sem34090's Workbench, Layout and General Wittering

[Annie]

Even though everything you've been working on looks very nice Sem it was the little station building in the last picture that really grabbed my attention.  But then you know what I'm like when it comes to country railways.  Such a lovely simple card kit, but very effective and it looks good.  I like how you've painted a representation of the interior.

[sem34090]

Whenever I fancy a quick build it's the first kit I turn to. I'm fortunate enough to have unlimited access to the full CDC Designs range of card kits and 3D CAD so I ought never run out of things to build.

 

I've built the kit a couple of times now, but this was the first time I gave it proper glazing and cut out the window frames, thus I thought it best to paint the interior.

 

As for the prototype it's a model of the LC&DR shelter that once existed at Honor Oak on the old Crystal Palace High Level line.

The whole thing is shorter but it's essentially the same building.

So not really all that 'country railway'!  I'll add the canopy supports if it ever ends up on a layout.

 

[SECR 235class]

I presume you know about there latest projects?

Here is a link

 

https://www.cdc-design.net/#

[sem34090]

1 minute ago, SECR 235class said:

I presume you know about there latest projects?

You know very well that I do, Sir!

Especially given I wrote a considerable portion of the 'D40' section of the website!!

1 minute ago, SECR 235class said:

Here is a link

 

https://www.cdc-design.net/#

Thanks.

 

[SECR 235class]

4 minutes ago, sem34090 said:

You know very well that I do, Sir!

Especially given I wrote a considerable portion of the 'D40' section of the website!!

Thanks.

 

There goes my disguise....

No one ever expects the CDC design inquesition.

Edited March 22, 2020 by SECR 235class

[sem34090]

Our chief weapon is resin, resin and photons...

[SECR 235class]

Resin photons and good quality card

[L49]

And a new supply of white eco resin to replace that horrible black stuff I have been fighting with for the last week!!!!!!!

[sem34090]

I'm currently waiting on the arrival of some grey resin, which I've yet to have problems with.

 

This arrived today:

And promptly got bits added to it:

 

Now, I'm debating which of the following to do:

 

- Re-letter the loco to have Maunsell lettering and order some numberplates. Weather reasonably heavily.

 

- Re-letter the loco to have golldd, un-shaded, sunshine lettering correct for 1939. Make look to be recently repainted as said lettering only began appearing on goods locos from September 1939 (Or so Mr Bradley says) and I'm modelling November/December 1939.

 

- Ignore the fact that the lettering is yellow shaded in dark green (1942) rather than un-shaded gold. Make look to be recently repainted, but weathered enough to disguise shading.

 

Thoughts?

Edited March 28, 2020 by sem34090

[sem34090]

Well that didn't take long!

[sem34090]

I subsequently added a few more bits to the tram. Apologies for the rubbish photos, but I think they demonstrate the handrails and destination boards well enough.

The reason behind all this will be explained eventually, but I want a few things to show for it first.

 

Also, I really could use some constructive criticism on all of this - I'm wondering why no-one ever replies to these posts!

 

Is it a polite hint that this is the pre grouping area?

In a different livery the tram would count as pre grouping...

[richard i]

Not replying as I am not a tram wizz. I could not say if it was right or not. I had the same issue with a model b bus on my layout thread too.  Have been of the opinion that if you have nothing constructive to say then say nothing. 
the work looks good  and I look to see if I can garner any ideas from it. More often than not I do.

Richard

 

[sem34090]

Well feel free to ask any questions too!

 

[Northroader]

Sem, me old mate, I’m lurking and hanging on every word. It’s looking good as far as I’m concerned.

[sem34090]

Well I know you've been lurking around here (Oo-er!) but that is most kind of you, sir.

[Annie]

You've made a really nice job of that tram Sem.  Even though I like trams I know next to nothing about them so I'll be very interested to see where this project of yours is heading.

[sem34090]

Well the next stage will consist of, confusingly, the fitting of lighting and simultaneously blackout precautions, namely partially obscured windows and a partially concealed headlamp.

[sem34090]

I did say that all would be explained!

[sem34090]

Recent modelling has involved rather smaller things...

Included amongst that lot is a Maunsell Passenger brake, a cinema coach, a Push Pull set (converted from a couple of Peco L&B coaches) and a few other vaguely interesting bits and pieces.

 

Better view of the push pull set, which is the most interesting thing there -

Work consisted of creating a cab, simply by cutting a hole in the end and then rebuilding it in the LBSCR four window style that the SR liked to use, adding some cab detail, plating over the areas where the duckets were, adding a gangway connection to the driving trailer, adding passengers and crew then repainting the lot (The brake was in L&B livery, the Composite in Olive). I'm quite pleased with the result!

Of course, I then had to make the Baldwin compatible. This was equipped with a crew, Westinghouse Pump, SR lamp irons and a new Eastern Division number.

 

Edited April 29, 2020 by sem34090

[sem34090]

Well, none of those projects seem to have got much further, have they? Odiham has been stored since February, Canal Road never got started and Blackstone West has morphed into Chalfont St Giles pending a time when I can do Blackstone West justice.

 

So, what of Chalfont St Giles? Well it seems I never posted about it here! I briefly mentioned it here; 

 

But, it seems, mentioned it no further. I suppose I had best explain the concept.

The premise of the layout is a failed Metropolitan Railway scheme to extend to High Wycombe and potentially onwards towards Oxford that was thwarted by GWR opposition and the building of the GW/GC joint. The Met had, in this scenario, already made the required alterations for a junction North of Rickmansworth to accommodate the new line and owned the entirety of the proposed trackbed to a point just to the West of the village of Chalfont St Giles, as well as some of the land along the final stretch into High Wycombe.

 

This latter was sold to the GW/GC Joint, and it was decided to build what could be built of the branch, with Chalfont St Giles Station opening in the early 1900s. Although a terminus it was originally built as a through station in the vain hope that someday an extension may be possible.

 

Electrification came to the branch in 1926, with the station being significantly remodelled to accommodate the new service pattern which saw the change from Electric to Steam haulage, and vice versa taking place here after a year of this temporarily taking place at Rickmansworth. The intended 'Down' platform was demolished and the other original platform became one side of an Island platform, with a new station building being situated to the North East of the line to better serve newer housing developments in the area. Sidings were installed to the South of the station.

 

So, why the change?

1.) I felt that the layout was too small to accommodate the sort of train length I was envisaging for Blackstone West.

2.) This also meant that the layout wasn't well suited to an operation pattern that would require locos to run round their trains.

3.) I've long wanted a London Transport layout.

4.)

These Harrow Model Shop 'Dreadnoughts' came up on eBay at a very reasonable price.

I now have a 4-Coach 'Dreadnought' set, a 4-Car 'T' Stock set, a 4-Car 1938 Tube Stock set and various other bits of LT stock that all became available at very reasonable prices during May and June. I also purchased a second Heljan Metropolitan Metro-Vick Bo-Bo electric and, because it was cheap and I like them, an Oxford Rail N7 to fulfill the role of 'an LNER passenger tank' until I sort out something more appropriate.

 

With the Metropolitan (and implausible Bakerloo) side covered well enough for now (although some Met Steam locos are a must some day as I love them) I'm turning my attention to the GCR/LNER side. I'm essentially envisaging two periods for the layout; 1926-1934 and 1937-1941. I'm hoping that 1926 is early enough that I can still have some GCR-liveried stock in evidence. I've identified the following RTR locos as being of use to me, based on 1930s records of locos at Neasden shed;

- Hornby B17 (Would need to find a larger tender as the LNER Green versions all have the GER-Type tender)

- Bachmann J11

- Bachmann D11

That being said, the B17 and D11 are almost certainly too big, but I do very much like them.

 

The main LNER loco that I need to source, however, is an ex-GCR A5; Those things were ubiquitous in that area. Ideally I'd have two; one in either GCR or LNER green and one in LNER Black. As the layout is end-to-end I would probably have different numbers and livery variations on each side. 

The A5 is a problem, however. As far as I can tell there is only one kit available in 4mm and it's very much outside my price bracket, given I've never built a brass loco kit before. The Nu-Cast kit seems rather elusive, and I've yet to find drawings to assist my drawing up some CAD and printing my own (assuming that such a big loco would even fit). I'm also contemplating a scratchbuild but drawings would still be a requirement. If anyone has any suggestions they'd be much appreciated.

Other locos I'm looking to produce are an ex-GER F7 2-4-2T, several of which were used on LNER motor trains over the lines in this area, and an ex-GCR N5 0-6-2T. Eventually I may do some of the gorgeous GCR 4-6-0s and Atlantics but they're not really suited to the layout.

 

The other area that needs addressing is LNER and GCR coaching stock. I have a stash of Triang Clerestories that may be of use here (The 50ft London Suburban stock is one candidate), but was wondering if anyone could say if Gresley suburban stock would be out of place here?

Edited August 29, 2020 by sem34090

[RedGemAlchemist]

An interesting change in direction, Sem. Looking forwards to seeing the direction it all goes in.

[richard i]

So glad you have seen the light and want to model the GCR.

There is a craftsman A5 and recreation 21 does one on shapeways. 
there are plenty of drawings around if you need to draw one up. 
richard 

[sem34090]

I hadn't spotted the Recreation 21 one, but even that's probably a bit too steep for what it is.

 

Where would you suggest I find a decent drawing? I imagined that there would be quite a few, but I don't know who produced them.

 

As for seeing the light, I should clarify that it's the Metropolitan stuff that's of the greatest interest here.

 

Edited August 29, 2020 by sem34090

[richard i]

9 hours ago, sem34090 said:

I hadn't spotted the Recreation 21 one, but even that's probably a bit too steep for what it is.

 

Where would you suggest I find a decent drawing? I imagined that there would be quite a few, but I don't know who produced them.

 

As for seeing the light, I should clarify that it's the Metropolitan stuff that's of the greatest interest here.

 

Then the half light then.

very simple drawing in Robinson’s locos by brian haresnape 

more detailed in the harmonious blacksmith

there are versions on line in a google search.

gcrs has drawings in its members section.

there are copies in some of Dow,s books

also very detailed on the back of great central link, I would have to rummage to find out which.

richard 

[James Harrison]

Railway Modeller had drawings of the A5 and the proper Robinson L1 in April 1973. 

 

Triang clerestories can pass muster as GCR stock (but the guard's ducket is quite unlike anything Dukinfield ever turned out), otherwise Recreation21 produces Robinson suburban stock.  Or, if you can find them, the generic Graham Farish suburban carriages can be bashed into close facsimiles of the later Robinson matchboarded suburban carriages.