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Andy R

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  1. Part of the bike trail follows an old NZR branch line that is long since closed. But it when up from the coastal town of Oamaru to service small rural communities and limestone works. Photo shows the only tunnel that the trail goes through enroute. It curves so was rather dark and disorienting on a fine day.
  2. Hawkinsfield update mid November; As a slight diversion….Not been near the model railway for several weeks now as my wife and I are on a road trip in NZs South Island. I have just completed a 307 km bike ride from the Southern Alps to the ocean over five days( hard yakka) and now recovering at a lodge near NZs highest mountain- Mt Cook. Not a model railway in sight but wonderful mountains instead.
  3. A couple of general shots of layout on the Hawkinsfield junction side; marshalling yard toward station and the Hawkinsfield Dairy Co.
  4. Thanks guys for the thumbs up. The single junction starts on the viaduct and did create some viaduct construction issues with its shape. But got there in the end. The single junction is actually two curved points ( a right and a left) that; a) feed the single continuous run line back to the terminus b) feeds the yet to be constructed six line storage turntable ( acts like a return loop) to be carefully centred into the middle of the layout room operating well. This turntable bit is planned to be around 1500 long and only 300 wide, and will be anchored onto a wooden base shelving cabinet that will provide extra model/ book storage and weight to keep it sturdy. It will be feed by a rake of curved points. These will have their own little control panel for the tortoise points. Lets just say a work in planning progress. Back to scenery and time to turn the mind to the engine shed and turntable area. happy modelling cheers Andy R
  5. And maybe a train for a change- GWR 4-4-0 Earl approaching the viaduct through the single junction before entering Hawkinsfield Junction station environs.
  6. Update Part 10; I have sent the last week or so filling in details of the river/ viaduct scene that has progressing through several posts above. Details like the gangers hut, the small junction signal box and the hedges, trees and bushes etc. I thought I would share a couple of today’s photos. regards Andy R
  7. Couple of photos taken by a friend on a layout visit the other night. Work on finishing the river valley/ viaduct scene continues… photos soon on update. In the meantime…
  8. Part 9: So, I have now moved to the fun part...adding scenic texture to the formed landscape in bulk.\ as a base for more detailed enhancements like static grass etc. As described in earlier update posts I like to give a scatter base or glued tuffs of carpet felt (depending on the area location) onto the painted paper mache over which the layer of static grass or foliage matting etc is applied. I think this adds depth to the whole grass areas be they fields or rough unkept road or lineside. I have now PVA'ed (is there such a word?) carpet felt into the long grass areas and also basic green mix scatter material into the field areas. This is shown in the photos below. Once dry the fields will be covered with PVA and static grass applied. In the long grass areas the carpet felt will be washed with green/yellow diluted acrylic paints and details applied. cheers Andy R
  9. Update Part 8: The viaduct is finally in position! It was a bit of a mission as it didnt quite think the whole construction through in a logical order nor account for the tappered track bed (because of the two junction points in this river scene location. The good thing is that we can always learn form our mistakes and I did....! The river scene is now taking shape with the viaduct in place and Ive started putting in the landscape base around the viaduct structure itself. The next few photos show my preferred technique of setting out the contours with cereal packet card covered with parcel-type paper and then covered with diluted PVA to give a light but strong paper-machie type base. The next step is to paint his with a solid green undercoat and then start building up the scenic textures (as described in earlier posts above). Also shown in the photos is the start of the quayside and rocks around the estuary using plaster. Rock mold rocks will be glued into place in suitable spots on top of this plaster then coloured and weathered. Not yet done! I hope members find this of interest. Cheers, Andy R
  10. Andrew; ive also seen a recent video of your new build and the first running. I can’t believe how fast you are in building layouts- I’m in awe. My Hawkinsfield junction is 10 plus years and only half way!!! It’s tortoise like! Anyway, I have a question arising from watching your video; in it you mentioned the NEM pockets and using Kadee’s in them. What I would like to know is which number Kadee you use for your goods stock and locos? many thanks for your layout motivation regards Andy R NZ
  11. Keep safe- aussie hasn't had it easy. Andy R
  12. Update Part 7; Ive been working on the river estuary/ viaduct scene in the last few days and getting to grips with the construction of a viaduct on a curve. My research online suggests a range of ways people have built curved viaducts; some I think would not stay up if engineering principles were applied. I therefore searched engineering design applied to viaducts on a curve. It is clear that the first principle is that the arches should be parallel. This leads to series of straight bridge bits that gradually step around the curve ( hard to explain but easier to see). I saw a couple of photos of the famous Landweisser viaduct in Switzerland ( which I have traveled over in a tourist train) and it’s sharp curve is in fact a series of short straights! Meanwhile pillars can be tappered with the outer curve pillar width wider than the inner curve. Using these principles I have started my model which is three arches, so three ‘straight’ bits, combining to form the viaduct. I am currently detailing the front facia with foam board covered with embossed plasticard. The photos show this start. im now working on the pillars and using the ‘insitu’ measurements to guide my construction as I go. cheers Andy R
  13. Hi - thought i would have a look at your progress as you were kind enough to look at my Hawkinsfield Junction progress reports. Hope the Covid thingy hasnt attacked you? Progress? Andy R New Zealand
  14. Update on Hawkinsfield Junction Part 6: Start on the river/viaduct scene Following the work on the dairy scene and junction loco shed environs I have turned attention to the far end of the layout, where the double track leaves Hawkinsfield Junction station past the signal box and merges into a single track junction, with track separating to the new (future) train turntable in the room centre, and the small single track link back to the terminus single slip for the continuous run. It has always been my aim to have a three arch viaduct over a river valley scene here. The baseboard was made to allow greater depth in this location. I've now made a start on this, as some preliminary photos below show. My usual approach of using cheap cardboard strips lattice, hot glued together to get basic contours of the landform is now being done. This will be covered with thin cereal packet card and then paper machie' glued with cheap PVA to form a hard shell. Then paint, scenic scatter/static grass etc etc. The river scene is to be of a sandy river estuary with the tide half out and an old river stone quayside and warehouse which have seen better days. Some photos of the old river Dart quay around Totnes have been downloaded as a reference for this (as I live in NZ I cant visit it!) Anyway, first things first; in order to get the landform reference about right I have carved out some of the baseboard girders and also put in a country lane and stone bridge over the single junction spot. The stone bridge will be disguised/softened with trees and shrubs and wing walls. This approach allows me to make the landform sloping down from this high point to the river estuary below. The river estuary will have the new viaduct (yet to be built) as its backdrop. The viaduct also needs to disguise a tortoise point motor at its left hand end, hence the rather narrow arches as shown in my sketch hanging from the track bed. You get the general idea; at least this approach is how I see things in my poor old brain anyway! Some initial photos to illustrate below. Cheers Andy R
  15. Love that description Tony- that’s a real model railway! regards Andy R
  16. Update of Hawkinsfield Junction: Part 5; Reconstructed junction loco facilities; The new terminus Melcombe Regis needed a new loco servicing facility as befits its terminus status at the seaside end of a joint Southern/ GWR line from other parts of UK (in my story anyway). Hence the turntable and larger engine shed that was sited at the junction originally had to be moved over. As discussed/illustrated above this made way for the new Hawkinsfield dairy company. But also as the junction has a resident shunter to be housed a smaller loco shed has been constructed in place of the former larger one. For this I had an old Airfix engine shed kit, which I have finished and weathered and sited on the foundations of the former shed. I also dug out a small loco inspection pit and the usual water crane, coal, tools, equipment etc scattered around it. The only thing I need to finish this new scene is a small water tower and a coal lifting crane. These will come shortly I hope. Having basically completed the dairy and junction loco scenic areas at Hawkinsfield Junction I can again turn my attention to the terminus area and get town backscene, foreground scenic treatment and turntable, loco shed etc developed further. I also need to get the turntable motorised; with the help of my mates if and when we emerge from NZ lockdown. The photo shows off the new loco facility at the junction. The private dairy siding running off to the left. Cheers, Andy R
  17. Thanks for the likes and comments Andy R
  18. Hawkinsfield Junction Update, Part 4: Construction of Hawkinsfield Dairy Co; I've always wanted to have a small local dairy factory to generate traffic, so the old turntable site at the junction has been filled in and converted to a local dairy/creamery. (the turntable and engine shed shifted to the new terminus (another project!) The backstory here is that local farmers from the surrounding valleys bring in their milk churns and the milk is processed and pumped into the 4 wheeled tankers and transported out. Old Hornby tankers purchased from Janes Trains in Tooting, London during a past visit and now need weathering etc to service this industry. The dairy photo shows one in pristine condition! Eagle-eyed will note the dairy constructed from an old Airfix engine shed, an old brick building cobbled together and reroofed, reclad in parts, a loading platform added and old Ratio station canopy kit-bashed at the front. The water tower is kit-bashed from an american mineral hopper structure. Yard and approach road suitably plastered and subtly coloured to reflect local chalk soil conditions, and rough vegetation planted about using my usual scenic approach of paper machie, carpet felt, static grass and flock/scatter. The accompanying photos hopefully tell the story. Cheers Andy R
  19. Cheers Paul -that sorts that out then. Photos to be staged as best as possible. Cheers Andy R
  20. And another from this afternoon for fun..........
  21. Afternoon lockdown in NZ! A couple of ‘playing trains’ shots. I made videos but the files are too big ( over 10 mb. anyone know how to reduce the video file size for placement in this site? cheers Andy R
  22. Hawkinsfield Junction Update Part 3; Having got the trains going again and fine tuning the points as we go, and finding and fixing several electrical faults with friends ( I’m no electrical whizz) I felt I needed a break from this serious stuff, so I turned my mind back to things I like doing- the scenery department! I decided to focus on installation of the embankment and river scene I had in my head from the beginning, at one end of the layout between the new terminus and the junction. This area has been bare boards and frame since the start ( except for the nicely curved track). My preference is to keep the scenery cheap and cheerful; using card strips lattice work as a base, hot glued, then paper machie over the top with a 50/50 mix of cheap PVA and water. Yoo Okinawa can contour the landscape as you wish with this method and if you don’t like simply pull apart and redo. Once dry this forms a strong but light scenery base. Then I built in the bridge, green painted the paper machie, then scenic layering, using my preferred mix of cheap PVA, carpet felt, woodlands scatter types, string, and lots of mixed static grass. Next various home made trees of different sizes and shapes. The riverbed is painted but water still to be poured in ( I’m trying Mod Podge first and if no good will buy some Woodlands Scenic water mix. the next series of photos show the approach and current outcome. cheers Andy R
  23. Hey Les - great to hear you are alive and kicking in the Waikato. Hope we might catch up in Hamilton show or ours in January ( assuming not in lockdown). Yes have been slowly beavering away and lots more to do yet. Cheers Andy
  24. Thanks Graham T. The station is a work in progress, with fencing, passengers etc to be done later after I get the town street backscene is in place. I do think the roof ended up ok, but slightly too wide which is my poor measurement Andy
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