A Cartoon of Helston(ish)

[Mulgabill]

21 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

Tony

many thanks - I was planning something similar. the key issue I now face is making the laser cuts lighet in colour than the stone. I am trying to recreate the look of the goods shed as in recent photos so the yellow bricks are palest, then the mortar and then the stones are a mix of darker colurs:

 

I would not profess to be, in any way, expert on this. Most of my buildings seem to end

up rather grey, and darker than intended.

 

But I would be inclined to perhaps prime with a grey, similar to your required mortar colour.

Then drybrush for the other colours, including some individual blocks.

 

To be honest though you might be better looking elsewhere for guidance, perhaps Jeff's (Physicsman)

Gill Head, or Kirkby Luneside 2, or Kevin's (KNP) Little Muddle, topics on here. If you've not come across

them already.

 

21 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

ps - if you wanted some of my stonework pattern I could happily send you a DXF file of a patch. What I do is create patches and then merge them together, sometimes inverting patches to create the effect - but in the original art work each stone is made of three or four spline curves, each with three or more control points - very slow but I am pleased with the results and LCUT are brilliant at converting my drawings into bits of board and ply. They have been very patient with me - I cannot recommend them too highly. They say they may even make a kit and market it which would really put Helston on the map!

 

I would be very interested in trying to incorporate your pattern into some plan.

 

Mind you I suspect I will need to learn a bit more yet, but time at the caravan is

approaching, and I find that very conducive to this.

 

Please do send file, at your convenience.

 

6 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

On a related topic do you have a fixed set of colours you use for the building paintwork (window frames, doors, canopies etc)?

For example what about: https://www.stationcolours.info/great-western-railway/

 

 

I have come across this reference, and will refer to in the future, no doubt.

 

However my approach to colours for buildings tends to conform to the cartoon

principles. And that doesn't mean its bright and garish, nor do I have any yellow

people with Blue, or spikey, hair, on the layout.

 

What I mean is that I aim to capture the overall picture, and therefore have made

my own mix of both Chocolate and Cream, such that it conforms to shades I (think)

I remember. (ie faded and tired), for the overall impression.

 

For loco's etc I tend to be rather more conservative and go for proper railway colours.

 

Hope this is helpful, but I'm sure we would all like further input from others who pass this

way.

 

All the best

TONY

 

[treggyman]

Hi Tony

 

I agree with you that it is the impression I am trying to achieve rather than get the exact colours right....

I have read elsewhere on this forum about the difference between actual colours & 'scale' colours.....If I understand correctly then lighter colours than prototype are more realistic....

At the end of the day we all see things differently so the most important thing is that it looks right to the person whose model it is......

 

Hope you're keeping well & hopefully catch up with you again sometime now there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.....

 

Cheers Bill

[Mulgabill]

On 21/05/2021 at 21:29, treggyman said:

Hi Tony

 

I agree with you that it is the impression I am trying to achieve rather than get the exact colours right....

I have read elsewhere on this forum about the difference between actual colours & 'scale' colours.....If I understand correctly then lighter colours than prototype are more realistic....

At the end of the day we all see things differently so the most important thing is that it looks right to the person whose model it is......

 

Hope you're keeping well & hopefully catch up with you again sometime now there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.....

 

Cheers Bill

 

Thanks Bill, good to hear from you again.

 

Ir's only since I built the buildings for Helstonish that I have been brave enough to mix

my own colours. But now I feel it's the best way to go with something scratch built.

Just more comfortable somehow.

 

Have you been doing any modelling yourself? It seems like some while since I've

noticed any updates.

 

As it happens, the other day I had an idea to add an extension to the front of the

fiddle yard. And create a very shallow representation of a dockside. This could

represent a later addition freight branch to Porthleven. However that could require

a trip down your way sometime, for some specific pics for a backscene. If that

comes off I'll certainly let you know, it would be good to meet again.

 

All the best

 

TONY

[treggyman]

16 minutes ago, Mulgabill said:

 

Thanks Bill, good to hear from you again.

 

Ir's only since I built the buildings for Helstonish that I have been brave enough to mix

my own colours. But now I feel it's the best way to go with something scratch built.

Just more comfortable somehow.

 

Have you been doing any modelling yourself? It seems like some while since I've

noticed any updates.

 

As it happens, the other day I had an idea to add an extension to the front of the

fiddle yard. And create a very shallow representation of a dockside. This could

represent a later addition freight branch to Porthleven. However that could require

a trip down your way sometime, for some specific pics for a backscene. If that

comes off I'll certainly let you know, it would be good to meet again.

 

All the best

 

TONY

Hi Tony

 

Certainly be good to meet up if you come down this way.......

 

As regards modelling I haven't done much recently.....

 

I've started a new layout called Condurrow on here but I think glaciers move quicker than my progress.....Steam china clayworks & station......

 

Cheers Bill

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, treggyman said:

Hi Tony

 

Certainly be good to meet up if you come down this way.......

 

As regards modelling I haven't done much recently.....

 

I've started a new layout called Condurrow on here but I think glaciers move quicker than my progress.....Steam china clayworks & station......

 

Cheers Bill

Link please Bill!

[5BarVT]

 

[St Enodoc]

18 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

 

Thanks Paul. Now following!

[treggyman]

12 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

 

Hi 5BarVT

 

Thanks for doing the link....You beat me to it....

 

Cheers Bill

[Andy Keane]

Tony, perhaps you can help on a Helston puzzle. There are a number of photos of trains with six coaches using Helston. But the platform was only 271 feet long according to the book, and the map bears this out. So how did they operate the carriages? I reckon only four at a time could be fitted alongside the platform. Any thoughts?

regards

Andy

[Mulgabill]

1 minute ago, Andy Keane said:

Tony, perhaps you can help on a Helston puzzle. There are a number of photos of trains with six coaches using Helston. But the platform was only 271 feet long according to the book, and the map bears this out. So how did they operate the carriages? I reckon only four at a time could be fitted alongside the platform. Any thoughts?

regards

Andy

 

I don't have any specific knowledge re Helston.

 

But I do have some memories of BR workings to St Ives. When the Ltd ran to St Ives it was double

headed by a pair of small prairies. Not for the weight, but in order to release the train loco and

shunt the stock fully into the platform. I am pretty sure this still left coaches beyond the platform

end.

 

Applied to Helston this would mean coaches sitting beyond the crossover, and platform end.

 

I do have a vague memory of a return journey, from Penzance, to St Ives, with one of them

new fangled diseasels on the front. (a D6xx I think). This had a very old coach at the front, I'm

sure my father refered to it as a clearestory, although I believe it may have been a toplight,

pehaps. Whatever, it had  doors to each compartment, and the front half was occupied by

technitions with instruments, wired to the loco. We travelled in a back half, compartment.

 

And on another occaision I do recall watching the entertainment as a pair of NB type 2s did

the long train shunt at St Ives.

 

All the best

 

TONY

[Mulgabill]

I seem to recall saying that I would give some background re the refurbished prototype signs.

 

Unfortunately my camera memory cards got muddled, and when I loaded some of this weeks

onto the "new" laptop, I ended with 1600 pics, from an old card, rather than the dozen or so I

had taken that day.

 

So the signs will have to appear at a later date.

 

I have however found some of this weeks pics, so will share some of the re-awakened WSR.

 

Tuesday, 9351 pounds up the bank  to Crowcombe Heathfield.

 

 

and leaving Stogumber behind, on it's return journey Williton - Bishops Lydeard.

 

Cheers all

 

TONY

[Andy Keane]

Tony, I am struggling with the goods shed drawings. Pat English shows the lorry entrance to the good shed with a seni-circular brick arch (and the 7mm kit of the shed follows this too). However the only photo I have of the shed on that side showing the brickwork shows the arch as being elliptical:

 

Do you have any better pictures / have you been and looked? I think the elliptical shape looks nicer but wondered why Pat had drawn it as a semi-circle.

[Mulgabill]

10 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

Tony, I am struggling with the goods shed drawings. Pat English shows the lorry entrance to the good shed with a seni-circular brick arch (and the 7mm kit of the shed follows this too). However the only photo I have of the shed on that side showing the brickwork shows the arch as being elliptical:

 

Do you have any better pictures / have you been and looked? I think the elliptical shape looks nicer but wondered why Pat had drawn it as a semi-circle.

 

Hi Andy, I'm not going to be much help here, I'm afraid.

 

I did visit, and photographed, the remaining shed. incorporated in the sheltered development.

 

However, in the absence of my oakwood book, I pressed on working from google pics, and estimated

overall size. As I have said before, the goods shed was the first build for my layout, and I subsequently

found it is oversize, but to me looks ok. But thats ok in a cartoon kind of way.

 

I have seen very few pics of that side of the goods shed. The pics I tooks were unfortunately lost

in a computer hardware incident.

 

However, you do have a degree of get out, in that there was a canopy, which probably means the

actual shape of the arch, will not be apparent.

 

So you, kind of, get to choose. Or maybe somebody from down there, who's on here, might offer

to take a look for you.

 

TONY

[Andy Keane]

Tony, can I ask another question? How wide have you made the gap in the bridge at the entrance throat? It looks quite narrow in photos but I don want it to extreme and my curve there will be a little tighter than the real think as well. Do you run long coaches into your station - it may not be realistic but it would be good to be able to get a 70' coach under the bridge.

regards

Andy

[Andy Keane]

On 21/05/2021 at 18:10, Mulgabill said:

 

I would not profess to be, in any way, expert on this. Most of my buildings seem to end

up rather grey, and darker than intended.

 

But I would be inclined to perhaps prime with a grey, similar to your required mortar colour.

Then drybrush for the other colours, including some individual blocks.

 

To be honest though you might be better looking elsewhere for guidance, perhaps Jeff's (Physicsman)

Gill Head, or Kirkby Luneside 2, or Kevin's (KNP) Little Muddle, topics on here. If you've not come across

them already.

 

 

I would be very interested in trying to incorporate your pattern into some plan.

 

Mind you I suspect I will need to learn a bit more yet, but time at the caravan is

approaching, and I find that very conducive to this.

 

Please do send file, at your convenience.

 

 

I have come across this reference, and will refer to in the future, no doubt.

 

However my approach to colours for buildings tends to conform to the cartoon

principles. And that doesn't mean its bright and garish, nor do I have any yellow

people with Blue, or spikey, hair, on the layout.

 

What I mean is that I aim to capture the overall picture, and therefore have made

my own mix of both Chocolate and Cream, such that it conforms to shades I (think)

I remember. (ie faded and tired), for the overall impression.

 

For loco's etc I tend to be rather more conservative and go for proper railway colours.

 

Hope this is helpful, but I'm sure we would all like further input from others who pass this

way.

 

All the best

TONY

 

On the buildings front do you know what colour the ridges should be on the loco shed? - I cannot work out if they were ridge tiles and thus brick colored or lead and thus slate coloured!

I continue to paint on brick and stone at a time and today sprayed the roof tiles and am thinking about how to waether them down.

Andy

[Mulgabill]

On 22/07/2021 at 18:48, Andy Keane said:

On the buildings front do you know what colour the ridges should be on the loco shed? - I cannot work out if they were ridge tiles and thus brick colored or lead and thus slate coloured!

I continue to paint on brick and stone at a time and today sprayed the roof tiles and am thinking about how to waether them down.

Andy

 

I'm sorry Andy, I don't recall what the ridging was, and don't have any references to hand.

 

It was always my intention to create a representation, and update if further info should come

to hand. A case in point is a recent significant acquisition, which will be posted here, once I've

done my work on it. (My project, to keep me occupied whilst keeping track of the olympics).

 

Anybody.... Any guesses?

 

TONY

 

[Mulgabill]

 

Some gratuitous WSR action, to pass the time.

 

 

 

 

 

Goodnight!

 

TONY

 

[The Stationmaster]

On 30/05/2021 at 20:01, Mulgabill said:

 

I don't have any specific knowledge re Helston.

 

But I do have some memories of BR workings to St Ives. When the Ltd ran to St Ives it was double

headed by a pair of small prairies. Not for the weight, but in order to release the train loco and

shunt the stock fully into the platform. I am pretty sure this still left coaches beyond the platform

end.

 

Applied to Helston this would mean coaches sitting beyond the crossover, and platform end.

 

I do have a vague memory of a return journey, from Penzance, to St Ives, with one of them

new fangled diseasels on the front. (a D6xx I think). This had a very old coach at the front, I'm

sure my father refered to it as a clearestory, although I believe it may have been a toplight,

pehaps. Whatever, it had  doors to each compartment, and the front half was occupied by

technitions with instruments, wired to the loco. We travelled in a back half, compartment.

 

And on another occaision I do recall watching the entertainment as a pair of NB type 2s did

the long train shunt at St Ives.

 

All the best

 

TONY

The Churchward dynamometer car (latterly W7W) wasn't withdrawn until 1961 and it was a clerestory but the more common track recording coach W139W (aka the whitewash coach) was a Toplight and lasted with the Toplights painted over into blue/grey livery although they had all gone following yet another rebuild of the body in its final years.

[Mulgabill]

Time for an update.  Firstly there have been a few (low key) arrivals.

 

 

Joined the fleet, following purchace for £10 as a non-runner, from WSR Watchet at their

table top sale. Has been running, following attention. But is very noisy, and typical mainlne,

has failed again. The problem is in the transfer of the pick-up across to the motor, and will

probably require another dis-assemble, and an additional wire. But 03 382 was a long term

Bristol engine, so will get some TLC.

 

 

I also have a soft spot for parcels trains, so this was acquired from Minehead Toy and Train sale, a couple

of weeks back.

 

along with

 

 

Obtained primarily for the containers, although the wagon will probably get some attention to tidy it.

 

 

These came as a reduced price for 2 offer, also from Minehead, the car is the same colour as my 1st car

(apart from the seats, and I thought the caravan would imply "seaside". I just haven't worked out where

to place it, yet.

 

There has also been a more significant acqusition, which is in process of "dilapidation" and will require

some small, on layout, adjustments before the upgrade can be applied. I will resist sharing a pic yet, but

will show the process... soon.

 

On other news, 2 grandsons have requested "help" in building a layout, one they have moved house.

This, I will admit, has led to more time in the railway room, with them, and a big kick up the backside

for me. So that's all good.

 

Have also come across a couple of sources for 2nd hand items, retail, but both have some more

reasonably priced items. I've not photo'd purchases yet, so will update when I can. But I can say that I went to have my eyes tested on Monday, and came home with 4 wagons and an Oxford Pub book of GW

Freight wagons, and loads for £25 total. Yesterday, en route, I picked up 4 items of parcels stock,

either scratch, or kit built, plus a cambrian kit for a Taunton sleeper wagon for £10.

(The least good item was a lima inside frame Siphon at £2) - and I didn't have time to view the

"good" stuff, I only got as far as the scrapyard.

 

Will try to get back soon.

 

TONY

[Mulgabill]

Thought I'd give you a clue!

 

 

Answers on a postcard - ah those were the days.

 

TONY

 

[KeithHC]

52 minutes ago, Mulgabill said:

Time for an update.  Firstly there have been a few (low key) arrivals.

 

 

Joined the fleet, following purchace for £10 as a non-runner, from WSR Watchet at their

table top sale. Has been running, following attention. But is very noisy, and typical mainlne,

has failed again. The problem is in the transfer of the pick-up across to the motor, and will

probably require another dis-assemble, and an additional wire. But 03 382 was a long term

Bristol engine, so will get some TLC.

 

 

I also have a soft spot for parcels trains, so this was acquired from Minehead Toy and Train sale, a couple

of weeks back.

 

along with

 

 

Obtained primarily for the containers, although the wagon will probably get some attention to tidy it.

 

 

These came as a reduced price for 2 offer, also from Minehead, the car is the same colour as my 1st car

(apart from the seats, and I thought the caravan would imply "seaside". I just haven't worked out where

to place it, yet.

 

There has also been a more significant acqusition, which is in process of "dilapidation" and will require

some small, on layout, adjustments before the upgrade can be applied. I will resist sharing a pic yet, but

will show the process... soon.

 

On other news, 2 grandsons have requested "help" in building a layout, one they have moved house.

This, I will admit, has led to more time in the railway room, with them, and a big kick up the backside

for me. So that's all good.

 

Have also come across a couple of sources for 2nd hand items, retail, but both have some more

reasonably priced items. I've not photo'd purchases yet, so will update when I can. But I can say that I went to have my eyes tested on Monday, and came home with 4 wagons and an Oxford Pub book of GW

Freight wagons, and loads for £25 total. Yesterday, en route, I picked up 4 items of parcels stock,

either scratch, or kit built, plus a cambrian kit for a Taunton sleeper wagon for £10.

(The least good item was a lima inside frame Siphon at £2) - and I didn't have time to view the

"good" stuff, I only got as far as the scrapyard.

 

Will try to get back soon.

 

TONY

So where did you have your eyes tested must be somewhere local. I don’t need to have my eyes done but May be have a look at your sources of items.

 

Keith

[Andy Keane]

1 hour ago, Mulgabill said:

Thought I'd give you a clue!

 

 

Answers on a postcard - ah those were the days.

 

TONY

 

Nice looking yard crane I am sure!

[Mulgabill]

2 hours ago, KeithHC said:

So where did you have your eyes tested must be somewhere local. I don’t need to have my eyes done but May be have a look at your sources of items.

 

Keith

 

Well it wasn't Armstrong & North, we just go where I thought everybody wen't.

But having flashed my card for Mrs MBs new pair, I didn't notice much saving,

and wished we hadn't.

 

All I got out of it was a possible referral to a consultant. I suppose it does give

me an excuse for never cutting 2 pieces of card the same.

 

Now, do you think my soursce might slip out, when we get around to that

cup of coffee? Soon perhaps.

 

Al the best

TONY

[Mulgabill]

It's a bit like Bristol buses on here today, nothing for ages then I think thats about

5 posts on here today.

 

This is one of my acquisitions.

 

 

 

I got it primarily for it's bogies, and underparts.

 

But does anybody want to offer advice?

 

What is it meant to be, my guess is a Collet brake 3rd Corridor.

 

What would those bogies fit under, appropriately, as an upgrade?

 

What about the underfittings ?

 

There will be more to follow.

 

TONY

[Johndc120]

7 hours ago, Mulgabill said:

Thought I'd give you a clue!

 

 

Answers on a postcard - ah those were the days.

 

TONY

 

Oooh I recognise that! Haha