Etched mesh

[John Palmer]

Burnham gates during demolition (Fowler film still).jpg

This screen grab at 10:37 in Philip Fowler's 'Somerset & Dorset Branch Memories' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhrS_jR3U3o) is useful in capturing the gates that spanned the Burnham excursion loop adjacent to the trainshed, and revealing that, whilst the gate on the southern side was fitted with the more common diamond-pattern mesh, the northern gate featured a rather stouter rectangular mesh, one that was also applied (in different orientation) to the gates across the line through the trainshed itself.

To represent these gates, I embarked on a hunt for a suitable representation of this rectangular mesh, estimating as best I could from photographs that the mesh matrix is 3" X 4.5" - 1mm X 1.5mm in 4mm scale. Nothing has come to light that fits the bill on UK websites, so next port of call were Japanese websites that market photo-etched sheets for such things as model ship and car construction. Although I succeeded in locating an apparently suitable product in the £5 to £7 price range, shipping costs took the overall expense up to £22+, which was unpalateable, so after further casting around I came across site in a .co.uk domain which turned out to be based in Poland. Super-Hobby.co.uk offer a range of such etches, amongst whom only the Eduard name rang an immediate bell, but eventually I lighted upon the Aber range which included a modestly sized shet of etched mesh having exactly the dimensions required. Order duly placed for a sheet costing £6.87, shipping a bearable £3.49 - total expense £10.36.

Notwithstanding my initial misgivings about a Polish business trading on a .uk domain, Super-Hobby were commendably quick in confirming order placement and despatch and registered letter tracking soon confirmed the package's arrival in Warsaw Post Office on 12th August. Tracking data continued obstinately to place it there until 30 August, when arrival at Royal Mail's Bristol depot was at last announced. No further tracking updates preceded delivery today, and I'm bound to say that the wait has been worth it, as the quality of the etch received appears to be entirely satisfactory for my purposes, as I hope can be seen from the image attached with a penny alongside to illustrate scale:

Aber 2 X 1 mesh etch.jpg

Aber offer a variety of etched mesh patterns, and these may be worth consideration for other fencing applications, as well as crossing gates. https://www.super-hobby.co.uk/szukaj.php?search_producer=495650&search_keywords=etched+mesh&start=1 will give you the range of meshes available, and you can filter further to show particular manufacturer's offerings as required. My only connection with Super-Hobby is as a satisfied customer, and ultimately my only cause for concern proved to be the protracted delay in delivery - which, of course, lay at the door of the Polish postal service (or possibly Polish Customs) and was not the fault of the supplier.

[garethevans1986]

Ive been looking for something similar recently.

Ive just placed an order so will let everybody know how it goes.

Thanks
Gareth

[Daddyman]

Though they don't do the uneven/oblong mesh that John needed, Scalelink Fretcetera are a good source of fine mesh:
https://www.scalelinkfretcetera.co.uk/p ... any-scale/

[Hardwicke]

Next time I'm in Warsaw seeing my friends...

[David B]

There is a good selection of mesh available from Cornwall Model Boats.