No not Sherton Abbas, but me! After more than 30 years of teaching Dental students the delights of "Fixed and Removeable Prosthodontics", I’m now a gentleman of leisure😀 Now you would think that would result in a flurry of modelling activity, but I’m afraid Mrs Wenlock has other ideas. There appears to be a list of projects and jobs that have in her words “Just been waiting for you to have time to do them”, that she has been creating for the past couple of years! I’ve managed to finish constr
As a bit of light relief from the rigours of ballasting which I'm glad to say I've almost finished, I decided to make a start on the retaining wall at the front of the layout. The retaining wall supports the earthworks that the exchange siding runs along and will eventually have water modelled running below it. The first decision was to decide what type of material such a retaining wall would most likely be made from. Initially I thought that a wall constructed from old sleepers might be possibl
GWR Horse Box
I picked this kit up from Danny Pinnock of D&S models at Telford last year. The etches go together very well and the castings although white metal, were remarkably flash free and well detailed. I'm going to add some vacuum pipes from Slaters brass castings, as I like their use of springs for the flexible hose. Almost ready for priming and then painting in chocolate brown.
I spent the weekend exhibiting Sherton Abbas at Railex http://www.railex.org.uk/ accompanied by Al (Barry Ten), to whom I'm indebted for all his hard work setting up the layout and for his ninja like operating skills🙂
We arrived in Aylesbury around 6.30pm and took about 90 minutes or so to unload the hire van and get the layout set up in the exhibition hall. Everyone was very helpful and welcoming, particularly David Lane (David Bigcheeseplant) who's the exhibition manager.
Here's my attempt at resolving some of the issues previously discussed.
I'd appreciate any input as to whether a double slip would be used in this way to provide a catch and protect the main from the loop and sidings.
Thanks in anticipation
Dave
Time has come to start finalising plans for the "Great Railway Project." After numerous drafts and ambitious schemes, that never had any chance of ever being completed, I'm going to settle on something that endeavours to fill the following wish list.
Layout Requirements list
Great Western Railway circa 1907
7mm to the foot O gauge finescale
Hand built track/pointwork to a minimum radius of 6 foot
Branch line terminus
Station platform facing vi
I'm relieved to say that I've finally finished building the pointwork for my branchline terminus. The points were built using parts from C & L components. Although I've hand filed rail section to make Crossing Vees' and Point Blades in the past, I decided on this occasion to splash out and buy pre-made items. The points are built to 31.5mm gauge, using roller jigs supplied by RMweb member "Debs." I think the finer flangeways created by using this 0.5mm narrower gauge result in better looking
Since my last blog entry I've been beavering away fitting the Plaster of Paris paving sections onto the platform substructure. The fact that the platform is set on a gradual curve meant that the front edge of each section needed to be sanded carefully so that it would fit neatly against the edging stones. Once sanded the individual sections were fixed in position using PVA wood working glue which allowed for a bit of fine tuning of the sections position before the glue set.
Plaster tiles bei
I've recently spent some time laying the platform edging strips that were discussed in a previous blog entry. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1131/entry-17632-diamond-embossed-edging-stones-platform-paraphernalia/
In order to make it easier to lay the tiles along my curved platform edge, I cut each edging strip into three pieces each approximately 50mm long. These sections were glued to the platform surface using rapid set epoxy resin. Although using epoxy resin may seem a b
The Stygian gloom that descends upon Sherton Abbas platform at nightfall has been a concern for sometime now. Complaints from passengers about the complete absence of platform lamps has been on the increase as nights are drawing in and Winter approaches. Rumours of "Ne'er-do-wells" lurking in the darkness abound, which although completely unfounded have proved unsettling for passengers of the fairer sex. The Sherton Abbas Chronicle has been stoking this discontent and shouts of "Something must b
There's not much new modelling to report, but I though I'd let people know that Sherton Abbas will be appearing At the Newport Model Railway show on the 14th April. https://newgog.wordpress.com/
Hope to see you there!
Best wishes
Dave
When I built the original fiddleyard for Sherton Abbas, the plan was to have a 4 foot six diameter "turntable" that would avoid having to touch the stock during operating sessions. The reality was that it was just too unwieldy, heavy and cumbersome to spin right round, so ended up just being used as a sector plate. I've been considering building something lighter and more manageable for sometime now, but other modelling projects were always much more interesting, so it remained a "get round to
Well there's not been any progress on the signal front or much other modelling come to that! At the beginning of August on my way to work, a half asleep motorist pulled out of a side turning and knocked me of my motorcycle. He was very apologetic, a classic case of "I'm sorry I didn't see you mate!" I suppose I should be grateful that he was insured and has accepted liability, but the upshot is he's b#ggered my Summer! The bike's a right mess, but at least it can be repaired. I've been left w
One of the drawbacks of modelling a rural location is the number of trees needed to make a convincing landscape! There's only so much fun to be had twisting lengths of wire together and I find stippling an Artex/PVA mix onto wire armatures soon loses its magic:-) Despite all this I've managed to summon the enthusiasm to make a few more trees for Sherton Abbas! I used the same techniques as discussed in a previous blog entry http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1131/entry-17699-trees/
During the Christmas break I managed to sneak the odd hour here and there to do a bit more work on the layout's landscaping. Progress is slow, but I'm pleased with the results so far. I've also painted the back scene boards with a few coats of white acrylic paint as a base colour before I make a start on the sky. There are a number of bits and pieces that I need for the layout, so I've been making a shopping list for the Bristol show next weekend:-) I think the Bristol show is probably my fa
Although I've got a few horse drawn vehicles on the layout, I haven't got anything suitable for transporting goods from the station into the town. While I was at Guildex, I found a white metal kit from Duncan Models http://www.duncanmodels.co.uk/ that looked like it had the potential to make a simple flat bed wagon.
Duncan Models flat cart
They also make a nice range of horses, I chose to use their Shire horse. The horse is cast in a running position,
I've spent a couple of evenings making a mock up of the proposed layout. It's really helped me visualise how the finished article might look. Everything seems to fit in O.K, but I've labelled the points with their "hand" and code number in the hope that if anyone spots an obvious cock up they'll let me know!
I think it has a nice flow about it and should have enough operational potential without being over complicated. I like the idea of my liitle Manning Wardle wheezing along the pr
In my quest to add variety to the stock appearing at Sherton Abbas, I've treated myself to a couple of Midland wagon kits from Slater's Plastikard. https://www.slatersplastikard.com/linePage.php?code=7030 and https://www.slatersplastikard.com/linePage.php?code=7029
I built the kits in exactly the way that the instructions suggest, so rather than give a blow by blow account of the construction, here's a picture of the completed wagon
Midland 8 Ton 3 plank drop side wag
I've spent the last weeks modelling time building my first 7mm point. It's being constructed using C & L components along with their timbertracks sleeper bases. I'm using 31.5mm gauges, supplied by Debs and really like appearance of the reduced flangeways on the point. Its not finished quite yet, but my test wagon seems to trundle through O.K. so, so far so good! I'll post some pics of the finished result when i get there.
Since its been over a week since I've posted anything, he
Something a little different that my usual G.W.R. offerings! "Lady Jayne" will be employed on my proposed layout to propel wagons along a private line, leading from a yet decided industry and onto an exchange siding. The loco was built using the Slaters kit as a base, with a lot of additional detail. Before anyone spends time looking through their Manning Wardle archives, the loco Lady Jayne never really existed and is a feeble attempt on my part to keep Mrs Wenlock sweet!
Just a quick blog entry to say that I'm taking Sherton Abbas to the Manchester show. It'll be the layout's first visit to anywhere further North than Telford in the Midlands, so if you're in the area, do come along and say hello🙂
Looking forward to what should be a good weekend, as long as the M5 and M6 are compliant!
BW
Dave
Well just under 5 years since I started this blog here we are with the 100th entry! :-) I've been conscious for a while that although the layout is adequately lit by my workshop lights, it could really do with its own dedicated lighting. The layout has got its first showing at the RMweb Members day in Taunton on the 30th of April http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/120694-swag-2017-lineup-details-catering-all-you-need-to-know/?hl=%2Bswag+%2B2017 so I thought I'd better get somethin
I've just returned from a very enjoyable weekend exhibiting Sherton Abbas at the South Hants Model Railway show in Portsmouth. https://www.shmrc.org.uk/event/2018-shmrc-exhibition/ We were made very welcome by the hosts and even provided with an excellent fried breakfast at the exhibition hall before the public arrived:-) It was good to meet up with other RMweb members who came over and introduced themselves during the day.
The first time the layout ever left my workshop was when I t
