scoopey Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Here we go, the first milestone is reached....the tramway is running... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jb65rams Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Nice start. Impressed on how smoothly it runs. will be following with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 Hi Scoop. Looking great, could I make a suggestion that you hang some 'Fairylights' along the back over the track and you could have your own "Blackpool Illuminations". Robin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 It's been a while since I looked in here too. Impressive stuff. Even if I don't understand half the electrical terms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Ah robin....I have plans...I m planning on putting up working lampposts and add-ons illuminations.....eventually! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted November 22, 2020 Share Posted November 22, 2020 And a candy floss machine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Lol...I'm slotting a reduced width road behind the back and low relief buildings. Of course if the street lights work the so do the shop signs...and I worked our how to do that. An opaque light box and a shop sign printed on ohp film with my laser printer ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 22, 2020 Author Share Posted November 22, 2020 Now to start the in fill and raise to road surface height. Was going to use a plasticard sheet on top of 3mm perspex but it's rather tough to work with as I've got to add holes later so I went for 3mm foam board instead. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted November 24, 2020 Share Posted November 24, 2020 This is just so good and a pet favourite subject on mine, so I've really enjoyed watching the progress. Would these fences be any use? Had them in my watchlist for a while now: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LASER-CUT-BLACKPOOL-TRAM-LINE-FENCING-OO-SCALE-1-76-MODEL-RAILWAY-LX019-OO/291396895549?epid=27006294899&hash=item43d89bc33d:g:Lq0AAOSwBahU9Vxs Steve 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 24, 2020 Author Share Posted November 24, 2020 They would be so tempting.....I really would want to use them but I think in a section that just separates the road from the tramway for a short distance the modern steel fences might be needed to stop cars crashing onto the tramway. Shame but I'm adding them to my wish list anyway in case I decide otherwise! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 24, 2020 Author Share Posted November 24, 2020 This is more like I was thinking...https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291547463320?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&fromMakeTrack=true As you might have imagined it's not an exact part of the real tramway. As the "North" end on the layout there are three lines, the outermost represents half of a passing loop type terminus. The promenade road thins at this point so cars need to kept away from the tramways, and people cannot walk between the road and tramway at this point. Had I more width then the true prototype has a grass verge and fence at such locations. I only added what is essentially a siding to add some operational interest and avoid a more typical layout of just two lines and a crossover at each end. Unlike a lot of tramway models which just use the cross overs to change tracks on my version the crossovers, represent the trailing ends of a passing loop. A tram can thus enter at one end of the tramway and another "over take" it on the wrong side to cross over. Most lane switching is done via the traversers with one exception. Both traversers do not connect each track to every position on the mainline. This would require 5 positions. I opted for a four position traverser so at some point at both ends a tram will enter in one direction and get "stuck" due to the direction of travel and end positions of the traverser. For the tram to go in the return direction on the tramway it needs to change lanes via the crossover. Harder to explain than it is in practice!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 25, 2020 Author Share Posted November 25, 2020 Road surface raised to rail height... After this I decided to give it a blood sacrifice and cut my finger!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 26, 2020 Author Share Posted November 26, 2020 More infill done and the infill "packing" outside the tracks complete. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 26, 2020 Author Share Posted November 26, 2020 Modellers are a strange breed of hoarders. Like plastic loving jackdaws we collect interesting items and shove them on a shelf or in a cupboard knowing one day they may come in handy. Already I've used three year old foam board. Now on the next part of the tramway. I'm out of plasticard until tomorrow so decided to look at the infill between the rails. Was considering initially putting a layer of plasticard over the sleepers sitting on top of the moulded chairs so you can't see the remains of the sleepers when you look down. That though would lift older type wheels off the rails (knowing my luck I'd win a tram on ebay that would have those wheels). That meant I was left with filling in the sleepers.... Did not want to use plaster. Then I remembered I had a piece of A4 thin black craft foam in my "stock pile". This is a start of a long boring job! And this is the preparation .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 28, 2020 Author Share Posted November 28, 2020 All areas outside tracks have now been levelled and foam filled in between the sleepers... Only got the difficult part of filling in between the rails which I think I'm going to do in layers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted November 29, 2020 Author Share Posted November 29, 2020 First "layer" of infill fitted between the rails. It was definitely awkward lol! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted December 2, 2020 Author Share Posted December 2, 2020 Here's the stages I used on the between rails infill. The trickiest area is around points. Already I had the first layer which is in the first picture. This gets the level past the moulded chair "bases". The next two layers act as one but it's easier to but two of 0.5mm plasticard than a single 1mm piece. These upper layers can butt against parts of the point frog on the exits but the entry still needs clearance. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 Looks great, there's something fascinating about rails set into roads. I don't understand all the electronics though. The traverser set up is fantastic. I must get back onto building some locos again as I have not been down here in a few years and have a few loco kits to do. Great work Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 Thanks...I went with the traversers to save space. They are a tad noisy but compromise is necessary! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 Well some major reconstruction work over the weekend. Decided to usr Metcalfe low relief buildings. The boards are too narrow. I thought I could get away with it, but realised I was wrong. Decided to cut the wooden back off and add a 20mm spacer....with the remnants of the original back it gave me an extra 29mm by the time I added a new back. I'm still going to have to squash things front to back but it will not look all that bad. I'll probably reduce the "thickness" of the building at the narrowest section. Since I'll be using a couple of bank kits and turning them into a hotel I have seen the instructions so its an easy modification. Here's the current town planning 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Looks great with the Roadway set out and look forward to seeing the buildings. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted December 10, 2020 Author Share Posted December 10, 2020 Well I have had to do some thinking outside the box regarding buildings. 30 years ago when I had a model railway I used the super quick buildings and modified a lot of them to become different types of shop. I think I turned an estate agent into a chippie amongst other things. These days I have a computer and could do so much more and with a lot of sellers on eBay with 3d printed products the conversions would be neater and easier. Anyhow I was looking at the Metcalfe low relief buildings and planning to buy 2 x Banks with shop, 2 x Departments Stores, Pub and Shops, Cinema and Shops - 6 kits in all. Thinking of Seaside resorts I was planning on merging both banks to create a hotel and the same with the department store. The Cinema would become a night club. Already I have worked out how to back lit shop signs...but the night club would be a problem as most are "names" and often used neon letters. This could perhaps be replicated with EL wire but I don't think it would bend tight enough in OO scale. It was then that an idea hit me - a old cinema in Sale (in my local area) was converted to a MECCA bingo. Now on Blackpool prom as a kid I remember the sounds of bingo callers so that works. Then a second idea hit me - instead of converting a bank to a hotel...turn it into a Harry Ramsdens! Seaside - fish and chips? All I'm left to come up with is a hotel name and repurpose 5 shops! I think I might make one an Amusement arcade - If I use the spare 2 shops from the bank kits these could be changed to a double fronted unit (owners knocked em through). On ebay someone makes Arcade machines so that is catered for. That leaves 3 shops... Blackpool Rock Shop? Souvenirs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 Well the Hotel has to be either Fawlty Towers, or Trolley Holidays. One Model shop and another could be Sail Away boat trips. (Well it sounds like Sale) I drove through Sale last year and was amused to see Sale Car Sales. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoopey Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 Hmm food for thought. I think a good "novelty" shop would be a "Rock Shop". I know its stereotyping but its been a long long time since I went to Blackpool but things remain. For instance walking down the prom one would hear the many Amusement Arcades (actually it would be good to stick a sound unit blasting out a layered recording of different machines), Bingo Callers were another. I can't state anything in regards to smell as I lack that sence! I do know no trip to the seaside would not be complete without fish and chips (hence the Harry Ramsden idea). Since it would be a conversion of the Metcalfe bank, I'm not too sure what would be on the upper floors. A suggestion was flats or holiday letts but do people really reside above "big" fast food places? This is a serious question by the way! I know smaller takeaways often have flats above them but not sure about the bigger establishments. Obviously some are purpose built but I did see a picture of a Harry Ramsden's in an older building. I suppose in some city centres taking over older buildings is the only way to get a location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Beema Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Have you come across the Scalescenes range? https://scalescenes.com/townscenes/ You buy and download the building(s) you want and can self print on thin card or labels as many as you like. There are materials down loads as well for scratch building. Google street view can also help. I started to build a row of shops with flats over, from an image captured from Street view.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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