2mm Modbury

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
That is coming along rather nicely. Sprung buffers as well?? ;)
Adrian,
Thank you. Whilst it would be relatively easy to spring these buffers I don't see a lot of point, after all there will be a dirty great buffing plate of a DG coupling sitting between the buffers which would nicely negate any sprung movement that I could impart in the buffers :)

Ian
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
A little more progress on the Buffalo...



The cab has been soldered in place on the footplate and the roof added - this has a length of 5 amp fuse wire soldered in place along the back edge to represent the upstand (or angle) that was there. The cab handrails are fine guitar string (as they will be left as polished steel). The upper cab step was folded up from a strip of 0.004" nickel silver and sweated in place on the outside frame below the cab entrance.

The lamp sockets (rather than lamp irons) were filed up from some 1mm square brass rod that I'd thinned to about 0.030" square. A flat projection being filed to represent the fixing plate extending from the rear which was bolted to the footplate above the buffer beam. The vacuum pipes are simply represented with lengths of phosphor bronze wire, although the pipes running below the footplate along the outside frames are 0.3mm brass wire as that was straight to start with.

The buffer housings shown in the previous instalment were soldered to a piece of 0.004" nickel silver sheet, and then the sheet cut out and filed around the buffer housings to represent the square bases of the buffer housings (after the buffer shank hole was made good). The buffer head/shank was inserted into the housing and into the holes previously drilled in the buffer beam to maintain alignment as the whole was soldered in place.

Beneath the saddle tank, a piece of 0.020" brass has been cut out and folded up to form the lower part of the smokebox (and provide a location for the front body-to-chassis fixing bolt). I will be adding some plastic sheet to the underside of the motor back towards the cab to represent the bottom of the boiler and to hide motor and part of the worm. Further pieces of nickel sheet still need to be cut and fitted to represent the firebox sides and to hide the gearbox.

DG couplings have been soldered to the underside of the buffer beams, and finally the etched springs have been super-glued to the outer face of the splashers.



The next steps will be to form the cab floor and bunker assembly and to progress the saddle tank assembly which will include turning up the filler, dome and safety valve casings, and to form the front components of the smokebox.

Tonight I'll take her over to the Midland Area Group meeting where she can stretch her legs on St. Ruth rather than running back and forth along my 18" long test track.

Ian
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
Another couple of snaps (on my mobile) of Modbury before I pack it up ready for the Epsom & Ewell show at the weekend.

Firstly a view towards Plymouth (please excuse the extension lead coiled up on the traintable beyond the bridge! I hadn't realised it was there until I uploaded the photos)


And a view in the other direction across the station environs


The layout still has a lot to do on it, but I think that what is there is acceptable for its second public appearance.

Ian
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
I think the number of passengers is correct :thumbs:.

So often you see layouts look like the rush hour.

Dave, I do intend to add a few others eventually, not all on the platforms though. I so far have one pack of each of the figures that Andrew Stadden does for 2mm scale (40 figures in total - 20 standing and 20 sitting).
Because I have given each of the figures a 0.3mm peg up the trouser leg or skirt, the plan is to paint up all of the figures I have and regularly ring the changes by swapping them about every now and then (none of the figures are permanently glued in place).

Ian
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
Your layout looks stunning Ian
Totally agree, the very essence of rural idyll.
John & Adrian,
Thank you both for your kind comments.
There is still an awful lot to do, even to the things that look finished - the goods shed still needs the doors putting on (and I will re-make the crane inside as the one that is there is a bit too beefy). The cattle dock (which can be seen to the right of the goods shed in the first photo) was very quickly worked up earlier this week to give it a surface (complete with raised anti-slip brickwork) then painted and the top weathered back with pastel dust. I now need to make up the actual pens themselves, and once complete bed it in - like all of the buildings/structures it is held in place with screws from below the baseboard so is easily removable when I need to.
Ian
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
This weekend, Modbury was taken to the Epsom & Ewell show for its second public appearance. The rather intensive railway service that the town enjoyed for the whole of the weekend revealed several issues that will have to be looked at, but on the whole the layout behaved reasonably well and seemed to be well received. Below are a few photos to record the event...

















Ian
 

Tim Watson

Western Thunderer
Looks very complete Ian and Devon-like. As an observation, how do animals and farmers get into the fields on the backscene?

Tim
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
Looks very complete Ian and Devon-like. As an observation, how do animals and farmers get into the fields on the backscene?

Tim
Thank you Tim. Although they're not easy to see, there are in fact gateways from most of the foreground fields into the ones further back. For those that haven't (there aren't many) the assumption is that a foreground tree is hiding the gateway (indeeed that is the case in one place because I ended up enlarging a foreground tree such that it actually covered up a previously painted gateway) :)

Ian
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Reminds me of Thomas Hardy country. Impressive.

On the subject of access would there be a barrow crossing to gain access to the down platform. Assuming the station building is on the up platform.

I presume at the date modelled a footbridge would not have been deemed necessary given the frequency of services.
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
Reminds me of Thomas Hardy country. Impressive.

On the subject of access would there be a barrow crossing to gain access to the down platform. Assuming the station building is on the up platform.

I presume at the date modelled a footbridge would not have been deemed necessary given the frequency of services.
Dave,
Thank you. Yes there will be a barrow crossing for passenger access from one platform to the other. The excavations are there at the "Plymouth (bridge) end" of the platforms but I've yet to bite the bullet and put it in - partially because it needs to bridge the point rodding leading to the off-scene loop turnout and associated FPL, and there is precious little height difference between the top of the rodding and the top of the rail. I might see if I can finally install it before Chelford on the 19th though :)
 

adrian

Flying Squad
Ian,

If that is Chelford in Cheshire that is less than 10 miles from home.
If it not top secret what is happening on the 19th?

Rob
It a 2mm Association "Supermeet" and skills day. Association Events
As far as I'm aware everyone is welcome and more the merrier, I don't think they'll turn anyone away.
Allegedly I'm taking my meagre efforts of Holywell Town along to show as well - so come on down and say hello. Last time I went it was a very relaxed and friendly day out.
 

Rob R

Western Thunderer
That could be very dangerous. (scattergun alert)
Used to do a bit of 2mm many years ago when I had some eyesight and fingers that did what they were told so I may recognize a few faces.
I shall negotiate a pass out for the afternoon...

Rob
 

Ian Smith

Western Thunderer
I had a very enjoyable day on Saturday at the 2mm Association's "Supermeet / Skills Day" event at Chelford. Modbury behaved itself performing very reliably (apart from one cross-over point that I don't tend to use because down-train shunting is not signalled for).

Unfortunately, the only photos I took at the event were of Modbury itself. I present a selection below :

A view towards Newton Abbot - I really need to sort out the signal as at the time it was at "danger" so should be horizontal


A view of the station looking towards Plymouth, a down passenger having just drawn in


A down passenger headed by Metro Tank waits for the starter signal


A view across the tracks towards the unfinished cattle dock


A down passenger approaches the station along the embankment


Down passenger passing the signal box as it slows to a halt at the platform


Finally, a couple of close up photos of the Signal Box




A big thank you to John Aldrick for organising the event (and inviting Modbury), and for Nick Dearnley for keeping us fed and watered.

Ian
 
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