The design of the two extra boards beyond the bridge had to include a siding off the main line that went onto the adjacent fiddleyard. This would give more operating potential and stock movements on the layout. Lots of factory purposes and designs were discussed and trialled with cardboard models of different schemes, wall materials (brickwork was originally favourite), roof and windows types etc.
How to disguise the route into the fiddleyard was critical, and doors going into a single building was a favoured solution. Eventually we decided on two factory buildings clad in corrugated iron with the track running between them. At some point, the idea of a stonemasons was decided, which allowed deliveries of stone blocks direct from the quarries and onward delivery of prime stone products down to the mainline interchange.
As usual, 2 x 5mm layers of foamboard formed the base of the buildings. Standard A4 sheets of plastic corrugated iron was initially planned, but the resin printer meant homemade cast-iron sheets were possible. An accurate, standard corrugated iron sheet was drawn using the manufacturers information, complete with bolts and standard overlap adjustment, that would be suitable for cladding and roofing. Different sizes and special sheets were easy to create and the individual CI sheets were glued on with Bostic. Windows were 3D printed together with gutters & rainwater features and the buildings emerged.
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| Scratch-built crates, pallets and forklift truck. |
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| 3D printed pigeons on the roof! |
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| The exit into the fiddleyard is 'disguised' with some large water pipes supplying the factory. |
