That's really looking good Chris,i've never used plasticard but i might give it a try after seeing your efforts.

These last few photos brings us almost up to date on the bridge.

I got back with my primer made a temporary spray booth in the garage out of old cardboard boxes, the bridge is too big to get into my other spray booth, and half emptied a can at it.




At least the joints aren't quite so noticeable now.

I found Plastikard easy to cut and fold so give it a go, and they do have a fair selection of textures.

Regards
Chris

I thought is might look a bit better with something else in the photo.




Now I've started painting, not my strong point, I'm more into engineering than art.






By the way in case anyone is wondering the bridge deck is balsa wood I found the card a bit wobbly. The parapet capping stone is also balsa strip.

Regards

Chris

I love busy point work and cross overs and loops etc..j, looking forward to seeing the layout progress.:doublethumb

I like the bridge Chris, simple method but very effective!!!

Andy

Thats an excellent bridge Chris.
I do like your trackwork as well.
How is it all coming along?

regards,

Derek.

The bridge does look very good. The balsa wood you used for the walls does look quite thick, so my question, is how did you cut the arches all evenly ?? Another question is regarding the arch cappings. What did you use for this ?

Cheers, Gary.

Gary:
The first bridge I built was balsa wood but that is the one in the background that I abandoned. One of the reasons I abandoned it was because when you see it up close the arches are wobbly because I cut them by hand on my scroll saw following a pencil line.


Then I acquired a plotter cutter and everything suddenly got so much easier. I drew one arch then repeated it in the drawing program then programmed it into the cutter and hey presto: identical arches and two sides exactly the same in 1.3mm card. If you have a quick look under ‘Members Workbenches’ at ‘Plotter Cutter tests’ you’ll see what I mean.


Then I used the same program to cuts the other bits like the Plastikard covering and the arch stones. I original cut separate stones with the intention of gluing them all on individually to show the joints but when I realised there were going to be lots and lots of them I went off the idea and cut it out of card a complete arch at a time as I hope you can see in the photographs. I’ve started painting and then I’ll draw the joints on by hand.


Shunter1: Thanks for your interest, progress is a bit slow at the moment but I’m hoping to get a lot more done shortly, my problem is being so easily sidetracked into other projects. I’m at the moment trying to sort out a system of levers to operate the scissors crossover with one lever. More of a challenge than a necessity, and I’m in the middle of scratch building the signal box at the same time.


Thanks for your interest.

Best regards


Chris

Gary:

Sorry I've just realised you've all ready seen the plotter cutter tests.

Regards

Chris

I feel guilty about the lack of attention to this thread and my only excuse is I got distracted by starting a local Model Railway group and also moving into 1/12 scale modelling.
During lock down for Corvid I got told to get on with 'MY!' railway rather than working on everybody elses.
So here are some photos for those of you who like before and after photos.
No scenery yet but the trackwork is all pretty much finished and fully functional. I can run two trains continuously in opposite directions around the two centre main lines, a single track out and back terminous, and as you can hopefully see and extensive goods sidings. I can just about run four trains all at the same time but you do have to keep your wits about you and nimble fingers.
The other thing to note is there is absolutely no electrical wiring to the layout at all so no work under the baseboard was necessary.

The red, orange or pink strips you seel everywhere are covering the operating wires and will be removed before ballasting and earth covering. The are just there to protect the very sticky double sided tape holding the W.I.T in place

[user=1431]Brookwood[/user] wrote:

The other thing to note is there is absolutely no electrical wiring to the layout at all so no work under the baseboard was necessary.

Hi Chris

No wiring (coming from me - see my recent "Going Large…" thread - this question about wire will will get the boys laughing!)?

Are you battery-powered infra-red or have I just misunderstood the comment and your wiring is bang tidy "aerospace" grade?

If you are DC or DCC, a few tips on getting it invisible would be helpful  :oops: :oops:

Barry

Hi Barry

Thanks for your interest and sorry to disapoint you I'm a great believer in out of 'sight out of mind' so my layout really is totally wire free as my wiring would be a bird's nest. Me giving tips on wiring to somebody would be like me giving flying lessons to an Astronaut.

My system is radio control battery operated.


This is the nearest any electrical wiring gets to my layout.

When we moved house and I had dismantle the original layout in the seventies I was horrified at the quantity of wiring underneath and DCC was only just starting then. So when I started this layout I was seduced by the 'only two
 wires' in DCC. I very soon discovered the truth and adding wiring for point motors just compounded the problem so I went for wireless and have never regretted the decision.

I have been looking at your layout and thanking my lucky stars ever since but that is mostly because I really don't like wiring and I could never do what you are doing, I just don't have the skills necessary.

Regards

Chris
 

Hi Chris

Fantastic idea!

Closer to real railways than either DC or DCC I guess.

Barry