Croft Spa

[Les1952]

Layout fascia boards attached.

 

 

What a difference a couple of pieces (well, four pieces) of thin plywood make.  I've also vacuumed the layout ready to dismantle it on Monday after I've run a couple more trains tomorrow.  I might even get a video done, but I'm not holding my breath.  I'll certainly take some reference close-ups with the phone.  These might not get blogged but will be useful when I pick up where I left off in mid-September for 3 weeks or so.

 

The plain plywood section in the middle is the lift-off containing (eventually) the cricket pavilion, mad hatter etc.  This does show how small the village is compared t the rest of the layout.  It may be the most concentrated bit, but its size sets a challenge when it comes to making the other end more interesting.

 

 

Looking the other way from the road bridge does show the problem of using a real prototype- the East Coast Main Line is dead straight between the two bridges at Croft.  This also gives an idea of the small size of this wayside station compared to the layout as a whole.  the platform shelter isn't stuck down yet and I'd not spotted I'd knocked it out of line...

 

 

Four of the five Ten Commandments buildings glued down in situ, showing how much fun I had getting them painted even half-respectably.  The blocks need bedding in to their gardens yet. This also shows that I still need quite a substantial amount of garden fencing.  At least I've two shows (Loughborough and Weston Super Mare) to find some.  Hedging is too thick for small gardens.  I decided to use the high wooden fencing that came from Japan to surround the single prefab on the West side of the street.  The three pairs of semis still need fences at the front as well as dividing each pair.  The gardens rise quite steeply, a consequence of moving Belgrave Terrace to about half the distance from the railway that it should be.  I've yet to decide who will have vegies, who will have childrens' play things and who will have washing out.  Four weeks is plenty of time to think of that, and two shows and a browse or two of local model shops to find bits.

 

 

A view across the Southernmost quarter of the layout.  Still a lot of detailing to finish, and the scene has yet to be brought to life, but I've broken the back of this area now.  Again the fascia board makes a real difference.  I wasn't that confident the idea would work when I restarted work a couple of months ago, but I'm happier now.  I'm still not sure how long I'll keep the finished layout.  That depends on bookings- Hawthorn Dene has two more years at least and I'll need some space if I'm not going to get bored after next February when this one goes out for its first show.

 

In the meantime the exchanged German railcar has come back from Rails with working sound- something for me to play with in the shorter term and part of the stock build-up for Furtwangen II / Kein Platz.....

 

Les

Edited August 11, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

Video to follow- I've got it up onto YouTube.

 

A long view of the layout showing all of the village as far as I've got, then a look at the 8-car DMU running through Northbound - twice.

 

 

Les

Edited August 12, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

 

 

Video as promised. Long view of layout with 8-car DMU running round. Shows I need to do some work on the platform to get the raised bits to look as if they belong there rather than just cr-ubbish scenicing....

 

Les

Edited August 12, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

Croft Spa is now on end in the corner of the shed, spiders having been evicted from the underside.

 

Hathorn Dene has now been erected in its place, with a huge number of spiders disposed of - it seems that this year's weather has been just right for long legged small bodied spiders- I must have killed about 30 over the last two days.  You don't expect that size or arachnid invasion in a shed that is used regularly.

 

Shed floor also vacuumed thoroughly, getting rid of the sawdust from the fascia and lots of stray scatter (and a few lost screws etc).

 

Just a last batch of pics before the layout is re-erected sometime around September 11th.

 

 

A view along under the station footbridge.  Good of Hornby to make a brass model of exactly the right type of footbridge.  No-one can say it is wrong as it was demolished by the time the bridges were rebuilt in the late fifties. This also shows how close the station building is to the platform edge and how the signal box looks over the top of the road bridge.  Generally Northbound passenger trains passed through more quickly than Southbound, most of which were still accelerating away from the Darlington stop.  Exceptions would be the Flying Scotsman, the Talisman, the Elizabethan and, I think, the Pullman, which didn't stop at Darlington.  Freights could have been held at Darlington southbound or at the end of the four-track line Norythbound, so speeds would be more variable- anything up to a theoretical 60mph (or maybe more depending what was on the front and who was driving it).

 

 

A cruel enlargement of the prefab at the back of the layout, showing the high wooden board fencing, which has quite accidentally gained a weathered appearance in the places where the superglue used to fix it down has spread by capillary action up the planking.  The dodgy join on the right hand side will get some junk on the pavilion side to explain why it seems knocked about a bit.  It looks like this prefab is inhabited by the sort of family that has a junk-filled garden.  I must look out for some.

 

 

The station driveway showing the decent fencing to the right with flowers in the border.  I've found a set of ornamental shrubs so might add these along in front of the fencing at some time, unless I think of a better site for them.  North Eastern Region station sign at the entrance, as there is at the top of the path down to the up platform.  That Bedford OB still hasn't moved. (it has now since it wasn't stuck down...…)

 

 

Mr Low-bungalow's garden is now stocked with rhubarb, broccoli and cauliflowers, and the trees blocking the view right through the bungalow are on their way to becoming plum trees.  He has acquired some more broccoli since the picture, and there will also be runner beans, which I might need to get from Germany if Gaugemaster don't have them in stock, though it looks like Gaugemaster won't be at either of the two exhibitions I'm going to at the start of September.  Such is life...

 

 

From this angle it is just possible to see into Mr thin-detatched-house's garden, small as it is.  You can't quite see that he is growing cabbages, but I know they're there....  More importantly the less-than-good painting of this resin house (a Ten Commandments one) is harder to see without really straining.  After all, a lot of scenic modelling is smoke and mirrors.

 

Must be bed time

Les

Edited August 13, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

Moving onwards again.

 

Having recovered from the tiredness of driving to Weston Super Mare and back, and with the trapped nerve in my shoulder just about right I've begun a month of work on Croft Spa to get as near as possible to finished before I have to get No Place ready for Woodthorpe next month.  I think I have four useable weeks but have used up most of the first one already.

 

It doesn't look as if much has happened yet, but a lot is adding and improving detail.

 

 

The biggest change is the greening of the piece that will cover the board join.  This has (of course) caused the plate to bow upwards, leaving a step on both sides.  The whole thing not being helped by my spilling the jar of thinners onto it this morning.  The latter was only really mitigated by my having changed the contents of said jar for new.  Once it dries out the slight variation it has caused to the grass matting could well be an asset.  I've some bushes that will in time be glued along the outside which will hide most of the step up on the village side, and the rear third on the cricket pitch side.  I'll make a feature of the step up in the middle on both sides, and think of a way of disguising the step nearer the front- I fancy a small fence on the board, and substantial growth of flowers and small brushes at the edge of the pitch itself.  The tree at the back has been given a spine of brass rod to try to preserve it.

 

 

 

I've replaced some of the lineside fencing with some laser cut stuff and this has released some other fencing for use in the gardens.  I'm starting to clutter the farmyard, and hat will be an ongoing task up to and probably well beyon the layout's first show.

 

 

Mr Low-bungalow has now got two sets of runner beans and a small fruit bush, and his tree has plums added.  

 

 

 

I've added a timetable and a couple of North Eastern region advert frames to the station building - a very small addition that makes quite a difference to the personality of the station. Next job is to work out where the passenger steps should be on the Down platform and make them.  There is also some brickwork to do along the platform facing and a little ballasting to finish.

 

One casualty has been the electric points.  As the crossover is unlikely to be used at all that leaves the siding point as the only working point out front.  I've left the point motor in place behind the backscene, but put a vertical piece of rod onto it to operate the point manually.  

 

Still a lot to do.

 

Les

 

 

[Les1952]

Now arrived-

 

a second pack of Langley cricketers, this time painted ones. That will give me enough players to have the field populated with the right number of people doing very little, and a supply of extra ones in the area by the pavilion.

 

I've also been down to Access Models for (yet more) cabbages, cauliflowers and broccoli....

 

No work tomorrow as the trees that are threatening the shed are being cut down (with the monkey puzzle out front that has reached 40 feet high having survived an attempt by the then 3-year old Mr Simon to chop it down with the garden hoe.) Said monkey puzzle's roots are lifting the block paving in front of the house.

 

Ill spend the time on't interweb looking for farmyard-y bits.

 

Les

[Les1952]

The size of the tree issue-

 

 

the disappearing shed

 

I'll post the monkey puzzle pic when I can persusade Windows it is actually the right way up...

 

Les

[Brian D]

The size of the tree issue-

 

IMG_8568.JPG

 

the disappearing shed

 

I'll post the monkey puzzle pic when I can persusade Windows it is actually the right way up...

 

Les

 

Didn't realise you live deep in the Amazon rainforest mate

 

Regards,

Brian.

[Les1952]

The "after" shot

 

 

Now I can get back in the shed and plant lettuces etc....

 

 

First of all, now I can reach it I have to strengthen the fence to next door a bit.

Les

 

The brick building visible over the fence is actually next-door's shed.  Full width of garden and long enough to get a car in.  However the neighbour who built it was a policeman.  He is now next door's landlord as he is temporarily living near enough to London to get a free travel warrant to take him to work in the Met.

Edited September 18, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

At last - I've managed to turn one of the pics of the monkey puzzle tree round so it can be seen.

 

 

 

Tree now gone as its roots were lifting the paving a couple of feet from the house (which being a 1930s build has very little depth to its foundations)

 

Tomorrow- more planting of bits in 2mm/ft gardens.....

 

Les

Edited September 18, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

Another week of doing little details.

 

They never look as if you have done very much but they take terrific amounts of time- especially waiting for glue and paint to dry.

 

 

First up the progress on the cover board, the one that sits over the board join.  The photo shows something I'd not noticed- that the fencing slopes up at both ends.  I'll disguise this with the players having drinks and someone standing on the top step should disguise that the flower bed on the right protrubes a little onto the steps from time to time - there is a little slop in the fore-and-aft position of the board. 

 

 

The other side of the board.  I'll paint the step white to match the two tall gateposts.  The latter are there to give something solid to grab the board by.  I'll probably add a flagpole to serve the same purpose.  The pavilion now has its roof but is still some way from finished.   One of the tables will have the Mad hatter's tea party if I can get the appropriate figures.  the area of grass in front will have the gravel/mud car park and a practice area or perhaps a childrens playground.  This may not be in place before Sileby show in February.

 

 

Surprising what a difference a post box and lamp post make to the street corner.  I've looked at the glaring white edge of the inn sign since the photo and painted it wood brown to tone it down.  Must put that wall up again.

 

 

The Dutch barn still isn't actually fastened down as I need to add more inside it.  One pack of Harburn Hobbies bales, and the start of a wooden stack.  I've also added some packing cases towards the back and the Land-Rover has been lightly weathered and stuck down.

 

The gardens along the back of the row of bungalow are taking shape- more pics to follow - and I've got appropriate fencing going in along the front of these bungalows with gardens following either as lawn or flowers.  There isn't enough room for both.

 

Some Busch rose bushes have arrived.  Twenty of them.  The only problem is that each is a kit made up of seven parts, six of which have to be painted.  Deep machochism but they will look good when finished- if they can be found....  I may draw the line at single-strand leeks this time.  the ones on hawthorn Dene had an attrition rate of about 90%.

 

 

Les

 

[DavidMcKenzie]

Great layout there Les, I am looking forward to seeing the cricket pitch taking shape. Its a great idea for filling a spot on the layout with something interesting.

 

All the best

Dave

[Brian D]

Ah, that would be the sort of post box you make phone calls from . Seriously, this is all now looking very good. Can't wait to see it on the exhibition circuit.

Best regards,

Brian.

[Les1952]

Cricketers in position.

 

 

The car park is now surfaced.  At least one of the cricketers or visitors has a fairly posh car.

 

 

The game is now stopped.  The umpires are looking off to the right while the batsmen have a conversation in the middle of the pitch and three of the fielders have a chat and look off to the side.  The wickets are leftover bits of Faller gate and are 66 scale feet apart...

 

 

Drinks are served by the twelfth man.  I'll populate the removable sub-board after I've finished the pavilion and stuck it down, and got some more tables.  I think the Mad Hatter's tea party might be omitted - though I may add other Alice In Wonderland characters elsewhere.

 

 

Meanwhile three of the fielding team are searching the hedge bottom for the ball.  One way of using up a bowler in action is to put him face down with his leading arm firmly in a hedge.  I think I might move the man in front to just behind him to give a better view.  The cows on the far side of the hedge have come across to see what all the fuss is about, and a character written by the son of a former vicar of Croft Spa has paused to see what is going on.  Perhaps this is what made him late.....

 

The back gardens are progressing much more slowly and I've made a start on the foliage between the railway and the front of the board.  There seems to be a huge distance to cover with this- 6 feet is a long way in N gauge....

 

Still plenty to do.

Les

Edited September 23, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

I've had a daft idea- to find something very small and dark red and place it in the white rabbit's hand.

 

Must get out more....

 

Three weeks left before I have to pack Croft Spa up again to work on No Place.  At least it looks as if progress is starting to happen, though there is a huge amount of detail still to add and rough edges to touch in.

 

Les

[Two_sugars]

The umpires are looking off to the right 

 

It's that Baz man . . .Every time he umpires near a railway line he gets distracted!

 

 

John

[Barry O]

The umpires are looking off to the right 

 

It's that Baz man . . .Every time he umpires near a railway line he gets distracted!

 

 

John

It takes a lot to concentrate on the match...but it has to be done!

 

Baz

[Les1952]

Another stint of gardening.

It is almost getting more tedious than doing the real thing...

 

 

 

Mr low-bungalow has now got most of his plants in - just some chrysanthemums, the same as most of the rest of the street.  I've cleaned my local model store out of cabbages, caulis, marigolds, and chrysanthemums.  Three more with veggie gardens are two of the semi-bungalows and one of the pair of semis at the end (just where the ones on the prototype aren't.....)  I also found a pair of leftover PDMarsh bikes from Hawthorn Dene, and some rhubarb and "pestwurz" from Furtwangen Ost.  Leftover packing cases and barrels from Furtwangen are also finding homes.  The thins in the pic with red fruit are supposed to be strawberries.  I'm not entirely convinced.

 

The lost cricket ball is now safely in the hands of the white rabbit.  A sentence to conjure with if taken out of context....  Pics of this and some improvements to the farmyard to follow later in the week.  

 

Other progress- the bushes along the front edge of the farm board are now all-but done, and a muckspreader has arrived in the farmyard.  Since the yard looked a little as if said muckspreader had arrived switched on I've been adding some concrete colour to the farmyard.  the small field between the barn and the lane now has fences and a gate.  I may (or may not) put sheep in there, unless I find some other animals instead.

 

I've discovered two packs of cats and dogs, all painted and also some others left over from Hawthorn Dene, and the Langley chickens have arrived.

 

Plenty happening.

Les

 

 

 

[Les1952]

A selection of cruel enlargements.

 

I've been using the mobile phone to get very close in to look at details and see what I need to fix.

 

 

First, a close-up of the white rabbit with the cricket ball in his right hand.  The ball is JUST visible with the naked eye.  One to get kids to look for...

 

 

I've moved the cricketer who was bending over the one lying down to behind him, which means that his team-mate is much easier to see.  It look as as if one of the calves has fallen over.  My other half thinks the cows are too alpine but I didn't want black and white ones.

 

 

The cricket pavilion is all-but finished, with just the remaining edges to touch in.  Most of these I did as they appeared but the roof edges were last to manifest themselves.  The wonky fencing on the right of the steps can be improved by lifting the post.  I will add some more flowery bits in front of the railings on this side, and have a figure standing on the top step to hide the shrub tub on the lift-out section being too long. However on the positive side it isn't easy to see that immediately behind the railings is a lift-out section.

 

 

Looking along the fence the gap between the lift-out and permanent boards is very difficult to see even when looking for it.  The two tables and the pavilion are yet to be stuck down.

 

 

Next is a cruel close-up of the white painted buildings attached to the shop - the odd-shaped semi (which is one of the few buildings on the layout outside the station yard to be a close copy of the original).  I thought there was still a lot of touching-up to do here, but it seems that there is less to do than I thought.  A little white by the window frame and a touch of black-brown near the bottom of the door.  I'm not sure about filling in the line down the centre of the path.

 

 

Last for now is a view in behind the station house.  The corner of the fence needs a little straightening up and there is still a bit of bedding-in needed on the side of the big house- I'll not bother doing the back of the station building as it is invisble from the front of the layout.

 

More to follow, but all for now.

 

Les

Edited September 25, 2018 by Les1952

[Les1952]

More of the same.

 

No new pics today but some more of yesterday's.

 

Today's work has involved straightening a couple of wonky items, some touching up of paintwork and breaking the back of the foliage along the front edge.  Just a 6 inch length at each end to do.  At the farm end this involves building up the roadway off the bridge, which I built too short- it stops about a centimetre from the front edge board.  At least the gap in the roadway at the other end is only three or four millimetres.  These are part of next week's job list.

 

An Oxford baler arrived this morning.  All I need to do with that is weather it and place it somewhere in the farmyard.  I can't go in the big Dutch barn as the Land Rover and tractor under repair leave too small a gap for it to pass through - though that might not really be an issue.  I'll sleep on that.  It will be placed in at least a dozen different positions before it is finally stuck down.  These things always are....

 

 

The front of the large Dutch barn showing the tractor under repair and the parked Land Rover.  One or two gates added to the clutter but still a long way to go. 

 

 

The other end of the farmyard with tractor and muckspreader.  I've added a few greyer areas to the ground to make it look as if there is actually concrete under the muck.  If I'd had any sense I'd have concreted it first but why spoil the creative fun with logic.....  There are chickens to add but I've yet to get a chicken coop to house them.  They may have to wait until a lot of other items are added.  I've also found aanother pack of small animals with even more cats and dogs, another goat and a duck and a goose.  All help to bring life to the scene.

 

 

This pic has attracted some attention on Farcebook, with people wanting to know how I made the flower bed.  The correct answer is badly judging by the number of times I had to use the pumice stone on my finger ends while constructing it.   I still can't find evidence that such a board existed at Croft but so what?

 

 

Hornby to the rescue with the footbridge.  I still don't have a demolition date for it (probably when the road bridge was rebuilt from arch to girder) and now have two different dates for the replacement of the signal box - 1913 and 1916 depending on which book you read.  The bridge was rebuilt in the late fifties.   I seem to remember hearing about it when I was at primary school and getting very excited.  However that does mean the three main items in the pic never existed together, and only the road bridge is right for 1960.  My excuse is that this little group is more interesting than the 1960 condition, and in any case nobody alive will remember the signal box.  I get the impression that very few remember that there was even a station there.

 

I HAVE found a 1958 picture looking along the platforms showing them with white edging, so that is another job to do.....

 

More pics to follow.

 

Les

Edited September 26, 2018 by Les1952

[Two_sugars]

but I've yet to get a chicken coop to house them

 

Do I detect another railway van being pressed into service ?

 

 

John

[Les1952]

but I've yet to get a chicken coop to house them

 

Do I detect another railway van being pressed into service ?

 

 

John

 

Not this time- I'm looking for one from Unit Models or similar.

 

Les

[Les1952]

No new pics done today as the day was largely spent touching up and testing.  A couple more from the backlog.

 

 

 

Looking along the bungalows showing the steepness of some of the gardens.  I've been touching in front paths since this was taken and added a row of washing with Mrs Semi Bungalow pegging out.  I now need to source another row of washing of a different make.

 

 

I decided largely for the sake of my sanity that not all of the semi detached bungalows would have vegetable gardens and that a couple would be well stocked.  The one with the green guttering will also get a green front fence.

 

Cruel enlargement shows there is still a deal of touching up to do on the backs of the yards and Mrs Les1952 reckons the bean wigwams should be steeper.  She also failed to recognise the strawberries as such, not surprising as I only knew from the lettering on the pack.  

 

Also visible in the grassed garden on the left is one of the Busch rose bushes.  I'm wondering whether to bother assembling any more beyond those where I've already painted the heads.

 

 

One of the semis at the end of the row is getting a veggie garden.  Again some work to do touching up and the bean row needs steepening.  The shed looks good - this one arrived ready painted.  I have three more to paint myself.  Deep joy.

 

Partly to answer John there will be one or two gardens with pigeon lofts, but they won't be old van bodies.  They wouldn't go past the houses and are just too far from the railway to crane them over.

 

 

Last one of this lot is the area behind the barn, now fenced with a proper gate.  The touching up that this pic shows to be necessary has now been done and a flock of sheep "painted by Kim" have arrived but haven't yet been stuck down.  I decided to stick the baler at the back of the big Dutch barn.  It can be seen and it clutters up a lot of the floor.  They will just have to get on and fix the broken tractor when they want it out.

 

Most of today's work has involved touching-in colour edges, including all remaining white edges on the Metcalfe cricket pavilion.  The trackside cess has had a coat of paint along its entire length.  I'm still not entirely happy with its colour but it is better than it was.  I've given quite a lot of the ballast on the main line a wash with thinners, which has got rid of much of the spilled white from the plaster bandage under the scenery.

 

Apart from that I've been running in another B1 (yes, ANOTHER B1).  This one was sold as spares or repair.  It runs beautifully in a straight line and round the radius 4 parts of the end, but doesn't like radius 2 in turning right or left.  I think it may go for a service when I get the other pair of B1s back.  I've also been trying to get the rake of B tankers to stay coupled to each other and to the Class 33 I've now got to haul them.  Even putting a small amount of Hobbytac on the couplers didn't keep them coupled, so the loco and the first two wagons now have Easy-Shunt buckeyes and if any more wagons decide to come adrift they will be treated similarly.

 

Shopping tomorrow and Dapol Open Day on Saturday.  Maybe time for some new pics tomorrow afternoon.

 

Time for bed....

 

Les

[Les1952]

Monday yet again....

 

Three more days of work on the layout then I'm going to put it back on end again until after Warley.  I've been blitzing small details and adding extra foliage here and there.  A lot of the people will have to wait until after Warley- I'm currently painting a number of figures but they aren't ready yet.  On the other hand I found small and farmyard animal packs by three different makers in the figures box, and some of these are now in place.

 

New pics at last.

 

 

The gardens of the two semis nearest the cricket ground.  Note that one has vegetables and the other has borrowed a four-legged lawn mower.  I must put in a post for it to be tethered to.  Either that or a side gate- maybe both....  In the end bungalow there is now a gardener and a wheelbarrow.

 

 

Meanwhile at the other end of the bungalows we have guy mowing lawn and Mrs Thing hanging out her washing.

 

 

The farm yard now has a recently built pigsty (concrete sections, no doubt left over from someone's wall or recycled from a demolition site) and a population of hens.  One seems to be laying an egg on the Land Rover.  A little bedding-in to do at the base of the pigsty wall, more clutter yet to be added to the yard, and the bungalow garden needs a little developing.  Likewise the garage needs shrubbery to hide the gap underneath the back of it.  The white fence needs toning down a bit here also.

 

 

Looking round behind the barn the sheep have moved in, together with a hen and a goat.  Some more foliage is helping to hold the fence up and a tree has appeared at the front.  The back of the baler sticks out of the Dutch Barn and the barn itself has had clutter added and is now stuck down.  Next step here is to add some foliage to the bottoms of the legs of both Dutch barns- especially the one on each barn that doesn't reach the ground- a minor hazard of recycling stuff from other peoples' layouts....

 

Last pic for now is the latest addition.  A reconditioned Schools from the Dapol shop.  It will have to run Southbound.  Going North it derails as it passed under the lane bridge (on plain track that doesn't have a bump but turns left from straight to R3.  I can see how so many end up with mangled valve gear as when it derails the bogie catches the back of the coupling hook at the rear of the buffer beam.  The other end of the bogie is then pushed  hard against the back of the valve gear so any slight heavy handedness will break it.  I've removed the coupling hook.  The loco runs quite happily through each of the fiddle yard sidings running South (including the R2 sides of both curved points) and is OK on the bumpy bit through the station (long Peco flangeways) but it will need watching.

 

Les 

Edited October 1, 2018 by Les1952

[Two_sugars]

It obviously feels out of place among decent working locos and is trying to get back down south..

 

 

 

John