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Tetleys Mills 3


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Without wishing to hi-jack this wonderful thread in anyway, are the techniques for producing stonework, as mentioned by Gordon above, written up on any threads on this or other sites? Like Gordon, I'd love to be able produce buildings of this quality for my (much smaller, in all senses) prospective n gauge early '50s set layout. Thanks all,

 

Alastair

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Guys,

 

You are all too kind, I do hope Coachman's wife doesn't blame me for leading her husband astray and neglecting the washing up to add a bit more to his layout. I'm sorry about the problem with the thumbnails, I tried without success to take a single image from Chris Nevard's emailed images that he took for Model Rail a couple of years ago.

 

I promised to post some more images and I'm greatful to Gordon S. for sharing his own images we did indeed share a great day and evening at Tetleys Towers, although I don't court visits by groups there have been a few RMWeb members who managed to get past the land mines and guard dogs and without exception they have all been most welcome.

 

I hoped to sort some more pictures out myself but today has been a challenge, first the dishwasher door self destructed and despite two hours remedial work remains decidedly 'iffy', being in the existing house I'm reluctant to buy a new one just to sell it on. We then discovered the unprecidented cold weather of a couple of weeks ago when it dropped to nearly -19C nearby has split a water pipe in the garage despite turning the supply off and draining down. I'll need to rip down some plasterboard just to access it and then I think I've got to sort out a drain down valve before the supply leaves the house.

 

These are little problems that prevent the serious work of demolishing the old layout. I did manage an afternoon in the railway room and discovered that despite re-building several years ago I missed a couple of pieces of wood worm infected ply and I found some more worm activity in some soft wood so it will all be burnt.

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Without wishing to hi-jack this wonderful thread in anyway, are the techniques for producing stonework, as mentioned by Gordon above, written up on any threads on this or other sites? Like Gordon, I'd love to be able produce buildings of this quality for my (much smaller, in all senses) prospective n gauge early '50s set layout. Thanks all,

 

Alastair

 

You can see my own attempts here...

 

I was very pleased with the outcome having had a tutorial from the master....

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/3422-eastwood-town-update/

 

http://www.rmweb.co....te/page__st__25

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Thanks for that Gordon, I was hoping you'd have some reference images and a write up on the retaining walls.

 

Meanwhile, I continue to devote as much enthusiasm into destroying Tetleys Mills as I did in creating it which adds up to working at a frantic pace that leaves me little spare energy to do justice to this post. As an aside to Alistair's interest in Gordon and my retaining wall techniques "I have a cunning plan."

 

The Slaters plasticard is not cheap and I'm going to need a fair length of wall on the new layout, I've removed all the walling from Tetleys Mills and as I'm clearing out excess modelling clutter from the current railway room I plan to use the remains of a large tin of mould making silicone along with some catalyst left over from my viaduct moulds. If I have enough silicone I hope to make a mould for a section of retaining wall along with an intermediate support pillar. If all goes to plan the mould should be fairly flexible and I might just be able to cast some curved retaining walls. I figure on needing another couple of days to finish demolishing the current layout and then, hopefully make a start of the new baseboards and with even more luck and a following wind I'll make the retaining wall mould.

 

I'll keep you all posted.

 

Dave

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Dave, I envy the speed that you work at.

 

Thanks for the compliment but although I do tend to get focused during periods of work my brain is being assailed from several directions at present and rebuilding the railway is but one.

 

I'm the same as everybody else I'm sure, grand plans and "yes this will be done then and that will be done then etc," but then reallity kicks in and more urgent projects crop up and demand I change my priorities so despite promises to myself and RMWeb Tetleys Mills 3 may not be finished as quickly as hoped. I've been very much 'in the loop' with Gibert's Peterborough North rebuild and we are both well aware that dead lines have a habit of moving but both layouts will be finished and I know for sure that Peterborough North has been built without compromise and has inspired me to apply the same. (But don't expect the same level of excellence).

 

I have now completed the layout destruction and can confirm that not one stick of wood has been retained since wood worm had even infested new soft wood purchased at the time of building. I also re-discovered that I had used a real eclectic mix of materials for economy reasons, wiring went everywhere so I intend to do it right this time.

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Excellent photos there Chris. The train on the furthermost viaduct in one shot looks almost 'N' gauge. To Mr.Tetley, I wondered which outfit the green Lowdekka was working for in Yorkshire.

 

Green Lodekkas Larry, West Riding had loads of them second hand to replace those Guy Wulfrunians they bought by mistake ! . I didn't notice any in the photos, too busy admiring the buildings.

Merf.

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I wanted to say thanks to Mr Tetley, for his layout, and Gordon S and Mod5 for the tips on creating great stonework and then I saw Chris' pictures above! Viaducts, ramblers (!), Pennine roofscapes it's all too much I'm afraid. The GNR Goods and Wool Warehouse finally did for me though.... before the Industrial revolution got under way, before money from empire flowed copiously into the city for re-investment, what was the significant English export trade? The woolen industry. For better or for worse, it was a massive factor in setting Britain on the road to world power status Being of that sad frame of mind that believes that making something other than b*****y 'phonecalls is a good thing, I'd just like to say how much your layout struck great big joyful chords Mr T. If I could create something with one tenth of the atmosphere this has/had, I'd be a happy man. I'm going to give it a go though.... inspirational. Brilliant. I'd better go for a lie down now........

 

Alastair

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Excellent photos there Chris. The train on the furthermost viaduct in one shot looks almost 'N' gauge. To Mr.Tetley, I wondered which outfit the green Lowdekka was working for in Yorkshire.

 

Coachman,

 

The bus is having a day trip from Leeds Corp, I prefer West Riding Bus Corp but it usually what is on special offer from EFE and 'could' have appeared, I also have a bus from Barnsley.

 

Dave

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I wanted to say thanks to Mr Tetley, for his layout, and Gordon S and Mod5 for the tips on creating great stonework and then I saw Chris' pictures above! Viaducts, ramblers (!), Pennine roofscapes it's all too much I'm afraid. The GNR Goods and Wool Warehouse finally did for me though.... before the Industrial revolution got under way, before money from empire flowed copiously into the city for re-investment, what was the significant English export trade? The woolen industry. For better or for worse, it was a massive factor in setting Britain on the road to world power status Being of that sad frame of mind that believes that making something other than b*****y 'phonecalls is a good thing, I'd just like to say how much your layout struck great big joyful chords Mr T. If I could create something with one tenth of the atmosphere this has/had, I'd be a happy man. I'm going to give it a go though.... inspirational. Brilliant. I'd better go for a lie down now........

 

Alastair

 

Alastair,

 

Thanks, and I hope that lay down did some good, I'm often in need of similar therapy but you obviously access other call centres than me because all my calls have gone the same way as British Steel / Chorus and Jaguar Land Rover since became an Indian colony and Third World Country.

 

Grumpy Old Man of Ancaster.

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]I've got a few minutes to spare so I thought I'd start an update on my 'cunning plan'.

 

A few members have shown an interest in the stone retaining walls Gordon S and I use and being a tight Yorkshireman I am considering casting en mass to speed up and save money on the large areas I need to model.

 

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Above are a couple of images of the sort of retaining walls in question, forget a sheet of plasticard stuck on a vertical piece of hardboard, the massive masonary was canted backwards to resist the thrust of the earth being retained and the vertical wall above in smaller masonary was the boundary wall.

 

With me so far?

 

post-372-0-92499100-1330593824_thumb.jpg

 

OK. I have placed the section of wall that also includes an intermediate pillar onto a thick and solid piece of MDF although any simlar wood is OK.

I built up a precise 'dam' of wood surrounding the master wall section and some distance higher than required,I have sealed the joints / edges with builders silicone. Allow this to dry overnight. But of course I'm impatient so I didn't but more of that later. This sealing process should prevent the moulding silicone from running out of the mould and believe me it will if it has half a chance and the whole process is then scrap.

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I mentioned earlier that I was clearing out the current railway room and it included an almost empty tin of moulding silicone and some catalyst that I used a couple or three years ago to make the moulds for my viaduct. Well,fortunataley it had not gone off although it had become a little more viscous but I added the remains of the catalyst and mixed using an old kitchen mixer paddle in my Dewalt screwdriver drill. Ensure all the mix has gone from grey to this nice pale blue and pour into the mould, mine needed a little bullying but fresh stuff pours like cream. I would have liked to use more silicone to give me a thicker mould but I'm bodging along with the material to hand, if it works I'll consider investing another £80-90 on more silicone, sounds a lot but check out my viaduct, how much would that lot cost in time and money using conventional methods and material?

 

Ensure the mould is on a level surface and leave for 24 hours.

 

I need to visit my hygienist so she can work her magic with lump hammer and bolster so more of this saga later.

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What I like about Dave's walls is that they have that indeterminate, thick grungy stuff that appears seemingly from through the wall - I first noticed it at Liverpool Street when I was a kid.

 

Great stuff! Pete.

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I've just given one of my viaducts and a wharehouse plus a row of terrace houses away so there's a bit more room to store some retaining walls, I'd better crack on.

 

post-372-0-49030700-1330627470_thumb.jpg

 

Having fettled the silicone mould I have surrounded it with another dam of wood to hold in the eventual plaster when creating the casting, I'm not yet sure whether the depth of timber will be thick enough to add sufficient strength to the moulding. But time will tell and as this is the prototype I only have to unscrew and replace. The moulding doesn't want to be too thick or it will be too heavy although I can replace plaster with a layer of lighter material in the thicker part of the section.

 

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A similar view but with fibre glass mesh known as plasterering scrim added for effect which will strengthen the eventual casting, (I hope) although laying against the mould it will actually be placed above a layer of plaster and then covered by a second pouring. I should add that the two pourings are of the same mix.

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I suspect this post may have reached saturation point so I'll finalise the subject of the production of retaining walls, (I suspect Gordon S will be interested and will no doubt improve on my rudimentary methods)

 

post-372-0-28241900-1330707820_thumb.jpg

 

I fitted this stage in between a few house building jobs so as expeted I dropped a couple of clangers.

I should have sealed the wood frame beneath before screwing it down and run a seal on each corner OUSIDE of the frame. As it turned out I had a few leaks of plaster when I poured it, my previous viaduct moulds were all made as a silicone box. But I'll sort all that out for future castings.

 

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The morning after casting and I removed the wooden suround to release the silicone mould, I think in future before casting I'll grease the OUTSIDE of the mould (NOT the face in contact with the plaster) to help ease it free.

 

post-372-0-56793800-1330710457_thumb.jpg

 

Once the mould and moulding are free it is very easy to peel back the flexible silicone, I do use a releasing agent but I suspect this type of mould would not require it.

 

post-372-0-11784300-1330710772_thumb.jpg

 

The 'almost' finished retaining wall. It needs a bit of fettling and it remains damp for some time so touching up /scribing any joints is usually very simple even once dry. However this batch of plaster is the type I suspect Townstreet and the likes use and it is VERY hard and not easy to scribe, I suspect it was also way past it's shelf life but I've got it so I'm using it up on this project and another few components for the new viaduct. 840 gramms of plaster plus 1.2 litres of water is sufficient for one length of wall, one viaduct pillar and one arch although I do use a piece of polystyrene inside the pillar to reduce weight and plaster usage. I'm reverting to softer casting plaster for future components.

 

The finished wall is 300mm by 150mm and currently weighs in at 615 gramms although once dry I anticipate this reducing to 500 gramms or less. Whilst I'm not about to test to destruction it appears quite strong even at the thinner top

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First off, thanks Dave for the masterclass in stone wall making - that technique does generate some VERY convincing results, so many thanks for sharing it with us. It's lessons like this from people who know what they're doing that help make RMWeb the excellent resource that we enjoy.

 

Secondly, thanks to those who have posted their memories of Tetley Mills, which since I first saw it in one of the monthlies has remained a firm favourite - it is certainly one of my top 3 layouts currently or recently in operation.

 

Thirdly, while it is sad when an iconic layout like this has to go, it is almost always so that something else can replace it, and thus the creative process evolves. I for one look backwards and thank you for an inspiring layout which was one of those that brought me back to the fold and rekindled my interest in this hobby of ours, and forwards to your new layout and which I am really looking forward to seeing develop and grow.

 

And of course, you are not alone in going forwards to better and better things - Gordon S of this parish has also had to rethink Eastwood Town several times, and Ben Alder has also decided on a radical rethink of his layout, so between the three of you, that's THREE layouts which have whetted my appetite which are being changed/rebuilt/replaced. So good luck from me for your forthcoming project. The initial plans look very interesting indeed.

 

Regards

Stewart

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

We've finally finished building our new house, the carpenter has fitted the last doors, skirting and architrave, but we won't be moving in for a few months until we refurbish our current house and place it on the market. Now all I need is some rainy days so I can set to and use the birch ply and new timber to build the new baseboards. Otherwise I'll have to stay outdoors and do some more brick laying.

 

post-372-0-91046700-1332526149_thumb.jpg

 

The entrance lobby with a fully lockable door, laser technology and 'murder hole' above to guard against grandchildren or worse, rivet counters!

 

post-372-0-31834500-1332527416_thumb.jpg

 

post-372-0-21409900-1332527473_thumb.jpg

The room above the garage is the location of the new railway room, south facing window with a couple of north facing 600 x 1400 roof windows so plenty of natural light.Mega levels of insulation and proper central heating,no carpets so minimal dust the whole lot purpose built for model railways. (In fact the main reason to build another house).

 

Great Northern visited today and after devouring my weeks supply of bacon, egg and mushroom butties waddled his way across to the new railway room. His suggestions are always welcome even if I can't always agree but he's convinced me that hand-made turnouts and SMP track are a necessity. We are both of an age when this could be our swansong layout so Peco HO track will be limited to the storage sidings. This is not a clone of Peterborough North but I'll certainly be 'cherry picking' Gilbert's ideas and while I'm at it I might just have to include some of those lovely Great Northern signals. His DCC system however is a step too far for a guy with short arms and deep pockets.

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One for 'Coachman'. A Marmite Loco. (Love it or hate it).

 

post-372-0-06087200-1332528614_thumb.jpg

A parting shot from Tetleys Mills a layout now residing in countless cardboard boxes awaiting some Prince Charming to awaken it from it's enforced slumbers. (Might have to make do with a wrinkley old man instead).

My bit of fantasy, the P2 that escaped Thompson's vindictive purge of all things Gresley, Brunswick green and still filling in on leeds /Bradford Kings Cross relief trains.

 

I'm praying for rain to get that nail gun going.

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That looks a serious house the stone adds to the character the layout room is a seriously mega project the flooring is a good idea,but dont drop any stock!This fine weather means you can get out on your bike and realy suffer ,you no it makes sence!

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We've finally finished building our new house, the carpenter has fitted the last doors, skirting and architrave, but we won't be moving in for a few months until we refurbish our current house and place it on the market. Now all I need is some rainy days so I can set to and use the birch ply and new timber to build the new baseboards. Otherwise I'll have to stay outdoors and do some more brick laying.

 

post-372-0-91046700-1332526149_thumb.jpg

 

The entrance lobby with a fully lockable door, laser technology and 'murder hole' above to guard against grandchildren or worse, rivet counters!

 

post-372-0-31834500-1332527416_thumb.jpg

 

post-372-0-21409900-1332527473_thumb.jpg

The room above the garage is the location of the new railway room, south facing window with a couple of north facing 600 x 1400 roof windows so plenty of natural light.Mega levels of insulation and proper central heating,no carpets so minimal dust the whole lot purpose built for model railways. (In fact the main reason to build another house).

 

Great Northern visited today and after devouring my weeks supply of bacon, egg and mushroom butties waddled his way across to the new railway room. His suggestions are always welcome even if I can't always agree but he's convinced me that hand-made turnouts and SMP track are a necessity. We are both of an age when this could be our swansong layout so Peco HO track will be limited to the storage sidings. This is not a clone of Peterborough North but I'll certainly be 'cherry picking' Gilbert's ideas and while I'm at it I might just have to include some of those lovely Great Northern signals. His DCC system however is a step too far for a guy with short arms and deep pockets.

post-372-0-62665000-1332528514_thumb.jpg

One for 'Coachman'. A Marmite Loco. (Love it or hate it).

 

post-372-0-06087200-1332528614_thumb.jpg

A parting shot from Tetleys Mills a layout now residing in countless cardboard boxes awaiting some Prince Charming to awaken it from it's enforced slumbers. (Might have to make do with a wrinkley old man instead).

My bit of fantasy, the P2 that escaped Thompson's vindictive purge of all things Gresley, Brunswick green and still filling in on leeds /Bradford Kings Cross relief trains.

 

I'm praying for rain to get that nail gun going.

 

Waddled! :O :no: I only ate what I was given, it would have been rude not to. Anyway, you had exactly the same.Seriously, the whole thing is just wonderful, railway room and house attached thereto. I thought you were crazy to take this on, but now I've seen it in its finished state I'm only too pleased to apologise. As you said, you had the vision of it in your mind right from the start, but I couldn't see it. If the vision you have in your mind of the new layout comes to fruition anything like as well as this it is going to be very special indeed. I'm really pleased you have decided to go for some proper track, and who knows, having got accustomed to putting your hands a couple of inches in your pockets you might like it so much that you extend them a bit further. You know it would make sense. :diablo_mini:

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Hi Dave,

 

The House looks good and the Railway room looks very good. I suppose you can not wait to get stuck into it, building the new layout.

 

Look forward to seeing your progress.

 

As for eating too much, my wife and I were in the UK for a month last April-May and I put on weight and my wife lost some. For me it was being taken out a lot by relatives and friends. Even Cliff Parsons (of Gresley Beat fame), his wife Barbara and a couple of friends took us out for tea after visiting The Gresley Beat. So I can understand great northerns dilemma.

 

I recently saw a British layout 'Wellingford' at an exhibition here in Australia and they are rare these days, that used Peco code 75 which looked excellent, better looking than code 100. So this may be an option for you to consider. I will be building my branchline with peco code 75 with the main layout as code 100 as most of it has been built.

 

Mark

 

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