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!