Jencaster - 1930's LMS OO Gauge Layout

[uax6]

No you don't! You're not that far off. Essentially it's about atmosphere, and you have that, you have the sense of location. It's all about tweaking, and to a certain extent that is about having the right rolling stock.

 

Andy G

[ianLMS]

As promised, after obtaining a kitchen pass, I am able to post a few "action" shots. Rolling stock is R-T-R straight from the box, or Ebay seller! Not in any set formation, or accurate in any way, just nice to see a train run by the layout to get perspective and see how it sits in the scenery etc.

 

 

[ianLMS]

and some more

[Buhar]

I really liked that one of the Scot on its own with a couple of coaches seemingly some way beyond it on sidings and the church in the distance.  

[Edwardian]

Great shots. They say "the Midland in the Pennines" and beautifully done.  

 

Now, once there was a book giving LMS consists, years before anyone did this for the GW or the LNER, I remember seeing one in the '90s.  

[georgeT]

Some great modelling lan, really like it...

[ianLMS]

Cheers George.

 

I've been busy working on the Scalescenes railway workers terraced cottages opposite the station and creating the front and rear gardens/yards. Starting to add more detail as I go which can be fun, but also time consuming/costly. I should finish them by the end of the weekend and will put up more pictures. I still have lots of detailing to do across the layout and finish the wagon sidings/builders yard and the whole front of the layout. I've also got some electrical work to complete, then paint/add figures and animals to the layout. Easily another 12-18 months work!!!

[Edwardian]

Look forward to the update

[ianLMS]

Well, had a busy weekend and decided to start going through my "things-to-do/kits" box and came across some Merit cows, a herdsman and a packet of "Wills Farmyard Junk".

 

Feeling brave, I decided to have a go at re-painting them. I thought this would be a good exercise before attempting to paint the exquisite Staddon figures finding their way to me right now in the post!

 

I cleaned off the flashing from all the parts, washed them and primed them with some grey primer. I used Acrylic paints throughout, mainly from Tamiya but mixed with Acrylic paint tubes from "The Works".

 

The original Merit cows were Black & White. The white plastic looked terrible and the black was just blobs of paint. The ears were joined to the horns so were not great examples to start with.

I decided I wanted brown cows and felt they would blend in better into the layout. Not sure what the best colour of cow is to represent 1930's Pennines area though. I used two shades of brown mixed with a little red as a base coat, then dry brushed some patches of Ochre Yellow, followed by patches of white and white for the eyes. I finished off with black for the snout and eyes and then a very thin black wash all over. I am ok with the results, but the snout, eyes etc just do not look right.

 

The herdsman was originally painted in blue and I wanted more toned down colours so painted them a brown/ochre colour, with brown trousers and black boots. The face has hardly any recognizable features so was extremely difficult to put on any paint that would distinguish his eyes, nose and mouth. Again I applied a black wash to finish with but I'm not overly happy with the results

 

The Farmyard Junk kit from Wills is white metal and had everything including an old plough (not really used in the Pennines area I am guessing), barrels, sacks, buckets, ladders, cart wheels, broom, pitch fork, milk churns and beer barrels. After cleaning the flash off, washing them and priming them, I painted them with acrylics using various colours and shades from my paint box. I used "Natural Steel" enamel paint for the metallic parts. Again, I gave everything a black wash to finish with. Overall I am quite happy with the results.

 

The exercise proved how difficult painting tiny figures is going to be, especially picking out detail such as eyes, nose, mouth, expressions etc. I know the Staddon figures are of superior detail so that should help, but it is still going to be a daunting exercise.

 

I will upload some pictures tomorrow to show you the results of my first attempt!

 

Ian

[ianLMS]

Here are a couple of pictures of the re-painted Merit cows. Again, not overly happy with the result but great practice and will be fine for the cattle dock area.

 

 

[ianLMS]

The exquisite AC Staddon Edwardian Workmen figures have arrived. I am so impressed with the quality of the casting and the features especially with the facial detail. I just hope I can do them justice when I paint them! 10 figures for £10 is very good value indeed. www.acstadden.co.uk. no connection to the vendor blah, blah, blah. Recommended by the extremely helpful "Edwardian" on this here forum!

 

 

[edward66]

Excellent work Ian, both the village and the scenery, it has to be LMS [ex Midland]! You will probably need a 3F and a 4F 0-6-0, and a Compound [the Bachmann version not the Hornby]. The Scot will be useful if you imagine the line to be part of the Settle -Carlisle route.

 

Edward

[Mrkirtley800]

Your cows look OK. When I was exhibiting many years ago, I put some Merit cows in the cattle dock. Later I was told that my cows were wrong, that breed wasn't introduced into this country until after WW2. That night I repainted them only to be told next day that my cows were too clean. You just cannot win. I might add my layout was 1908 Midland?

Derek

[ianLMS]

I thought that when I researched. It appeared that B&W Fresian's weren't in the UK before WW2, and a more common dairy/beef cow was the Shorthorn variety (brown, brown/white etc). All very complicated this accuracy business, but great fun researching the facts.

I am in the middle of painting the AC Stadden figures and just hoping they come out ok. Cho0sing colours is difficult though as colour photo's of the 1930's are rare.  I assume general railway workers wore grey's/dark blue's/black's, with white shirts and brown or black boots/shoes.

[ianLMS]

Here is my first attempt at bringing the AC Stadden figures to life. I'm ok with the results, but still need work. Facial details were so difficult to do. Even the smallest of brush was too big, and resorted to using a pin head with mixed results. The figures are truly the best, just my painting skills that let them down!

[ianLMS]

Here are some pics of the cottage front gardens and coal yard I have been working on.

[Danemouth]

 Facial details were so difficult to do. Even the smallest of brush was too big, and resorted to using a pin head with mixed results.

Why not try using cocktail sticks?

 

Regards,

 

Dave

[ianLMS]

Good idea. I seem to remember my Nan chewing the end to make a fine applicator for glue when she used to build models of ships etc. Thanks for reminding me of that. Ian

[daltonparva]

What happened to that bloke in the last picture with the three horses? Heart attack or hoof in the nuts?

[ianLMS]

Lunchtime at The Duchess, then went drink driving in the coal cart and misplaced it. Horse got loose and ran back into the yard for dinner and knocked the first guy over. His mate fell over laughing at his colleagues misfortune straight into a pile of horse manure. Oh the good ole days!

[ianLMS]

Alternatively, I am just waiting to place them as soon as I build the Ancorton Coal Cart in my box of "things-to-do".

[ianLMS]

Currently spending much time constructing my 2-road engine shed. I have most of the structure complete, painted and weathered. Just getting ready to fit lights inside, fit the pillars inside, put the roof on (York Modelmakers slate tiles) and then look at bedding it into the layout.

[ianLMS]

Good morning folks,

After spending the last few weeks busy with either work, the house, going away and going to York Model Railway show, I have finally completed (apart from more detail) my 4mm engine shed for Jencaster. The engine shed was constructed using 5mm foamboard overlayed with Slaters Embossed Plasticard (7mm stone) and painted with solvent wood dye (Mr Allan Downes' method - although not anywhere close to his standard!!), then heavily weathered using Humbrol Weathering Powders. I tried to seal the powder in using matte cote, and then matt varnish but in places it still came out too shiny so I had to re-do the weathering (probably over done it). I have working lights in the offices and main shed (3mm LED) and interior detail. Main shed doors were made from Balsa sheet, scored to give panel detail and framed with 1mm x 3mm plastic strip. Hinges were made using scrap brass etch sprue folded over around part of a staple, then pushed into the balsa wood door frame. Main windows were plastruct styrene strip overlayed on Scalescenes printed window sheet on translucent sheet. Office windows are from Slaters. Roof tiles etc are from York Modelmaking. Again, I apologise for the poor quality photographs.

[Edwardian]

Very subtle effect on the stonework there.  I admire the doors and impressed with the York Modelmaking slates.

[ianLMS]

Thank you kind Sir!,

I see your layout is really coming along nicely!

 

Although it worked out expensive (around £18) for the roof tiles and ridge tiles, I am very happy with them. The ridge was almost impossible to keep straight but once it was weathered, its not that noticeable. Doors need ring handles on the front and a latch so that's my next project. After that, I will fit it to the layout and add internal detail such as the racking, tools etc.