Wenlock's Blog

Love that serif font. I think the blue is about right, and I guess the real things did fade a little bit. (The blue is unusual though, most nameboards using that font had a conventional black ground.)

 

But...

 

if you've got that font on your platform, you'll need it on your signal box as well...

 

(The Bodmin crew used the serif font 30 years ago for its 4mm model - I've still got one of the signalbox name

etches somewhere - all hand-drawn in those days of course, no fancy computers and fonts.)

Dave - the blue looks about right to me but don't forget that I've only seen such signs well into their mature years so some fading is a possibility (although unlikely with quality stove enamelling I would think).  Not sure about the same font for the signalbox as it would have a Reading S&T works cast nameboard or the individual letters in the style of Frome Mineral Junction (have a look at it at Didcot when you're there).

The only blue enamelled one I can remember when much younger was at Cressage. The blue was a bit darker, and the letters, which were formed as a whole with the rest of the sign, were block capitals. The seriffed letters which you've done were raised cutouts, presumably fitted individually to the board, same as the block capital type. I would think that these were always black and white. I don't see why either type shouldnt be printed flat rather than being raised, the difference is negligible, except to the most picky. I've done a block capital one like this and I'm quite happy with it. There was a smaller version of the serif type which appears on old photos of signal boxes, which appear to be screwed to the front of the structure without being on a board, and having the darker of the two stones.

Your gate looks really good, demonstrates what you can do with care and some jigs.

Love that serif font. I think the blue is about right, and I guess the real things did fade a little bit. (The blue is unusual though, most nameboards using that font had a conventional black ground.) But... if you've got that font on your platform, you'll need it on your signal box as well... (The Bodmin crew used the serif font 30 years ago for its 4mm model - I've still got one of the signalbox nameetches somewhere - all hand-drawn in those days of course, no fancy computers and fonts.)

Hi Miss P, glad you like the font, we'll have to wait and see if Simon approves!:-) Very glad I didn't have to hand draw it, it was a pretty steep learning curve on the PC!I'll check out the signal box font at Didcot, it should be a fine day out, the railmotor is supposed to be in steam:-)

 

Dave - the blue looks about right to me but don't forget that I've only seen such signs well into their mature years so some fading is a possibility (although unlikely with quality stove enamelling I would think).  Not sure about the same font for the signalbox as it would have a Reading S&T works cast nameboard or the individual letters in the style of Frome Mineral Junction (have a look at it at Didcot when you're there).

Hi Mike, glad you like the mark 2 version of the sign and think the blue looks about right. If we assume the line to Sherton Abbas was built in the mid 1870s then the sign in the time modelled would be around 30 years old, so maybe a bit of fading is in order:-) I'll definitely be checking out the the signal box font at Didcot, I bought some rather nice S and T etched brass plates for the box at the Bristol show.

 

The only blue enamelled one I can remember when much younger was at Cressage. The blue was a bit darker, and the letters, which were formed as a whole with the rest of the sign, were block capitals. The seriffed letters which you've done were raised cutouts, presumably fitted individually to the board, same as the block capital type. I would think that these were always black and white. I don't see why either type shouldnt be printed flat rather than being raised, the difference is negligible, except to the most picky. I've done a block capital one like this and I'm quite happy with it. There was a smaller version of the serif type which appears on old photos of signal boxes, which appear to be screwed to the front of the structure without being on a board, and having the darker of the two stones.Your gate looks really good, demonstrates what you can do with care and some jigs.

Thanks Northroader all interesting food for thought, I think I've got an interesting day ahead at Didcot:-)Glad you like the gate, hopefully someone will shed light on what colour it should be:-)Best wishes to allDave

I'll add my support for the blue as well - at least one of the serif'd running in boards at Didcot showed traces of blue paint where subsequent layers had chipped off. I'd describe it as French Blue, but it had undoubtedly faded. This style of board was entirely cast - they're rather substantial things & prone to breaking (we have one for Aldermaston that's in two bits & they're b*ggers to weld) the letters are not only raised on the front but recessed at the back, almost as though they were embossed.


 
 
The only enamelled blue boards I've seen concur with Northroader's description.
Link to photo:— http://www.redbubble.com/people/sassygirl/works/2153164-gwr-station-signs-didcot-railway-centre

As to a typeface for the latter, the Franklin Gothic family is in the ball park, especially the heavier versions. I suspect that with a bit of skulduggery in Inkscape they could be tweaked about to get a closer match.

 

The bike shed has been de-cluttered, so you should be able to get some decent shots of the running-in boards displayed there.

FWIW all the running-in boards at Didcot are either originals or, for the timber-framed ones, made with cast iron letters recovered over the years from various sites.

 

Pete S.

K14s post says it all, really. Check the posts, too. The Ian Allen "GWR country stations part 1" shows a picture of your namesake station with an early hand painted board, looking as if it's on the LBSC or the SER. While you're at Didcot remember to pick up any small lumps of that rare commodity, coal, which happen to be lying round the yard, for breaking up for wagon loads.

Lovely gates, Dave. I'm particularly impressed with the pillars, you make it sound easier than such things normally are. 

 

I also had the impression that they would be white. The stationcolours website thinks so too: http://www.stationcolours.info/index.php?p=1_5_GWR

 

The new sign makes a big contribution to the period feel, I think. And what an interesting discussion!

I'll add my support for the blue as well - at least one of the serif'd running in boards at Didcot showed traces of blue paint where subsequent layers had chipped off. I'd describe it as French Blue, but it had undoubtedly faded. This style of board was entirely cast - they're rather substantial things & prone to breaking (we have one for Aldermaston that's in two bits & they're b*ggers to weld) the letters are not only raised on the front but recessed at the back, almost as though they were embossed.

 

 

 

The only enamelled blue boards I've seen concur with Northroader's description.

Link to photo:— http://www.redbubble.com/people/sassygirl/works/2153164-gwr-station-signs-didcot-railway-centre

As to a typeface for the latter, the Franklin Gothic family is in the ball park, especially the heavier versions. I suspect that with a bit of skulduggery in Inkscape they could be tweaked about to get a closer match.

 

The bike shed has been de-cluttered, so you should be able to get some decent shots of the running-in boards displayed there.

 

FWIW all the running-in boards at Didcot are either originals or, for the timber-framed ones, made with cast iron letters recovered over the years from various sites.

 

Pete S.

Thanks Pete, particularly for the great pictures and the link to the blue enamelled sign!  I'm really looking forward to visiting Didcot, my camera will definitely be working overtime!

 

 

K14s post says it all, really. Check the posts, too. The Ian Allen "GWR country stations part 1" shows a picture of your namesake station with an early hand painted board, looking as if it's on the LBSC or the SER. While you're at Didcot remember to pick up any small lumps of that rare commodity, coal, which happen to be lying round the yard, for breaking up for wagon loads.

A piece of genuine GWR coal would be a lovely find, I'll keep my eyes out!:-)

 

 

Lovely gates, Dave. I'm particularly impressed with the pillars, you make it sound easier than such things normally are. 

 

I also had the impression that they would be white. The stationcolours website thinks so too: http://www.stationcolours.info/index.php?p=1_5_GWR

 

The new sign makes a big contribution to the period feel, I think. And what an interesting discussion!

Thanks Mikkel, I find whittling plasticard quite therapeutic:-)  Thanks for the link to the station colours site, white gates are on the cards then!

 

As you say, an interesting discussion!  There's a remarkable amount of knowledge lurking in the heads of RMweb members!:-)

 

Thanks to all 

 

Dave

A piece of genuine GWR coal would be a lovely find, I'll keep my eyes out!:-)

The Ash Road under the coaling stage - when coaling from tubs some invariably misses & gets smashed as it hits the concrete. No good for locos as it'll get sucked straight off the shovel & up the chimney.

 

What time are you planning on getting there on Weds?

Dave,

 

The gates look really good.  Do you intend having the one for the private siding working?  I think you should.

 

The new name board looks really smart too - it certainly has a certain "zing", adding a real splash of colour.  I think the colouring looks just right, the discussion above of a "French Blue" on the Thame (and a Wheatley sign I've seen somewhere) is I imagine a primer/undercoat as it can be seen under the letters, the backboard and the raised border of the sign too.  Also, both signs (and the Bledlow one too) appear to be in a BR Western Region livery rather than a black and white livery of the GWR period.

 

Ian

 

What time are you planning on getting there on Weds?

 

The train from Cardiff gets into Didcot at 11.15, so I should be happily wandering around by 11.30 ish :-)

 

 

Dave,

 

The gates look really good.  Do you intend having the one for the private siding working?  I think you should.

 

The new name board looks really smart too - it certainly has a certain "zing", adding a real splash of colour.  I think the colouring looks just right, the discussion above of a "French Blue" on the Thame (and a Wheatley sign I've seen somewhere) is I imagine a primer/undercoat as it can be seen under the letters, the backboard and the raised border of the sign too.  Also, both signs (and the Bledlow one too) appear to be in a BR Western Region livery rather than a black and white livery of the GWR period.

 

Ian

 

Thanks Ian, glad you like the new version of the sign, it does as you say add a splash of colour:-)

 

The private siding gate has had its hinges added and swings quite nicely on its post, just needs painting before fixing in place. I had planned on opening and closing it with a prod from a finger, but I suppose I could use a servo or something to power it.

 

I'll have a ponder on the issue and make plans:-)

 

Best wishes

 

Dave

The train from Cardiff gets into Didcot at 11.15, so I should be happily wandering around by 11.30 ish :-)

 

Alas I have an unavoidable appointment in Saaf London at 14:30, so will probably be away by/around then. Any other day & I'd have been happy to do a pre-emptive RMWeb tour.

 

Pete.

Alas I have an unavoidable appointment in Saaf London at 14:30, so will probably be away by/around then. Any other day & I'd have been happy to do a pre-emptive RMWeb tour.

 

Pete.

 

That's a shame, would have been great to meet up!:-) Send my regards to Saff London, I lived in Tooting for a while in my student days:-)

Nice work on the gates. I made a pair similar to them using some larch we were given didn't paint them used Linseed Oil.  Now I have a field gate like the one at the bottom to erect. Mind you these are 12in:1ft The 6in square posts will take some digging out. I would be tempted to cut model gates out in card and then give them a coat of shellac.

 

Don

Nice work on the gates. I made a pair similar to them using some larch we were given didn't paint them used Linseed Oil.  Now I have a field gate like the one at the bottom to erect. Mind you these are 12in:1ft The 6in square posts will take some digging out. I would be tempted to cut model gates out in card and then give them a coat of shellac.

 

Don

Thanks Don, glad you like the gates:-)  7mm scale posts are definitely much easier to plant than full size ones, you're going to need an awful lot of Araldite! :-)

 

Dave