Project 20 - 0 Gauge Layout - Part 25C

This is about lifting equipment for the transhipment shed. With platforms either side of the run through siding a beam hoist is necessary to convey goods from one to the other. The cabling is static but the trolley can be moved along the beam. Quite pleased how this turned out.

The beam is supported by two longitudinal beams that are mounted on wall brackets. All parts are 3D printed except cabling and pulley. I tried to print the pulley but it did not form as well as those on the Puffer Boat, perhaps because the elliptical Puffer pulleys have a bit more 'meat'. In my stock box I had a couple of small rods with spigots on the ends so it was made up from that.

The beam extends over the lorry loading area and you would think it would also extend over the boat loading area. Remembering this is a quay on a river estuary with coastal steamers visiting; I decided it would not be appropriate as it could get in the way of a boats rigging when it is trying to moor alongside. So, a rotating crane is installed on that platform.

This crane is a scaled up version of my 4mm scale goods shed crane. The design is fully detailed so no further enhancements were required for this larger version.



To Part 1.

August Website Cover

Continuing the theme of favourite photographs of my model railways; this month we move from Dorset to Padstow harbour in Cornwall. Specifically, the South Jetty that carried two railway sidings in the 1960s. I like this photograph as it shows off the effectively modelled water and a trick to extend the width of this box file diorama using mirrors.

View the cover here.

Project 20 - 0 Gauge Layout - Part 25B

What a (near) disaster!

Inside the transhipment shed there are two platforms either side of the siding. These were installed and the doors permanently fixed in the open position.

I then placed a wagon in the building to see how it all looked and discovered that I had made the platforms too tall such that hinged doors of wagons could not open due to interference. I decided to live with that error as the build had gone too far to correct this, so I thought.

Later, I noticed I had fixed the doors the wrong way around such that the framing faced outwards from the building! This was something I could not accept so I set about correcting it and the platform height.

The easiest way to reduce the height of the platforms was to reduce the height of the entire building by cutting a strip off the bottom of the walls. This was possible since there was more than enough clearance for rolling stock through the door openings.

First, I had to remove the doors. Fortunately, I had only tack glued them in place so with judicious use of a scalpel I separated them from the building. Inevitably some damage to their decorative surface occurred which was repaired by reprinting and overlaying a new decor.

Next, armed with a hacksaw blade I carefully cut a strip from the bottom of the walls.

Reviewing the relationship between rolling stock and the lowered platform I felt it may still be too high. I then researched the height of goods platforms and discovered there was no common standard with heights varying between regions and eras. One comment I came across suggested the height would be level with the wagon floor. On checking the model I found this was close to what I had set. Phew!

Door bottoms were trimmed to match the new building height and fixed in place again.

The photo above shows the result.

The building shell is covered with decorated stone paper inside and out. The inside stonework is the same artwork as the outside except the brightness is reduced to look like white washed walls. There is quite a lot of acreage that dissuaded me from painstakingly applying a second layer of individual stones for relief.

To Part 25C.

To Part 1.