As mentioned in my introduction this diorama is still in progress. I came late to this fine forum and have many photographs to post (in piecemeal) until they catch up to where I am at.
The Ballina Naval & maritime Museum acquired an antiquated console for the nearby Wardell Lift-Span Bridge (NSW, Australia). The goal is to have the console operate a model bridge. Though I am an old hand in antiquated electronics (transistors and not yet with PICs), they asked me to kick start the project. Nobody wanted to build the model bridge, so that too came upon my lap to deal with. Model making is all new to me, but soon became a new hobby for me.
Wardell Bridge.
The acquired console.
Control Panel Layout
Proposed display layouts
The boat traverses back and forth along a slot in the table.
Both lift-span and the boat run on their own pulley-cable system.
For those unfamiliar with a lift-span bridge operations.
Peter, that is a fantastic project ! I have family in Alstonville and visit the museum whenever I am in Ballina. I have been following your progress on www.shipmodels I look forward to seeing this in action.
I think you are headed in the right direction here . Now a suggestion . Why don’t you use some model rail ideas for moving the boat and bridge to simplify everything in case of a breakdown . You could use a pin for the front and rear of the boat on a Engine below on a short straight track . Simple chain hoist for the bridge hidden by the bridge structure .
You could use a continous chain or belt ( Small , inside one of the towers and Use it to raise it and just gravity assist to lower it . Balance would be critical though .
Just to let you know, I am already 2/3 in completion of the project. I came to this forum late. So I am posting what has already been done, on a daily basis, until I catch up to where I am at.
In this regard, the method of mobilizing the bridge and boat has already been decided on, though it has not yet been totally assembled and tested. I hope it will work.
The bridge model system does not require counterweights. The ones shown in diagram will be false (balsa) and I am relying on gravity (and weight of span) for lowering the span as you mentioned.
The boat will have a vane attached, and hopefully it will float across the table (about 2 mm) above the water, for it will be running on rails under the table. The boat will not be fixed to the vane, but resting on it via keyways.
The museum workshop is too small to include this display table, so I am building it at home. Since I have no garage, the lounge-dining room will have to do.
When the timber arrived, it got marked out, cut, and assembled. The line you see across the table os a 3 mm gap/slot for the boat vane.
Under the table will be a control box. After the diorama is built, both table and box will be assemble at the museum. Together they won’t fit through the door. The box has two doors for accessing the motors, pulley-cable system, and various electronics.
Ok, like Tanker-Builder, I might have tweaked it a bit. Like using a pair of rare earth magnets to both float and drive the boat. In 1/72 scale, I would have a full set of working lights (from the railroad section), too.
Now, I would include a small sound system, too. That’s because the boat, per local waterway regulations typically halts and signals the bridge with a horn. The bridge operator then sounds his horn when the bridge is fully raised, at which point the bot can proceed. At a distance downstream from the bridge, the bridgekeepr sounds the horn again (3 short in US inland waters IIRC) to caution the boat that the way back is about to be blocked.
Ok, that’s a bunch more work, but also incredibly prototypical for a museum setting.
The bridge will have both road and vessel traffic lights, so too will the boat. Currently working on a car, and a house, with lights too.
The bridge has an alarm bell while the orange traffic lights are flashing (before the red ones come on). The road traffic gates swing across the road to block traffic. The bridge fender piers, and span, will have red and green navigational lights. On the span there will be vessel traffic lights operate according for both up or downstream of the boat. The boat will have a diesel engine sound when travelling. A fog horn will sound before the boat starts its journey.
The boat does not turn around, but does come back (on next operation of the bridge). The boat will be symmetrical in appearance to avoid it from looking as if it is reversing. As a result, there will be a change over in the boats navigational and stern lights.
