Another Winter another Fairground Model to be built.   The time has come to create another scratch built model.  This time i purchased this half built Ark and set about finishing it and improving it 

The plans as usual are a set of Model Fair Design plans (MFD) available from Doug Roseaman.  Click link below:
http://www.dougroseamanengineering.co.uk/
It is also woth checking out KR designs as well Click link Below:
http://www.krdesignpages.co.uk/index.htm

The model was purchased as below with the Sleepers, Gates and trams complete.  The centre drive was there but lacked a motor. 

Base of Ride construction

The centre drive which makes use of a Meccano worm drive needed a motor to drive the ride. 

Close up of Meccano worm drive - motor still to be fitted

I tried a number of motors and gearing until I ended up with this configuration.  Whilst I had an airpax motor it did not have the speed on the worm drive to make the Ark go fast enough.

Centre Drive with motor on worm drive.

The worm drive is not great,  speed is slow with the motor flat out, and there is a large dependnace on the belt drive so it has to go!

   
Modernised Centre Drive with Airpax motor driving a KR Designs Nylon Bevel Gear.  The Large bevel gear is sitting on a needle thrust bearing which sits on top of the MFD Centre Bush, and is bolted to the MFD Rotating Bush with the Cheese attached.

The platforms follow the standard MFD design of a wheel bar  (girder) fixed to one side of the platform.  The platform is pinned using split pins and lengths of Piano wire.

The finished platforms begin to be added to the ride (using A&R colours)

The rest of the platforms are added and notice that most have the outside bars on already.  The next stage is to run the ride to ensure it runs smoothly, no jumping of platforms or snagging/snatching.

All the platforms are now on and the ride is tested to ensure smooth running 

Close up of the centre CHEESE and you can make out the platform pins as well

Underside shot of centre drive with platforms on girder wheels riding on the trams

Next job is to make a paybox.  I wanted a oval style paybox with oval rounded windows.  I made a frame up using the threaded bolts and nuts to keep the height correct.

The paybox frame after gluing

Bikes and Animals and chariots were next .

The animal production line

 The animal production line nearly there!

Now we fit the animals, bikes and chariots and the paybox onto the ride.

The animals, bikes and chariots go on - looks like a few riders have sneaked on!

Since we last saw the paybox it has had the sides fitted and running lights (LED's) fitted around the windows.  These LED's were fitted and wired before the panels were stuck into place.  I decided to have the lights running singly on here eg bulb to bulb  which increases the work and the amount of cable but it will look more like the real thing.  The decoration and final coat of paint has still to be applied

The paybox is also fitted

The uprights are fitted along with the shutters.  The step shutters will be "feathered" and the others will have a pattern on them.

Shutters in and primed, uprights also in and primed

The shutters now have the pattern applied - This is artwork mocked up on my computer and then the image files have been sent to a mate who has had them reproduced onto a vinyl covering.  This makes them very tough and durable and wont scratch like the water slide stuff i have used before.  Also the colours are very vivid. 
The start of the light strip construction has begun

Shutters with decoration on and the light strips are fixed in place.  Note the extra length front upright as the rounding boards will be bigger at the front.

The gratings (walkways) have now gone in and the rounding board construction has begun.  The rounding boards will be fixed permanently. 

Gratings on and rounding boards being fitted

The front rounding boards are now fitted.  These are pre drilled to take lights at the top..

Front rounding boards in place.

Whilst all the rounding boards have been permanently fixed the top does come off in 4 parts see picture below where the roundings begin to get painted..

The four rounding sections being painted uprights will be red with feathered black and white pattern

The roundings then have the pattern applied to them.  in the picture below you can see pattern is on, lights fitted, gratings painted, Uprights painted, Steps fitted (these are removable) and handrails also fitted

Its starting to look nearly finished.

A job that seems to take forever is the light strips, last time we saw them they were just plain strips of wood.  These are now drilled to take 18 LED's per strip.  they are then wired up and then have the sides (to create the trough) fitted.

Lighting strips now finished and wired.  Paybox is decorated and lights being tested.

All lit up and ready

The ride all lit up for the first time.  It has a 8 channel light sequence on the ride fitted inside the paybox to make the lights run

Now the cannopy has been added and it is full of lighgts

 It  and some transport to accompany it:

Watch the ride running on UTUBE Click this LINK.