Model railway update:

About half of the aspect signals I plan to use are now installed, wired up and partially programmed (it’s an iterative process as I learn how the signal control boards work).

Two of the three platform structures in the main station are all but finished. I have some pavement strips to apply to platform 1 and I need to paint and install the tops of the chimneys on the two buildings. Then I can start work on the structures for platform 4.

The buildings aren’t perfect but the things I’m not happy with are pretty small and probably not noticeable by most people 😬

#ModelRailway #Progress #OOScale

Island platform waiting room and canopies are under construction…

#ModelRailway #Metcalfe #OOScale #Station

Time to get the fiddly canopies into the station buildings. And they are fiddly. Lot of measuring.

#ModelRailway #Metcalfe #StationCanopy #OOScale #Progress

This lunchtime I’ve spent some time working on incorporating hanging lights into the Metcalfe platform canopies. It’s going quite well so far. Taken my time to work out exactly how to get the lamps where I want.

#ModelRailway #Metcalfe #PlatformCanopy #Lighting #OOScale

Platform 1 and the associated buildings contribute to make slow but steady progress…

#ModelRailway #Metcalfe #OOScale #Progress

Been installing ground signals on the layout this lunchtime. 8mm hole in the baseboard, ground signal from DCC Concepts in a 3D printed mount drops in (snug fit), all I have to do is run a cable to the signalling control board and do a spot of simple (for now) programming.

#ModelRailway #OOScale #Progress #DCCConcepts

Just a quick Model Railway related post. I’ve started a new GitHub repository https://github.com/surfsoft/oo-scale-railway-prints which contains all the FDM 3D printing designs I’ve created to help with my model railway. The designs are created with OpenSCAD, STL files that are checked in are for OO scale but most could be re-sized fairly easily.

More documentation to follow.

#ModelRailway #OOScale #3dprinting

YesterdayI did a lot of work in the office/railway room ready to return to work today, and found time to lay out an initial design for the last area of track to be laid on the main baseboards - carriage sidings and some engine storage lanes.

The “crossover to nowhere” will eventually lead to a motorised Peco turntable and steam depot, but I don’t expect to get to that until the back end of this year at the earliest.

These photos also give a closer look at the backscenes. When they get replaced I’ll cut the bottom pieces all to the same height, just higher than the tallest board, so that it looks neater and the eye is less drawn to them at all.

#ModelRailway #OOScale #Progress

Backscene installation across the back is… complete. I hate wallpapering and this is exactly that in miniature. There are a few wrinkles here and there but at a distance they are not too easy to see. Once the scenery is in they’ll be more difficult to spot.

The first pieces used glue, then I switched to strong, thin, double sided tape. It may not last but I’m happy to have a second go in a few years time.

#ModelRailway #OOScale #Progress

I’ve re-fit all the baseboards across the back here because I’ve decided to 3D print mounting brackets for the backscene boards. There will be a bracket at the bottom that the board clips in to, magnets in the back of the boards at the top that will line up with ones in the brackets on the sloped ceiling. This will make it hugely easier to install the baseboards, and easy to get behind the backscenes should the need arise.

#ModelRailway #OOScale #Progress