Thanks for the idea Paul, I will certainly log that one for future use, but the job on the shed is done I`m afraid. The only thing left to do is the walkways on the roof. The ones that come with the kit don`t really do it for me, so I`m looking at a way of doing them with mesh. It`s fiddly though and I may have to gee myself up to do it........
How about, making a frame from either copper or brass wire, then stretch some old tights over the frame and secure with super glue. Paul
Mesh walkways : Fly screen wire mesh or tulle from Spotlight.... Another option is scale tread plate or as we call it checker plate. Slaters make it in HO scale, but you wouldn't tell if it was slightly under scale. Slaters item no. 0453W Tread Plate in White, HO Gauge : https://slatersplastikard.com/plastikard/embossed.php Cheers, Gary.
Thanks for the suggestions Gary and Paul...... I think I can see a way forward.....I`m going off to Bunnings to get some wire mesh 10mm grid spacing. I will cut one row off it to the required length and then add flyscreen mesh, cut on the diagonal, to the top of it. The walkways in the kit are 10mm wide, so the mesh should be a good match for the shed. Painted up and dirtied it should look good.. .......I will still use the little supports for the walkways that are supplied in the kit Gormo
G`day Folks, Well I didn`t get the mesh I thought I would but I found a happy alternative. It`s a wire mesh we use here in Australia specifically to keep leaves etc. out of our guttering. We call it gutter guard, it`s a galvanized wire mesh with roughly a 7 to 8mm grid pattern. A row of mesh was removed from the roll and the ends of the cross members were ground near as possible to flush. A strip of flyscreen mesh was cut on the diagonal so as to fit within the row / walkway frame. The flyscreen mesh was then Superglued into the walkway frame. The walkway supports from the kit were then Superglued suitably spaced under the walkway frame. The walkway was then fitted to the engine shed roof And then painted roughly to simulate rust but also just enough to allow some of the shiny stuff to show through. So there is rust on it, but it still has enough integrity to put a bloke up there to walk on it. An access walkway / ladder was also fitted to the end of the building using the gutter guard mesh other way up this time. An end shot You may wonder why I bothered to take this much trouble with the walkways.?.....well I felt the card version was not just up to speed after the time I had spent converting this kit. Here is the card version still locked in it`s sprue, never to be used. Here is what the kit should look like And here is my version of it. Now there is just guttering and down pipes to go and we`re done.....Yaaay !!!!...... Gormo
Thanks Phil, You`re very kind.......but I just keep pushing away at things until I get the result I want....that`s all mate....persistence...... Gormo
Thanks Guys......... Well folks.....we`re on the home stretch. Today I`ve prepared the guttering ( Umbrella struts ) by cutting it to the correct length, then adding the ends by sticking masking tape with Superglue and then trimming. Then painting. Next the down pipes were created from gal wire bent to shape. They are over the length required at the moment and will be trimmed accurately after painting. Junctions in the down pipes have been created by wrapping 20mm lengths of masking tape strips around the wire and then adding a drop of Superglue to seal the deal. The down pipes will require painting before adding to the engine shed, but that will happen another day.........out of time and the urge to carry on today. I am currently taking bookings for Gormo`s Engine Shed Tours. The tours are cheap because we provide no safety equipment and take no responsibility for your personal injuries or death, however you are quite welcome to bring your own safety helmets, harnesses, rubber suits, inflatable mattresses or whatever you think will soften the blow if you, through your own stupidity and nothing to do with Gormo`s Engine Shed Tours, hit the deck after falling off the engine shed roof. Tours are open to anyone of any age, (so long as you sign our friendly liability waiver),so come along and join in the fun..... Gormo
Yes Sol, Except I think you would be a lot safer going up the old coat hanger rather than one of Gormo`s Engine Shed Tours...... Today the guttering was fitted to the shed whilst the down pipes were drying. A little forest of down pipes ( 8 in all ) painted and drying. Down pipes fitted Time to take it out to the shed... Here it is sitting next to and compared with my old Superquick shed that has done great service but alas is not up to standard anymore. The outside of the old shed was OK..???? .....but the inside was best not investigated too closely. So here we are installed in it`s proper place So there we are folks.......another kit conversion ticked off the list. Time to do something different for a while... Gormo
Hey Gormo Looking at the finished model ... leaves me absolutely speechless ... which as you know ... is really amazing. Chris
I have to say that is an impressive conversion Gormo. Well done. It certainly leaves the old Superquick looking a little tired and dated. Cheers, Gary. ps, now the interior of the new shed needs some benches, lockers, stools, buckets, brooms.....
Superb project Gormo and what a grand and impressive finish the new engine shed is, its streets ahead of the old Superquick one which I'm sure you can cannibalize and make into something else. Love that big red Pacific loco too
Thanks Gary, Yes the old engine shed was built about 1990 for my old layout Broadgreen Junction, which is in part forming some of the bones of GCJ. Gormo
Congratulations Gormo on pic of the week. One of the best builds I have seen in a long time. The solution for the lighting is first class and the work spent on the various elements of the roof detail amazing. A real pleasure to follow. Well done Sir, Toto