"Somewhere in England" N Scale World War 2 Railroad

[armyairforce]

It's been a while since an update. Too busy playing with 1/1 scale green things to remember to do updates to the story.

We're now at early June 2014.

Along the edge of the side panels, several small alignment plates were glued in place. These allowed the airfield top to slot into place and align accurately on the lower section.



On the upper branch line, the bottom of the airfield board was carved out a little more, to give more height clearance. One small section of the airfield lighting wiring also needed to be recessed into the board, to make sure it didn't interfere with trains running so close below it.

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This support for the airfield was added between the two main lines. Because of the need to cut out some of the original airfield structure to clear the tracks, it was allowing the airfield surface to sag by about 1/4 inch, reducing track clearance height. This support and a number of others, not added at this point, would bring it back to level and help to tie the two layers together.



I then began to fit the branch line tunnel mouth. It was a Peco lineside accessory.

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The main line tunnels came next, with a wooden support glued behind to hold them vertical. Several lead weights hold everything down. The gap between the upper branch line and main lines, was filled with card to prevent derailed trains falling through the gap. Outside of the tunnel, the landscape does that job, but under the airfield, there are several areas where precautions need to be taken.



The gap between the upper branch line and main lines, was filled with card to prevent derailed trains falling through the gap. Outside of the tunnel, the landscape does that job, but under the airfield, there are several areas where precautions need to be taken.

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A short length of card was formed into the inside of the tunnel. I didn't make them very long as access for derailments it limited at the best of times. A small MDF former holds the rear of the card tube. The board inside the tunnels was also painted black to help darken the area.



The lower branch line tunnel has settled into its cutting now. So that the road from the quayside has somewhere other than the station to go to, I planned to add a bridge leading it off the edge of the layout.

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In the front of the layout, overlooking the branch line shortly after it enters the tunnel, I cut an inspection opening to allow checking for derailments.



On the upper branch line, I also added a derailment catcher.

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The main line catcher in action.....



.....and the same on the lower branch line.

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Here's the start of another branch line catcher, under the main line. This should be the last one needed.



The bottom of the airfield was painted black in the area of the tunnels to further darken these areas.

[armyairforce]

On June 10th, I made a test rig for the smoke system. The smoke unit will have to be located below the airfield surface, but away from the position where the smoke will exit. This is due to the fact that the best aesthetic position for the Lancaster also falls directly over the main line, and there isn't much height clearance.

So using some scrap wood, I hollowed out a channel in what would be the airfield base, gradually widening from the point of the smoke generator. A small shallow box was built over this, to give a reasonably sized chamber for the smoke to expand into. At the opposite end of the box to the exit hole, I glued a 22mm plastic pipe to funnel the smoke into the box. The removable smoke generator would be filled, then inserted into this tube, so that all smoke produced would be contained, and as the warm smoke rises, fresh air can flow up past the generator, allowing a through flow of air.

This picture shows the Lancaster on the test piece, with the smoke system switched on.



Once I was happy that it was working, I then repeated the construction on the base of the airfield section. This is the hollowed out base board, with some 4mm ply edging to create the smoke box.

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On top of the smoke chamber, I glued a 1/16 ply face with the plastic inlet pipe. The total height was about 1/4 inch, and this gives just enough clearance for the trains to pass below it; but only just!

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June 25th 2014

The smoke generator is a Seuthe unit from Gaugemaster. I've bought a small timer to control the smoke, so that it automatically switches off after a pre-set number of minutes.



Here's a picture of the Lanc resting in place with the smoke operating. The scene should really come to life once the crash vehicles, fire crew and other figures have been added.



The smoke gives more of an effect of steam coming from the hot engine after the fire was extinguished, rather than smoke from a fire, but as the wing and engine are covered in firefighting foam, that's ok.

https://youtu.be/w6-r4qLc02w

[armyairforce]

With the smoke system sorted, the airfield top could be fastened to the base. The top was going to be glued, but that will guarantee a track failure, so I made it removable; though with a bit of cutting of scenery needed. The basic airfield board was screwed in place, but the hillside that joins the lower section to the airfield would need to be cut for removal. Should it be needed, some bushes could be used to help hide any repair.

The airfield is screwed in place here, ready for the hillside work to begin.



The inspection hole was opened up too, giving a pretty good look at most of the trackwork.

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The B-17 with the operating engines was fitted next, and the wires routed down through the board to a clear space below where they can be accessed later.



Out came the styrene next, to extend the road, and then the plaster bandage and building plaster to create the hill.

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The Pump House was fitted next and the ground texture blended into the styrene base. The ballast and other areas of finer texture were then done with fine sand attached with dilute PVA.

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Standing back a bit, it started to blend with the previous section.



With the airfield top now attached, the last track work could be added to the airfield.

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Out comes the earth, grass and rock coloured emulsion paint and all of a sudden, it comes to life!



When that was dry, I mixed up a batch of foliage/PVA mix, and started "planting". The hedges and undergrowth look quite white here until the PVA dried.