Buildings update

I'm basically working on the idea that this imaginary works of mine represents a small scale concrete plant cobbled together from bits available by a contractor to batch produce concrete blocks or pipes (I've yet to absolutely decide which).

So, what progress with the buildings to fit that?

- the loco shed has been created from a slaters 7mm container body kit. This requires its lost wax castings adding and the roof cementing in place. The doors have been cut apart and will be reaffixed in an open position so Locos can be stored in there. The size is perfect and the Ruston really looks at home. So aside from a few details this bit i'm happy with.

- I have worked out the height required for the hopper tipping ramp and created the sides in plasticard laminated to 7mm stone plastic sheet. This will allow me to create the ramp ready for track.

- the weigh station has been greatly helped by the addition of the bachmann 7mm concrete shed and the unit models privy (I cut back the overhanging roof at the back).

- the dapol ex airfix water tower arrived and the tank has been assembled. In addition some brickwork has been created (although it needs finishing). The brick Walls would gave been used to avoid rust on the bottom of the tank and to require less pumping. Furthermore I will create a door in one side so the brick structure could also have been used as a store (perhaps for moulds).

- the main concrete mixing tower and silo need pipework to connect, ladders adding (dad is going to look for sone at an o gauge show tomorrow) and some work to hide a 4mm scale doorway. I have also decided that the corrugated tin extension will be retained (i had considered removing it or running tracks into it ) as a link to another building.

- this yet to be sourced building will be the place where the mixed concrete is placed in moulds and the moulds cured in a kiln. Finally an exit area for lorries to load the finished goods will be created and the very tightly curved siding straightened out as just a headshunt.

Now to find a building that would fit that plan.

Another building

I had been concerned that the weigh station bit of the previously oo scenecraft stuff looked too small on it's own and a bit underscale, so I bought the new 7mm scenecraft concrete shed to add to one side and I think it makes a big impact.

Also visible is the new fuel tank.

Still to come are the water tank and container loco shed.

Titbits

A scenecraft fuel tank has been purchased and cleaned up today to provide a small store for the loco fuel.

I also ordered an dapol oo water tank via eBay following an inspired comment on this blog yesterday. This will sit on a brick plinth.

Finally I started planning for the incline up to the hopper and cut the plasticard stonework to size. The plan is to create a plastic frame with plastic stonework added to dress it.

The copper clad pickup pads were glued in place ready for the Ruston to receive it's pickups.

And finally I ordered a new controller (gaugemaster combo walkaround) as the hornby one I had been using has some very odd behaviour at low speed - Locos pulse along rather oddly! Something to do with feedback I think but no good for this layout.

A mock up

After cutting all those sleepers from the frets and completing the 3 extra tippers, I took the opportunity to try the buildings in place.

I think I might actually buy another silo (one for cement, one for water). I also await the arrival of the grounded container that will sit under then new gantry (which itself requires some chain to finish it). Also remember that the track next to the hopper will be elevated.

The Ruston is complete save for couplings and details to be added after painting (oh and pickups).

No time to sleep

There are many sleepers to prepare.

Much to talk about

Much progress:

- attended the Leamington show today and bought the nice little privy from unit models

- kb scale delivered a load of sleepers, spikes, fishplates and other details as well as 3 more tippers. They are already rolling and have had their bucket detail added. An hour tomorrow and they'll be done.

- the Ruston now just needs a little attention to the roof and it's done too. The driver has been sorted and the chassis is complete. It looks great.

LBT comes together, right now.

Images to follow but the LBT is coming along well. The motor had its tails cut down (protecting the inside from stray bits with masking tape) and the wheels were assembled using the vice technique. Then the worms were reamed slightly to fit the layshaft and all installed. A few drops of 603 and then the test. All works fine. A little noisy but it needs to be oiled yet.

The body has also come on including cab details and the construction of the driver too. The buffer beams and cab roof remain to be fitted but all looks good.

Lunchtime diversion

The loctite 603 arrived so tonight I will start to work on finishing the Ruston chassis.  At lunchtime I made up the plastic overhead gantry (requires some chain yet) from the 1:35 kit and made a start on parts of the Ruston body that are not chassis dependent.

Deliveries

Here is a 1:35 (slightly overscale I know, but I can tackle that problem) set of field tools from an Italian firm who make wargaming accessories.  Many parts are to be included to create a ‘workshop’ scene.  The container ‘loco shed’ to go with it looks like this:

The industrial silo has arrived and has had its ladders/handrails removed where they betray its OO scale origins and finally I have kindly been lent a copy of the holy grail – Roy’s handbook – possibly the rarest narrow gauge publication to find!

Making a start on the LBT

So, here’s an hour’s work on the Ruston…  Chassis folded up, gearbox strengthening insert/bearings added and soldered in, everything reamed and checked square.  Pretty easy really, very happy with the result.  Need to get some loctite 603 for the next bit so am starting reading the body instructions.

Latest plan

Things have moved on significantly since I last wrote.  Firstly the new Orenstein and Koppel loco has landed and after the cleaning of the pickups I can report that it runs well.

I also received the main buildings for the scene and immediately removed the handrails which betray their 4mm scale heritage.  I will also add the chemical silo that sits alongside the tall tower (more about this below).  So, you will have noticed that I am set (pun intended) on a concrete works.

The idea of the layout (as shown above) is that aggregate trains arrive with the Ruston, which detaches and runs into one of the short sidings.  The O&K comes out from its shed - an O gauge slaters LMS container in the bottom right on the long siding - and then pushes the tippers up a short ramp to the hopper, where they will dispense their load.  There is then some shunting, where other wagon types are involved (a random order could be used and the three sidings plus fourth loco shed siding are an inglenook style problem).  See here for info on inglenooks : http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/Inglenook/inglenook-layouts.html

The very tightly curved extra siding into the back of the concrete mixing tower is an option that I may or may not include. If not, there is room for a level crossing where lorries would enter to load.

The aggregate is conveyed to the weighing station from the hopper and then again into the concrete mixing tower.  I have assumed that it arrives already washed and screened.  The silo (yet to be purchased) alongside adds the chemicals (cement etc.) and the finished product is available through the crinkly tin opening at the rear of the tower.  For info the silo can be seen in the below link:

http://railsofsheffield.com/chemical-silo-44-054-JJJA12983.aspx

Here’s another view of the layout from the other side.

Long-term I plan to utilise the other 2 foot square piece of sundeala by cutting that in half and extending the layout by 4 feet away from this site to a loop and sidings at the sand/gravel loading point.  But that’s for later, for now this is just a table-top shunting layout!

Oh and K

Now I know I said there would just be one loco on this layout…but I couldn’t resist this beauty offered to me last week.  The loco is an O&K MV2, it is a Black Dog body on a KB scale chassis.  Isn’t she super!

The LBT Ruston kit has landed

HNY everyone

The kit has landed.

Here are some shots of the bits, which comprise:

- 42:1 gearbox and mashima can motor
- crisp White metal castings
- etched chassis easily folded up
- quality instructions including prototype notes and exploded diagrams
- lots of details although no exhaust (easily fabricated) or driver (bought separately)
- a rather nice box and all wrapped in black tissue paper just like opening a Christmas present (oh, well, yeah!).
- but unfortunately s few details were missing. Kb scale are sending them on so all is good.

So this will become the immediate project - get something running in o14 to go with my bit of track and wagons and you can read all about it here as I progress.