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Churminster & Stowe Magna, Southern Railway


Tony Teague
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3 hours ago, Arun Sharma said:

Greetings Tony - Will see you at Telford on Saturday where there should be some proper sized model trains.

 

Yes, I expect to be there, although I'm not sure about "proper" - big perhaps, but then, size isn't everything :unsure:

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Another month since my last update - I plead continuing distraction, but again I have not been idle, and so here is the first of a couple of updates.

 

I continue to work through the weathering of the loco fleet and this has now reached 18% of the total fleet - up from 11% back in about July; this is progress, but with some way to go!

 

In preparing locos for weathering I check other things such as crew, coal, headcode discs, front couplings and so on - but one of my pet dislikes in kit-built locos is solid, i.e. not-drilled-out chimneys, and so I try to attend to these before weathering.

 

In dealing with ex-LB&SCR K class No.2345 I got either a bit over-zealous or careless or both, and picked an over-large drill - result - a side-venting chimney!

 

SJPP908000102190908.jpg.9186c4345e0180e296386887785d150a.jpg

 

I don't recall this as being one of Mr Bulleid's experiments, and so I had no choice but to fill it, which I first tried with a plastic filler - to no avail, and so resorted to an epoxy compound:

 

SJPP908000202190908.jpg.0aa32481198c22b1dd21bb378ae855e7.jpg

 

Here it is before a final rub-down

 

SJPP913000402190913.jpg.7caaaa62b269e63dca70006b086001c6.jpg

 

More haste, less speed, but I feel that the final result justifies the effort - when compared with the 'before', un-weathered version:

 

SJPP913000502190913.jpg.08f63534b9e3094382e3b314c61eb4ac.jpg

 

SJPAB9A538102170306.jpg.3bda5ad2a62396223c6df9f95c6b114f.jpg

 

Tony

Edited by Tony Teague
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8 hours ago, Jack P said:

Looks fantastic Tony. 

 

Pedant mode: Should the numbers and letters not be the ones with the green drop shadow?

Possibly - but in those days they only had black and white cameras, so no-one would have known...:rofl:

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1 hour ago, Tony Teague said:

Possibly - but in those days they only had black and white cameras, so no-one would have known...:rofl:

 

And, just between ourselves, the model has one or two other weaknesses - no lamp brackets being the obvious one.:(

It was an impulse buy at an exhibition and has since had to have its motor replaced, so all in all, not the best model in the collection!

Tony

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Back in the Spring I reached the point where the area around Churminster Station, its shed, and the industrial area around Wadley's Brewery were finally at a point where I felt that I could call them "finished for the time being", and move on, after what was almost three year's effort.

 

So the plan was next, to "re-furbish" the Stowe Magna area which is on the opposite side of the railway room; this area was started about 15 years ago and then left largely untouched for the last 10 years.

 

SJPP105000902190105.jpg.c00d4419780f794523d3de82a9905eec.jpg

 

This side of the layout was never finished scenically, plus I feel that my skills have improved and that certain aspects just aren't up to the standards achieved more recently with Churminster.

 

Having said that, I do not have the appetite, inclination or time to start again, the track, and wiring all works well, and in some areas such as the colour light signalling of the main line, this area is actually ahead of Churminster (which is intended to have semaphores in the future).

 

So, refurbishment it will be, rather than wholesale rebuilding, and I have decided to start at the near end, in Stowe Magna itself, up on the hill that overlooks the station.

 

SJPP303000102190303.jpg.2aa6742308c516ec6533b778194a9ed9.jpg

 

I made a start by asking my artist friend Mike Gascoigne to paint a backscene for me - as there is none at present - and this is in hand; the area includes a pub, the village school, and the Parish Church of St Giles, however the church does not dominate the scene as I feel it should, and so this is the first building that is to be re-built

 

SJPP924000802190924.jpg.13163e64ce3b075050ad510122f8dcd0.jpg

 

The current building is a bog-standard SuperQuick card kit and so, having got familiar with building in foamboard and plasticard on the Churminster barns, locoshed, goods shed and Brewery tap pub, I now intend to build something more substantial.

 

Here is the new church tower, mocked up in foamboard!

 

SJPP924001702190924.jpg.cecf2245dc2781d485bd620a3c00cc35.jpg

 

If the tower is anything to go by, the churchyard will have to be extended into the empty field beyond, in order to accommodate the new building!

 

Further progress updates will follow.

 

Tony

Edited by Tony Teague
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20 minutes ago, Tony Teague said:

Back in the Spring I reached the point where the area around Churminster Station, its shed, and the industrial area around Wadley's Brewery were finally at a point where I felt that I could call them "finished for the time being", and move on, after what was almost three year's effort.

 

So the plan was next, to "re-furbish" the Stowe Magna area which is on the opposite side of the railway room; this area was started about 15 years ago and then left largely untouched for the last 10 years.

 

SJPP105000902190105.jpg.0bc1a79a428aab6df92a3f8fad0004ab.jpg

 

This side of the layout was never finished scenically, plus I feel that my skills have improved and that certain aspects just aren't up to the standards achieved more recently with Churminster.

 

Having said that, I do not have the appetite, inclination or time to start again, the track, and wiring all works well, and in some areas such as the colour light signalling of the main line, this area is actually ahead of Churminster (which is intended to have semaphores in the future).

 

So, refurbishment it will be, rather than wholesale rebuilding, and I have decided to start at the near end, in Stowe Magna itself, up on the hill that overlooks the station.

 

SJPP303000102190303.jpg.1d5a238b06206019a439241a7d5c92c4.jpg

 

I made a start by asking my artist friend Mike Gascoigne to paint a backscene for me - as there is none at present - and this is in hand; the area includes a pub, the village school, and the Parish Church of St Giles, however the church does not dominate the scene as I feel it should, and so this is the first building that is to be re-built

 

SJPP924000802190924.jpg.c77af83676c83bd7cd5ee0e5f903fefb.jpg

 

The current building is a bog-standard SuperQuick card kit and so, having got familiar with building in foamboard and plasticard on the Churminster barns, locoshed, goods shed and Brewery tap pub, I now intend to build something more substantial.

 

Here is the new church tower, mocked up in foamboard!

 

SJPP924001702190924.jpg.cfad4f6e2c4f103162e1d4042d4d6f14.jpg

 

If the tower is anything to go by, the churchyard will have to be extended into the empty field beyond, in order to accommodate the new building!

 

Further progress updates will follow.

 

Tony

Part of me says I like that very much Tony. Another part says I'm sorry to see the good old SuperQuick church go.

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1 hour ago, Tony Teague said:

 

Here is the new church tower, mocked up in foamboard!

 

SJPP924001702190924.jpg.cfad4f6e2c4f103162e1d4042d4d6f14.jpg

 

If the tower is anything to go by, the churchyard will have to be extended into the empty field beyond, in order to accommodate the new building!

 

 

 

Empty field on the layout or empty field outside the house? 

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On 23/09/2019 at 20:26, Tony Teague said:

 

And, just between ourselves, the model has one or two other weaknesses - no lamp brackets being the obvious one.:(

It was an impulse buy at an exhibition and has since had to have its motor replaced, so all in all, not the best model in the collection!

Tony

 

Tony, 

 

Pretty good for an impulse buy! (Hate to be the bearer of bad news) Another slight issue is the cab, looks like it still has it's Brighton one and not the cut down Maunsell cab. which I think, strictly speaking is 'wrong' for 'our period'. If you feel up to it, Dave Ellis does the whole cab assembly as a spare!  :D

 

Looking forward to seeing Stowe Magna progressing! 

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On 25/09/2019 at 00:18, Jack P said:

 

Tony, 

 

Pretty good for an impulse buy! (Hate to be the bearer of bad news) Another slight issue is the cab, looks like it still has it's Brighton one and not the cut down Maunsell cab. which I think, strictly speaking is 'wrong' for 'our period'. If you feel up to it, Dave Ellis does the whole cab assembly as a spare!  :D

 

Looking forward to seeing Stowe Magna progressing! 

 

Jack

 

I'll think about it, but I have a few other locos needing attention, the whole area of Stowe Magna to re-furbish and then a further area of the layout which is as large again, and as yet almost completely undeveloped - so it may depend on whether I live long enough! (...and of course by then someone will have introduced an RTR model...).

 

In the meantime, here are a couple more K's for your inspection and critique - I believe that both are Ace Products kits, but I may be wrong:

 

1999455091_SJP2346_2BillintonLBSCRK02081228.jpg.19856b65707c97f330fadd543753f156.jpg

 

No.2346 is certainly by Ace Products and was built for me about 12 years ago by Chris Phillips; clearly at that time I was not fussed about lamp brackets!

 

SJPAB9A538102170306.jpg.b94014dda7168c47cced0c16b9100005.jpg

 

No.2341 is another 2nd hand purchase and so I have no idea of it's pedigree; both of these are amongst the 82% of the fleet that has yet to be weathered!

 

Tony

 

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6 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

 

 

1573789710_SJP2346_2BillintonLBSCRK02081228.jpg.47059f8c520798348bf8ab07532b381f.jpg

 

No.2346 is certainly by Ace Products and was built for me about 12 years ago by Chris Phillips; clearly at that time I was not fussed about lamp brackets!

 

 

 

 amongst the 82% of the fleet that has yet to be weathered!

 

 

 

 

Not quite true . . . . .. 

 

 

 

IMG_9799_Cropped.JPG

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Thanks John, Adrian!

 

It's not that I don't admire the Scalescenes product - indeed, I am using the downloaded material to produce templates, and having printed the 'window frames' on thin card, I decided to use them - they look Ok, are perfectly adequte, and any alternative would be mighty difficult. I am also using the representations of stained glass windows which are printed onto acetate.

 

I have yet to decide on roofing - probably textured card rather than Slaters Plastikard, but I'm not yet sure.

 

Tony

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Recent visitors to Churminster Shed will not fail to have noticed a 'foreigner' loitering on one of the back loco sidings!

 

SJPP920000602190920.jpg.8ebc15772b6d53a58b3ba02ee73484ad.jpg

 

GWR No.5934 'Kneller Hall' had been declared a failure at Churminster when working an inter-regional sausage train; it had to be replaced by a locally based N class loco, but it's owning shed seemed in no hurry to re-patriate it.

 

SJPP920000802190920.jpg.4925297ef723f07b84a0d0b4157a5d8e.jpg

 

That is, until yesterday when it was shunted onto the turntable, turned and then hauled out by R class No.1336.

 

SJPP920000902190920.jpg.6395ab19c8433448f582c9b6999935b1.jpg

 

Once out onto the running lines, the 'dead' Hall was coupled up behind Maunsell Q No.543 and hauled off in the up direction, with a brake van at the rear.

 

SJPP920001002190920.jpg.7037487f123bb9e8032020ce88c4b2ea.jpg

 

A little later the short train was seen taking the cross country line towards the link line to Little Muddle and 'home' on the GWR.

 

SJPP920001402190920.jpg.d597357ad8e19d7b1b6f9df052ca7931.jpg

 

You will need to look elsewhere to follow this story any further. :scratchhead:

 

Tony

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I’ll get Jimmy to keep an eye out for it then....he does’t miss much!!!

No idea when it will arrive here at Little Muddle but as nighttime has arrived I expect it will pass through late morning tomorrow !!!! 

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