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Manchester Central, CLC & GN Warehouses & Castlefield Viaducts


Ron Heggs
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The bridge is still there if you care to visit the Castlefield area of Manchester complete with the canals below.

 

Are the canals below going to me modelled as well?

 

Manchester has improved over the years and with the full sized preserved not far away a visit is recommended ( East Lancashire Railway (Bury)), and if you time it right why not visit the annual model show.

 

Hi, John

 

I know the area very well, although the last time I visited my birthplace was 6/7 years ago, and lived in Bury between 1972 and 1984. Most unlikely I will ever get back to the UK, at least in the near future

 

Cheers

 

Ron

 

PS. Yes, the canals and wharves will be modelled

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Never commented before as I have always been lost for words, plus others have used them all previously. The detail you are incorporating and the level of accuracy you are achieving always leaves me in awe.

 

Are you not tempted to quickly place some track on the completed bridge sections and some locos to see a glimpse of it finished? I know I would have by now biggrin.gif.

 

Will keep following your thread keenly as the way you break down your construction methods with the photo's is excellent, especially when you see the finished article.

 

Steven

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Never commented before as I have always been lost for words, plus others have used them all previously. The detail you are incorporating and the level of accuracy you are achieving always leaves me in awe.

 

Are you not tempted to quickly place some track on the completed bridge sections and some locos to see a glimpse of it finished? I know I would have by now biggrin.gif.

 

Will keep following your thread keenly as the way you break down your construction methods with the photo's is excellent, especially when you see the finished article.

 

Steven

 

Hi, Steven

 

Much appreciated comments

 

Would you believe I don't have any straight track. All the track I have handbuilt is the complex crossings and multiple turnouts on the station approach roads. Proprietary straight track will be used for the garden section of the layout, which is probably 12 months off

 

But yes, I would like to see tracks/trains on these bridges, if only as a temporary photo shoot

 

Cheers

 

Ron

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Just wondering if the trellis in the garden is made from plasticard... biggrin.gif

 

laugh.gif Plasticard wouldn't last a day in the hot sun here in Spain :lol:

 

They are made from wood slats and laminated plywood surrounds - existing when we bought the villa

 

Inferior build quality - slats were stapled and rusted away and surrounds de-laminated - brush painting just one of them took over an hour rolleyes.gif

 

Rebuilt them over a year ago - used External PVA to bond the slats and surrounds and used brass impregnated varnish to preserve them from Hot Sun and Rain Storms cool.gif - Now still looks better than new smile.gif

 

Cheers

 

Ron

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... the second and final bridge span beam is complete -

 

40_240932_190000002.jpg

The two span beams on temporary support structure

 

40_240932_180000001.jpg

 

40_240932_180000000.jpg

 

now for the bridge deck, deck beams, overhead bracing beams, and the decorative pillared viaduct abutment cool.gif

 

... to be continued >>>>>

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I don't know why but I assumed this bridge was complete when you posted photos of it all painted up. Now you have added an extra span it is looking truly magnificent. This is truly an epic model in the making. Good work! biggrin.gif

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I don't know why but I assumed this bridge was complete when you posted photos of it all painted up. Now you have added an extra span it is looking truly magnificent. This is truly an epic model in the making. Good work! biggrin.gif

 

Hi, Ian

 

Thanks again for your much appreciated comments

 

This second span does complete the bridge structurally - but it still needs to be finished properly

 

Cheers

 

Ron

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Hi Ron

 

how are you going to represent the 2nd older viaduct on the layout?

 

http://maps.google.c...212.31,,0,-22.5

 

Thanks

 

Carl

 

Hi, Carl

 

The viaduct (Castlefield) you mention is actually the later of the three viaducts, being built in 1894 some 17 years after the Cornbrook viaduct - see Post #40 on Page 2 of this thread

 

The reason it wasn't used for Metrolink Trams, is because it was in a poorer state of maintenance/repair than the Cornbrook Viaduct. It is being brought into a better state of health, as listed monument, but there are no plans to re-use it at present

 

The Castlefield Viaduct is my next project, when the Cornbrook Viaduct Bridges are completed

 

All the construction drawings have already been produced on CAD - the viaduct build will be over 4.5 metres long

 

As they say - You ain't seen anything yet !!

Cheers

 

Ron

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.. a few photos of today's progress -

 

40_251352_130000003.jpg

Deck built -

 

40_251352_120000002.jpg

Only one deck beam so far -

 

40_251352_120000001.jpg

It maybe an optical illusion, but it really is wider at this end because of track curvature - Scalewise ~10mm

 

40_251352_120000000.jpg

Support structure only partly brick clad

 

... to be continued >>>>>

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Like it when a bridge in a tiny scale like 1:76 is measured in metres not inches. Looking forward to seeing all your posts on that!!!! You had better hurry up and get the basement ready for the model. I'm thinking the lounge table you are currently using will be way too small for the finished thing anyway.

Edited by artizen
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Like it when a bridge in a tiny scale like 1:76 is measured in metres not inches. Looking forward to seeing all your posts on that!!!! You had better hurry up and get the basement ready for the model. I'm thinking the lounge table you are currently using will be way too small for the finished thing anyway.

 

Hi, Ian

 

Dimensions in either Metric or Imperial don't bother me, but may confuse others, so will stick with Metric (metres and millimetres - although centimetres is the European norm)

 

The first posts for the Castlefield Viaduct will probably be around middle of May, starting with the drawings and a couple of photographs of part of the viaduct

 

The longest span beam will be 890mm long and the shortest 179mm, so at least some of the spans will fit on the table. If the basement isn't ready before the build is nearing 30%, then I will have to display it on the pool terrace for photo sessions :Dcool.gif

 

The basic overall height approx. 350mm (the build will be 350mm, but the ground level over the viaduct length varies considerably thro' the Castlefield Canal Basin and alongside the River Irwell)

 

Cheers

 

Ron

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Hi Ron,

Having seen the work you have done on this viaduct, can't wait for you to start the next one, 4.5m long wow :O

 

Colin

 

Hi, Colin

 

Still have to finish the deck beams and the overhead bracing beams on this last bridge span, then paint it

 

Will then take a few hours out to list all the plasticard I will need for the build, as well as a few bottles rolleyes.gif of Plastic Weld, check that all is available, order it and await delivery (usually takes up to 2 weeks)

 

While awaiting plastic, etc. delivery I will need to check out any odd ball construction problems, and resolve them. Also, because of the large scale repetition of assembly builds will investigate more efficient ways of construction including use of jigs and special tools

 

The paper templates I have used so far are ok for a couple of builds, but will now require more permanent jigs

 

Cheers

 

Ron

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  • 2 weeks later...

... the deck beams are complete, and fixed in place with the deck fixed over them

before I build the overhead cross-bracing beams, there is just time for the customary topping-out test :rolleyes:

40_051131_270000000.jpg

18 cans in place this time to give it a real test :unsure:

40_051131_280000001.jpg

and one pic to show the deflection from the 5.94kg load

40_051131_280000002.jpg

just 1.5mm at the centre of the span 40_051143_300000000.gif

... well that was a good test - now for a drop of the amber nectar -- Cheers cool.gif

... to be continued >>>>>

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  • RMweb Gold

Fan-blooming-tastic :clapping_mini:

 

Can't believe I've only just found this thread.

 

There is some excellent modelling on this site but this goes straight to the top of the pile.

 

Thanks for the inspiration and I look forward to seeing more :good_mini:

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Fan-blooming-tastic :clapping_mini:

 

Can't believe I've only just found this thread.

 

There is some excellent modelling on this site but this goes straight to the top of the pile.

 

Thanks for the inspiration and I look forward to seeing more :good_mini:

 

Thanks for your much appreciated comments

 

Yes, there is still a lot more to come B)

 

Cheers

 

Ron

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I have never thought of beer as a 5kg load!!!!! Good to see the double stack weight test worked. I suppose if it had failed, we would have seen the rebuild in a couple of days!!!!! LOL tongue.gif

 

Wonderful work as ever.

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I have never thought of beer as a 5kg load!!!!! Good to see the double stack weight test worked. I suppose if it had failed, we would have seen the rebuild in a couple of days!!!!! LOL tongue.gif

 

Wonderful work as ever.

 

Hi, Ian

 

Thought you might turn up for the load test biggrin.gif

 

That's the beauty of adding beer in cans one at a time, you can see and feel if things are going awry, and then comfort yourself if they do :P

 

Cheers

 

Ron

 

PS. Should have the overhead bracings finished by tomorrow night, then painting the structure over the weekend

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