4mm Meldon Quarry

Bit more done the home made fence post stuck on.
Have to say the Deluxe Materials plastic kit glue is a game changer! fettle time on these posts and white metal to plastikard no trouble better than cyno. Bought from SMS no connection usual disclaimer.



Who made and drilled a post for every trestle! Over hear gov I did it!
Proves to keep a prototype photo in sight at all times might help. I’m slow anyway so these mishaps don’t help.



Pleased to see the platform coping groves showing up.
Rails and wires next.
Until next time cheers.

 

Did I say “Deluxe Materials plastic kit glue is a game changer“ ummm it wasn’t next day it let go on the white metal!
Never designed for that I know but initial observations were good.
So next another SMS supplied glue the deluxe-materials-ad-21-super-phatic-glue.
That stuck the posts to the white metal.
So the handrail next made from telecom wire superglued.




then the fence wire wanted to be thinner really but even with a magnifying viewer that’s pretty well the smallest I can see.
Obviously close up camera makes it look much bigger!



The handrail ends dresssed and the viaduct end was prototypically bent down.



Looked ok so a mist coat of rattle can primer thrown on!
One can wouldn’t press the inner tube inside the nozzle far enough before it hit the can! It would deliver and I pulled the nozzle off and pressed it against some wood so a faulty nozzle it appears, 2nd can was out in the shed so warmed that up under hot water as I’d read somewhere that worked lovely.



A few runs!
Anyway getting closer to move on to bigger things for this layout now.
This will soon be done and I’m fairly pleased with it next time I’ll buy the bits rather than make them as all those posts were hand made from sheet yes including all the ones I didn’t need!
Clean this up and paint it weather it and done I feel.
It won’t go on the layout yet as big building work needs doing at the back vaguely where this workers platform is going.
Thanks for looking in.
Until next time.
Cheers
Ade

 

Forgot this one yesterday my way of straining the fence wires before supergluing.
Hair grips surprisingly grippy on those wires with a little weight on.



Cheers
Ade

 

Next I need to get some concrete paint effect on the platform, not something I’m familiar with but I saw a post on FB by Chris Nevard the Model Rail photographer and private commission builder. So I messaged him on the cocktail he uses!
He kindly came back with the screen shot below.

Grey primer I got already sprayed in that so I’ll pick up the other 3 colours before Thursdays lockdown,
But I’ve been thinking about the fiddle yards to Meldon.
I’ve decided I’m going to do them scenic, which then led me to thinking the final objective is a roundy roundy around my small Railway Room. So why not keep going and get the boards made and erected.



First up I bought some DCC concepts base board dowels and on inspection they are the Don!
The old TTTE board was beefed up and new timber added, but it’s been in storage for nigh on 20 years and kept straight so should be fine.



Joint clamped up ready for a 3mm pilot hole x 2 needing to be both level and square.


These below are the dowels fine bit of engineering.



Two drills follow a 19mm for the flange and a 13mm for the body. DDC concepts instructions say PVA them in, mine were such a snug fit in they went no PVA.



Don’t judge the carpentry! Not pretty but it’s there!




There we have it, need to work out a solution to make a catch in the corner. Must be plenty of layouts with that, just not noticed them.


So thoughts turn to the track plan and further baseboards.
There potentially will be a viaduct Meldon or Barnstaple that’s the question and is it possible in my space.
Until next time.
Cheers

 

Time to test some ideas!
There was always going to be hidden tracks under the rock face at the back of the layout. Then the transition to the next board as it was no longer a fiddle yard if I could help it.
I’ve come up with an idea of a tunnel mouth in N gauge looking straight off the Meldon Board South end, the photo I have used is of Trelill tunnel the only tunnel on the North Cornwall Railway so fitting to put there.
The running line will slip off left in the photo below under a girder bridge.



Above and below this will be N gauge track and I’ll have to widen it as it comes back to meet the 00 gauge track.
I’ve ordered a N tunnel mouth not sure if it will go where my photo is or where the loco is the track in the hidden hillside would be painted black to hide it I gues it’s only a photo prop really but I can see it will work?



Above 3 photos editor not working very well to get text between photos as normal.
Is mocking up how the lift off hillside/quarry face will be.
below is where I’m stuck a track plan to get the siding from the main line back into more quarry sidings.
Ideally to get more to the front not as far as the shark van in the photo below but a line inside that, Y points look nice but could do with ideas.
The narrow gauge up on a higher level I’m still hoping to include and it could drop on top the hidden tracks and from above the N gauge tunnel then swing across the main line! Then on an embankment above the sidings.



Above is an idea where the next board will go where the stool is and at 90 degrees to last board. Not a massive space this, I’m hoping will be the viaduct board. So the hidden lines before the end of the current board will exit a tunnel and either both head across a viaduct after turning on to the next board or just one of them and a point before the end of the current empty board t9 bring 2 to 1 line.
I’ll post up over in help for some ideas but thanks all for trawling a long post!
Any contributions welcome.
Cheers
Ade

 

I’ve nothing bar this v basic paint app.
But this is what I’m toying with.
The main line has got a narrow gauge over bridge and then a kick back on the sidings another.
Then the narrow gauge runs to a loading dock inspired by the photo lower down.

 

I’ve nothing bar this v basic paint app. On my iPad.
But this is what I’m toying with.
The main line has got a narrow gauge over bridge and then a kick back on the sidings another.
Then a loading dock inspired by the photo lower down.

View attachment 133230



Taken from Burton Latimer - Local Industry: Ironstone Mining
Is it possible though more playing about tomorrow.
Ideas anyone feel free to chip in.
Until next time
Cheers
Ade

 

Having laid some templates down I don’t think my above idea fits the space.
I have been trying to find something that some else has made work or an experienced designer put mouse to screen!

Found a helpful website http://www.amherstrail.org/ABEL/Downloads/Shelf-Layouts.pdf some handy ideas there I actually remember Chewton Mendip & West Harptree in RM. Hook Basin looks useful.

Anyway another attempt, the narrow gauge could run on the top of the twin hidden tracks at the back and be a loading dock to the standard gauge closest track indicated below in black, the other sidings are just less complicated.



On RM web
I found the below trawling thread after thread! By @Nearholmer here Planning a micro-shunting layout - 4mm.



Think I like the feel of that, so I’ll see if something along those lines fits.

But I also realise now the next board although at 90 degrees will provide more space as the viaduct line will be at the rear of it. More to deliberate.

Cheers

Ade