Sunday 6 September 2015

Detail Time...

Have only had a minimum of time this week to move along with Crookwell Station...

I have decided to detail the "innards" of the waiting room (at least) and all of this has to be completed before the roof assembly is attended to.  Seems a waste of time to detail the interior and not provide lighting to enhance the scene, soooo this is another chore that will need to be achieved before the roofing contractors move in.

During my visit to Crookwell last weekend I took a plethora of detail photos and these have been invaluable in an attempt to portray the feel for the station and other infrastructure.  The waiting room seating was one aspect that I wanted to portray accurately and I think I have achieved the feel and accuracy I was striving for.  I would imagine I have visited the station over 40 or so times but there is always another aspect that needs to be checked and rechecked and our closeness to "Hooterville" makes this task somewhat easier...added to this is the fact that there is always something previously unseen, no matter how often you visit this time capsule called Crookwell

Another aspect that has required much research, is the exact prototypical length of the platform and facing.  Most printed matter refers to Crookwell as either a 100' platform or a 42 metre platform, while some articles refer to both measurements in the same breath.  A simple conversion suggests that these two dimensions vary wildly from each other and almost certainly (unless there has been significant fundamental changes to Crookwell over the years)...the quoted 100' length is certainly in error. 

Indeed the only firm ( and hopefully reliable) dimension that I have been able to unearth, is the Departmental, Signal Arrangements Diagram issued in 1902 at the time of the line's opening, which indicate a total dimension (including ramps) of 45 and 1/3 yards which when converted ends up around 41.5 metres which will be close enough to 42 metres for me !!!  Never occurred to me to measure the damn thing before the fairly recent and questionable modifications to the platform took place.

I will sometime this week laser up the base that will hold the station building, platform and facing, fencing, signage and other items all in one mini diorama for later fitment to the layout...