Gateside & Northbridge

[luckymucklebackit]

Thanks Guys - Yes Jim the loco is a Heljan model, it is also a really good runner, nice to see the Jackshaft going round!

Jim

[luckymucklebackit]

Oh Dear, the temperature has dropped, the wind is up and the rain is on . Perfect!! - I can get back into the loft and get on with things!

The focus of activity has been the bridge, I have started to "improve" the kit to make it look more like the prototype at Parkhead, so first of I built up the base using strips of wood cut from the sprue of the kit, about 15mm high and placed them transverse where the main girders are situated, and longitudinal just outside the track position





I have also discarded the upper crossmembers as supplied and replaced them with my own fabricated girder arrangement



This was made from three sections of Plastistrut Girder with an upper and lower strip of plasticard to strengthen as it all had to be slotted together at the centre of the cross. At the outside ends the girders were cut at the top and the upper strip pulled down to give a taper, to finish , small strips were stuck on the end. To mount on the bridge, a rummage in the odds and sods box reveals fence bases which have been used as mounts.

I started to tackle the main track base, I stuck to strips of card down each side and drilled the holes at 20mm centres for the side fences, my usual method of dressmaking pins for uprights being employed once again, the pins are in, and the base has been test fitted, need to push them further down then solder the handrail in place, the mesh will be leftover fabric from a ratio kit, hopefully it will stick OK







Hopefully if the weather is as good over the weekend (more rain please) I will get some more done.

Cheers

Jim

[carnehan]

Jim,

I hope the weather was as grimy, wet and cold as it was here, the bridge is looking epic and I need to see more progress.

Paul

[railwayjim]

Second bridge I've commented on in minutes. Looking every part a sturdy girder bridge Jim.

I like the modifications you've made also.

This is going to look good in paint. Grey or oxide, that is the question

Jim.

[luckymucklebackit]

Hi Jim - you have been quite for a while - have you been on holiday? Thanks for the comments on the bridge Jim and Carnehan, my memory of the original was that it was a dirty black (being next to one of Glasgow's biggest foundries may have had something to do with that) the absence of any colour photos of the bridge don't help, so I am going to leave it in matt black with a good bit of rust staining, the idea is that it is on a neglected branch line so that should fit. Didn't get much more done this weekend as my son was needing help having moved into a new house a couple of weeks ago, will get back to it tomorrow night.

Jim

[luckymucklebackit]

Slow(ish) progress with the bridge tonight, main focus was to build the mesh fences that were a feature of the original, I had already positioned the dressmakers pins for the uprights so tonight it was to press them down to the required height then solder the top rail in place. This took a little time as there are 28 uprights on each site. Once these were soldered and the sharp ends on the underside snipped off I tackled the mesh, I had some mesh sheet from a Ratio security fence kit so I cut to strips to the approximate size and glued it in place





The mesh needs to be trimmed to size but that can wait until the glue is fully dry.

While this was put to one side to dry I had another look at the prototype photograph and compared it with the model. The prototype has clearly visible flanges so I cut strips of card and applied them to the top arch and the underside.



I felt that this improved the overall look and gave it another coat of paint



Once the fence is complete the main two bits can be put together then the track will be laid and ballasted.

That's all for tonight

Jim

[railwayjim]

Hi Jim, Yes I have been having a few short breaks with Mrs. D, taking
advantage of the nice weather, a few more planned so modelling is
quiet at the mo.

The bridge has taken on a completely different look, now painted and
is looking superb.

When I made my bridge/lift out section, I wasn't sure what to do about
ballasting/filled in up to track level with boards/open steel work under the track,
what was the prototype of your bridge like? Can it be seen from the pictures you have of it?

Thanks in advance.

Jim.

[luckymucklebackit]

Hi Jim - cheers mate! Photographs of the bridge are predictably scarce, apart from the side view on Canmore which has been my main source of information I found this one from the excellent "Britain from Above" website

That looks as though the track is on a solid surface with normal ballast as opposed to an open frame construction. By the way that website is a fantastic resource if you are not aware of it, if you register which is free you can zoom in on the photographs and pick up some tremendous detail, it is one of those sites that you could spend hours browsing - https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en

Need to see if I can squeeze some work into this week as I am off for a week starting Friday, so no modelling for me next week as well.

Cheers

Jim

[luckymucklebackit]

Finished the main structure of the Bridge tonight







As this will form the headshunt of the Inglenook, I checked the length for the required loco and three wagon lengths, it fits just nicely!



With that done I will set aside the structure and start to build the supports and think about the rest of the inglenook, I found a sheet of spare ply and started to mark out the plan, as usual I am getting ambitious and starting to think about an "inglenook plus" with an exit track at the back and possibly a loco depot or single platform station. Still flexible about how this will eventually develop



I wont probably get much more done before the holidays so that will be it for a couple of weeks

Jim

[TimberSurf]

The bridge looks great! I am very envious, I love big bridges, I think it's next on my list of projects

[burnie]

Excellent modelling on the bridge, I cheated with my girder and bought the sides on line made from laser cut mdf, I might just re do this when other work is completed.

[luckymucklebackit]

Thanks Timbersurf and Burnie

Burnie- The basis of this bridge is also one of the laser cut mdf kits from Ebay so you are not really cheating - I just adapted the basic kit to make the bridge look a bot more like the prototype I had in mind, the only real issue I had with the kit was that the base was not substantial enough to represent a prototype Girder Bridge (too thin), the rest was just gilding the lilly!

Cheers all

Jim

[RailwayRobbo]

Looks like D2581 is moonlighting down at PETERSDALE Jim.

Pete (RailwayRobbo)
Lovely little runner by the way.
Another bargain.

[luckymucklebackit]

OMG - It's a long way from Thornton Junction now

Agree it is a fabulous little runner.

Cheers

Jim

[luckymucklebackit]

Plan for the Inglenook now finalized, the top two sidings under the travelling crane will be the 3 wagon sidings, the next one down will be the five wagon siding, thus creating the traditional Inglenook, I have added the crossover to add some operating interest should this ever become a standalone, the bottom siding could potentially become a run down truncated single track DMU terminus, or simply a lye by for the trip freight loco which could bring a fresh set of wagons form an off scene area.

Jim