Jump to content
 
  • entries
    137
  • comments
    848
  • views
    115,961

About this blog

Welcome to my RM web BLOG, it's used like most to highlight recently modelling projects and photographs. The postings here tend to mirror my independent BLOG at http://nevardmedia.blogspot.co.uk/

Entries in this blog

Quickie Brewery Progress

Today a bit of work turning flat earth into a proper baseboard ideal for show presentation. Bendy MDF is great stuff from B&Q and ideal for curvy backscenes.There is still some fascia work and panelling to add of course.   The trackplan has come together, it being fed from behind and between the two key brewery buildings. Off stage there will be a sector plate which will feed 3 hidden staging siding behind the backscene. Neither of the 2 exit points will be visible from the norma

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

50's in the 80's

8405_barford_50020_p, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   50020 powers through Barford St Martin a few miles west of Salisbury with a Waterloo bound service during a rather splendid April day in 1984.   It's incredible just how the railways have changed over just a couple of decades, for back in the 1980's the majority of long distance trains were loco-hauled. As a photography student in Salisbury during the mid-1980's, this meant that I was perfectly positioned to capture English Electric C

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Something for the Weekend - LBSCR 8 Ton Van

nevard_110511_LBSCR-8-tons-van-DSC_2157_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.   I've had this kit of a LBSCR 8 Ton Van in the 'kits to be done one day before I die box' since ExpoNG 2010, having bought it direct from the manufacturer Smallbrook Studios who are more well known for delightful resin based narrow gauge kits. However, in addition to their more well known items, they also produce a small range of ex-LSWR and LBSCR prototypes in 4mm scale designed around the Dapol 10ft wheel b

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Car Train

120503_4-track_DSC_4363, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. As an alternative to a long wait for the Aust Car Ferry or a long drive via Gloucester, the 4.40pm Severn Tunnel Junction to Pilning car train is captured speeding up the 1/100 grade towards its destination on a dull summer day in 1958.   The opening of the Severn Bridge saw the end of this service aimed at the more affluent car owner. The new bridge also saw the end to the quirky Aust Car Ferry, however those that wish a trip down me

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Cats, dustbin liners, 1959 and all that.....

nevard_120612_catcott_DSC_5788, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. Templecombe's 43216 is captured pottering about the sidings at Catcott Burtle on a bright but blustery day in magnificent summer of 1959. Click on the photo to get a bigger view.   '59 was very similar to the summer of 2006, with hot temperatures and wall to wall sunshine running well into the autumn. This is probably one of the reasons why there are so many colour photographs from that year, colour films from that era being g

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

My Palette

nevard_110406_BQ_colours_IMG_9599_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.   I frequently get asked what colours I use. The trick I think is to avoid anything too bright and certainly don't use manufactured 'railway colours', they're always too bright and lurid.   Here are the colours used on Brewhouse Quay and Catcott Burtle - they're all Humbrol or Revell matt enamel. I tend to dry brush them onto a grey/brown undercoat (Halfords aerosol primers). You'll notice I also use enamel rat

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Brewery Project: Back of an Envelope Sketch

Just now I grabbed a couple of snaps to illustrate the Brewery Project's likely track plan all in an area of 4ft x 2ft 3inches, kicking off with an early rough sketch which will be used as a bases for a proper layout plan. Note the sector plate to allow access to hidden sidings behind the backscene. The headshunt seen on the above sketch will allow a small loco with just 2 SWB wagons - a shunting puzzle should be fun!           The track plan has started to be marked out roughly fu

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

5 years on, still going strong

   43216 shunts a grain wagon with a hot box into the siding at Catcott, September 1959.   When backing up files yesterday I picked out the photo of the culvert being tried out for size on the layout back in December 2007, it reminding me of many of the lightweight materials used for the scenic base with much of the cardboard here being from a huge flatscreen TV at the workplace. I remember at the time being far impressed by the cardboard than the TV because it was unusually stout, strong

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Salute to the glass-half-empty brigade

Train nuts aren't known for having the most positive outlook on life, here are a few comments I've picked up over recent times, many on internet forums sadly.   Of course this is only the tip of the iceberg, but I'm sure you can add some real corkers (don't be too rude though, this is not my website).... Didn't buy that mag because it was plastic bagged Hope they do it in N gauge soon Why do I have to pay for it? There's nothing in it for me Photography, these days it's all Photo

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Looking back at the weekend show

nevard_120123_45xx_DSC_1208, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. As mentioned in previous blog posts, the Astolat Model Railway Circle 2012 Expo in Guildford was to be Combwich's last outing for a while pending a total re-wire to take some of the lottery as to whether the layout will perform or not. Luckily, and much to my surprise the old girl, which has now turned 30, presented very few problems other than a dickie frog polarity switch under one of the run around crossover points. On the odd oc

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

It's not the 1st of April, but.....

nevard_120130_combwich_IMG_2324, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. Photo: 30587 departs Combwich with the 2pm service to Stogursey.   ...but in the ethos of populist journalism for the masses, today I'm not going to let historical accuracy get in the way of a good yarn!   Until 1955, a light railway served the small town of Stogursey up in the Quantocks. This railway was part of a grand scheme to link the port town of Combwich with Watchet, but sadly the railway company owned by Sir Henry

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Combwich - on the road again, just one more time (for now)

nevard_101106_wycrail_IMG_8340_web, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. Wycrail, 6 November 2010. Note the cast of 'Last of the Summer Wine' in th foreground.   Combwich hits the road again on Saturday 21 January at the Astolat Model Railway Circle annual show in Guildford.   Combwich is 30 years old now, and whilst the layout has been contantly updated to give the impression of being far more youthful than it appears, the wiring dates right back to the early 1980's and is very overdue for a

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Something for Bus Spotters!

nevard_120529_Bristol-LS_DSC_5233, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. At RAILEX over the weekend an hour or so before the show ended I finally got around to having my tour of inspection and came across this rather nice diecast EFE Bristol L.S in Southern National green livery on the hosting club's secondhand stall. The clincher being the Devenish Draught advert which sadly now promotes that long gone well loved Weymouth brewery.   All starry eyed, I donned that dirty gabardine raincoat, greasy

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Trio or Medley?

Here we have a 'trio' (gosh, that's so very BBC Masterchef) of wagons posed on the brewery. Of course I could have used 'medley' instead but that sounds more like a microwave meal.   Ok, to the point, I have a huge collection of second hand wagons that I'm slowly refurbishing. I acquired them about 10 years ago, but they probably date back to the 1970's and 1980's. Most of them I can identify, but these defy me, so I'm turning to you the as ever informed reader.     Wagon 1 (click to

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Showcase: Arne Wharf

120502_arnewharf_DSC_4315, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   You may have sen this photo in the photo-feed at the top of the index page, here's a little more about it......   To those not familiar with some of my layouts, over the next few postings I'm going to have a look at some of the layouts I've built, starting off with Arne Wharf.   Back in 2003 I'd only been back in the hobby for a year or so, and wanted to build something small and compact which could be taken to shows. Since the

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

All up and running...

nevard_120119_combwich_DSC_1024, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. 43216 arrives at at Combwich with the 2.15pm service from Evercreech Junction, August 1961   Yesterday afternoon, Combwich was assembled for an up and under prior to this weekend's show in Guildford. Much to my surprise, it ran pretty well first off, apart from a slight problem with a Peco polarity switch being a tad lazy - next job will be to dismantle the layout and ship it down to the show which is just a couple of miles aw

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Bedazzled buffers!

nevard_110921_leamington_DSC_3796_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   Posted in my external BLOG, hence slightly generic non-rail-nutter angle.   The real world is full of things that don't quite conform to preconception, with us model makers often being the worst offenders (I'm really bad at this and have to kick myself from time to time), for this reason it’s so important to look at the real world. Luckily railways have always been well explored by camera lenses, so often research i

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

New Sign for the Pedant & Armchair

111205_polbrock_IMG_2125_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   The Pedant &Armchair is now fully open and is complete with appropriate signage on the front. The nearby railway also has warnings to warn of its presence, but of the course the clientele would never dream of wandering onto the line because they almost certainly read government health and safety guides before going to bed. They are also unlikely to be drunk, 'mother' would never allow it.   I just need to think of a suitab

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Summer of '69

120429_4-track_DSC_4245, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. During the long hazy summer of '69, D6313 is captured near Great Wishford on the Wylye Valley route with a Westbury bound goods.   The highly regarded Dapol Class 22 certainly looks the part on a secondary mainline with just a few wagons in tow. The unkempt finish and hazy light I think capturing the feel of the era which is now getting on for half a century ago. This is of course the era of free love, outdoor concerts and drug induce

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Sunday Smog

120428_4-track_DSC_4215_BW, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. Sunday morning's bit of silliness is the replication of a stretch of mainline in South Wales with an ex-GWR pannier tank in possession of a rake of empties just having left the mainline. The 9F flying along behind has a load of freshly filled wagons heading for somewhere distant or maybe just Cardiff Docks.   Sunlight has just started to penetrate the fog and pollution – also known as smog it was a typical feature of industrial B

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Secrets of Brewhouse Quay (orig post 24 Dec)

Whilst RM web was having its well-deserved Xmas break, I still kept blogging externally (I usually copy lock stock and barrel here as well).   Here's my Xmas Eve post.........     nevard111223_bachmann3F_DSC_0529_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   Bachmann Midland 3F weathered and renumbered as Templecombe's 43216. This loco was the 3F allocated to the former Somerset & Dorset line and was withdrawn in 1962.   For photographers, this was taken on a mid-1960's Nikkor-S (Ai co

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

'Doris' settling in..

111114_beattieWT_IMG_1919_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   With the little Beattie Well Tank now in my possession I couldn't resist popping the little beauty on to Polbrock to see whether it fits in. On that note is 'it' a 'she' or 'he'? Presuming 'she' had a name, I think that 'Doris' would suit? That being the case, 'Doris' is all rather pristine and will in due course be given a little fake patina replicating a working engine rather than looking like a finalist in the X Factor. The

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Damage!

nevard_090820_elford_4z05_66546_DSC_5501_web, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   Damaged cross members on the 4Z05 empty Drax - Daw Mill coal train captured at Elford Loop on Thursday 20 August 2009.   Right, now I have your attention; that cat hasn't had a rampage by the way, however here's something I've never seen modelled, probably because it would be quite tricky trying to get the effect with moulded plastic - more of that in a minute. I'm no expert on coal hoppers and loading, but thi

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

Wycrail 2010 - an exhibitor's perspective...

Above, the doors opened 30 or so minutes ago....   Combwich's first outing in 6 years finally took place at Wycrail in High Wycombe on Saturday 6th November at what is rapidly becoming 'the' quality one day show in the SE.   Above, my first through train from Combwich to arrive at the terminus of CK's lovely Bleakhouse Road!   On Friday night Combwich was crammed into a hired Ford Transit for it's 35 mile journey first thing the following day. After an easy 45 minute ride pretending t

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

3 hours work with glue, hammer, saw, blood, less fingers etc....

110927_cornish-interlude_IMG_1336_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.   3 hours work with glue, hammer, saw, blood, less fingers, and we have a baseboard in a box.   This is probably the average time most armchair modellers sit online before lunch pontificating about flanges, why they've lost interest in the hobby, why they don't have enough time to actually do anything, why 66134 has not been released in S gauge, why aren't model railway magazines free and how much Photoshop does that Mr

Chris Nevard

Chris Nevard

×
×
  • Create New...