1/87 Scale Diorama

The headline may promise more that this post deliver. But this week saw me finally getting the foundation for my 1/87 scale diorama started. The base plate from plywood had been cut in January and it is now reinforced by a wooden frame to keep it straight and level. 

My Soviet diorama looks flat and uninteresting in comparison with the huge model of Østerport Station in H0 in the background. The model is on temporary storage during the relocation of the Aarsleff Rail Copenhagen office where it usually resides. We don't quite trust movers...

The diorama is an ambitious project as it will be my first attempt at showing three gauges in such a small setting - and the first ever, to be honest. There will be a broad-gauge track running on an embankment in the background and 600 and 750 mm track on the main level in the foreground. 

The diorama is planned to be an expanded 'photo plank' to show off my growing collection of Soviet narrow-gauge models. It measures 85x35 cm. Hopefully I will be able to squeeze in an industrial building or two, a concrete plated road area and the characteristic concrete fence and overhead steam pipes so well-known from the Soviet Union. 

Children on Bicycle

Not since I finished the driver figure for the Fowler has a new figure joined the population on my 1/19 scale layout Nystrup Gravel. Now a new figure is adding many never seen before elements to the layout. Not only is the figure two figures and a bicycle, they are also a boy and a girl - the first female on the large scale Nystrup Gravel. The figures are also from a new manufacturer Figurendesign Volker Bauer from Germany. So many firsts!

Two children on a single bike and on Nystrup Gravel company territory! Workshop manager Petersen is not amused...

All figures on Nystrup Gravel have until now been delivered by Modelu in 3D prints from scanned real-life persons in period clothing styles. All male, all adults and mostly very 'industrial'. As Nystrup Gravel is an industrial railway layout, that's very fine. But to add a little variety I have been looking for some figures that wasn't males or adults. Two children on a bike would look good.

Following Figurendesign Volker Bauer on Facebook turned out to be a good idea. This week I saw a new figure presented: two small children on a little bicycle. From ordering to delivery only 3 days passed and I couldn't wait to open the package. The figure is supplied prepainted and well protected in a double cardboard box. 

Straight out of the box. The package arrived just as I was sorting discarded helmets for use on the vintage railway where I volunteer.

Image of the figure from the website of Figurendesign Volker Bauer. I'm glad my model didn't have the red hair on the girl.

The figure is hand sculpted and once finished, scanned. The file is then able to be printed in a variety of scales - even in 'odd scales' if you advise the manufacturer. I chose a readily available scale 1/22 version. Printing is to a high standar although the facial detail is a little soft. Painting is quite good with room for improvment in just a few places. The look is a bit too glossy for my taste and I will probably give the figure a layer of matt varnish once I'm finished working on it. I have a few details I would like to add. Other than that it is an excellent little model in itself and it has added much needed diversity to my layout. It will add charm and interest to any layout where children are often overlooked as a feature. The pose is well chosen for a pair of kids having stopped for a moment to observe something.

In the 1950's public child care in Denmark was still in its infancy and many children in rural areas had a lot of time for themselves - particularly before starting in school. Here a little boy and his younger sister has strayed onto the Nystrup Gravel yard. Full of exiting trains and places to hide. 

Baguley Frame Details Fitted

Having removed the unwanted parts on both frame ends on the Baguley-Drewry loco, it was time to add the first new parts on the loco. As planned I added new couplings/buffers and as an 'extra thing' I also decided to add sanding gear on the centre axle wheels despite it being very hard to see from normal viewing angles.

New buffers are now fitted to Nystrup Gravel's Baguley-Drewry. The buffers were probably made in Nystrup Gravel's own workshop after images of the type usually being fitted to Nagbøl locomotives.

To make a coupling that is fastened well in the frame ends I decided to use the bolts that held the original coupling pockets on the Accucraft model. As usual I cut a cardboard piece to test size and aid in design. I made the real plasticard version a little deeper and added the 'ribs' that enable the coupling chain to be fitted at alternating heights fitting wagons with different frame/coupling heights.

As usual I test design and size with a piece of cardboard before I begin the real work on new parts. 

Finished slightly deeper than the cardboard version, the front buffer is beginning to materialize. I use the bolts from the original coupling to fasten the new buffer.

Once the main construction of the buffers was finished I sanded the corners round and added boltheads in the lower corners from hexagonal plastic strip. Then I drilled a central hole through the buffer to enable a rod to fasten the coupling chain in the coupling/buffer.

The 'ribs' that enables coupling to wagons for varying height are being added. The plasticard jig giving equal distance between the 'ribs' are seen in the foreground.

Steel skips coupled to the Baguley-Drewry's new buffer. 

The pipes for sanding the centre pair of driving wheels (in both directions) were made from simple lengths of metal wire soldered to a bracket cut from scrap etched metal. Each bracket screws into the loco frame underside with two of the screws that held the now removed power pick-ups. 

Sanding pipes fitted to the centre wheel set. In the image they still need to be finely adjusted to a close fit but still allowing the wheel to rotate freely.

A viewer will have to look carefully for the sanding pipes to discover them. They may show more clearly after painting, but even in 1/1 scale sanding pipes aren't the most noticable feature on locomotives.

I'm also exploring how to fit an on/off switch next to the battery and a cardboard test bracket has been mounted on the underside of the frame. If I decide to use this solution I will probably have to adjust the height of the slide switch to avoid it snagging on track parts and vegetation. I still haven't made up my mind completely.

Testing shape and placement of a bracket for an on/off switch. As usual with a cheap prototype test part made from cardboard.

The work on the Baguley-Drewry loco will continue and there is a long list of tasks awaiting me. I will probably be focusing on installing the Loco Remote unit as one of the first tasks, as that will give me a good base to work on: underframe detailed and a running locomotive with 'only' work on the upper body remaining.