Midland in Bristol

[westerner]

Richard re your comments about ambient sound, Train-Tech have a system where you can record your own sounds about £70-00.

[Tricky]

I don’t think you could say three wagons constitutes a fleet exactly, but nevertheless begins to fill up the yard nicely. Just need to make some loads for them.

[Compound2632]

That's the ticket!

 

BTW Derby-built Cheshire Lines covered goods wagon noted.

Edited March 14, 2019 by Compound2632

[Tricky]

13 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

That's the ticket!

 

BTW Derby-built Cheshire Lines covered goods wagon noted.

Oh that old thing....!

[Guest Lyonesse]

Fantastic thread, and great modelling.

 

There seem to be quite a few photos of Avon Street around, but very few of Bristol St. Philip's.  The Reece Winstone archive has some detail photos, but last time I enquired (as a poor student) they were asking an arm and a leg for each print.

 

Re Armstrong hydraulic cranes:  From what I remember, the 1979 North London Railway: A Pictorial Record (HMSO) has some good detail photos of similar machines, from Poplar docks.  There is also a hydraulic crane, although not from Sir Wm. Armstrong & Co., still standing in Genoa docks.

[Signalman Rich]

Hello Tricky,

First: Congratulations on being one of the finalists in the Wild Swan Cameo competition. Thoroughly deserved, given the outstanding quality of your modelling.

Second: For a low-tech approach to ambient sound the little Mini kits by Velleman might help. The Voice recording/Playback module MK195 records 90 seconds of sound that only requires a button push to activate. I went into the garden at about 4.30am to record the dawn chorus. Put the circuit boards into a small wood/MDF box about 100mm cube with a 50mm  hole drilled in one side with Forstner bit for the speaker and it provides a little background noise that is not too oppressive. If you fancied a trip to a preserved line on a day when they run freight trains you might even get some shunting sounds.....

 

An alternative is to use the Mini kit MK 134 Steam Engine sound generator for a loco. Choice of speed and volume, plus a generic whistle gives a little extra background ambience.  I have no connection with Velleman other than a satisfied user. The kits provide a fairly simple soldering exercise, carefully done, and helpfully they each run off a 9 volt battery. The kits are both quite economically priced. I bought my kits from the sadly disappeared Maplins. Here is a link to the Vellemann page. 

http://www.velleman.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d4_Audio.html

Hoping this may be of use/ interest.

Best wishes

Rich

[colin penfold]

Hi Richard. Just read your article in MRJ 269. Really enjoyable and informative, thanks.

[Dave John]

Just had a read back through the thread , some excellent modelling. 

 

With regard to ambient sound I bought a couple of these;

 

http://www.icstation.com/voice-playback-module-sound-module-music-player-voice-broadcast-device-development-board-arduino-p-6148.html?language=en

 

Dead easy to use, just transfer 10 mp3s to the sd and it plays them when switched.  Even has a small amp built in. I am still messing about with them, but I have a few ideas. Small enough to fit in a 4mm coach or wagon too. 

[Tricky]

16 hours ago, colin penfold said:

Hi Richard. Just read your article in MRJ 269. Really enjoyable and informative, thanks.

Hi Colin, thanks for the kind comments. I thought some of the photos didn’t come out in print quite as clear as they do on here. So maybe some of the subtlety was lost but I’m glad you found it useful. 

[Tricky]

12 hours ago, Dave John said:

Just had a read back through the thread , some excellent modelling. 

 

With regard to ambient sound I bought a couple of these;

 

http://www.icstation.com/voice-playback-module-sound-module-music-player-voice-broadcast-device-development-board-arduino-p-6148.html?language=en

 

Dead easy to use, just transfer 10 mp3s to the sd and it plays them when switched.  Even has a small amp built in. I am still messing about with them, but I have a few ideas. Small enough to fit in a 4mm coach or wagon too. 

Hi Dave, what I’ve managed to concoct  so far is a Bluetooth speaker that is designed to work in a kitchen setting and is screwed to the side of a unit or tall panel for example, the whole unit or panel then acts as a speaker (passive speaker maybe??). I was also very kindly provided with a sound file from a forum member of clanking locos, wagons and the occasional whistle. It actually sounds really really good as the whole box of the layout is acting as the speaker. If you place a hand on the ‘water’ you can feel it vibrating as a loco rumbles past! I’m now on the lookout for another sound file of working men and horses. I’ll then attempt to combine the two to one mp3 loop. 

[2ManySpams]

Richard, I've belatedly only just picked up MRJ 269. Excellent article chap. Well done. 

 

Given that our local soil has much clay in it, I'm wondering what to use as an alternative. Any thoughts?

[Tricky]

On 25/03/2019 at 15:39, 2ManySpams said:

Richard, I've belatedly only just picked up MRJ 269. Excellent article chap. Well done. 

 

Given that our local soil has much clay in it, I'm wondering what to use as an alternative. Any thoughts?

Thanks! Yes, our soil is very handy in this regard. I could always send you a bag...?! 

Does your soil ever reduce to fine grains when really dried out? Sorry- I’ve only ever had experience of a garden that reduces to a dust bowl every summer!

[railwayrod]

A really nice and informative thread, Tricky. Superb modelling too.

 

Rod

[Tricky]

Here’s the results of my experiments with tarps. I’m reasonably happy although more work is needed to really capture the heavy stretched look of the prototype. 19638 may be recognisable as straight out of the Midland Wagons book volume 1. 11392 is a made-up number but the MRCo lettering was spotted in the background of a photo of Birmingham  Goods Station. Also not sure I’ve got the rope tying right. No doubt someone with more knowledge will be along soon to help...!

[Compound2632]

Here's all the knowledge I have, hope it is of some help! A sheet was secured by sixteen tie-ropes, fastened to brass eyelets sewn into the edges of the sheet (represented by white dots on this sheet) or, in the case of the sides, to brass eyelets in three triangular flaps along the first seam on each side:

 

 

The ties were supposed to be fixed to securing rings or cleats - on a D299 wagon, there should be three cleats along the underside of the curb rail, and two rings on each headstock, each between an end pillar and the buffer guide. It does seem that the tie ropes were often secured to unauthorised parts of the wagon such as axleguards and buffer guides.

 

Here's one of my attempts, based on a wagon at Gurnos in a photo in Miles et al's Swansea Vale Book:

 

 

The tablecloth-like neat tucking and folding at the ends seems to be typical.

 

The best general description of sheeting I know of is here, though sources of information are not stated, while BR era instructions (which I don't think were much if at all different from late 19th century practice) are here, thanks to the Barrowmore Group. There's also a Bob Essery article on sheets, sacks and ropes in Midland Record, No. 3 I think.

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by Compound2632

[Tricky]

Very useful info Stephen and thank you for posting. It would appear that my 19638 style tarp is post WW1. So technically shouldn’t be around yet. 

[technohand]

Hi Steve

Downloaded the information from the sources given. Very useful and makes hiding weights in trucks a lot easier.As i'm modelling a Goods Yard the comments regarding sheeting are very relevant so thanks.

Tony

[Compound2632]

I think that goods yard photos give a false impression, as they show wagons that have been unsheeted for unloading or have already been unloaded. For the Edwardian period and earlier, photos of goods trains out on the road are rare but those I have seen do show most open wagons sheeted, unless carrying minerals. Of course if you are modelling a goods station (a big city one like Birmingham Central or Lawley Street, Sheffield Wicker, etc.), there's scope for plenty of unsheeted wagons standing around - but arriving and departing trains will need a team of little men unsheeting and sheeting the wagons...

 

It's like making sure platforms are on the blind side of passenger trains, so you don't have to model the doors opening and passengers getting on and off...

 

 

[DLT]

Why have I only just found this thread????  Stunning stuff Mr.Tricky,

Cheers, Dave.

[Tricky]

9 hours ago, DLT said:

Why have I only just found this thread????  Stunning stuff Mr.Tricky,

Cheers, Dave.

Thanks! 

[Tricky]

On 19/04/2019 at 11:54, DLT said:

Why have I only just found this thread????  Stunning stuff Mr.Tricky,

Cheers, Dave.

Thanks! 

[Tricky]

Yesterday, with the help of my son who’s visiting over Easter, we did a trial set up of Bristol on its proper legs. I’ve not managed to actually do that since completing it. In fact it’s not been on it’s legs for about 18 months since I built them! It’s amazing how different it looks at this height, and there will be a few tweaks to some areas to ensure views are properly blocked and all the details that should be seen can be seen, and the bits that shouldn’t be seen can’t be seen. Makes perfect sense to me...!

 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Tricky
Typo

[Tricky]

I can't remember if I mentioned this before but Midland in Bristol is FOR SALE. I am open to (serious) offers and if you would like to make an offer or discuss in more detail then please don't hesitate to PM me or contact me through my website. It is, of course available to view at Railex on 25th/26th of this month (eek!) where it is a finalist in the MRJ Cameo Competition and again at Uckfield on 19th/20th October. Ideally I would look to strike a deal before Uckfield where the layout could be collected immediately after the show. If you can't make either show then it is also available to view at my home in Tunbridge Wells.

Power to the locomotive is by radio control and an on-board battery but the layout can be wired for two-rail DC 'one engine in steam' if required. The loco and rolling stock aren't included in the sale, but the support structure and traverser are included.

Many thanks!

[wenlock]

On 01/05/2019 at 13:33, Tricky said:

I can't remember if I mentioned this before but Midland in Bristol is FOR SALE. I am open to (serious) offers and if you would like to make an offer or discuss in more detail then please don't hesitate to PM me or contact me through my website. It is, of course available to view at Railex on 25th/26th of this month (eek!) where it is a finalist in the MRJ Cameo Competition and again at Uckfield on 19th/20th October. Ideally I would look to strike a deal before Uckfield where the layout could be collected immediately after the show. If you can't make either show then it is also available to view at my home in Tunbridge Wells.

Power to the locomotive is by radio control and an on-board battery but the layout can be wired for two-rail DC 'one engine in steam' if required. The loco and rolling stock aren't included in the sale, but the support structure and traverser are included.

Many thanks!

You mustn't sell it unless it's to make space for you to build something new and equally excellent!  Really looking forward to seeing it at Railex!

 

Best wishes

 

Dave

[Tricky]

I’ve GOT to finish Monk’s Gate first...or start again with it, or at least maybe re-design it slightly...