buffalo's layouts

That is really coming together, generating good vibes/atmosphere.

 

Mike

That siding with the "old" asphalt next to it looks really realistic, and doesn't look overcrowded. An excellent job, sir.

 

Dennis

Beautiful work Nick.

 

The attention to detail has certainly paid dividends.

 

Look forwards to seeing futher instalments.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

 

 

Looking really good Nick! That fencing must have been a real "labour of love" I think the end result was worth the effort though.

 

Dave

Mouth-watering stuff Nick! I know it's not done yet, but already it looks like a virtually complete scene. The atmosphere is great. I especially like how the grass forms an important part of the scene and "frames it". The short lineside grass in particular is really convincing, I think. As you say it looks like the PW crew are doing a good job here. Someone's going to have to do something about No. 188 though. Wagons tend to roll better on the rails :-)

 

The strainers are exactly the kind of detail that makes a layout such as this interesting. Definetely worth the effort, I think. And now that you've pointed out their existence, I will never be able to look at a GWR layout again without checking if the fencing has strainer posts.

 

The ash colour in the yard looks pleasing enough, but you are probably right that it would benefit from being a bit lighter. But only a little, I think?

So many good things here, not the least of which is that no modeller would design a layout where a loading platform straddles a crossover... (yes, I did check your Goods Yard part 1 to see you were content about the prototypical arrangement).

 

The thing that jumped out at me was the dark stone for the gate posts. (?)

Inside keyed track - rarely modelled.

 

I have a picture of the gate at Camerton, I'll look it out.

Many thanks to all for the positive comments. Much of this has been experimenting with materials that I'd not used before and, although I've been fairly happy with the results so far, it's great to know that others think I'm getting a few things right.

 

Mikkel - yes, the 'framing' of the railway was one of the intentions when I started designing this layout. After a previous attempt that was too narrow and had virtually no surrounding landscape, I wanted to ensure that there was just enough to avoid it being all railway. There will be a road along the entire front of the layout with a grass bank leading down to the tracks. The station area and beyond will have the batch (colliery spoil tip) as a background. Hopefully, these will continue the effect along the full length of the layout.

 

It looks like I've managed to fool you with that photo of the wagon, it really is on the rails. Mind you, I had exactly the same reaction when I first saw it. I think the illusion results from two things. Firstly the yard surface continues right up to the nearest rail so you can't actually see it, and secondly, as Tim V has spotted, the track has inside keys, so what looks like the nearest rail is actually the far side of the siding track.

 

As to the fencing, it's little features like this and the inside-keyed track that, once I know they were there, I won't be satisfied until I've at least tried to represent them. On that note, I've been wondering for a few weeks about whether I can live with a little error in the track. I won't say yet what it is and, if no one spots it, then maybe I'll leave it as I really don't want to have to rip the track up at this stage.

 

Miss P - I'm beginning to find a rather devilish satisfaction in modelling a real prototype where there are all sorts of features that one might think couldn't happen. Why they put the loading platform there I don't know, but it was like that before the 1908 changes. Even though this end of the layout it quite highly compressed, the relationship between the platform and the crossover is about right. It looks like there was just enough room for a wagon or van to have it's doors, though not its full length, alongside the platform without fouling the crossover. Why on earth would anyone design it like that?

 

I wondered if anyone would question the dark stone posts. There is a very clear photo of the Monkton Combe gates on p84 of Maggs & Beale, The Camerton Branch. The authors suggest 1910-ish for the date which is plausible, though it could be later. This clearly shows the posts in a mid-grey tone, lighter than a GWR wagon and much the same as the column of a gas lamp. Given the good range of tones in the photo, dark stone would appear to be the best match, but I'm open to other arguments.

 

Tim - it would be good to see the picture if you can find it. The only clear one I've seen dates from the early 1950s where they appear to be very dark, probably either black or dark brown.

 

Nick

I've put a selection of pictures in my gallery.

Thanks Tim, some fascinating photos there. I must have driven past the yard gates a few times in a similar Morris Minor back in 1967 and, though I vaguely remember the entrance, I hadn't realised the platform and corrugated hut still survived.

 

Nick

HI I have just joined RM Web after finding this blog about Camerton Station. I am about to start building my first layout and have decided to base it on Camerton where we lived for 30 years until 2017. We lived in the "goods yard" where 2 houses were built in the mid 70s. Prior to that it was a wood yard  after the railway closed. The filled in bridge was at the bottom of our garden and made for some very strenuous gardening. I would love to know if you completed this project? Also did you identify appropriate locomotives and rolling stock? I intend to aim for 1923-1925 when I believe GWR ran the last  passenger services. As you say it is a very interesting area and will provide me with a good challenge for a first attempt.  David

@joggle2003, I'm afraid you will find that buffalo hasn't visited the forum for five years, so you are unlikely to get a response. Members do disappear from time to time, through anno domini, change of interest, or sometimes going off in a huff or even being banned for bad behaviour. Sometimes they reappear under a different name. As far as I'm aware that's not the case here. 

 

If you click on a member's icon, you are taken to their page, where you can find out when last they posted or visited.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Compound2632

Thanks for your feedback.  I suspected that might be the case.

David,

 

Yes I'm afraid that you are very unlikely to get a response from Nick. A few of his models appeared on Ebay quite a few years ago and I was fortunate enough to purchase his 1P project. His Sentinel shunter also appeared at the same time along with some stock which went elsewhere. I contacted the vendor to ask about the models, but it turned out that he'd come in to possession of the models from a house clearance and that he had no knowledge of what had happened to the owner (Nick). No idea if the layout survived but I suspect not unfortunately, although I'd be very pleased to hear to the contrary.

 

Best Wishes

 

Paul

Edited July 15, 2020 by Kempenfelt

Here is the entrance to the goods yard - before your houses were built. Ask Captain Kernow about my old Morris Minor ...

 

Thanks for the photo. My wife struggled to identify the location even though we lived there for 30 years. If anyone is interested in seeing a Sentinel, there is a newly restored ex-Fry's loco at the Avon Valley Railway. Hardly been seen so far because it was delivered the week before shutdown. David

Edited July 17, 2020 by joggle2003