Banbury_in_00 (Posts about platforms)

Goods Loading Platform Contd.

Tim Pearson — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 12:00:00 GMT

I have continued working on the goods loading platform and fitted both the rear retaining walls and the lighting.

I have not yet found the sort of fencing I would like all of the retail stuff I have tried has been too tall.

Loooking at the photos I believe the fencing is unchanged in the last 65 years apart from now been painted a rather gaudy blue colour. By eye it is about 3.5 to 4 feet tall ie needs to be about 16mm in scale.

I also need to fit coping stones on the top of the wall.

Goods Platform Contd

Tim Pearson — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 12:00:00 GMT

I have been experimenting with Juweela paving slabs - I want to use them for both paved areas around the station entrance - and for edging on my goods platform - (it's too late to use on the main platforms as the levels would be all wrong). I first did a bit experimenting using an offcut mounting the slabs first and then masking them and filling the space between with smooth-it:

I wasn't over happy with the result - things I learnt were

The slabs are really delicate before they are glued to the base
White PVA sticks them fine, but if you let it get on the top of the slap it will discolour it
the 'look' really needs careful attention to lining up, they will have enough variation even if you line them up well if you don't they will look poor. So use a nice straight edge metal ruler to provide a straight edge.

Here is the result prior to spreading the platform surface:

I am pretty happy with it.

I used Juweela 11 x 11mm (24148) ceramic for the slabs and I also purchased for the pavement that runs alonsgside Juweel Curbstones(sic) (28353)

Sloping Roadway

Tim Pearson — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Having spent far too long on the woodwork, I now have a platform that is basically complete. Before I do any further cosmetic work on it, I have turned my attention to the roadway that runs alongside it and descends a couple of feet to the level of the station. I have made a sloping frame for it to go on, and used the platform as a template to cut out the roadway.

I will still need to cut some strips to make the raised pavement that runs alongside the edge of the platform wall/fence.

Goods Platform

Tim Pearson — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Although I have sort of constructed the rather difficult main platforms (which are tricky as they curve, and I have made even trickier by wanting to have lighting on all of them). I put off the goods platform that runs down the west of the station.

It is also tricky as it is level but the roadway next to it descends so the boundary wall gradually increases in visibility. It also has curves, pavements and lighting.

There were lines on each side of it - now gone. And the goods loadding platform itself is overgrown today.

Here is a current satellite view and hand sketch of the layout.

I have built the framework and then sanded a curved edge and then fitted the lighting connectors. In order to get the platforms to sit nicely I have used bolts to the underside of the baseboard with keyhole shaped holes in the platform so when the surface is glued on the bolts can still be removed to work on the platform itself.

Making the Platform sides

Tim Pearson — Tue, 12 Sep 2023 12:00:00 GMT

The platform sides at Banbury are stone sets that seem very hard to model they seem to be a different colour in very photo - sometimes greyish sometimes Brown I have been experimenting with airbrushing them some grey and then overspraying with Brown - some of these are ok but a lot are not.

I have used South Eastern Finecast embossed stone block sheets and then cut them into strips of the right size then taped them to a backing for spraying.

I will do a load and then choose the best ones I think.

The prototype picture below is a modern one as you can see from the cables running along it.

Installing more platform wiring

Tim Pearson — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 12:00:00 GMT

I have been busy fitting the wiring to each of the platforms and testing them. I have built a little test unit comprising a 9V battery and ribbon cable to save me connecting each unit to the PiZero controller to test.

Platform Lighting Tests

Tim Pearson — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 12:00:00 GMT

I am now ready to start testing the station lighting system - fistly by just checking the system works at all by using cheap green leds inserted into the screwless spring lever terminal blocks prior to gluing in place the platform top.

Then I have tested with one completed lamppost and one of the station signs I have built.

I am quite pleased with the result.

A Fourth Control Panel

Tim Pearson — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 12:00:00 GMT

I have stupidly been working on what has become a large piece of software for automatically controlling the signals in the layout - possible because I know which sections are occupied and can track point state changes. Automatic signalling is not trivial as the code needs to understand the complete connectivity in the layout.

One problem I have is that the dapol semaphore signals seem to 'forget' their polarity from time to time so I have to have an easy method of working around that - so I am building a control panel to have a set of switches which can be used to alter the polarity (and one switch to turn all signals to danger to see if any need altering).

I also want to be able to control the lighting system so have put in some WiFi (UDP) control of the PiZeros that run that - so also have some push buttons for controlling the scenic lighting