Thursday 29th December 2016

Worklist:
Fencing
Crane details
Grass

There was no meeting the previous week due to illness and trips to families for Christmas, but all three were ready for heavy dose of railway modelling.

Laurence had his head down as usual, working on his yard crane. This was interspersed with trips to the lathe and group sessions of looking for the bits he dropped en-route. In his defence, the bits are very small.

Stephen and Geoff progressed the fence on the hill behind the workshop. The aim is to provide a fence to stop livestock slipping down the steeper sections. The shape of the ground dictated the line of the posts quite nicely. A return section beside the water tank would help to disguise the board joint - the perennial problem. Posts had been fashioned and drilled for wire the previous meeting and now they were painted. The drilled holes had nagged Stephen over Christmas (sad eh?) Concrete post fences had holes for wires, but didn't timber post have wires stapled to them? Geoff agreed. But would anyone notice? It was determined that loops of wire could be fed into the holes to 'trap' straining wires onto the face of the posts - fiddly, but 'do-able'. Maybe for just the tank-side fence? The main longitudinal wires could be fed through the holes or glued on the back, as determined by the actual installation. When the posts had dried, holes were drilled at 6' centres and the posts glued in place. Just doing that changed the hillside very nicely.

Geoff and Stephen both agreed that a similar line of fencing was required on the front edge of the layout, running up to the bridge face.

Thoughts turned to the water supply pipes to and from the water tank. The principles had been discussed ages before. A large feeder pipe from a source higher up the slope into the tank top next to the access hatch (ball valve controlled), which also needs an access ladder. From low-down on the tank, a pipe running in a timber box-trunking (insulated inside) runs down to the gasifier equipment. We weren't sure where the supply should be connected to the equipment, but decided a feed to the base of the gas holder and a tap & hose pipe would be needed/useful. It was not too much of a stretch-of-imagination to conclude that the pipes could go 'underground'. All we needed was to get the feed pipe to a comfortable position at ground level and a wall face opposite the gasifier room was chosen. Stephen started fabricating the timber pipe trunking and Geoff worked on a preparing lost-wax tap and hand-wheel castings.

The pipe trunking becomes a cabinet at low level for an isolation valve and a tap, for a hose.

The proposed route. The trunking will be fixed off the ground on timber posts.

The lost-wax brass tap having a wire hose soldered on.

The hand wheel (operating the hidden isolation valve) would be located on the front of the casing, while the tap will be on the casing side.

While these elements were left to dry, efforts then divided: Geoff made-up a batch of rusty-iron coloured paint and painted any unpainted metalwork - mainly rail posts and details. He then continued to apply strips of grass previously made on the silicon sheet.

Stephen removed a panel of brick sheet that had been glued on a vertical face inside the bridge. It didn't match the stonework on the face and didn't follow the arch. Sections of foam were shaped and glued into the top corners and would receive a skim of plaster - next time.

 Stephen had brought two boxes of stock expecting a running session, but time evaporated. However, a small train was made up, just for fun. It was unanimously agreed to have a running session the following week - the first of 2017.

Wednesday 14th December 2016

Worklist:
Crane mechanism
Roadway
Grass
Strimming
Fencing
Brambles

Laurence continued with his crane mechanism, although now with a closer appraisal of the component sizes after realising that the one he was copying is slightly oversized.

Stephen progressed the bridge roadway surface. A difference in prototypes came to light in that he'd always pictured the bridge as a deeply rutted farm track linking fields, possibly with cattle crossing, whereas Geoff had pictured a metalled road. The thick plaster surface was rubbed down and acrylic paint applied to simulate mud/earth (the road had been given a coat of black paint the previous week). It will be left to dry and the effect appraised in due course.

With paint brush in hand, Geoff requested that a section of ground so steep that grass or shrubs were unlikely to grow was painted in the rock-face colour. Stephen then experimented with vines/brambles, teasing out carpet underlay, painting it and gluing various flock material. The effect was quite pleasing.

Geoff continued to apply grass. Stephen had brought an old sheet of silicon baking paper onto which Geoff applied lines of glue and electrostatic grass. These can be peeled off and applied as strips, when dry. Laurence had brought an old electric shaver and experimented with the beard trimmer, removing grass that was too close to the rails.

Areas of steep ground behind the buildings had been discussed previously and brambles were thought to be most appropriate. The ground shape also described a suitable line for a fence, protecting livestock from falls. Geoff and Stephen cut and prepared hardwood strips for fence posts and experimented with straining wire, on a small section at the end of the layout.

Geoff had determined that the mine adit, in keeping with most prototypes would be exuding water and continued to apply varnish along the base of the retaining wall. Only having satin varnish, previous layers have dulled, but Geoff insists that a 'wet look' will be achieved with enough layers.

Wednesday 7th December

Worklist:
More grass
Crane details
(Pointwork)

We all think that the electrostatic grass effect is good, but it just isn't standing up the way Geoff & Stephen had seen an the demo. A few more tests on a piece card were carried out to no avail, so Geoff continued as he had before. A few other scenic materials were incorporated to represent coarser foliage.

Concern was raised about the extent of grass on the 'main line'. Geoff was trimming it with a pair of scissors, but a full running test will be carried out once the glue is fully dry.

Laurence continued with his crane parts.

Stephen had some emergency modifications to two points from his Gn15 layout. They are replacements for Peco points that were made in haste and were found to be way out of gauge. Unable to find his track gauges, the work was carried out in 'Worton Court time'.

Wednesday 30th November 2016

Worklist:
Electrostatic grass
Workshop roofing
Crane detailing

Yes, we had a week off due to other commitments. Furthermore, we only got a part-days work in due to an unusual event.

Geoff progressed with electrostatic grass practice, although we're not sure where he's going to put the practice 'into practice', because he's virtually covered the layout already! The effect is very good, but the grass isn't very vertical. We're going to run some tests next week, to make sure the equipment is working properly.

Stephen progressed the workshop roof, completing the corrugated sheeting.

Laurence turned a handle for his crane mechanism and finally laid out all of the components he's been making.

Engine collection. The new owner of a steam engine Geoff had sold arrived to collect it. Peter had a sandwich with the team, then the engine was manoeuvred into his covered trailer, and he made his way back to Cumbria - a 12 hour round-trip!

Wednesday 16th November 2016

Worklist:
That crane again
Grass
Control panel

Laurence continued with his crane; this week working on the desk. Pressed about the task, he flourished his 'drawing' and said it was progressing nicely.

Stephen, having completed the installation of the new illuminated switches the previous week, plugged everything in and set about testing it. However, turning all sections off and moving a loco until it stopped threw up a few queries about section break positions and prompted a modification to the station area.

Geoff continued with electrostatic grass experimentation. Longer fibres of differing colours were tried and a better texture was achieved, which went down well with everyone.

Rather than use a J cloth over the end of the hoover, Geoff had produced a bespoke fibre collection tool that worked very well.

Stephen used Geoff's latest model - an O&K 0-6-0 kit by Sango - to test the sections.

Laurence couldn't resist 'having a play' before we packed away and out came his works train.

Wednesday 9th November

Worklist:
Control panel switches
Electrostatic grass
Crane mechanism

Geoff unpacked the new electrostatic grass applicator. It's the unit we saw demonstrated at ExpoNG, made by Grass Scene. It runs off a standard 9v dry cell and generates 15,000v, which it discharges into fibres via a threaded stud in the main container.

We hadn't purchased any glue with the kit, but did a trial with standard PVA and a 'tacky PVA' sold by Hobbycraft. This, we hoped would be similar to the special glue sold by Green Scene. Geoff applied both glues to a 'hidden' area and scattered some left-over fibre. We were not impressed - the fibres fell flat.

Pt II - Recalling the demo we saw, instead of copious amounts of glue, the tacky glue was then laid very thinly and 'Bingo!', we were in business. Geoff then tested different areas, with different techniques.

We also noticed that the pot of fibre that Geoff was using contained a selection of fibres, of different lengths and not many long ones. This all added to the experience that we know has to be built up in order to get just the effects we will need for different areas. We will also have to go back to Gordon Gravetts book, for advice.

Some of them worked and others didn't, but practice makes perfect.

Stephen continued to fit the new switches in the control panel. 1st remove a toggle switch, drill out a new 16mm hole, fit the new switch and transfer the wires. Finally, run a 12v supply to the LED pins of the switches. The job was completed just before packing-up time, so testing will have to wait until next week, but even the un-illuminated switches look good.

Laurence continued to work on the crane mechanism. We must find out how he's actually getting on and snap him doing it, soon.

Wednesday 2nd November

Worklist:
Static grass machine
Control panel switches
Yard crane
Ground works

The three of us had attended ExpoNG at Swanley over the weekend and we discussed what we had seen and liked. Geoff and Stephen had seen a demonstration of the Green Scene static grass applicator. Both were very impressed. Geoff decided to have another attempt with his home-made unit. A new 7KV High-voltage Generator had been purchased to replace a smaller unit that had never worked. After assembly, a trial proved that it was working, but only just. It was agreed that a Green Scene unit would be a sensible solution as Geoff had a lot of grass to lay on his own layout as well as Worton Court.

Stephen had arrived with a box of switches for the control panel. They were purchased through Aliexpress, a division of Alibaba - a Chinese 'sales facilitator'. Due to their price including free P&P, it meant they took two months to arrive.

Recap: We decided to replace the SPDT toggle switches with illuminated push-button switches. These had been very difficult to source and required some lateral thinking when searching the enormous range available. We discovered that in most available illuminated switches, the lights were always-on. Eventually, we sourced DPDT switches with separate light feeds i.e. 8-pin units. 12v lamps were chosen. One side of the switch was for the track feed and the other controlled the lamp.

After successfully testing the switch operation with a test meter, one existing switch was removed from the panel, a new 16mm hole cut and a new switch fitted. It looked very neat.

A new DC supply was now required. A standard voltage regulator was fitted, fed from the general 19v DC supply and tuned to 12v. The track section feed wires were soldered on, together with feeds from the new supply. It worked perfectly. The live sections will be very easy to identify in future.

A further 6 were fitted and the section feeds transferred, but the lamp feeds would be added later.

Laurence continued to work on the manual crane mechanism parts.

Geoff moved on to preparing the ground around the gas holder base and painting the area with acrylic paint.

Wednesday 26th October

Worklist:
Workshop brickwork.
Crane mechanism
Gas holder base and adjacent trackwork
Water tank

A quiet session this week as we were all continuing with ongoing projects.

Stephen continued to apply plasticard brickwork to the workshop, including window arches and cills. The door arches were more tricky - what would they have been made of? In the end, he opted for 'posh' brick-clad lintols (the easy option). The damaged roof tile sheeting was removed and some corrugated plasticard sheeting trialled.

The fiddleyard now provides a nice work area at stool height, for which the knees are very grateful.

Geoff worked on the gas holder base area, as discussed the previous week. Adjacent ground was pared down and new plaster added to the holes. Different textures of dust and ash were pressed in, as an experiment, but these were almost entirely sucked away when the hoover cleaned up. The plaster will be over-painted when Stephen returns the bottles of acrylic paint.

While working in the area, Geoff noticed the water tank on the hill was not level, confirmed by spirit level. As the tank hadn't been glued down yet, it was removed and packing added both over and under the MDF base. The consequential gaps in the brickwork were filled with strip brickwork.

A discussion ensued about the route of pipework for the tank. The intake would, presumably, come from higher up the hillside i.e. off the board. The supply to the gasifier was less obvious. The equipment has been loosely re-positioned, and a quick check through the blog photos showed that there never was a pipe from the tank. Brain-cells having been disturbed, we recalled that a pipe encased with timber/insulation was discussed years before, but the connection point was unknown. Geoff will research further, and suitable valve details will be sought-out at ExpoNG, over the coming weekend.

No supply pipe from the tank. Note the new steps.

Meanwhile, Laurence quietly progressed with the manual drive mechanism for the main yard crane.

Laurence had also brought the Cottesmore interface jigs/templates, that he was to deliver to the new owner of Lansdowne Green (see last weeks post). For posterity, these were photographed in the closest appropriate locations. In both cases, new locator pins prevent them being fitted correctly.

The hole drilling / track template was placed next to the bridge, which would have been a Cottesmore interface. The track is still in the original position, but the hill profile has been modified.

The hill profile template was positioned at the end of the new platform. The track at the board joint has been moved and the hill has been cut back to form the road, but it demonstrates its original use.