School Project - The Victorian Railway

[Edwardian]

Thanks, chaps. I shall tell T that it is thought her work is worth exhibiting. 

 

These kind thoughts have set me thinking.  I mentioned at school that the Head of Steam museum (where the real Derwent resides) expressed interest in seeing the model locomotive.  I'd like T to take it in, but I really feel that we should have solved the issue of the rods first.

 

The school said that we should take the whole layout into North Road.  It would be good to do this sooner rather than later, as she leaves the school, for 'Big School' (next door) at the end of this term, though Sem needs Derwent for a spell first.

 

I was thinking of getting in touch with the museum with a view to doing something in the latter part of May.

 

In terms of exhibitions, Head of Steam hosts the Darlington club's annual exhibition.  This year it will be the first weekend in September, so I could approach the club. 

 

The point really is that this is a 10-year old's project, though there are areas of the layout on the staiths side that she could develop further, and we (I!) could add to the stock.  There is stuff that I wanted to build for this project, e.g. the S&D Composite, but could not in the time available. 

 

Another thought is that I might start work on a layout for Tabitha, if she wants, which would have to be far slimmer and efficient in its use of space than CA, so that it does not take over her bedroom(!). Such a layout could be built in a way suitable for exhibition. 

 

For all she'd like to play with my childhood GW 1930s stuff, it won't really do for the constraints of her room.  Something local, NER and a bit quirky that could run her project stuff and other models of that ilk, perhaps NE stuff up to the early 1900s (plenty of mid-Victorian relics still around on the NE in the 1900s; it wasn't all the clean purposeful lines of the Brothers Worsdell).

 

Hmmm, let me think ... 

[sem34090]

A great plan! 

 

I will help in the future as much as I can, and Derwent will help to develop my skills and ability so that I will be able to offer more. I will also look at drawing up coach artwork that I can then send to Linny.

[Regularity]

Nice.

 

A wonderful story of how a group of guys on a web forum came together to help a young lady create something special for her school project.

 

Warm feelings all round!

[Caley Jim]

Re. providing coupling rods for Derwent.  The important thing is that the crankpin holes in the rods need to be at exactly the same centres as the axles.  The best way of ensuring this would be for SEM to provide an exact size 2D drawing of the rods off his 3D drawing which could then be used as a template to drill the rods.

 

Jim

[Bill_J]

Edwardian today said "Hmmm, let me think...

 

Be careful, look where thinking got you so far...

 

Now, if you can just get Miss Tabitha to complete the -  Unscientific not guaranteed to be representative age versus modelled era poll - that could really upset a lot of preconceptions.

[Andy Hayter]

I wanted to click on Like, Agree and Funny but you will have to do with Funny, Bill

[Compound2632]

Hum... Edwardian does it again: that's a mighty interesting string of mostly South Wales colliery wagons just out of focus behind Derwent.

[sem34090]

Hum... Edwardian does it again: that's a mighty interesting string of mostly South Wales colliery wagons just out of focus behind Derwent.

Hornby might want to begin employing him for their teaser photos...

[Compound2632]

I suspect they are all from the pre-printed kits that Slater's used to do - the South Wales (or more specifically Swansea Vale) ones using their Gloucester 7- or 6-plank wagons - 1887 RCH spec., ideal for anthracite to the West Norfolk breweries. The Hinckleton one looks bigger - RCH 1923 I'd presume; coming from the South Yorkshire coalfield this is possibly a bit of an outlier given James' known interests.

 

Route: Midland (Swansea Vale) - Neath & Brecon - Cambrian - Midland (Hereford Hay & Brecon) - Worcester - Birmingham - Wigston - Leicester - Syston - Lynn all by Midland train.

 

Sorry for that - I think I've been spending too long lately trying to extract every last ounce of information out of old photographs of lines of dirty old coal trucks.

Edited April 25, 2018 by Compound2632

[runs as required]

Another happy departure to bed after reading these couple of pages of reactions to Tabitha's project.

That photo of her with her tableau was a delight. Beginning with her concept drawings, that presentation was absolutely beautiful in the simple way it tellis so much of Durham's raw mining story.

I'd like to see Tabitha and her tableau cast in bronze on Bank Top station Darlngton -  a lot more emotive content there than Sir Nige bereft of his mallard duck on the concourse at Kings Cross.

 

dh

[Ian Simpson]

... a lot more emotive content there than Sir Nige bereft of his mallard duck on the concourse at Kings Cross.

 

I rather like the Gresley statute - it always reminds me of an 00 figure on an H0 layout!

[Annie]

 

 

............... perhaps NE stuff up to the early 1900s (plenty of mid-Victorian relics still around on the NE in the 1900s; it wasn't all the clean purposeful lines of the Brothers Worsdell).

The brothers Worsdell made such nice locomotives and I'm a bit of a fangirl for the Brothers Worsdell as I have a growing collection of Worsdell locomotives.  However the period under Fletcher was a glorious time which would certainly be attractive to a daring and intrepid railway modeller.

 

 

 

The closest I can get to a owning Fletcher locomotive with digital models is a Tennant '1463' (E5) (based on the Fletcher '901'' class)  and a Fletcher BTP (G6) unfortunately, but (sigh) never mind.

Edited April 26, 2018 by Annie

[Northroader]

It’s a good period for us dozy modellers, too, Annie!

[Annie]

Oooooo that's an awfully nice in progress build Northroader.  

 

I have a Fletcher BTP in NER green on my shopping list for when I next get some pocket money.

[cornamuse]

Just looked at the pictures- awesome work, you two. The school is right, it should be exhibited- in its own right as a good model of an interesting prototype, for its local interest, and because it showcases whet children (and their dads) can achieve.

 

Well done!

[ianLMS]

Well done all of you, well done!!! I watched the video';s and very, very impressed with how it looks, and it works as well!!! Miss T looked so proud and well deserved!!! Her hard work really shone through. Long may her Model Railway pursuits continue and I really hope she does exhibit it!!! With proud father in tow as well!!!!

 

Best up the pocket money James - I can see Miss T wanting to add another 12 feet onto the end of the layout!!!!!!

 

Edit - just read more of the posts - I see plans are already afoot for Miss T to have a layout of her own in her bedroom! The bug has bit and i hope to see her exhibit it one day soon.

Edited April 26, 2018 by ianLMS

[runs as required]

Please do not butcher that delightful little roundy roundy round - for that is its attraction. It is almost like one of those medals cast to commemorate a momentous event (Gallipoli comes first to mind because of yesterday's Anzac day). There is simply the mine, the railway and the staiths - brilliantly encapsulated.

By all means go for a parallel project - perhaps a foldable (wallpaper table?) layout onto which various old GWR etc and T's Durham rolling stock can be transferred and honed.

 

Why not make an icon of the original - hang it high up on the wall. My 50 year old daughter gets a lot of pleasure from coming up (occasionally) and looking over milestones in her childhood.

dh

[Edwardian]

Thanks, David.

 

No plans to butcher the layout, though it's fate is far from certain.

 

The board will be consigned to the shed with CA, and thus provides another incentive to try to make it habitable.  I am not sure whether there is room to set it up there, however.

 

It takes up too much room to stay in the bedroom, hence the discrete shelf layout concept.  There is no reason why such a layout could not be taken down from the shelf and exhibited on legs, if the fancy took Tabitha. 

 

I have a yen to finish what we started.  There is space for some urban development on the Stockton side, and I have a yen to add an early signal.

 

Apart from that, I'd like to knock up some more stock and another loco or two.

 

It would need more than the two of us to take either her school project or any other layout to a 2-day event.  Tabitha would need frequent breaks and would peg out long before the end of the first day.  So, you may find that you have inadvertently become a volunteer.  Another point is that, from September, T will be in the senior school, which means that 3 weekends out of 4 she will be at school on Saturdays.

 

Many shows, though, fall within school holidays, so possibly we could find a small local affair that does.

[Marly51]

Just looked at the pictures- awesome work, you two. The school is right, it should be exhibited- in its own right as a good model of an interesting prototype, for its local interest, and because it showcases whet children (and their dads) can achieve.

 

Well done!

And the occasional mum modelmaker and daughter/son...

Marlyn

Edited April 26, 2018 by Marly51

[Annie]

 

 

Another point is that, from September, T will be in the senior school, which means that 3 weekends out of 4 she will be at school on Saturdays.

What kind of school makes children go there on Saturdays!?  That sounds terrible.  

[Compound2632]

What kind of school makes children go there on Saturdays!?  That sounds terrible.  

 

The sort where one becomes acquainted with the meaning of "exeat" - incidentally not a submerged Anglo-Saxon naval port in Sussex.

 

[Full disclosure: my boys are at a school that uses the term but abolished Saturday School a generation ago.]

[Edwardian]

The sort where one becomes acquainted with the meaning of "exeat" - incidentally not a submerged Anglo-Saxon naval port in Sussex.

 

[Full disclosure: my boys are at a school that uses the term but abolished Saturday School a generation ago.]

 

Never mind school children, at University there was a residence requirement, so I was supposed to apply to my Tutor for an exeat if I wanted to spend a night away during Full Term.

 

Was that usual, I wonder, and does it still happen?

[Northroader]

Did the Anglo Saxons have submarines? I suppose they had to invent something to combat Viking longships.

[Welchester]

Never mind school children, at University there was a residence requirement, so I was supposed to apply to my Tutor for an exeat if I wanted to spend a night away during Full Term.

 

Was that usual, I wonder, and does it still happen?

 

That was the rule when I was 'up' (as we used to say), but I don't remember anyone ever asking for one.

[ChrisN]

I have broken my rule of limiting my time on RMWeb to catch up.  The picture of Miss T. and her layout is stunning.  We had seen the layout before but in its final appearance it is marvellous.  I am glad they liked it as no one who does not model really understands how difficult making a model like that can be.  As for the loco.  We all have plans that we think are easy and when it comes to it are more difficult than expected, but not all of us have a severe deadline to meet or a 10 year old daughter, and a red head too,  who will be greatly disappointed if it does not work.  Well done James, Miss T. and everyone else involved.

 

As for Saturday school.  When I was in Brentwood the local private school kept everyone in until half five so that they did not have to work on Saturdays.