Bath Queen Square

[phil_sutters]

Maybe you underestimate the ladies https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bridge-is-nicknamed-the-ladies-bridge-because-it-was-built-largely-by-women-11004076/

[Oldddudders]

3 hours ago, phil_sutters said:

Maybe you underestimate the ladies https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-bridge-is-nicknamed-the-ladies-bridge-because-it-was-built-largely-by-women-11004076/

More recently, the 1980s, when Blackfriars Bridge was being rebuilt, the Resident Engineer was a delightful lady called Elspeth. Her husband was also an engineer, in the Divisional Engineer's Works Section. 

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, Oldddudders said:

More recently, the 1980s, when Blackfriars Bridge was being rebuilt, the Resident Engineer was a delightful lady called Elspeth. Her husband was also an engineer, in the Divisional Engineer's Works Section. 

An old friend of mine has just retired after a career in railway civil engineering, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. In turn, his daughter is the fourth generation, a project engineer on Crossrail.

[queensquare]

Well, having said I wasn't going to do any more on the 483s a little test etch arrived from Nigel H to enable the modified 3250 tender supplied with the kit to be converted to their original condition - essentially a lower front coal plate, full length coal rails and low, semi-circular lockers.

As expected, the conversion was very straightforward and the parts fitted perfectly.

 

 

 

 

 

Whilst I had them on the bench I also fitted the handrails and brake/water scoop columns. This is a ticklish operation because the Midland had a plethora of handrails on a common bracket and the bits are small! The brake/water columns are made in my usual way using bits of wire, tube and a handrail knob - somewhat simplified but perfectly effective - see sketch. More 3D printed toolboxes - what a great timsaver these are.

 

 

 

 

The locos will again be put away now. There's still a long way to go but they are really starting to take shape. The tenders look a little low at the front because they are not coupled to the locos - when coupled the drawbar will rest on the rear of the loco to transfer some weight. 

 

 

 

Jerry

Edited April 2, 2022 by queensquare

[queensquare]

My recent bout of plastic bashing on Padstow has inspired me to do a bit more on S&D bridge number 1 over the Lower Bristol road. It’s completion and installation would have the added bonus of allowing me to extend the track from its current terminus just north of May’s siding and on to Bath Junction - the pointwirk for which has been completed for some time.

 

Jerry

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by queensquare

[queensquare]

....... and here's the bridge itself. I've used this picture before, way back on page 28 of this thread when the subject was the signal box. I've had to selectively compress it somewhat, the number of brick arches in particular,  but I'm happy that it will capture the feel.

Jerry

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by queensquare

[Compound2632]

Ooo trams.

[queensquare]

On 13/03/2022 at 23:29, Compound2632 said:

Ooo trams.

 

Indeed, as if I didn't have enough to do! 

My plan allows for about six feet or so of the Lower Bristol Road along the front edge and I would love to have working trams, even if they only occasionally  shuffle up and down on some sort of timer - research material is in hand. I could do some working road vehicles as well but the airofilms picture from just after my period suggests I can get away with just a few parked vehicles - unrecognisable to anyone driving along this stretch of the road today!

 

Jerry

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by queensquare

[Doncaster Green]

Jerry

 

Trying to get my bearings.   Is the building just above the bridge in the aerial shot where Bathwick Tyres are now?  I am assuming the factory complex is Stothert and Pitt.

 

Regards

John

 

[Compound2632]

58 minutes ago, queensquare said:

My plan allows for about six feet or so of the Lower Bristol Road along the front edge and I would love to have working trams, even if they only occasionally  shuffle up and down on some sort of timer - research material is in hand.

 

I have realised that I got carried away at the sight of a tramway pole - I shouldn't have said ooo trams but 2FS trams.

[queensquare]

On 14/03/2022 at 09:12, Doncaster Green said:

Jerry

 

Trying to get my bearings.   Is the building just above the bridge in the aerial shot where Bathwick Tyres are now?  I am assuming the factory complex is Stothert and Pitt.

 

Regards

John

 

 

Bathwick tyres is much further along the road on the left. About the only building still there today is the Royal Oak pub, outside which is a busy junction with lights, the bridge and abutments were all taken out in 1969. A right turn at the lights takes you over the river to the upper Bristol road  - anyone visiting the RUH knows it well.

The large factory is Pitman press, the bulk of which was recently demolished although the ornate frontage onto the road was retained. Stothert and Pitt is on the far side of the line  east of the gasworks, hemmed in by the river.

 

Jerry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by queensquare

[Doncaster Green]

Ah!  I see it now!  I was looking the wrong way, thinking it was looking towards the city centre.  As you say, the Royal Oak is about the only thing left standing.   Most, if not all, of those buildings seen under the bridge have long gone.

 

John

 

[queensquare]

Spent a couple  of hours this evening starting to work up the girders. Getting the Archer rivets lined up on the 20 x 10 strips is a ticklish job but I think it’s worth the effort -  mind I shall only be doing the viewing side!

 

Jerry

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by queensquare

[bécasse]

10 hours ago, queensquare said:

Spent a couple  of hours this evening starting to work up the girders. Getting the Archer rivets lined up on the 20 x 10 strips is a ticklish job but I think it’s worth the effort -  mind I shall only be doing the viewing side!

 

That is certainly impressive! Given that I can't see them in the prototype photo appended to a previous post, I think that I would have left them off in 2FS (although I would have definitely added them in 4mm scale), since I suspect that they, confined within the flange, will prove invisible from normal spectator viewing distances. They do like nice in your photo though.

[Caley Jim]

It's my experience that these are the sort of details which I would describe as being 'conspicuous by their absence'.  They stop the flanges being a plain smooth surface.  whether they are the correct size or the correct spacing is irrelevant.  The fact that they add some texture to the surface makes all the difference.   On my bridges for the exchange sidings end of Kirkallanmuir I did an etched strip for the flanges.

 

Jim

[queensquare]

An excellent long weekend in Cornwall saw the Padstow buildings successfully delivered and great progress on SDJR Fox Walker 0-6-0ST No.1 which John Greenwood is building. These attractive, long lived saddle tanks are real signature locos for a 1920s S&D layout.

 

Jerry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2022 by queensquare

[Dave John]

Very nice. 

 

Saddle tanks seem to be in fashion this year . 

[queensquare]

Spring time is painting time - when I’m not in the garden or greenhouse sorting this years crops!

Lining, weathering, couplings etc to go but I have made a start in the queue waiting to go through the paint shop.

 

Jerry

 

[queensquare]

The other project that has made a bit of progress during the RMWeb hiatus is bridge 1 which now has the girders fixed. I couldnt help posing the pair of under construction 483s.

 

Jerry

 

 

 

[queensquare]

Spent an idle half hour or so reinstating a few pictures and had a mess about with the double headed Kirtley and M shot I posted a few weeks ago. both locos need a crew and headlamps but otherwise it does capture the railway in the landscape that, for me, makes 2mm so attractive.

The bottom, right corner of the picture has been expertly photoshopped in by Andy Y as this should be a 4' drop to the floor!

 

Jerry

 

 

 

 

 

[chrisveitch]

2 hours ago, queensquare said:

The bottom, right corner of the picture has been expertly photoshopped in by Andy Y as this should be a 4' drop to the floor!

Shouldn’t that be a 620’ drop to the floor? 😉

[queensquare]

Not much happening at the bench at the moment with so much to do in the garden and greenhouses - potting on, planting out and building defences to stop the local cat population treating my carefully tended beds as giant litter trays! I have been messing about with another of Andy Y's shots of the layout - desperately needs signals and a name board on the box but otherwise I'm pretty happy.

 

Jerry

 

 

[Ian Smeeton]

3 hours ago, queensquare said:

Not much happening at the bench at the moment with so much to do in the garden and greenhouses - potting on, planting out and building defences to stop the local cat population treating my carefully tended beds as giant litter trays! I have been messing about with another of Andy Y's shots of the layout - desperately needs signals and a name board on the box but otherwise I'm pretty happy.

 

Jerry

 

 

 

 

Fantastic attention to detail in 2 mm scale!!

 

Regards

 

Ian

[Caley Jim]

7 hours ago, queensquare said:

Not much happening at the bench at the moment with so much to do in the garden and greenhouses - potting on, planting out and building defences to stop the local cat population treating my carefully tended beds as giant litter trays!

I'm in much the same position, Jerry, but it's a wee bit early up here to be planting too much out yet.  Nevertheless, I've moved my geraniums into the cold frame and, with no forecast of frost over the next week or two, have moved my standard fuchsias out of the greenhouse to give me more space.  I can always move them back in if we do get a late frost.

 

Jim

[queensquare]

3 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

I'm in much the same position, Jerry, but it's a wee bit early up here to be planting too much out yet.  Nevertheless, I've moved my geraniums into the cold frame and, with no forecast of frost over the next week or two, have moved my standard fuchsias out of the greenhouse to give me more space.  I can always move them back in if we do get a late frost.

 

Jim

 

I know we are in the tropical south Jim but I still won’t be putting things like runners out for another few weeks just in case. Geraniums etc are all outside now - mainly because space is at a premium. As usual I’ve done far more toms, chillis etc than I need and I’ve just started all the summer squash, pumpkins and courgettes - mind I did have my top team on the job!

I love this time of year though I promise I will try and do a train related post over the weekend amid all these gardeners world updates!

 

Jerry

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by queensquare