PNP's Feb 2015 competition Thread

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Not sure if I'll complete this in time, but my 'objective' is to make a vaguely believable bridge out of this:
IMG_4066 by PinkNosedPenguin, on Flickr

I'll let you know how it goes on this thread . . .

[PinkNosedPenguin]

I am planning to use parts of at least three kits on this bridge build.

First up is pair of much-cut-down viaduct piers from the Scalescenes R016N downloaded kit. Here they are just built, but without cappings yet:
IMG_4067 by PinkNosedPenguin, on Flickr

And placed in rough position on the layout:
IMG_4069 by PinkNosedPenguin, on Flickr

[carnehan]

I look forward to this build PNP. Nice to see some modelling going directly into the modelling landscape. It's a challenging little space you have there. Are you going down the viaduct route or have you another plan?

Paul

[carnehan]

Ahh, you may have just answered my question as I posted my last post!

Paul

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Thanks for your interest carnehan, I intend to use the piers to support two plate girders. But I'm still thinking about the sections either side . . .

[carnehan]

They are quite small gaps to work with either side too, I hadn't appreciated that from the first picture.

Paul.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Oh I just re-read the rules and found I am supposed to keep track of the spend.
First item = Scalescenes R016N in TX46 Random Ashlar £3.99
A trifle expensive for what you get in this particular kit, but not exactly big money

[Notroh]

PNP

Great project, this competition seems to have kicked us all into life!

Peter

[Dad-1]

A nice skew bridge, great.

Geoff T.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Thanks for your interest guys.

Supported on my pillars will be a pair of Peco bridge plate girders NB-39 (£3.40). But whilst my use of 9mm ply for the track bed has the advantage of completely smooth track bed (its a continuous piece of ply for my entire upper level, bridges and all), it posed two issues:

• the plate girders will sit rather low against the track
• how to disguise the lengths of ply either side of those girders

I decided to just live with the first point (I think it'll look ok ).

For the second point, after a lot of browsing, I found a download kit from someone on this very forum mikem64 who offers kits he has designed himself for free - what a talented and nice chap! I found the green steelwork on this thread (scroll down a bit on that link to see photos of the South Fangore Footbridge) and thought it would provide a means to explain why my track hangs in mid-air between the hillsides and the pillars . Here is a photo of the parts from the download which I intend to use for the plywood sides and the underneath of the track-bed.
IMG_4072 by PinkNosedPenguin, on Flickr

And here's a close-up of the steelwork 'installed' on one of the four sides of the plate girders (to see if it looks ok):
IMG_4074 by PinkNosedPenguin, on Flickr

I think I will proceed on this basis with the other three sides. I will probably paint the plate girders themselves grey, and just dry-brush on some rust colour at strategic places. I considered painting them green instead - to tie in with the cardboard 'steelwork' - but I fear the bridge would loose its impact if it's the same colour as all the bushes and trees that I intend to plant around the bridge approaches

[Notroh]

PNP

Ahh Wordsworth Models..

It's looking promising though!

Peter

[Dad-1]

Hi PNP,

Looks good to me.
I did wonder what '00' peco girders would look like, but probably
too deep.

Geoff T.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

Thanks Peter & Geoff. The Peco plate girders are N gauge, but I printed the Wordsworth sheet full size for the green steelwork - so they are actually OO size - but they do fit .

[VerdevaleRailway]

The bridge looks really good. I'm amazed at how well the crafted girders look.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

I have now painted the Peco plate girder bridge sides and installed on the piers:
IMG_4085 by PinkNosedPenguin, on Flickr

Next up are some railings on the approaches - and a lot of greenery (grass, bushes, trees)