Ladmanlow Sidings and other C&HPR locations

[Alister_G]

Thanks very much guys.

 

The next thing on the list was the first of many, many walls. Here's the start:

 

 

 

 

I think that's about the right height:

 

 

So let's paint it:

 

 

 

 

 

Looks good so far.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Al.

[Alister_G]

Hmm, you know what, after looking at the pictures, I'm not sure it is high enough, might need another course.

 

Al.

[LBRJ]

How high is the wall? Its going to have some toppers on anyway isn't it?

 

Funnily enough I have been looking at both dry stone walls (millstone grit though) and a retaining wall very like yours today, though the wall is under a turnpike not a railway.

Strangely (or not) the C&HP is actually a few years older than the Sheffield-Glossop turnpike!

[Alister_G]

21 minutes ago, LBRJ said:

Strangely (or not) the C&HP is actually a few years older than the Sheffield-Glossop turnpike!

 

I'd never given that a thought, but yes, the C&HPR is really quite old by railway standards. When construction started in 1825, the Stockton and Darlington railway had only just been opened.

 

Cheers,

 

Al.

[Alister_G]

Here's Mr Dapol Bloke, to give us something to judge the height of the wall.

 

 

Which shows that If I add a row of toppers it'll be about right.

 

So I did, using cork chads from when I did all the sleeper cutting-out when laying the ground cover on the main board.

 

 

When painted, it looks about right now:

 

 

 

 

So I started to bed the embankment into the landscape, and refresh the static grass. First I raised the ground surface slightly in the corner, and tapered it off up the slope:

 

 

Then a good coat of the Burnt Umber Artist's Acrylic:

 

 

Then a good dose of static grass:

 

 

After that, a blast of hairspray, and a covering of longer fibres:

 

 

And that's where I've got to tonight.

 

 

Tomorrow I hope to do the other side of the lane, and then deal with the lane surface itself.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Al.

[LBRJ]

It is positively ancient!

To put it into some context - It had been running for only a couple of years less from  it's genesis to when  the Hope Valley line was built, then from that date to the end of steam.

or

the main transport from Sheffield to Manchester was a pack horse via the WInnats Pass

[LBRJ]

Mr Dapol tells me that those walls look about right height wise with the toppers on .

Though I know our walls are a bit different to your limestone ones....

[sb67]

Very, very nice Al. I like the way you make the walls, they do look good. 

[Alister_G]

This afternoon I have been working on the surface for the trackway that runs under the embankment.

 

I used a mix of water, PVA and cheap readymade household filler to create a nice wet mush, which was applied to the plywood surface with a quarter-inch paintbrush.

 

 

 

 

I then let it dry for a while, before using an offcut of 10thou styrene sheet to smooth out the surface:

 

 

 

 

Again I let it dry for a bit, then used this to cover it:

 

 

Which, after some fettling, looks like this:

 

 

Like an idiot, I had already fixed down the arch and passageway, so had to smooth it as best I could in the passage by use of a long paintbrush, but at that it doesn't look too bad:

 

 

Once I was happy with the look, hairspray was used to fix it in place.

 

Then, I turned my attention to the hillside on the right. The first attempt at grassing it hadn't worked so well, as I was using an old tube of the artit's acrylic, so I used a fresh tube, and re-applied the base layer of short fibres, followed by some hairspray and then some longer fibres. This looks a lot better now.

 

 

And whilst I'd got the static grass gear out, I added some in the middle of the track, and along the bottom of the wall:

 

 

 

 

Next, I need to start the walls on top of the embankment.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Al.

[chuffinghell]

Have I used the word spectacular yet?

 

If not that’s spectacular, However if I have I will use it again anyway!

 

Spectacular!

[Alister_G]

Thanks Chris.

 

I can't decide whether to do another wall on the righthand side, or do a fence as in John Evans' photo:

 

Copyright John Evans used with permission.

 

I think the fence might add more interest.

 

Al.

[chuffinghell]

Although you’ve proven to be the stone wall master I would personally go with the fence

[sb67]

I'd agree, the fence would add some interest, I'd go with that. I like the weeds and, is it Brambles growing alongside. Will you copy that?

 

[Alister_G]

22 minutes ago, sb67 said:

I'd agree, the fence would add some interest, I'd go with that. I like the weeds and, is it Brambles growing alongside. Will you copy that?

 

 

I think they're nettles, so I might have a go at those. I did some ages ago on a diorama on Bakewell.

 

 

Al.

[mullie]

Starting to look exellent, I do like the way you make stone walls.

 

Martyn

[Alister_G]

Thanks Martyn.

 

Al.

[lezz01]

Love the dirt track Al. Very realistic.

Regards Lez.

[Alister_G]

2 minutes ago, lezz01 said:

Love the dirt track Al. Very realistic.

Regards Lez.

 

Thanks very much Lez, much appreciated.

 

Al.

[KNP]

Very realistic

I think a fence is the way to go, posts all wibbly wobbly and wire fixed unevenly.

 

Great addition to a lovely layout.

[Alister_G]

Thanks very much Kevin, much appreciated, it will be exactly as you say...

 

Al.

[Regularity]

On 17/05/2020 at 21:24, Alister_G said:

Here's Mr Dapol Bloke

...who appears to be standing in (or even on) a massive great cowpat...

[Alister_G]

Very busy at work today, didn't get finished 'til gone 7 this evening, so that cut into my modelling time.

 

However, I have successfully grassed the large back field behind the embankment:

 

 

 

 

Oh, and I built a gate.

 

 

 

 

I'm just painting this now, so may post shots of it later.

 

Then, I can't put it off much longer, I'll have to start building walls.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Al.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Alister_G
smelling

[Alister_G]

The gate, painted:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Al.

 

[Bogie]

I know you still have to build your walls but there is a property I sometimes ride past that has a gate just sitting like that with tyre tracks that go around it.  I always have to smile when I pass it.

 

I can only presume the owner like you is not too keen on building walls and much prefers building gates.

 

The whole thing is looking pretty good by the way!

[GWR57xx]

That looks great. I don't think you need to add any more fence.

Blazing Saddles - Le Petomane Thruway

Edited May 20, 2020 by GWR57xx