Jencaster - 1930's LMS OO Gauge Layout

[ianLMS]

I have been very busy signalling the layout, adding point rodding, signal wire and re- ballasting the track which i re-layed earlier in the year. Starting to weather the track now which isnt easy!!!

 

Signals are a mix of MSE brass kits, modified ratio kits with MSE arms. Point rodding came from DCC Concepts. Signal wire is stripped electrical wire 7/0.2 on styrene sq rod posts with 0.45 brass wire loops. May not be perfect or prototypical, but i think it looks ok!

 

 

[tractionman]

Looks superb Ian, oozes LMS atmos! A real inspiration.

 

all the best,

 

Keith

 

[ianLMS]

Thanks for that Keith. Much appreciated

[drmditch]

Well done you! I've got a lot of work to do to get as far as you have.

[ianLMS]

6 years so far and still got loads to do. I also have another 5 loco kits, 4 coach kits and a couple of wagon kits to build. I also need to add more detail to the layout and modify my rtr wagons, coaches etc. Should keep me going for a few more years!

[Edwardian]

Love the Severn Models' buildings.  You have painted them beautifully; so natural and subtle.

[ianLMS]

Thanks James - I do like the Severn models range of kits - i have used several of theirs so far including the workshop tools, furniture, sheds, greenhouses and the workshops. Highly recommend them. Easy to solder or use superglue and he gives great painting tips on his website.

 

Look forward to seeing yours as it develops. You are really coming on well with the layout!

 

Ian

[ianLMS]

Latest additions to the inventory:

Jameison 5P4F Chassis with Green Arrow resin body, suitably detailed and painted/lined etc. 

 

Plus, some old Parkside RCH PO 7-plank wagon kits I got off Ebay. I have built 6, painted 3 in black, 1 of which has had transfers put on, and the other 3 are being painted in different liveries. The transfers are from the Fox range of Alphabets and Numbers. Large letters are 5mm, the smaller are 2mm, in the Franklin Heavy font. Not easy to line up as you can see but not bad being viewed from a normal distance.

 

 

I have also built a NE fruit van and LMS brake van - photo's to follow.

[ianLMS]

I decided to take a small break from modelling and tidy up my work-bench area. This quickly turned into a complete move around and re-organisation of the area, clean up under the layout, take everything off the layout, put all the loco's and rolling stock away and embark on a cleaning exercise with a view to actually operate a train one day. Something I havent done for quite some time. This also required me to empty and tidy up the shed so I could move all the wood from the railway room upstairs. 

 

Here are some pics of the newly set up modelling area and a few of a very uncluttered layout!

 

Various tools are also mounted via magnet tool holders on the side of the tall book-shelf. very useful. Both large storage units are ex-wardrobes which i put shelving into. Plastic containers courtesy of a chinese restuarant two doors down. Downside is the ever growing waistline!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 23, 2019 by ianLMS

[ianLMS]

[FoxUnpopuli]

Great stuff Ian.  I also enjoyed your 4F detailing thread - I have purchased, er, one or two (or five) to stock up my Bournville (Bromsgrove/Saltley) shed.  I'm looking forward to making them look a bit more realistic. 

[ianLMS]

Sorry for the late response, but thank you for your comments. Good luck with the 4F detailing. Its definitely a challenge, but well worth it in my opinion.

[ianLMS]

My uncle had several old Airfix wagon kits which had been collecting dust in my to-do box. I decided to start working my way through the box and took on the task of building these kits. There were 3 Meat wagons, 4 Cattle wagons and 2 brake vans. I also had 4 16T steel bodied mineral wagons but I passed those on last year.

 

Considering these are probably the best part of 40-50 years old, they went together very easily, very little flash and not too badly detailed. I remove the hideous hinges they used for the opening van doors, and added 3-links, added brass rod for the cattle wagon bars, but other than that, I built them exactly as they came in the box.

 

Now, the more knowledgeable among us will tell me that these wagons were of BR origin, not in service until the 50's, and therefore should not carry LMS livery/insignia, nor be on a 1930's LMS layout. I agree, however, I didn't want the wagons to go to waste, they don't look too bad and not many would know the difference anyway. Some of the BR wagons were built based on pre-nationalisation designs anyway so they arent far off.

 

One issue is the wheels. Airfix used plastic 2-piece wheel with half an axle moulded to each side which you glued together. I swapped some of them for Hornby wheels and used pin point bearings in the axle boxes.

 

The meat wagons are complete, I have one more cattle wagon to build and then I am ready to paint them and weather them. The Brake Vans though are based on the LNER type. There is a similar LMS type but used sandboxes on the rear platform so may try that just for giggles.

 

Next to the Jinty are a couple of Parkside LNER plank vans recently completed as well bring fruit from East Anglia to the North-West.

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by ianLMS

[Rockets]

I've just caught up with this topic and I'm very much impressed and inspired by your work. The 30's are the era I really like to see modelled and KNP and Neal Ball's layouts are ones I follow with interest. Now I have another inspirational layout to follow. 

Do you have an RAF connection? I see various prints in your workshop. 

 

Best wishes,

Dean.

[ianLMS]

Thank you Dean and glad you like the layout. My family are from the Midlands, hence the LMS connection and I really love the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. I wanted an era to display the loco's I really like which operated in and around the midlands and North West. 

 

For my RAF connection;

1. My surname is Lancaster

2. I have worked for the MoD/RAF/USVF for 30 years as a civilian

3. My first models were all Airfix aircraft models, my favourite being the Hunter, Spitfire, Mosquito and of course, the Lancaster. However, back then everything was covered in tubes of stringy glue and the painting was somewhat slap-dash.

 

My dad is a steam nut (BR Midland region), so when I was young we would travel around preserved railways which fueled my interest as well. I combined the two interests together and thats what took me down the road of railway modelling.

 

Edited February 20, 2021 by ianLMS

[FoxUnpopuli]

I miss Jencaster updates.  What's been going on, Ian? 

[Buhar]

A rather fine Red Five 

Alan

[ianLMS]

Ty Buhar. I have been busy clearing my to-do drawer and building a few kits. The Jameison Jubilee, Stanier Mogul and a Maygib 3F. I have just finished some 25 pdr artillery field guns and the Quads to go with them for 2 new Bachmann Parrot wagons and now working on a Proscale Webb Coal tank and an aluminium kit for a stanier coach. I have been posting progress for some of these in the kitbuilding section. Not much work being done on the layout though unfortunately but i will get back to it soon. 

 

Thank you

Ian

Edited April 27, 2020 by ianLMS

[ianLMS]

Latest additions to the layout

Jamieson Jubilee (5572 Eire) along with a Phoenix BSL 62ft brake corridor composite kit built coach and the Airfix loads for the Bachmann Parrot wagons.

 

Edited May 12, 2020 by ianLMS

[ianLMS]

Another addition to an ever growing fleet of kit loco's, a Proscale LNWR Webb coal tank i have just completed. Crew and weathering to follow! 

Now i can get on with finishing the ratio midland suburban and a couple more BSL stanier coaches.

 

 

[ianLMS]

In between working on my coaches i have been putting together a train consisting of military vehicles and equipment as part of the BEF mobilization in 1939. I dont know if a train formation ever existed like this but i have enjoyed putting it together and it looks the part!!!! I am sure military vehicles moved by rail a lot back then, but more than likely in block formations rather than a set up like mine. 

 

Behind the kit built mogul are Vickers Mk4 light tanks and 2 pairs of quads on Bachmann Parrots, followed by 25lb field guns which would have been towed behind the quads. I also have a gunpowder van suitably spaced between a couple of empty wagons. All would have been around late 1939/early 1940's.

 

 

[ikks]

Lovely modelling Ian, really does look the part, the LMS/LMR lines are my favourite (born in Derby)!!

Rgds.......Mike

[ianLMS]

Thanks Mike. Lovely part of the world. My parents were Brummies and Dad is a steam enthusiast so had to do something LMS/LMR or i would be in trouble! 

[ianLMS]

Latest addition to the fleet. A pair of Ian Macdonald (Macgeordie) LMS Palethorpes sausage van kits i built and decorated  with CCT transfers

 

 

 

and a completed rake of BSL coaches with Comet kitchen car

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by ianLMS

[Model Railway Noob]

Really nice. I love the detail on the tracks and your buildings. I've been buying up some used LMS locomotives and rolling stock as well as MR stuff. I'm going ot have to look through all of your images for inspiration