wall base layer (Slaters embossed plasticard) goes on once the edge stones are dry. ... followed by more Slaters slabs for the platform surface.

Thanks Rich!

Footbridge and Signal Box The footbridge resting in position, with its handrails mostly done. I cropped the mock-up station canopy by about 75mm, which improves its appearance. The shell of the signal box had a quick blow-over in grey primer, to highlight areas which need filler. I did decide to sink the box into the platform. A bit of cutting of ply and foamboard and some packing to get it sitting at the right level saw it looking like this:

Footbridge Sticking handrails on: One can never have too many dinky clips.

Just to get the whole process clear to me - what latex do you use to make the mould? Thanks.

Very nice George. I wish my buildings came together as quickly as yours!

Footbridge At the weekend Jim and I started a trio of station-area structures. I've posted pictures of the signal box and mock-up station canopy. I also built a York Modelmaking laser-cut footbridge. Finding space on my messy bench was the main problem ... You can adjust the overall width of the bridge from 161mm to 460mm in 33mm (4' 8.5" ) increments. My platform area is about 316mm wide overall and the bridge ended up at 300mm which is fine and gives a little clearance for a fence or something. This footbridge has a nice Midland flavour about it, although lacking in some details. For example, each side piece is a simple, flat 2D laser cutting. I will add handrails to the top. The bridge sits nicely in front of the station canopy and will help block the view into the dead-end under the canopy. I may add decorative strips of rivets over some of the butt joints as well.

Yes, i see what you mean now Peter and I agree.

Not sure how you would get a dummy centre joint from those bits. it looks to me like the bits will make a 2-layer rod lap-jointed on the centre pin with a boss and an oil box above each pin. For information, here's what the front, centre and rear pins of 41708 look like. This loco is at Barrow Hill which is quite local to me. I made an EM Gauge version of this loco so I have dozens of detail photos from crawling all over it. Just say if you want close-ups of anything and I'll see if I've got a picture. Best of luck with this! I'll be watching as I want to build a 7mm version of 41708 with Belpaire firebox.

Hi Fabrice, One good thing about your tab-and-slot plywood design is that you can always add strips of wood inside every joint to add strength to the box. In English, these are called "fillets" (nothing to do with steak :-) If any joint does crack, you can add a bigger fillet (square or triangular in cross-section) with lots of glue.

Station Canopy Mock-Up The two high-level tracks disappear off the right-hand end of the layout. To disguise the exit I want to have a bit of station overall canopy over the tracks, to provide a sight-break. Jim and I mocked up a fairly low-relief canopy in 5mm foamboard: The real thing will be steel frames over masonry walls, with dirty glazing over. This proved that you could see the backdrop (well - roll of lining paper) very clearly through the canopy. So we added an extension out of more foamboard to make the canopy longer: I think this is now too long but it's easier, as they say, to take a bit off than to add a bit on.

Signal Box Not sure whether to sit the box on the platform or sink it in. One of my books quotes 8 feet from rail top level to the operating floor. If I sink the box 3 feet into the platform (i.e. the height of the platform above rail level) then the operating floor is still 8 feet above rail level and the signal man can just about see over a standing train: In this photo the box is sat on the rear track and my "Standard Joe" (5' 10") has a view over the Jinty. I was looking at a few pictures of Garsdale Signal Box (like this one) which shows a wooden-base Midland box sunk into the platform by about 3 feet so it seems like it did happen. Opinions welcomed.

Thanks Fabrice. Yes, I will be adding part of a station building to the right of the signal box.

Station Area - Signal Box Another productive weekend with Jim and we turned our attention to the station area at the right-hand end of the layout. We started a laser-cut MDF signal box kit. The kit is "MR Holloway Signal Box Kit" from Rail Model, which is pretty well a doppelganger for the Butterley GF (ex Ais Gill) type 2A box, of which there are many pictures available. The fit of the main wall parts was very good. We assembled enough of the box to get a good idea of its footprint, which would set its position on the platform. The fit of the roof parts was not good, but I hope that cladding with tile strips and flashing with thin foil will hide the uneven joints. The finials supplied are flat 2D laser cuttings, so I intend to 3D-print some replacements. It will sit at the back of the rear platform, leaving the necessary 6 foot in front.

I hope you are feeling better soon Andy.

I made my electromagnets from cheap machine solenoids from ebay, as described on my Offerston Quay thread here. They are powered by a decicated 12V 2A wall-wart power supply plug and activated by the usual small push-to-make button switches like the black ones below: The electromagnets have plenty of grunt, although I did set the tops a bit higher than sleeper level. I must put some static grass or discarded newspaper over them!

It doesn't now!

Good to meet up with you and GeorgeT today, Andy. Have a great trip to Wales.