Shirebrook - N Gauge 1980's era layout.

[DavidMcKenzie]

10 hours ago, Duncan. said:

Hi Dave,

The back scene was painted by my stepson Ted. I found a few general photos of the area as reference for him. He sketched the 'view' on the backscene boards (thin ply that I undercoated with a grey emulsion paint) with pencil and blocked in some colours to match the layout itself. He used a number of 'match pots' available at most DIY stores... The remainder he did off site at his home to about 95% complete with final detailing when the back scene boards were reinstalled on the layout.

I think the cool winter colours and 'mistyness' he developed is superb and the finished result gives a great impression of the area with a real feel of receding  depth.

He has done a brilliant job. It fits to the layout perfectly and adds a lot of depth without taking any attention away from the trains in the foreground.

[Duncan.]

17 minutes ago, DavidMcKenzie said:

He has done a brilliant job. It fits to the layout perfectly and adds a lot of depth without taking any attention away from the trains in the foreground.

Hi Dave,

And I think that's the trick. Most photographic back scenes are too far 'forward' and make the model look like a model, you know the distance is more detailed than the foreground. The other challenge for him was the brief that the layout is set in winter... damp, cold, low light. We were very happy with the  result. The photo of the class 31 on page 14, I think, shows the receding effect well with painted trees in the background and the 3D ones on top of the curving cutting.

Cheers

Duncan

Edited October 10, 2019 by Duncan.

[Duncan.]

Evening everyone,

I thought I would post some photos of the other yard panel, the strengthened case has yet to be painted and the panel fascia needs cleaning up but I'm sure you get the idea. Thanks again to Mark for the woodwork. I've also included a view of the guts so if you are of a nervous disposition then look away now! 

Exhibition use has required the strengthening, they were on the verge of falling apart. The downside now is that when we bump into them they could well take a lump out of your head!

Cheers

Duncan

[EWS FAN]

Duncan the wiring looks very neat.

[Duncan.]

Easier to find faults that way EWS Fan, but never had one since built back in 2014!

[Duncan.]

Shirebrook on the road!

 We will be at Leeds Model Railway Society Show this weekend. We look forward to seeing you there.

Venue Leeds Grammar School, Alwoodley Gates, Harrogate Road, Leeds LS17 8GS

Cheers

Duncan and Janet

[Padishar Creel]

Hope there are some clips in YouTube from next week. I' ve only ever found one short clip of Shirebrook (the model that is...). Would like to see another few

 

es grüßt 

pc

[Duncan.]

43 minutes ago, Padishar Creel said:

Hope there are some clips in YouTube from next week. I' ve only ever found one short clip of Shirebrook (the model that is...). Would like to see another few

 

es grüßt 

pc

We will see what we can arrange.....

Cheers

[Padishar Creel]

Very kind of you. Wishing you, Janet and the other operators an enjoyable show.

 

es grüßt 

pc

[Stuart A]

Was lovely to see this in the flesh yesterday and meet Duncan & Janet.  A couple of my phone photos;

 

Bone powers through with loaded MGR

 

Break in the clouds and the sun highlights the depot building

[Duncan.]

Thanks Stuey, it was nice to meet you too. The model was very popular and we were so busy it wasn't possible to photograph or video the layout. Some of the operating team did and I am waiting for them edit/post their contributions. The layout worked really well and we hope provided good entertainment to the viewers. We had a great time but are very tired. I can link to a video of the layout, but it was taken at the BRM Doncaster show about 18 months ago... there have been a few additions/improvements since then.

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjA231lLE-w  -and a photo or two from Leeds below. Our next outing will not be until the Scarborough Show in August next year. So tell a friend to tell a friend to join us there!

Cheers

Duncan

 

[Steven B]

Shirebrook was the highlight of the Leeds show in my opinion. It ticked all my boxes - 1980s, actual location and consistently high modelling. The stand out thing about this layout is that nothing stands out. Appart from perhaps a few wagons in the queue for weathering everything is of a consistently high standard. If I can get close to this level of modelling I'll be very happy.

 

Sadly my tame four year old wasn't feeling very tame so I didn't get to spend as much time watching the trains go by as I'd have liked to.

 

Steven B.

[DavidMcKenzie]

Some brilliant photos there. The natural sunlight adds another bit of realism to an already outstanding layout. The shot of the 56 in the long shadow or the depot with all the locos stationed out front in the sun both make it very hard to notice that it's a model and not the real thing. I hope everyone enjoyed what looks like a good weekend. 

 

All the best

Dave

[Duncan.]

3 hours ago, Steven B said:

Shirebrook was the highlight of the Leeds show in my opinion. It ticked all my boxes - 1980s, actual location and consistently high modelling. The stand out thing about this layout is that nothing stands out. Appart from perhaps a few wagons in the queue for weathering everything is of a consistently high standard. If I can get close to this level of modelling I'll be very happy.

 

Sadly my tame four year old wasn't feeling very tame so I didn't get to spend as much time watching the trains go by as I'd have liked to.

 

Steven B.

 

1 hour ago, DavidMcKenzie said:

Some brilliant photos there. The natural sunlight adds another bit of realism to an already outstanding layout. The shot of the 56 in the long shadow or the depot with all the locos stationed out front in the sun both make it very hard to notice that it's a model and not the real thing. I hope everyone enjoyed what looks like a good weekend. 

 

All the best

Dave

Thank You for your kind comments. Next outing Scarborough August 2020 (actually at Pickering- so you can bag yourself a ride on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway too). So tell a friend to tell a friend to join us there! Here's a couple more of those low level sun shots from Leeds show.

Cheers

Duncan

[Duncan.]

Hi Everyone,

At Last! I have got round to uploading some photos from the Leeds Show. Victoria (one of our operating team) takes all the credit for these low sun/evening views of Shirebrook. I really like these photographs which highlight the scenery work we have put in , as we try to create a realistic model. Thanks Victoria... perhaps we will have to promote you to official layout photographer.... I will upload more soon.

Cheers

Duncan

[Duncan.]

And the captions for the photos above are

1 Clipstone -Northfleet MGR service rolls off the Clipstone branch in the cold evening winter sun.

2. Last of the day's sunshine just catches the farm roof at Shirebrook junction

3. The setting sun sreams across the railway at Shirebrook

and below Shirebrook Depot Yard. There's a chill in the air as the sun drops low in the south-west

[millerhillboy]

These pictures show the quality of your scenery work to its fullest, the level of work would look good in any scale never mind N. That first picture of the MGR train going away under the bridge is quite superb IMO

[Duncan.]

Thanks Millerhillboy,

And just for you here is another photo but a little later as dusk falls... Unidentified class 20 heads north through Shirebrook with a load of CHV,s for Doncaster Decoy. Picture credit to Victoria again.

Cheers

Duncan

[Duncan.]

Evening everybody,

Here are a couple more photographs taken at Leeds MRS Exhibition last weekend by Victoria. It was a good show , thank you all at Leeds for inviting us.

Cheers Duncan

[Duncan.]

37239 My next loco project for Shirebrook.

The Farish model of 37239 depicts the loco after it was named on 31.03.91. However this loco carried triple grey livery for some time before naming, I believe from January 88. (if you know differently please let me know) I assume this date as it received an E exam at Cardiff at this time. The loco was unusual as it continued to have radiator frost shields after most had been removed from the class. It was not fitted with cab shore radio or headlights  (as depicted on the Farish model) at least until named. I will model the loco in this condition and as photographed by Sean Lancastle and Trevor Plackett at the Bescot open day on 06.05.90, their photos appear below with their permissions.

As well as these changes I will lower the body on to the bogies and replace the radiator fan and grille with etches detail one end with pipework and add frost shield etches. I will update as progress is made.

Cheers

Duncan

[87023Velocity]

Hi Duncan, 

 

Shirebrook looks excellent in those low lighting shots, its all the added detail you have included, there is always something to see and look for even with no trains running, something which I have yet to add to Dallam purely down to time constraints but I am getting there, very slowly mind!

will be watching your work on 37239 closely as have been undecided regards fitting roof fans.

 

With regards to Shirebrook, do you have a lighting rig for it? 

 

Cheers

 

Simon

[Duncan.]

12 minutes ago, 87023Velocity said:

Hi Duncan, 

 

Shirebrook looks excellent in those low lighting shots, its all the added detail you have included, there is always something to see and look for even with no trains running, something which I have yet to add to Dallam purely down to time constraints but I am getting there, very slowly mind!

will be watching your work on 37239 closely as have been undecided regards fitting roof fans.

 

With regards to Shirebrook, do you have a lighting rig for it? 

 

Cheers

 

Simon

Hi Simon,

So I'll be the guinea pig for the roof fans then..... (or lab rat!) I'm also going to attempt lowering the body (mad and hatter spring to mind!). Thanks for your kind comments about Shirebrook. We don't have a lighting rig... but as the layout is set in winter it hasn't mattered. On the Saturday at Leeds we had a monsoon and it was really dark but that gave the model another perspective... besides all the areas where light is required (in reality) are lit, such as the depot buildings and yard, station buildings streets and station approach. No lighting out in the fields and countryside, therefore same as reality, looks good the trains fading into the 'gloom'.

Cheers

Duncan

Ps my apologies about some of the less than great photos of 37239 above, and yes Dallam's looking good, I have been following but not commenting... time pressures at the moment.

[Duncan.]

Evening everyone,

This is an update on my class 37 partial repaint and modification back to before the loco was named, please see my post from November 04. Pictured below are photographs of the fan etch in white undercoat and painted red. The white undercoat was allowed to dry for at least 48 hours before I sprayed the red tonight. When that has dried I will slightly twist the fan blades and assemble the fan and centre bearing onto a wire spindle and mount on the loco. The loco too is pictured in white undercoat, and also with the yellow spayed tonight. Firstly the headlight and cab-shore radio aerials were removed. The nose was then filled with plasto and sanded flat with 1200 grade wet and dry paper washed before spraying. The dense white undercoat was slowly built up and is necessary as both the yellow and red paints are not opaque, if the yellow was sprayed directly onto the black plastic body of the loco it would look 'dirty' with a green hue. Again at least 48 hours passed before the yellow was applied. If you look very carefully you may just see a little overspray on the nose side grilles. This was washed off with thinners soon after spraying. Masking tape was applied to the top of the nose to protect the black. 

[P.C.M]

Hi Duncan, Nice work on the class 37.

I am not sure if you are on Facebook but there is a group called 'Glory days of Diesel' Some great photo's get posted up and recently some very nice ones of Shirebrook. Might be worth a look.

 

Cheers Peter. 

[DavidMcKenzie]

That looks good Duncan, you've done a really nice job on removing the light, I can't see even a hint of a join. It's a great little project. 

 

Can I ask why you left some of the transfers on? (The last bit of the number and the oblverhead wire warning) was it so you can position the new transfers easily? Or will you apply enough paint to cover them? I have always found they are the last thing you see through a new coat and remove them completely. I hope you don't mind me asking, your models always come out stunningly good and your rarely do something without a good reason so it left me wondering.