Friday, September 21, 2012

2012 Diorama Project

I've mentioned this from time to time but have never really gotten around to properly addressing it.  Just to recap: Back in February I formed a group of modellers who were members of either the NGS, the 2mmSA or BRMA or a combination thereof.  One of the ideas we had to improve our modelling throughout the year was a diorama which had to have the footprint of an A4 piece of paper.  There was no deadline for these to be completed but the general thought was by Christmas at least. 
 
Mine is based on a segment of my 3rd rail BR TOPS era layout "Swallow Street" which is awaiting a complete rebuild.
 
There was a brief entry with one photo back in July.  Progress has occurred since then and it goes like this:
 
The basic structure.  The track bed is the bit of Masonite at the bottom here between the two pine platforms.  All dimensions were scaled off the 2mm SA print of the loading gauge in the Yearbook.  Turns out that I got some of it wrong.
 
First lot of progress.  Track laid - Easitrack.  Lid for the roadway and houses above and extra bits added to the platforms to make the trackbed the correct width - it was too wide the first time.
 
Closeup of the track bed.  The third rail has been soldered to Peco trackpins and these have been inserted every fourth sleeper as per the details here.

And this is where it currently stops.  The platform surface has been done on the closest platform but unfortunately I ran out of the white edging papers (all papers are Scalescenes) so the back platform hasn't been completed.  Will have to wait for me to buy the colour laser printer I have had my eye on - which may have to happen sooner rather than later now!  The road is in place and a concrete footpath is against the wall (which is manila folder).   Next step will be to put the wall in properly and then consider if I will put arches on it for decoration purposes.
 
Bit of a detail shot of the excellent 4CEP which is part of the reason why I am getting more interested in 3rd rail.
 
So that's progress thus far.  With two weeks of school holidays, I am hopeful of getting more done prior to the next LAG meeting in October.
 

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