The Bigbee Line

I needed a scenic break, so chose the only overbridge on the line. Bridge No.1 near havant...

In the oppressive heat I’ve avoided the workshop... Tonight I tasked myself with the erection of the next section it the layout lighting, otherwise known as the pelmet. The first sections were to test the concept. The supports were tacked to whatever I could reach. Now I had the height etc worked out I have gone for supports down from the structural roof timbers. Here is the next section.... I’ve roughly cut some scrap chipboard. I’ll add a couple of cross members to stop that sagging. You can see that the top of the support is a Tee. This allows the timbers to align better. The end of this section is also the end of the visible section. I’ve teleported the road over rail bridge from the outskirts of Havant...

I printed off various pictures to go in my construction folder. I like to draw imaginary diagonals. The view from the car park is normally from the fence near the buffer stops of the headshunt. So why kind of guessed the location of the window in the booking office extension to the rear. Tall and narrow. Ok so far. Then in a shot of the demolition, I could see it was centrally placed..... Here as cut... Solution, cut a piece of scrap and glue in.... Cut new correct hole....

The chimney cores were trimmed to height yesterday and a pattern made for the roof. I’d like the roof to be removable to allow some internal detailing. Seems to be looking better. There’s no roof over the toilets...

After I’d realised the height was wrong, a little adjustment had it looking better. The chimney stacks go down to the fireplaces. The Porters Room is next

The station building is making progress. I was making it too tall. Fooled by the remains of the canopy at the front.

Tonight cutting out and assembling the station building.......

Here are a couple of vans from the VAG Volkswagen, Audi Group components train, being checked by the customs...

The Transit Shed was also used to unload the odd UK vehicle, An SPA in Railfreight paint site outside the shed having just unloaded the 2 fork trucks.... The platform when almost to a point with handrails on one side... Here is a load of Chivas Regal in the middle of a 'turnout and tally',,, Finally for tonight 09013 waiting for the boat. In the background is the TOPS office...

I don't need another layout, but have trackwork and boards that can be laid out as an Inglenook type layout. A large part of my life was spent at Dover, starting with contact as a guard when based at Ashford, then as Supervisor, Inspector and Manager. Shift work at Dover with the shunting and trainferry operation was a privilege, that you don't realise at the time. The set of sidings in front of the transit shed were mainly used for wagons off the boat waiting customs clearance. So when the boat was shunted, there was always a game to minimise shunting, local knowledge gave you a good idea what would clear quickly. One of the 2 pilots would gather any clearances and traffic under bond to trip to Dover Town , bringing back the next lot of shipping..... The Transit shed did examinatons, a speciality was a 'turnout and tally' where the whole wagon load was handballed onto the platform under the watchful eye of a Customs Officer, then reloaded back into the same wagon. Hot work... There were also examinations by MAFF officers, I've seen them halve a whole sack of Spanish Onions to check there was not stowaways inside.. Happy days. Anyway a project of simplification and memories.... Do not expect rapid progress, this is for the long haul. Here is the start of a plan.... This is the view from above the linkspan...

First dry run with the station building. Not in the right position. Just to get a feel for the size. With canopy. Lots to add...

PVA pulls quite a bit as it dries. Some of my canopy supports ended a bit on the wonk as we say in Norfolk... So I’ve added some extra braces, not exactly prototypical, but add some busyness and do the job...

Too hot today. Must do a bit first thing. May be cooler. Tonight set to to make and fit sockets to plant the canopy. A section of BIC biro tube was cut to sit on a plasticard plate. The sits on the baseboard and the platform will be built around it. One corner of the canopy is joined to the building. Originally the canopy was full length. Shortened later giving the front a strange appearance. I’ve started cutting the walls, that go all the way down to the baseboard. The whole building will sit in a socket within the platform. Here is my bit of tube. The bottom is covered with a PVA / sawdust mixture. One down four to go. This is the front wall, consisting of two layers. Glued face to face which should counteract any tendency to bow. Here roughly in position. Clamped to dry...

Test fit, now onto the valance...

I’ve been thinking about how I’m going to plant my canopy in the platform. I’ve had an idea floating about in my head for a while. These normal flop..... This is my idea for this task. I will use the outer tube from BIC biros. A length will have a flat base added but retaining the hole. Under this hole there will be a hole in the baseboard to allow any debris to go straight through. I will carve the bottom of each upright to fit the tube. Then each piece of tube will be stood in its position and with the canopy providing the position they will be glued / grouted into place. Test carve and fit below.

I’m progressing with the canopy. 5 stanchions were built and a start made to make up the canopy. The canopy was trimmed for height and then marked for fitting. Last night the outer supports were glued in place with PVA. Today I clamped a piece of timber to the outer supports to act as a guide for the intermediate supports. Here all 5 in place. This is the view along the canopy. Not perfect but it will do.

The first version of the supports were too chunky. So here is version 2... I used bamboo skewers... A little piece of paper for reinforcement. Finally a piece of coffee stirrers front and back. Just waiting for it to set. Best overnight. I’ve got another 4 on the go....

Some test posing of the canopy. Just need to compare with pictures of the prototype. The angles on the supports look wrong. Need some work there. It is a key feature on the real platform so needs to be slightly dominant

The ribs to go inside the box girder core have been cut. Glued in one end with the sides held in line... There are vent holes to allow glue and shellac to dry fully.

I’m also roughing up a prototype support from coffee stirrers. Here is the station building end...

I’ve been “fart arsing” about with the canopy: How long.... How wide..... How high... I’ve got a drawing of sorts, but the jury’s out on the accuracy. So I did a couple or realty checks and adjusted to sit right with the platform edge and coach roof. Now I had an idea of key dimensions I could build the core of the canopy. A box girder for strength. Here being assembled from 2 parts. The sides were folded up and reinforced with a bead of PVA in the scored fold. To hold them square I used Allen keys and clamps.

I’ll second that. Tried crushing a small piece in some stout pliers. I was like the “7 stone weakling.....”

We’ve been away for a couple of days, so only thinking. No hands on work. I did collect various scenic material. Some typical Mendip pinkish stone. This was the dust from the bottom is a pile so no big lumps. There was also some graded stone more grey in colour. Not sure where that originated. There was no dust, so I’ll try crushing it. Then today we visited the East Somerset Railway. All very well organised. I was able to view some point rodding and check out the spacing. Most had three sleepers between each set of stools. I’ll rough some out tomorrow and see how it looks. I also did a lot of wondering about the canopy. I have decided on some selective compression. I’ll make a rough canopy. Then try with the correct number of supports at the reduced spacing. Then with one less at the correct spacing. This is a mock up with some handy screws to show the running in board and position of the 5 uprights for reduced length but scale spacing of the uprights.

Having cleared the boards, it has given me the chance to look at the various views and compare them with the real thing. I have compressed platform lengths. But most views look okay. Here is the real thing from the buffer stops. Here is my view... A piece of wood is my placeholder platform. I’m wondering if I need to reduce the canopy length. I could make it one bay less, or make the length of each bay slightly shorter or both. I think I’ll add the platform, then make up some card canopies if various sizes and see what each looks like. So that’s my job for Sunday....

Tonight was tidy up night. Nice to have clear boards. Looking towards Havant. Towards the stops.