On 17/02/2020 at 21:12, Duncan. said:

Quite beautiful buildings Tom great modelling.

Cheers

Duncan

Thanks Duncan!

A quick couple of photos to show the drop in section in place on the layout, and also showing a couple of scenic experiments!

The first one is the tree and having seen the excellent trees produced my Martin Wellberg, I decided to try and emulate his method of using static grass to create additional branches. Once the basic wire frame was created, 12mm static grass was added using a sieve type applicator. Next 6mm strands were added, then a final pass with some 2mm strands before a mix of turf and leafs. I think the principle has legs, but I need to perfect the initial shape of the wire frame as this one is a little spread out and I need to not leave as bigger gaps in the initial wire frame. I'm also wondering if I might be able to use just the 6 & 2 mm strands - more tree experiments required!  

The second experiment was creating the trimmed conifer hedgerow you can just see in the photo of the real location above. This was done by spraying a short length of plastic brown, then applying 2mm static fibres to both sides before a final sprinkle of fine Woodland Scenics turf on top. I'm actually really pleased with how this came out on the test piece so I think the basic principle is sound, however I may experiment with longer fibres so I can trim it to match the wider at the top shape of the real hedge. 

I forgot to mention in the previous entry that the picnic bench is from the excellent Severn Models range of etched brass detailing items. 

Cheers, 

Tom,  

Del Boy! Humm, now there's an idea.  I was wondering about having Dirty Den giving Angie her 'Christmas present'.

A valuable source of reference for me has been 'Making Model Railway Buildings', by Andy McMillan, Crowwood press. ISBN 978-1-84797-340-5.

It has been particularly helpful in showing me ideas on how to improve my models.

What was also insightful was that Andy tackles the question of  'How far do I take it?' 

He likens the model to a painting. Seen from close up, it is not as accurate as a detailed technical drawing. But seen from a distance, it conveys just the right impression and looks much more real than a technical drawing.

He presents two ideas:

1. Only model what can be seen.  It is better to make four three-sided buildings, than to make three four-sided buildings that you will never see the backs of.

2. Only take the model to as much detail as it needs. It's no good trying to build the perfect model that never gets finished.

I think I'll stop this model here.  Oh I want to buy lamps to hang outside, along with a hanging sign, possibly flower baskets also.  I'd also like to put seats + tables inside.  But more importantly, I have been shut away for 4-months making this and the terrace of houses. Now that spring is finally here (?) I want to get it installed in it's new home.  I also have two more Victorian house kits to build, which will probably wait.

When I'm satisfied with the result, I think I'll submit a write-up to BRM. So keep your eyes open. :-)

Thanks for the input everyone, it has been helpful and entertaining. 

Told y'all it would be a shovel!! but the rest more than made up for it, and then some but, time to get serious -so next?

CASTLES!!!!!

Sassenach, is it? Right!

I've had a pep talk from the trainer and a swipe with the miracle sponge...it's time to get up and slug it out again!

Here are a few images of a 4mm model I made for a customer of Princes Risborough...

I've surfaced, blinking from the light and the dazzling modelling in that last post by you know who.

Here are some views of a 4mm/ft goods shed, Princes Risborough, that I built for a customer. I built one from Wills brick sheet, then a while afterwards, he asked me to build another one for him, but this time out of Scalescenes paper as the rest of his buildings were the same. I've built countless similar structures for people over the years, but every one has it's little idiosyncrasies, and this was no exception.

The main shell, as mentioned, was made from Wills brick embossed sheet... the sheets are too small, Mr. Wills! Don't be so stingy! I had to join them in several places, hopefully it's not too noticeable. The roof, similarly, was a no-go, and had to be made from individual strips. One of many interesting things about the shed were the bevelled (rubbed?) brick corners, made from engineer's brick. I tried endlessly to replicate them by carving and scribing, but had to admit defeat and used brickpaper.

Many years ago my old Dad and I used to drive an HGV (an old AEC Mercury, which dates me...) around various mills in Northern England, delivering very large rolls of textile and leathercloth. You know, when we actually had mills and things like that. The view through the shed door reminds me of trying to back the truck up into the entrance of the goods shed at London Road, Manchester. I put a ten foot scratch down the side of the semi-trailer and dented the door...now a site of world heritage. Sorry!

Now, if you are not asleep by now, for the Brick paper version.

Here be a Victorian Factory. Possibly posted before, possibly not !

An exercise in commercial brickpaper, Scalelink windows and Plastikard.

Cheers.

Allan.

Since I'm already clogging up the thread with my signal box posts .. here's an update on progress:

The spell of horrible weather on the weekend gave me the excuse I needed to put a roof on my large Caledonian signal box. I haven't converted to the hand-made tiling favoured by the likes of our 'Maverick' maestro Allan - but I'm going to have a go on the next project! 

I've included a photo that shows my home-spun method of making finials. Sand a point onto the end of a piece of plastic rod. Make some sleeves by drilling out the centre from a thicker piece of rod and hey presto!

Thanks to the long tail that I leave on the rod, they make a reasonably sturdy fit once they've been popped into the hole in the roof. I still manage to clumsily break them from time-to-time. But I can easily make another ...

Scenery is going well.  Not finished yet by any means but I had a good relaxing time doing it.  Learnt a few tips and tricks along the way and I'm much happier with the track layout now.  Very pleased I decided to change it.

Videos concerning the project are in the usual place, cheers.

Here is a design for a portable folding fiddle yard to complement the "Minories in Streamline OO" design that I recently updated.

It's presented as a PDF so that you can see it in high resolution, zoom in and out and turn the various layers on and off.

The two parts, Minories and Fiddle yard, fold up into small, equally-sized boxes that could be easily transported and set up almost anywhere.

Minories Folding Fiddle Yard 20.pdf

freshly weathered 9f plus some close coupling treatment 

A lot of work going into the coach lighting at the moment. It’s the slowest job I’ve encountered yet. 
 

Good results and fun at night though.

5 down 28 to go.

Nice! I may have missed it but I'd be interested in where your people are sourced, for the line of enthusiasts by the fence. The characters on the left have maybe been on a diet, but whatever the reason they seem to blend in to the scene better than the folks in the middle.

 

PS. Must catch up with the real thing soon.

Thanks Will. 

I think all those figures are Preiser so not sure why some are noticeably finer than others. There is a distinct lack of modern image 'spotting' pose N Gauge figures on the market though! 

The most important coach on the line is now finished:

and the 1st rake is nearly complete, just a BCK to go and then onto the next. 

Tom. 

If I never see another First Class window sign again, it will be too soon.......or a yellow stripe (it needs a bit of tidying up!)........or curtains.

The MHR have a couple of MK.1 SOs painted up as FOs like this, usually to be found in the dining trains or RAT rakes. The curtains are printed onto paper and then glued in place. The yellow stripe was a pain, and really I should have sprayed the yellow first rather than try and apply it over the green. 

Cheers, 

Tom.  

Hi Jon,

It might be an idea to allow a bit more width (and length) so that the curves can be a bit more open in the scenic section, as we said above.

I suggest you also draw the fiddle yard now because you need to know that you can fit enough loops and that they will be useful lengths. Extra baseboard width and tweaking the end curves might help here too, not just for capacity, but to be able to stagger the points fans in the FY and make better use of the space.

Edit: Diagram:

A: Not staggered - loops short and varying lengths

B: Staggered (left entry lower than right entry) - loops all the same length

C: Staggered - no loops but terminal storage sidings make use of the space inside and outside the end curves

Some combination of B and C is probably the most flexible.

Could you add a passing loop in the scenic area to the outside of the main line? That would give you more interest: You'd be able to sensibly have two trains on scene, passing each other in the loop and it would allow locos to run round their trains if needed before shunting back into your yard.

I've corrected your pictures as I've always been fascinated about Marylebone ever since it was a Plan Of The Month in the Railway Modeller in the 80s and I wanted to see what you'd done without straining my neck. I'd love to model it even in its "boring" 70's 80's guise when it was mostly just filled with 117 DMUs as I love the atmosphere of medium sized urban termini stations.

Thanks for the positive feedback - much appreciated 

To Macketty : regarding the hydraulic buffers, they were scratchbuilt using different diameter brass and plastic tubing, wrapped around a super large pin ( I picked up a box of 100 from John Lewis haberdashery dept). Higher res photo of these buffers attached plus a photo of some of the components I still have in my spares box. By the way the NSE ticket booth was also scratchbuilt, from plastic card. 

Most of the roof is now complete, I just couldn't get the glazing bars to line up with the roof trusses so I'll just have to ignore that issue!

A reminder how the windows are constructed. Set out a table in Word so that the cell and frame are the size you need, shade in the cell ( in this case brown to give a brake dust finish ). Print on to an A4 label. Cut out the length of windows you need...stick it down on clear plasticard.............then go blind trying to cut out the cell. The white frame becomes the window frame, any brown bits look like dirt!

Some photos of the Motorail terminal.

Yes the building has ended up shorter than I'd originally planned.

Now with 3/4 of the roof completed.

Today I have mostly been hanging curtains..............

Lots of FK's to do and then later a BCK....BR orange curtains. Printed an orange block on a sheet of A4 then cut into strips and shape to fit, glued to the inside with clear varnish.

On the iPad Within Temptation - In the middle of the night.

Now then do I have enough FK's...............and one FO....plus a Mk2 FK and a Mk2 BFK.

Forgot the CK,s that'll be another day.

The Saxons were cleaned up (there was very, very little flash to be removed), the five wheels superglued on to each, then given a scrubbing with cream cleaner, rinsed in warm water, dried and given a dusting of grey primer:

A Yorkshire miscellany for this afternoon.

Headingly Class 105 Leeds Harrogate York June 76 J5310

Headingly LNER A3 4472 Carnforth to York    The Fells and Dales June 76 J5311

Thorne North Trans Pennine dmu Hull to Manchester Piccadilly Feb 83 C5956

Bradford Interchange Class 254 to Kings X 5th Aug 84 C6588

Bradford Interchange Class 110 5th Aug 84 C6589

David

The poster collection is growing, mainly thanks to Andy Gibbs. They do mostly cover the period late 70s to late 90s (a couple possibly later) and some are made up/adapted. Again if anyone wants a pdf of the entire latest collection (they are scaled for N/2mm) then PM me.

Jarrow

An image I forgot to add in earlier is the wiring. Everything sourced on Amazon, from the bus bars to the fork crimps and wire. 0.5mm for the droppers and 1mm for the bus and bus to distribution bars. All stranded copper wire of course for maximum efficiency. 
Self adhesive cable tidies and ties come as a pack together, a godsend for good cable management. 

Standard ECML formation:

TF TF Buffet TS TS TS TS TGS

Dapol's HST box sets come with the TGS and buffet. You'll need two first class and four second class to make up the full rake. 

Make should the Mk3s you buy to add to the basic set don't have buffers - Dapol also make the loco hauled Mk3a.

SB