Dewchurch

[Gopher]

Summer has arrived in Dewchurch

[Gopher]

Dewchurch - Few more scenes 

[Gopher]

More Dewchurch scenes featuring Townstreet  buildings in the High Street, and wash day at a Wills Craftsman semi detached house.  Figures are mainly a mixture of Modelu, Langley,  and Dart casting/Montys.   I tend to weather everything that moves (or does not move), which makes static figures fair game.     

[Robert Stokes]

Some very good modelling there. Can you provide a track plan to put the scenes in context?

 

Robert

[Gopher]

Thanks Robert, your layout looks like it is progressing well. 

 

I am afraid I do not have a track plan, (nor the requisite skills to draw one).  The layout is based on a plan in David Jenkinson's - Historical Railway Modelling.  It is a fictitious location based in the west midlands, Western Region 1950s/early 60s.  Instead of a track plan I will post some photos which will hopefully put the scenes into context.   The layout is DCC, about 12 years old (but  subject to continuous improvement - mainly buildings, figures, scenery, rolling stock).  Terminus to fiddle yard arrangement.  00 gauge - SMP track, and Marcway points.  I built and wired the whole thing (apart from some baseboards).  I particularly enjoy the scenic side of modelling.   

 

First photo below shows view from fiddle yard looking at Harewood Halt.  Redundant  goods shed on right.  

 

Second photo is beyond road bridge seen in first photo.  Basically a bit of countryside with various kit buildings and one Scenecraft Dutch barn on right.  End of this section is another bridge with a scenic break.

 

Third photo - beyond scenic break entering Dewchurch.  Street scene with Townstreet Models half relief buildings. Wills semi detached house, and engine shed and misc buildings (Townstreet).    More to follow !        

[Gopher]

This photo shows rest of loco yard,  Townstreet Models sand house and Harburn Hobbies building, coal stage

[Gopher]

And there's more.

 

First photo below shows canal bridge at end of loco yard, and start of Dewchurch station.  Timber tracks signal box, Scenecraft water tank. Background industrial buildings are a mixture of scratch built, Skytrex, Townstreet.

 

Second photo shows station and station road beyond.  Buildings are a mixture of  scratch built, Townstreet, Timber tracks, Ten Commandments, Metcalfe  (only card kit on layout) Ratio station canopies. Wills platforms, Ratio cattle dock.

 

Third photo shows gas works (Hornby buildings and Walthers H0 gas holder, plus some misc pipework added by me),  Goods yard beyond with Timber tracks good shed.   One more photo to follow 

[Gopher]

Final photo on track plan - shows goods yard behind gas holder.

 

Layout is basically a horse shoe along three sides of a room - approx 11ft 6in by 7ft.   

 

Other photos - show some loco shed scenes

Edited March 4, 2020 by Gopher

[Gopher]

Couple of examples of my attempts at weathering rolling stock - in this case Bachmann wagons 

[88C]

A very impressive layout, there is a definite feel of reality to it. Well done.

 

Brian.

[Gopher]

Thank you Brian.  I keep plugging away and hopefully improving my modelling skills (as long as you do not look below the baseboards at my "interesting" wiring) !  All seems to work though.

 

Few photos of Harewood signal box - Ratio kit.  

[Bogie]

There is a very good reason why the wiring is below the baseboards - whether interesting or not!

[Gopher]

True, although I have seen some layouts where the wiring is such a work of art, the layout should be displayed upside down !

 

Couple more misc station scenes - goods shed (with of course a dozing porter), and bay platform/carriage sidings

 

 

[Gopher]

A few goods yard scenes.

 

8F arriving with short freight (surely the guard should be in the rear brake van) !  

 

Cattle dock at rear of goods shed.  Ratio fencing on scratch built platform.

 

View along coal siding

 

 

 

[The Johnster]

We can assume for the sake of the photo that the brake van coupled to the 8F is part of a running around or shunting movement, and that the guard has just taken in the side lamps and is about to do the same to the tail lamp which also should not be there otherwise...

 

This is very impressive modelling, Mr Gopher sir, and the weathering is faultless.  A really good layout, which this undoubtedly is, maintains a standard and a general 'look' throughout so that the whole scene presented comes together in a whole greater than the sum of the parts, but nevertheless the parts are cameos capable of standing scrutiny in their own right.  Did that make sense or am entering the Long Dark Sunday Teatime of the Soul.

[Neil]

Lovely model making Gopher; my favourite image is the platform scene with the passengers looking out towards the Gresley buffet car. In the spirit of constructive criticism could I suggest that you take a look at the signal box name board. It's the only thing that jars on an otherwise excellent layout.

[Gopher]

Johnster - thanks for the comments and explanation (wish I'd thought of it) ,  of course you are totally correct !  I remember you posting - "The guard is the man, who rides in the van, the van at the back of the train.   The driver up front, thinks the guards a right " - (better leave it there) !  So maybe the guard thought he had better keep a closer eye on the driver.  However still does not explain the incorrect lamp. 

 

Yes you made sense,  I try for consistency in everything I model and weather, of course does not always go to plan.

 

Neil - thanks for the comments.  I agree, I think I vaguely remembered (or think I remembered),  Signal box name plates on the Western region - in faded chocolate and cream, so I tried to replicate this using my trusty ink jet printer.  The font also looks odd, so will replace the name board, and revert to white font on a black background.

 

Few more images - grounded coach body at loco depot. I'd like to think used for mutual improvement classes, but doubt my depot is big enough.  Having said that the coach body has clearly seen better days and would benefit from mutual improvement.  

 

Couple of engines on shed -  G2A, and GWR 28xx.   Signal is off for loco leaving shed.  All the signals on the layout work.  Majority are Ratio kits purchased via an ad in Railway Modeller years ago.  They were made by Derek Gibbs.  Derek fitted solenoids under each signal to activate them.   Simple but work very well.  There are also three Dapol signals, including the new junction signal - which I think is excellent, but needs a bit of space under the baseboard for the control unit.   There are also two Eckon colour light signals.        

 

Disused goods shed at Harewood Halt.     

 

            

Edited March 27, 2020 by Gopher
Should be Derek Gibbs not Ken Gibbs

[The Johnster]

Somebody, can’t recall who off hand at the moment, does GW signal box nameboards wit plastic letters which are not only the correct font but provide the correct relief; the GW used cast iron letters and always ended in ‘signal box’, not ‘box’ or ‘cabin’ as sometimes seen on lesser railways. 
 

This reminds me that my own signal box needs a nameboard, and the station needs a proper GW running in board. 

[sigtech]

GWR pattern signalbox  nameboard -  plastic kit was made by Coopercraft - BUT obtainable from Gaugemaster, sold as kit no.2008, with enough letters ( in black plastic ) to make up to 4 GWR pattern signalbox nameplates, ( each plate has the letters 'SIGNAL BOX' already fitted to the RH end, you just have to make up the name and then fit the individual letters to the blank LH end, shortening the plate if required. Very fiddly, but worth the effort. Then paint the surround and letters white, affix to box and your done...

 

Alternatively, 'Scale Model Scenery' make LX093 oo gauge laser engraved signalbox nameplates, you just tell them the name of the signal box wanted when you order it online. £4.94

https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/lx093-oo-laser-engraved-signal-box-nameplates-oo4mm176-1081-p.asp

Regards,

SIGTECH

Steve.

[5BarVT]

1 hour ago, The Johnster said:

the GW used cast iron letters and always ended in ‘signal box’, not ‘box’ or ‘cabin’ as sometimes seen on lesser railways. 

Agreed. . . . But (there’s always a but!).

There were some longer ones that were just ‘BOX’,  Taunton West Station, Taunton West Junction definitely, I think Taunton East Junction and possibly, for a full set, Taunton East Station.  I was told, but can’t confirm the accuracy that one of them was Signal Box on one side and Box on the other!

But Johnster is right: Signal Box for GWR almost without exception.

Paul.

[Gopher]

Thanks All.  I opted for  the Scale Model Scenery nameboards. I did not realise they produced them - so thankyou Steve.  I used the Coopercraft nameboards on previous layouts.  I was never totally happy with the results I achieved (never managed to get the letters aligned properly).

 

Couple more images - late night shopping in Dewchurch - Not sure if there was such a thing back in the l950s/60s. 

 

Local ganger stops for a chat. 

 

 

  

[Gopher]

Western Enterprise - (Dapol Model), about to leave Dewchurch station on an express train.

 

Shed cleaners working hard on 47xx loco (Heljan model).  

[Banger Blue]

On 17/02/2020 at 15:27, The Johnster said:

Somebody, can’t recall who off hand at the moment, does GW signal box nameboards wit plastic letters which are not only the correct font but provide the correct relief; the GW used cast iron letters and always ended in ‘signal box’, not ‘box’ or ‘cabin’ as sometimes seen on lesser railways. 
 

This reminds me that my own signal box needs a nameboard, and the station needs a proper GW running in board. 

 

On 17/02/2020 at 16:10, sigtech said:

GWR pattern signalbox  nameboard -  plastic kit was made by Coopercraft - BUT obtainable from Gaugemaster, sold as kit no.2008, with enough letters ( in black plastic ) to make up to 4 GWR pattern signalbox nameplates, ( each plate has the letters 'SIGNAL BOX' already fitted to the RH end, you just have to make up the name and then fit the individual letters to the blank LH end, shortening the plate if required. Very fiddly, but worth the effort. Then paint the surround and letters white, affix to box and your done...

 

Alternatively, 'Scale Model Scenery' make LX093 oo gauge laser engraved signalbox nameplates, you just tell them the name of the signal box wanted when you order it online. £4.94

https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/lx093-oo-laser-engraved-signal-box-nameplates-oo4mm176-1081-p.asp

Regards,

SIGTECH

Steve.

 

On 17/02/2020 at 17:25, 5BarVT said:

Agreed. . . . But (there’s always a but!).

There were some longer ones that were just ‘BOX’,  Taunton West Station, Taunton West Junction definitely, I think Taunton East Junction and possibly, for a full set, Taunton East Station.  I was told, but can’t confirm the accuracy that one of them was Signal Box on one side and Box on the other!

But Johnster is right: Signal Box for GWR almost without exception.

Paul.

Always an exception ! The Signal Box on Witney Station on the Fairford Branch just had “Witney Station Box” on it’s nameboard. It’s on display (or was) in the foyer of the signalling museum at Didcot Railway Centre.

 

Another vote here for the Scale Model Scenery laser engraved board mentioned by Sigtech.

 

Really enjoyed your photo’s of your layout and look forward to more.

[Phil Bullock]

On 17/02/2020 at 15:27, The Johnster said:

Somebody, can’t recall who off hand at the moment, does GW signal box nameboards wit plastic letters which are not only the correct font but provide the correct relief; the GW used cast iron letters and always ended in ‘signal box’, not ‘box’ or ‘cabin’ as sometimes seen on lesser railways. 
 

This reminds me that my own signal box needs a nameboard, and the station needs a proper GW running in board. 

 

Narrow Planet have done excellent etched signal box nameboards for us

 

Just like the real thing!

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Phil Bullock

[gwrrob]

17 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said:

 

Narrow Planet have done excellent etched signal box nameboards for us

 

Just like the real thing!

 

 

Guilplates too, highly recommended.