Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by **ge_rik** » Thu Oct 06, 2016 10:27 pm

Great progress on the quay, Peter. The crane looks like it's been there for years.

Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Tue Oct 11, 2016 10:54 pm

Remember these?

They were supposed to form the base of the water tower as supplied by Pendle Valley.. However, my water tank ended up on a new steel structure and the base has now been built as a clock tower...

EDIT..... sorry but these appeared the correct way up in my file.. too late now!

You might have noticed you can't tell the time from it, but before long my timepieces will arrive, direct from China, and two pocket watches will be mounted on opposing sides. I looked for bezels and faces on ebay but the prices were scary. I have managed to find stainless steel hunter pocket watches, new and working, free postage included, for less than £3.00 each..... WHAT!!!!!!!

Another build was again altered from its intended purpose.... This is supposed to be a coaling stage but I already have one, so.... it is now a milk-churn collection point and will be placed alongside the track.

And there's more........

Because of the 'Festive Season' coming round again (too soon) the shops have a range of decorative items which can useful to us, including a pair of lamps which are easily made presentable on the railway. I have used these before, about 3 years ago, when I found them in a post Christmas clearance in a set of four. This time they are boxed in pairs, a tiny bulb in the top and wires to a 2x AA battery holder with a switch, all for £3.95. They are a bit on the short side but can either be mounted on a suitable block or placed where there is nothing to compare size.

The 'tacky' wreath is stuck on separately and easily removed, a quick paint-job and they are good-to-go!

LNR · Post by **LNR** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 12:03 am

All looking really good Peter as always. Your very lucky to have spotted those lamps, have had my eye open for something similar down here.
Grant.

SimonWood · Post by **SimonWood** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:27 am

Love the clock tower. It looks a little like the clock tower in my village!

The milk stage is great too... I'm just playing with some ideas for a self propelled milk wagon (i.e. a rail 'milk float') so when I finally get going on that I'll be needing something similar.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 11:15 am

I do like the idea of a self-propelled milk float Simon, that would be something different, but useful too!
I'm sure someone makes milk crates to load on the back, and your name could appear on the sides of the canopy.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 10:19 pm

Another project started today, this time using some of the end wall sections designed for use in the station building.
Some alterations were necessary to make the roof panels fit but the resin is easily cut using a band-saw.
The roof is cast quite thickly and as the ends remain visible I have thinned them by about half using my router. It went through easily without any sign of splitting or other damage to the panels.

This is a little out of focus but I think you can see the difference.

The idea is to make a cottage or dwelling for the crossing keeper. Nothing grand, my railway is short on funds and doesn't want to spoil their employees!

LNR · Post by **LNR** » Wed Oct 12, 2016 11:51 pm

All those kit parts have certainly gone a long way on your railway Peter. Nice work with the router, approached with a little trepidation perhaps?
I often wish we had more stone buildings on our narrow gauge, they do make nice models.
Grant.

pandsrowe · Post by **pandsrowe** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 8:53 am

Interesting that you have been modifying the resin with a router, I have made some changes to resin kits in the past using my vertical milling machine. However I found that the mess generated by the process to be quite a problem, although this could be reduced by a more powerful dust extraction system perhaps.
Just as a point of interest did you use the router freehand or was it mounted in a router table?

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:43 am

Hi Phil, the router was hand-held with the workpiece clamped down and the router guide fitted. I agree the mess was quite considerable but well worth the end result.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:59 pm

Today I removed my existing street lamps from the station platform where they have been for the past three years. The reason for this is because my dogs have walked into them causing the wires to break and stop them working. I decided to see whether they could be repaired and despite the manufacturers saying the bulbs are not replaceable, they are if you know how!
I think they are LED's rather than bulbs so all I need is to find a supplier of small, white ones to fit. Meanwhile, while they are apart, I can repaint them ready for re-siting.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 11:36 am

A bit of lateral thinking again led me in the direction of Poundland (again..... where would I be without it?) and amongst their selection of Christmas lights came across this...

Powered by 2x AA batteries, each lamp is 3v so after separating one from its string and testing that it works I then went about modifying the lamp itself. Luckily each wire is long enough to travel the height of the lamp and have enough to spare to pass through a tube and under my baseboards for connection to a supply from a transformer sited inside the shed. The tube should help make the lamps dog proof, but at least I know what to do next time and have lamps to spare.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat Oct 15, 2016 8:53 pm

More on the crossing keeper's cottage.... all sides glued together with epoxy resin, roof and chimney too. The ridge had to be specially made to fill a gap caused by one of the roof panels being slightly short, hardly surprising as it was not designed for this.

The bargeboards help to tidy up the end walls and give a better look to the structure....

I will be at a local exhibition tomorrow (Sunday) so no further progress to report until Monday.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed Oct 19, 2016 7:55 pm

I have begun to work on another building, this time using the two roof sections which were intended for the engine shed as supplied by Pendle Valley Workshop.
The two sections were first strengthened with aluminium angle at top and bottom edges to prevent warping. I have been told that warm weather can cause distortion but here in West Wales I still have my doubts!

Also the edges have been reduced in thickness similar to previous roof sections. This is to give a more realistic appearance of the tile thickness...

By the end of the afternoon the two sections have been attached at the apex but are still in clamps so not much to see there!

But..... another mad idea came to me today when I stumbled upon this...

I have been thinking about my fishing harbour and the kind of stuff which would be just lying about there. I only have a small boat moored alongside so large fishing nets are not suitable, but how about lobster pots?

A bit fiddly at first but once I had worked out how to do one it became much quicker and seeing them in a stack gives just the right impression. More to follow tomorrow.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Fri Oct 21, 2016 9:59 pm

A few more lobster pots made and a suitable site found on the harbour wall...

They certainly look better now I have given them a paint finish and more convincing together than individually.

The two buildings I am currently working on are another low relief warehouse which is made from one of the sides from the Pendle Valley engine shed with the stone effect end from the same kit cut down to just 75mm depth......

The other uses the roof sections (shown above) with the beginnings of a half-timbered Market Hall...

This is the upper floor and tonight I managed to add much of the timber framing. The lower floor will have a stone effect entrance hall with doorway, and a stone chimney serving both floors at one end only, and supporting pillars beneath the remaining two thirds allowing market traders an open, covered sales area. There are many surviving examples of these market halls and this is not a copy of a particular one, rather an impression of how I see one.
Another exhibition tomorrow, Saturday, so not much progress expected during the day.

Post by **philipy** » Sat Oct 22, 2016 8:37 am

Peter Butler:120441 wrote:
including a pair of lamps which are easily made presentable on the railway. I have used these before, about 3 years ago, when I found them in a post Christmas clearance in a set of four. This time they are boxed in pairs, a tiny bulb in the top and wires to a 2x AA battery holder with a switch, all for £3.95.

Peter,
Apologies for the delayed response, but we've only just got back from a couple of weeks in Egypt.
Which cheapo shop were the street lights in, please? I'm in the market for a few myself.

Your latest projects are looking great as always. Concerning the recent comments about the sand, I've also been thinking it looked too pristine to be below high tide line in a fishing harbour, but didn't want to carp(!!!).

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat Oct 22, 2016 8:31 pm

Philip, I would love to hear of you experience in Egypt, perhaps a PM if you have time?
The lights came from our local 'Charlies'. If you don't have one there is a website. Other sources could be garden centres etc....

Sand..... I should ignore your comment as Carp are freshwater fish, but just to humour you I plan to add some colour to the harbour if I can find a few dry days forecast, seems less likely at this time of year in this location.

Post by **philipy** » Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:01 pm

Peter Butler:120576 wrote:Philip, I would love to hear of you experience in Egypt, perhaps a PM if you have time?
The lights came from our local 'Charlies'. If you don't have one there is a website. Other sources could be garden centres etc....

Sand..... I should ignore your comment as Carp are freshwater fish, but just to humour you I plan to add some colour to the harbour if I can find a few dry days forecast, seems less likely at this time of year in this location.

Peter,
PM sent.

Never heard of Charlies before, but I think I found the correct website and it appears to be a solely Welsh outfit, so their nearest store to me is probably Shrewsbury!! Can't see the street lights on their site except as part of village scenes. They are are available on fleabay, from the US at eyewatering prices, though.

Lonsdaler · Post by **Lonsdaler** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 9:35 am

philipy:120577 wrote: Never heard of Charlies before, but I think I found the correct website and it appears to be a solely Welsh outfit, so their nearest store to me is probably Shrewsbury!! Can't see the street lights on their site except as part of village scenes. They are are available on fleabay, from the US at eyewatering prices, though.

These are similar:
http://www.christmasatdawsons.co.uk/lem ... ?pid=64500
£7 for 8 when using online code.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 10:53 am

Great find Phil, they look about the same height and possibly a little slimmer. I have strengthened mine in an attempt to make them dog resistant!........ some hope.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Oct 23, 2016 9:52 pm

Meanwhile, back on the building site, the Market Hall is progressing nicely with all of the timber work now fitted on the upper floor.....

I don't know how well they will show up when painted but I have put 'pegs' at the points where mortise joints would be. Since taking the pictures this afternoon I have now permanently attached the roof so I can fit the chimney.

Another building, the crossing keeper's cottage, has had a porch fitted today. The keeper has little to do but can't leave his post, so finds time to tend his roses, which will be growing over this structure in due course.

A backyard privy and coal store will soon be on the workbench too.

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Time to build a railway...but where?

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