Dave Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 OK, took longer than I thought to get around to uploading my latest photos, but here are some of them. Videos still to come. As you can see, I mostly ran with my Mallard, but there is definately a theme here somewhere I have since cut to size all of the sheets of ply that will form the top surface of the layout and finished securing all of the cross-supports to the uprights, however, it started raining Sunday afternoon and doesn't seem to have stopped since! http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/FirstRun/2.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/FirstRun/1.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/FirstRun/3.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/FirstRun/5.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/FirstRun/6.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/FirstRun/7.jpg' alt='URL>'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 And just a short section of video that I've just upload to YouTube. Light quality was rather poor and its only about 30 seconds of video, but I can see I'm going to be practicing my video skills rather more in the future! Tzx4yhKs8qQ "> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Good to see some photos and the video Dave. It must have been a long day as it seems the sun puts in an appearance on the earlier photos and it's almost dark come the end of the video. You must have been enjoying yourself! There'll be no stopping you from now on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted September 6, 2011 Share Posted September 6, 2011 Love it. The radio adds a nice touch in the pics. You have a very interesting design. At first I thought you had simply put a table top layout in the garden; that kind of appealed to my sense of irreverence toward standard modelling practices. Keep posting pics and videos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share Posted September 6, 2011 @mick: Yes, I was out there from the time the kids went to bed until it was dark, as you can see. I rather like that last photo with the layout illuminated by the flash, but with a sunset happening over the fence. That one is a bit arty for me! @traingeekboy: Thanks I listen to the radio a lot when I'm working in the garden or the garage. I guess in a sense my design is something akin to a tabletop layout in the garden. The plan is definately more along the lines of "a model railway outside" rather than "a garden railway". I think I'm going to need to do some more weeding in the very near future, though, as it will get much more difficult once I get the top boards secured in place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 No worries on the model railroad outside. Mine is a shelf layout outside. We've started referring to the front yard as the train room/bistro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 Well, spent most of the weekend finishing off the frame and securing the ply to the top. Photo to follow when I get around to connecting my camera and my computer again. I guess this wind should tell me if I've done a reasonable enough job with my carpentry! I'm just glad we're not getting the brunt of it here in Suffolk - and I hope everyone further north that me that is getting the wind is faring OK with it. As soon as we're forecast a couple of conseutive dry days I'll get on with the roofing felt. Anyone got any top roofing-felt tips? I know the one about making sure its flat! Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 OK, photos as promised - the whole thing so far: http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/Build/TableTop.JPG' alt='URL>'> and this is a close-up of the gap in the middle where I am going to construct a bridge - which will doubtless be far less impressive that the other bridges and crossings we see on this forum! http://www.azaleanempire.co.uk/rail/images/Build/BridgeSpace.JPG' alt='URL>'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 That looks great. Lots of track space to work with, I can't wait to see the track develop. You may want to seal the wood for the supports with paint. It's very dry here, but I plan to do the same even though our annual rainfall is only 15" per year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 Yeah, I agree. Its all exterior grade wood, but I'll get underneath and give it a couple of coats of exterior paint after I've got the felt on the top surface. It has so far seemed unnaturallly dry here for England - but I'm sure its not as dry as you guys have it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 That's looking excellent Dave - you've certainly made some good progress this past week. Now that the hardest bit's out of the way the rest should be plain sailing and we should be seeing full circuit running before the years out What have you got planned for the bridge? On the weather front, it's been a bit gusty up here too. Fortunately I noticed that it had taken the 'new' greenhouse sliding door off its bottom runner before it had chance to cause any damage. I've sat most of the afternoon just looking at the greenhouse being battered and hoping like crazy that it's going to withstand it. My brussel sprouts are taking a beating too - even with wooden stakes for support. I'm okay with any kind of weather other than strong winds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 I agree. I'm hoping that the weather will hold enough over the next couple of months enough that I can get my dogbone laid out! As for the bridge, ultimately, I want to model a suspension bridge - a bit like the Hornby one shown below. But I'm going to need to make it myself, as I've got about a foot drop rather than the three or four inches of the Hornby bridge and I also want to have a road passing underneath it as well as a river. I shall have to invest in some modelling clay over the winter, which is what I intend use to 'sculpt' the sides of the 'valley' for a wooden former. http://www.selbygardenrailway.co.uk/sgrforum/images/forum/GRAND-SUSPENSION-BRIDGE.jpg' alt='URL>'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 Hi Dave I wouldn't have thought it would be too difficult to extend the piers of the Hornby suspension bridge to make it higher if you were so inclined. Mind you, if I remember correctly it is a bit pricey so it may be more economical having a go yourself (it'll also be far more satisfying in the end!). I've been considering shortening the overall length of my viaduct piers (this will be the new one when I do eventually get started ) and inserting a similar type suspension bridge or other girder type bridge between the 2 viaduct sections. I would want this middle section to be removeable so that it could be lifted out for better access to the garden when the railway isn't in use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 13, 2011 Author Share Posted September 13, 2011 Sorry, I wasn't clear. I don't intend to modify the Hornby Bridge - although I do have one that I picked up cheap on ebay. My plan is to make my own that looks a lot like it - probably from wood, then suitable painted. The Hornby bridge only takes a single line and I'll want a two-way bridge I think they look more impressive not in the colours Hornby sell, like the one shown on the second image in the http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Rolling%20Stock/model-railway-hornby-locomotive-review-class-princess-royal-scot.htm' rel="external nofollow">Princess Royal Scot Review on New Railway Modellers forum. A removable suspension part in the middle of your viaduct would probably work pretty well - good idea, Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted September 13, 2011 Share Posted September 13, 2011 I have used Water Putty to cast rocks with rubber molds. if they have it in your country you may want to try it. It dries rock solid. If I were to do it again, I would mix it with paint pigment as a base color to dry brush other colors onto. That bridge will be something to see when you get it done. I am also planning a bridge span. Mine will be less prototypical detail wise, but it will look like a bridge when finished. Thanks for posting your progress, it looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 14, 2011 Author Share Posted September 14, 2011 Thanks traingeekboy. Its really a matter of finding some modelling material that will stand up to the great outdoors here in England. I thought clay might be a good choice, but I'll take any advice on the matter I've been reading some larger scale garden railway books on modelling scenic items in the garden and they mentioned something called sculpy for modelling, which I've come across before when I've looked at sculpting scale models, although I understand you need to bake it to set it hard Will probably go quiet for a couple of weeks on the build front, as I've got some wargaming and role playing articles to finish for the next issue of Irregular Magazine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted September 14, 2011 Share Posted September 14, 2011 I've used polyurethane foam. Mine came from scrap cold room panels but you can get large slabs of it in DIY stores as insulation. It carves and shapes very easily but makes loads of mess, you need a vacuum cleaner close by! Once shaped it can be painted with masonry paint and decorated with good old scouring pads. Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 I've worked with polyurethane foam before and I really dislike it - but you have reminded me that I've got a surplus of blue extruded polystyrene sheet - which is a similar insulation foam, but easier to work with and a lot less messy! I think once shaped, that could also be protected by masonry paint in exactly the same way and will do the jbo I want. Thanks for reminding me I'd got this stuff, Ian! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted September 15, 2011 Share Posted September 15, 2011 The suspension bridge sounds like a good plan to span the gap; I was looking into the Hornby suspension bridge for the gap I am planning on crossing but I will have to have a look into building an alternative as I have the same issues of required height. Looking forward to seeing your finished bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 15, 2011 Author Share Posted September 15, 2011 With luck, and a following wind, I hope to have my bridge done by Christmas. I know that seems a long way away - but there are mince pies available to buy in both M&S and Tesco, right now!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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