[41235]

Hello, I am planning a LARGE terminus station, to have hopefully 11 platforms and at the side of that will be a goods yard. The yard is not the problem, but I am slightly "stuck" for an idea to make a covered roof for the station, I would ideally like it removeable for easy access at anytime, do you think that can be done and what is the best mateiral to use for the roof ?
Thank you.

 

[Doug]

Making anything that is not made up of flat sections if going to be tricky. You want light coming in. On any real station, the roof will become dirty and grey with muck over time.

So why not go to the DIY or garden shop and get some double-layered sheets of that plastic uses for potting frames. About 5mm thick. It could maybe be bent to make curved panels if required. A little weathering, some struts and it would look great.

Here are some ideas.

 

[41235]

Yes thanks Douq, I will give that a try, by the way great forum you have here well done.

 

[alastairq]

off the cuff, major makers like Hornby and Peco, etc, in the past produced simple bt effective station overall roofs.....I suspect mostly for the trainset market.

usually they were depicted singly or as a pair or three......but....I have seen these various roof sections combined, very effectively as it happens.......ok, so they will be basic plastic arched sections with some perpex.......like as not....but....en masse, with detailing and sympathetic painting, like any basic item, they can be 'lifted'....

I have also seen similar items from the continental makers such as Faller and Vollmer, these tended to be a little more intricate...and pricey.....sort of 'railway gothic' is how I'd describe them.....''Wagnerian???''

 

[41235]

Hi alistairq, yes thanks for that, yes I know the sort of "train set" items you mention, you are right they could be worked on and made a bit more interesting , but I would like to make my own. Some years ago I knew a railwayman (a second man actually) who had his own layout and he made a lot of his station and fitments himself and tell you the truth I have never forgotten the detail in it, it was brilliant and it was all hand made, ok it took time, but I want to have a go at that, there is no rush and hopefully the finished product will be like the one in my memory.
Sadly the chap I knew had a massive heart attack around 1985 and died, I often wonder what happened to his layout, which was very large and loved by him, he obviously put in some hours and "Tlc" on it.
So yes I am having a go in building my own....see how it goes..."the proof of the pudding" so to speak.

 

[John Webb]

There are two major layouts which have appeared in recent years in the mags which have large curved station roofs on terminals. One is "Bath Green Park" by the Taunton Model Railway Group which appeared in the Hornby Magazine last year (and was voted 'Layout of the Year') the other is the Gainsborough Model Railway's layout representing the ECML and their model of Kings Cross station.

The former certainly has a 'lift-off' roof which may give you some ideas.

A look at the restored St Pancras station roof might also help. Although it is an arch, the actual covering is effectively in flat panels, but from a distance it appears curved.

Regards,
John Webb

 

[41235]

QUOTE (John Webb @ 27 Apr 2008, 13:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>There are two major layouts which have appeared in recent years in the mags which have large curved station roofs on terminals. One is "Bath Green Park" by the Taunton Model Railway Group which appeared in the Hornby Magazine last year (and was voted 'Layout of the Year') the other is the Gainsborough Model Railway's layout representing the ECML and their model of Kings Cross station.

The former certainly has a 'lift-off' roof which may give you some ideas.

A look at the restored St Pancras station roof might also help. Although it is an arch, the actual covering is effectively in flat panels, but from a distance it appears curved.

Regards,
John Webb
Hi John, yes thanks for that, certainly an idea.

 

[16A]

I would think any 'over roof' of this type has to be constructed with a framework (possibly Plasticard or Evergreen strip) to represent the necessary ironwork, and you'd need to make some sort of jig to ensure all of your arches were identical.

Provided the free space left for glazing is not too large, maybe you could consider using a good quality OHP transparency film which is quite firm in small sections, and onto this you could print finer glazing bars, cracks and dirt etc, plus the cost is also reasonable.

Mike

 

[41235]

QUOTE (16A @ 1 May 2008, 08:04) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I would think any 'over roof' of this type has to be constructed with a framework (possibly Plasticard or Evergreen strip) to represent the necessary ironwork, and you'd need to make some sort of jig to ensure all of your arches were identical.

Provided the free space left for glazing is not too large, maybe you could consider using a good quality OHP transparency film which is quite firm in small sections, and onto this you could print finer glazing bars, cracks and dirt etc, plus the cost is also reasonable.

Mike

Ok thanks 16A, appreciated.