aberdare

Well, I was quite proud of my path when I had done it but it looks as if my as yet uncompleted scene has been surpassed so I need to up my game and do some serious catching up. Fantastic work young Jeff. Envious of East Yorks

Ah Yes, the old compressor van, I have seen this in one of the wagon books and also thought it would make a great model and is on my 'to do' list, however that list seems to grow longer each day and at the rate I model it will probably never get built. It's a bit like the weighing machine calibration van I started a few years ago that lays unfinished in a box somewhere, I can't remember how many rows of rivets I put on that roof so I might have to dig it out. Jim

Yes, there are some wonderful layouts there and a great bunch of people, enjoy it. I have seen four of those layouts and have spent a good while studying them. Jim

That looks really good now Jeff. I must admit I prefer that look to the maintained version as well, I know on my own layout I prefer it too and am lucky that most of the railway land is only wide enough for the permanent way so plenty of scope for shrubs beyond that. It is good to see you enjoying the scenics so much but I look forward to the day when the buildings start as that will really bring that station area to life as well as the excellent fells. A masterpiece in the making.

Blimey! Jason has been trying to get you to one for years, are you about to succumb, will it get addictive?

Hi Jeff/Freebs For additional layers of static grass I do use hairspray and it has worked fine for me, I usually then give it another coat after a quick vacuum to ensure it is fixed. All looking good now Jeff and I like the addition of the odd few small shrubs, it seems to finish off really well, but then again I like to see plenty of trees etc. Jim

I have always enjoyed reading the various Coopercraft threads over the years as I would like to see it survive as well as many other ranges because all my models are kit or scratchbuilt. It was interesting to see thee word 'fantasy' being used as I have often had that fantasy that with my experience (35+ years in plastic moulding) I could rescue such a company as long as I had unlimited funds to throw at it, this would then ensure it was there for years to come. But in reality even if I had the money I would be very reluctant to invest in something that would seem to need a lot of new moulds and machines. With regard to the machines the ones shown earlier had a vertical injection unit and having had a look at the runners on my kits they were moulded with a horizontal unit as seen in CCs home page, just for the record the machine is a Boy and the one behind possibly an early Arburg? The latter are definitely still producing machines but I'm not sure about the former though they were still doing so a few years ago. For anyone considering making new tooling I would be looking at a bolster with interchangeable inserts to minimise costs and keep change-over times to a minimum. Succesful Injection moulding is not easy and the whole business should not be taken lightly for those wanting to invest in it. Though I do not have any time (full time carer) or money to invest I would be happy to help if I can as I would like to see the range survive. Jim

Ah! Well I am colour blind so that is easily explained Thanks for pointing that out, it's not the first time I've got it wrong and it won't be the last. Let's just hope none of the Colourists were or we're really in trouble.

Just referring back a few posts to the colour tinting of postcard views I remember posting this link in my thread a couple of years ago of a coloured view of Hemyock,http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/h/hemyock/index.shtml I find it interesting that two places quite some distance apart (over 100 years ago) have similar colours to the vans (grey) and wagons (red), could they have been done by the same people or was it based on fact? Sorry for raising the subject again but as I wish to get a few GWR and other company wagons built this year I'm getting fully absorbed in everything mentioned here on this thread. My thanks to all participants. Jim

Lovely work John It's been quite a while since I last looked in but the standard of work is just as good if not better than it was then, I have made a note to refer back here if/when I get around to rodding, I can only hope to match what you have achieved, Great work. Jim

Sorry Jeff! I'm usually ever so quiet but once I get going you can't shut me up. In all seriousness I think a lot of us just kept out of the way at that time but now it looks like time to sink back into that comfy old armchair with a nice cup of tea, got any Darjeeling in by any chance?

Hi Jeff I had the same problem as you with the wrinkling so hang mine from a thing strip of double sided tape for now, I'm thinking of going for the self adhesive version on polypropylene as they will stand up better to the shed conditions. All looking good now that the walls are no longer plain though. Jim

Blimey Ian that photo brings back a few memories. I started my career in Plastics on Austin Allens just like that as well as some old Ankerwerk 60 ton presses including No3 from the mid fifties which was supposed to have gone to the company at the end of its life as a museum piece, It's a far cry from the all electric Sumitomo machines we were using at the end of my career. Of course things move on and the industry now seems to focus on on ever larger machines and multi-cavity tools - I have tested and approved 128 impression tools before now - and the smaller machines that people like Coopercraft need are not as common now so tend to be more expensive from new, from memory I think 'Boy' used to do quite a few but that is going back a few years. Happy days - most of the time! Jim

Not completely ignored Jason, I'm just not doing anything. Unfortunately with Tennis elbow in both arms I have enough trouble controlling me tea & biccies let alone a scalpel or a bottle of Mek . Have arranged for injections in the New Year so hopefully will get back to it later without risk of mishaps to me or the models, I still enjoy seeing what others like your good self are up to though. All the best Jim

Hi Chris The coaches in that film clip are indeed family saloons, I know Worsley works do a G2 and Shirescenes the G20 which looks a bit like those seen. From memory I think the BGS do one as well. I'd like to get one or two for the Culm Valley line along with a Hounds Van as there used to be a Hunt up the line in the early years. Jim

Hi Al Just catching up with progress and the cottages in the earlier post are looking good, I can see what you mean about them being perched on the hill though as it doesn't look quite right, mind you the last house I lived in and a few others in this Village do perch on the side of hills. The only difference being the fronts have a more level frontage (roadside) with a sharp rise/fall from there to the back of the house and beyond, I used to store a wine collection (long gone since retirement) in a store at the back of my house which was virtually underground. All looking good though keep up the good work. Jim

My dear wife had arranged for us to go to an Xmas dinner by the local MS Society, all paid for except for drinks, we had a great time and a good laugh even though we had not met any of the folk before who were there. The following day after I had cooked lunch my wife got some chocolates out that she took the previous day for a raffle prize that was not used, she commented that she thought it strange as well as the fact they bought us a drink. I asked her for the letter and could not not help but smile as I told her that she had got the date wrong and we were then supposed to be attending the dinner and went to a completely different one the previous day. I've no idea whose dinner we went to but we were made most welcome, given a small free gift and told that they looked forward to seeing us again. Best free lunch we have ever been to. But I was gutted that I had just cooked a lunch I didn't need to had we realised earlier.. Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year from Jim & Linda (the oldest gate crashers in town)

CHUFFED! I should think you are Chris they are just great and look very very good and.... well I'm a bit lost for words really but it has been enjoyable following the build for the last few months and the results speak for themselves. Great stuff and now you can sit back, relax and have a really good Christmas with a satisfied smile on your face for a job well done. Have a good time Chris Jim

What a great post, I love little tales like this as it helps to build a story around the whole layout and though it is out of period to model I'm sure I can use the mystery of the 'Hole of Hemyock' somewhere. Thanks very much for that post and feel free to add anything else about the Village and its characters as it helps to build a picture, when I get around to completing it I intend to write a fictional story of the Station and its area and it would be great to include these little gems in some way. During my research I also found that one of the first motor cars in the area was owned by a doctor in Willand (Tiverton Junction) from Sept 1907 and I have a book of his diaries of car driving at that time, a great thing to have and maybe just an excuse for a slight diversion from everything being horsedrawn. Finally it just leaves me to wish everyone who reads this thread a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. As do a few of the locals (the chap 5th from left is getting an ear bashing for pinching the young lady on the behind - honestly those Edwardians, tut tut) All the best Jim

Thanks for posting up your build of these as I have a few to make sometime in the future and it's good to know what trials and tribulations I may encounter. I always assumed that it would be quite a simple task but obviously not, at least I know what to look out for now. Thanks Jim

Chris Great work on those coaches once again and they will certainly be something to be proud of once finished. I prefer the idea of staples to hang the footboards on and I will be doing something similar later as I am not happy with the fine plastic strip I used, it's a bit too flexible at times and has even snapped off once. Like Andy I also found the board fouling the rocking axle unit if anything moved so definitely a few mods needed there. I look forward to the completed coaches which I guess will be sometime next year now. Jim

Hi Al You are setting a cracking pace with this layout - compared to me anyway - and the standard of work just as good as always, as for not always using the cutter I do that a lot too especially for the odd item as it's more bother getting it out and setting it up than to build from scratch. I might try and make time to produce a sheet of stock items like doors and windows so I can dip in when needed, I've just done that with a sheet of slates to cut out the monotony of producing hundreds for my Mill/Factory. Great to see the layout progressing well though as it gives me a prompt to do a little more.

Paul That build of the plough is just fantastic, I remember a few years ago I had a couple of of NE Snowplough books that I acquired from someones estate, I thought at the time what a great subject they would make for a scratchbuild but obviously not for me so it is great to see one made now. Had I known you then I would have offered them to you rather than sell them on. I think you have captured the look really well. Jim

Thanks Colin, I'm glad that you have found a few things to interest you on here, progress is a little slow at the moment as care duties and car issues became the priority for a while and the former still has a way to go yet. However none of that stops the old brain working and a bit more research has been carried out when possible. One of the things that bothered me was the tall chimney that can be seen on most photographs of the factory as to its actual position and attached boiler house, this can be seen here http://blackdownarchives.org.uk/category/trades/milk-factory/page/3/ fifth picture down. So you can imagine how confused I was by this next picture - second down http://blackdownarchives.org.uk/category/trades/milk-factory/, as can be seen that is not a nice brick boiler house, cue more research. By using aerial photographs and OS maps I was able to determine that the new chimney was built in front of my factory on the end of a much larger building, I am assuming that this was between 1916 and 1920 when United Dairies expanded the business after buying out the Culm Valley Dairy, my building would seem to have been destroyed in a large fire in 1923 and the corn mill probably went in 1916 at the take over, so I will be making the ramshackle boiler house and will also try to replicate the boilerman, he looks a great character and can't be ignored, but that's a job for later. Now that is clear in my mind I am going to get on with the rooves for each part, the older mill in slate and the factory in tiles, I just like the idea of seeing different textures as they cover a large area. Once these are sitting in place (not fixed) I will assess what can be seen through the windows in case I have to make some representations of De Laval Separators https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/6c/2b/8d/6c2b8dab6ae014975964d561b1bd5a78.jpg. Just to finish a picture to show current state of play with windows, office door, canopy and line into one loading bay. Hopefully progress will continue to be made albeit slowly. Jim