Dargan Restoration

Hi Folks and welcome to this more positive topic

Yes the damaged ceiling has been repaired, the remaining water impacted parts of the base board removed and the backing panels for the back scenes installed and painted ready for the art work. I need to acquire some more art panels but these are on order and will not take long (I think?) Have even been able to put all my tools back onto the overhead shelves. For now, the Rosehill show is on tomorrow and who knows what I might find there to add to the Dargan restoration.

Here is what we had and what we are up to:



Latest situation



A feeling that I am getting somewhere.

Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Thanks Gormo

A few ideas are rattling around at the moment but the important thing right now is to complete the restoration of the support structure including re levelling of the adjoining areas and get the new base board in place. I got a good though small find at the show yesterday. My new turntable is code 83 and of course my existing track is code 100 but I stumbled across some code 100 to code 83 rail joiners. I have done a couple of trial joints and they work well with some minor filing on the code 100 side. A number of small achievements make up a big gain at times.
Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Thanks Gormo

Certainly need to maintain a positive mind set as having recovered from illnesses and then the water penetration disaster to my train room progress was being made on restoration but then just like Gary, I have now copped Covid 19 along with my good wife. Luckily our second son is with us and has separate accommodation here so we have someone to go out and get necessities as we are confined to home for the next week. We are both very tired but according to the nurse from NSW Health we are doing well with no major problems evident. Hope it stays that way. Plenty of time to concentrate on design for the Dargan restoration and enjoying our large log fire.

Cheers

and happy modelling.

Richard

 

Thanks Gary and very glad to hear you are getting better.
I must say that NSW Health have been wonderful. Rang us both no more than half an hour after we first reported the positive test and went through a lengthy interrogation to make sure risk elements were covered. Another call from one of their doctors yesterday to follow up and make sure we were ok.
On the bright side of things, I am continuing with design bits and pieces for the restoration and hope to start on the new roundhouse building. Pity the old one had to go but at least I will be able to salvage much of its components.

Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Hi Folks and still here
We both get at least daily follow ups from the good Doctors at NSW Health and apart from one or two set backs we are told that we are heading in the right direction.
Although constrained by reduced levels of energy, a slow but steady approach has seen a big leap forward with the completion of the support structure and new base board.
I can now proceed with figuring out the geometry for the new turntable and then of course the need to acquire a few new bits and pieces.





Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Hi Folks

Just arrived from Australian Modeller...the necessary equipment to complete the restoration including building of the new roundhouse. Just waiting on the back scene artwork but can now continue with the major rebuild.



The new roundhouse will be larger and this time around will be a close resemblance of the Goulburn roundhouse. There wil be some adjustments to suit my layout and also that I am using a 110 foot turntable to suit my Garratts whereas the Goullburn unit is 90 foot. It is certainly developing as a challenging but interesting exercise.

Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Hi Folks

Well winter has certainly arrived in Sydney and thanks to a bit of heating in the train room , some further progress has been achieved. Getting the geometry of the turntable/roundhouse right was thought to be essential before rushing ahead with cutting out the base board for the turntable. The template included in the Walthers kit proved to be an excellent design aid and in conjunction with my timber pendulum made it easy to plot the configuration. The flexibility of the DCC mapped Walthers arrangement is superb as you can place any access points wherever it suits your requirements. The only hindrance is the "NO Track Area" This is where the operating system reverses the polarity to maintain direction of the locomotive as the bridge swings through 360 d.


Having got the geometry ok for my new requirements, I also proceeded with developing the sawtooth structural supports for the Goulburn styled roundhouse. These seem to fit the bill but can still be adjusted to suit the final installation....only 14 more to come!



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The final solution will probably see the installation rotated slightly clockwise so that I will be able to then include a further service point which will provide access from both the existing sidings at Glen Davis as well as a new one from Hartley Grange. I am still designing the Glen Davis section to the right of the turntable but as you can see there is plenty of room to develop some more interesting solutions.

cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Just need to get the back scenes in place (they arrived from the UK today) and then I can get on with some track installation. All that needs to be done before the final cut out for the turntable or I will have nowhere to sit when reaching over to the back corner.

Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Thanks Gormo...looks like I need to do a bit of experimentation with the dead zone before final installation.

Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Hi Folks
A good weekend for progress as with the slightly milder conditions, it was quite comfortable in the train room. As a result, the back scenes have al been installed and YES the track work has been completed so I can run trains again! The restored track layout now includes provision for access to the turntable from the Hartley Vale refuge, installation of a major new coal line connection from the Glen Davis coal loading and loco servicing facility around the new roundhouse and joining the main line just at the Little Hartley refuge. Huge coal trains will now be possible. Interfacing this new line with the existing Glen Davis layout required two double slips two diamond crossings and two new turnouts. Now to continue with the round house structural elements and then it will be possible to install the new turntable. The mojo has returned with a vengeance.






Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard

 

Thanks Gormo. The overall structure and saw tooth roof line are ok but the pics would be great as I am having trouble identifying the dimensions of the rear windows. There are plenty of shots from the turntable towards the roundhouse but none from the rear. I finally got some good shots of the sides only to find there were no windows at all just corrugated iron.

Cheers

and happy modelling

Richard