Platform surfacing.
Fuelling station.
Board edging.
Yard development.
Water tank adaptation.
Geoff experimented with some proprietary ash ballast, to give the platform some texture. Strictly speaking, the test was on the adhesive base for the ash. Three 'glues' were tested - 3M Sprayfix, PVA and matt varnish. A layer of matt varnish (slightly thinned) was applied to the plaster fill, to seal the surface, but the jury is out on the glue, until next week.
Stephen was keen to review the yard area, following discussions on the extent and type of roadway that might be employed. The part-finished store was positioned to define the spaces in question. Geoff & Stephen quickly determined that an extension to the adjacent slope could run-up close to the store, leaving a space for a lean-to storage area. Some foam was cut roughly to size, which has a splayed end, and fitted the bill nicely.
The discussion then took an interesting detour, when Stephen related his re-viewing photos of the original layout and recalled the water tower that stood at the end of the platform. The tower was found and positioned, and thoughts turned to a refuelling station (coal & water). Various locations were discussed - primarily, both ends of the platform and the head shunt. It was finally agreed to place the coal stage on a raised platform where the tank had originally stood (first photo below), with the tank moved closer to the end of the platform. This location was sloping ground, which could be made level, but keeping the small mound and forming a solid base on top seemed a better idea; the coal stage could be a raised timber affair with the slope extended underneath.
The features were roughly located and the clearances tested.
The two boards had differing back edges that we had known needed to be resolved. The new fuel station provided the perfect solution, by cutting away the rather dilapidated edge on the existing board and replacing with a continuous solid timber front piece.
Stephen took on the edging and Laurence was deployed on water-tower adaptation duties.
The small mound now extends right across the board joint and runs into the upstand Geoff had formed a year ago - 'just in case'!
The resulting ground line is extremely pleasing, and blends with the curve of the track perfectly.
