Nether Madder and Green Soudley Rly

[Martin S-C]

I don't have any cats at the moment but would like to own a couple in time. I have a plan to call them Chalfont and Latimer, after the sub-surface station in NW London where an ex-gf of mine lived. Fond memories of visiting there.

Corbs - no, I haven't posted details of the loco fleet, mainly because I have an embarrassingly large collection of engines and I realise not all can be justified. I've confessed before to my terrible weakness for "magpie modelling" where I tend to buy anything pretty and shiny that catches my eye. I recently sold off a number of wagons because I collected them early on due to having nice liveries and names but before I'd fixed my location as N Gloucestershire so all the Scottish, Lincolnshire, Cumberland, Lancs & Yorks, Kent and other far flung PO wagons had to go!

I'll try to list them all here however in a day or so, but the fleet is a bit fluid at the moment and much of it is still in its compnent parts in various crates scattered around the works (aka in the kits box)!

Zomboid - you can buy small rabbit models now so Kiki could be in a hutch in a back yard or in a field...

 

Edited February 13, 2019 by Martin S-C

[Corbs]

Oh yes we are all guilty of Magpie Modelling!

What I mean is the specific locos for the NM&GSR and the Madder Valley lines you are featuring, rather than the ones that belong to other railways 'off scene' so to speak. Like, the Peckett 0-4-0ST but not the LBSC Atlantic.

[mpeffers]

2 hours ago, Martin S-C said:

I don't have any cats at the moment but would like to own a couple in time. I have a plan to call them Chalfont and Latimer, after the sub-surface station in NW London where an ex-gf of mine lived. Fond memories of visiting there.

Corbs - no, I haven't posted details of the loco fleet, mainly because I have an embarrassingly large collection of engines and I realise not all can be justified. I've confessed before to my terrible weakness for "magpie modelling" where I tend to buy anything pretty and shiny that catches my eye. I recently sold off a number of wagons because I collected them early on due to having nice liveries and names but before I'd fixed my location as N Gloucestershire so all the Scottish, Lincolnshire, Cumberland, Lancs & Yorks, Kent and other far flung PO wagons had to go!

I'll try to list them all here however in a day or so, but the fleet is a bit fluid at the moment and much of it is still in its compnent parts in various crates scattered around the works (aka in the kits box)!

Zomboid - you can buy small rabbit models now so Kiki could be in a hutch in a back yard or in a field...

 

 

I noticed you posted an image of an IoW tank a few pages back. I’m sure you wouldn’t be in a hurry to get rid of it anyway, but just in case you worry it’s too regionally inappropriate, a very similar design was used by the MSWJR relatively near to Gloucestershire (I’d have to check my reference materials, they probably rarely if ever featured at the Cheltenham end of the route). Indeed at least one was sold on to the IWCR, so could form a very plausible second hand locomotive based in the Forest with a fresh lick of paint...

[Talltim]

On 28/01/2019 at 20:56, teaky said:

It would be better without the cable going through the middle.

Or that third rail...

[St Enodoc]

11 hours ago, chuffinghell said:

 

Many years ago I had a cat name 'Dave'

I knew a man with a wooden leg called Smith...

[St Enodoc]

6 hours ago, Zomboid said:

I've been trying to think of a way to reference my pet rabbit on my layout, but every idea I've had is pretty rubbish. She's called Kiki, named after the Studio Ghibli film "Kiki's delivery service". Hard to think how to use that in 1950s Louisiana, though.

 

I like the locos named after the cats though. They are good names for those peculiar machines.

I thought that Kiki was a frog:

 

https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1960s/hectors-house/

 

A remarkable family resemblance to Kermit I think.

 

[Nearholmer]

I think you can worry too much about what names you want to bestow upon minor and industrial railway locomotives, and even those of major companies come to that, because the real ones were named after all sorts of animals, vegetables and minerals, except on the LNWR, which had some sort of mechanical random word generating engine, similar in function to a 'fruit machine', at Crewe, especially for the purpose.

 

One of my favourites for obscurity is 'LADAS', of the Snowdon Mountain Railway, named after Laura Alice Duff-Asheton-Smith. The name was also used for a racehorse, after which the LNER named a loco, but the horse was named after an Ancient Greek chap, rather than Mrs D-A-S, IIRC. So, 'KIKI' might be Katherine Irene Kingsthorpe-Ingoldsby, second cousin of the company accountant, for all we know.

 

The first live steam 16mm/ft loco I had I named 'PRIMUS', slightly because it was the first, but more because it reminded me of a camping stove.

[Martin S-C]

It's hard to define what my locomotive roster will be when I can't stop buying them!

This little beauty just purchased on e-Bay. Its an old whitemetal kit, probably Gem, and weighs a ton but is extremely well made with excellent pick-ups, motor and a lovely big brass flywheel in the cab so it runs really smoothly. Some TLC is needed to repair a few missing details and replace the "school globe" handrail knobs but its a nice model of a prototype I've wanted for a long while.

 

 

Test run:
 

 

Edited February 16, 2019 by Martin S-C
edited to correct probable kit source from Keyser to Gem.

[Martin S-C]

I really, really, ought to ban myself from e-Bay... *sigh*

Won these on auction early this week. The NM&GSR engineers ballast train is almost ready to enter service. I have a kit built brass GWR tool/stores van as well that needs a little fettling to get it into running order and a couple of crane wagon kits in the to-do box. I can cobble a suitably cranky old crew coach together from something in the spares-and-repairs box. The ballast brake cost me about the same as the Cambrian 2-4-0T but I think it was worth the price, a brass D&S kit, its been superbly constructed. The bigger wagon is the Ratio model and the shorter wheelbase one either Slaters or Coopercraft. The fact they are nicely painted in a dusty red-bauxite has led me to decide to use this colour for departmental vehicles as I see little point in repainting them. I'm presently removing the transfers and will add a set of NMGS Engineers markings in due course.

 

[Martin S-C]

On 13/02/2019 at 16:57, mpeffers said:

 

I noticed you posted an image of an IoW tank a few pages back. I’m sure you wouldn’t be in a hurry to get rid of it anyway, but just in case you worry it’s too regionally inappropriate, a very similar design was used by the MSWJR relatively near to Gloucestershire (I’d have to check my reference materials, they probably rarely if ever featured at the Cheltenham end of the route). Indeed at least one was sold on to the IWCR, so could form a very plausible second hand locomotive based in the Forest with a fresh lick of paint...

The IoW 2-4-0 tank built by Beyer Peacock was a moderately successful design so I understand and was used in a broadly similar form by a number of companies so this is one locomotive I very much wanted to have a model of. Its one of the easier types to justify, I think, in a freelance setting.

The Cambrian 2-4-0 tank was also by Beyer Peacock and the same argument can be applied there - different cabs, safety valves and other fittings but under the skin essentially the same design. I want to have a go at "de-GWR-izing" it as much as I can so that it has more of the appearance of a different engine. Probably the top feed will go and some alternative safety valves will be fitted and whatever else my skills will allow. Its pretty small inside so the first job will be seeing if it will take a decoder and speaker.

I am trying to focus on models of locos built by the prominent private works such as Dubs, Sharp Stewart, Beyer, Hudswell Clarke and so on but there are some lovely company locomotives one simply has to own a model of and this is where my freelancing becomes a good deal freer than others. I have to invent a flimsy story to allow a well-known GW, MR or SECR design to run on my layout and while it can be viewed as laziness I often turn back to the layout that's inspiring me and consider how that person approached the issue. Of course in the 1930s through to the 1950s there was a good deal less choice of models - both from the box and kits - and even materials to scratchbuild with were more limited so if John Ahern were alive today I wonder what kind of models would he be running on his layout today. I am probably way off the mark in gathering such an eclectic hoard and while I don't like relying on Rule #1 often it is being deployed a fair bit.

I purchased this lovely little 3D printed kit this past week from the very talented Mr Turbosnail of this parish merely because it is so cute and unusual. A Neilson & Co 2-2-2WT of the mid 1860s freelanced from Irish broad to 16.5mm gauge.

 

 

With humble apologies to Mr E. D. Wardian for reusing his photo of his own freshly unpacked model.

The painted model and photo is by Tom (Turbosnail).

Edited February 17, 2019 by Martin S-C
EDIT: Added pic of Tom's assembled model.

[Annie]

A number of the old railway companies did have a 'sales' siding where aging, but still useful engines might be purchased by an intrepid little minor railway company.  Terriers are of course a classic example of this, but I'm sure there were more besides.

 

And I do like that little Neilson 2-2-2 tank engine.  

[uax6]

The Highland used Culloden sidings.

https://www.ambaile.org.uk/detail/en/24803/1/EN24803-five-hr-locos-waiting-to-be-scrapped.htm

https://www.ambaile.org.uk/?service=asset&action=show_zoom_window_popup&language=en&asset=24555&location=grid&asset_list=24547,24550,24555,24563,24604,24618,24630,24597,24625,24626,24619,24601,24605,24537,24542,24518,24519,24520,24521,24522,24523,24524,24525,24529,24530,24531,24532,24533,24534,24535,24539,24540,24541,24543,24544,24548,24549,24551,24552,24553,24554,24556,24557,24558,24559,24560,24561,24562,24564,24566&basket_item_id=undefined

 

A fair old collection of scrap iron was assembled here.

 

What your P-way train needs is a crane. something like: https://www.ambaile.org.uk/?service=asset&action=show_zoom_window_popup&language=en&asset=28726&location=grid&asset_list=28761,28677,28678,28679,28726,28764,28765,28766&basket_item_id=undefined

Note that the jib on this one is fixed, but they could have the wires undone to allow journey to site.

 

The HR had one on a 6 wheeled outside w iron chassis but I can't find a picture yet.....

 

Andy G

 

Edit: still can't find one, but it was like this one but with outside w irons: http://www.victorianweb.org/technology/railways/iow/7.html

 

The Mikes models MR yard crane would mount up and look right on a flat wagon....

Edited February 17, 2019 by uax6

[Martin S-C]

I have the ABS models GWR 1.5t travelling crane kit to build, though possibly that's the sort of thing that would be moved to out-of-the-way rural goods yards to unload unusual loads where no yard crane was installed. I also have a kit of a 6t crane wagon somewhere but don't seem to have a photo of it. I think its a Mike's Models one. That is probably more like the kind of equipment an engineers train might have since it could put its feet down and lift overturned carriages, etc.

Mind you a lot of recovery of derailments on these lesser railways was done just by very slow and careful jacking up and packing with sleepers etc. On a single track without crane access from another line that would be the only solution.

I've added a pic of my GW stores/tool van as well. Its a bit careworn but nothing that can't be spruced up with a bit of TLC.

 

 

Thanks for those links Andy - they are great inspiration.

A lot of locos were scrapped in 1923-1924 due to excess numbers at the grouping which sadly is too late for me. With a layout set in 1919 however I could just about justify locos that were worn out in heavy service during the war and sold on for that reason. My universe is a parallel one and in my timeline I can invent an arrangement whereby a government scheme is established to assist the tired out railways by offering basic values for very worn equipment with a third party buyer paying a nominal balance. The deal would involve the new owner paying for repair work at the previous owners workshops which would have a double benefit of maintaining old worn equipment fairly cheaply and providing a lot of work for all the demobbed labour coming home from the war.

*ruminates a few moments*

Yes, I like that explanation. I'll set it out in my canon!

Edited February 26, 2019 by Martin S-C
EDIT: Added section about foreign loco purchase logic.

[uax6]

Quite a few of these hand cranes had timber legs that were attached to the end of the jib, which when put on the ground acted as sheer-legs, which allowed them to be used for lifting wagons. But even a small hand crane could lift lengths of rail and three or four sleepers at a time, and the odd small bridge girder.

 

Andy G

[Martin S-C]

As my layout comprises several small companies, the 1.5t crane can belong to one of the lesser ones and my bigger 6-tonner will be stabled at the main works. I like the idea of taking a crane to a halt out on the branch that lacks a yard crane and using it to lift an unusual load out of a wagon and onto a horse drawn vehicle - a piece of farm machinery perhaps - a small crane might see more journeys for that purpose than it would attending mishaps.

[Martin S-C]

I rummaged in my wagon-kits-to-build box and discovered to my joy (and surprise!) that I have three crane wagons to tackle. The small ABS GW 1.5ton, the instructions from which I pictured above, the Mikes Models small Midland crane truck which I've studied today and has wonderfully crisp castings but a missing hook. Not a huge deal to find a replacement; and thirdly, the Cambrian GWR 6 ton crane and match truck which will be my main works mobile crane stabled at Nether Madder. The other two will be kept at Green Soudley and at either Witts End or Snarling to serve the branch, probably the former. For when they are stored in the open I plan to manufacture a removable canvas cover or tilt to keep the weather off, or maybe even a small over-track ramshackle hut (really a tin roof on legs).

 

 

Last week Neil and Alan from the LLC returned to add more to the baseboard frames. Alan is doing the carpentry and he likes to work in his own workshop (quite understandable) but we've unfortunately hit a few snags due to miscommunications so that after a few days when he gets back with the next bit or a changed bit, it wasn't right, so he had to scoot off again and redo it. Last Wednesday we got the "east" end of the frames all finished. This is the raised portion that supports the higher parts of the layout and we raised these up by 4" to avoid having to use very tall risers under the trackbed. The centre section of the main frame that will carry the twin termini and the townscape was also finally done to my spec and fitted as well so that leaves us just the lifting flap to do. There's a few tweaks needed to it and that should happen this week.

 

Neil hard at work below Armisford Mill.

 

...and under the main twin termini/townscape boards. Alan supervising. I am playing paparazzi.

 

 

Overall view looking towards the Green Soudley frame. Witts End on the left, Catspaw Quarry on the right.

 

The Great Saga of the Doorway Entry Solution has finally been resolved in the shape of a very Old Skool lifting flap with top mounted barrel hinges. The trolley was rejected on grounds of space and speed/ease of use and a lift-off fully removable section rejected on the basis of it probably getting damaged sooner or later. The various powered or pulley-raised panels/platforms were rejected as being unnecessarily complex and fussy. Lack of clearance because of the low ceiling also affected their practicality. In all of them I finally decided there was too much work for too basic a problem. While the nice under-slung curved-rib hinges of Enodoc's method was my first choice I think Alan secretly wanted a simpler solution and what we have finally gone for should definitely be that. The exposed top plates of the hinges will be concealed under small removable scenery modules.

 

The gap for the lifting section.

 

Lifting flap frame temporarily in place. The hinges will be at the near end.

 

Neil brought the 1:1 scale plans around, blown up and printed from my artwork (AnyRail track layout plus my hand drawn scenic features) and I laid this all out to see where everything goes. It fits the baseboards perfectly (success!!), although a couple of areas will be a stretch to reach, namely the shed and stores siding at the colliery and the bay and uncoupling area of the main platform at Nether Madder. Everything is reachable, I made sure of that, its just that these two locations are only JUST reachable. There is some slack space in the Nether Madder goods yard so we may be able to slew the platform track a couple of inches closer to the operators position. At the colliery its just the loco shed that isn't in easy reach and since there will be no coupling and uncoupling going on there, a stick with a hook on it will be provided to tug out recaltriant locos should one misbehave inside the shed.

 

Took some pics of the paper plans all laid out though in areas these are very faint. I couldn't resist and placed a piece of scrap track down and planted the Very First Train to stand on rails on the new layout.
 

The train comprised the first two wagon kits I built and weathered for the layout (seems so long ago now but was only last May), and my most recent pair of repaints, finished last Tuesday. I swear I will not, EVER do another PO wagon with HMRS transfers written out using individual letters! One of those is quite enough thank you, though I am happy with how the tar wagon turned out.

 

Wilf brings the first train into Witts End. Well, sort of.

 

Bloomin clever getting here with no track.

 

Then a vist over to Catspaw Halt.

 

The two latest wagons.

 

View of Wilf's rear end.

 

Paper plans laid out. This is looking west or north-west in fact. The colliery corner. The slag heap (dashed concentric curved lines) will be under the window. Where it says "... of 1 in 36 drop" is the Ryehope to Puddlebrook road with the Witts End branch running along its far side as a tramway. There's a level crossing at far right where the road dog-legs away from the camera and the railway track curves on.

 

Moving clockwise and looking north. The level crossing mentioned above is here in the extreme left foreground. Moving to the right the branch line leaves the roadside section and drops down towards Witts End. The road beyond rises up towards the concourse of Puddlebrook station. Rear left are the colliery screens and washery. Puddlebrook signal cabin is in the centre towards the wall and in front of the door, at right rear, is Puddlebrook station.

"X" does not mark any particular spot.

 

Clockwise again, still north. Witts End engine shed, coal stage and water tower in foreground. Puddlebrook platforms at the rear. This plan was drawn before we'd discussed the final lifting flap dimensions and consequently the loco facilities will be shifted about six inches to the right so that the engine shed isn't over the join.

 

Clockwise a bit more, still north. Some of the printed rolls came out very faint, almost too faint to read. This is Witts End station with the village to the extreme right. The stone mason's works is under the window and the infant River Aight runs under the railway raised on its ramshackle timber viaduct inspired by that over the River Blackwater on the Maldon to Witham railway at the extreme right rear.

 

Moving back the other way and looking south-west, here is the Ryehope corner with the rising ground running up to the high ridge of Old Twerps Back (a local beauty spot and viewpoint) at the left rear. Wood Distillation Works at front left with the Ryehope-Puddlebrook road closest, curving round to front right. The tramway track is not very clear but passes just behind the "L. C." notation and follows around the curves of the road on its far side. Colliery reception and departure roads under the window with the stabling road nearest. Miner's cottages in the very far corner. Lots and lots of slopey ground and track in this section, will be one of the three principal rural scenes.

 

Anti-clockwise again. The Wood Distillation Works is front right, Catspaw halt is where Wilf and his train is. Behind the wagons you may be able to make out the fan of pointwork at the west end of the Exchange Sidings. Behind those, against the wall (and will be at the highest level of the layout at +7.5" above datum) is the Carriage & Wagon Shops. The "Canterbury Tales" Inn is to their right, then you can just see rows of railway workers houses including a short row of four dwellings at 90deg to the main row above the tunnel mouths where the main line and exchange sidings lines both plunge under Old Twerps Back. This area will transition from rural towards the most industrial area of the layout, out of shot to the left.

 

Anti-clockwise once more. Quarry workings in the foreground, Catspaw Halt front right, Exchange Sidings and Carriage & Wagon Works beyond.

 

Skipping past the centre section which does not photograph well due to faint printing, this is the north-east corner showing Snarling Junction, the dairy in the rear corner and the siding to Armisford Mill in the right foreground plus the coal yard. A printing fault means some pieces of track through the station did not show on the plans but we can estimate closely enough where things go.

 

As you can see, some very variable prints. West end of Snarling. Where it says "cottage" will be a small scene involving part of the village of Snarling; one cottage, "The Flower that Bloomed" public house and Flower Farm.

 

South-east corner of the layout. Armisford Mill placed for size and angle with the Little Madder River running under the line. The Crown Timber Siding is in the right rear corner. The baseboards are wider than the plan here.

 

Crown Timber Siding and Nether Madder loco coaling stage in the SE corner.

 

Variable prints again. Grrr. Looking south. Approach lines to Nether Madder. Note the baseboard is wider than the drawn plan here as well.

 

Overall view looking across the centre boards of Nether Madder and Green Soudley towards the colliery at the very far end.

The GSR gunpowder van. I like the red X on the black GW GPVs so stole the idea. Its a Dapol repaint and is depicted in fairly clean condition.

 

The greaseworks tanker I started back in early November. Another Dapol repaint. Good thing I didn't finish it then as I'd have to change the town name now. Silver linings and all that.

At this small size the HMRS alphabets are a bit too "blobby" for my taste. They don't come out looking crisp enough.

Edited February 26, 2019 by Martin S-C
EDIT: Mucked up some of the image captions.

[Northroader]

Very impressive, baseboards, plans, trains. It’s looking really hopeful now it’s taking shape.

[Martin S-C]

Two more vans fettled and weathered today.

 

[lezz01]

Lovely bit of joinery Martin. The "Goods" looks sweet as well.

Regards Lez.Z. 

[south_tyne]

Martin,

 

The modelling room looks absolutely superb, as do the baseboards. Really glad to see things progressing and moving forward. This is going to be an absolutely fantastic project and I am really enjoying following what to see doing. 

 

Loving the work you are doing on the stock too. Excellent modelling! 

 

Continue posting and keep us all up to date.

 

David

[sjrixon]

Lots of goods vans, so you've got my attention. That woodwork looks spectacular, I'm looking forward to seeing this develop further. 

[relaxinghobby]

With regards to WELR brake van No6, I feel this does not offer proper weather protection for the guard, is it Wilf?   Unite in the campaign for better working conditions for railway staff and modern brake vans with roofed-over verandas. Or perhaps there is no weather in the desert of white paper where the train is seen.

 

Fantastic progress and well planned.

[Martin S-C]

14 hours ago, lezz01 said:

Lovely bit of joinery Martin.

 

12 hours ago, south_tyne said:

The modelling room looks absolutely superb, as do the baseboards.

 

7 hours ago, sjrixon said:

That woodwork looks spectacular, I'm looking forward to seeing this develop further. 

 

Thank you all for the kind comments. Neil from the LLC is a member here so I hope he'll be delighted with the positive remarks about the timber work. His father-in-law, Alan, is the baseboard wizard and he's enduring a course of chemotherapy while still working on various carpentry projects so I'm extremely grateful that he feels happy to carry on working during such a difficult time. His woodwork really is excellent, very clean and crisp... unlike mine which tends to be grubby and wonky!
 

4 hours ago, relaxinghobby said:

With regards to WELR brake van No6, I feel this does not offer proper weather protection for the guard, is it Wilf? Unite in the campaign for better working conditions for railway staff and modern brake vans with roofed-over verandas. Or perhaps there is no weather in the desert of white paper where the train is seen.

 

The WELR isn't an affluent company, as will be seen when you clap your eyes on their coaching stock. They only own one goods brake van and it was a second hand purchase from the GWR. Enquiries were made about fitting roofs and support pillars to the verandahs but the GW's invoice was 18/6d per end so the directors declined. Messrs Peckmans of Ryehope (outfitters to the gentry, officers military clothing a speciality) offered an overcoat for the guard at 5/3d so one of those was bought instead, and even that expenditure was only secured after a three hour board meeting.

Wilf is the engine. He really ought to stay within the confines of the colliery. The WELR goods guard is Mr Ernest Wobham, a resident of Snarling. Which reminds me I need to paint him!

 

Many of my wagons are e-Bay buys. Some I am lucky on and secure cheaply, others turn out less cheap due to competition . The brass kit SECR CCT was a bit pricey but they rarely come along. The W-irons/axle assemblies were slotted to take P4/EM wheels and the flanges of the 00 wheels it came fitted with fouled the inner edges of the slots meaning it wouldn't run at all. I had to spend a while with a file working out the openings quite a bit but fortunately this is the kind of messing about I enjoy. Despite being passenger rated and vacuum braked it has a handbrake lever and brake gear on one side only. Apparently prior to these vans being taken into SR ownership this is correct. The LNWR beer van is a curious thing, a scratch built body on a brass chassis. It looks ancient, like a child of the 70s, or even the 60s. It was thickly coated in some kind of heavy woodworking varnish which had gone yellow so needed a bit of TLC, delicate scraping out of the corners with a scalpel blade . Even with some weathering on top the photo reveals a bit of yellow varnish in the corners. Removing most of it led to some damage to the lettering but I left that as it was, since I like the battered faded look. The van has that old school look that the Madder Valley rolling stock has and which I like so its perfect for this project. Both wagons have compensated chassis.

Tuesday will be a big day, Neil is returning to install the lifting flap and begin work on the risers and station/yard boards so by close of play I should have something more layout-like.

Edited March 2, 2019 by Martin S-C

[Martin S-C]

Completing a few part-done projects that have been hanging around for a couple of months. I hate it when that happens.

 

Two more wagons finished today, or rather, this is in fact only one wagon. It might not look like it, but I assure you it is.

 

I bought this pair of ye olde Airfix Lowmacs carrying traction engines from the very talented Dave Clarke at Lineside & Locos early last year. They are very nicely weathered and nothing wrong with them at all. This was early in my collecting phase though, and before I'd settled on the pre-grouping period for my layout. When I did, the showman's engine, being from the 1930s, was of no use to me. The ploughing engine is somewhat out of scale as well, being rather too big.

 

 

 

I checked that the Lowmacs were okay for 1919 and discovered that the GER introduced a 14t type in 1886, somewhat different to this pattern which is a 25t BR fitted vehicle from 1952 but following the construction of the earlier GER/LNER vehicles. So, going on the happy discovery that such vehicles were around just post-Great War I wondered if I could do something about the other problems. The 1930s showman's engine was easily dealt with by just removing it. I plan to sell it on second hand.

 

As you may have already become aware from my prior ramblings, when I operate a model railway I like to have removable loads so I can move wagons about the place with a bit more meaning and function. The fixed-on ploughing engine remained a problem therefore. Then I had a minor brainwave and thought I could use the empty and loaded Lowmacs to represent the same vehicle and swap the actual model over by hand in a goods yard if there was a ploughing engine to be collected or delivered anywhere. The final problem was the overscale model and I reasoned that it would be unlikely to convey such a valuable piece of equipment unprotected from the elements and decided to cover it with a sheet. This conveniently hides most of its bulk. The chimney was sawn off at the actual hinge point above the smokebox, to be carried in front of the engine on a folded tarpaulin. The sheet covering the model was half of a foil wrapper from a creme egg and I gave it a spray of Testors Dulcote to provide a matt surface to take the paint. I gave the foil a coat of my ever-useful Mig acrylic "faded Sinai grey" military colour which is a fantastic tone, the virtues of which I've extolled on here before. I use it for all kinds of things, but mostly dirty unpainted wood for wagon interiors. It happens to credibly pass for the brown of a faded canvas sheet as well.

 

This came out horribly glossy however but a wash with a mix of black and sepia washes flattened this down. I then drybrushed over the wash with a mix of the Sinai grey and white. Additional ropes were added from the sheet corners down under the wheels. A heavy piece of machinery such as this would be secured by chains of course but I felt I'd done enough. Some matchsticks with the business ends sawn off were glued under the wheels as chocks and left unpainted.

 

 

 

 

The wagon I'd removed the showman's engine from had some clutter glued onto its deck and was drybrushed over to give it a paler appearance. Some identical Powsides rub-on transfer letters and numbers from various wagon sheets covered by an ink wash were applied to both wagons to finish the job.

 

 

 

Edited March 2, 2019 by Martin S-C
EDIT: added pics of weathered wagons as-bought.

[Annie]

 

I thought that LNWR beer van had a wonderful old school modelling look to it Martin.  It certainly immediately caught my eye the moment I started reading your post.  Always good when older models are kept and cherished.  I have various wooden pre-war 'O' wagons that are 'keepers' and I'll never part with.

 

I like what you did with the ploughing engine and it certainly looks much better now and much more plausible as a wagon load on a hard working little railway.

 

With all the baseboard frames in place your model railway room is really looking quite something.  Brilliant stuff Martin.