I am inherently lazy -almost to a pathological extent... Over the past two years Brassica station has suffered the storm damage caused by fence panels hitting it in80mph+ gales.. this means I have to repair it. So after this ywars atorms I decided that something has to be done to prevent me having to do repair work again and again(!)
So, I am building a roof for my station that "should " take my weight and thus survive impacts. It should be weather proof and not decay. This means Aluminium and Steel. Steel I love, Aluminium I loathe. But weight said that it had to be made of Ally.
There are not many span roof railway stations locally due to the Luftwaffe, Beeching and "modernisation improvents"... I needed to steal a design, fortunately having to rescue my Son and tje contents of his student digs from Keele gave me a good source of ideas.
The North Staffordshire Railways station HQ at Stoke on Trent is practically pristine. This is a ridge and furrow span of hlass and iron. Robert (Doddy) provided me with some photos of the iron work of the GCR Nottingham Victoria station. Some pencil work, some slide rule work and scouring of eBay later produced all the required raw materials.
Now I had to cut them...
(https://i.ibb.co/7tvnP5W/IMG-20200608-151433357.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7tvnP5W)
The roof is going to be 80cm by 125cm wide and held together with A2 nuts and bolts and A2 2.4mm SS rivits. No, I am not superman, a friend has loaned me an air rivitter amd at 90psi will make short work of them.
The mext two shots show the end pieces of the ridges and the test piece. All the spans, laterals, furrows and verticals have been cut by hand with a hacksaw. I jabe gone through five hacksaw blades...
(https://i.ibb.co/nf66kNH/IMG-20200629-115612998.jpg) (https://ibb.co/nf66kNH)
(https://i.ibb.co/BgDdkFX/IMG-20200628-164147324.jpg) (https://ibb.co/BgDdkFX)
I am now going to look on eBay for a power hacksaw!!!
Regards
Ralph
Designing and building a station of this magnitude is a rarity in any Railway Modelling scale let alone Gauge 3.
Hats off to you for your leadership and sheer persistance in continually tackling the most difficult of projects.
(https://i.ibb.co/qJJkb8F/thumb-up-for-2012-copn2qmd.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qJJkb8F)
Doddy
Robert,
Just accept that I am crazy and it will all make sense!!!
I operate on the principle similar the CIA teenage code breakers - they break the codes because they don't know the codes are unbreakable... Similarly I do things that other people say are impossible -because I just don't know that they aren't!!!
Regards
Ralph
Ok, test assembly of parts made so far...
(https://i.ibb.co/yQ1J4K7/IMG-20200630-173351484.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yQ1J4K7)
The kitchen table can expand to take the completed roof - but neither of us are sure how to get it out of the kitchen...
Regards
Ralph
The last section of the span roof has been fabricated and I have bust the last 2.5mm drill bit. So, we await the order from Arc for five 2.5mm and (for some reason) six 10mm slocombe bits.
The roof will not be glazed for this year - but that does not mean rhat a "topping out" ceremony will not be performed! A bottle " Dark Drake" by the local brewery has been selected for the honor.
The wrapper to the frame is on order. This will be made from 20mm angle. Once completed it them down toaking the pillars that the roof sits on. I am thinking of 10mm threaded bar.
Regards
Ralph
As you will see by the two shots below, the ridges have all been stitched together. The frame is light (witness the power of the index finger on the left hand). The A- on the frame is mine... One of the reasons I hate Aluminium is the fact that it leaves razor sharp tinsle swarf on the edges...
(https://i.ibb.co/3myB6gL/IMG-20200702-175432818.jpg) (https://ibb.co/3myB6gL)
(https://i.ibb.co/0GG45r3/IMG-20200702-175413873.jpg) (https://ibb.co/0GG45r3)
I await more parts (ugh!)
Regards
Ralph
Thankyou Mr Candy! I have ordered four 3mm thick sheets of white Filcris that will for the platform surfaces. I am assired that a good flooring adhesive will bond it to the planking - but the support struts of m10 bar and nuts will make me sleep a little easier(!)
I am told by Royal Mail that my Ally angle will arrive Monday as hopefully will the additional 2.4 and 4.8mm rivits. I have been using a 10mm 'Bell' slocombe to drill the 2.4mm holes and a std 10mm slocombe to drill the 4.8mm
holes. They are far more robust than a twist bit...
Regards
Ralph
I not having a good week this week... I have replaced the broken slocombe and twist bits, I now have plwnty of 2.4 and 4.8mm pop rivits and now the jaws on the air rivit gun worn out. This is a commercial item and replacement jaws are on order and within 10 minutes of the postman I will be back at work!
It has been aweful to work on... The frame cannot really be forced in any direction so drilling holes involves pulling the piece and drilling into it. There have been times wjen I have become convinced my cobolt drill has become blunt only to find that it has cut a perfectly smooth shape in the Ally and is simply going around. The perfect tool turned out to be the broken end of a "bell" slocombe. I think it just tears its way through the Ally rather than cut smoothly through it!!!
The frame ends are being fitted with their eight legs and the two false legs that complete the portico. The four sheets of white Filcris have not yet arrived, but given the weather Thursday looks a good bet -heavy thunderstorms are forecast. The Help Sheet for painting the white Filcris is written by someone who understood what he was saying but was quite incapable of saying it... I have bought a tin of Rustoleum universal grey primer and will splatter it with a brush.
Regards
Ralph
Phase one complete!
(https://i.ibb.co/5KFt5HV/IMG-20200708-120528629.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5KFt5HV)
The roof frame is now outside in the pouring rain - but it is Aluminium and Stainless Steel and the slight weathering will add to the primer adhesion!
Tea, some sarnies and a chunk of cake...
Regards
Ralph
Here it; a just roughly plonked into position. The new stairs are yet to be sprayed but I think the impression is there.
(https://i.ibb.co/pfx2zLC/IMG-20200708-133545448.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pfx2zLC)
Regards
Ralph
Are those prize marrows I see, or something altogether more exotic?
John
Those are actually Courgettes and Tomatoes in "Bed One". Bed Two has finished growing Peas and Kohl Rabi. Bed Three has finished growing Broad Beans. Bed Four is growing Squashes, Globe Artichokes and Root Artichokes, Bed Five is growing Strawberries and Cardoons...
Later this month Bed Three will have Leeks transplanted into it and Bed Two loaded with grass cutting and ground lava...
The orchard and fruit garden are where I grow the exotics(!)
regards
ralph
Hopefully I can now post some pictures?
(https://i.ibb.co/cYVgfb3/IMG-20200710-103315940.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cYVgfb3)
This shows the first piece of soffet board in place. The exterior of the building will be printed and bonded to it.
Regards
Ralph
Well Filcris have delivered the sheets of PVC that will form the new station surfaces. These will be attacked with the jigsaw in the morning. I have taken a couple of days off heavy work due to having to use pain killers, I have precious little cartelige in my knees... So, armed with my trusty (and slightly rusty) drafting tablet I have designed the new station frontage. As is my normal operation common items were placed on the tablet to provide visual inspiration!!!
Robert says that it looks like a cathedral, but given the use the only cathedral that would fit -is Carlisle Cathedral!!!
(https://i.ibb.co/ZLCWBg4/IMG-20200713-145040862.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZLCWBg4)
post pics (https://imgbb.com/)
Advanced head scratching and lota of tea produced a SCAD file that resembled the drawing on the tablet.
(https://i.ibb.co/pyyF953/IMG-20200714-173237357.jpg) (https://ibb.co/pyyF953)
Er for some reason this jpg is 90° left rotated(?). But it forms one quarter of the frontage. It took nearly 6 hours to print so that thw reprap can print one of these per day plus other parts.
Tea and biscuits - while the machines work - I told you I was lazy....
Regards
Ralph
The first piece of Filcris has been sawn and bonded to the wooden decking. Cutting with a swan neck panel saw is dead easy, the main problem was where to cut a sheet that was 1.2m sq... The material is recycled PVC - so it is floppy. The pieces are bonded to the decking with EvoStick flooring adhesive, it says on the tub that it will do 4 sqm - I am down to half a tub after a piece 1.2m sq... (OK so maybe I did put it on a bit thick?). But apart from dodging the rain the operation went very well. The sheet is weighted to the wood with whatever heavy object was to hand!!!
Regards
Ralph
I did wonder about Ionic Column to the left and right of the main window - but I think that is too much!
(https://i.ibb.co/WVkwWqy/IMG-20200716-140155478.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WVkwWqy)
Regards
Ralph
Well I would have got further but next door decided to light a bonfire... My kitchen is filled with smoke my cheese doorstep is inedible...
But this is as far as I have got. The canopy frame is bolted to the decking, the sheet of Filcris has bonded to the decking and I have started the slow process of making the frame work for the buildings and cladding them.
You can see where the arch will sit and the two blocks of buildings. The suspended signal box will sit on the platform side of the other wall on this platform. (I am not sure if that makes sense?)
(https://i.ibb.co/xJ05CmH/IMG-20200717-120916600.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xJ05CmH)
(https://i.ibb.co/cYGHLSD/IMG-20200717-120907650.jpg) (https://ibb.co/cYGHLSD)
Regards
Ralph
It's wonderful in concept and execution Ralph, but you're not going to leave it out all winter at the mercy of flying fence panels are you 😬
Tim,
Relax! It will all come to pieces with the undoing of eight screws. This means that the roof and buildings can be lodged over winter in the greenhouse.
Regards
Ralph
Having once more delved into the "LMS Lego" SCAD files...
The two buildings that hold up the front of the station are clad with "tiles" printed from them. The main office block has two rows of "window.scad" and two rows of "quoinwall2.scad" the edges will be covered with "quoinedge.scad" and the platform side with "flemmish wall.scad". As a friend said " I see a lot of 3D printing in your future"...
(https://i.ibb.co/qDFCKW4/IMG-20200718-180520946.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qDFCKW4)
This is test arrangement for measurement.
The slabs take about 3 hours to print and the corners 30 minutes. The machine is going to work hard!!!
Regards
Ralph
The machine works while the humans harvest! This is the side of the " south tower" of the station. Such is life the real world dimensions would make it smaller than my living room and shorter than the house! But it looks impressive!
The quoin corners are still being printed and as they are produced I will stick them on the building...
(https://i.ibb.co/PTt08yS/IMG-20200719-192057224.jpg) (https://ibb.co/PTt08yS)
Regards
Ralph
As new parts and mods of previous prints come off the reprap, I will upload them to the G3Wiki for people to use.
Currently the machine is printing doors...
I have tried to get paint of the correct hue and "texture" ( I suppose you would call it?). The nearest "Magimix" colour maker is the otherside of the city - so it is back to eBay and my trusty RAL number strips. My set is in German with "hopefully" English translations...
Regards
Ralph
The cladding is being printed and stuck to the ply exterior.
This is the parcels and shipping side of the station buildings. It is going to have a Scammel - even if ot kills me! The large blank wall will have a set of steps up it and a door to the signal box on the other side. The two layer quoin strips will seal the wall to the baseboard.
(https://i.ibb.co/W5GqFVy/IMG-20200723-140517437.jpg) (https://ibb.co/W5GqFVy)
This is the passenger side. Here will be the carpark, taxi rank and bus stop. The station is in NW2 as it has a Routemaster bus and no Tube connection. Possibly as in Fenchurch St it is surrounded by "Category Y" areas...
The next two shots show the interior of the booking hall and left luggage and parcels..
(https://i.ibb.co/C7bq6m4/IMG-20200723-140721642.jpg) (https://ibb.co/C7bq6m4)
(https://i.ibb.co/zr1V3nh/IMG-20200723-140703453.jpg) (https://ibb.co/zr1V3nh)
One more tin of paint to arrive - then it is out with the brushes, (Hogs hair - not Nylon).
Regards
Ralph
Given your penchant for local ales, will it have a bar? Or do we attend your open days to bring a bottle?
St Pancras had an under platform cellar designed to take exact stacked multiples of Burton beer casks... It was later converted to a taxi washing facility. The nearest brewery to me is Derventio - whose products I find a little "thin" for my palate. I much prefer those of Dancing Duck - which are far more malty and stouter. But if anyone has a good advert that I can copy for "Offlers Ales" it will ne well received!
I doubt it will have a bar as it does not have any "facilities", nor I admit do any of the coaches or EMUs!!!
Regards
Ralph
Quote from: cabbage on Jul 24 2020 10:19But if anyone has a good advert that I can copy for "Offlers Ales" it will ne well received!
Regards
Ralph
PM Sent, I have sent you the graphics for several signs, various handpump covers and window etching designs from the former George Hotel, Derby.
Should fit in well with the 'cathedral'.
Robert
Ralf
I used to work in the Farringdon area of London and drove past St Pancras every day, there was a sign that advertised taxi hand wash, most people thought it was for taxis only but no true. I had my car cleaned there inside and out £3.00. every week, the only problem was that the platform level was held up by cast iron column's at around 10ft centres, driving around them was very tight.
Happy days
Mike
With the wonderful English Summer weather that I have been experiencing there has been nothing I could do - but paint...
Since the building is very Art Nouveau it had to be in a typin A/N colour. The obvious one is Eau de Nil(e). Looking at the paint sheets shows Eau de Nil as anything!!! So I ordered what I thought was a suitable RAL number paint! My first thought was -this is not green! But on drying -it is sort of a green duck egg blue and to be honest I rather like it!!! The stone quoins are going to be a warm stone grey like Portland. The front is going to be pure white.
(https://i.ibb.co/vhrd3mK/IMG-20200727-100335942.jpg) (https://ibb.co/vhrd3mK)
Regards
Ralph
We have progressed! The walls of the building are now Ral de Nil and the bulk of the stonework has been printed, painted and stuck! At the moment I am building the signal box for the station. J.Candy esq has provided me with bits and bobs to decorate the box with.
The floor and interior wall are setting on the cooker as I type... I have yet to sit down and design the exterior walls and windows. Time for tea and a few biscuits!
Regards
Ralph