A Midland region branchline halt

[CovDriver]

Well after a few weeks of deciding what to do with a new TIm Horn baseboard that measures up at 4ft x 10ins I've decided to build a 4m scale branch line themed layout. Track will be C&L fine scale with some excellent hand built points I've laid the first section as a test piece as it's the first time I've glued the track down instead of track pins.

I'm hoping to build two traversers 3ft x 10ins so I can run a decent operating sequence this time unlike my previous efforts on Ashbridge which is currently in my loft awaiting further developments.

 

I'm looking at operating on the Western region in the North West and BR blue diesels set in a early 1980's theme.

So the scenery will be carefully arrange so as not to date the layout to much.

 

I'll hopefully try an upload a few pics when I get the chance.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

Edited July 7, 2020 by CovDriver

[CovDriver]

 

A couple of pictures of the new project coming on really slowly.

 

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

Well today before work I managed to wire in a DCC concepts digital point motor and wire up the frog and managed to get the motor to work correctly first time.

I've made a start on the small platform/halt on the branchline by cutting all the plasricard formers to brace up the platform itself.

Hopefully tomorrow time permitting before work I can spray the track colour pretty much the same as I did on Ashbridge.

Also time permitting I will try and upload a pic or two of the stock for the layout and the layout itself.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

Only had chance to upload this pic as I'm home alone with my daughter this weekend.

I've started building a small control panel thats fixed to the back of the scenic board.

I've cleaned the train and done a quick test run.

I won't be able to work on the new layout now until Monday and I'm unable to go to Warley as dragging my 4yr old around isn't fair on the layout operators and the backpack brigade.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

A main view of the scenic board.

A favourite of mine 37427 with legomanbiffo 37 V4 sound decoder with the West Highland sounds. The bufferbeam detailing is almost complete on this end just the ETH socket to fit.

Another favourite a detailed Bachmann 25 with lazerglaze glazing fitted and bufferbeam again almost completed.

 

Thats all for today

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

Jeez was it really November since my last update well a lot has been going on since then unfortunately I had another suicide jumper at the beginning of December and I lost all interest in railways to be honest.

Christmas time was a difficult with what happened at work. Then all of a sudden the modelling mojo was back and with time off I've done a bit of work on the the layout.

Hopefully I can get the ballasting done tomorrow.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

Well seen as I'm back to work on Wednesday I thought I'd try some weathering with my airbrush that I've had for nearly 5yrs and never used so the photo of the 33 above is my very first attempt at weathering by airbrush.

 

What do you all think for my effort ?

 

The ballast is now dry and to be honest it's not the best but im hoping to weather the track similar to what I did on Ashbridge.

 

Also I'm thinking of removing the lower quadrant signal and replacing with a SR/BR upper quadrant and adding some 3rd rail.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

Well not much work on the layout apart from weathering the track as I've had an airbrush for the last 5yrs or so I decided to finally give it a go and see what all the fuss is about. The two pics I've added are my first ever attempts at weathering with an airbrush. 

Hope they're upto a decent standard. 

Cheers

Colin

[Mark Forrest]

Just catching up with this layout, it’s looking good.  Great work on weathering the locos, easy to be tempted to overdo airbrush weathering but they look excellent.

[alexross42]

Agreed, that weathering looks spot on and really brings the locos to life.

[CovDriver]

Well I've had a complete change of era and region now its south of the river out in the sticks. 

I just need to weather the juice rail now to tone it down a bit. 

[garethashenden]

Looks good! There aren’t enough 3rd rail layouts.

[Lacathedrale]

Ah looks great, and just my cup of tea! 

[CovDriver]

Thank you for the kind comments I've now toned down the 3rd rail and weathered yet more rolling stock seen as I had the airbrush out.

The 33 just needed a bit more muck on the roof and the 419 and GUV are straight from scratch by toning them both down on the roof and underframes and a quick pass on the bodysides.

 

That's all for today.

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

[Lacathedrale]

The top of the cab roofs on 33's were always filthy - almost black - maybe it's worth hitting it from the front? It looks great but I think a panel line wash of a medium-dark grey (darker than the blue) would really set it off. For the cab ends, they got faded quite quickly so maybe a bit of white and then the same dark wash? 

[CovDriver]

On 14/02/2019 at 07:59, Lacathedrale said:

The top of the cab roofs on 33's were always filthy - almost black - maybe it's worth hitting it from the front? It looks great but I think a panel line wash of a medium-dark grey (darker than the blue) would really set it off. For the cab ends, they got faded quite quickly so maybe a bit of white and then the same dark wash? 

Thanks for the tip I'll give that a go probably next week when I should  have a bit more time after work.

 

Cheers 

 

Colin 

[Pete 75C]

Great job on the track and track weathering. The whole thing looks very realistic.

There is a hint of "Waddon Marsh" to it which was an early build of mine (now sold) but continues to haunt these pages, I think.

 

Edit: Without wishing to divert from the modelling, in my time as a driver on the Southern Region/NSE/Connex, I had a couple of jumpers and the way I dealt with it was to come to terms (very quickly) that it was in no way my fault and there was absolutely nothing I could have done to change the outcome. What happened was their choice and I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Hope everything's ok.

Edited February 16, 2019 by Pete 75C

[Lacathedrale]

CovDriver, I would suggest the George Dent book 'Weathering for Railway Modellers' - it goes over airbrush technique but it also shows you the things that are better done with washes, pastels, etc. - just as easy and the effect is even better. Overall I'm really liking what you're doing!

[Geep7]

As a fellow SR 3rd rail modeller, this looks fantastic. Always great to see another Southern layout with Electrics.

[CovDriver]

A new loco to the fleet 37035 waiting the road from the holding siding. 

I've been after one of these 37's in Dutch livery for a long time so in way of celebration I've also fitted Loksound V4 decoder with legomanbiffo 37/0 sounds. 

Plus I've started to apply all the small detail on the scenic board of the layout.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[CovDriver]

Sorry for the lack of updates on the layout/scenic board.

I've sort of lost my modelling mojo again on the layout building side of things and I'm currently on holiday up on the Cambrian coast in Harlech.

I'm considering moving the scenic board on as a potential project that would need 2 fiddleyard boards to make a small exhibition layout. 

And perhaps start a micro-diesel depot/wagon repair themed layout as I've taken more interest in weathering and detailing stock now I'm getting to grips with airbrush.

Once I return home at the end of this week I'll try and post a pic or two of the scenic board in it's current state which to be honest is about 70%scenic complete. 

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

[manna]

On 14/02/2019 at 18:29, Lacathedrale said:

The top of the cab roofs on 33's were always filthy - almost black - maybe it's worth hitting it from the front? It looks great but I think a panel line wash of a medium-dark grey (darker than the blue) would really set it off. For the cab ends, they got faded quite quickly so maybe a bit of white and then the same dark wash? 

G'Day Folks

 

On the other hand, I climbed aboard a Class 33, at Hornsey Depot, in 1971, with my Driver, we were amazed, after our class 31's this loco was spotless, the roof panels, were so clean, the engine room was bathed in light, the floor was dry and clean. I realise, that his loco 'probably' just had a repaint etc, but SR loco's of this period were pretty clean, compared with our ER loco's.

 

manna 

[saxokid]

Just had good catch up on your layoutlooking forward to more from this now

[CovDriver]

This could be my last post as SWMBO is going to go mental if she knew I had brought the layout down and set it up in the living room but here's a few pics of the current state of the layout that still hasn't got a name. 

 

Please excuse the mess as the joys of having a 5yr old daughter who will insist on playing with every toy that she owns for about 30 seconds then becomes bored until the DCC sound loco's are run on the layout....

 

Any suggestions please as I really can't think of something suitable. 

 

Anyway I hope you enjoy the pics.

 

Cheers 

 

Colin

Edited May 22, 2019 by CovDriver

[Mike Storey]

This is brilliant modelling, very impressive. As others have said, great to see another, rare 3rd rail line appear.

 

As for a name suggestion, I am just slightly confused - it appears, and is titled, as a Kent branchline, but you stated this in your opening post:

 

I'm looking at operating on the Western region in the North West and BR blue diesels set in a early 1980's theme.

 

Was that statement made before you had settled on a Kent layout? So are you looking for a Kentish-sounding name, or a name that could place it anywhere? If Kent, an electrified single line limits the plausible routes a bit - Sheppey (the platform reminds me a little of the old Kemsley) or a station on the Grain branch, that was electrified in a rush to the head by someone? Or go for one of the now-closed lines, Lydd, or the old colliery routes, and pretend they were kept open and electrified? Plenty of name choices around there.