Andy_C

Yes - P purchased a couple of mineral and box vans, hoping the Dapol Easi-Shunt couplings would fit in. No chance. a good friend sorted using the Peco coupling, gluing it to an easi-shunt, to then finds the coupling was slightly too high from the rail to work. Ho hum.

Photo 1 - tunnel lining attached to the frame. Needed pva’ing as I wasn’t convinced the Redutex would stick long-term to the balsa. Photos 2 & 3 show platform progress. Since these images, I’ve one-striked any gaps, so when the surfaces get weathered, the surfaces will look seamless. I need to introduce some shaping to the surface, and also think about the platform mounted water crane mounting. The Redutex plus plasticard depth will allow a hole to be cut, if needed, to recess the water crane base etc.

Not a lot to show for last weekends efforts, due to golf getting in the way. Platform 1 with Redutex glued in place. I’m on it tomorrow, tho. 3/4 of platform 2/3 are measured and fitted, so will be glued in place. Photos to follow. The Redutex red brick sheets have arrived, so hopefully the tunnel scenic bit will be done.

Today was experimenting with painting/weathering the platform edges. I used a mid grey colour from Phoenix Precison, heaving diluted so it would run and wipe off. My 1st attempt wasn’t diluted enough - thankfully it was on an as yet unconnected piece. I painted the diluted mix on, and then wiped it along using kitchen towel. A very happy accident. The photos show a ‘before/after’ paint, the far platform painted with the nearer one not, and then with all painted. The greyer, darker colour is more akin to the colour photos I have of the edges at Mansfield.

Duncan constructed the tunnel with preformed plasticard from Squires. The Stone on the tunnel is the same as on the photo above of the platform edge for the goods platform - I need to paint that up. The plasticard brick strip around the mouth of the tunnel is from the same place. I'll use Redutex brick inside the tunnel for several reasons; its more bendy that the plastic, it has an adhesive to the back of it and also will accept airbrush/paint.

The top two photos show some thoughts around the hill form. A work in progress. Nothing glued etc. The third photo shows platform 3(forefront), with the recently glued goods platform edging in the back ground

2nd tunnel constructed, and glued. Waiting for it to dry. This one will be removable. The interior will be painted black acrylic, to banish any light bleed into the scenic tunnel. Moved onto the station platforms. Glued some stone effect plasticard (from Squires) onto the front of the goods platform. Tomorrow will be further time on the main platforms. I’m going to look at starting the painting of the mortar bits between the stone. Will be a wipe off jobby, me thinks. I can then think about the platforms being permanently screwed in, and the remaining ballasting around them completed.

I can be cheeky, ‘cos I’m helping with Shirebrook at both exhibitions - but yes both are confirmed.

My platform edges are Peco! I know some look down their noses at such, but the cut stone finish in N of the Peco edge is very similar to what was at Mansfield. Hopefully once weathered, with the platform surfaces(Redutex backed onto 1/2mm plasticard for correct height) it will look ok. The track at the platforms is dead straight. No kinks. I used a tracksetta to get it about right, and then a steel 1 metre ruler to ensure ‘straight’. As you know, being local, when you look down the track at Mansfield it is ‘dead’ straight. 😉 A big bonus is once ballasted, I can remove the track screws…

In a word, yes. The scenic part will remain in place, but the longer stretch after will be removable. Photos to follow. Duncan and me discussed just that during his most recent ‘flying’ visit. I’ve never had a derailment on this curve. It’s one continual piece of code 80 for both tracks, and the ballast has been meticulously cleaned off the track. I’ll do several checks of this before the tunnel frame is set in place. The brick work needs heavily weathering - almost mucky black soot effect. Almost a shame to spoil the lovely Redutex brickwork. 🫣 I’ll put the hill foundations in 1st(after weathering the scenics part of the track, of course), and then work out which bit will lift out. Finishing this phase of ballasting has opened up lots of other schemes of modelling I can now progress. We also discussed stone wall construction, station platform finishing, creating an underpass on P2 to the gents toilets and other ‘next steps’.

The 1st and 4th photos show the tunnel, with the inner frame in place. The red brick you can see is Redutex. I don’t have enough to complete it at the moment. More is on the way. The 2nd photo shows the balsa frame for the arches. I’m really pleased with ow this came out. It’s very solid, and will support the Redutex brick well. I need to decide whether I can trust the adhesive on the back of the Redutex, or just to be safe will apply some pva in suitable places. The third photo shows the tunnel profile but, as in photo 2, the tunnel mouth is now screwed in place. That can now have some ballast etc placed round it to bed it in.

I can’t claim credit for that. @Duncan. Did that for me…😉

Further work on the tunnel frame. This needs to provide support for the internal tunnel walls, so when you look down the line, the train appears/disappears into Hunnisett Tunnel and into darkness. The balsa opening was cut to 115% of the tunnel template, to allow for the brickwork to be glued to the arches. I’ve worked out a way of getting the curves right, using some wood/balsa glued to the baseboard. Easier to show an image or two once that’s been done. The tunnel frame itself will be able to be lifted out, to alleviate the issue of derailments and track cleaning. It’s not lost on me that all this prep will only be known about from those I tell, and who read this thread. Ho hum😉

This phase of ballasting complete. Some patches after hoovering, but I’ll sort them when I get to fitting the station platforms in place. Only one point gave me a little pain during the class 25/40 test run - that was down to a bit of dry/clear glue I couldn’t see until I squinted. Next is to tidy the room up. I then plan to construct the inner tunnel walls, then the tunnel/hill, and sort the station platforms out. I can now run trains again for a bit!

The photos are excellent, but this model looks lovely in the flesh. The detail and relief is very realistic.