Introducing 'Up-cycle' - A MicrO-9 Project

colpeake · Last edited by colpeake on Wed Dec 24, 2014 5:23 pm; edited 1 time in total

I'm very short on space about the house and my workbench lives in a walk-in bedroom cupboard, aka the 'Railway Cupboard', aka the 'Tardis'. Over the years various schemes have been sketched up to get a working bit of railway in there but most were just too daft to actually build, or would compromise space somewhat. Last month I pictured the workbench in a rare, tidy moment:

This month it's a bit different:

Read more about it here: http://o9modeller.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/introducing-up-cycled-micro-9-project.html

All comments and questions welcomed... Smile

Colin
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Colin Peake

My blog: http://www.o9modeller.blogspot.com - Modelling 15" gauge railways in 7mm scale

Broadoak · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 1024 Location: Northamptonshire

A good start Colin, I will follow this with interest.

You have an impressively tidy workshop.

Peter

giles b · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 2282 Location: London

Looks like a good start, Colin, although I was worried as to where you would work until I saw the picture of the layout in storage mode. Looking forward to seeing this one develop. Meanwhile, can we please see more detail of the home-made Loco-lift?

Wish I had a shop near me that sold hockey stick moulding (presumably your J-shaped piece of wood) for 20p Smile

colpeake · Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 4:08 pm Post subject:

colpeake · Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 10:22 pm Post subject:

For Giles and anyone else who wanted to see it closer up, here is the loco cassette:

The black parts are all 60 thou styrene, The base is 34mm wide, and the overall length is 150mm. On the base sits some cheap Italian track - note the brass strips soldered outside the rails to help locate the cassette in place correctly. Either side of the track are strips of 60 thou, leaving a rebate along each side to take the sides. The join is re-enforced with 80 x 156 Evergreen strip. At the far end the end is enclosed, and the base stops short of the full length, a quirk of how they fit on 'Shifting Sands'. The brass handles are Araldited in place.

I built these units to allow "virtual" running around in the fiddle yard of 'Shifting Sands' without handling the locomotives, also for loco changeovers. It would be good if Peco could produce a 9mm gauge 'loco lift' suitable for narrow gauge stock...

Colin
_________________
Colin Peake

My blog: http://www.o9modeller.blogspot.com - Modelling 15" gauge railways in 7mm scale

giles b · Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 2282 Location: London

Thanks for the picture and explanation, Colin. Much food for thought there for use with other scales.

colpeake · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2014 8:12 pm Post subject:

colpeake · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2014 5:23 pm Post subject:

Whilst planning 'Up-cycle' my thoughts were alternating between a scene that could definitely be linked thematically to 'Shifting Sands', i.e. another part of the Somerthorpe Miniature Railway; or a generic scene that could be anywhere on a 15" railway.

My first thoughts were for a shed scene, the "other shed" that must exist somewhere on the SMR as the sheds at 'Shifting Sands' are not that large:

Read more on the my thought process here: http://o9modeller.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/up-cycle-some-thoughts-on-setting.html

Colin
_________________
Colin Peake

My blog: http://www.o9modeller.blogspot.com - Modelling 15" gauge railways in 7mm scale

Broadoak · Joined: 05 Nov 2007 Posts: 1024 Location: Northamptonshire

I like the look and feel of the top sketch, will the water tower be constructed of cast plates bolted together?

I must admit I have something of a soft spot for engine servicing facilities.

Peter

colpeake · Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2014 5:02 pm Post subject:

colpeake · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 2:19 pm Post subject:

I've been playing with uncoupling magnets over the Christmas break, after some experimentation with the genuine MicroTrains product I have evolved my own from magnets bought from Squires. Here they can be seen both before and after installation:

You can read more about them, and see pictures of them in action, on the latest update to O9 Modeller: http://o9modeller.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/up-cycle-uncoupling-magnets.html

Just to encourage those who think I might still be looking at the shed scene option (I'm still undecided), this would be the dummy point used on the line going under the shed door:

This is a mixture of parts (rail/blades/'pivot' sleeper) from an old Bemo point, a Peco point sleeper and some coffee stirrers. If it is used it will gain some rail fixings, at the moment it is simply superglued together...

Colin
_________________
Colin Peake

My blog: http://www.o9modeller.blogspot.com - Modelling 15" gauge railways in 7mm scale

colpeake · Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2015 6:05 pm Post subject:

There has been a slight change of plan as to how this project will look once completed. After experiencing a few issues with the right-hand point that led to the front siding (all due to it's slightly battered beginnings and my attempts to correct it) I looked again at what this project should achieve in the way of being a test track rather than a micro layout.

I set out the following new objectives:

So there has been a change to the track layout:

The pit that accommodated the loco cassettes from 'Shifting Sands' has gone, filled in with balsa wood, all gaps around the joins in the cork were filled with decorator's flexible filler and the whole area painted with blackboard paint borrowed from the craft cupboard. This area is the 'test' area, the other part will receive scenic treatment. The area around the point could go either way at present, we shall see what develops!

The MG Models tram tries out the new trackwork:

I've picked up some Slater's brick sheet from a model shop today, hopefully this will allow some walling to be constructed to go along the back of the scenic part.

Colin

Roger · Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Posts: 208 Location: Wales

Good objectives there Colin - I like it!

I am & sure will, be following this closely

Roger
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colpeake · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2015 9:33 pm Post subject:

I have made some progress on a brick wall to sit along the back right-hand end. Having had a wander around the canalside industrial area behind my workplace and taken a few reference photos on my phone (backed up with Google Earth) I had a good idea of what I wanted to build, I wanted a bricked-up gateway with a replacement smaller gate, plus a length of buttressed wall to the side - I didn't want a plain wall as it would be one of the main features of the scene.

More details here: http://o9modeller.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/all-in-all-its-just-up-cycle.html

Colin

colpeake · Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2015 11:18 pm Post subject:

The walls are now structurally complete, pillars have had their corners neatened up and mortar lines taken around the corners. The gate has been completed with posts, planking and a latch:

If you follow the link to the blog, you can see how this dodgy sketch fits in with the story:

More here: http://o9modeller.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/hiding-end-of-line-up-cycle-pt4.html

Colin