Hi Everybody Thankyou to everyone who has posted welcome wishes i thought I'd drop an update to how I've join up to this forum since wanting to get into O gauge modeling.As a youngster interested in BR locomotives throughout the 1980s visiting many of the London depots I thought how good if would be to replicate a part of the East London depot of Stratford.Since emergrating to Australia & being introduced to Kim Atkins/Ralph Foster & Rodger Powell the project to model the fronts of B & C shed of SF has started to take shape at a rapid rate. I have posted a couple of pictures & you'll have to excuse me if I've got a bit ahead of myself as technology is not my strongest point but its with great thanks to Kim & Ralph how far this project has snowballed, the photos included the first drawings of the made up table legs & base to the first attempt of track laying to cutting out of the pit area of the main depot,as you can see restricted by room size it will be a mini version of what was the B & C sheds.Again thanks to all & will keep you updated with progress cheers. Paul.
Hi Paul, great to see you up and running on the forum. Here are some of the build pictures from 3 weeks ago, when we started the dropped pit area after the two 2mx1.2m base boards were constructed. We used brass bolt screwed through 2 x 9mm ply sheets to support each rail. testing the raised track with 2kg DJH kit built loco....all good Paul started to add the dummy supports at 25mm spacing, lots of cutting and gluing to do. Once they are all in I’ve suggested that it should all be painted black. ‘Track webbing left in place until all the supports were soldered to the rails, then carefully removed. Copper clad board joins fitted and ready to accept the second base board. Once the boards were bolted together and levelled the rails could be soldered across the board joint and dropper wires added to the copper clad. “I’ve never soldered before” ....well you did a great job Paul. The copper clad will be hidden, as on the prototype there was a large concrete walk way in front of the shed, this will be replicate in the build.
No worries Paul. Thursday’s work session despite the heat (helped by many cuppa’ s water and your better half’s cooking) was very successful. Just 4 more points to fit and some track alignment to sort.
I am indeed and the same idea sunk in before reading your post. Really fantastic workmanship. I'll need to check my engine shed kit to see what arrangement they have allowed for the floor with regards to pits. Great build. I'll be following this for sure ....... and stealing your ideas no doubt. Keep up the good work. Toto
Toto your Timbertracks engine shed is the type that had the traditional walk down brick walled pits as per the steam period, Paul's making a modern (1980's style) diesel depot where tracks were set onto concrete stilts because maintenance access required a completely different set of conditions for the fitter mechanics. You'll still need to cut a well into your board for your shed but you wouldn't need to solder rails onto countersunk bolts, an inspection pit can easily be made from MDF to sit in the well and your rails fastened down using the correct bullhead chairs.
That's a great looking project Paul and you've certainly got the right chaps working with you to help make it happen, there is something appealing about the Rail Blue period I like and so I'll follow your thread with interest. I think the problem with the Rail Blue time period (from my point anyway) is that many people didn't appreciate it and how much they actually had until it was all gone. I saw a full rake of repainted Mark 2 air con coaches in York station last year and the Rail Blue looked spectacular particularly compared to the uninspiring livery of a Northern Rail Pacer unit parked in the bay.
Thanks for that Yorkie. Mines would ge a much simpler affair then ........ phew ........ close call. Dundee can come back down off alert now.
Yep yours will be a lot easier to make. Raised rails and raised platforms between tracks make this a nice challenging build and something a bit different as I’ve never really modelled in this time period. Kim
Paul had nearly completed the dummy supports when I popped in with more supply’s today. ‘Looking good Paul ‘
Not sure what Paul put in the tea today.......or was it the big stick he had....... Track work almost done, just one section of track left to do which will lead on to the small head shunt board. All wired up correctly for DCC operation. So for your entertainment, I give you Pauls first test run.
Excellent test run Kimbo and a very happy Paul no doubt. I'm following this thread with interest and developments you chaps are making on this modern image layout.