Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
The model of Ribblehead Viaduct for my new layout Blea Moor will be entirely 3D printed. It is designed using OpenSCAD, and printed on my FlashForge CreatorPro in ABS with standard (0.2mm) resolution.
Building such a large model pushes OpenScad quite hard - its rendering is notoriously slow when dealing with a large number of polygons, especially brickwork or stone blocks.
The model is built from three distinct pieces: 2x abutments, 3x king piers and 4x 6-arch viaduct sections.
The model attempts to reproduce most of Ribblehead's distinctive features, including the two rows of 5 protruding blocks, thicker base and drain pipes on each pier. The dimensions, including curvature and width, are as accurate as I can manage. The overall length is approximately 36", turning by 4" (14 degrees) over its length. The piers and abutments are printed right-way-up, but the 6-arch sections are printed upside-down to minimise the need for supports and ensure very clean and crisp arches. Since the trackbed is then underneath, that area tends to be a bit dirtier.
To minimise the annoyance of OpenSCAD's slow rendering, the arches and their normal piers are generated separately and combined into a single printed component in the Slicer. A block of 6 just barely fits into the build volume.
Building such a large model pushes OpenScad quite hard - its rendering is notoriously slow when dealing with a large number of polygons, especially brickwork or stone blocks.
The model is built from three distinct pieces: 2x abutments, 3x king piers and 4x 6-arch viaduct sections.
The model attempts to reproduce most of Ribblehead's distinctive features, including the two rows of 5 protruding blocks, thicker base and drain pipes on each pier. The dimensions, including curvature and width, are as accurate as I can manage. The overall length is approximately 36", turning by 4" (14 degrees) over its length. The piers and abutments are printed right-way-up, but the 6-arch sections are printed upside-down to minimise the need for supports and ensure very clean and crisp arches. Since the trackbed is then underneath, that area tends to be a bit dirtier.
To minimise the annoyance of OpenSCAD's slow rendering, the arches and their normal piers are generated separately and combined into a single printed component in the Slicer. A block of 6 just barely fits into the build volume.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
Impressive project. Looking forward for progress in the project. I had a possibility to see this Viaduct 25 years ago when I was a student on Tempus Programme at University of Bradford.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
The last of the CAD images and my collection of small test builds, improving steadily from crude to almost-there...
The three final (!) test pieces are being printed at the moment.
The three final (!) test pieces are being printed at the moment.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
... and the full set of final test pieces. Probably time to switch to that reel of white filament. 

Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
you know you want to do it in yellow really
Looking good so far.

Looking good so far.
Mike
DON'T knock it at least I am trying to do something, with only one good hand.
DON'T knock it at least I am trying to do something, with only one good hand.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
And here is the full thing. Assembly and painting will be deferred until the layout is ready for it.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
Too many projects, books, TV shows, etc., and not enough time....
I finally got around to assembling and painting my model of Ribblehead viaduct. The model was assembled using superglue, then painted with acrylics (using sample pots from the local hardware store). This involved:
- a spray undercoat of dark grey primer
- painting some of the arch undersides in brown
- a dilute wash of white to fill the mortar courses and lighten the general shade
- drybrushing with light grey and light brown
- painting in the drains and reinforcing bolts
- adding the dark water stains on some of the piers.
I finally got around to assembling and painting my model of Ribblehead viaduct. The model was assembled using superglue, then painted with acrylics (using sample pots from the local hardware store). This involved:
- a spray undercoat of dark grey primer
- painting some of the arch undersides in brown
- a dilute wash of white to fill the mortar courses and lighten the general shade
- drybrushing with light grey and light brown
- painting in the drains and reinforcing bolts
- adding the dark water stains on some of the piers.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
This looks really great. I admire both design job as well as painting - very realistic.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
I hope the rest of the layout is coming on well as I know thoses points are an issue?
Well done on the paint job .
I have placed mine on the back burner till I have fully commited in building the layout.
Graham
Well done on the paint job .

I have placed mine on the back burner till I have fully commited in building the layout.
Graham
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
The painting was the easy bit - dark grey undercoat, a thin white wash for the mortar, and lightly drybrush a few shades of grey and brown. I'll be omitting working points completely at first, and just using dummy 3d-printed ones.
There is stuff still happening in the background, but I'm doing a few non-T projects at the moment (N-gauge GWR Cordon, OO-gauge RC/battery, and some non-model SW). Back on to T again soon.
There is stuff still happening in the background, but I'm doing a few non-T projects at the moment (N-gauge GWR Cordon, OO-gauge RC/battery, and some non-model SW). Back on to T again soon.
Re: Ribblehead Viaduct for Blea Moor
This is impressive. Good job.