Burtonbridge

[jonny777]

Finally, I have had to face reality and admit that the loft conversion and large layout, which I had spent decades dreaming about, is not going to happen because I can't afford it. 

 

In order to counteract my depression, I began to wonder if something tiny (in comparison) could be developed in the smallest bedroom upstairs. Tentatively, I mentioned the idea to SWMBO and was prepared for the inevitable dismissal. 

 

"I don't see why not", was her reply. 

 

When I had picked myself up off the floor, I began to think seriously about how I would go about this. I only have two sides of the room, and only 2ft depth on each; which is an L-shape 10ft x 2ft along the wall and 6.5ft x 2ft under the window. My initial thought was fiddle yard to loco shed, but try as I might I couldn't make shuffling a few locos around interesting enough for my imagination. 

 

The alternative was fiddle yard to branch terminus, but that would render about 85% of my collection (freight locos and wagons) redundant. What I decided I needed was more of a diorama with a running line through it. This would keep me occupied through building/scenery construction with a few trains running as necessary. So, here I am; with a mental plan for hidden sidings at both ends and a suburban station in the middle. This will probably seem the most boring choice to many, but I like planning and making things; plus I have lots of card kits and other bits and pieces that I have accumulated from various shows and shops over the last 20 years. 

 

Progress could be a bit slow at first, but I thought I would record it here rather than just keeping a few photos on my hard drive which no one will ever see. 

 

I have 9mm ply baseboards, but the idea is that most of the urban scenery will be on a hardboard level above that. This will tend to hide the storage sidings and give me scope to create a "minories" style station in a cutting. Card kits are likely to predominate, because I enjoy building them and I have quite a few purchased over the years. It is likely to be disorganised chaos, because I prefer to make things up as I go along rather than spend ages drawing things on paper, only to change the plans a few days later. 

 

 

At the moment, my surburban tracks will "emerge" from a tunnel under a commercial area. I have been experimenting with the retaining wall and supporting girder over the running lines. 

 

 

The camera can be quite cruel at times, but as my era is going to be late 50s ER steam, I can make things as filthy as I like. None of this is permanent (so far) but I am just lining items up in order to get a feel for the dimensions. 

 

 

I have decided to paint the girders black, in order to save on the weathering, and most parts visible here are currently just propped up on the bare plywood for effect, but they will get more treatment as the scenery evolves. I may have been too generous with the vertical clearances, but eventually the track will be on cork and ballast which will raise it a few more mm. 

 

 

 

[Guest teacupteacup]

I have the same space problem, though 11ft by 6. My initial L-shaped plan would have had curves that where too tight for me, so I've opted for an end to end. My main focus is shunting so it's perfect for that.

 

I'll watch your progress with interest!

[jonny777]

The curves I have planned will be tight, but they will be out of view except to anyone leaning right across the boards. With suburban stock being shorter than main line carriages, I am hoping that I can develop a compromise between radius and close coupling. 

 

I don't intend to operate more than three coach trains on a regular basis; and that means with a tank loco at around 20cm (over buffers) and coaches of 24cm, I can get a three coach train down to 92cm in length. If I allow 100 for the hidden area, that gives me about 210cm for the station and then curves. 

 

Fingers crossed that my calculations work. 

[jonny777]

The station is only likely to have a bay, a loco release siding and a crossover; but I thought that a small signal box would add to the atmosphere (this is the 1950s, so no rationalisation just yet).

 

I found a tiny one from L-Cut and construction is ongoing. 

 

 

I really am impressed by the kit, which fits together well and is reasonably priced. However, I decided that if the box was butted up almost by the tunnel entrance it would have severe weathering from locos entering the tunnel. Therefore I have gone to town somewhat on the filthiness of the structure. 

 

 

The roofless state will remain until the interior kit arrives. I have plumped for the Metcalfe version because that appears to be more adaptable to the small space inside. Very little will be visible through the windows, but it is nice to have a representation of levers and the instruments inside. 

[jonny777]

I've weathered the girder to look more realistic, and am quite pleased with the result. 

 

 

 

 

The Mk1 suburban has been fitted (amateurishly by me) with SE Finecast flush glazing. My efforts are far from perfect, but I do think it looks far better than a scale 18inch indent of glazing on the original models. 

 

The one thing which annoys me, is that the glazing only needs the most minimal spots of glue to prevent the glue clouding the plastic. 

However, I can be sure that almost every time I try to clip the body back onto the chassis, one window will fall back into the coach. 

 

Grrrrr.....

 

By the way, Burtonbridge is the name we gave to the local railway bridge over the GN&GE between Spalding and Sleaford where I spent many happy hours spotting in the 1960s. 

 

It was almost the exact opposite to the urban scene that I hope to create here. 

[Guest teacupteacup]

Try some varnish to hold the glazing in place, gloss, matt or satin in case any spills onto the bodyside

[jonny777]

Thanks teacup, I will give that a go when I summon up the patience to do another one.

 

With 9 compartments to each coach, and 4 windows plus 2 doors to each compartment; with each of 54 glazing pieces to be cut precisely in order to fit properly, they can be a bit of a faff to do. 

[jonny777]

I am getting there slowly, despite several depressing reversals. 

 

Ballasting is not something I look forward to. 

 

 

Edit, to say I just plonked that running-in board there; for the benefit of my grandchildren who are completely devoid of railway pedantry. 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2020 by jonny777

[saxokid]

On ‎09‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 19:31, jonny777 said:

I am getting there slowly, despite several depressing reversals. 

 

Ballasting is not something I look forward to. 

 

 

Edit, to say I just plonked that running-in board there; for the benefit of my grandchildren who are completely devoid of railway pedantry. 

 

 

 

Good work here jonny777

[jonny777]

Thanks Saxokid. The boards need aligning properly and screwing in place, although that photo looks worse because I was leaning on the nearest one with my elbow to take the photo. 

 

My earlier effort was partially demolished last year by my grandson who crept into the room on his own and decided to 'play trains'. He is only 3, and so it was not his fault as he did not realise how delicate some of the objects are. The problem was that all my earlier impetus was lost, and it has not been until lockdown that I have found any inspiration again. 

[saxokid]

On ‎13‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 08:28, jonny777 said:

Thanks Saxokid. The boards need aligning properly and screwing in place, although that photo looks worse because I was leaning on the nearest one with my elbow to take the photo. 

 

My earlier effort was partially demolished last year by my grandson who crept into the room on his own and decided to 'play trains'. He is only 3, and so it was not his fault as he did not realise how delicate some of the objects are. The problem was that all my earlier impetus was lost, and it has not been until lockdown that I have found any inspiration again. 

Its ok its working progress,looking forward to another fab update soon..

[jonny777]

I have just hung a couple of numbered platform signs from a crossmember on my canopy. 

 

Bear in mind that this is supposed to be a fictional and rather tired E Midlands suburban station in the late 1950s, with the main station building on a road over bridge; and so it would not have too much platform furniture. 

 

A photo has been added below, to show what I mean; although this was taken in the living room soon after the glue had set (just in case) and the platform is resting at an angle on my laptop keyboard, but I think the result is not too bad. The photo also shows my use of Lego bricks in order to strengthen the platform card (and keep the right angles at 90 deg) of what is just a Metcalfe kit. With little hands likely to return in the future, I cannot afford to splash out on expensive platforms, and the Metcalfe ones are quick and easy to make up if one section gets damaged. 

 

[jonny777]

Lamps are being painted now. The camera is very cruel, but I'm quite pleased with the overall effect from distance, especially the posts which are a combination of 'anthracite' and 'brass' (Revell acrylics) but not mixed properly; in order that each brush stroke gives a subtle difference to the finish and hopefully looks like random weathering. 

 

They just need a dab of black under the lamp 'glass', although the tops are 'bronze' and look a bit too pale and clean. Therefore I may go over them again with a black/bronze mix. 

 

[jonny777]

The station is progressing slowly, although I have been digging a garden pond which has taken priority.

 

The baseboards really do need bolting together, and the arches are simply a temporary experiment until I actually make up my mind what I want. 

 

I don't like the experimental 'bronze' lamp colour, and that will be replaced by the others I am painting.

 

Platform edges joins need to be tidied up, but that may wait until after the cork underlay and ballast have been tried for size. Rail sides need weathering... so much to do. 

 

[jonny777]

I have had a change of heart with the lamps. I have dulled the tops somewhat and tried to make the posts look more like weathered wrought iron; not that I really know what that looks like in close-up. I have added a station totem, and only another dozen or so to do. 

 

It looks a little wonky in the photo as I propped it up in a bracket hole, in order to see what it looks like other than lying flat, and consequently it is leaning backwards.