Ron Heggs

HI, Ian Thought the latest post would tempt you back The sound deadening is going to be a bit of a trial I think - don't want it to sound like plastic nor too quiet, as you say it got to sound like a rumble SWMBO is already calling it the BRIDGE WORKSHOP, and personally taking charge of routeing the outdoor section to ensure full access to the garden Cheers Ron

Hi, Thanks for your comments At present the bridge sections are a tight fit but are still demountable, and will be fixed when placed in position on the layout The track base will be made from 1.5mm neoprene foam sheet to enable the track section to be slid into the bridge from the eastern end 1mm thick cork will be fixed to the neoprene to provide additional sound deadening, and then the trackwork fixed to the cork The rails will be weathered, and ballasted, and weathered again to complete the section The bridge will have been weathered separately prior to placing the track section into place I have yet to decide whether to glue the track section into place on the bridge - this could be done afterwards if necessary Cheers Ron

*** Well just a few details to keep everyone happy *** Modelling Structural Steelwork - Castlefield Viaduct Castlefield Viaduct -1894 Midland Railway, built adjacent to and the North of the 1877 Cornbrook Viaduct, carried the lines to the West, Liverpool, Cornbrook Carriage sidings and Trafford Park locomotive shed Used by the Up & Down Fast lines into/out of Manchester Central Station, CLC Goods Warehouse and GNR Deansgate Goods Warehouse The 1894 viaduct is a single bridge comprising eight individual spans of differing lengths, and is presently disused Google Maps link : http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Castlefield&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=22.297654,67.456055&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Castlefield,+Greater+Manchester, +United+Kingdom&ll=53.4746,-2.256306&spn=0.00273,0.010278&t=k&z=18 The upper, most northerly viaduct is the subject of this topic (yes, the one covered in vegetation) The complete viaduct will be over 4.5 metres long, and on a chorded curve The Cross Bracing/Lattice Work is similar in construction to Cornbrook Viaduct Bridge #2, but with slightly larger openings, and all spans being shorter The deck beams are spaced almost 3 times further apart and are of a heavier and deeper construction Dimensioned Plan of Bridge Spans Just a few CAD drawings to show the bridge support/pier details - There are no piers at either end of the northern and southern bridge spans The northern spans being carried directly on the brick viaduct abutments with decorative brick/sandstone upstands The southern spans being carried directly on the brick viaduct abutments without decorative upstands The pier to pier dimensions vary - see Dimensioned Plan above Piers N1/N2 - S1/S2 180mm centres Piers N2/N3 - S2/S3 198mm centres Piers N3/N4 - S3/S4 198mm centres Piers N4/N5 - S4/S5 189mm centres Piers N5/N6 - S5/S6 187mm centres Piers N6/N7 - S6/S7 187mm centres Piers N7/N8 - S7/S8 190mm centres End Pier N8 Pier Faces Bridge Section The bridge span drawings will be posted in a day or two ... to be continued >>>>>

Hi, My motto is 'nothing is impossible, it just takes a little longer and a bit of bloody mindedness' Cheers Ron

Hi, Thanks for your much appreciated comments At least I know they have what I want, and I have placed the order - just waiting for them to copy the drawings, etc. and post to me. They have been quite good in the past. Usually takes two weeks to get an estimate and then a further two to three weeks before they get here Cheers Ron

Hi, Ian In practical terms I can build everything except the station roof which as you know will be some 2200mm x 840mm. The Castlefield Viaduct is just over 4500mm but comprises 8 spans so can be built in sections between the support piers Shouldn't be too long now Cheers Ron

Hi, Sean Thanks for your comments, much appreciated You can tell that the weather down here improved, so that I could get the bridge painted today Gathering all the info. for the big push. Although still awaiting some drawing details from National Archives, which can't be obtained from site (closed access), only photographic details possible See your photoshoot around the station went OK - Still watching your blog, etc. Cheers Ron

Hi, Steve Thanks, much appreciated Cheers Ron

Hi, The deck plating is 40 thou - the full deck build details were shown in a previous post - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/28293-manchester-central-castlefield-viaducts-modelling-structures/page__view__findpost__p__363717 Cheers Ron

Well gentlemen, this is the end of the construction for this bridge which has been suitably topped-out with invited guest SWMBO, beer for me and a glass of water for her Commissioning date to be announced at an unspecified date sometime in the future The sandstone detailing of the bridge abutments and piers will be completed when the brick viaducts either end of the bridge are built, to ensure reasonable matching of the brickwork colouring, etc. Then all will be weathered suitably for Manchester in the period 1950-1969 (wet and grime ridden, especially over the canal wharfs) Here is an extensive collection of photos of the finished article - Hope you find them of some interest The next project is the Castlefield Viaduct which is immediately adjacent to the Cornbrook Viaduct There will be a slight intermission whilst I gather all the necessary materials, etc. together Expected start date will be early June subject to contract agreement with SWMBO, and hire of suitable building site within her jurisdiction Cheers Ron

... the last photos, before painting tomorrow The completed bridge pictures will be posted tomorrow ... to be continued >>>>>

Hi, Thanks for your much appreciated comments No, I don't have time to dream or have nightmares Thinking time is early morning over breakfast Late evening is time for drawing, planning and research Actual modelling is sometime in between Cheers Ron

Hi, Ian I bet your son was happy with the result, if not disappointed he never got to play Weather here rather damp, so painting postponed No news yet. Don't forget this is Spain Cheers Ron

Actually Ian, my week off was because my youngest daughter and her husband were over here, and that's where the other 18 cans (out of 3 x 12 packs) went, I only drink a couple of cans a week It's marvellous what you can do with many small pieces of plastic, card, etc., and plenty of drive I presume your only going to watch, because the result is a foregone conclusion, so the ref will get it if it turns out all wrong Enjoy and cheers Ron

Hi, Colin No, is the quick answer You can feel any movement if it occurs, which didn't It remained completed firm and stable throughout the test, but I didn't have any more cans , and I felt that testing any further wasn't going to prove anything constructive Cheers Ron

Thanks - more pictures this weekend, hopefully - depends on weather (painting and drying conditions) Cheers Ron

Thanks for your continued views and comments Cheers Ron

Hi, Sean Thanks for that - Pictures probably on Sunday, if weather holds out - still a bit unsettled down here Cheers Ron

Hi, Ian Thought you might turn up for the load test 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 Cheers Ron PS. Should have the overhead bracings finished by tomorrow night, then painting the structure over the weekend

Thanks for your much appreciated comments Yes, there is still a lot more to come B) Cheers Ron

... 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 18 cans in place this time to give it a real test and one pic to show the deflection from the 5.94kg load just 1.5mm at the centre of the span ... well that was a good test - now for a drop of the amber nectar -- Cheers ... to be continued >>>>>

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 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

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 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

.. a few photos of today's progress - Deck built - Only one deck beam so far - It maybe an optical illusion, but it really is wider at this end because of track curvature - Scalewise ~10mm Support structure only partly brick clad ... to be continued >>>>>

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