Memories

[MyRule1]

Facing a winter of lockdown I thought I should finally get around to some layout construction. The final destination for my layouts will be a yet to be built extension to our house so in the meantime space is very limited. My scheme is to build a number of micro layouts / working dioramas which can ultimately be including in the final layout.

 

Over the years I have built up two collections - an 00 gauge collection of military railway items and a n gauge collection which represents my memories of train travelling over the years - although there is a pre history my adult interest, and travelling, started in the Autumn of 1970 when I commenced commuting into Liverpool Street on the Bishops Stortford line. Therefore this project will also mark that 50th anniversary. I did not start taking photo's until the summer of 1971.

 

The first micro layout reflects my interest in freight and in particular one traffic that seems to have interested many modellers. I only have three pictures reflecting this:

 

Taken from the widow of a passing train - Class 37 6831 on a Milk train at Seven Kings

 

In May 1973, when living at Reading an evening of photography produced two shots of the same train

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next post will follow fairly quickly and describe the WIP of the micro layout

 

[MyRule1]

In the back of my mind I thought I did have another picture of a Milk train. It's a very poor photo but does show 341001 on a milk train at Stratford

 

[MyRule1]

Progress to date.

 

The "baseboard" is a 10cm deep section of 5mm foamboard. The length of 86cm was set through looking at various prototype sidings and deciding what looked right. I wanted to avoid using set track points and 9in radius curves.

 

At the moment everything on the layout is from my spares collection and the buildings are a mixture of Scalescenes  and home built. The dairy is a scanned and downsized version of the one that came with Hornby Magazine some time in March 2019 the warehouse is from the Industrial Boxfiles download which will form a later builds.

 

Next stage is apply some foliage around the layout and also install the fencing. The fencing has not come from the spares box but has been purchased separately.

 

 

The Class 121 DMU is a kit which has been languishing  unbuilt for many years. It is unpowered but will feature in a later planned build.

[MyRule1]

Making the most of my allowed exercise I photographed some local scenes today,  This has allowed me to start experimenting with home made photographic backscenes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next stage will be to use Adobe Elements to merge the pictures. I use an 3 printer so I will only need one join.

 

One thing I did not mention earlier, but is visible in these shots is that I am using Kato track to join the modules together with fiddle yards also built of Kato track.

[MyRule1]

As I mentioned in another thread this has arrived in the post

 

 

and contains details for the basis of my next micro layout based on the theme of memories.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

32 minutes ago, MyRule1 said:

As I mentioned in another thread this has arrived in the post

 

 

and contains details for the basis of my next micro layout based on the theme of memories.

35p!

[MyRule1]

The first of these Micro Layouts is not complete:

 

I purchased some cheap fencing off e-bay, not to bad but I did feel the slightly orange (to my eyes) colour needed toning down.

 

 

As to the layout, the photo background was ditched as Mrs Myrule1 asked if she could contribute that element.

 

Here is the finished article:

 

Now onto my second build, taken from the RM shown above.

[MyRule1]

Now that layout one is safely stored away until it can be incorporated into the running layout I am turning to number 2.

 

Unlike layout one which was entirely fictitious this one will be based on a real location it only contains one building and straight trackwork.  The drawings of the building appearing in the above copy of Railway Modeller.

 

That chosen location being Plockton - two stations before Kyle of Localsh.

 

Why Plockton you may well ask? Well it's all to do with the theme of Memories...

 

Most years (with the exception of this one) Mrs Myrule1 and I have used a regional railrover as one of our holidays and out favourite is the HIGHLAND ROVER splitting the days between being based in Inverness and somewhere on the West Coast Oban/Mallaig etc. Most of the stations we use tend to be termini or largish stations which do not suit themselves to a Micro layout.

 

On our most recent trip we took the train to Kyle and our plan there was to take a wildlife spotting boat trip and then get the afternon train back to Inverness. When we called the boat company from the train they confirmed the trip was on that day and we were about to book when he said that due to issues the boat would depart from Skye and not the mainland - and he would not hold the boat for train passengers. We could risk getting a taxi but he still would not wait. Therefore our plans for the rest of the day had to change. We could either get the same train back (12:08)  however the following train as at 13:46 and the last at  17:15 (our original plan). Looking at the local information we decided the best option was to travel on the 12:08 to Plockton and after wandering around the area around Plockton station to get the 13:46 back to Inverness. This is where is Scottish weather hit us. It was sunny in Kyle but about 15 minutes in Plockton it poured with rain!  We did find a small Fish & Chip shop but the owner said he was licenced for take away only! However he did relent and allow us to eat in. The rain did manage to stop just as we got back to the station. 

 

For those memories Plockton became the choice for my Scottish micro layout. There was another possible choice but I will leave that story until a later post.

 

I have actually got some modelling done.

 

 

A scan of the RM plans have been attached to some plastic card and I have made a start with cutting the windows and doors out. My knife of choice for this task is a snap-off knife which come in packs from a poundshop. You get through blades quickly but at that price it's not an issue,

[MyRule1]

Doesn't time fly - I did not realise it was over a week since the last update.

 

 

The basic structure of the main (only?) building is now complete. The main change to the "real" Plockton is that I have printed the window frames, on OHP transparencies, in green whereas the actual ones are white. Its nearly 20 years since I had access to a printer that would print white.

[MyRule1]

Ran a gauging train through this evening to set the platform edges and bridge.

 

 

I know Class 170's do not run on the Kyle line! At the moment the only suitable loco I have is a Class 37 but my visits have been on 158's and (in the 1970's) behind a Class 26. Neither of which I currently own. My budget will not run to paying nearly £200 for the new Farish 158 but I am hoping that when it arrives the used price of the older model will drop.

[MyRule1]

Work progresses with the basic landscaping built using a mixture of foamboard and card. I am happy with the robustness of the structure. Work will now start on the level surfaces - the road and the platform using the card at the front of the shots.

 

 

Although completion of this diorama is still some way off, thoughts have turned to the next one. I would like to get that finished in one day less than a month from now as I have a strong feeling Christmas might see the arrival of a certain Farish set that was on offer recently from a well known retailer west of the Tamar.

[MyRule1]

Most of the basic infrastructure is now in place - it's very useful the Google street view has covered Plockton as this has helped with some details I did not photograph when I was there.

 

Testing of the platform clearances prior to ballasting .

 

Noch ballast used, rather expensive and not my normal choice, but I must admit I have Amazon Prime membership and next day delivery outweighed travelling to an LMS (30 mile return journey) or paying postage on a cheaper item. Ballast applied using normal PVA / water mixture

 

 

I am happy with the results. Now to move onto the messy task of completing the landscaping using plaster. At least at the moment I have plentiful supply of disposable gloves at hand.

 

While waiting for the plaster to dry I will probably finish the station roof.

[Sweet pea]

Your layout is progressing nicely, looking forward to seeing more of your layout.

[MyRule1]

Messy job of applying plaster is now complete

 

 

I now need to match the soil colour. I find it odd that in many cases modellers spend plenty of time on certain details but may ignore certain issues such as the colour of soil or variations in foliage. For l alter project I am currently taking monthly photo's of a scene, marking noting what the weather has been like for the previous week so that when the model is constructed I can choose a suitable season.

 

For Plockton this is the look I am aiming for:

 

 

These are my pictures, I do have others copied from the internet which I am also using for reference.

Edited December 6, 2020 by MyRule1
added pictures

[MyRule1]

Delay in posting - part of this was down to Royal Mail taking over 10 days to deliver a first class letter containing the 3d printed stanchions for the canopy. Here is a shot the  station as it is now.

 

 

Work also started on the  last phase of this project which is a custom made board holding the Kato Unitrack and which will contain the three modules.

 

 

As this layout is about my memories of 50 years active train travel etc.. There was only one subject for the main module and this is Network SouthEast and more specifically the West Anglia line. This was a line that I spent around 30 years commuting on. As for much of the length south of Bishop's Stortford it follows the Lea and Stort rivers I had to have a river on the layout. This is loosely based on Spellbrook level crossing but a mill has been added.

 

To keep up tradition each year I have a railway related December gift and this year one the Farish Capital Connect set was on offer from a number of retailers. With the current prices for the Farish NSE stock the price paid for the set seemed good value. Again another retailer had a NSE Mk1 BSK at a reasonable rate to add to the train length.

Work continues on this and I have a new deadline as tomorrow building work should start on a dedicated railway room and this time in this layout will have to be shared with the fruition of a 30 year ambition for a OO layout. The building work does include the construction of the baseboards!