The North Eastern Corner

With the embankment as far as it can go for now, my attention has turned to the north eastern corner. It has a couple of houses and a ballast loader.

Initially, the ballast siding was to head further into the corner using first radius track. It would disappear under a hill and run hidden beside the main line. The scenery was to be made to trick the viewer to think that the line was going the other way.

However, after reading about the blue metal siding in Richmond, I thought that this could be a good alternative. The siding ran beside the mainline to Richmond with a ballast loader next to siding. The siding wasn't long and it certainly wasn't designed for the filling block ballast trains but one or two BCH type wagons.

I stumbled upon an YouTube clip which showed 620/720 sets running in and out of Richmond station which showed the facility as the rail motors went past. It looked as though blue metal was run up in buckets which tipped onto the side loading facility and down a chute into the waiting hopper.

All I had was a screenshot of the YouTube clip. It looked impressive and would be a challenge to build but...

I had told someone recently that I wanted all of Awdry up to the Brewery Lane Station finished by Christmas. Scratch building the facility would be time consuming, as would loading the trains with ballast.

I also have a big coal mine kit an I know that there is one bit that I won't be using. Could that fit the bill? It would be quicker to build. So build it I did.

It is great for a coal mine but way too big for my two neighbours who live nearby in Polystyrene Heights.

Martins Creek has a ballast loader right? A quick internet search brought up a couple of images on Flickr. It has a smaller loading bin with a conveyer bringing ballast up to it.

I reduced the loading bins from three to one and reduced the height of it. The shed on top was also reduced.

There is a weight distribution problem to be solved soon, as well as another building for the conveyer to run from. Some more polystyrene was cut and shaped. The front end loader won't live there as it is way too big for the loading dock. The loading dock is for supplies for explosives and other stuff. 

The above image doesn't do the new cut down loader any justice. This one might help.

What is next?

1. Glue the polystyrene together.
2. Coat it with plaster.
3. Paint it.
4. Sort out fences - paint them too.
5. Create back yards.
6. Glaze and light houses. 
7. Add static grass and trees.
8. Create platform for loading dock.
9. Place on the layout. 
10. Ballast the siding and the mainline.
11. Build the new building for the conveyer to run from.

Some of these things don't have to be in that order

Work has me away tomorrow night but I reckon Tuesday eventing could see a couple of these tasks knocked off the list.

Until next time.