How I constructed a brick based water tower with foamboard

Having completed a boiler house (see How I constructed the boiler house) for the sawmill (see How I constructed the sawmill) at Peckforton, I realised that I would need to make a water tower to keep the boiler in the boiler house topped up. Having discovered the delights of PVC foamboard (eg see How I constructed the water mill), I decided that this would be the ideal material with which to make the water tower.

 The base

The first job was to mark out the four walls for the base of the tower.

 The basic dimensions for the base were - 120mm (long) x 65mm (wide) x 165mm (high).

I then marked out the positions of the windows and doorway, based on the dimensions of those supplied by Jackson's Miniatures.

The brickwork was then marked out on the walls. I felt that Flemish Bond would be appropriate for the water tower as it needed to be of robust construction. Firstly, the horizontal courses were marked, at 4mm intervals. The verticals were also measured at 4mm intervals, based on the assumption that the stretcher of each brick would be 12mm in length. This enabled me to then mark out the vertical course. I prefer to mark them out first rather than going straight into scribing as it's easier to erase a pencil mark than correct a wrongly scribed brick course.

As can be seen, the brick arches above the window opening were also marked out as were the vertical courses of bricks below the windows.

 Scribing and embossing

The horizontal courses were scribed first, .......

.... and then the vertical courses. A 4mm wide flat bladed screwdriver was used for this. One corner of the blade was positioned in the horizontal course ........

.... and then the screwdriver turned so it was vertical, applying downward pressure at the same time to make an indent in the board.

 The tank

As a relief from the tedium of embossing the bricks, I turned my attention to the tank. two pieces of 110mm x 65mm foamboard and two pieces of 45mm x 65mm foamboard were cut for the sides and ends of the tank. The sides were then bisected and diagonals drawn across each half.

A double layer of 1mm plasticard was then cut to a width of 4mm and the strips glued to the tops and sides.

 5mm wide rings were cut from the barrel of a plastic pen. These happened to be 11mm in diameter, as that was to hand at the time.

 The rings were then glued to the centre of the diagonals and 4mm strips glued outward to each corner. This process was repeated on both sides and on the ends.

..... until the tank was completed.

A 130mm x 75mm piece of foamboard was cut for the base of the tank and then the component pieces were then assembled 'dry' to check they all fitted together OK. Note: an aperture for the Jackson's Miniatures door was cut into one of the ends.

 Assembly

Before final assembly, Cambrian Models nut and bolt heads were glued inside the vertical bracing of the tank.

..... and then the model was assembled using thick superglue. The ends were butted to the sides, using thick superglue to join them.

The mortar courses were then scribed to ensure they continued to the ends of the walls.

Once the base had been completed, the tank was glued on top.

The completed tower was then positioned on the railway, to check that there was sufficient clearance for the stock.

..... and to see if it looked right aesthetically.

Painting

A cream coloured mix of watery acrylic paint was daubed over the walls and then wiped off with a paper towel to leave a deposit in the mortar courses.

When the mortar colour had dried, a browny-red mix of acrylic paint was dry-brushed diagonally over the walls to represent the bricks.

NOTE: Dry brushing involves getting a minimal amount of paint on a fairly wide brush, wiping off any excess and then wiping the brush gently over the model to allow the paint only to adhere to the raised areas.

Inevitably, some the brick-colour found its way into the mortar courses in some places.

To remedy this, some of the mortar colour was daubed over the offending area (once the brick colour had thoroughly dried) ......

.... and then wiped off.

The tank was given a coat of red oxide primer and the slab on which it rests, painted grey/green concrete colour.

The door and windows were painted green .......

..... and then it was set aside to dry off.

To finish off the model, a filler pipe was made from scraps - plasticard, plastic tube, a wooden bead, brass rod, some Cambrian bolt heads, a length of chain and a piece of black heatshrink tube.

The ground where the tower will sit between the tracks at Peckforton Station was excavated marginally to provide a level foundation,  ......

...... and then it was tested with one of my locos (ex Southwold Sharp Stewart loco No. 5 Tarporley),  to check it looked the part.

Conclusion

I am intending to add some interior detailing in the form of pipework as the windows make the interior fairly prominent.

I am quite pleased with how this model has turned-out. The ability to create realistic brickwork is a definite boon - and a lot less expensive than buying embossed plastic sheets. The thickness of the foamboard also makes the buildings fairly substantial and realistic. I do not leave my buildings out throughout the year, but I am confident that this material would stand the rigours of the UK climate quite well.

Progress Report 74

A month or so since my last report (see Progress Report 73) and quite a few developments.

• I have completed a boiler house and water tower for the sawmill at Peckforton
• I have constructed a loading bank for Bulkeley station
• I have constructed the ruins of Beeston Castle
• I have added a siding to Beeston Castle Station
• I have started construction of fruit boxes for the loading bank
• I have converted an LGB US style box car into something more appropriate for the PLR
• I have written-up the construction of the IP Engineering Albert loco kit
• I have pressed ahead with the development and fitting of my LGB coupling replacements
• I have purchased and deployed camouflage netting to help disguise ugly backgrounds when filming or photographing scenes on my railway
• I have had a couple of very satisfying operating sessions

Lineside

 Boiler House and Water Tower for the sawmill at Peckforton

After finishing the sawmill (see How I constructed the sawmill and How I detailed the interior of the sawmill), I realised that the mill engine powering the equipment at the sawmill would need a boiler to generate steam. Although, in reality, it would have been unlikely that an elaborate structure would have been used to house the boiler, I decided to make a fairly substantial structure from PVC foamboard using the skills I had acquired when constructing the water mill (see How I constructed the water mill from foamboard).

I am in the process of making a smoke unit for it so that, intermittently, smoke will emerge from the chimney (see How I constructed a smoke unit for the boiler house - pending)

To accompany the boiler house, I realised I would need a water tower. Again, I opted for something quite substantial as I reasoned that it could also serve to replenish locomotive tanks as Peckforton is the midway station on the system. PVC foamboard, plasticard and the barrel from a ball point pen were pressed into service to make the tower (see How I constructed the water tower at Peckforton station).

The water tower and boiler house need to be properly bedded-in to the locations at the station, but they do seem to fit the bill quite nicely.

Beeston Castle

For more than ten years, Beeston Castle has been represented by a cluster of small sandstone pebbles concreted together. These have now been replaced by a gatehouse, a representation of the walls of the outer bailey and some walls of the inner bailey, carved from a couple of Thermalite blocks. For more information see How I constructed Beeston Castle from Thermalite blocks.

I am now in the process of adding more detailing at Beeston Castle Station to, for example, allow passengers to access the site of the castle.

Loading bank at Bulkeley

I have always assumed that one of the prime sources of traffic from Bulkeley station would be fruit-growing - eg see http://billpearson.co.uk/foodmap/CheshireApples.html

To assist with the loading and unloading of apples and soft fruit, I felt a reasonably substantial loading bank would have been required, and so I cast one in concrete:

For more information see - How I cast a loading bank in concrete.

Fruit boxes

To hold the fruit, I needed some fruit boxes. These were kindly donated to me by a fellow modeller who had some laser-cut frets surplus to his requirements. I am in the process of acquiring more 1/24 scale apples to load into them but my original source seems to have run out. I may have to resort to making my own from Fimo.

Permanent Way

New siding at Beeston Castle Station

A new siding has now been added to the passing loop at Beeston Castle. The old siding at Beeston has always been rather short - accommodating no more than three wagons. The new siding should be able to hold up to seven wagons. I am trying to decide whether to add a lineside industry to the siding - either a brewery or a dairy.

Rolling Stock

 Anglicisation of a US style box car

These days, I don't often add more rolling stock to the roster as my railway has more or less reached its capacity. However, I have had an LGB US style box car sitting on my shelves for a couple of years and, after using it as a test-base for the development of my LGB replacement couplings (see below), I decided it was about time I resolved its ignominy and let it enter service.

Before .........

..... and after.

For more information about the conversion see How I anglicised an LGB box car

IP Engineering Albert loco

Since my last Progress Report, I have completed this little loco, by adding some detail and giving her (or him?) a paint-job.

For more information about this build see - How I constructed an IP Engineering Albert loco from a kit

Couplings

 As mentioned in my previous Progress Report, I am in the process of replacing all the large (and to my mind ugly) plastic LGB hook and loop couplings on my rolling stock with smaller alternatives. I have decided to retain the hook and loop style of coupling as I want something with is simple, reliable, cheap and compatible with LGB couplings. I couldn't afford to replace the couplings on all 75+ items of rolling stock with realistic models of couplings and so opted for a much cheaper alternative, which is compatible with LGB couplings to enable me to replace them over time rather than all at once.

I am now about 2/3 of the way through converting the rolling stock and have had a couple of operating sessions using a mix of couplings. There are a few teething problems, particularly when linking the new couplings to LGB couplings, but overall I am pleased with the way in which the new couplings are faring. For more information see How I constructed my own LGB style hook and loop couplings

Operations

Camouflage netting

The range of photos and videos I have been able to shoot on the railway has been restricted in the past because I have considered the house, garage, sheds and fencing to have been unsuitable backdrops. I did experiment with using blue screen superimposition to hide backgrounds, but was never really convinced by the result (see Progress Report 73). A fellow modeller suggested using camouflage netting to disguise unwanted backgrounds. I duly invested in some and am so far quite pleased with the results.

Before......

 ..... After

The netting seems to be more effective if it is a fair distance from the camera and/or is viewed through foliage in the middle distance.

Less effective .......

...... more effective

Operating sessions

As indicated above, I have had a couple of full operating sessions since the last Progress Report to, among other things give the now couplings some rigorous testing.

For this session, I used my two ex Southwold locos to handle the bulk of the traffic

And this one employed principally my Bagnall 0-4-2T and ex Davington Manning Wardle 0-6-0T. In this video the mix of new and old couplings is clearly visible from 1:50 to 2:10.