Minffordd Update: Landscaping

We've been back just over a week but already the bulk of the destructive alterations to the layout we decided were needed after our research visits are in hand.

The 'extra' scenery between the FR mainline and the bottom of the exchange yard, has been hacked away to make room for both of the Maenofferen sheds.

The point work at the end of the upper run-round loop has been lifted so the turnouts can be repositioned to allow a connection to the siding which squeezes between the large and small shed.

At the other end, the original square bridge beams have been hacked out and I spend the weekend designing and casting some replacements to the correct bow-string profile and it looks like they're going to fit very sweetly in the gap.

It just goes to show what you can achieve quickly when you're sufficiently motivated.

Down On The Farm

Himself has sent me some snaps of the latest scenic additions around the farm area on Bron Hebog.

The yard has acquired some gates, and livestock...

And on the old bridge over the river he has added some very nicely distressed guard rails.

There will be a great many small details like this to add to the layout which although basically complete in terms of track and basic scenery is very far from finished.

The Grid

One of the scenic features on the railway around Beddgelert which has caused us considerable head-scratching has been how to represent the anti-sheep grids which are are positioned either side of features such as level crossings or bridges in a (sometimes futile) attempt to stop livestock wandering onto the track.

Simple enough, you might think, it's just a question of laying some triangular section down.

The problem is getting hold of the correct kind of triangle.

Take a close look at the picture above and you'll see that the wooden beams have right angle and a flat section at the bottom and on one side - it's what's called a Isosceles Right Triangle - just like an arris rail that you'd use in fencing.

The only plastic sections we've been able to find on the market, however, have been of an equilateral section.

So what to do?

We realised that while you can't get triangular section with a right angle you can easily get L section - but how to fill in the 3rd side so it becomes a triangle?

Our answer is to cast copies by mounting the L section upside down and filling the gap at each end. to make the master.

Here are a the first prototypes I have cast.

Cut them out and turn them over and you'll have a triangular section with a right angle at the bottom.

Genius!

I'm sending these ones down to Himself to see how they fit on the track.

The question is whether they'll stand proud of the rails and foul the trains - as sometimes happens with our foot crossings - in which case I will have to make smaller versions.

The Bridge At The Back

Every so often Himself sends me some snaps of his latest work which takes my breath away.

It happened again this week with his fabrication of the walkway and handrails on the final bridge over the Afon Cwm Cloch which sits right at the back of the layout.

He has been soldering this up out of brass section and wire, and at considerable cost to his fingertips so I understand.

As you can see they are very big and complex structures.

I'm full of admiration for how he managed to solder all those bits together without other bits falling apart as he soldered each joint in turn.

So here are a couple of shots of the complete assemblies primed and fixed in position on the bridge.

I think you'll agree it looks very impressive.

We're really looking forward to showing it off again in Hull next weekend - details on the Exhibition Diary page.

Bridge Work

Some modelling on this layout involves a little more ingenuity - and suffering - than merely sticking together bits of plastic to make dozens of gates and associated fences.

One such task is reproducing the walkways installed on the new concrete bridge over the stream on the last of three crossings right at the back of the layout.

You don't need an encyclopedic knowledge of the model market to know that's not something you can buy off the peg - we were always going to have to make our own.

Had I been asked - which I wasn't - I probably would have tried fabricating the brackets from styrene section.

Himself, having more masochistic tendencies, decided to solder them together in brass.

Even with the aid of a jig he devised it still led to some very sore fingertips I understand...

Now they will all be will be soldered to the mesh and glued to the bridge, then a guard rail can be made and attached to the end of the brackets and bridge ends.

The shame of it is this bridge is positioned right at the back of the layout and the only people who are going to get a good look at it are the operators.

Bridge Test Run

Himself has finished off the final river bridge at the back of the layout and, almost as an afterthought, decided to check that the stock would fit through without fouling...

One of our Garratts and the obs carr Glaslyn doing the honours there.

The bridge model has been completed with stone wall capping glued on top of the embossed plasticard side walls.

The irony is this is right at the very back on the layout and facing away from the public - you'll probably never see the bridge from this angle again, but at least we've proved it's there.

This is the side the punters get to see which has had the plaster filling added now.

The safety railings and the mesh walkway will be added at a later date.

Last River Crossing

Back at the other end of the layout Himself has been busy making the last of the river bridges which is next to the top level crossing called 'Bron Hebog'.

These were replaced during the reconstruction of the line and cast in concrete with a cosmetic slate facing.

Himself tells me it was quite complicated to make.

This first photo looks as if it's finished but in fact it is just a snap of the dry run to ensure the pieces all fitted.

Here we can see the component parts laid out.

They are made from 3mm ply which is then faced with styrene sheet to replicate the concrete.

Here you can see the wing walls have been covered with Wills coarse stone sheet to represent the cut slate facing.

It'll look very effective once the Artistic Director has done this thing.

There is still a walkway to build on one side of the bridge and the railings will go on much later.

It will also need a little bit of stone walling to finish off the retaining walls at the back.