LUMSDONIA ¦Layout and Website

Discussion in 'Members Personal Layouts' started by Timbersurf, Jul 9, 2018.

  1. Toto

    Toto I'm best ignored Staff Member Founder Administrator

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    Don't know about Clive but I'll be looking at them.

    Cheers

    Toto
     
  2. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Toto, I have bought lighting from most of the Chinese sources, of which there is at least 5 good ones (I can list if wanted) but the Industrial Enamel Lamp shades Guide uses standard parts and is entirely original to me (well actually to my dad with screw in 6V bulbs, but I have converted to LED's). They make great yard lights and street lamps off power poles and can be formed with wires either side for platform lamps. In O gauge, you could "lose" the wiring as conduit strung across the engine shed.
     
  3. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    The plan is for a 2 platform station. For eight coaches! This means the platforms will span two boards. I detest an obvious join between boards in a platform, so they are made of one piece and are detachable (for when the boards are split). I have always made my own platforms, in a similar construction technique as metcalf type, a sort of box section made of cardboard topped with home printed paving. This would be too weak to lift off at 6 foot long! So a new technique has been tried. I have used a simple wooden batten as the base. I routed a channel in the bottom to run the wiring for the lights. Originally I was going to use Linka for the sidewalls surface, but it would have taken forever to mould the pieces and sort out all the million joins :mad:. So I used plasticard instead. Topped with card and my usual print (A3 lengths) and coated with matt varnish to protect the surface.
    Now I know you will all warn me about the battens warping :eek:, but I have good experience of softwoods not warping if the layout is in the house! Plus, no biggy to remake them if it fails, as they are not permanently attached in any way (other than screwed to surface from the underside of the base board) Alternate plans would be similar to carborad but with thin ply or the ultimate 'you cant bend it', would be a aluminium channel! Time will tell.


     
  4. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Talking of long empty platforms, a current workbench project has drawn me into something that I am useless at in the real world, green fingers I have not!
    But I am quite pleased with my results at gardening in miniature!



    These will be placed along the back platform under the station signs on the wall, alternating with bench seats.
    The works painter will get shot! Blue! Blue! Did you run out out of Lumsdonia crimson? He was muttering something about "the world ain't plurple, there are other colours" as he was collecting his P45.
     
  5. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    The seven track bridge above is a new idea, taken on board from several layouts I have seen on forums/exhibition/YouTube for a road bridge over the track at right angles, the width of the layout (currently 12ft x 2ft). The road on the bridge will turn left and descend to the platform level down a ramp (this will come in a later stage [no board present at the moment]), but the side of it will form a back drop to the back of the far platform. So I have made the bridge (at the end of the platforms) and tied the two together by using the same construction detail, so they look in keeping with each other.

     
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  6. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    The double span bridge needed to be created. I have dozens of bridges in stock, so waded through them and selected two appropriate plastic kits (all bought second hand from eBay over many years, so don't actually know the makes!)
    First stage, assemble (one), then slice that one in half!


    It happens to be green, but I wanted both the same colour and to be weathered such that they looked as if built at the same time. Much research was done on the net for weathering and a method used mostly for cars/tanks/wagons was selected as the right look with rusty patches showing through and rust dribbling stains below. There are many video's out there showing this technique, but I will run through the procedure here.

    Do the normal prep, clean the parts and paint them in a rust colour! Yes the whole thing! You could even use two tones of rust.
    I have learned to use an Airbrush in the last few years and have built a ginormous spray booth to do it in. You can however equally use a rattle can.


    Once dry, lay on a flat surface and spray with water (I used a spray IPA as well). Sprinkle SEA SALT sparingly where you want the rust to show. Allow to dry, then once dry, you can repeat on the second side repeat (same again for third and fourth side if not a flat item). Basically, the salt will dissolve a little into the water and stick to the surface, forming a masked off area that paint will not stick too!
    Next, paint in whatever glorious final colour scheme you desire.


    When the paint is very dry, use an edge of plastic card, toothpick, wire brush and/or metal scraper to 'scratch' off all the lumps (paint covered salt) and wash off any salty residue.



    Once dry, you can add rusty coloured wash as streaky stains running downwards and a dark wash in all the corners and lower flats as a 'grime layer'


    Bridge 247 pavement.jpg
     
  7. clive_t

    clive_t Full Member

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    Nicely done, thanks for sharing! :thumbup:
     
    Timbersurf likes this.
  8. clive_t

    clive_t Full Member

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    Sorry I missed this! duh... I would like to do some sort of lighting on my line however I didn't plan well enough ahead to bury electrical cables in the ground to tap into where needed. Consequently, I'd be looking to maybe do something with an easily accessible (and therefore maintainable!) battery pack, or maybe even some of these little solar-power garden light sets converted appropriately? I am in the midst of refurbishing (read: totally rebuilding from the surviving wreckage!) my goods shed building, and since part of that plan is to replace the obviously European roof with something more Anglicised, it follows that I will potentially be making complete roof truss sets - I rather fancy putting some lighting in it along the lines of what you've done here. Much food for thought indeed, thanks for this.
     
  9. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Doing a quick count up of buffers required for the final plan, I realised that at about 40, I needed to get a production line going! :whatever:
    I have been collecting stock and materials for over 20 years, so pulling out what I had more than covers it, but I only have 3 types. (hornby cheapo, Hornby hydraulic and Peco sleeper), so I bought a couple of Lanarkshire ones for a trial as well. The Hornby cheapo's are terrible, so I hacked some bits off as a start. Then went into mass production with a base coat.


    Given I never do anything without adding lights, SMD LED's with micro wiring was added to all.


    So that's the main order done, now onto the specials with some appropriate weathering and grass. By no means finished, as I will do further weathering and foliage integration once they are added to the layout.
    The irony is that of the two made modules, none require buffers! :facepalm::avatar:

    Ignore the orange lights, they are red LED's and I have painted the front of the lense red too, it's just the camera that overexposes them and makes them look an odd colour.
     
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  10. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    I have had this idea for years, but could never find any old hangers! (I am sure there is a stack of them in the house somewhere, but she's hiding them! :mad:)
    So seeing some modern equivalents for £1.99, I have finally applied the idea to my layout.
    This means the idea is proven and I have pictures! :)

    So now a How To on my site!


    That means no vacuuming and feather dusting for me!
     
    Rob Pulham, York Paul and Ron like this.
  11. ianvolvo46

    ianvolvo46 Staff Member Moderator

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    The dust cover is a useful tip :thumbup::thumbup:

    Ian vt
     
  12. Vinylelpea

    Vinylelpea Full Member

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    Great tip, was wondering how to keep things clean.
     
  13. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    I dusted off an experimental project from last year and finally got around to assembling the next iteration of my smoke machine. Having ordered all the parts I needed to fix the problems found in Version 3, lots of other projects got in the way of cobbling it together. As I am doing the xmas competition, with built in animotion, it just seemed logical to add another wow factor by including the smoke machine final version (if it works effectively). So I assembled it a few days ago and after rigorous testing, I can pronounce it a full success. I still have some tweaking to do to the voltages and timers, but here is my usual low standard low res (I really must get a better camera, any suggestions?) video of it in action and a sneak peak at one corner of my diorama.

    Version 4 smoke machine
     
  14. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    I photograph/film with my phone camera (Apple I phone) as it produces high quality images, video and sound.

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  15. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Thanks Gary, I will give it a go next time I do a video.

    In the "pre make batch mode" for future buildings, I dug out some Signal box kits from my stock and had a bash at building and lighting them.
    First was an old Rovex that I bought second hand, made up with interior and signalman, I just needed to put the lighting in.

    Signal Box Rovex 45.jpg Signal Box Rovex front.jpg
    Not the best kit I have seen, it has a big clunky base that needs removing and I may go back and some weathering to it before it lands on the layout.

    Next we have a Wills wooden signal box, I put the lighting on the walls so that I could remove the roof to see the detail inside, some light does bleed out of the back and light up the wall from outside a little, I design all my lighting to run at full brightness on a 12V supply, but once on the layout, they will be driven by my PC/LightWiz, so I can reduce the final brightness to any level.
    Wills Wood Signal Box 135.jpg Wills Wood Signal Box 45 lit 50%.jpg Wills Wood Signal Box Interior back.jpg Wills Wood Signal Box Interior front.jpg

    On the Wills brick signal box, I put in a lighting rig (again to allow the roof removal) which works really well. I am impressed with the Ratio 553 interior kit, but have another of these kits so next time I will try the Severn Models D10 kit :thumbup:

    Wills Brick Signal Box Interior diag right.jpg Wills Brick Signal Box Interior diag left.jpg Wills Brick Signal Box Interior back.jpg Wills Brick Signal Box Interior Left.jpg
     
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  16. Dr Tony

    Dr Tony Full Member

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    Thanks for putting up the images of the insides of the boxes. The lighting really does make the insides 'pop' so to speak.
    I built my version of the old Rovex (now Gaugemaster) without the base, can't stand those things, they look so contrived.
    Cheers
    Tony
     
  17. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Your welcome Tony, its one of many projects I have done in the recent past that I need to post on my thread, you just brought it to the fore! ;)
    I never twigged that my ancient Rovex was the same :avatar: as the Gaugemaster :cheers:

    In fact, I now know why I don't like it! Its not painted and the Rovex plastic colours are horrible, seeing how good yours looks painted, I may now have to give mine the Lumsdonia mauve and custard look!
     
  18. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    In regards to the small Wills Kit wooden signal box, you could paint the inside of the truss section of the wall with black paint to knock out that imminent glow through the plastic wall. :thumbup:

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  19. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    Gary, believe it or not, I painted the top of the gable ends black then beige! SMD's are not supposed to let light out the back either! When attached to the layout, it will be driven by my LedWiz PWM control board and the brightness can be turned down, in which case (I tried with a dimmer after I took the photo's) when set at the right light level, there is no bleed out through the wall. I have since discovered that humbrol black is not very good at blocking light (on my windmill project, one coat does not stop light bleed) but I have the answer from another project (when I tried lighting a Skaledale house {yet to be added to thread} which is to paint the inside with cheap artists black acrylic paint. (last pic of #25) for onward projects.
     
  20. Timbersurf

    Timbersurf

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    I got a double result tonight!
    I now have about 400 sitting figures that are painted. When I say painted, I mean slopped over with garish weird colours. I have about 50 coaches that need to be populated and lit. So a prerequisite is to 'repaint' the people with more moderate colours and a bit more accuracy. The Mrs expressed an interest in doing them, so I have set her up with all the paraphernalia in the dining room and off she went! Let's see how long it takes for her to capitulate?
    I have also secured an (accompanied) passout to go to the Wigan Finescale Railway Modellers - Wigan Model Railway Exhibition 2018 at the weekend!
     
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