pwr Posted April 23, 2011 Author Share Posted April 23, 2011 Just measured the platform clearance against a partly built Class 122 DMU and its about the same as the Class 47 and 50 so a trim of 2mm ought to sort this. A class 122 is about the same as a Mk1 but I somehow doubt a Mk3 would go round it! As an aside the platform tops are lower than I think would be prototypical today so some of the overhang actually clears the surface. Braintree branch platforms were traditionally low requiring footsteps to get on the train Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 Thanks for the update. Still following ya! Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 Alterations now made and clearance much improved without any effect on the visual effect of the platform. The 50 is still a bit tight though but as its on the operator side of the layout I am not too bothered. I will now get back on to the platform edging whilst at the same time trying to finish the bogie bolster. Another update soon Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted April 26, 2011 Author Share Posted April 26, 2011 A couple of shots of the altered platform edges. No longer does it have the prounounced sudden change in direction(see earlier photo). I also took the opportunity of having a further cylinder check on the B2 which is the largest steam loco I have presently. There seems to be no problems. Good job I don't model the GWR! Ah well on with the work! Paul R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted June 19, 2011 Author Share Posted June 19, 2011 Guess What - I got an Easy Build Class 105 Cravens kit for my birthday - very topical for this line. Other than that progress continues slowly on platform edging. Nearly there though. I am having to take up some coping stones that are not quite placed correctly and relay to get a proper overhang but I will get there and progress then on platforms will be a bit quicker. I seem to have had a hectic couple of months with little time for modelling. Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted June 19, 2011 Share Posted June 19, 2011 Fan checking in here! I think it progressing at a steady pace. The ballast looks right in the photos. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted August 10, 2011 Author Share Posted August 10, 2011 Just a short update with little progress on the layout proper. After having a dealy whilst I couldn't find my weathering powders and having to buy some more, the bogie bolster A is now finished apart from the coat of Matt Varnish which will have to wait until tomorrow since I have run out of that too. Anyway here are some pictures - sorry about the quality, I have had a major problem with the PC which is not fully resolved and means that my copy of Photoshop won't open because all the registration and serial numbers were lost on the restore and I need to reload the programme. As I am about to update to Windows 7 I can't be bothered to go through all that only to have to do it again as the upgrade will only work as a clean istall because its an upgrade from XP. Hopefully I can now get on with finishing the platforms and then making a start on the station building! All for now Paul R 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 10, 2011 Share Posted August 10, 2011 It's back! Thanks Paul. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scale7JB Posted August 12, 2011 Share Posted August 12, 2011 I saw the bus to Black Notley in Halstead the other day... Looking good by the way.. JB. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted August 12, 2011 Author Share Posted August 12, 2011 Thanks JB What was the route number and operator? I wonder if this service was operating in 1960 regards PWR Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scale7JB Posted August 13, 2011 Share Posted August 13, 2011 Couldn't tell you that I'm afraid, I didn't see it and not much of a bus man... Edit: Just had a look on google, and it is route number 21 via Braintree.. JB. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Couldn't tell you that I'm afraid, I didn't see it and not much of a bus man... Edit: Just had a look on google, and it is route number 21 via Braintree.. JB. Seems to be a local authority service. I need to get hold of an old Eastern National timetable. I seem to recall there was a service to Great Bardfield that may have come this way in days gone by. Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 Bit of progress being made on the platforms today - wish I had been a bit more careful in laying the top slabs. Some of them do not project out far enough to cover the edge pieces so I am either having to rip them up and replace them or glue a small piece of plasticard rod in to fill the gap. Once filed down and painted all should be ok. I have also had to modify the fence that protects passengers walking from the road to the platform. I have now inset this and created a space for the placement of the up starter signal. The photos make this clear. The next photo shows the signals I have in stock. There are two Saxby and Farmers in the Scale Signal Supply kit and one LNER tubular post in the MSE kit. The up statrter will be the Saxby and Farmer and the down inner home - which is on the other side of the crossing next to where the signal box will be - will be the tubular. The layout is not long enough to have the outer home or the advanced starter. I have not given much throught to signals at the other end of the layout yet. Sorry about the poor exposure in the photos. I still have no access to Photoshop. My next job is to start the process of PC upgrade to Windows 7 so I can reload. This is not going to be a quick job as I have to have a clean install so there may be no more photos for a while All for now Paul R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adanapress Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 If looking for a suggestion for a background building there is a large lovely and old watermill just down the hill. From White Notley, or was it Cressing, my memory begins to fail me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 If looking for a suggestion for a background building there is a large lovely and old watermill just down the hill. From White Notley, or was it Cressing, my memory begins to fail me. Adnapress I know the building you mean - its at Cressing. You can find photos on Flickr - just search Cressing. I had thought of using this building at the other end of the layout to hide the entrance to the fiddle yard but it might be too big for the spae available. Thanks for the tip though Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted August 19, 2011 Author Share Posted August 19, 2011 Well progress continues and as the computer upgrade went without major hitches I can now upload photos again!. I have been working around the crossing area agains; painted the fence and placed soime adverts around it. Also tidied up the ballast around the crossing and started to apply grass tufts to the posts. The white area behind the fnece should get painted later and then its out with the grasmaster to try it out and see what I can achieve. This was a birthday present some two years ago which shows how slow I seem to work! A phone box will be going at the fence corner and some more adverts will appear on the fence inlcuding one for the local cinema. I have decided to freeze the layout in 1958 which is the date of some photos I have of Cressing. That is not to say that stock will accurately reflect this (neither it would seem will the road vehicles!) but this was the time when the WMB railbuses were introduced and I have plans to scratch build one. And if I want to run rail blue then its my layout!!!!! I have looked on the web and determined that the original Fly movie was released in 1958 so that will feature on the poster. The only thing I need is to find out what if any cinemas were open in Braintree at this time. The Whitehall in Witham was certainly open as it closed in 1961 but so far I can't track any info down. It has been suggested that I approach the Braintree museum which I will do but if anyone out there knows anything please post a reply. Anyway on to the pictures! I think the pictures speak for themselves. The enamal adverts are not from this time, representing a much earlier era but these sort of things did seem to be retained in rural areas where nothing much changed from year to year until the 1960's. All for now - as usual any feedback welcome Paul R 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 You're totally right about things not changing much in that time. You'd see cars from the thirties too, well, my Dad had one! An old Vauxhall, I can still remember the interior smell. It would only have been 20 odd years old and the absences cause by the war made everyone keep things going..... Good work. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted September 17, 2011 Author Share Posted September 17, 2011 Not much happening on the layout lately due to having to redecorate the daughters bedroom. A rash promise made by my wife that between them they would do it in four days of the bank holiday week whilst I was a work has resulted in this taking far longer than expected. I still have a door to paint from her wardrobe! Anyway here is a shot of the Langley Models phone box under construction. There is a postbox in there as well! The kit comes with two phones. One is the old push button A phone and the other is the next generation. I am using the push button A style! Once this is built and installed it will be time to fix the fence in place and then grass the borders of the path. Still can't find out if Braintree had a cinema in 1958. I did e-mail the local museum but no response. I want to include a poster board advertising one of the films of the day but have no idea if a cinema existed. I know what went on in Witham but Notley is supposed to be closer to Braintree. Any help appreciated Paul R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
boeing757 Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 (edited) Not much happening on the layout lately due to having to redecorate the daughters bedroom. A rash promise made by my wife that between them they would do it in four days of the bank holiday week whilst I was a work has resulted in this taking far longer than expected. I still have a door to paint from her wardrobe! Anyway here is a shot of the Langley Models phone box under construction. There is a postbox in there as well! The kit comes with two phones. One is the old push button A phone and the other is the next generation. I am using the push button A style! Once this is built and installed it will be time to fix the fence in place and then grass the borders of the path. Still can't find out if Braintree had a cinema in 1958. I did e-mail the local museum but no response. I want to include a poster board advertising one of the films of the day but have no idea if a cinema existed. I know what went on in Witham but Notley is supposed to be closer to Braintree. Any help appreciated Paul R Hi Paul, I attended the High School in Braintree starting in 1959. I am sure the town boasted one cinema (The Embassy) which was at the junction of Victoria St and Fairfield Rd near to the bus depot. There was another cinema (The Central) in High St but I can't recall when it closed. Any help? B Edited September 18, 2011 by boeing757 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 B I vaguely remember the location from when I was a boy but I had forgotten the name. Thanks for the tip I can get on and make the boards now - one for the Embassy in Braintree and one for Whitehall in Witham. Getting the film posters was easy. Just do a web search on Wikipedia. All the posters are there. The original movie for The Fly may be one of them. I will get on to them after I finish the phone box Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSE DAZ Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hi Paul, I must say that this is very inspirational work you have carried out here Just to echo other comments the track work and ballasting is superb, you have transformed the Peco track a treat I am just starting my new venture in the world of O gauge and will be following your progress with anticipation. Keep up the good work Darren NSE DAZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Sorry about lack of updates - lack of time! However I have built 2 type K6 phone boxes that are now waiting to be painted. I need to put the information screens in the back of the boxes and getting information on how these looked in the 1950's and 1960's is not easy. There are some photos on the BT archive site but nothing in the book I read about the various types of phone boxes there have been overe the years. Can anyone help or point me in the right direction. Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted November 13, 2011 Author Share Posted November 13, 2011 Day off today with family gone to swimming gala! So some small progress. I have now painted the phone boxes but these need finishing off with the white letter pane and black letters. The insides still need to be finished and then glazed. I don't normally use gloss paint but felt this is what the boxes needed. I might give them a tone down with an airbrush when I am doing something else. I have just applied some static grass to the area around the path and it the excess still has to be hoovered off. I think a second coat is going to be needed to get some length into it. Why is it that you can only get 7mm fibres as the longest available. If anyone knows any different please post. I have also given a second coat of grey paint to the platform coping stones - not visible in photos and these will be weathered with powders before doing the platform surfaces. I have also got some Peco (Ratio) ladders which I am going to use on the gas lamps - Heljan 4mm but ideal for this location which had some short ones. Scalescenes platform totems will finish these off. Other than that progress is somewhat slow but I hope to get more time at Christmas Paul R 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 Free Road Sign Fonts I don't know if anyone has ever come across this website (Chris's British Roadsign Directory)but it contains details of road signs and more usefully a set of free fonts that will enable you to make your own signs whether historical or modern. http://www.cbrd.co.uk/fonts/ Good source of information too Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSE DAZ Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Hi Paul, Happy New Year to you Thanks for sharing this find with us (Chris's British Road-sign Directory), this will come in handy for me in the future All the best Darren NSE DAZ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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