7mm SARSDEN. A GWR fictitious terminus diorama layout.

John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
All the locomotive building has been completed, probably for good.

It is now the time to push on with more of my diorama layout.

Some time back I used a Springside Models GWR crossing gate kit and motorised it using servo motors.


This turned out to be totally troublesome as the servos had minds of their own and activated every time my point motors were used.

This ended up with the gate hinges being constantly damaged and then repaired again.
Although they have survived this constant battering it has been time to replace these servos with a more reliable mechanical mechanism.

Recently I came across such a mechanism written up in the April 1987 issue of Your Model Railway by the East Brdfordshire Model Railway Society, which is extremely fortunate as I am a born and bred Bedfordian so I`m continuing a County invention so to speak........ but probably not as inventive as the Bedfordshire Clanger..

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Although constructed by Ron Morrison for a 4mm GWR layout called Ambleddwyn it has been easy to upscale to 7mm, except I have used `rubber band` technology .

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Hopefully this mechanism will need much less revisiting.


Now comes the time to begin the finescale detailing of the diorama using combination of Silflor, Heki, Mini Natur, and Woodland Scenics products plus, of course, a Gras Master Mk2.

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cbrailways

Western Thunderer
Hi John. Would it be possible please for you to post a video showing the operation of the mechanism from below the baseboard. Its given me some ideas for operation of a Wagon Hoist.
 
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John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
Hi John. Would it be possible please for you to post a video showing the operation of the mechanism from below the baseboard. Its given me some ideas for operation of a Wagon Hoist.

This is the first video on my new Android phone.

You must all of course promise not to stare at my nasel hairs !! or my unshaven state....

So this video matches the starting position of the gates in the above video.

The two operating arms are pulled together by the elastic bands holding the gates in their position against stops between the arms and on the posts themselves.

In between the wooden arms is a moveable stop which travels along the threaded rod as i turn the handle.

As I start winding the lower arm returns to the central position under elastic band power until it reaches the central stop. As I continue to wind the upper arm is moved upwards until it also reaches it`s maximum position stop. The elastic is then holding the lower arm against it`s maximum stop.

And then all is reversed moving the gates back to their starting pont.

 
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John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
Meanwhile......................

After assessing effects of the layouts LED lighting on my collection of static grasses I have settled mainly with Heki products to be the most realistic for this project.

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Just the 4.5mm length

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this is using both 2mm and 4.5mm lengths .

.....interestingly , most of these have been done with an El-Cheepo machine of Ebay.... seems quite powerful

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John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
Hi John which colours have you used
John
Hi John
So far working from the back of my diorama I am using.....

2mm Heki Nr 3365 Mittegrun.
6mm Heki Nr 3367 Wildgras Wiesengrun

and 2mm Heki Nr 3355 Winterboden (dead grass) which i mix with the 2mm Mittegrun.

Using PVA 50/50 mix with water plus tablespoon of table salt (` spose to help with ionization)
however , I have a good supply of the Heki static grass glue which i shall use in anger when the time comes.

I have no 12mm static grasses needed in O Gauge and have just ordered a selection from WWS to use nearer the front of the diorama.

JOhn
 
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John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
Slight change of tack with my choices of static grasses.

Examined the effects of Mini Natur grasses today.... used with the 2mm length Heki
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They look very fine and delicate and have muted colour so maybe best suited to use at the back of the diorama to keep the effect of distance.

and so this is what I have done today.....

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GrahameH

Western Thunderer
Hi John,

An interesting comment re: chinchilla sand. I too have shied away from it following a small test piece and mine tended to "clump" even when giving a light dusting from an old pair of tights ( no not mine ! )
Not certain if the PVA was too wet on the initial dusting, trying again with a light coat of adhesive but seemed to get similar results. Even when given a light sanding I wasn't that Impressed.
I may resort to another method when I eventually get to that stage for the platform surfaces.
Other than that your progress is looking very good especially the buildings who's progress I have enjoyed seeing.

G
 

John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
Thanks G,
It`s taken nearly two weeks to sort out the chinchilla `sand` It does`nt matter how hard I tried ( using various concentrations of PVA) The `sand always absorbs and then dries out and cracks, even when I used proper sand as a foundation base ( i do like the chinchilla sand finish). I even used IPA and surgical spirit before the PVA but the results were even more problematic sometimes days later........

Platform flower beds next and then lamp posts etc.............................

JT
 

simond

Western Thunderer
I bought some chinchilla "dust" a week or two back, in order to give it a try when I get back to modelling (summer... outdoors...) and concluded that it was indistinguishable from kiln dried sand. Now Steve @Compton castle uses the latter to good effect, and Mikkel Kartjan (on the other channel) has used the chinchilla stuff in 4mm with equally impressive results. I wonder whether there are different grades or makes of chinchilla dust that might be better? And perhaps apply it to the glued surface, rather than putting it on dry and dripping glue on?

I will report further when I do something concrete (see what I did there) rather than sit here hypothesising

meanwhile, I like this, though I wonder that it doesn't get silicosis, or even just spend the next 20 minutes sneezing


you'll note that the dust doesn't look anything like kiln dried sand. Perhaps I was ripped off...


the platform looks really nice, anyway, John.
 

SouthernFan Ian

Western Thunderer
Hello John,
For some time, I have struggled to find a satisfactory platform surface texture. I stumbled across an article by Gordon Gravett who recommended ground black pepper. Sprinkled on wet paint of your chosen colour, black pepper provides just enough subtle texture. Once the base layer paint and black pepper is dry, it can be air brushed or dry brushed to provide some highlights.
The texture can be just made out in the attached image. I bought a large jar of ground black pepper for under £1.
Regards,
Ian
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John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
Hello John,
For some time, I have struggled to find a satisfactory platform surface texture. I stumbled across an article by Gordon Gravett who recommended ground black pepper. Sprinkled on wet paint of your chosen colour, black pepper provides just enough subtle texture. Once the base layer paint and black pepper is dry, it can be air brushed or dry brushed to provide some highlights.
The texture can be just made out in the attached image. I bought a large jar of ground black pepper for under £1.
Regards,
Ian
View attachment 145832

That looks a great surface Ian...... clearly something not to be sneezed at ( sorry) !!!
 

John TAYLOR

Western Thunderer
I bought some chinchilla "dust" a week or two back, in order to give it a try when I get back to modelling (summer... outdoors...) and concluded that it was indistinguishable from kiln dried sand. Now Steve @Compton castle uses the latter to good effect, and Mikkel Kartjan (on the other channel) has used the chinchilla stuff in 4mm with equally impressive results. I wonder whether there are different grades or makes of chinchilla dust that might be better? And perhaps apply it to the glued surface, rather than putting it on dry and dripping glue on?

I will report further when I do something concrete (see what I did there) rather than sit here hypothesising

meanwhile, I like this, though I wonder that it doesn't get silicosis, or even just spend the next 20 minutes sneezing


you'll note that the dust doesn't look anything like kiln dried sand. Perhaps I was ripped off...


the platform looks really nice, anyway, John.

Thanks Simon,

You are right, just replenished with new `dust` from same manufacturer and it`s a grey colour this time. I Googled it and there are reported issues from small pet owners about it possibly being dangerous for hamsters breathing. The views are that it is now `clay` rather than sand. I think your suggestion of sprinkling it on pre wet surface may be a better option..... but I might go for Ian`s pepper plan.....
 

SouthernFan Ian

Western Thunderer
Hello again John,
I forgot to add that black pepper, left unpainted, make a very good representaion of gravel. I bought mine from Lidl......other supermarkets and possibly, black pepper shades are available!
Regards,
Ian
 
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