Sedbergh, as a preserved railway

[Firecracker]

And for those of you who can’t stay away (or suffering from insomnia) it’s moved a bit further! First up, more clay has gone down, along with the lever for the yard points. The idea is this is getting a mixture of paint and scatter, to suggest a grass grown hardcore based track (with ruts). Inspired by some of Kathy Millats tutorials, the idea is that this will blend into some aged tarmac (roughly where the van is). Some scatter (woodland scenics) has gone down, this is going to be the base layer, there’s a lot of scrub, longer grass and small trees to go in yet (this will also be my first time using static grass, wish me luck...). The idea is the flat area at the top and around the hut will be shorter, to suggest this is mowed occasionally. Finally some old bits have been dug out to trial, so we have a slight mix of the fandoms with this container (if you didn’t watch Tennant era Who, you might not get it) (TCP, btw, is a reference to the previous layout, Teeside Coil Products). Stay tuned for more...

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

And a bit more progress! The track up to the hut has had its first washes of diluted acrylic and a bit more foam added. The track of the headshunt/trap siding had been carefully infilled with clay, in an attempt to create a feeling of ancient ash ballast that’s broken down to fines. With a coat of a dilute mix of Payne’s grey, a light grey and dabs of black, I think it’s getting somewhere. Think it needs lightening slightly, some more weeds and maybe dulling down a bit, but it’s not a bad start (since that photo was taken, the buffer stop has been bedded into the ground and the crack behind it filled). The latest addition to the fleet (and also the first Hornby loco I’ve bought for over 10 years) poses on there as well.

 

At the other end of the yard, the track has been weathered (first a spray of plasticote Matt chocolate, then dry brush the sleepers with humbrol 121 and paint rails/chairs with 189) and the surroundings infilled with card to sink the track in to the scenery. A temp platform surface has been offered up, to see where stuff sits. With the two storage containers located, the beginnings of a boarded crossing have gone in, to allow forklift access to the containers.

 

Owain

Edited September 16, 2018 by Firecracker

[Firecracker]

And a few more bits - due to having to shift some bits around in the garage the layout ended up sat outside, allowing some photos in natural light. Going by (1), I’ve got the grass colours about right. On the other hand, that cess needs some Matt varnish, it’s far too glossy. Grand overview (2), ignore the wonky baseboard leg...

 

Some more scenics have gone down, the yard crossing has been breathed on (plus the latest addition to the loco fleet, from a ‘swapsie’ deal for a long-stored Heljan 47). Also some concrete has gone down around the provendor store (needs more dirt, this is to be old and filthy) and the car park has been created. Just keeping it moving.

 

Owain

[WD0-6-0]

I think the layout is looking great! I must say I really like the car park, makes me feel like I'm standing in a heritage railway car park! What range are the cars from? I don't think Oxford have a VW Polo or Peugeot 206 in their range? Is the Mini the Bachmann one?

[Firecracker]

Well thank’ee, glad to see it’s working. Cars are mostly 15-18 years old, from the carama range (which I understand has now disappeared, oh, for the days when Poundland (also RIP locally) had a display of them. The crane is (I believe) corgi (and due a coat of Matt-er varnish), the Foden is a Langley models kit (built in 2002-ish) and the diamond T is oxford (my tribute to the ex Hudson’s diamond resident at Lakeside and Haverthwaite). Tarmac effect (to receive a bit of titivation and some patches) is plasticote ‘stone’ textured spray paint dusted over Payne’s grey acrylic (for further adventures with this, there’s some stuff on my blog).

Owain

[Firecracker]

And a bit more - a start on the ballasting! I’ve used a blend of woodlands scenic fine cinders and gaugemaster ash, to get a blend of colours and textures. So on it goes, spray it with glue (woodland scenics scenic cement) and dust on a little turf whilst wet. With a few bits plonked down (knight wing portacabin, refugee from Teeside coil, carama cars and unknown pallet of junk) I reckon it’s starting to get somewhere...

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

And the result of a bit more mucking about! I picked up these grass clumps at Shipley on spec, so I’ve started to try them. Also with the goods yard now sorted-ish (not finished, but the basics are done), attention now turns to the platform lines. Withe the layout shifted across to do this, also got a few shots of the yard from the other side. So whilst the pannier sits on the demo goods rake (either a photocharter or it’s a gala), the pway lads have their kit ready for a drainage job somewhere.

 

Owain

[lanchester]

And a bit more - a start on the ballasting! I’ve used a blend of woodlands scenic fine cinders and gaugemaster ash, to get a blend of colours and textures. So on it goes, spray it with glue (woodland scenics scenic cement) and dust on a little turf whilst wet. With a few bits plonked down (knight wing portacabin, refugee from Teeside coil, carama cars and unknown pallet of junk) I reckon it’s starting to get somewhere...

 

Owain

RE ballast - as far as memory serves the ballast on the running lines on the Sedbergh line, after lifting, was largely Shap granite (the pink stuff, which figures) and mostly quite new at that - it was certainly quite lively to walk on, on the five mile trek to Low Gill for an afternoon's spotting - indeed it may have been the condition of the ballast that allowed my Housemaster to recognise my trainspotting as a physical recreation on a par with fellrunning or at the other extreme, having a little lie down at Deep Mid Wicket. Like all the best schoolmasters, he was a swine but a fair-minded swine! . How far your preservationists would have been able to reuse that, or whether local farmers etc had 'acquired' most of it (if the memory wasn't fading I could name some who certainly did) I leave to your reconstructed history.

 

Will there be sheep? There must be sheep (from memory, Swaledales, Scottish Blackface, and perhaps a few surviving Rough Fell although I think they were more or less gone even in the Seventies. Not many Herdwicks as you might suppose, although I doubt anyone will tell the difference in 4mm scale).

[Firecracker]

Right, thanks for that, that’s very useful. I’d gone for generic grey for the running lines (the black mentioned is for the yards and shed line) due to not having seen any decent colour shots or footage of the line. I’m going to be blending more ballast here methinks..

 

There will be sheep, the next board to be built will be a southward extension, with the road bridge and fields on either side. I grew up on a fell farm outside Grayrigg (other side of the hills to Sedbergh) so I’ve already got an idea of what’s needed. I'm setting the layout in may-June time, so ewes with older lambs at foot. Swales, maybe some Dalesbread (crossed with a Teaswater tup to give a Masham lamb) (certainly we farmed those until 2004).

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Right, following a bit of a hiatus, due to to work, life and the law of sod, let’s be about it and show some progress. First up, an actual site visit! (1)(2). We have the goods yard as currently existing as a coal merchants and the site of the overbridge south of the station. The site visit is due to this (3), the next baseboard, and mocked up (4) to show how the road fits...

 

The loco fleet has also expanded (5) (there’s a long term plan to renumber this as 75024, because this was one of the last standard 4’s based at Tebay as banking engines. Withdrawn 1967, it could have survived...). It’s had the pipe work picked out and a crew added (someone needs to tell that cleaner he don’t need hi-vis on the footplate though). New wagons have also emerged, with an Oxford warwell (6) (following a spot of weathering to tone the immaculate deck down, must fill the holes from the removed chains). Other bits including more ballast, point rodding, platform surfaces and a ground frame have appeared (7)(8). It’s still alive...

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Some more adventures - the second fiddle yard! (Or why it can be handy having a small engineering workshop in your garage)

 

The frame for this had been knocked up a while back, but it needed some legs. So first up, cut some aluminium tube to length and swage (it sounds better than ‘beat in with a hide mallet’. As Blaster Bates said “Make it sound more technical, it’s always good for an extra fiver”) in a ally plug, face, drill and tap said plug 8mm (1). Then find some round nylon bar, cut to length, drill and tap one end 8mm and face the other (2). Add two bits of 8mm studding and bingo, a pair of adjustable legs (3). Brackets - these are milled out of two ally blocks (4) drilled and counterbored on the lathe (5)(6). Secure to the frame with appropriate screwing (7) and the board is set up for a trial fit (8).

 

Now there may eventually be a scenic board added between these boards, however the idea is the position of the tracks (ie both running lines, the sidings stop at the scenic board edge) won't change. So next job, alignment pins, some more tracklying and some electrics. Let’s be about it then...

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

And a little postscript, following this evenings work, the fiddle yard is up and running. The wiring is in with croc clips to take power to the cassettes, two coach bolts do the inter board securing and alignment. There’s a bit of tweaking on vertical track alignment, but the layout can now be run as a through station. Better get on the road bridge board then....

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Just a couple of quick photos, following the play...I mean testing and verification of works performed following some tweaks to the new fiddleyard. It needs a gentle hoover and a lot of little bits you only notice in photos sorting, but I’m getting to like it.

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

With a bit more spare time, I’ve got a bit more done. More point rodding has gone down and the stop block on the headshunt/trap has been bedded in (1). In the good yard, I’ve been playing. The finish looked a little flat, so dust with black weathering powders in the high traffic areas, add a little woodlands scenic s turf, foliage and a few of the grass clumps from Shipley and it starts to improve. The platform still needs a fence along the back edge and the triangle of dead ground between the goods shed road and the platform is going to get a couple of redundant wagon wheel sets sat in the weeds, but it’s better (2)(3)(4). Also started toning down the ballast on the running lines, to try to give the impression steam locos run over this, leaving their trail of oil and general black crud, with a mixture of weathering powders, acrylic washes and an enamel wash for the oily sheen. There’s going to be two bracket signals in line with the top of the RH platform ramp, hence the buildup in that area(5).

 

Owain

Edited December 30, 2018 by Firecracker

[Firecracker]

And a little bit more! The Christmas break (such as it was) disappeared on various ancillary bits. Due to the arrival of a new toy in the garage (not directly related to this effort, but it will be of great use and benefit), I needed about 2 square metres of clear floor. That’s easier said than done, but following moving a cupboard, sorting the contents of said cupboard, taking most of the contents to the tip or giving them to our local independent contractors for the removal of anything with a scrap value, a floor was discovered. I then took the opportunity to finish insulating the roof, whilst there was space to wrestle insulation and ladders about. Anyway, following that....

 

The new board had a CAD or Cardboard Aided Design session (1), to work out how the track bed fits (cardboard, especially when it comes wrapped round a new bed, is far cheaper than ply and easier to cut). Following this, the cardboard has started to change to ply and foam core board (2)(3). I’ve also picked up a little project in the form of one of Oxfords JCB’s (4) (3CX, 2WD). It’s not a bad model, the only major flaw is the failure of the backactor to fold up properly (5) (that bucket should fold in until it’s touching the lower boom) It’s also far too clean and shiny, (in my salad days I did several engine rebuilds and clutch repairs on these, so I know only too well how filthy it should be). So da plan is to make it look a little less toy like and more like the real thing (which will either appear on here or my blog). Stay tuned for more.

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

And a bit more, adjustable feet for baseboard legs. The board seen above will have a set of folding legs at one end, however, these need adjustable feet so it can be levelled to the other boards. The fiddle yard boards have separate ally tube legs, however with the road bridge board being heavier and scenic, I decided folding legs will be easier to erect.

 

So first up, two bits of nylon bar, about 1” dia, 11/2” long. Face both ends and tap one end 8mm. Rummage the offcuts bin and find some meaty ally angle. Drill for mounting screws and drill and tap other face 8mm. Add two lengths of 8mm studding and there you are!

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

A bit more progress. As mentioned above, a new toy arrived (1). Not directly related to the layout, but it did make knocking out this kit of parts for the track bed a lot easier (2). Assembled, with my patent applied for ‘Kryten’ scenic foundation (3) (I adopted this approach years ago when I had access to literally tons of scrap foam core board. Assembled with a hot glue gun, it’s quick, light and strong). A culvert mouth (woodland scenics?) (which must have been in store since about 1994, because I can remember fitting it’s twin on another layout) has also gone in at the lowest point, where a drainage channel would flow (4). So next job is a layer of plaster bandage, then the scenics can start. Some track might be a good idea too...

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

Right, there’s been yet more progress. First up, track. I want to show a bit of variety in the pway, to reflect what a preserved railway might lay. So, some concrete sleepered flexitrack was flopped down as well. However, before laying, I tweaked the sleeper spacing, to better match the bullhead already laid (I can’t take credit for this tweak, I got it off a YouTube video I saw a year or so ago). Anyway, (1) shows the before and after. That’s better.

 

Next, I splashed out on another new toy (always support your local model shop, thanks Monk Bar Models) (2). Then,I started to play with it. I felt woodlands scenics grass looked a better colour (I’m aiming for June-ish), to my eye the Peco has a turquoise hint that’s not quite right. So following a lot of playing, I started at the back of the board. Glue used is bog standard white PVA and woodland scenics scenic cement. So first a layer of ground foam, then a dusting of 3mm grass gives us the field areas, embankments are treated exactly the same but then sprayed with further glue and given a good sprinkle of 8mm grass. Needs a bit of random scrub and perhaps the odd tree, but I’m rather taken with it. Right, now let’s try it on the front where it can’t be hidden...(3)(4)(5).

 

Owain

[Vecchio]

Nice workshop. All tools you need are covered! And of course a nice layout.

Looking forward to more progress reports.

 

Vecchio

[danstercivicman]

Wow, can't remember seeing this before. Very nice! What height are your platforms?

 

Very nice work!

[Firecracker]

Thanks both, too kind. I’m returning to the hobby after a hiatus of about 10 years, so a lot of this is me discovering how it’s moved on in this time and new materials/kit that’s available. The workshop that appears in the background grew out of model engineering into jobbing engineering and was verging on becoming my source of income, before a new job popped up about 5 years ago. Glad you like it, stay tuned for more!

 

Danster, platforms are 11mm from the top of the railhead. This was derived from eyeballing them against a mk1 coach, they’re mounting board card supported on either softwood batten or a lattice of foam core board. Finish is plasticote ‘stone’ textured spray paint.

 

Owain

Edited January 19, 2019 by Firecracker

[Corbs]

This shot:

Reminds me so much of Bitton on the AVR. Spot-on atmosphere.

[Firecracker]

And a bit more - the other side of the embankment. Exactally the same technique as above, just waiting for the glue to dry. Also need to come up with a convincing way of making post and wire fencing.

 

Owain

[Firecracker]

This shot:

Reminds me so much of Bitton on the AVR. Spot-on atmosphere.

I’m really pleased by you saying that, because that’s exactly what I’m aiming for. This isn’t a preserved railway that exists, but if it reminds people of Bitton, KWVR, Embsay, SVR, NYMR etc then I’m getting there. When I started playing with the weathering powders on that board, suddenly it started to look really good in my eyes. I’m capped that someone else thinks so too.

 

 

Owain

Edited January 19, 2019 by Firecracker

[danstercivicman]

Cheers the platform height looks bang on