chaz Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 The fire escape is a worthy topic for reposting. It's a clever piece of modelling. Thanks for showing us again Chaz. We definitely need a 'WOW' button! Quite an amazing addition. The small details really do add to the realism, even down to the litter!! Fantastic work!! Regards, Deano. Thanks for those comments lads, much appreciated. I must just say that a lot of the credit must go to Peter Harvey for his outstanding design work on the brass etches. I didn't mention above that I joined the sub-assemblies together positioned on the factory wall with the wires on the back of the landing support brackets pushed home into holes drilled to receive them. It was a measure of the quality of the design work that the flights of stairs fitted neatly into the rebates and slots in the landings with very little easing or adjustment needed. Yes, I had to assemble the model very carefully but the quality of the parts and the accuracy of the design made for success. The fire escape is one of my favourite features on the layout and I have been known to "come round the front" at shows to point it out to visitors who might have missed it! Chaz 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 19, 2017 Author Share Posted August 19, 2017 (edited) Details around Dock Green 15 One of the details I added to both the warehouse and the factory was the downpipes. 1 The hoppers at the top are white-metal castings (from Scalelink) and the pipes are plastic rod. The pipe clamps are a compromise. A close look betrays my effort to be rather different to the real thing - however from any reasonable distance they pass muster. This very unforgiving photograph is of the two components that make up a clamp - a small rectangle of HIP drilled and rounded off (drill it while it’s still on a strip!) and a piece of plastic rod formed into a “U”. Make a simple jig to form the “U” - drill a piece of board (MDF or ply’) and push in a piece of rod. Heat the plastic rod to be formed briefly over a candle flame and then bend it round the jig rod holding it flat until it has cooled. I discovered that if the “U” was set not quite parallel it would act like a spring in the two holes and would not need glueing. Downpipes from plastic rod and tube, the hopper on this building is a spare loco’ sandbox casting. Pipe clamps added. I use the drilled rectangles as drilling jigs, sliding them under the pipes and positioning them symmetrically, to start the drill into the wall. If you cut a wedge shaped piece of thin sheet plastic or card it can be slid behind pipes to keep the paint away from the brickwork. If you haven't glued the clamps in place these can be eased away from the wall to paint. None of this pipework is glued in place (although the joints are welded) and none has ever moved. Chaz Edited August 19, 2017 by chaz 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted August 19, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 19, 2017 (edited) Chaz You will have to get yourself scanned by Modelu sitting down, with a fag and put yourself sitting at the bottom of the fire escape along with a mug of tea. I think that will enhance the scene no end. Edit for predictive text Edited August 19, 2017 by Siberian Snooper Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 Details around Dock Green 15 One of the details I added to both the warehouse and the factory was the downpipes. The hoppers at the top are white-metal castings (from Scalelink) and the pipes are plastic rod. The pipe clamps are a compromise. A close look betrays my effort to be rather different to the real thing - however from any reasonable distance they pass muster. This very unforgiving photograph is of the two components that make up a clamp - a small rectangle of HIP drilled and rounded off (drill it while it’s still on a strip!) and a piece of plastic rod formed into a “U”. Make a simple jig to form the “U” - drill a piece of board (MDF or ply’) and push in a piece of rod. Heat the plastic rod to be formed briefly over a candle flame and then bend it round the jig rod holding it flat until it has cooled. I discovered that if the “U” was set not quite parallel it would act like a spring in the two holes and would not need glueing. Downpipes from plastic rod and tube, the hopper on this building is a spare loco’ sandbox casting. Pipe clamps added. I use the drilled rectangles as drilling jigs, sliding them under the pipes and positioning them symmetrically, to start the drill into the wall. If you cut a wedge shaped piece of thin sheet plastic or card it can be slid behind pipes to keep the paint away from the brickwork. If you haven't glued the clamps in place these can be eased away from the wall to paint. None of this pipework is glued in place (although the joints are welded) and none has ever moved. Chaz Chaz, Nice pipes. I like the subtle details that can be found on industrial buildings. I've not done any structures yet in 7mm and am looking forward to it. Years ago I did some down pipes in HO. I used plastic rod for the pipes and wrapped 2 turns of this wire from flex to represent the collared joints. Not too bad if you don't look too close... Need to read through the rest of your thread, many thanks. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 20, 2017 Author Share Posted August 20, 2017 (edited) Details around Dock Green 16 This posting is about grass, weeds, shrubs etc. There are no trees on Dock Green. I did consider putting some behind the top of the retaining wall to hint at a park up there but when I discussed it with the team the consensus was against it as they would get in the way of operating. The small shrubs (brambles, hawthorne etc) I made by cutting or tearing rubberised horsehair into suitable shapes, dipping them in or spraying them with glue and then either rolling them in a box full of scatter or dropping scatter onto them while rotating them. Grass clumps were bought in batches from “Fields of Glory”. They do a variety of sizes and colours with lots in a pack, all with self-adhesive bases. You just pick 'em up with tweezers and place them in position. I know that you can make your own clumps and indeed I do own a static grass thingy but sometimes buying in rather than making is a way of buying time. A small shrub is a useful device for filling a too-obvious space and the green colour links up with other patches and avoids a cluttered look. A few more snaps - but there are not many that I have already posted that don’t include some vegetation. Weeds will occur in many neglected corners where feet don’t tread and the gaps can emphasise where they do. Grass and wild plants usually grow along the foot of a fence. The only ones you might see with no line of green along the bottom will be across tarmac or concrete. Chaz Edited August 20, 2017 by chaz 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 Details around Dock Green 17 There are three bicycles on Dock Green, all made from etched brass kits. The orange bike… …and the green bike move about a bit. They are placed at each show and can be spotted in some of my photos in many different places. I like the way a bike implies people nearby. The tradesman’s bike is always on the bridge. PC Dixon is “having a word” - could it be that he caught him riding on the pavement? The nice telephone box (a Peco item) was given to me by Chris Klein of Minerva Models. Looks quite at home there, does it not? Chaz 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 Golly - I have just realised what that Fry's poster says at its foot. Who knew we had a king in 1958? Chaz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 Golly - I have just realised what that Fry's poster says at its foot. Who knew we had a king in 1958? Chaz And this version is pre-WW1 so HM is either KE VII or KG V. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 21, 2017 Author Share Posted August 21, 2017 And this version is pre-WW1 so HM is either KE VII or KG V. Chris OH, do be quiet, Sir. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Star Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 OH, do be quiet, Sir. And why? Are you concerned that someone might think... "so Dock Green has KGV on the roster?" followed closely by "ah, Mr Chaz has gone over to the dark side and now appreciates the finer points of Swindon's finest - King George V himself (always known as KGV). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 And why? Are you concerned that someone might think... "so Dock Green has KGV on the roster?" followed closely by "ah, Mr Chaz has gone over to the dark side and now appreciates the finer points of Swindon's finest - King George V himself (always known as KGV). And of course KE VII was 6001, so there could be a brace of them on DG. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Star Posted August 21, 2017 Share Posted August 21, 2017 Chaz might think that two to one is not playing fair. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 And why? Are you concerned that someone might think... "so Dock Green has KGV on the roster?" followed closely by "ah, Mr Chaz has gone over to the dark side and now appreciates the finer points of Swindon's finest - King George V himself (always known as KGV). And of course KE VII was 6001, so there could be a brace of them on DG. Now that's just silly. There's only one 4-6-0 allowed on Dock Green (and it doesn't have any of that copper-capped chimney nonsense). And it's a "namer". 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 Chaz might think that two to one is not playing fair. Since when did GWR fans play fair? They always seem to end up relying on the questionable exploits of 3440 , and get quite cross if one mentions 4472, 2750 or 4468. . Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 There's a (possibly apocryphal, and certainly unverifiable) story in one of Tuplin's books about a Saint going even quicker... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Since when did GWR fans play fair? They always seem to end up relying on the questionable exploits of 3440 , and get quite cross if one mentions 4472, 2750 or 4468. . Chaz Looking at the size of the cabs, high speed in 3440 required considerably larger balls that a Pacific. Great admiration for the guys. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 Looking at the size of the cabs, high speed in 3440 required considerably larger balls that a Pacific. Great admiration for the guys. What we don't know is how steady a ride those 4-4-0s gave. Oh hang on, it was a GWR loco - so of course the ride would have been perfect. Quite perfect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Obviously.... Obviously.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 Enough idle chit-chat, let's get back to... Details around Dock Green 18 When Peter built No. 4 bridge we had a short gap between the ends of the parapet walls and the baseboard edge. I said I would make some fences to fill the gap and suggested that he should choose the style. What he chose involved scratchbuilding. I soldered two brass strips together so they could be drilled as a pair. The stanchions were bent around a drill shank to get the hooped tops. The LH end was later cut to fit round the stepped end of the wall. In this early view of the unfinished bridge you can see the ribs that we put under the road surface to get the camber. Chaz 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted August 22, 2017 Share Posted August 22, 2017 Since when did GWR fans play fair? They always seem to end up relying on the questionable exploits of 3440 , and get quite cross if one mentions 4472, 2750 or 4468. . Chaz There is some hope here. 2750 was member of the GWR 2721 class of 0-6-0 saddletank locos later rebuilt with pannier tanks. They were the predecessors of the GWR 57XX 0-6-0PTs. Or am I missing something? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 23, 2017 Author Share Posted August 23, 2017 (edited) There is some hope here. 2750 was member of the GWR 2721 class of 0-6-0 saddletank locos later rebuilt with pannier tanks. They were the predecessors of the GWR 57XX 0-6-0PTs. Or am I missing something? More idle chit-chat which I'm just going to ignore. Edited August 23, 2017 by chaz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 23, 2017 Author Share Posted August 23, 2017 Details around Dock Green 19 I wanted some sort of view blocker next to bridge #1 and decided on some steps down to the yard from the road. An early snap showing the steps in position - as you can see they cross a baseboard join so I made them "plug in". In position the stairs do block the view of the gradient as intended. The steps can only be seen from an acute angle. I imagine the stairs are not much used as they are closed off at the top with a door. Sorry about the bus on the bridge, I know it's considered a cliche but the bridges offer the only place where this icon of London can stand. Chaz 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 Details around Dock Green 19 I wanted some sort of view blocker next to bridge #1 and decided on some steps down to the yard from the road. P1010923-1.jpg An early snap showing the steps in position - as you can see they cross a baseboard join so I made them "plug in". P1060184-1.jpg In position the stairs do block the view of the gradient as intended. P1060003-2-1.jpg The steps can only be seen from an acute angle. I imagine the stairs are not much used as they are closed off at the top with a door. Sorry about the bus on the bridge, I know it's considered a cliche but the bridges offer the only place where this icon of London can stand. Chaz Chaz, Very nice stairs. The squareness of the brickwork is impressive. I think staircase access through this type of door was a railway speciality. There some under a large bridge near Brighton Station that allow access to the railway and associated workshops above. One even has a small room attached for a gate or time keeper. Thanks for sharing Ernie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted August 23, 2017 Author Share Posted August 23, 2017 Chaz, Very nice stairs. The squareness of the brickwork is impressive. I think staircase access through this type of door was a railway speciality. There some under a large bridge near Brighton Station that allow access to the railway and associated workshops above. One even has a small room attached for a gate or time keeper. Thanks for sharing Ernie Thanks for the comments, Ernie. I can't remember where I saw a door like that one, I just have a recollection of one somewhere in North London - possibly at the end of Ridley Road Street market where a path ran along the side of the North London line. As I recall it was usually open so there must have been some traffic through it. Chaz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 Thanks for the comments, Ernie. I can't remember where I saw a door like that one, I just have a recollection of one somewhere in North London - possibly at the end of Ridley Road Street market where a path ran along the side of the North London line. As I recall it was usually open so there must have been some traffic through it. Chaz Maybe not so relevant to an industrial area, on the North London Line, I attended a derailment and was pointed to such a door at the end of an alley between 2 rows of quite posh houses. No indication that there was a railway on the other side, no signage, just a lot of barbed wire at the top.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now