Another mundane question from me. :confusedsign:
I am getting ready to think about platforms on Heel Station and was wondering which make of platform side/edge gives the most realistic height?
The track is Peco Code 80. Platform will be about 7" long including the ramp at one end.
I will be scratch building the surface and underneath. Just need the front face looking right.
I've used Ratio, I find they fit in perfectly with Kestrel Building kits, if you plan for metcalfe then maybe use Metcalfe platform kits as the buildings are a bigger scale.
Paul
Cheers ST.
Building on platform is just a shelter. Whole thing is going to has a Col. Stephens look about it.
For the size of platform involved, I would probably go for the Peco edges.
It strikes me if you go for Metcalf you'll have a whole lotta stuff left over :hmmm:
Hope you have more luck than me making your platform.
I just can't get mine right,not sure whether it's seven or eight now that have gone in the bin,I've stopped counting anyway. :worried: :(
Allan :goggleeyes:
Why not look at the Scalescene platform? Buy once - make it as big or as small as you like, for this layout and the next and the next...... :thumbsup:
Platforms in the UK should be at 3' above rail head. Older ones were sometimes lower (often 2'6").
Looked at the Scalescenes one,have their medium and small station kits.
Maybe the other solution would be just do the sides with brick paper on card.
Hi Mike,
Hope this helps, here's a ratio station and a pic with a mk1 in too for space judgement
Paul
(http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h407/churcp/N%20GAUGE/0C11A9B4-1B08-4A5A-A2B4-706EBF673F31-5951-000007A619DAF369.jpg)
(http://i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h407/churcp/N%20GAUGE/3A5A002E-3C11-4659-A157-01EC75E099CB-5951-000007A62110A9A4.jpg)
Please ignore the Blu Tack it's holding some scratch built lights while they dry and the wonky platform canopy as that is just resting too :)
On the North Highland line at Kildonan there is a wooden box
on the platform to use as a step to board the train, you wait until the
train arrives and drag it along, either that or a step up of about 2 feet!
The Peco ones will be too high if you fix both the edging and the track direct to your baseboard. I think they are assuming everyone will be using their underlay, but there should be no problem with lifting the track on cork or whatever and fixing the edging directly to the board.
On a light railway of the Stephens type I would expect the height to be a lot less than the modern standard of 3 feet.
Cheers for the comments. Like the box idea but what happened if you were getting off the train with a tray of eggs say and someone had nicked the box.
Fresh omlette anyone
Trick with the Peco ones and track laid to board is to saw off along the inside line of the wide bit at the bottom that'll give you a suitable platform height.
For light railways anything went.
http://www.wcandpr.org.uk/ (http://www.wcandpr.org.uk/)
has some fun examples (if you fancy an intermediate halt and have no room whatsoever look at Clapton Road Halt or Broadstone !)
Thanks for everyones help. :thankyousign: :thankyousign:
Have got the Scalescenes download and will try that.
Quote from: EtchedPixels on October 03, 2012, 11:42:25 PM
Trick with the Peco ones and track laid to board is to saw off along the inside line of the wide bit at the bottom that'll give you a suitable platform height.
I have done this too and it works quite well. I have also used ratio sides and tops with reasonably good results.
Plastic kits cost more a are harder if you need to shape them around a curve but they do have some advantages. They have proper relief, unlike card kits (no matter how good the colour, you can always tell that the surface textures has been printed on with paper/card kits). Also they are not prone to being damaged by damp. You can also paint them match other scenic works (if approrpriate).
There is another issue worth considering with respect to platform height - the extra-wide gap we need between the platform and the coaches, especially on curves. Since layouts are normally viewed from above with at least a 30-45 degree angle, if you use the proper 3' high platforms then you can generally see half way down the coach bogies. While technically correct, this makes the platform look more like a 1'-2' European design. Using higher platforms (such as unmodified Peco edges) restores the visible level to that of the coach under-frames - one kludge compensating for another. As usual, it comes down to whatever looks right for you.
When I commenced my layout back in pre-history I went with the Peco edges. The three stations that exist so far have all got the Peco edges, but the platform surfaces are different. At Castle Eden I went for card surfacing:
[smg id=682 type=preview align=center width=400]
Yeah I know it's a bit of a mess but this is the part of the layout that has suffered the most damage over the years. The lovely brass railings have disappeared of the cattle dock, but the beasts have not ran away (that's 'cos the poor beggars are superglued). The marks on the surface are where a whole string of Ratio platform awnings used to stand.
For the halt at Parkend Processing Plant near Skeggles Water I used red brick edges with a plastcard surface:
[smg id=782 type=preview align=center width=400]
[smg id=2084 type=preview align=center width=400]
Then at Kirkby Langdale I used brick edges again, but with plaster surfacing this time. I also managed to curve the edges quite sharply:
[smg id=2228 type=preview align=center width=400]
So, which method do I prefer? Hard to say. I think probably the plasticard surface is preferable, as I am sure there will be embossed paving stone stuff available somewhere.
My trackwork was laid on cork roadbed, and if I recall correctly, I think I had to put packing under the platform edges as well to get them to the right height. Well, the right height for me, anyhow. As already noted in this thread, it's what looks right to you.
I haven't given any thought to how I'm going to construct the platforms at Beal, which will be a substantial station. Too far in the future!
Cheers George
Then at Kirkby Langdale I used brick edges again, but with plaster surfacing this time. I also managed to curve the edges quite sharply:
How did you mange to bend the Peco edges without them snapping? I prefer the solid look of platforms built like you've demonstrated to card kits but didn't think it would be possible to bend the plastic edges to form a curved platform. They all look excellent by the way.
See the instructions - you can trim the inside supporting bit and then shape them in near boiling water and they'll reshape.
Diolch Pixels. I'm a terrible one for not looking at the instructions. For some reason I thought it was just the 00 versions that had been designed to bend a little. I'll have another look at them as last time I tried it they ended up looking as if they'd been nuked or something. Water too hot probably. George, any idea of the radius of the curves you laid there?
Bending the Peco platform edges is actually very easy. You first have to cut numerous slots in the baseplate and upper support with a razor saw or junior hacksaw, about 5mm apart. It then will curve as much as you like. My older layout has a Peco platform on the inside of a 10" radius curve. Here is a shot of a platform under construction on my new layout Plymouth Citadel - look closely at the cuts on the nearest platform edge.
(http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t508/mrmusings/DSCI0018a-1.jpg)
Thanks - the picture is especially handy. I'm encouraged to try this when I get round to doing my platforms now.
Yes - it's just a matter of making a few cuts in the back of them. It's such a long time ago since I made them, but I really can't recall putting them in hot water. I think the cuts were sufficient to enable them to be curved. As for the actual radius, I don't know that either, but as you can see in the photo, it's pretty tight! Obviously you have to check for coach clearances, etc. before fixing them into position.
Cheers George
Thanks George - I'll see if it's possible with just cutting the slits and not using hot water to shape.
No worries, buddy. In fact I know I never used hot water when I think about it, because in those days (and probably these, when I get round to new platforms), I would paint the Peco sides with Humbrol emamel and then apply a watered-down wash of white acrylic over them, so it flowed into the embossed brick or stonework to give an impression of mortar. If I HAD immersed them in hot water, it would have removed the acrylic. Looking at the tight curvature and really testing my old alcohol-reduced grey matter, I think I set them in place with heaps of superglue and held them down with bricks for a few days!!
Cheers George
So I need to pickle them in a mixture of superglue, enamel and alcohol? :laugh3:
Works for me!! :pint:
Go easy, though.... they're all ultimately toxic but the first two would be the worst. As for the third, I even like just lookin' at it.
:beers: Cheers George
:beers:
Iechyd Da George!
Thanks, mate - I just learned my first bit of Welsh!
Iechyd Da in return!
:beers: George
Quote from: bealman on October 07, 2012, 11:22:25 AM
In fact I know I never used hot water when I think about it,
Yep, it's not necessary to faff around with hot water to bend Peco platform edges. I certainly didn't use it when I used the Peco concrete edging and bent them easily enough without it to follow curved track - just with small 'v' cut outs along the inner ridge/platform support. I'd cut off the foot to get the platform surface to the right height so that when the passengers opened the doors they wouldn't bash up against the platform and stop them getting off :worried: .
H.