Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Worklist:

Water tower and coal staithe.

General bits-and-pieces.

Geoff had continued with the water tower in the week and had completed the pipework and valve details. He'd also given it a base coat of black paint. It was fabulous.

The valve is chain operated (awaiting a loop of chain) and a length of rope or chain to swing the end of the delivery pipe in and out. 

A small lump of XPS foam was carved and glued onto the staithe, before gluing grades of crushed coal over it. 

Rust was then applied to the tank and a coat of grime applied to all of the timbers. 

A final dusting of graphite was brushed over the staithe area to complete the scene.

Stephen had an easier week, as he worked through a series of small tasks:

Removing the cottages had caused some of the footpath to break away, and how to repair it was discussed. 

Make doorsteps for the cottage front doors.

Glue the cottage fixing nuts in place. This will allow the interior detail of the derelict cottage to be completed.

Tidying up the various buildings, readying them for later over-cladding with embossed brickwork and corrugated sheeting.

Gluing down a factory sub-roof and applying stiffeners to the other roofs, ready for fixing down next week. 

A perennial problem was also discussed, namely how products from the factory would be be packed and transported on the railway. Stephen had always envisaged pallets, but latterly, Geoff has insisted that pallets simply wouldn't have been significantly in use in 1963. He envisages crates being the main method, with a few items individually wrapped. The type of products was also discussed. What would the 'bread-and-butter' products be? We could only speculate: The full range of wall blocks for new and restored mansions, window lintel's and surrounds, ornamental features for houses and gardens, balustrades, capping's, balusters, copings for walls, gateways? He foresees most items being hand loaded and stacked on wagons rather than with forklift trucks loading palleted goods, but little evidence for either option has been found. We will need to agree a definitive list of products and packaging to ensure that we have some interesting and viable products on display.

The water panel was removed without any damage to the pile of stone waste, which will be further stabilised with PVA next week.

Wednesday 15th February 2023

Worklist:

Progress water tank and coal staithe.

Progress fit-out of derelict cottage.

Test the Land Rover after mods.

Infill area around water tank and start cottages footpath.

Review alternative factory windows.

Geoff had a minor injury following last weeks meeting that prohibited work on the water valve. However, he was now able to continue with the less fiddly aspects of the water tank, making and fitting the timber tank bearers and the staithe ends. Once dry, these were weathered/painted. The pipework and fittings will have to wait a little while.

Stephen worked on the end/derelict cottage, making a chimney breast and fitting a timber floor, all of which will be visible through the hole in the roof. 

Whilst glue dried, Stephen set up the Land Rover for a run following the fitting of rear pick-ups. At home, he'd made-up a controller using some components bought many years ago and undertaken some successful testing. However, the movement was now very hesitant and close inspection showed that the rear axle had almost parted from the final gear. Superglue was applied, but not carefully enough. Some time was expended rectifying the problem, but with limited success. A knocking noise had also started, so it was boxed up for further investigation at home.

As Geoff finished weathering the tank and stathes timbers, Stephen made up some plaster and infilled the ground area around the tank. With some left over plaster, he applied an initial layer around the cottages, levelling out the footpath. It will be reviewed next week to assess how to finish the footpath.

The quarry spoil heap was given a few more granules of debris. We won't know until it is fully dry and the cling film can be removed if the exercise has been successful, but it is looking good. (The pile of stones are mounted on the removeable perspex 'water' and cover the junction with the static quarry edge).

Stephen had produced some alternative factory window layouts. In hindsight, those currently fixed to the shells looked a little too big, so the slightly smaller options were discussed and the smallest windows preferred. An option to have the first floor windows the same size as the ground floor was discarded.

Wednesday 8th February 2023

Worklist:

Water tank and columns.

Check cottages anchoring.

Loading dock canopy roof and other details.

Managers house roof/chimney.

The 3D printer had behaved itself for the 're-print' and we now had a lovely cast iron water tank.

The area where it will be installed was cut away to suit the tank.

Geoff  moved on to the columns. He had a perfect length of brass 'I' beam that he was looking forward to using, but an image search of actual tank supports identified a different solution. Flat bottom rail spanning cast iron circular columns looked more in keeping, so he set about turning some brass columns. (The file is to shape the edge of the base top)

A fixture was made to hold the columns in place... 

...while the code 100 rail was soldered across the top.

It looked great...

Especially with Atlantic standing in front of it.

The white foamboard represents the timber sleepers that will provide full support in due course.

Geoff and Stephen then researched the swinging arm unit they'd identified the previous week. Photos of the tank at Beddgelert station were scrutinised to work out how it all worked. Geoff will look into making the pipework and fittings in due course.

Stephen checked the cottage anchoring and was relieved to find that the epoxy glue hadn't spread, and the unit came away from the base nicely. He then released the clamps from the loading dock roof and put the building in place. He finished applying thin grey card to the dock itself and set it aside to dry. A small vertical gap on the side was also infilled. Smaller sliding doors than drawn were agreed together with a pedestrian door and some steps on the right.

The managers house had a 4-pot chimney stack prepared and glued in place, allowing the sub-roof sheet to be trimmed to size.

Wednesday 1st February 2023

Worklist:

Water tank 3D print.

Paint the new stone face under the quarry tipping point.

Apply grass and shrubs to side of engine shed.

Form roof of loading dock building.

Add fixing brackets to hold cottages in place.

Make coal staithe beside engine shed.

Fit loading bay roof frame to building.

Check on water tank 3D print.

Review the motorised Land Rover progress.

After copious research on engine boiler capacities, Geoff had drawn a 3D representation of a cast iron water tank. This had been set printing earlier in the day.

In the workshop, Geoff set about painting the new stone undercroft in the quarry.

He then moved on to adding more electrostatic grass and scrub to the ground beside the engine shed.

Stephen started with the loading dock building roof. A steeper than planned roof sub-base was fitted, probably to be felted, but not confirmed yet. A nice gutter was formed across the roof. Note blocks being fixed to the loading dock roof to make the later fixing more solid.

Anchoring of the cottages was then discussed with aluminium angle pieces at three points being the chosen solution. Second hand point motor mounts were used. Bolt holes were drilled through the angles and baseboard (over the through line), before epoxy glue fixed the angles to the buildings. Short M6 bolts and nuts will hold them down long-term.

Geoff moved onto constructing a coal staithe beside the shed; made from hardwood sawn to sleeper size and glued in place. Ends for the staithes in the same material will follow next week.

Fixing the cottages down will allow the scenery in front to be tackled - path, doorsteps, grass, shrubs etc. The loading bay roof constructed last week was glued and clamped onto the building shell.

Unfortunately, the water tank print failed. It didn't adhere to the grid of support points and resulted in a pile of sludge. Geoff will modify the arrangement and try again.

Stephen had successfully assembled the gearbox and rear axle unit on the Land Rover. Testing at home could only go so far, so a run on the actual layout would show if it worked. As at home, a 5v phone charger power unit was clipped onto the end of the siding rails and the car set down over the track. After cleaning out the rear flangeway slot (where the vehicle guides ran), the car trundled along nicely. After a few stutters, Geoff suggested pick-ups at the rear as well as the front, which will be considered. It now needs a big block of something on the front to house a towing hook, to couple up with Kadee couplings on the wagons.

A very productive day!