East Coast Main Line - in the sun

Just thought I would post an update. I have been busy cutting two more over track signal boxes, one for me and one for a guy up near Derby. I also remembered that I wasn't very happy with the steps to get up to them so have been redesigning them with a half landing. Just at the first trial cut and stick phase so I'll hold off posting a picture until I do the next attempt. I have already had requests for the positioning to be selectable which will be a challenge.

In addition I have cracked on with a three lane engine shed. The centre track goes all the way though and each track has an inspection pit within the shed. Here is a pic of progress so far.




It needs a roof with a smoke vent along the ridge and the inspection pits themselves but it's getting there. There is masses of laser cut brick work so it takes quite a while to cut on the laser. What is shown in the picture is all just placed together, no glue, as it will be easier to paint a lot of it before assembly. My plan is to have one half of the roof removable so people can look inside. I had toyed with the idea of clear panels but I don't think it would look right.
 

Wow - that's amazing Dave - absolutely love the roof detail.  I was going to say it would be criminal to cover it up but thankfully, you're going to have a removable panel.

How long did the trusses take to cut - I'm assuming all 2mm MDF …….

Hi Peter. The trusses aren't that bad actually, I think around 15 mins each. Just gives me time to do a few lessons in DuoLingo between cuts or similar. I have a camera in the cutting enclosure which I can watch from my PC in another room so I can see when it has finished. It is the laser engraving of the ends and sides whichreally take the time.

Urrrggghhhhh - the dreaded Duolingo !!

Liz is doing that and it drives me up the wall.  Hopefully, their Spanish pronunciation is a bit better than their French plus, regardless of whether or not your answer means the same thing, if it's not exactly what THEY wanted, you lose !!!

Now THAT…. is an engine shed! Well worth the time you are spending on it Dave, it's looking great. 

Thanks. Duolingo may not be great but at least it helps me remember some of the Spanish. Don't really use it that much apart from when we are out with our Spanish friends at the weekends.

The engine shed roof struture is now complete and ready for painting but I probably won't do that before our upcoming visit to the UK later this week. Just off for 10 days to see family and friends.

I have also had a request for my warehouse model.



Each section is approx 100mm long and I have been asked for a 5 section version (3 old and 2 new). I am thinking of having a go at laser engraved brickwork rather than the wraps I used on mine. So stretcher bond for the new bits and english bond for the old bits, just for a bit of variation. I though a brick wall was a brick wall so you live and learn. I have a few more buildings I may offer to make once I am back.
 

DaveH_Murcia said

Just thought I would post an update. I have been busy cutting two more over track signal boxes, one for me and one for a guy up near Derby. I also remembered that I wasn't very happy with the steps to get up to them so have been redesigning them with a half landing. Just at the first trial cut and stick phase so I'll hold off posting a picture until I do the next attempt. I have already had requests for the positioning to be selectable which will be a challenge.

In addition I have cracked on with a three lane engine shed. The centre track goes all the way though and each track has an inspection pit within the shed. Here is a pic of progress so far.


It needs a roof with a smoke vent along the ridge and the inspection pits themselves but it's getting there. There is masses of laser cut brick work so it takes quite a while to cut on the laser. What is shown in the picture is all just placed together, no glue, as it will be easier to paint a lot of it before assembly. My plan is to have one half of the roof removable so people can look inside. I had toyed with the idea of clear panels but I don't think it would look right.
 

From “Post #290,052”, 9th April 2024, 5:13 am

An impressive looking building.  It will be good to see a finished example, all painted and weathered.

Bob

Yes - painted and weathered should be good Bob.

Most of my modelling attempts look reasonable until I get the paint out then I usually ruin them !!

I have to say that's my big worry. Being the common male red/green colour blind and, as I say, colour challenged (I can't remember colours) I really need help in that area. Luckily the wife's hobby is painting so I generally call for help.

Well, as you can imangine, with the layout almost completely removed in order to be ready for a house sale and move back to the UK there isn't a lot going on. My friend suggested I leave what's left of the layout in place rather than just leave a big empty space when people are viewing. The new shed in the UK is now insulated with Celotex 60mm and 50mm insulation boards so other than ceiling the concrete floor and installing some flooring it is ready for Tinkers End 2.

Whist in the UK I was asked to design something for the owner of the local model shop. He has a laser cutter but hasn't really done any major design work. He presented me with a 1/87 American boxcar. I have never even thought of doing rolling stock. He then showed me a 1/21 scale example produced by an American manufacturer which was obviously ridiculously shortened. Now I had to change things a bit especially underneath to allow for weights to be added if required. This is what I produced.

The model is almost 600mm long. The picture shows the basic idea. Some parts are older versions as I can't cut things that big on my laser - yet. The roof, for example, is just a part of it so I can test the design. It has been nice to try something a bit different.

Now I am back in Spain I have set myself the challenge of getting to grips with my 3D printer and producing a model of church I saw in Cambridge. I wonder if any plans are available to make sure I get the dimensions correct.

Happy modelling.
 

DaveH_Murcia said

Feliz ano nuevo (happy new year). Well minor works on deconstructing the current layout continue. I am now gradually removing the track screws on the scenic sections. They aren't really required where the track is fully ballasted and don't impact on running trains. Had a few local visitors over the Christmas period, mainly Spanish friends, so it was nice to be able to run some trains. The helix project has now come to a halt pending a new supply of MDF. My friend across town is driving back to the UK shortly and is bringing more back with him which is kind of him. Anyway a picture showing the current state.



As you can see, I am three sets of pillars short and loads of track support sections. Hope it all works after it's finished. I am anticipating that there willl be a few trains that can't make it up and down. As long as it is only a few they can run around the scenic element only. The main thing is that the vast majority are ok with it. If not it's back to long slopes.

From “Post #289,319”, 5th January 2024, 6:56 am

Hi, I rarely look in these days so catching up with  the changes.

The Helix looks most impressive but picking up on Peter Mac's comment about 2mm MDF and your plans to move back to a far more humid environment, I'm wondering if spray painting the components (oil based) might help avoid any unwanted moisture absorbance. MDF can be tricky in that regard.

I can still picture the MDF architrave in a "modern" room of a Venetian Palazzo where breaches in the polymer coating had caused it to balloon to over twice original thickness. Extreme case I know but only saying…..

If you're going near West Coast then you'll be much like where I grew up. Molds growing on raincoats in winter.

PS from 1 min on the perils of MDF and Humidy for a Model Railway with helixes (helicies) is all to clear from this video when the guy scraps his entire huge layout!







Colin  

Thanks for the reminder. Given the heat and dryness out here in Murcia, Spain it hasn't been an issue so I may have overlooked that step. As it happens I am just in the process of cutting a second set of parts for another helix so I can take it back to the UK in cabin luggage on our next visit. The new layout will be in the Blackpool area so plenty of rain etc as you suggest. I will make sure to seal it once assembled. I thought it would give me a much better appreciation of how things were going to fit once I start construction.

Well best laid plans and all that. No house sale in Spain at the moment which is OK other than being in limbo. Just finished cutting another over track signal box for a guy on another forum so taking that over to the UK with me later this month. (I think that now makes 5) and still waiting on additional information on the church in Cambridge.

On the plus side, i got to grips with the 3D printer and made some boggies for the massive American boxcar. Only at entry level at the moment when it comes to designing things for it but it's a start.

So as well as the models I am cutting for other modellers I have decided to have a go at a new project. It's an old bank building (listed) in Fleetwood. I thought it would make an interesting project because the main building will require layers to be built up whilst the top may require some items to be 3D printed. Anyway thought I would try to walk before running so made a start by attempting one of the upper windows. It's a mixture of 2mm MDF, 0.6mm and 0.3mm Laserboard. It is located only about 3 miles from our UK house.












 

Hi all. Just I thought I would post a last couple of images on this thread. Tinkers End is no more. It is all in boxes, most will be going back to the UK when we give up Spanish residency at some point in the future. A small part will be going to the apartment we are about to rent in town to make a small (by Tinkers End standards) layout of approx 390cm x 120cm. Needless to say, providing there are no last minute problems, we should complete the sale of our house in early April.

A bit sad in some ways when a layout is dismantled 


Just wish I had enough room for something like the size of your 'small layout' Dave 
 

That's some train room Dave - I wish I had that space available !

Good luck with the sale and re-establishment of Tinker's End. 

As of 14:30 Thursday, 3rd of April, our house in the Spanish countryside is sold and we officially live in the Spanish town in a rented apartment so I am officially closing this thread. I'll start a new thread for the new layouts once we have finished unpacking. The room available for the Spanish layout is going to be smaller than anticipated so getting up some enthusiasm may be an issue.