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About this blog

A small basic layout in the late 1980's based in North Eastern England. 00 Gauge. 

 

Entries in this blog

Buildings

New building project continues etc

Painfully slow progress on the newsagents interior continues. At present the retail magazine stand has received a couple of coats of Humbrol Enamel to provide a rather corporate look. I will be printing off some 'mags' to line the shelves with soon.  The front counter is also being fabricated at present, with the 'sweet confectionery display' in situ on the counter. This was made with Slater's red Plastikard, and attached to the shelving is many individually cut pieces of cheap reflect
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CJM in Buildings

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Buildings

Modelling progress continues

I've spent part of this weekend doing a bit more modelling and decided that the building next door to the takeaway will become a newsagents. I was planning to make this a regional bookmakers, but couldn't seem to find the right graphics for it.  Anyway, the magazine retail display unit is currently being fabricated below, with 'Mr Airfix' next to it to ensure scale.  The small amounts of Tamiya masking tape on the 'shelves' will be removed when the unit is painted fully.  This wil
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CJM in Buildings

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Wagons

Battered Wagons Two

Another quick shot of some more 'worn out' Parkside 21ton coal wagons. These are a bit too old for the layout era, and I have decided to line them up and 'dump them' when the next set of sidings are installed, with some more added rot..
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CJM in Wagons

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Wagons

Battered Wagons

I've put some more wagons in the yard after some basic shunting and rewiring of the layout, which isn't completed yet. During the past couple of years I have built a few of the 'Peco/Parkside' wagon 16 tonner jobbies just to practice variations in weathering etc. I thought this one along with the others I made had a bit more realism, as I had attacked the internal sides of the kit/s with a centre punch to produce a bulging effect on the exterior sides, which worked quite well, but hasn't really
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CJM in Wagons

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Low relief buildings

New Building Progress on Interior

Getting near to final completion of the interior of the take away, with the commercial area largely assembled and glued in place, with the exception of 'Mrs Noch' and a pot plant. I may add some papers and a couple of posters around the interior, but I appear to be short of them at the minute, so I will decide shortly...
Low relief buildings

Building progress continues

The last post of 2023 continues with a bit more progress on the shop take-away interior. 'Mrs Noch' has not yet been stuck in yet, as a decision will have to be made whether to fit her with plastic or superglue.. The walls for the back of the shop will need a bit more painting, along with the doorway, and a few finer details (pot plants) will need adding in order to complete the look.  Best wishes to you all!
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Locomotives

New Loco on Layout

Thought I'd take a quick shot of a new loco that I got for Christmas, which is the NER E1 (J72) Tank Engine by Bachmann. I liked the look of this, and found a brand new one in a model shop down south a couple of months ago. The new tooling and printing is superb, and this was from 2019 I believe. A superb looking model for the cabinet. I have however had to lubricate it with Electrolube around the points specified by the manufacturer in order to make it run better. Very happy with it!
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CJM in Locomotives

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Buildings

New furniture bits for the building

A quick look at some progress on the interiors of one of the shops, currently being fabricated. The furniture has now been made, and has been painted, with 'Mrs Noch' on one of the benches to check the size is towards 1/76. There will be a few more items fabricated shortly, but the benches will need some light bleaching to remove the flat look, along with the tiles.   
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CJM in Buildings

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New locomotives

New class 37 on site

Newly purchased class 37 by Accurascale on site, with some kitbuilt HTV hopper wagons. I must say, this loco is simply superb, and frankly amazing. Slightly off period for my layout, but I am very pleased to have got one for my collection!!
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CJM in New locomotives

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Low relief buildings

New Building Progress

New building fabrication and construction starts, with the basic component parts cut out from the tech drawing. The chimneys and middle of the building has been given the addition of wood beams in order to maintain rigidity when the sides and front are glued together.   
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Low relief buildings

Basic drawing completed for new project

I've spent a bit of the afternoon completing the tech drawing for the new project which I am about to build for the layout.  I may add a bit more of a corner feature for the shop on the left of the pic, as this is on a junction on the layout, however I will decide once the basic structure has been fabricated.   
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Low relief buildings

Progress and new ideas

As the Cinema is now nearly finished and basic weathering will finish it, I've decided to replace some of the older buildings on the layout with more realistic regional examples. I've managed to highlight the area (in red) which will have the new scratchbuilt buildings on it. I've also managed to find some ideal structures locally, and these will be fitted with interior lighting, and any other fittings which may enhance them during construction.     
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Low relief buildings

Further progress

It's been a while since the last update, but I've now managed to complete the front signage for the low relief cinema, and the front sign is now glued in place, and as you may be able to see, some Blu Tack is holding the graphic in place whilst it dries. The finer details and weathering will shortly take place to complete the look. 
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Low relief buildings

Another light test on the Odeon

Well, the LED's have been soldered up, and seem to work well with a 2032 battery, and I've tested the LED's for over three hours without a drop in the brightness of the light.  The photo does seem a little bright.....but the LED's are attached to a small piece of plywood, in order to ensure they are in the right place when I add the awning and sign. Bit more painting to do, then to weather it....to add the rot...etc. 
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Low relief buildings

Painting, and more painting continues

Quite slow progress at the moment with the layout buildings, however the corporate base coats of blue have been applied to the frontage, and I'm quite pleased with the finish of it. I've also fabricated another sign for the front awning which lights up very well indeed. I however have to set up the internal LEDS for it first.  Once the blue has dried I intend to lighten it up considerably as part of the weathering process, along with finishing the window ledges etc.  So, not long to co
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Low relief buildings

Painting progress continues

Painting continues at slow pace on the new cinema, with the masking removed from the top two areas of the building. Masking tape has now been applied to the new areas that require further painting. The blue will need to be 'weathered up' in order to ensure the detailing can be seen etc.   
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Car bits

Disco meltdown and half done Austin 1100

An older photo of the pub interior 'with a light sequencer' and the Austin 1100 'lamp test'. The car is still not finished yet, and needs a grille etc, to be made, hopefully soon. The car was a Minic twenty pence jobbie, which was 'updated' with an interior, new wheels, and passengers etc. The Ford is a Brekina 1:87 Granada, along with a Wiking Ford Escort, both very nice models.     
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CJM in Car bits

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Low relief buildings

Painting work commences

Painting work commencing and continuing on the new low-relief cinema for the layout. I have applied several 'liberal coats' of Phoenix Enamels 'Rail Blue' to the decorations at the top of the building today. The finish of the paint is excellent after a few coats, however, much weathering to lighten and fade the blue needs to take place. Tamiya masking tape has been used as a very effective barrier for the paint, and works well also. 
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Low relief buildings

Further slow progress on the townscape and Cinema

Painting progress continues on the new Cinema, which is now in overall light satin enamel grey. The paint has been applied in several haphazard coats, as the original building in Darlington was very patchy in places. Sadly the camera doesn't pick this up well yet, but the next stage to complete the front signage will be underway shortly, along with the straightening of the streetlights....
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CJM in Low relief buildings

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Cinema sign lamp test

Night shot over the town

Another quick shot of the town at night, and the 'Pub Disco' with quite a large LED multicolour sequence in use. Unfortunately this doesn't tend to pick up well in the shot, as it appears like a blast of light. Never mind, it is a good use to burn up some unused 9v batteries I have lying about. The Austin 1100 behind the Transit still needs work to complete, but looks ok. 
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CJM in Cinema sign lamp test

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