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emac

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  1. emac
    A typical West Highland Station
     
     

     
    I did build a West Highland Station in N Guage in 1985; still have it but it needs a little TLC
     
    While going through the various forums on RMweb I came across
    Rannoch MoorWest Highland Line Modern Image Project Started by MRDBLUE17
    This kindled a little fire in my head and I just had to have a go I managed to get a set of window and door etch done by Pete Harvey to Marks design ; I think they sat beside my printer for a year.
    In the meantime I searched the WWW for as much info as I could I also had some old photos taken for the first model of Arrochar and Tarbert which had a little detail in them but the best plans I could come up with were from the 1944/7 booklet by LNER The Story of the West Highland the plans are to be found in Appendix A; these were not printed in the later reprints of the Book
     
    It should be noted that although the West Highland Stations are of a similar design; based on Swiss Chalets, each one is different in length and internal layout this one was built as a typical West Highland Station with no particular station in mind.
     

     
    The plan was scanned and reworked to as near 4mm as I could get it it was time to buy some of that plastocard and a bottle or two of plastic weld
     
    I bought most of my materials at the Perth MR Show and invested in a Chopper ( I wish that had been a 1000cc one in royal blue) and a balsa stripper both made life a lot easier

     
    I used various thickness of plain plasticard and for the shingles I used Wills rounded tiles in OO it would have been better if this was N guage but I could not find any.
    A copy of the plans were made and I started with the ends
     

     
    The first problem I encountered came when I started on the sides the etched windows were oversize as were the doors. I decided to go ahead and use the etched doors and make the winows out of strip plastic
     

     
    my method of construction was to cut a strip of 40th plasticard to width and glue the embosed plasticard to this cutting out the windows as I went along following the drawing.
     

     
    First side done shown with both ends
     

     
    To make the windows I made up a sheet as a template to build them on; I used glossy photographic paper big mastake as the windows stuck to them had to soak them off in luke warm water
     

     
    I used plain paper and used a gray background which made things a lot easier
     

     

     
    End on view notice the glazing this happened by accident as I knocked over a bottle of plastic weld!!
     

     
    I used foam board top and bottom to hold the structure together
     

     

     

     

     

     
    I made a mock up the roof in card when I was satisfied that it was correct I dismantled it and used it as a template to make the roof in plastic sheet
     

     
    Ready for a coat of Halfords white primer
     

     
    Next time I make a building I will paint the station at this stage and glaze the windows, as it would be a lot easier to mask off
     

     
    Once sprayed I left it in the greenhouse to dry overnight
     

     
    Underside of roof
     

     

     

     

     
    I still have to do a little filling, touch up the paint, and to find suitable guttering as well as glaze the window’s
     
    For those intrested I still have plans in 4mm scale and the following mock up of the window and door template which needs to be done in CAD to make up for brass etching any takers please contact me.
     

     
     
    I have added gutters which were plastic u section which I rounded of a corner added micro strip to look like joins the downpip is plastic agein with micro strip for joins I also added the glazzing and new chiminy pots
     

     

     

     
    I am pleased with this attemt the painting leaves a lot to be desired but the station does look the part
  2. emac
    Thereandbackagain A OO Garden Railway
     
    This is a description of my garden railway as it came about
    It all started when I bought a Hornby Royal Scotsman live steam Locomotive set at a bargain price for £300 but when it arrived and the thought of running it on the dining room table, water, steam and oil….. It was put back in the box.
     
    The thought of a OO gauge running track in the garden blossomed (a pun there) and after a few discussions with my good lady I got the go ahead so in early September 2009 a trip to the local timber merchant saw me return with a load of decking and some new (railway) sleepers.
     

     
    Notice the apprentice Mac the Cat sizing up the delivery
     
    The track would run along a wall and would be approx 27ft long with two 3ft 9in square planters at each end (the bottom end is 4ft wide)
    This would be a single-track dog bone but the centre leg giving the impression of a 19ft length of a twin track run.
     

     
    Looking along proposed site as it was in September 2009
     
    I began by cutting the sleepers to the desired height I used a circular saw for this which made life easier I then dug small footing’s in which to place them into then using a dry sand and cement mix; which hardened overnight, and then placed the decking on top which gave me my track base a couple of days to complete.
     

     
    Cutting the Sleepers to form the supports for the decking
     

     
    Sleepers in position before adding dry sand and cement mixture then left overnight to set a light use of watering can helps but do not over do
     

     
    Top end completed using decking to aid levelling
     

     
    Using beach biscuits to extend the decking
     

     
    Extension in place
     

     
    Mac likes the height
     

     
    Top end completed with deck fitted just given it a quick coat of green wood preservative to complete
     
    Well that’s as far as I got in 2009 the house took priority for the next seven months then there was Chrismas, New Year then the rain, sleet and snow.
     
    5th May 2010 back on track at last; it has been a long winter.
     
    A trip to Wicks (to buy two rolls of green roofing felt which was used as “ballast†for the track. There are other builders merchants and DIY stores but not all stock roofing felt in 10m x 250mm widths.
     

     
    Today was nice and warm and the sun helped soften the Felt; which made it so easier to work with, all seems to be nice and flat although I did wonder if I should have glued it down hopefully it will be fine.
    Felt was fixed using felt nails
     

     
    So from this
     

     

     
    to this all in an afternoon’s work and enjoyable it was too
    Well the boss did bring a cup of coffee out

     
    And as Mac asks what’s next
     
    I hopefully will begin to lay the track in the next week or so
    The plan is to lay the track leaving small gaps for expansion and linking the ends with soldered wire then running a bus around under the decking linked to the track by wire droppers.
    The track will be DCC and live steam but not on the same day.
     
    Then (apart from getting some trains out there) on to the next stage or two is to expand the running track into a proper layout no doubt with a West Highland theme but will need some thought on track layout and what material to build the buildings with.
  3. emac

    Quick Hills added

    By emac,

    Grace hase been pottering about with her layout trying to fit things in her river is coming on but for me the most interesting thing is her hills ( now then major ) she found some FlexiLiner; used as a substitute to moss for hanging baskets, in our local Homebase 1.5m x 0.6m for £4.99
    To make the hills all she did was to crumpled some newspaper up and put the flexiliner on top and without a lot of mess the results below. The edges of the flexiliner can be frayed and I am sure it has a lot of other use's combined with flock etc.
  4. emac
    I have managed a start on my good lady Grace's 8ft by 4ft layout using a LTM Layout Lift to store it suspended from the ceiling in our small guest room.
     
    The lift was installed as per the instructions
     

     
    The layout base would have to be made as light as posible and was made from one sheet of 9mm ply for the framework and one sheet of 6mm as a top to hold two sheets of 50mm styro foam.
     

     
    I began by cutting the 9mm ply sheet into 8 110mmm strips to form the sides; each strip doubled up to 18mm. I also cut 50mm strips to form the cross members and as edge support to hold the 6mm base sheet in place my cordless rip saw made life a lot easier
     

     

     
    As seen above I soon discovered the ply strips took on a life of their own when glued together, by clamping the strips to a piece of 75x50 length of CLS helped solve this warping
     

     
    The frame was assembled using screws and glue and each corner had a 75x50x50mm block to add strengh
     

     
    I drilled holes in the cross bracing for the wiring before trimming and fitting the 6mm sheet of ply the result was a reasonable frame to fit the foam into.
     

     
    Now at this stage the frame was taken indoors and I had a well deserved cup of tea after which the hard job of clearing up began where did all these tools come from
     

     
    the layout base in place
     

     

     

    Parked out of the way
     
    The next stage is for Grace to make a fabric cover which will be made to hide the under side of the layout which will be fastened by velcro and of course to plan her layout now she has sizes to go by.
     
    I must confess that I should have just went for 19mm or 22mm ply which would have saved the glueing stage also I used a birch ply which I was advised was lighter but in future I will be using marine ply a far better quality product but we all live and learn
     
    I will update this blog as things happen
  5. emac
    Well Grace hase made a start on her layout over the last year she has managed to build a few Metcalfe Kits and layed a test track; we have had a few trial tracks laid but the one she likes best is a twin oval with no sidings have tried to get her to redesign the track but it seems the village scene comes first; at least I can use the track layout to run in my loco's.
    the latest so far.
    The layout is fine on the ceiling only downside is we do not have a lot of space around the layout to be able to wind it down so have made a opening in the layout;which will be hidden by some sort of building, and can wind it down enough for us to finnish lowering it down to our set height. I did phone the LTM Layout Lift supplier to see if they can supply a electric motor which wcould be fitted onto the gearbox but the did not have anything in stock but said they would look into it no reply to date. I am looking for a awning motor which may suit;its on the list!!.
    the top has been painted a earthy colour and the small river has been carved out.
    A few update photos
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