Not good enough

No one is probably more surprised than me that I've made a fair amount of progress against yesterday's to do list.

As always though it isn't that simple, and as I've improved one thing I've become more dissatisfied with others

Giving the goods yard a wash of various tones has improved it considerably, but it still isn't quite right. 

The platform is looking better, but still needs some weeds to disguise imperfect join between the platform surface and the platform edge.

The attempt to improve the weighbridge windows

Appears to be no better than my first attempt.

Time to bite the bullet I think and build a new version. 

Behind the revised version you can see I've been trying to sort out the lineside fencing as well. Given that I'm having to retrofit it I've opted to build it on a sub-base made form U channel. This was a good move because even then trying to get the "knitting-in elastic" in place was a struggle for my poor eyes. Having said that it worked better than expected. It has just enough tension to remain taut without pulling the posts inwards too  much, and enough give that it doesn't get damaged when you catch it accidentally. Incidentally I've not attached it to any of the intermediate posts, it lies up against them due to the tension. I've still got to add the thin wooden strakes that were used between the concrete posts on the prototype.

Weighing up the weighbridge hut

Another crisis of confidence last night after spraying the weighbridge and the gents with Halford's grey primer to reveal all the faults - because that is just what it did.

My main worry is joining the corners of the Wills corrugated sections in a way that looks at best believable and at worst inconspicuous. Vast amounts of  Squadron Green putty have been used in an attempt to achieve the latter, then carved when dry with a round file to put back in the corrugations. There has to be an easier way. The secret lies in getting a good 45 straight degree chamfer on the edge of the sheets. Using a big file seems rather hit and miss. I have a chamfer cutter designed for foamboard, but that isn't going to work. A plane worked, but if I want to keep my finger tips I need to build some sort of jig, and it will have to be robust,

Anyway the weighbridge is now looking OKish, though this picture has managed to distort both the proportions of the model and the illustration in the wild Swan book.

Llansilin road weighbridge hut - model and prototype.

If nothing else I'm quite proud of the doorknob.

As to the gents, well it is just about passable from a distance. I forgot to clean off the rusty wash before it dried so it will be back out with the black paint next week.

The worst bits of the Class 25 are hidden by the weighbridge.
Note the platform edge and fence clearly aren't yet fixed down

I couldn't face up to finishing off the goods shed today, that needs a day when the house is empty and there is no one to hear my cussing. I made a start on cutting out the station building. I've gone for Blodwell but reversed, so the ladies will be off scene.