Millers Dale Viaduct Commission Update – #1

The first progress report and photos of the Millers Dale Viaduct Commission arrived recently from Vincent. He has made really good progress and has included extra detailing parts of his own that have taken the model to the next level.

Vincent’s extra detailing work pays real dividends in this close up

To re-create the rivet detail Vincent actually embossed them onto styrene sheet with a riveting tool. The rivet size is really for 7mm O gauge, so technically oversize but, when he tried the 4mm size, they looked too small. He was afraid that they would disappear once painted.

The rivet detailing compares really well with the original

Personally, I don’t think the rivet detail looks too big at all and I would never include myself amongst the ‘rivet counters’ anyway. To me, if it looks right it is right! If it fools they eye then that’s half the battle.

The bridge skeleton before the decking and final detailing were added

At the end of the day I’m sure that the laser cut kit designed by me, combined with Vincent’s dedicated modelling and detailing, will produce a very reasonable representation of Millers Dale Viaduct. It’s already looking just like the real thing (Nod and a wink to Pete Waterman).

One section done, two to go!

With this section virtually done I will soon be ordering the remaining two sections. I’m really looking forward to the next update and eventually seeing the end result. It’s been a really interesting project to work on and the finished model should be really impressive.

Viaduct Model… Beginning of the End

Had a message today to let me know that the laser cut parts for the Millers Dale Viaduct Commission had arrived safe and sound. So here is a photo of some of the finished parts before I parceled them up.

This is both the beginning and the end of the project. The end for me and the beginning for the client. The story will continue however. The chap who commissioned the model has agreed to let me have some photos of its construction, and eventually photos of the viaduct in its final setting on his layout.

I’m looking forward to seeing the finished article.

Viaduct Model… Instructions to go

Millers Dale Viaduct Instructions… cover and diagrams

Finally, the assembly instructions for the Millers Dale Viaduct Commission are complete and have been dispatched, along with the laser cut parts. A very satisfying feeling to reach this point.

Millers Dale Viaduct Instructions… centre spread

Viaduct Model… Creating the assembly instructions

Creating the instructions for the laser cut plastic viaduct model

Since the laser cut parts arrived for the Millers Dale Viaduct Commission I’ve been busy putting together the final stages of the assembly instruction drawings.

These have been drawn up in Adobe Illustrator, as usual, and soon I’ll be working on the last drawing. As you can see above, I’m just doing the assembly instructions for the bridge deck at the moment.

Viaduct Model… Sub-assemblies ‘A’ thru ‘D’

In spare moments I’m still working on the Millers Dale Viaduct Commission. I’ve re-designed most of the parts from the original Dalesmouth Viaduct and recently it’s been a case of preparing the sub-assemblies for laser cutting. So far I’ve completed sub-assemblies ‘A’ thru ‘D’.

Double Track Viaduct – Sub-Assembly A

The bulk of the parts consist of four variations of crossbrace and I’ve now ‘stepped these up’ in my Adobe Illustrator software to create the sub-assemblies you see here…

Double Track Viaduct – Sub-Assembly B

Double Track Viaduct – Sub-Assembly C

Double Track Viaduct – Sub-Assembly D

These sub-assemblies will build up to create one section of the viaduct, and two spans will be needed to recreate the Millers Dale Viaduct, allbeit not both of the same length. My next move will be to work out the sub-assemblies ‘E’ thru ‘F’ for the bridge deck and side fencing.

For more background on this project use the search box at the top of this page and search for ‘viaduct’, this will give you most of the related posts.