Leaderboard

You're right Early morning light in this room is none too good -- at least, that's my excuse -- but it is much clearer now. I still doubt that they are the stone colours, though, as they look too dark to me, even allowing for the large amount of white in the photo. Is this the photo on p.168? It's very difficult to tell, isn't it? The exposure of that plate is so skilfully crafted to bring out the detail in a very wide range of light levels. The columns could be lightish, but compare their tone with that of the adjacent goods wagons and they could equally well be quite dark in colour

Looks like some good progress is being made there Mikkel. It's looking very atmospheric even now.

Just found the photos I was looking for earlier Pages 185-6 of Great Western Enterprise show the shed at Canon's Marsh, Bristol and the interior shots look to have been taken shortly before it opened in October 1906. In the outer part with metal-framed roof, the columns are all one dark colour, perhaps brown or black? Inside the two storey ferro-concrete section they are dark up to about six feet from the ground, but everything else is white. Upstairs in the warehouse/storage area, everything is white.

Sounds like a good plan. Most of the interior views of early goods sheds that I have tracked down seem to show whitewashed walls. There's no hint of any other colour in the Bourne etching of Brunel's original Bristol shed (though I only have access to monochrome reproductions), and the columns appear to be all white as well, including their bases. In contrast, a couple of rather more recent photos of Newbury in Vaughan's 'Great Western Architecture' show whitewashed walls but the columns have a darker colour over the lower six feet or so. I suspect they might be light/dark stone. However, these photos were taken by Vaughan so are probably post-war. Attractive though it might be, I'd like to find more evidence that the stone colours might have been used like this in the Edwardian era. Nick

Hi Mikkel I think it would be worth the little bit of extra effort (but I would say that I guess!) You cannot do any worse than buying a pack of those battery tealights and start experimenting. Missy

I recall a photo in Stephen Williams Branch Line Modelling books that shows the inside of an engine shed. The lower part of the walls was whitewashed.

Hi Mikkel, I thought you had been quiet and now I know why, what a superb piece of work. As for the brick being whitewashed, I have also come across photo's which suggest that. I have also come across what appears to be a two tone effect, dark and light stone perhaps ? What always strikes me with your modelling are the superb fiqures and the way you use them, I will be studying your ideas closely when I populate my own layout. Geoff

The photos with the light streaming in through the roof are stunning. Why does this make it look so much bigger than it is?

very nice, I am guess 00 scale.

Lovely work Mikkel, I do like the inspection team! Thanks for your PM, I will reply soon! Regards, Nick

I think leaving the pillars suggests a much larger shed, otherwise it might be assumed that only the near wall is cut away (like you are viewing with your back to it). At the present time I personally prefer the viewing from inside the shed. With it's small size it might be best described as a working diorama. The amount of detail that one day will be present inside will probably be more interesting than the wagon movements! If you haven't read them already (or even just looked at the pictures) the GWR goods services books I think would be indispensable source material for you, especially part 2A. (I haven't bought part 2B yet)

Agreed. I was certainly seeing it as an actual platform face. if you can avoid that I think it will be fine. I'm not sure where you intend to put the office but, if it is at the front face, perhaps leaving the front end open might enhance the effect and give even more interesting opportunities for photos.

I suspect that's purely an artifact from seeing the edge of the balsa sitting on the foamboard. Because we see the materials as separate, we naturally assume that's a platform edge too. Dress the front so you don't see the transition and I suspect all will be well.

Hello Mikkel That looks really really really good, I love it! I didnt know that scribed balsa existed so I am going to look out for that, it looks a very useful material (although I will have to think of a use for it now!) That roof is a work of art! I hope you are fitting appropriate working lights to it too? Missy

I like it! When you build the mezzanine, don't forget to add offices for the foreman and clerical staff, with nice big windows so they can keep an eye on those good for nothing work-shy types downstairs.

Excellent progress, Mikkel, and I agree with Will about the lighting potential this will have. The windows and planked platforms are particularly good, though I'm a little uncertain about having some of the pillars so close to the platform edges. Is there any scope to adjust the track plan to avoid this? You're right about platform heights. Most photos suggest that they were arranged so that the folded down doors of open wagons provided a slight upward slope from the platform into the wagon, and van doors could be opened without any problems of catching parts of the locking mechanism. Interestingly, the broad gauge structure diagram of 1879 in the original 'Great Western Way' shows goods platforms six inches higher than passenger ones at 3'3" above rail height. Etchings and photos of the Brunel shed and its later replacement at Bristol seem to agree with this showing the surface at or a little below buffer centre height, just like yours.

Wow! I love the shafts of light and shadows all over the place, if ever there was a layout to photograph using the dry ice technique, its this one!