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What will YOU be doing for the next 4 months?!

Started by John Candy, Mar 15 2020 12:32

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Bruce_L

Coach upholstery continues.
I've got some pics now showing the material and the seating modules coming together. I'm having to take some of the people off, to be replaced after the material has been stuck on. I use Prittstic or UHUstic which probably sounds daft.
It turns out to be better than most other glues for this job. Other glues seep through the material (as they contain solvent) and spoils the top surface. Stic is easily spread onto the material backing which is nice and flat with no bits hanging off. When applying the prepared material onto the seats you can slide it up/down/sideways until you're satisfied that it looks good and then gradually the stic sets. Pics follow.



f 18 pictures




There are 4 colours there - Green, Dark Blue, Light Blue and Red. Dunelm have lots of colours on large rolls but the minimum of a haf a metre will last ages. They also do some small cushion covers made from the same material; one of these will last ages as well at less cost.
Second pic is a close-up of the grain which makes the seats look great.
empty coach and modules being worked on to follow.








Bruce
729

Bruce_L

Where do you get the trackbed and supports? Is it an available item? Or did you build it from scratch?

Oh, and another thing anyone can do in the next 4 months is to write up projects that are being worked on, on a regular basis.
It would be interesting to see what everybody is doing!
Bruce
729

MikeWilliams

Bruce,
If you mean my layout its all bespoke to my design.  Drawn on CAD and laser cut in stainless steel.  I'll do a write up for the Newsletter but I wanted something permanent (i.e. no timber whatsoever) which I could assemble (not welded) and adaptable it I wanted an extension.  Posts are scaffold poles where not seen and stainless balcony tubes cut to length, with the adjustable feet from scaffold towers on the top - gives about 2in of adjustment up and down on each post.  So far it all looks promising but It's not finished yet!
Mike

LankyTank

Yes, guys.

If you read the editors column (of course you do..... read every word that is...) he's going to be strapped for articles for the next newsletter, so put pen to paper or finger to keyboard, there's only a limited market on here, the newsletter reaches every member.


Bruce_L

Thanks Mike.
There's a possibility I'll be moving house and if so I want a more robust trackbed than I have now.
Sounds like if yours works well that you could supply to others ! er.., yes others! ;D
Bruce
729

Bruce_L

Ah. Suddenly the weather looked more like Summer for two days, so that's about 2% of my 4 months that's been used up. Doesn't sound like much when put like that!
Anyway, it's been 2 days in the garden, so below are a number of links to YouTube videos that I took and uploaded.
Might help some of you to wear away some time if you're at an end of other projects! --

https://youtu.be/uT2gjwlxcpo
https://youtu.be/t69ZDhrXkj0
https://youtu.be/eawUMJJWGPk
https://youtu.be/0AyGfjWe8M8
On the above one: Now then, a little test :- the freight sorting went wrong today and the roster for the trucks is incorrect.
Why? What was done wrong?
Answers on an postcard (electronic) !

https://youtu.be/EpCSXuAtWI0
https://youtu.be/zbHcmZqN_hc

OK, that was the last video (well I have some more but they're pretty much the same).
Here the freight has finished and we're onto passenger runs. The driver is obviously a novice. Spot the problem (actually two!).

I've found it very difficult to film while controlling the trains and switching the points. Not easy when one hand at least is trying to get good shots!
Bruce
Bruce
729

Bruce_L

Mike. You asked for some coach interior pics. I'm not sure whether you wanted the Eddie interior or the Marsden ones. Anyway, I've finished the Marsdens so can supply some pics of them.
First is an empty shell (well made!) and then a couple showing the modules out of coach and fitted.
















I think I've done what I need to now. I really do think coaches look much better with material-covered seats and populated as well (I'm using 1:30 scale people at the moment).
Bruce
729

cabbage

Well I have started building the dual tracked Great North Straight. The first thing to do was to extract the set of points that combined the dragstrip into a single track. These were the second set of points that I made and I am proud to say that they only split into two pieces which will be glued back together this afternoon. Fabrication and printing of parts is on hold due to Western Power connecting new bits to the local power grid...

But here is the first part!




Regards

Ralph

cabbage

Both sets of points that had to be moved broke in the same place - just after the first of the slide  plates. Not really much grip on the rail there! After having dug out the pot of plumbing pipe weld I stuck them back together and they are "curing" outside in the breeze. It is now  cold outside and this southern child only works in the warmth!!! But since it is now cold I cannot get the adhesive to "brush"  onto the trackbed.

More tea and retire to the living room fire!

Regards

Ralph

joewatt

I used the warmer weather to finish my reduced length re-routed track. I wish had done this route in the first place years ago. However, the bend through the rockery is 15' 6" diameter and should be the GRS 16' minimum. Albeit, all my stock goes round it, but I'm considering gauge widening:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VylNt88oRaQ

AshleyW

nice one joe, can't i persaude you to join our g3 north and in better times be part of our gatherings in huddersfield, yeadon, stockport etc? ashley

Bruce_L

Hopefully, you are finding things to do while we can't do much away from home.
In the meantime we need to face the fact that this lockdown is going to last many more weeks - end of May/ early June has been talked about.
A few of us here in the North! are experimenting with the app 'Zoom'. (Mainly Huddersfield but not limited to that).
This is a multi-person video/sound system to communicate with other like-minded folk to discuss what they are doing or showing drawings or projects or even operating railways. It takes some understanding but it does allow a get-together without actually getting together.
Zoom can be loaded onto a PC, Laptop,tablet and even a Smartphone, although the last is a bit small.
Your PC will need a camera and a mic (mine is built into the camera), the others generally have them anyway. The smaller bits of kit can be showing wide areas of things going on, even into the garden (but probably not far before your WiFi gives up), by carrying it with you and pointing it in the right direction.
So if you're in this area and are missing the GTG's, this may be a good alternative.
By the way Zoom is free for the basic version, which is all we need.
Make contact if you're interested.
Bruce
729

cabbage

Well at the end of a vile day... The return set of points has been installed at the end of the return side of the Great North Straight. The method used will bring tears to the eyes but the points were "cut in" with an angle grinder.

I am frozen solid! This afternoon I have been rained, hailed and deep chilled by the local blast of wind. Now some simple carpentry and it is a clear run for felt laying.

If nothing else I can use the blow torch to keep warm!!!!

Regards

Ralph

cabbage

I knew it was cold!!!! There's snow on the trackbed... I am going to wait until the cold snap is over before continuing to work outside.

Next year I schedule the maintenance work for the running season  for weather that requires shorts not heavy duty jeans and warm corduroys...

Regards

Ralph

hornbeam

Well I'm working from home but weekends and evenings are totally free. So for me it's finishing off various projects and a few upgrades.

A GRS conflat is almost finished. I've fitted new radio control gear to my sentinel. My very troublesome live steam 14xx has had new radio control fitted and the water pump assembly all removed. It seems to finally be working as expected. Today I also cut the seats for a set of three four wheel coaches I'm building using the GRS side modules. So plenty going on.
   Last  locomotive to have upgraded radio control is my live steam austerity tank then I aim to get on with my final steam locomotive- a rebuild of a prairie tank.