AUSTRALIAN MODEL RAILWAY BUILDINGS, STRUCTURES and ACCESSORIES

SECTION 8

Line-side Water Tanks


So far the range of line-side water tanks is limited to five models. They are 2000 gallon timber stand, 6000 gallon in timber and steel and 10,000 gallon in timber and steel.


Construction of the timber stand is the same for the two, six and ten thousand gallon models, as is the construction of the steel stand for the six and ten thousand gallon models. Sizes are the only obvious differences, although the jig to assist the leg assembly differs on the two thousand timber model. Construction of the pulley wheel and bracket for the level indicator are all the same. Ladders, overflow down-pipe, level indicator are the same for all models.   The assembly for the spout are the same for all model except for the length or reach of the spout.


This results in the assembly instructions being confined to a few categories. They are  Timber stands, Steel stands, spout assembly and assembly of all fittings.   


List of parts for all timber stand models

1 x tank

1 x tank lid

1 x tank base (not in 2000 gallon model - not required)

1 x tank deck

1 x tank deck support (joist)

2 x pairs leg/bearer

6 x leg diagonal braces

4 pieces for leg assembly jig     (3 pieces in 2000 model)

Small plastic bag cont 2 x spout support braces 2 x brace supports, 1 x pulley base, 1 x pulley bracket, 1 x spout support.

1 length brass ladder

1 length brass rod 0.8 mm.

2 x brass wheels

1 short length brass rod 0.5 mm.

Small plastic bag containing approx. 32 mm plastic tube, 2 x plastic elbows, very small piece of wire insulation.


List of parts for all steel stand models

1 x tank
1 x tank lid
1 x tank base

1 x Leg assembly jig

1 x brace length jig

1 x deck assembly jig

2 x square leg assembly aids

Plastic bag containing 2 lengths c channel and deck beams

Lengths styrene 2.4 and 1.2 mm

Small plastic bag cont 2 x spout support braces 2 x brace supports, 1 x pulley base, 1 x pulley bracket, 1 x spout support.

1 length brass ladder
1 length brass rod 0.8 mm.
2 x brass wheels
1 short length brass rod 0.5 mm.
Small plastic bag containing approx. 32 mm plastic tube, 2 x plastic elbows, very small piece of wire insulation.


Assembly Instructions

Clean, file or/and sand all parts.

Check all parts are present.

I would advise everyone to consult the Section 8 model railway facebook page. There should be some pictures to assist these instructions and provide another perspective.

Types of glue for this project are. 1 - super glue for joins with polyurethane, super glue gel where expressed, styrene glue (testra, MEK etc) for styrene to styrene. When joining styrene to polyurethane use super glue. Apply super glue in the tiniest of droplets. I use the pin head to achieve this.


Timber Stands

Identify the leg assembly jig. For the 2000 gal model its a pole and two ends. Slide the pole through both ends and position the ends so the notch is on the same side of both. Make sure all parts are square and glue. For the six and ten thousand models this jig consists of four pieces. Identify the two long parts and form them into a T shape. Make sure they are square and glue. The remaining two parts are the ends. Glue one end of the T into an end piece. Then position the other end piece into position making sure all is square and glue.

Identify the deck and the deck support (joist). Glue back to back to provide the deck facing uppermost and the joists to be underneath. Identify the two leg/bearer  pieces. Using the leg assembly jig position the legs on the rebated corners of the jig with one leg facing the other.  Check to make sure the correct side of the legs are facing outward. The legs have a timbered textured side and a smooth side. The timbered side is to be visible facing outward. Position the jig so it is adjacent to the bearers. The use of a couple of rubber bands to hold the legs into position is advised. To join the legs to the deck place the leg assembly cross the joists and position so all is square and flat. When satisfied glue using super glue gel and leave for a couple of hours - preferably overnight. Use small clips if you wish.

Once dry remove the jig. Now the bracing requires assembly. Identify the front of the stand so far by the angled end of the joists. This is the side or face where the spout will be positions. Obviously the opposite side will be the back and the others the sides etc. The braces are six in number and mostly in pairs. The front and back of the stand have braces that can be identified with three small bolt impressions. Two close together at one end and another at the other end. They are both the same size and matters not weather they are fitted to the front or back. Lay the stand on its back. Take a brace. Use the jig for leg support. The end with the single bolt fits to the lower left leg and the other end is positioned onto the bearer in a diagonal fashion. The bolt impressions should line up with the bearer and both legs. The bolt impression and timber texture should be visible facing outermost. When satisfied with the positioning - glue. Repeat the process on the back of the stand. The next pair of braces will be the shortest  pair. Identify the two braces. Again they are similar in size and are to be fitted onto the sides of the stand. Identify the two ends. One has a long tapered lengthwise angle and the other a arrow type pointed end. The long tapered end is attached to the ground end of the leg adjacent to the brace with the bolt impressions and the other end fits neat under the bearer against the leg in a diagonal fashion. Make sure the timber textured side is visible facing outermost. Glue. You will realise the angle of this brace is opposite to the front and rear bracing. Repeat the process for the other side of the stand. The last pair of braces are for inside the legs fitted both front and back in opposite directions to the braces with the bolt impressions. The braces have top and bottom the same as the bolt brace and should be fitted the same as the others excepting on the inside of the leg with the timber texture visible facing outermost. Put aside. No need to paint as yet.


Steel Stands

Identify the leg assembly jig and the brace length jig. The leg assembly jig is basically a rectangle piece of plastic with a pair of parallel ruts running lengthwise and three cross members bottom middle and top. The ruts are the required length for the legs of the stand. The brace length jig is a small square with a rut side to side through the square and another diagonal. These ruts are the required lengths and angles for cross and diagonal braces.

Using the leg assembly jig measure a length of the 2.4 mm angle styrene mark and cut. Mark the styrene while it sits in the jig but make the cut on your normal working surface. Cutting the styrene while it sits in the jig usually results in errors. Cut four legs. Locate the 1.2mm styrene and using the brace length jig cut 12 cross braces and eight diagonal braces. Cutting while the styrene sits in the jig is more successful in this jig. Take two of the legs and place in the ruts of the leg assembly jig. These tank stands have the legs with the angles internal. That means the angles point to the next leg. These two legs in the jig should be flat and loose. Use lengths of the 1.2 mm. styrene as a shim to create a nice fit in the ruts of the jig. Identify the stopper on the jig and the end of the ruts. This end forms the bottom of the legs or what is attached to the ground. When the 2.4 mm styrene is in position in its rut and buts against the stopper take three cross braces and from the bottom place across spanning from one leg to the other. The members on the jig are a guide for the positioning of the cross braces. From the bottom, nearest the rut stopper the brace sits above the member. The middle member the brace again sits above and the top member the brace sits underneath the member. The braces should have their angles the same throughout including the diagonals. They should lay on the leg and be angled away from the leg to form a step so to speak. Glue the braces using styrene glue one at a time. The first leg assembly will be used at the front of the stand. That means the spout will be attached on this side. The opposite side will be the back or rear and the others - the sides. Once the cross braces are set the diagonal braces will be positioned. On this pair of legs - the front - only the bottom diagonal brace will be fitted at the moment. Take a diagonal brace place it across the pair of legs, position the brace so your left end is closest to the ground and the other uppermost. These diagonal braces are positioned freehand. Glue using styrene glue. When set remove from jig.  The top diagonal brace is fitted exactly the same way as the bottom one except its inside the legs. This is required so it can't impede with the positioning of the spout. Repeat the leg assembly process  for the rear side of the stand but it is not necessary to have the top diagonal brace on the inside of the legs. Once front and rear leg sets are secure and set its time for the side bracing to the fitted. 

Identify the two square leg assembly aids. They are plain square pieces of plastic. They fit inside the stand with the legs at each corner. This part requires the modeller to take their time and be careful. Set the aids at the top and bottom of the leg assemblies. Lay on its side and place a weight or book against each side to hold its position. Make sure the leg assemblies are the right way up. Also make sure the bottom end or what will be attache to the ground is flat and square. Manouvre all the sides and aids to achieve a square tower. Take the cross braces and place by freehand using the existing braces as a guide. Glue the cross braces then the diagonal braces. Carefully turn over the tower and complete the other side. Once set remove the aids and put aside.  The tower should be able to stand alone. Do not paint yet.

Next is the construction of the steel deck. Identify the deck assembly jig. Its a rectagle plastic piece with ruts top to bottom. The ruts will accommodate the deck beams. Identify the C channels and position them adjacent to the jig top and bottom. They should lay against the jig with the channel exposed. We intend now to make a square of two of the shortest beams and the C channels. This square will be the extreme surround of the deck. That is the edge or perimeter if you like. The first shortest beam is positioned outside the edge of the ruts. It should span from one C channel to the other and have no overhang. Position the other shortest beam at the other end of the jig and when satisfied glue. Great care when gluing as not to stick the deck assembly to the jig. After gluing each pair of beams remove deck from jig to make sure it hasn't stuck to the jig. Replace deck into jig. Then position the other two shortest beams. One at each end inside the square and glue. Then the middle size pair of beams and then the longest beams will span the centre of the deck. On the six thousand tank there are four shortest beams, two middle beams and two longest beams. On the ten thousand tank there are four shortest beams, two middle beams and four longest beams. Put aside. Do not pain yet.

Take the tower assembly and see if it can be glued to the underside of the deck. If the beams do not align with the legs of the tower take the leg assembly aid glue it at the extreme top of the tower inside the corners of the legs. This will then be able to be glued to the underside of the deck. Once in position this aid is very hard to see. Glue. Put aside. Do not paint yet.


Tank Assembly
Take the tank body and glue the lid into position. If there is a tank base glue this also. Take care to centre and have these lids and bases symmetrical. For the steel stand models glue onto the tower assembly. Position them so they are centred and symmetrical.


Spout Assembly

Cut the straight styrene tube to your required length

2000 gallon            13mm

6000 gallon            15mm

10,000 gallon         15mm

Take the length of tube and using the appropriate styrene glue - glue the elbows at either end of the tube one elbow facing one way and the other end facing the other to achieve an S type shape.

Choose an end that will be fixed to the deck under the tank. This end has a 3 - 4 mm length of the tube. 3mm for the 2000 gallon tank. 4mm for the others. Glue using styrene glue. The other end glue a 2mm length of the tube. At the tank end the spout support is fitted. Identify the spout support. It is basically a triangle with the longest side slightly curved and the shortest side moderately curved. This is attached to the underside of the spout. The moderately curved side cups the spout elbow. The required outcome is the support and the spout will form a neat fit under the deck and sit on the spout support braces. These braces consist of two pieces of bracing that span the front legs and sit under the spout. The timber ones have a small bracket that is fixed to both legs and the braces sits on top of the bracket. Its needed to clear to diagonal brace. The steel stands have a pair of C channels that span the legs. Using super glue, glue the spout support and the spout to form the required shape. Then take the wire insulation and cut two pieces approx. 1.5 mm long. They are glued on top of the spout centered at each end of the tube. These will create the casing to hold the shut-off value of the spout. Effectively they should be about 10 to 12 mm apart depending on what model is being built. Once this is completed paint. When painting keep the holes in the wire insulation clear. Use a fine piece of wire or similar to clear the paint, it will be easier to clean now while the paint is wet.

Use the assembled spout to determine the positioning of the spout support braces. Place the spout under the deck to determine the position of the spout support braces. Once you have determined the position of the lowest of the two braces making sure its nice and square - glue the narrowest brace into position.  Three mm higher on the tower glue the larger of the two braces. Painting of the stand and tank should take place. Once dry for the timber stand model glue the tank into position on top of the tower. Position them so they are centred and symmetrical. Paint the steel tank assembly. Obviously paint the timber base and its tank separately.


Fittings

Identify the pulley bracket and base. These are small pieces. The bracket is a U shaped triangle that accommodates the pulley wheel in between the two arms. The base is a thin piece approx 15 mm long and the bracket sits on top. on all the six and ten thousand models the base has a pair of small lumps on the bottom of the base to enable the base to sit over the panels of the tank lid. Make sure these lumps remain on the underside. Glue the bracket onto the base. Position it so its centred and symmetrical. Paint.

Paint the length of ladder and the length of 0.8 mm brass rod.

Locate the brass wheels. One of the two will be for the pulley on top of the tank the other is for the shut of valve on the spout. Glue or solder one of the wheels to the thin brass wire. I have glued all so far without issue using super glue. Paint. Paint the other brass wheel also. Paint the remainder of the thin wire.

Once dry position the pulley wheel into its bracket and glue. Position the shut of valve into the wire insulation on the spout. The shut of valve should fit through the first of the wire insulation and stop inside the second. The wheel should not procede further than the spout. Cut the wire to suit and glue. Glue the spout into position. It should sit approx 1mm from the bearer or C Channel and sit on the support brace. Manouvre until square and straight and glue.

The remainder of the thin wire is the level indicator. It needs to be the same length as the height of the tank body. Trim to fit.

Glue the pulley assembly into position. It should be at the front right corner. Just to the right of the spout. Have a tiny piece of the base overhand the edge of the tank. Under this tiny pieced of base glue the remainder piece of wire, fashioned for the level indicator and glue at the other end to secure into position.

Take the 0.8 mm painted brass rod and bend over an end of approx.10 mm. to 90 degrees. Drill a hole 0.8mm or a touch larger into the tank to accommodate the brass rod. This hole should be on the left side just one or two mm from the lid. Position the bent end of the brass rod into the hole and glue. Glue also where the brass rod touches the deck just for more support. Trim the other end to fit.

Take the ladder and bend over a small part of the end 4 - 5 mm. locate a position where you wish to attach it to the tank. I prefer next to the ladder just to the front of it. Drill a hole approx. 0.5 mm  about one to two mm from the tank lid. Using the first hole as a guide to locate where the second hole should be drilled and drill. Set the ladder into position and glue. The ladder a 15 to 20 degree angle from the tank. Manouvre until your satisfied with its position and trim ti fit.


I think its finished.