Blowers Green-7mm 1970's blue diesel layout [The rat pack has arrived]

[Swindon 123]

Coming along nicely. Do you mind me asking what your thinking was behind the decision to paint the grille blanking patch before fitting, seeing as it was going to be sanded and smoothed and require the paint touching up anyway?

I had originally hoped to make the fit as clean as possible, with very little filling required afterwards and therefore also little repainting. It would also give me a chance to see if the paints would match. As with all (good?) plans, this didn't work out and more filler than originally intended was required, mainly due to the patch not being applied very level by me. However when it came to smothing out the join, the fact that it was already painted, aided me in spotting any high or low spots requiring further attention. It was a bit of an experiment on my part and the jury is still out on wether it was a success or not.

 

Paul J.

[Swindon 123]

With the final preperations taking place for this Sundays appearance at the Weston Super Mare show (See this link https://www.westonsupermaretrainshow.com/january-2019-information.html ), I thought I'd show you some of the other items of rolling stock new to Blowers Green.

 

Following on from my last post featuring 16t minerals, here is 08555 shunting a rake of those wagons.

 

To compliment the new mineral wagons, two of Dapols latest offerings in the form of 2 X 20t brakevans will feature.

CAO B951771.

 

And CAP B951224.

 

Also making its 1st appearance on the exhibition circuit on Blowers Green, Heljans class 128 DPU, in the guise of M99554.

 

My own contribution to the new stock is in the form of Heljans class 25/3, which after modification, will appear as 25211. It is still in the final stages of weathering, but here are a couple of shots of it, in the painting booth. As I couldn't get an exact colour match to the Heljan blue, despite many paint mixes, it is appearing in a very weathered state.

 

 

 

Now looking forward to getting some pics of it running on Blowers Green.

 

Paul J.

[Andrew P]

With the final preperations taking place for this Sundays appearance at the Weston Super Mare show (See this link https://www.westonsupermaretrainshow.com/january-2019-information.html ), I thought I'd show you some of the other items of rolling stock new to Blowers Green.

 

Following on from my last post featuring 16t minerals, here is 08555 shunting a rake of those wagons.

08555 + 16 tonners.jpg

 

To compliment the new mineral wagons, two of Dapols latest offerings in the form of 2 X 20t brakevans will feature.

CAO B951771.

CAO, B951771.jpg

 

And CAP B951224.

CAP B951224..jpg

 

Also making its 1st appearance on the exhibition circuit on Blowers Green, Heljans class 128 DPU, in the guise of M99554.

M55994-a.jpg

 

My own contribution to the new stock is in the form of Heljans class 25/3, which after modification, will appear as 25211. It is still in the final stages of weathering, but here are a couple of shots of it, in the painting booth. As I couldn't get an exact colour match to the Heljan blue, despite many paint mixes, it is appearing in a very weathered state.

25211-a.jpg

 

25211-b.jpg

 

 

Now looking forward to getting some pics of it running on Blowers Green.

 

Paul J.

Stunning work on the Rat and 16T Minerals Paul, I can't wait to have a go at mine soon.

Edited January 9, 2019 by Andrew P

[rob D2]

Fantastic work.

 

Gutted I can’t get to Weston this time as working

[Rivercider]

It was great to see Blowers Green again, at the excellent Weston one day show.

There are not many exhibition layouts where it feels, to me, like standing looking over the fence wondering what will pass by next.

Thanks very much gents, that is a marvellous selection of wagonry,

 

cheers 

[Swindon 123]

With Blowers Green's next exhibition attendance at Sedgemoor Rail Model Railway Show, (see here for website,   http://www.burnhamanddmrc.co.uk/August website document.pdf), now less than a month away, a couple of projects that have been underway over the last few months are getting close to being finished, for now. One major alteration has been undertaken to the storage/fiddle yards at the one end, which will hopefully eliminate some operating bottlenecks. This also tied in with a scenic alteration to the road overbridge end, which now sports a station building for the offscene station. Here are a few photos of the progress to date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is some way to go before this scenic break will be finished. Poster boards have been made a fixed in place just to the right of the telephone kiosk, and road furnature such as lamp posts, road signs and the like, will also be added in due course.

 

As well as alterations to the layout, the loco fleet has been increasing, with 5 Heljan Class 25's being added to stock, so more in keeping with the Birmingham area compared to some of the locos seen on the layout. Here are a few photos of these recent additions.

 

The 5 locos lined up. From L to R. 25259 ( still awaiting weathering), 25102, 25275, 25046, 25211.

 

25046

 

25102

 

25211

 

25275

 

25275 and 25211 in multi.

 

25275 is very heavily weathered based on this photo by Steve Jones on his Flickr site.

 

Looking forward to the show, with lots of new features to show off, along with some mew operating potential. Hopefully will see those of you who can make it at the King Alfred School, Burnham Road, Highbridge, Somerset TA9 3EE, on the saturday or Sunday.

 

Paul J.

[sb67]

25 275 looks fantastic, just like the photo, how did you get that effect? 

Steve.

[Andrew P]

Stunning additions to the Fleet, and some superb weathering.

[rob D2]

Nice work 

[thedman]

25’s look stunning, can I ask what you done with the redundant domino panels and are they available?

[gismorail]

Agree with all the above comments some excellent weathering ....note to myself ' must try harder ' 

[Swindon 123]

16 hours ago, thedman said:

25’s look stunning, can I ask what you done with the redundant domino panels and are they available?

The domino panels are still in place. Some new headcode panels were drawn up on the computor, printed off and  placed over the dominos I'm afraid.

 

Paul J.

[Oldworseandworse]

On 31/07/2019 at 18:44, sb67 said:

25 275 looks fantastic, just like the photo, how did you get that effect? 

Steve.

Hi Steve,

I don't think I have weathered anything quite so heavily as 25 275. I needed to keep looking at the source photo in an attempt to get it somewhere close.

I can't claim to be doing anything original, as I use techniques that can be found in the excellent books by Martyn Welch and Tim Shackleton as well as those used by modelling friends.

In this case I started with acrylic paints and washes, brushed and dry brushed on. I made sure to let each application dry before further applications. This I call the harsh weathering stage because at this point you are wondering how the hell your going to get the weathering to look remotely realistic.

Then comes the magic bit; airbrushing with enamel paints to blend everything in. Patience is required here if you are to get the effect you want. You also need to keep changing the paint mix. I normally mix from a simple palette - Matt Black, Matt White, Humbrol(62) Matt Leather and Gun Metal from Humbrol's Metalcote range. Continually changing the blend of those 4 colours and using your source photo to make sure you get the right shade of dirt in the right place is the way to get the effect you are trying to recreate.

To finish this project off, I knocked back each application with sparingly applied thinners (white spirit), then dry brushed with an old flat brush to create the streaking. Once happy, I sprayed the whole lot with Testors Dullcote, a rattlecan matting agent. A warning -Don't spray the cab windows unless you want to lose all that lovely cab detail behind frosted glass!

Last but not least; avoid handling the model for a few days; although paint that is air brushed on takes only seconds to become touch dry, the number of applications required for this degree of weathering will mean that curing will take several days.

I hope I have not put you to sleep and that you find this helpful.

Cheers,

Bill. 

[sb67]

Thanks Bill, that's a nice detailed account. I love weathering but have yet to pluck up courage to attack one of my newer diesels, I did an 03 but that was without an airbrush. The problem I get is too much too soon, I need to be a bit more patient! 

Steve.

[Swindon 123]

Blowers Green now packed up and waiting to be loaded into the van tomorrow, ready for it's exhibition showing at Burnham on Sea this weekend. As well as the previously shown additions to the class 25 fleet,  it has gained yet one more in the form of 25259, which has now been weathered up and ready to join the fleet. Another addition to the layout is in the form of a new signal, which will be positioned just outside the tunnel mouth. It will act as Blowers Greens Down Section signal, with Dudleys Down Fixed Distant below it. Below that is a Shunt Ahead signal for trains to shunt ahead into the section to access the yard. As the operating mechanism for the section and shunt ahead signals have not yet been connected up, these signals are correctly shown as not in use. 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking forward to the exhibition, especially to try out the latest  track alterations to make for better operational flexibility.

 

Paul J.

[lezz01]

Hi Paul. Loving the signal mate! Very nice indeed.

Regards Lez.Z.

[Rivercider]

It was good to see this excellent layout again yesterday, at the Burnham and District show in Highbridge. There were rats everywhere when I arrived at Blowers Green.

The additional scenic work on the overbridge is really good, I like the station building which looks the part.

I am now looking forward to seeing the other planned improvements, and additional stock at the Taunton show in 2020. Perhaps I might see a Western hauled clay train. No pressure guys.....

 

cheers

[deltic17]

Quote

Just come across this thread - superb modelling - 10/10

 

[Swindon 123]

The August Bank Holiday weekend saw Blowers Green make its second appearance at Burnham on Sea exhibition for Sedgemoor Rail 2019 exhibition. A good weekend was had by the team, with Blowers Green performing faultlessly. Only the operarators causing the problems. A good position facing the halls windows meant that I could get some half decent photos of the layout. The layout seemed to create a lot of interest, especially the opreation of the fiddle yards at each end. It was also nice to meet and talk to fellow RM-webber Rivercider again. 

 

Here are a few photos of the layout itself for those of you who have not seen it before. Firstly the initial set-up of the layout.

 

 

One of the new additions to the layout has been a station building added to the New Road end of the layout, to try and give the layout a more balanced look, as the Dudley Tunnel end did dominate a bit. We think it has worked.

 

This view of the station building is onlt obtainable when the layout is at an exhibition.

 

The Dudley Tunnel end of the layout also saw an addition.

 

This new signal has been added as it was realised one was required. This partially replicates one that stood in front of the tunnel mouth when the real  Blowers Green signal box existed, only it was a  GWR LQ example. In later years it was replaced by an UQ distant signal, fixed in later years. We have added a shunt ahead arm to the new signal to help signal shunting trains into and out of the yard. It wasn't actually working for the exhibition, hence the "X" on the home and shunt arms. The distant arm is fixed, hence no green glass in the arm. Getting the signal operational is  work in progress.

 

The view of the new signal from the track. in reality the view of the home arm is blocked by the large pipe across the line, so a good excuse for a Banner Repeater to be installed.

 

Finally a view looking along the layout from the hill above Dudley Tunnel, looking to the new station building on New Road.

 

 

That's all for this post. I took more photos when the exhibition was up and running of locos and stock, which will appear in due course.

 

Paul J.

Edited September 2, 2019 by Swindon 123

[EWS FAN]

Ive only just seen this topic and i must say what a superb layout. I only live about 4 miles away from Blowers Green.

[Andrew P]

Thanks for more great and inspirational pics Paul.

[turtlebah]

Love the weathering

[lezz01]

Loving the signal even more Paul.

Regards Lez.

[37114]

17 hours ago, Swindon 123 said:

The August Bank Holiday weekend saw Blowers Green make its second appearance at Burnham on Sea exhibition for Sedgemoor Rail 2019 exhibition. A good weekend was had by the team, with Blowers Green performing faultlessly. Only the operarators causing the problems. A good position facing the halls windows meant that I could get some half decent photos of the layout. The layout seemed to create a lot of interest, especially the opreation of the fiddle yards at each end. It was also nice to meet and talk to fellow RM-webber Rivercider again. 

 

Here are a few photos of the layout itself for those of you who have not seen it before. Firstly the initial set-up of the layout.

 

 

One of the new additions to the layout has been a station building added to the New Road end of the layout, to try and give the layout a more balanced look, as the Dudley Tunnel end did dominate a bit. We think it has worked.

 

This view of the station building is onlt obtainable when the layout is at an exhibition.

 

The Dudley Tunnel end of the layout also saw an addition.

 

This new signal has been added as it was realised one was required. This partially replicates one that stood in front of the tunnel mouth when the real  Blowers Green signal box existed, only it was a  GWR LQ example. In later years it was replaced by an UQ distant signal, fixed in later years. We have added a shunt ahead arm to the new signal to help signal shunting trains into and out of the yard. It wasn't actually working for the exhibition, hence the "X" on the home and shunt arms. The distant arm is fixed, hence no green glass in the arm. Getting the signal operational is  work in progress.

 

The view of the new signal from the track. in reality the view of the home arm is blocked by the large pipe across the line, so a good excuse for a Banner Repeater to be installed.

 

Finally a view looking along the layout from the hill above Dudley Tunnel, looking to the new station building on New Road.

 

 

That's all for this post. I took more photos when the exhibition was up and running of locos and stock, which will appear in due course.

 

Paul J.

Lovely layout,  definitely want to see this one in the flesh. Just a minor thing that jars slightly is the yellow articulated lorry is way too new for the layout, that type of truck was introduced in 1989 so is a bit out of period.

[Max Legroom]

Just spotted this layout thread. Stunning stuff! Superb weathering!