My Workbench - Potters Bar and South Mimms

[auldreekie]

I have had unmitigated disaster on the one occasion I tried it: lumps galore and a strong indication that the talcum powdewr was too coarse for the application. This may well have been mere hamfistedness on my part, but I've never tried it again. I'd advise don't try it unless given detailed guidance by someone whose competence you trust.

I'd further suggest an additional coat of varnish ONCE THE GLOSS IS THOROUGHLY DRY, personally I'd favour a mix of about 2 parts matt to one of gloss, but mix very well, and try it out on a testpiece which blow dry in advance until content with the finish.


auldreekie

[Danby Wiske]

personally I'd favour a mix of about 2 parts matt to one of gloss

Quite tricky to achieve with a rattle can...

[Phil Brighton]

Yes that is true! Though I seem to have such trouble with the can varnish maybe switching to an airbrushed varnish is the way to go.

[auldreekie]

Some of us old numpties still use bits of wood with hairy bits clamped to the ends.


auldbristly

[Manxman1831]

Managed to get a better finish on a white bit of tram last month - two coats of matt white (Humbrol 34?) on top of primrose yellow (this was a bodge cover up) with a single coat of gloss varnish sparingly applied. Result - brilliant white. Lord only knows how.

[Phil Brighton]

Decided to go with a matt varnish over the top. Did a test bit (under where the coal will be) - looking good.
When for the whole model - one side all good, turned the model round varnish comes out white!
No difference between what I did with one side rather than the other it doesn't make any sense. The paint job is completely ruined and the whole thing will have to be redone.

Not happy. Will be binning the Humbrol spray can varnish, its just the worst.

[Atlantic 3279]

I see it's not just me who has regular tantrums when varnishing......

[Phil Brighton]

Tantrum is the right word.
I got in such a huff I fired up the email and did some work to calm me down - its supposed to be the other way round!

[mick b]

Sounds like pluming due to spraying in damp,wet,humid or after rain.

Wait till dry and warm and try again it may disappear ,warm the can before use too.

[Phil Brighton]

Thanks for the help with the varnish, something I am still to master....

On another note its high time I took steps to have somewhere for my efforts to stretch their legs.
My current plan is below produced roughly in SCARM. Its based on Welwyn North. I have about 6.4m by 4.2m space in the loft although this means having the baseboards very close to the ground as the roof is heavily sloped. Its not ideal but as a (relativity) young fella I can put up with operating sat on the floor.

The plan is based on the later track plan. I have copies of a more complex plan from 1908 and I am pretty sure my plan matches what the station looked like in the late 60s.

My layout will be set in the 30s so I am not sure if the plan is correct for this period. I know sidings were removed in 35 but am not sure how many and if it was trimmed down to this arrangement then.

Anyway, this will be my first layout and would welcome comments or anyone pointing out if anything won't work or is wrong!

[Atlantic 3279]

For lasting satisfaction I'd do all you can to open up the radius of all of the curves to 900mm, or 750mm at the very least. That curve top left on the plan looks excruciatingly tight. If you can get even a short piece of "double radius" transition curve at either end of each main-line curve then all the better. Obviously this is going to clash with the some of the length and features that you'd like in the straight sections and may cause some headaches when working out how to preserve access to the loft. Been there, done it, including some lasting mistakes!

Sitting on the floor to operate (or kneeling)? Needs must I suppose, but how long are you planning to remain young, and free from aches/pains in back and joints????

[Phil Brighton]

I have the inner track on the top left at about 720mm radius so not too far off your suggested minimum. While that majority will be hidden in tunnel I agree it should be improved by a softer transition if I can.

As for the height I am reconciled to that being a compromise and just hope I can afford a bigger house one day...

I have seen this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_rwzsdVW6M and he seems to get on ok - how he accesses the wiring I do not know - for that I have a plan!

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I like the idea of modelling Welwyn North, love the transition from viaduct to station to tunnel, if your going to be so low as to be crawling about on the floor, buy or make a small seat with wheels on, it's a lot easier to push yourself around than, crawling everywhere (make sure the wheels rotate 360 degrees)

manna

[Phil Brighton]

Well some modelling has been done over the last few months and I will post up some pictures soon but the main effort has been sorting out the loft. This is nearly done now and I have been working on some track plans now I have a better idea of the space available.

The layout will still have to be close to the floor but I have space to make, as suggested above, more generous curves.
The question is - which station? I have been very heavily going for Welwyn North but am also now looking at Potters Bar, mainly as this would cover the inner London suburban services as well.

I have done up two track plans in Scarm and would welcome comments. Welwyn has a lovely viaduct that might be fun to model but on the other hand Welwyn have a massive viaduct which might be a right pain to model...
Please excuse the roughness of the fiddle yards, I added them in a rush and am not really sure about the layout that would be best.

Both will break the budget when it comes to buying points but thanks to some great strokes of luck my loft work is coming in well under budget!

Anyone know if Sentinel Railcars ran to either?

[earlswood nob]

Good morning all
There was a railcar at Hitchin for the Hertford North branch, and another worked the Finsbury Park to Edgware branch (see Manna's thread).
I think these would be the nearest, my geography north of the Thames is sketchy.
Earlswood nob