York station in the 1950's.

[kirtleypete]

Well, I promised Rose Bay Willow Herb so here it is. I was a bit concerned about making it too tall but as there is some in my back garden I had no excuse...it's nearly seven feet tall! 

 

 

I used scatter from Green Scene, mixing three different shades of pink to give variation for the flowers.  I cut lengths of 1mm brass wire about 30mm long, and put impact adhesive around the middle first, rolling it in the green scatter.  Then I did the same with the top using the pink scatter. The bottom third of the wire will go into the ground to secure them. 

 

For once I was thinking ahead; when I made the river bank I put in lengths of foam behind the plastic wall so all I have to do now is push the wire into the foam with a dab of glue on it.  It will have to wait though as I've just put a coat of varnish on the river.

 

 

Peter

[kirtleypete]

Unfortunately the second coat of varnish I have put on the river has done this:

 

 

There's nothing I can do while it's wet, I'll sort it out in the morning if it's dry enough.

 

Peter

 

 

[Rowsley17D]

29 minutes ago, kirtleypete said:

Unfortunately the second coat of varnish I have put on the river has done this:

 

Bu&&er

[kirtleypete]

It must be that discharge going into the river!!

Peter

[iands]

Might be a bit fiddly, but paint them brown and pretend it's just the remains of a couple of fallen trees floating down stream - not an uncommon occurance for York. 

[hmrspaul]

Another topic led me to these - if the model is autumn/winter then York is full of Canada Geese - or it is these days. https://miniprints.ca/product/canada-geese/  I don't think the now numerous Greylags would have been common 60 years ago. For reasons I don't really comprehend the scientists insist the Greylags are an introduced species. 

 

Paul

[kirtleypete]

I've got sunflowers in one of the gardens so that pretty much sets the season.  I have bought a pack of ducks and swans but they'll have to wait until the last layer of varnish is in place. 

 

Peter

[kirtleypete]

I don't know if you've been watching the Bob Ross painting programmes on BBC4, but one of his favourite phrases is 'we don't make mistakes, we have happy accidents'. Having had a happy accident with the river, this is what I've done:

 

 

I decided not to try and rub down the crazed areas as that could just make things worse. Instead I brushed on a thin layer of gloss varnish, and while it was wet sprinkled on areas of brown and green weathering powders. I'd intended to do this anyway, although ideally at a later stage.

 

When this was dry I brushed on another coat of varnish:

 

 

This gives a much more varied look to the river, although too much so at this stage.

 

When that varnish was dry I misted on some areas of brown from a spray can which blends the colours together:

 

 

That was allowed to dry and then another coat of varnish was brushed on; the different levels are building up now and it shows in the water.

 

 

I splashed some varnish on the banks at each side, which can be covered over when it's dry. Another happy accident! 

 

The river is beginning to look like I want it, and after another half dozen or so coats of varnish should be about finished. 

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hmrspaul]

1 hour ago, kirtleypete said:

I've got sunflowers in one of the gardens so that pretty much sets the season.  I have bought a pack of ducks and swans but they'll have to wait until the last layer of varnish is in place. 

 

Peter

Looking at the Cornell Uni site they are in North Yorkshire all year round. https://ebird.org/region/GB-ENG-NYK/media?yr=all&m=

 

Its very difficult to judge what urban birds would have been around 60 years ago. There has been a huge change in bird populations - and not all to the bad

 

Paul

[kirtleypete]

The river is looking like I want it now:

 

 

I know that the real Ouse may not have weed in it like this but it's a way of suggesting the flowing water on a static model. A few more coats of varnish and it will be finished. 

 

In the meantime I've begun work on the Leeman Road bridge:

 

 

We have a small problem in that we haven't space for the building erected in 1912 adjacent to the bridge so we're moving it to the other side of the road where there is more room. 

 

 

 

It's a much better option than simply leaving it off altogether.

 

Peter

[kirtleypete]

The bridge is finished apart from the road surface which I'm going to do with a different printed sheet to give a better colour.

 

 

It will just slot into place, hopefully. 

 

 

I originally tried using brickwork done from a picture of the real thing, but it looked awful......sometimes you have to ignore reality and use what looks right. 

 

Added later:

 

I've taken off the 'KEEP LEFT' sign as it looks like it's directing traffic along the pedestrian tunnel. I've also modified the central pier which was not just a simple rectangle.

 

 

Peter

 

 

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by kirtleypete

[waggy]

Hi Peter.

Just found this  thread, wow your modelling is unbelievable. 

There was a wooden kiosk  on the grassed area to the right of  Leeman Road bridge that sold Newspapers, sweets and probably cigarettes, i remember buying sweets there after bunking York shed in 1969, it was still there when i moved to York in 1976 think it went in the 80's.

i would have thought it would have been there in the 50's, i would imagine hundreds of Railwaymen .would have passed it everyday.

 

Graham

[iands]

It all seems to be coming along very nicely Peter, your hard work and modelling skills clearly evident. 

One point re your latest photo on the bridge, where you have the grass bank coming down to the footpath adjacent to the bridge abutment, there used to be a kiosk that sold papers, cigs, etc. I used to use it on a daily basis at one time. I'm sure there will be photos of it before it was demolished in the late 90s early 00s.

 

Damn, waggy beat me to it. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by iands
Further comment.

[kirtleypete]

A challenge! If I build it from imagination a picture will turn up, and if I wait to find a picture we could be here a long time.  I think a search for a picture is needed first, so thanks for the information chaps,

 

Peter

[kirtleypete]

Isn't the internet wonderful!!

Peter

 

[iands]

Damn, beaten to it again - twice in one day, and on the same thread! 

Can't tell what the colour scheme is from the b/w photo, but it's last colour scheme was red and white - I think the last paint scheme was "sponsored" by the York Evening Press. 

[kirtleypete]

You don't know what colour the Tower Ales sign was by any chance? I'm going to add it to the bridge,

 

Peter

[Mark Saunders]

1 hour ago, kirtleypete said:

Isn't the internet wonderful!!

Peter

 

The kiosk survived till the 1990’s complete with vintage cigarette machine!

 

locally known as Marble Arch !

Edited October 27, 2020 by Mark Saunders
Editing

[iands]

8 minutes ago, kirtleypete said:

You don't know what colour the Tower Ales sign was by any chance? I'm going to add it to the bridge,

 

Peter

Sorry Peter, the sign must have been before my time as I can't remember it.

[kirtleypete]

I'll do the sign in green and then someone can tell me it's wrong!

 

 

 

The odd thing is that none of the OS maps seem to show the shops at all...in 1931 the site was empty and by 1938 the sorting office had opened. I wonder if they were built without planning permission and never officially existed?

 

 

 

There's always more to find out!

Peter

Edited October 27, 2020 by kirtleypete

[iands]

Just now, kirtleypete said:

I'll do the sign in green and then someone can tell me it's wrong!

Peter

Peter, have a look at the following link, it may give you and idea what colour to use, not sure green would be the correct colour, but I guess the choice is yours to make.

http://breweryhistory.com/wiki/index.php?title=Tadcaster_Tower_Brewery_Co._Ltd

[kirtleypete]

You beat me this time Ian! I've had a look but it doesn't help much; I went for green because the brewery became John Smith's and their house colour is green. 

 

It would help to have a date for the photo; it's post 1930 because that's when the road signs were introduced, but beyond that I don't know. 

 

Peter

Edited October 27, 2020 by kirtleypete

[iands]

12 minutes ago, kirtleypete said:

You beat me this time Ian! I've had a look but it doesn't help much; I went for green because the brewery became John Smith's and their house colour is green. 

 

It would help to have a date for the photo; it's post 1930 because that's when the road signs were introduced, but beyond that I don't know. 

 

Peter

I thought the Tower Brewery became Bass Charringtons not John Smiths?. 3 breweries in Tadcaster, John Smiths, Sam Smiths and Bass Charringtons - however, these days they may may well all be one concern - well may be not Sam Smiths.

[kirtleypete]

I didn't realise there were three - that may well be right as John Smiths go way back as a firm. I must say I prefer a pint of Bass! In that case the background would have been red.

 

Here we go:

 

 

I've made it look a bit faded as well.

 

Going back to the shop being red and white - aren't they the York City FC colours?

Peter

 

Peter

 

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by kirtleypete

[kirtleypete]

Now I know why I didn't recognise the third brewery - it brews Heineken!

Peter