Schooner's First Forays into Scratch - a bridge

[Schooner]

My first proper layout is going to need some structures for which I couldn't find any suitable RTP or kit options. Scratch it is!

 

Nothing very taxing for those who know what they're about - a brick canal bridge, and wooden crane, and timber-and-tin open shed - but challenge enough for me. I thought I'd start this thread to gather references, document progress, and host my pleas for help!

 

First up, the bridge, inspired by Occupation Bridge, Whitminster (map):

 

 

Detail 1

Detail 2

 

A bit of measuring on the layout gave a sketch to work from:

 

...which lead to a carcass being built up from scrap 10mm foamboard:

 

 

Planned next steps:

• build out the sides for the curved wing walls in 2mm styrene
• clad in Wills brick sheets
• use Slaters brick sheets for the arch - more flexible, and the lower relief won't matter.

 

Advice please:

 I've had a search through the forum, but haven't found an approved method for doing the dripmold and the brickwork of the edge of the arch underneath it. Initial thoughts are to use card and score in the brickwork; double thickness for the spring and keystones. Is that a thing?

 

Cheers,

 

Schooner

 

 

 

[Schooner]

Quick update:

2mm styrene slabs to build out the wings

 

 

Body of the bridge complete, it had a quick check on the layout for elevation and general impression. Acceptable.

 

The Wills sheets are plenty strong enough to do without this underbody, but being a novice I was keen to be able to quickly and cheaply knock up something useful in case the premise was incorrect. The sheets are also few in number per pack, and too small to cover a span, or both faces of the bridge. I ended up dividing the brickwork into sections:

 

Which I think will be okay, but we'll see...

 

In hindsight, I would allow for the thickness of the brickwork in the body. If I'd followed plan A (as above, then a 'skin' of thin stock, probably scrap Slater's sheet on to which could be glued the Wills brick sheets), the the internal walls would narrow the roadway enough to render it impassable. In Plan B, the inner and outer faces of the brick are glued together and will just have to be glued direct to the outside of the bridge carcass.

 

The body has had a skim of filler to fair in the wings, and then we'll see how Plan B goes...

 

Critique welcome - this is a learning process after all

 

Schooner

[Schooner]

Quick update on the bridge.

 

Dry run:

 

In position:

 

...oh, just seen how crap that pic is!

 

More to come to show bridge as it stands in situ; and then once the much-needed filler has been applied! Currently thinking about edging the arch with filler/DAS into which the brickwork can be scribed; dripmold of applied course of headers from the Wills sheet (which can be bent to the correct radius fairly easily).

 

Cheers,

 

Schooner