Booking Hall Posted March 31, 2017 Author Share Posted March 31, 2017 The last few days have been spent adding more magnetic strip to the back of the row of terraced houses, in preference to having them fold over at the gutter line in order to close the lid. I didn't have any more surplus magnetic strip so I had to buy some (shame!), but this magnetic photo paper is two A4 sheets for £1 at our local poundshop. I've also been making the yard wall and scribing a few thousand cobbles into foam pizza base. Just need to make sure I don't make a mess of the painting now. Also, I've added a number plate to the bridge, but I think I've put it on upside down!! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 1, 2017 Author Share Posted April 1, 2017 After a couple of trial runs, I committed to painting the cobbles using several shades of acrylic paint, with some isopropyl alcohol to ensure the paint flowed over the shiny surface of the foam. I think that the roadway section needs a wash of dilute grey/black to tone it down a little, and highlight the joints, but overall I'm fairly happy. I'm also happy that Brierley Canal Road has received its first exhibition invitation - not until November, but at least it should be finished by then! 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 2, 2017 Author Share Posted April 2, 2017 This weekend's progress resulted in toning down the cobbles, adding a light above the store door (in the brick arch), painting some of the track, designing some gates and making a start on the staircase. This is being adapted from a Dapol footbridge kit, picked up cheaply. Unfortunately, no-one makes yard gates suitable for the opening I have, and Ratio GWR gates are not tall enough. I designed some in AutoCAD and have sent the file to our club's resident 3D printer expert to see if he can make them for me. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rue_d_etropal Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 like the ghost writing, easy when you think about it. Maybe we should push for having a boxfile corner at exhibitions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 8, 2017 Author Share Posted April 8, 2017 like the ghost writing, easy when you think about it. Maybe we should push for having a boxfile corner at exhibitions. Thanks Simon, yes, I bet every exhibition could find space for one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 8, 2017 Author Share Posted April 8, 2017 Not much done on the layout this week, due to the need to check over and carry out a few repairs to my ironing board layout "Weydon-Priors" which is at an exhibition this weekend. What progress there has been has concentrated on the platform and steps. The platform pieces which have so far featured in pictures are Hornby and live in my scrap box. They just happened to be almost the right length and so I used them on a temporary basis. The final platform has been built from PECO edging and Wills York stone paving sheet. With it in place I could check the height from footbridge to platform and finish off kitbashing the Dapol footbridge kit for the steps. Although it's unlikely that the rear of the platform would have had an oversailing edging, especially backing onto a canal, I find that I need this recess to allow the built up bank of the canal somewhere to go when I fold up the front flap of the box. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted April 8, 2017 Share Posted April 8, 2017 Sorry hit 'funny' by mistake Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 9, 2017 Author Share Posted April 9, 2017 Sorry hit 'funny' by mistake Thanks Rob, it did have me puzzled for a moment . . . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 12, 2017 Author Share Posted April 12, 2017 A couple of inspiration photographs. One is of Pendleton station in Salford, with the closed Manchester, Bolton and Bury canal right at the back of it. The other is of Crown Street goods station in Liverpool. I particularly like the ramshackle nature of the coal storage arrangements and the patched up brickwork of the tunnel parapet. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 13, 2017 Author Share Posted April 13, 2017 I'm having second thoughts about the station building I built from a Scalescenes kit. It just doesn't look quite right in this context! I'm thinking that I maybe need a smaller, rectangular, timber building with a flat roof, sheltering under a canopy. This will give 'something to look through' in order to see the trains. So, I'm building an old Airfix station canopy kit that I've had in the loft for at least 30 years. I'm planning to make this look rather run down, as though some of the canopy glass got blown out during the war and was never replaced, and to paint it in faded LMS colours, as if BR never got round to spending any money on the place. The sort of effect I'm looking for is superbly modelled on the P4 layout of Halifax High Level station, King Cross. Looking at the Airfix kit though, I'm not sure the designer had ever had any structural engineering training! The truss bracing leaves a lot to be desired, so I've cut much of it away and replaced it with something a bit more prototypical. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 Progress has slowed considerably, but that's because I've made life hard for myself!! Not content with just building the Airfix canopy as designed, I thought it would look better cut in half and used side by side, as a ridge and furrow canopy, with four columns supporting the front and the girders resting on the yet-to-be-built replacement buildings at the rear. Added to that, I have also 'distressed' the woodwork, and added detail such as support rails and guttering. Couple that to a day wasted trying to use my new airbrush to paint it (note to self - next time DON'T use forty year old paint!!) and I'm still not in a position to finally assemble and weather it yet. meaning that I also can't start on the replacement buildings until I'm sure of the position and the size. Now 50% through a planned three month project. Ho hum. The canopy will have to be removable for the lid to close, so I've fitted the columns with pins to locate in holes in the platform. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 21, 2017 Author Share Posted April 21, 2017 I'm not having a good week. I thought the blue brickwork looked rather too 'blue'. Having just looked again at the Scalescenes scratchbuilder page, I see that I should have ordered the DARK blue brickwork! Grrrrrrrr. . . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry1975 Posted April 22, 2017 Share Posted April 22, 2017 Looking good. Jerry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 22, 2017 Author Share Posted April 22, 2017 Looking good. Jerry. Thanks for the encouragement, Jerry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 22, 2017 Author Share Posted April 22, 2017 In between gardening, a bit more progress today. The two canopy sections are now assembled, but still need a few panes of glass fitting, and weathering. I've also made a mock up of the timber-clad station buildings to test appearance and size. I think they're a bit too tall, but if I reduce them in height the roof girders wont rest on them unless I think of another way to do it. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted April 22, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 22, 2017 I'd suggest the lower edge of the valance is too high above the coach roof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 I'd suggest the lower edge of the valance is too high above the coach roof. Thanks for the observation Stubby, it made me have another look at it. Interestingly, the railbus roofline is considerably lower than conventional stock, but even so. I have cut down the support columns by nearly 2mm, and I will make the timber building (only one now, as it looked a bit crowded with two) 4.5mm lower, to give some clearance under the girders, and I'll make so support bosses to go on the building roof. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 26, 2017 Author Share Posted April 26, 2017 Having partly glazed the ridge and furrow roof (and joined the two sections together), I did battle with the airbrush again and this time, using some new acrylic paint and thinners, had a good 'weathering' session - the roof, bridge, factory wall, houses and yard wall all got a blast of 'grot'. I'm much happier now with the blue brick colour, hidden under years of 'grime' Next job, scratchbuild the platform building. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted April 28, 2017 Author Share Posted April 28, 2017 Some progress with the station building. Just needs painting now and poster boards and signs adding. The chimney is in two parts so the top half will be detachable with the canopy roof. It's a bit tall at the moment, and I'm not entirely happy with the corbelled top (or lack of corbelling, in fact!) so that will have to be attended to. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
theonlyadsrulz Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 The last few days have been spent adding more magnetic strip to the back of the row of terraced houses, in preference to having them fold over at the gutter line in order to close the lid. I didn't have any more surplus magnetic strip so I had to buy some (shame!), but this magnetic photo paper is two A4 sheets for £1 at our local poundshop. I've also been making the yard wall and scribing a few thousand cobbles into foam pizza base. Just need to make sure I don't make a mess of the painting now. Also, I've added a number plate to the bridge, but I think I've put it on upside down!! Where did you get the foam pizza base from? Was it simply just from a pizza or did you get it from elsewhere? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted May 2, 2017 Author Share Posted May 2, 2017 Where did you get the foam pizza base from? Was it simply just from a pizza or did you get it from elsewhere? Hi there, yes, just regular supermarket pizza. Ours came mainly from Morrisons, I assume other brands are similar. When you've a 15 year old in the house, raw materials are not a problem!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted May 2, 2017 Author Share Posted May 2, 2017 Columns now added to the canopy and holes drilled in the platform surface for the locating pins. I now think that I've placed the columns a bit too near the platform faces, but as I superglued them on for strength, AND drilled the platform, I'm going to live with it! Next job is to similarly add some locating pins to the platform steps, and paint the platform surface. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 Platform surface dirtied, it has more tones on it than come out in the photograph but I think I might highlight a few paving slabs to enhance the effect. Buffer stops fitted, some ballasting done (a mix of Javis black ash and real coal fire ash, secured with Pledge Multi Surface polish) and a start made on the ramshackle coal bin. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted May 8, 2017 Author Share Posted May 8, 2017 Some 'arty' shots of progress so far. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booking Hall Posted May 9, 2017 Author Share Posted May 9, 2017 I've been puzzling how to connect the station footbridge to the canal bridge. Having spent some time this morning thinking about it, I found the answer in this picture. The width of the front flap of the box isn't sufficient for me to model the whole canal width, including a towpath, but I can have half a bridge! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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