Sedbergh, as a preserved railway

[Firecracker]

Right, a bit more scenic progress. We have a road (1) (Payne’s grey acrylic, dusted with textured spray paint whilst still wet, ignore the excess green scatter that got on there), the culvert and drainage ditch have been painted and breathed on (2)(3).

 

I’m playing with the static grass, quite pleased with it as a tool in the box. Achieved different effects by applying and dusting with turf whilst the glue is still wet (also trying out some suggestions of flowers on the scrub) (3). Another effect is to let it dry, then give a light coat of glue and dust with turf (4), again, rather pleased. The track has also been given its intial coat of chocolate brown spray paint, so some ballast can go down next (5), also an overview of the board.

 

Owain

[danstercivicman]

Nice

[Firecracker]

And a bit more - ballast.  The running line is clean stone, the shed line ash with added weeds.  The idea is that when the ballast is weathered (a start was made in the platforms several posts ago) the section on concrete sleepers will be left alone, to give the impression that’s been relaid recently.   A bit more testing and development (not ‘playing’, please!) has been undertaken, as the test trains (including some appropriate P.O. wagons behind the sentinel) show.

Owain

Edited February 1, 2019 by Firecracker

[Firecracker]

And todays adventures - how to fit a 5 car train (plus loco) onto a fiddleyard that’s 3 cars long.  It uses cassettes, so the idea was simply extend the existing 3 car cassettes.  However, they also need supporting.  So first up, cut a length of batten and secure to the end of the board with a hinge (the use of the ply ‘pad’ will become obvious in a minute (1)(2).  Produce an extender cassette (3), add on the 3 car cassette (4) (note how it sits on the pad seen earlier).  Two bulldog clips to connect them, hook up the track power (5)(6) and there you are (7)!

 

Some additional points - the idea of the southern fiddle yard is that it can be connected to either the road bridge board or the station board, hence the second track(s).  To avoid disasters, the 3 car cassette has a wooden stop block screwed into the end.  The road bridge board tracks do not cross the joint squarely, due to the curves, so eventually additional angled cassettes will be made.  The drag of a longer rake of coaches causes problems for the kaydee couplings at the end of the rake, due to the NEM pockets being slightly too high, but there’s nothing a little creativity can’t fix.

 

Owain 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2019 by Firecracker
Digital issues

[Firecracker]

And yes, I know the photos in the previous post are in the wrong order.  I’ve deleted them and reattached them three times, so I give up!

 

Owain

[Corbs]

Owain - it's because you are attaching them but not inserting them into the post, so it automatically dumps them at the end. You need to have the typing cursor where you want the image to appear, then click on the image to insert it into the post.

[Firecracker]

Right, that makes sense.  Cheers matey, I’ll see what I can do on the next update (which based on current progress, could be titled ‘Why the £&*@ can’t Bachman put NEM pockets at the correct height on their coaches?’)

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Right, a bit more.  First up, the NEM pocket.  Now come on, (manufacturer who shall remain nameless) how hard is it?  You know you can get it right, as you did on the pannier and the 4F.  You produce coaches such as this gorgeous metro-cammell Pullman (found at Warley for a price I couldn’t resist and what preserved railway doesn’t have a diner rake?).  You got the NEM height near-as-damnit right on your mark 1’s (OK, by the gauge it’s slightly too high, but unless your track’s laid like a rollercoaster, you can get away with them).  So why on the Pullman’s are they mounted so high?  A botcher such as myself solves it by gluing a second pocket onto the bottom of the first (then has to shim the kaydee tail with micro strip).  Then on your otherwise lovely standard 4 I have to glue the pocket solid (and shim again) to stop it drooping.

 

 

 

Anyway, following the moaning, here’s a few other photos which I’m rather pleased with.  Think it’s starting to feel about right.  

 

 

Owain

 

PS - cheers for the help with photos Corbs, I think it’s worked!

Edited February 7, 2019 by Firecracker

[Firecracker]

And just one more, because I’ve just found it on the pad and really like it.  The first run of ‘The Westmorland Pullman’.  Anyone know if there’s someone who’ll etch me a headboard or two?  

Yes, the rolling stock is going to be gently weathered, at the same time as the clack valves on that standard 4 go a more ‘weathered bronze’ colour.  It’s a preserved railway, so they look after stuff, but it’s not immaculate.

 

Owain

[Corbs]

Narrow Planet do custom etched headboards

https://shop.narrowplanet.co.uk/collections/custom-etched-products/products/npp-501

[Firecracker]

All right!  Cheers matey, spot on.  As I’ve said before, I’m returning to the hobby (several locos, the standard tank, the cl 25 and the pannier were bought in the mid-late nineties when they came first came out and this is their first airing for over 15 years).  Due to a 10 year hiatus (buying a house, changing jobs) I’ve lost touch with the hobby and continue to be amazed by what’s now available.  So every now and again there will be the odd idiot question ‘who makes xyz?’ or ‘are abc still in business?’ (despite not setting foot in there for 10 years, my local, Monk Bar Models survive and I suspect are enjoying my return).  

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

And here’s a little ‘might have been’ (c/o Doncaster show today).  Yes, I know the last body off one of these survived as a bothy (at Millerhill?) and was scrapped in the 80’s.  Yes, I know they never ran in the North West.  Yes, I did give chapter and verse on how I’m trying to create a believable atmosphere.  But a) I built the Dapol kit and attempted to motorise it many years ago b) KWVR managed to preserve several of the Waggon und Maschinenbau version and c) it’s the smoothest running piece of RTR kit I’ve ever handled.  So nuts, it’s my train set!  Maybe the body was recovered and rebuilt on a new chassis.  Maybe Derby RTC found a use for it (sure I’ve seen a rail bus in RTC livery).  

 

Out on her maiden run and later stabled in the yard.  Only problem is I’m going to have to dismantle the little swine again to insinuate some passengers and a crew at some point.  Goody gumdrops.....

 

Owain

Edited February 10, 2019 by Firecracker

[Firecracker]

 And a few more - some proper modelling (for once in this thread).  Wagon loads.  I’m focusing on three wagons here, a 16t mineral and two lowmacs.  The 16t was briefly seen earlier, it’s based on one I saw that was doing service as a mobile bin.  So this one has become where the loco dept keep spare pallets for lighting up wood.  So take a packet of peco pallets and arrange until happy (I’ve left one side clear-ish, because that’s how they get them into the wagon, open the side door and handball them).  

With a a bit of painting, it’s looking better.  I’ve picked a few of the larger ones out in blue (used in food handling) to add a bit of variety.

 

Now, the lowmacs.  These are how the pway dept moves ‘stuff’ around.  First up, this one (Hornby) carrying some sleepers and a mini digger.  Add some ratchet straps from strips of insulating tape (need a dab or two of paint to represent the ratchets and hooks).  The straps have been taken to either the tie down rings moulded onto the deck or the edge of the solebars.  Holes have been drilled, the strap fed through and secured with glue on the inside.

The second.  I picked up two of these compressors at Doncaster, the second is going to end up buried in stuff in the goods yard as the air supply for the wagon group’s antics.  So, posed with two stillages and a random locker found in a bits box (based on an NYMR pway lowmac, that usually carries a mini digger and has a similar locker welded to the deck for tools etc).

 

Make the deck look a bit more like wood and rusty steel (grey wash to tone it down, then brush with light tans and greys.  Steel deck plates dark rusty browns.  Locker picked out in blue because the yellow out of the paint drawer has gone AWOL).

And add the tackle.  There’s going to be some straps over the compressor (which also needs weathering) and the stillages are going to get some air hoses in them. 

 

Owain

Edited February 16, 2019 by Firecracker

[Firecracker]

And yet more proper modelling.  What is this thread coming to?  Fencing.  The fields need a boundary fence, this is going to be post and wire.  A few points, following a brief survey, some similar recently erected fence has posts 4” dia, about 10’ apart and stand about 4’ tall.  So translate that into OO, and we end up with 1.3mm dia, 40mm spacing and 16mm tall.  Material, your average cocktail stick is about 2mm dia.  Can I be bothered to argue the toss over 0.6-7mm?  Nope.  The railway just swung for 6” posts.

 

So, break out another new toy (with which I’m hellish impressed and should have bought years ago) and 99p worth of cocktail sticks.  

And we we have some posts...

So let’s fit them.  The drain has also acquired a strip wood bridge.

 

I’m  not planning to add wire to these, if you work it out to scale it’ll be microscopic.  Plus if you view your average wire fence from 20 feet away all you see is the posts.  A few other points - the mystery dark green patch at the base of the embankment is due to excess glue running into the foam and is due to be touched up.  The gate is due a heavier (strip wood) stoop.  The posts are currently dry fitted, they’ll be glued soon (hence the odd leaning example and the floating diagonal strainers on the corner posts.  Plus, speaking as someone who built a lot of that in 12”:1’ in his youth, there needs to be a strainer in that long run.

 

Owain

Edited February 18, 2019 by Firecracker

[Firecracker]

And as an aside, here’s a photo of the prototype, taken earlier this year.  First, I have been forced to compress this scene, hence the change in the drain and topography (however the bridge is there).  The hedge will go in, plus an odd tree and the power poles.  Remember this is an abandoned line,  hence the embankment and fields are being grazed.  On my model, sheep should only be grazing the fields.

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Right.  There’s not been much spare time this week, however there’s been a few bits done.  First, attempting to chip a Bachman cl 25.  Discovered that it doesn’t seem to like Hornby decoders (cogging at low speed, however this disappeared as speed increased).  May be a CV somewhere that needs a gentle tweak, further playing is required.  When swapped for an ancient spare lentz silver, ran smooth as silk.  However, the Lentz is of the variety where the plug is mounted direct to the PCB and the body shell won’t fit over it (which, in hindsight, is probably why it wasn’t used when bought 12+ years ago).  Ah well, another flat battery in the car park of life and all that... 

 

In a more productive vein, I’ve been attending to a bit more weathering.  This time for some variety, it’s been some of Oxfords vehicles, a JCB and a Land Rover.  The JCB popped up here a while ago, I wanted to make it look a bit less toylike. First up, the backactor needed breathing on.  Due to a bit too much meat in the castings, the arm wouldn’t fold up properly (the bucket should touch the lower boom).

 

So take a burr in a dremel and scalp a little metal out...

 

And that’s better.

Add a bit of rust (OK, quite a lot, I spannered on several of these in my youth and I remember the 3CX cabs being rotboxes), mud, oil, general filth, get rid of that crimson bucket and touch all the bare steel pins up with either black or yellow..  That looks a bit less toylike.   However I’m not 100% it’s not slightly over scale, it looks a bit tall to my eyes.  Still, it’s a lot easier than scratchbuilding.  Maybe it’s because I’m so used to seeing plant like this in HO that when it’s ‘true size’ it looks a bit big.  Anyone got a photo of one next to a shipping container to settle the arguement?

 

The mini van in the foreground incidentally, is a tribute to a friend who drove an identical vehicle and had the unfailing ability to ‘park’ (OK, abandon) the vehicle in the one spot where it was in the way.  So as a tribute, no one can get out of the yard until it’s shifted.

 

Second, breathing on a Land Rover until it looks more like something that might belong to the farming community.  When I find one, it’s getting a sheep trailer on the back as well. 

 

 

The field has also gained some ruts, where this is stood will be the gateway off the road...but that’s yet to come.

Owain

 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2019 by Firecracker
Pictures fighting back

[Firecracker]

A bit of scenic work, adding some plant growth around the drain (peco static grass clumps, dry brushed with glue and dusted with white scatter) plus bits of foliage and a work in progress of some brambles on the embankment (poly fibre, sprayed with glue and dusted with ground foam).  Just needs a glint of water in the bottom.

 

 

The hedge has been treated as a horizontal tree, first some small boughs off a woodlands scenic tree armature were hacked about, then some foliage added to the upper regions.  A bit of longer grass around the bottom, and it’s there.  A second tree armature is also being tried for size.

 

 

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Things you model due to your youth (in this case, growing up on a Cumbrian fell farm).  First up, molehills (due to a joke from my mother)

 

If she’s working up to catching the little swine, I’d set traps under the hedge, bet it’s going though there to the drain for water regularly....

 

 

And some soft rush (not quite convinced on the colour yet) in the wet bit where the cutting drains.

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Don’t know what happened to March, it was there when I last looked....anyway, here’s a few bits of what I’ve been up to.  

 

Watching tutorials on youtube, I was put onto some of games workshops technical paints.  (Once upon a time, I did paint quite a few warhammer minatures, mostly imperium of man.  I never really got into the gaming side, I tended to make dioramas with the figures, but I digress...).  Anyway, I’d forgotton the names they give to paints.  (If only dulux  used similar.  But I digress again....). We have Typhus Corrosion and Ryza Rust.  

 

When the first is applied, allowed to dry and dry brushed with the second..

 

You get something I’m rather taken with.  Also picked up some of the textured paints (Stirland Battlemire/Mud and Agrellan earth).  Really taken with these for mud and mire, added some to the jcb seen earlier with very good results.

 

Due to getting sick of the house stinking of spray paint every time I give something a blast of primer, I’m adding a spray booth to the garage.  Plan is a salvaged extract fan will be hooked up to the grill in the top back edge with elephant trunk ducting and exhaust outside (through existing vent in garage wall).  Because my garage is (in an Americanism I love) ‘12lbs of shite in a 6lb sack’ it’s being used as a storage cupboard in the meantime, holding the next scenic project.

 

A population for the layout has has started to emerge (figures are Monty’s miniatures and Model4U)

 

The loco fleet has increased (I consulted and gave up trying to persuade the Hornby decoder to run the 25 smoothly at low revs, so swapped it for a Bachman offering.  Result - smooth as silk.  So a 350 shunter was dug out of hiding and the Hornby decoder hardwired into that instead.  (Yes, the handrails are going to be replaced.  Plus that weathering job is getting a wash or two).

 

On the subject of weathering, the P.O. wagons have been gently toned down and the platform’s started to gain a fence.  The short track under the crane is getting a wheel set or two sat on it. Plus the compressor has suffered from an attack of Typhus corrosion, (love this for old rusty steel).

 

Owain

 

[Firecracker]

Just another quickie, rather taken with these, considering I’ve not painted any figures this size for the best part of a bit. Just a bit of shading, wash and the odd little touch up to go.   Mixture of Monty’s and ModelU.  Very taken with the ModelU figures, I’ll be getting more.

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

The layout population has increased.  Welder type (painted as a tribute to a bloke I worked with, just missing the shell oil logo on the liberated overalls) and pway gadgie from unknown source, Monty’s pway lookout and two spotters who may look familiar (freebie with BRM a month or two back).  Not quite finished, but rather pleased.

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

And a few have been trialed to see how they look...the site meeting and a quick brew.

 

Owain

[calvin Streeting]

your workmen seem to like tea more than tools...  

[Vecchio]

Having worked a bit also with railway contractors I have to say - this is like in the real life. Very realistic...

[Firecracker]

People think preserved railways run on coal, they don’t, it’s actually stewed tea!  

 

Personally I prefer figures in static poses, where it’s believable they could stand like that for a while.  A pet hate is a figure frozen mid stride, or wielding a shovel.  Hence, they’re having a brew and a natter, gazing into the skip, on their phones, reading a guide book, fighting a recalcitrant camera or just watching the world go by.   

 

Owain

Edited April 4, 2019 by Firecracker