Building girders!

Back on the 30th September I pictured the beginning of a bridge over the tracks of my 00 gauge layout. I have started some more serious construction of this - it is the only way I will really see if it works visually on the layout.

Some of the main components of the bridge are the girders that support the road deck above the railway. To make these I had to make some judgement as to the size they should be. I am not a bridge engineer although I have worked with some in the past so my judgement is based upon a little knowledge and as it is a model if it is wrong it cannot hurt!

I started off getting a nice large sheet of 1mm thick plastic card from the WMD HQ Stores That was cut into 8mm strips about 18 inches long. I had decided that a scale 2 foot 6 inch deep by 2 foot wide girder would be the right dimensions. I had to get the strong solvent out to glue the plastic sheet as it is a robust plastic.

Three strips per girder.

Twelve strips soon had four girders made up. They certainly look beefy!

One thing that surprised me with the sheet of plastic card that is about 70cm b 70cm is that it cost me £4 according to the price ticket. I remember buying it many years ago and thinking it was a bargain then - you pay almost £4 now just for a A4 sized sheet. I always tell Mrs. Woody that I am saving money by spending now! She never sees it quite like that!