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Shrewford, BR N gauge, 1986-88


1977joey
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Hi everyone,

 

I've been working on my revised layout over the last couple of weeks, & now it is starting to take shape, I thought I would start the new thread.

Having done a couple of layouts in the last 5 years, neither has really 'bit' with me to keep, so I've torn it up to start again. I've learnt more & more that less is more. I'm not DCC yet & am rubbish with electrics, so it's a basic layout & all manually operated (For now at least)

 

So welcome to my latest layout 'SHREWFORD', which won't be dissimilar to my last layout Shawbury Foregate, but with a slightly smaller station & less 'going on' than before, & this time i'm building it so as i have better views of the trains & not 'all station' as was the case before.

 

Many of the buildings from the last layout aswell as the baseboard are being used again on this one.

 

This is going to be a mainline station with operations based on the Shrewsbury area in the late 80's, reminiscing changing trains there as a kid during that time.

 

My representation of it is a 5 Platformed station, 2 bays & 3 through platforms. This time the bays will be on the side of the station where the main buildings are, so will be numbered 1 & 2, Shrewsbury did once have platforms 1 & 2 but these have long since been out of use & the track now gone. Platform 3 will be the main north bound platform, although this will be bi-directional, & a large island Platform no's 4 & 5 has already been constructed, platform 4 tends to be bi directional, while Platform 5 is mainly used for south bound trains.

 

Services through Shrewford consist of:

InterCity services to/from London Euston roughly every 2 hours,

Manchester/Liverpool to/from Cardiff & South wales which are roughly every hour & are loco hauled supplemented by the latest Class 150/2 Sprinter's. (The layout is mainly based between 1986 & 1988 so these are the most modern train to be seen

Also featured will be the daily Holyhead-Cardiff 'The Welshman/Y Cymro'

Local services formed of DMU's or Class 150 Sprinters run the Chester/Shrewford to/from Wolverhampton/Birmingham services & also the local stopping service to Crewe. A DMU stopping service also runs to Cardiff from Shrewford stopping at all stations every 2 hours.

& Finally the cambrian line to Aberystwyth & Pwllheli operated almost exclusively by Class 150/1 'Sprinters' with the daily loco hauled 'InterCity' service to/from London Euston 'The Cambrian Coast Express'. On summer Summer Saturdays, there are 3 loco hauled trains on the line.

 

 

Here is the plan drawn up...

 

 

 

Along with a couple of pictures of how it looks in the early stages at present...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

& finally my latest member to my fleet, Dapol's new Class 33, ideal for my Manchester-Cardiff services 1986 style..

 

 

Cheers for now guys,

Mark

 

 

 

Edited by 1977joey
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Hi Everyone,

 

Finally got all the Platforms constructed, they now just need the ramps finishing & edging before I begin work on the canopies. The subway stairs also need gluing in as this station access is by subway as opposed to an over bridge. 

 

Here are a couple of pictures, I'm quiet pleased with how quick it's starting to come together :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for now,

Mark

Edited by 1977joey
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  • 3 weeks later...

Good to see you back Mark.. Good luck with this one.. If it is anything like the others it will be fantastic.

Keep the updates coming.. I need ideas for the box room that is now mine!

 

Cheers

Mark

 

Thanks Mark,

 

To be honest, I haven't done much to it the last couple of weeks or so, with my shift work & the run up to Christmas, the chance to do any modelling is pretty scarce. I have had a couple of new loco's mind so will be posting some pictures of these soon once I have finished the platforms.

 

Looking forward to seeing what materialises in your box room :)

 

All the best,

Mark

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Excellent work Mark.

 

What's the overall size of the layout? I'm slowly planning a small roundy roundy using set track curves (rad 2&3) Hoping to get away with 2' wide.

 

Cheers, Anthony

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Excellent work Mark.

 

What's the overall size of the layout? I'm slowly planning a small roundy roundy using set track curves (rad 2&3) Hoping to get away with 2' wide.

 

Cheers, Anthony

 

Many thanks Anthony,

 

The baseboard is 8 foot x 2' 8". I have 10 storage roads at the rear & all curves are 2nd & 3rd radius. Hope this helps :)

 

Cheers,

Mark

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Ahh this is interesting Mark. Yes, I am also looking at using 2nd & 3rd radius. I was hoping to get away with 2' wide for the boards, as I'm planning a busy off the beaton track branch line, with maybe a couple of CE sidings. It's rear storage I need more than anything so plenty of stock can be run. I shall continue my planning.

 

Keep up the great work.

 

Cheers, Anthony

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Hi everyone,

 

As i've been working an early shift today, I've managed to get the platforms at Shrewford completed & edged this evening.

 

Such a lot to do here before it starts to take proper shape. I've also purchased a couple of new Loco's.... I really wanted the early Network SouthEast livery Class 47, but didn't want the train set so took advantage of Rails Of Sheffield's offer of the Loco split from it's Capital Express train set. This loco I have to say is stunning :)

 

I've also acquired a Railfreight grey Class 20 to run with my Blue one.

 

Here's a few pictures from tonight....

 

post-5923-0-38896900-1481572914_thumb.jpg

The station front, yet to have a new nameboard for 'Shrewford'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

in this picture can be seen the subways that connect the Platforms of Shrewford

 

 

 

 

 

Next job is to sort the buildings properly on Platform 3 then construction of the canopies can start.

 

Cheers for now guys :)

Mark

Edited by 1977joey
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Hi Mark,

 

 Looking very good, the NSE 47 looks very at home as does the 33.

 

Graham.

 

Thanks Graham,

 

I'm chuffed with my new additions, really nice models :) Hoping to get more done to the layout over the coming weeks & start bringing it to life.

 

Have a great Christmas :)

 

Cheers,

Mark

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi everyone, Happy New Year :)

 

I've finally got round to doing a fair bit to Shrewford since the Christmas period is out the way & some motivation has kicked in.

 

I have been constructing the island Platform canopy. This is to the traditional Great Western style. I'm yet to detail it properly & paint it but the main structure is now all complete.

 

Here it is during construction which I've been doing each evening this week.

 

This has been constructed with clear plasticard, thick white card & slaters canopy valance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The structure in place on the layout

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for now :),

Mark 

Edited by 1977joey
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  • 4 weeks later...
On 06/01/2017 at 21:15, scruff said:

Excellent stuff Mark.. Good to see it coming along nicely.. Love the platform canopies

 

 

Cheers

mark

 

Many thanks Mark, glad you like them :)

 

Hi everyone, after a month that seems to have fled by I've only managed to almost complete the canopy over the north end of Platform 3. The joys of shift work for the real railway, I try to sometimes have a bash at the layout after my 05:40 am early shift but often just don't feel motivated, lack of sleep on earlies normally, not for the want of trying to either lol! then my days off are always busy.

 

Anyway slowly but surely it is starting to take shape, here are some pictures of the almost completed canopy with a Tyseley based West Mids PTE Class 101 in the pictures for effect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for now guys :),

Mark

Edited by 1977joey
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  • 2 months later...

Hi Everyone,

 

I thought it about time I updated my thread after a while.The layout is progressing slowly around my shifts, I've just been doing bits at a time. 

I've been constructing the street area around the station front. The impression here will be that the road will dip under the railway by way of illusion as I can't cut through the baseboard as I'd originally have liked due to the cross bracing at this end. I'll post more pictures as it comes together, i have done this effect before & it does work well. 

 

I'm yet to finish off the pavements.

 

I've also completed the canopy's over the bay platforms though these need to be glued down once all the station signage is completed, I have also boxed in the area which is imagined to be spanning over the river Severn.

 

Here are the pictures of how it looks at the minute, the boards are in a mess with construction tools aswell as materials. I'm looking forward to when it nears completion for a good tidy up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for now,

Mark :)

 

 

Edited by 1977joey
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Everyone,

 

It's a day off for me, & as the weather is pretty unsettled, it's given me chance to get on with the layout rather than jobs I need to do in the garden.

I've painted 'Castle hill' & also being sorting out the north end of the station, (my version of Castle Foregate). As i've been unable to cut through the baseboards at this end of the layout due to the cross braces being here, I've done the bridge over the road by illusion. 

 

 

In this first picture can be seen the Layland National bus as if it's driven up the road under the railway.

 

 

This is how it looks from the railway side. I'm quiet pleased with how it's turning out.

 

 

a look from eye view level

 

 

A look through the platforms showing a Class 150/1 Sprinter on a Chester service

 

 

A view looking south showing the river, the parts of painted before adding scatter & Castle hill

 

 

Within the castle walls on the top of the hill, I will add flower beds, paths & benches later on

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for now,

Mark

Edited by 1977joey
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The optical illusion bridge is quite clever, nice work.

 

Thanks Boco :), I was wondering how to do this end of the station & like the idea of the railway going over the road (as it does in real life at Shrewsbury), & thought it the only way without actually cutting the base board. I will add a fascia to the other side too

 

 

Very nice layout. Great work on the scratch building too.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

 

Thanks Jeremy, glad you like it :)

 

 

Love the progress, keep up the good work Mark..

 

Cheers

Mark

 

Thanks Mark, it's finally beginning to look like a layout now & less of a bomb site lol! :drinks:

Cheers,

Mark

Edited by 1977joey
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  • 1 month later...

Hi Everyone,

 

Thought it time I did an update as I have been doing bits when I can to Shrewford. With the nice weather now with us, the garden is taking priority as well as decorating around my shifts.

 

I've printed off all the signs for the station as well as Platform numbering. Also I've started to add the information TV screens made from plasticard & which I'd kept from my old layout. Very fiddly to make, but worth the effort & look the part when mounted in place.

 

I have also painted the canopy valance on Platform 3 cream & I am yet to do the canopy over Platforms 4 & 5 the same.

 

 

The Platforms numbers are glued to track pins then  mounted under the canopy

 

 

A look through to Platform 3 showing the phone box & other bits appearing

 

 

This view showing other canopy additions while a Class 150/2 Sprinter waits with a Chester service

 

 

An overall look showing bits of debris cluttering platforms 4 & 5 which are clocks (which i cut from photographs of actual clocks) for the Platforms aswell as signals & lamposts which are yet to all be put into place

 

 

 

 

A look at the canopies down the bay Platforms, I've made plastic imitation lighting with the station name also displayed. 

 

 

A look at the north end of the station with the Sprinter at Platform 3 & a First Generation DMU at Platform 4b with services to Chester & Crewe

 

Still lots to do with the scenics, but trying to get the fiddly parts out the way first. Once the platforms have all the furniture fitted,I will start the ballasting.

 

Cheers for now guys :)

Mark

Edited by 1977joey
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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi everyone,

 

It's been my annual leave week from work & it's given me chance with the wet weather to get on with the layout. The track is now ballasted, signals are now added tho there is one more gantry I need to do at the south end before the tunnel. The signals are none working which I made from chopping up a set of knightwing traffic lights & the effect is pretty good, maybe i'll have working one's someday.

 

I have also populated the platforms, added the lamposts & more signage aswell as the station clocks. I'm yet to add a plastic barrier along the edge of the board next to Platform 5, only a light engine at slow speed has run along here just to test the track so far.

 

the south end of the layout is next for attention where the ' Shrewford Abbey' stands on the hill. I'm going to put tunnel portals either end & tidy up the whole area, also the embankments around the river all need attention.

 

Here is a set of pictures showing how it's all looking at the so far.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for now, 

Mark :)

 

Edited by 1977joey
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Hi everyone,

 

I've been working on the south end of the layout today using filler & papier mache to make the embankment for the Abbey & also embankments around the river. Whilst waiting for this to set, I've had a bit of a running session so thought I'd take some pictures.

 

I'm off to scotland over the weekend, so that's it on the modelling front at least for a few days :)

 

 

Looking south showing work I've done to the embankmets. Trees & bushes will hide the area's with gaps.

 

 

The tunnel portal at the south end. It is imagined at the other end of the tunnel is the junction for the Wolverhampton line & the south wales main line, which then diverges again at Sutton Bridge Junction for the cambrian line.

 

 

Overall look at the station, on the holding sidings can be seen a shiny new Class 150/1 Sprinter with the station pilot class 03 shunter & also a Network Southeast Class 47. In the station are DMU's in the bay platforms & a Class 47 hauled InterCity service to London Euston waiting at Platfrom 4.

 

 

Class 101 DMU's seen in the bays are on Platform 1 a 2 car set is on the Swansea service via the central wales line & a 3 car set at Platform 2 waits with the all stations to Wolverhampton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for now,

Mark

Edited by 1977joey
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Some very atmospheric photo's there Mark, Keep them coming!

 

Enjoy your break, any chance Shrewford will migrate north of the border? I think it would look good with a push/pull set in the platform!

 

Cheers

Mark

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