Sunday, January 10, 2010

Let there be light, well a little bit

While pondering if I should light the Wollar station (the answer being , yes) I resolved to finish a yard light kit that I had bought from Casula Hobbies at the October Exhibition last year.

This yard light is cast in brass and looks very nice when painted.

I started it last year and fitted it with a small Golden White LED (GV32) that I had reviewed in AMRM recently for Gwyder Valley Hobbies but like a lot of my modelling it had languished after I ran into a small hold up (how to mount it in the layout so that it was removable - for access to track behind it).

Anyway, I finished it off and mounted it with a mono 3mm plug and socket, the plug being soldered to the base of the post.

The LED is supplied with  very fine enamel coated wires which I used to represent the lamp raising/lowering rope, one wire being soldered to the post at the middle of the post at the cross piece (see desktop pic on the sidebar) and the other was soldered to a fine DCC wire from TCS which ran in a groove cast into the rear of the pole. I am sorry if that is confusing but I didn't take any photos.

I have just noticed that I still haven't put the two 'power' wires that run from the top spreader above the lamp to the middle cross piece, just as well that it is removeable.

Here it is in the depths of night.


Saturday, January 2, 2010

Wollar Station Building Update

Here is a small update on progress on the Wollar station building. Wollar has an island platform for main and branch, the branch platform side being the closest to the edge of the layout. This of course puts the 'rear' of the Pc3 building in full view.

I decided that the rear was a bit plain and would require at least one door and one or more windows to be added.

A quick study of the window styles showed the lack of suitable windows in my box of structure parts (Grandt line, etc.) and left me with the conclusion that I could add one extra window by changing one of the windows into the required door. The door came from the box of bits and while not quite the same was close enough.

I also had to add a small window over the new door and make the corbels (is that the right name) that hold the bottom of the awning supports.


After this I had to reduce the width of the corrugated iron awnings to suit the platform width and move them inwards under the slate gable roof sections.


Where did he get the second corrugated awning from you ask?

Well, Joe Calipari came to my rescue when I first bought the kit and happened to mention that I wanted to make it into an island platform version. Now Joe doesn't have these as spare parts but did have a damaged kit that he took the awning from. Thank you Joe, you are one of nature's gentlemen.

If anyone wanted to make a similar building then it would very easy to scratchbuild an awning to suit.

Here is a view of the almost completed model, just the awning supports and the downpipes to go.


I have run into a small problem with the awning supports as I have to make another eight and it should be easy, but the ones in the kit are about 3" x 3" in cross section but this size is not available in Evergreen polystyrene strip or in timber. I suspect that they would be 2" x 4" in real life so it looks like I will have to make sixteen from 2" x 4" Evergreen strip.

Now regarding the downpipes etc. from the roof, I feel that a station of this size would have town water (or at least water from the loco supply) and drainage for the downpipes, so I will be eliminating the water tanks and filter system. The lack of water tanks leaves the ends of the building looking a bit bare so I will probably add some advertisements.

I am not moving as fast as I thought but it is the festive season after all.