 Victorian Water Tank
I don’t plan to have many structures on my layout but I think, as a minimum, a depot and a water tower are absolutely necessary.
Since my layout setting will be turn-of-the-century (the 19th Century, that is) I decided to give it a Victorian flair, with some ornamental – but useless – embellishments. Here’s
the result:
I used a PIKO model and I pretty much stuck with the parts that came out of the box, but, true to my nature, I did make a few alterations. For example, I switched the
tank bands with some straps made from .030 x .250 inch strip styrene and some castings from Hartford Products, specifically their
"HP-80 D&RGW Water Tank Strap and Band Hardware", and a finial on top made from a finish nail and some plastic 1/2" (1:24) #3944 "Porch Brackets" from
Grandt Line Products, roof eave adornment also from strip styrene, a valve
lever from brass bar stock, and a few other things
I added "crossbuck" bracing to the front of each set of legs (which was curiously missing from the stock kit) and some Ozark NBW castings to all joints. I also substituted
a 1:20.3 scale cast resin "Four-Panel Door with Frame" (#765) from Schomberg Scale Models on the frost box. And
I added timber pedestals to the outside legs in an effort to make the tower looker taller.
The water level gauge was enhanced with some more strip styrene (God, I love that stuff!) and some blackened scale chain.
Here's a look from the back.
Water input from the yet-to-be-constructed, windmill-powered pump house will go in here at the back.
Some of the roof detail.
A closer look at the roof.
At the last minute, I added these platforms for the spout counterweights to sit on. Three reasons: (1) keeps the weights from swinging around and banging into things, (2)
relieves the strain on the overhead pulleys, and (3) allows the spout to hang out at a graceful angle, rather than sticking straight up. I've never seen anything like this
in prototype photos, but, if I'd been the engineer building this tower, it's what I would have done - it just makes sense.
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