Cholsey & Moulsford (Change for Wallingford)

[Nick Gough]

With the Silhouette programme you have an option to print your design as well as cut it.

So I thought I'd print out some glazing to try for size, before committing to plasticard:

 

The office and loft:

 

Main shed windows:

 

Gable end glazed panels:

 

They all still need more work before cutting but size wise are about there.

[RJS1977]

From the other end of the branch yesterday. Beginning to look like a proper station, and almost ready for reopening next Sunday.

 

[Nick Gough]

On 23/05/2021 at 13:05, RJS1977 said:

From the other end of the branch yesterday. Beginning to look like a proper station, and almost ready for reopening next Sunday.

 

Very nice!

[Nick Gough]

DON'T PANIC!

 

No I haven't disappeared - we had a week away in Norfolk for half-term.

 

As we were near to Thetford we had to visit the Dad's Army Museum for their first day open since 2019.

They are the proud owners of the genuine van from the series:

 

Since Captain Mainwaring was in his office:

 

I took the opportunity to discuss future strategy with him:

 

(Can't get used to these new-fangled gas masks!)

 

However, by the time we had finished talking he seemed to have glazed over:

At least he didn't call me a "Stupid Boy!"

 

Luckily - there wasn't a German pilot dangling from the clock tower:

 

Or a U-boat crew marching along Mill Lane:

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

I had to buy a couple of souvenirs:

 

 

Unfortunately the van is, I believe, to 1:43 scale so it's a bit too big for the layout.

 

We just had to patronise this shop:

 

For these:

 

Very tasty, very sweet!

Edited May 8, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Back to railways - Tuesday, following the Bank Holiday, we had a trip on the North Norfolk:

 

In a nice change from the usual BR Mark I coaches they were using their suburban set, so it was a compartment to ourselves, one way, in a brake third:

 (Or, as we GWR types call them, a van third!)

 

With the return in a third lavatory open:

The NNR had added extra wooden partitions to this one to create individual compartments.

 

This meant that Mabel found a nice little alcove to settle down in:

Edited May 8, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

The following day we were off to Wroxham for a first-time visit to the Bure Valley miniature railway:

Our train engine put me in mind of the Vale of Rheidol tanks:

 

A pleasant, restful journey through the Norfolk countryside with the bonus of the Bure Valley Models shop at the other end of the line.

 

Speaking of which I couldn't resist one of these at a very reasonable price:

 

This will go nicely, on the layout, with my rake of Collett suburban coaches.

 

I have half a dozen of the old Airfix/Hornby prairies so it will be interesting to compare the performance. Clearly the finish and level of detail is superior to the original type.

Edited May 8, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

This week I have been working on windows for the goods shed:

 

With the drawings I made on the Silhouette programme I put a piece of 20 thou plasticard through the cutter.

 

Of course, being 20 thou, the silhouette won't cut completely through the depth of the material so I have spent some time carefully trimming and removing the 'waste'.

 

The glazing bars are quite thin and delicate so I had three or four little accidents in the process but have repaired these with solvent.

 

You will also see, on the left, that the plasticard did not quite line up where I expected it to! The perils of cutting from a partly used sheet rather than a new one.

 

I plan to paint the window frames before removing them from the sheet as this should be easier.

Edited May 8, 2022 by Nick Gough

[MrWolf]

Nicely done, at least you have the silhouette cutter lines to work to. I imagine that it still requires a steady hand, but perhaps not as nerve wracking as when we tried cutting frames freehand from 0.005" with a scalpel.

Would 5 or 10 thou' be easier to profile and be closer to scale thickness or am I getting the wrong end of the proverbial stick?

[Nick Gough]

Yesterday we took our two grandsons to Didcot for a very hot and sunny visit.

 

Train rides, on the main demonstration line, were provided by 1340 Trojan, recently restored to traffic:

 

Its train consisted of 4-wheel van third 416, and Mainline & City Churchward van third 3755, both in fully lined livery:

 

 

Pannier 3738 was keeping some dodgy company on one of the turntable roads:

 

3822 at the front of the shed:

 

2999 Lady of Legend really looking at home:

 

6106, in the shed, looking the splitting image of my recent Hornby purchase:

 

 

The safety valve cover, like the rest of the upper parts, has caught the sun but is really painted green, like the model, rather than polished brass as it appears.

Edited May 8, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

3 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Nicely done, at least you have the silhouette cutter lines to work to. I imagine that it still requires a steady hand, but perhaps not as nerve wracking as when we tried cutting frames freehand from 0.005" with a scalpel.

Would 5 or 10 thou' be easier to profile and be closer to scale thickness or am I getting the wrong end of the proverbial stick?

It probably would be more accurate to use thinner plasticard but I thought that might make them even more delicate and flimsy.

 

Anyway I've still got to separate them from the sheet successfully, so I may have to start again! 

[Nick Gough]

What was particularly useful was this recent birthday gift:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08J7FVKSQ?pd_rd_i=B08J7FVKSQ&pd_rd_w=RFE0y&pf_rd_p=7f63bdc9-67ee-4a19-a7b3-051b5819359e&pd_rd_wg=WBQxH&pf_rd_r=TASN0P9MHHRS6X1T1A3C&pd_rd_r=7385857e-e109-4b53-a980-ead6db587c9a

[St Enodoc]

14 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

6106, in the shed, looking the splitting image of my recent Hornby purchase

Looks just the same as it did when we visited Didcot on a school trip 51 years ago.

[RJS1977]

On 12/06/2021 at 17:14, Nick Gough said:

Back to railways - Tuesday, following the Bank Holiday, we had a trip on the North Norfolk:

 

In a nice change from the usual BR Mark I coaches they were using their suburban set, so it was a compartment to ourselves, one way, in a brake third:

 (Or, as we GWR types call them, a van third!)

 

With the return in a third lavatory open:

The NNR had added extra wooden partitions to this one to create individual compartments.

 

This meant that Mabel found a nice little alcove to settle down in:

 

Of course, the North Norfolk was itself a Dad's Army filming location ("The Royal Train")

 

[Nick Gough]

1 hour ago, RJS1977 said:

 

Of course, the North Norfolk was itself a Dad's Army filming location ("The Royal Train")

 

"Ah, just waiting to see who'd be the first one to spot that"

[Nick Gough]

On 15/06/2021 at 08:53, St Enodoc said:

Looks just the same as it did when we visited Didcot on a school trip 51 years ago.

Yes, indeed.

 

This was the Great Western Society open day, at Didcot, in May 1970 - my first visit to the site:

 

Note the rope barriers along the then running line (No 5, right next to the engine shed) and the wooden steps to board the train!

 

The biggest difference with 6106 then was it was in running order whereas now it is a long-term static exhibit.

 

A couple of years later at Old Oak Common:

6000 King George V - lurking in the background.

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by Nick Gough
Extra photo

[Nick Gough]

The large goods shed windows have been painted with Railmatch GWR Dark Stone:

 

All the components removed from the sheet (with just a little minor damage to one):

 

A test fit prior to fixing the frames to the glazing material:

Edited May 7, 2022 by Nick Gough

[Nick Gough]

Aren't close-up photos cruel?

[ChrisN]

7 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

Aren't close-up photos cruel?

 

Someone posted a picture of a carriage they had made/renewed/ modified and it was so far away it was difficult to see.  I assumed in the end that they were not happy with it.  They are always the best photos, especially if something else is in the way.

 

We all have to remember these are at least twice or three times the size and will be viewed from a long way away.  My models always look really good until I photograph them.  I am sure my figures deliberately roll in dust just before I appear.

[MrWolf]

I have the same problems, close up, my cut, draw filed and deburred bits of plastic look like they lost a fight with an airfield guard dog and were painted by the next guy to lose, just before he passed out.

We are all our own worst critics!

[MrWolf]

I have no idea what happened here... 

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by MrWolf
Sorry about that!

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, MrWolf said:

I have no idea what happened here... 

 

 

 

Nor have I.

[Nick Gough]

13 hours ago, ChrisN said:

 

Someone posted a picture of a carriage they had made/renewed/ modified and it was so far away it was difficult to see.  I assumed in the end that they were not happy with it.  They are always the best photos, especially if something else is in the way.

 

We all have to remember these are at least twice or three times the size and will be viewed from a long way away.  My models always look really good until I photograph them.  I am sure my figures deliberately roll in dust just before I appear.

 

13 hours ago, MrWolf said:

I have the same problems, close up, my cut, draw filed and deburred bits of plastic look like they lost a fight with an airfield guard dog and were painted by the next guy to lose, just before he passed out.

We are all our own worst critics!

 

Very true.

I find these photos can be useful for spotting something I have missed, but best not to dwell on them for too long!

[Nick Gough]

13 hours ago, MrWolf said:

I have no idea what happened here... 

 

 

 

Welcome to my world.

[Nick Gough]

Fixing glazing to the window frames:

 

1mm clear plasticard, using Glue 'n' Glaze.

Edited May 7, 2022 by Nick Gough