Not about the model this time - but after an abscence of several months, I thought an explanation was due!
Health issues had taken their toll in early spring & summer but are (hopefully behind me now). One highlight was the help given by my accountant (who's the daughter of a modeller!) as a result of which a very nice cheque arrived from the taxman. I was contemplating a 3D printer but HMC's generosity did not run that far. Therefore I decided to refurbish the workshop (or 'studio'
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of attending 'Expo2mm' at Wallingford. Held in the local sports ground apart from the modelling there was the advantage of 'Doom Bar' at the bar and the 'Lions' first Test against the Aussies!
Several of the layouts on show will be familiar to many RMWeb readers - but it was nice to see them in 'real life' so in alphabetical order -
'Calne' (or 'Smokey Bacon' in the 'layouts thread). Nice to see that Steve has reached a point where scenic-ing has
Having just returned from three weeks in 'Oz', time to share some memories! We spent some time in Melbourne - justly renowned for its extensive (and cheap!) tram system!
The 'City Circle' route is actually FREE - jump-on/jump off as many times as you like - a great way to explore the older area of the city cenre. These trams date from the 1930's (I think) and a variant provides the 'tram diner' service which runs during the evening. A tip - if you are travelling to Melbourne & fa
Well , not exactly... Springs in limestone formations are not uncommon - they tend to form where limestone (permeable) overlie clays (impermeable). As water percolates down through the limestone, it hits the clay then follows the clay to where it can continue its downward journey. Okay Geology 101 finishes..
I needed an excuse to bring water to 'the works' to a) fill the stationary engine (via a water-softener) and B) to provide coolant for the stone saws. So the appearance of a 'spring-line
A 'Might Have Been' perhaps? After all, the jury is still out on the events of June 1922 - particularly after the finding of Mallory's body a few years ago at a point lower on Everest than their last sighting at the 2nd step..... It is also a sad fact that very experienced climbers are killed on the shortest of climbs!
Anyway, enjoy (or argue)!
Regs
Ian
I had some good news yesterday - an e-mail from John Lloyd (proprietor of the 'Flock-it' machine etc) who stated that the caution about pacemakers was a U.S. requirement (its marketed as 'Grassmaster' in the US) but he has several customers who have pacemakers fitted. I've copied the email to the wife just in case!
So, time to add some greenery to the disused quarry. Whilst I'd never used a machine in the past (I have used the balloon/jumper technique tho!) there are plenty of 'how-to' vid
In fact, time to add some colour... The quarries in this area are mainly of 'oolitic limestone'. Now limestone is usually white/grey and the basic quarry would be good to go... However, this limestone varies in shade between a honey colour and darker shades of sepia etc. So, time to add some paint.
Being a cheapskate I look to do this as cost-effectively as possible, and the 'test pots' sold by the commercial ranges like 'Dulux' fit the bill nicely. They are 'vinyl-based' so will readi
Over the last couple of weeks the quarry has slowly taken shape ,interspersed with a few other projects that have been 'on the go'! The time-sheet hasn't worked out too well - mainly owing to a bad attack of 'man flu'!
The basic building blocks are rough-cut chunks of building insulation in various thicknesses
which are then covered with layers of bandage soaked in 'EasiFill' - a decorators plaster available form the usual outlets. At £18 for 5 kilos it certainly works out cheaper t
Ah yes - the ill-fated 2012 Competition..
I'd always intended that 'Ambridge' serve a stone wharf - all that 'Borsetshire Broadstone' waiting to be extracted by the 'BBC' and earn the GWR mileage rates! So it became a 'stand alone' subject for the afore-said competition. When the comp closed in October last year, this was the 'state of play
(for those that missed this minor opus, the story is here...) http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/53606-scanmans-stone-wharf/
Just a clue - SWMBO is let off the leash!
Yes, we spent the day at the Warner Brothers Studio's 'Harry Potter Experience'. 'Whats that got to do with modelling?' you may ask. Well -
This was one of the first 'concept models' on disply - 'the great hall'
and it's roof - rarely seen in the films but you could almost mistake it for the roof of the 'Great Hall' at Westminster. Hardly surprising as that's what it is modelled on.
Village modelling or what!
A
Just when you thought I'd completed the trackwork, I thought - how about a
narrow-gauge industrial feeder? Got to have somewhere to put the wired loco that might form part of the comp? It's (nominally) at 2' gauge with 'Peco' code 60 soldered to PCB strip. The 'tramway' effect is formed by laying more 'Code 60' on its side butted against the running rail. However, expectations must not be raised too high - it will be non-working!
No - just buried, not covered in snow! The
Who said retirement is an easy life??? Somehow I seem to spend less time on my own modelling now than I did when I was at work!
Efforts have concentrated on finishing the tracklaying in the stonewharf, ballasting & weathering it so that the wharf itself could be installed.
The ballasting needs to give the impression of a run-down siding just about 'fit for purpose' & bearing in mind this is a stonewharf should also have evidence of the industrial activity going on.
The
As I've explained elsewhere, I have concerns about the long-term stability of solvent-based chairing, particularly on point-work. As 'Ambridge' is designed for the 'long term', it's got to be right - if something goes wrong in 10 years time I might not have the eyesight/manual dexterity to fix it! However, I do like the 'look' of C&L chairs (as ably demonstrated by Mikkel & others, so I'm going the route of 'standard' 'EM' construction (ply sleepers with the rail (code 75) soldered to
Arrived at my station today to travel to London for my last ever late turn...
Station announcement 'Southwest Trains regret the late running of trains today due to engineering works at New Malden'.
Me..Turn to the one platform staff on duty - 'What engineering works?'
PS..'The notices have been up all week'.
Me.. 'Where?'
PS.. 'In the booking hall'.
Me.. 'And the booking hall is?'
PS.. 'Over there'.
Me.. 'No - the booking hall is ---- SHUT for refurbishment!'
Laying the foundation for the '2012 comp'!
As previously mentioned, the stone wharf will provide the scenic block to the fiddleyard & will be based on an amalgam of the wharves at Box and Corsham stations. The actual buildings, cranes etc will be the basis of the comp - but they need something to sit on, so the last ten days - apart from working - have been spent building track for the wharf siding & its run-round' loop -
By the end of this evening I was somewhat tired of c
The fiddle yard board is now complete & stood on its own four feet....
The scenic block - a stone wharf - is to the left, with the entry to the low-level 'stock management area' (!) on the right. 'Templot' templates for the stonewharf siding (basically a 'run round' loop (were) in place - one of them (the entry switch) is now on the construction board, and I've spent this evening 'rivetting up' ply sleeper strip.
I've also purchased 6 'cobalt' p/m's and was very interested to s
The scene modelled for the 2010 Competition that is... We have to have our old house including (obviously) the workshop, and as previously mentioned this scene will not fit in the new room. So having saved the dairy itself, the rest of the scene now awaits a trip to the recycling centre :-(
Ah well, scope for improvement anyway! There wont be any more blog updates on all three this week - too busy moving!
Regs
Ian
A warning! Despite the 'avatar', THIS layout is definitey 'EM'!
Having decided to split 'Ambridge' and 'Upton Dene' into two separate layouts in two different scales, it's probably less confusing to creat a new blog for Ambridge, so here goes! (Upton Dene will continue in a distant future!)
I always like to creat card mock-ups (see the 2010 comp entries) and 'Ambridge' with it's Cotswold setting, cries out for this approach if only to investigate landforms etc, so this week - intersper
