Open and shut!

Before doing some more in the Man Cave with the level crossing gates (more on that later on) I managed to get out on a bike ride today - the first time in nearly a week. Rain and snow having provided a good excuse to stay in the warm for the past week I had not seen much of the effect of all this moisture. To be honest I should have just opened the front door looked out and stayed in as the local roads were somewhat damp! This looks like a ford but there is a road under there! I did cycle through as I could see the road surface below avoiding any potholes.

However, I was not cycling through this so it was a case of turn round a go a different way! 

I have never seen this at this canal location with the water flowing over the lock gates. Looks quite spectacular!

Just a bit further down this building is so close to being flooded but hopefully will keep dry.

Back in the dryness of WMD HQ the level crossing gate project on Chalkdon my 009 gauge layout has progressed well. They have been painted and put in place on the layout.

Allowing the safe passage for trains by being closed this rather interesting vehicle goes through - I am  sure I have seen it somewhere before! 

With that loco having gone through this passenger train then had the right of way.

With the trains having gone through it was a case of opening the gates!

The photo below shows how the gates fold over each other when open - I am almost proud that my measurements worked out!

It may be an open and shut case for the level crossing gates but for this pedestrian the side gates remain firmly closed! He is in for a long wait!

Test fitting!

A wet, cold and miserable day - weather wise anyway! In the relative warmth of the Man Cave I made a little progress on the level crossing gates. The posts have been capped to seal off the tube and I have made some pedestrian gates out of plastic strip to go at the side of the main gates. I also cut two circles of plastic card using my circle cutter. I then cut them in half and glued them to either side of the outer edge of the gates so that they form a circle when the gates are closed. Once painted red they will be in line with the normal UK level crossing gate design.

Of course, whilst I have taken some measurements prior to construction, I have yet to put them on the layout to give them a test fitting! With a little trepidation one pair of the gates were temporarily put in place and luckily it shows that it should all fit - hopefully!

Next up is to paint them which will be white so it won't really show much progress but at least that plastic sheen should disappear!

Its Snow Joke!

Overnight the snow came! The mere mention of snow even as a joke sends Mrs. Woody into a panic! However I have been brave and gone out through the thin layer that covers the garden into the Man Cave where I managed to do a few things. One was try to keep warm! Secondly was to glue the now painted extension to the Kato chassis for Maintenance Loco No 5. I have used some UHU which offers the ability to take it off again without too much problem should the need arise. Its down side is that it does need some time to fully dry - however I have patience although Mrs. W might disagree with that statement!

The rest of the time was spent putting together some posts and hinges for the level crossing gates that will go on Chalkdon. For some reason I decided I wanted to make the gates capable of being opened and closed. Anyone looking for an easy life would just have modelled them shut to road traffic making the whole job a lot easier. 

To create my opening and closing gates I had to fabricate eight hinges which are a hoop of wire formed from some thin brass rod that I had in stock. These were inserted into pre-drilled holes in the posts and glued with a dab of superglue. The gates themselves had two holes drilled into the uprights on one side and into these an 'L' shaped piece of brass wire was superglued in. My measurements were good in that it all matches up! Amazing! 

Next stage is to finish the posts off with some capping pieces. After afew other small jobs the gates should be ready to paint and install.

Gates!

 It is cold and damp here in the UK. May not be as cold as some parts of the World but but it is a shock to the system especially in a cold Man Cave. I have turned on the heater but the cold comes up through the floor. However I did actually manage to brave a couple of hours which moved forwards the 3D Printed Maintenance Loco No 5 forward with the additional chassis part I have made now painted black.

Once dry, I can glue it to the chassis and move that project on towards being finished - well as finished as my projects ever are!

This renewed involvement with my 009 layout Chalkdon has highlighted I still have much to do on the layout. One of the things needed is a level crossing and so I have commenced construction with the four gates that will be required.

The gates are made up of 1.5mm square plastic cut to size.

Much work still required but hopefully the gates are square and flat!

Meanwhile I was reminded by the number of adverts and songs on the radio that Christmas is approaching! Whilst the WMD fleet of cats gets something on the day I had to draw the line at this that Mrs. Woody spotted whilst in a store. The way the WMD cat fleet and indeed most cats that I know of gnaw anything cardboard the chances of this lasting for more than an hour are somewhat remote! You have to wonder why someone would design a cat toy in cardboard! Does look cute though!