Popular Post kirmies Posted January 5, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 5, 2021 (edited) HAPPY NEW YEAR! At a time when we've just gone back in lockdown I think we all need things to look forward to so I’m making my latest project public on here in the hope that it might interest, entertain or even amuse a few people. To put it in a nutshell I’m building a 2mm finescale exhibition layout of York Station which will make its first public appearance at York Show Easter 2022 2023 - see post 30/12/21. Regular attenders at exhibitions over the last 15 years or so may well have come across my previous layouts: Blea Moor – transition era Settle & Carlisle in finescale OO: and, up until about a year ago and back at exhibitions again soon, Laramie Engine Terminal – 1950s Union Pacific in American O scale: The new layout (provisionally named ‘This is York’ - the name occurred to me before I discovered there's a BTC film of the same name) will take design elements from both these layouts to present the view from the INSIDE of the overall roof of York Station during the LNER days of the 1930s: The view is the one you get when standing on the platform by the entrance to the station. The roof will be 'peeled open' (as seen in the photo) to allow this view. The open air parts of the platforms will be visible through the ends of the roof which will be modelled uncompressed. The current position is that a full sized mock up has been built (photo above), the fiddle yard is built and working, some stock is built and much more is part built. So there is MUCH to do! More will follow……... Edited April 11, 2023 by kirmies Changing heading 38 2 3 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted January 5, 2021 Share Posted January 5, 2021 At first I thought you were proposing the whole station in 2mm by Easter 2022 - but it's the bit under the main trainshed. Looking forward to seeing it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DavidLong Posted January 5, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 5, 2021 Oh dear, more sweat shop working on the coaching stock front for John Aldrick "Drop the Great Western, John, we need teak, more teak!" David 1 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium CF MRC Posted January 5, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 5, 2021 Could always put it at the RH end of CF and run through trains. Tim 5 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted January 5, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 5, 2021 Great idea Pete.. should get invites to a lot of shows. Baz 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Andy Ross Posted January 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2021 So the secret is out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted January 6, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 6, 2021 Oh, lovely, quite a project, and something a 'bit different' - excellent. Just playing my copy of Peter Handford's 'This is York' EP for the atmosphere..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirmies Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 Thanks for the positive feedback, likes etc. Yes, John (of the Aldrick) variety is already being encouraged (temporarily) away from the chocolate & cream straight and narrow but then the fiddle yard I’ve built is for both this and Ivybridge so I’m owed a favour or two there. Also, one of the advantages of York is that trains from all 4 grouping companies were seen there so some of his GW stock will be welcomed. Tim, it had already occurred to me that This is York and CF would make a good ‘double act’ somewhere sometime. Depending on how stock building goes this year I may need to enter into discussions about whether the ‘CF stock library’ does short term loans! More soon....... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin1985 Posted January 6, 2021 Share Posted January 6, 2021 22 hours ago, kirmies said: The view is the one you get when standing on the platform by the entrance to the station. The roof will be 'peeled open' (as seen in the photo) to allow this view. The open air parts of the platforms will be visible through the ends of the roof which will be modelled uncompressed. Fascinating! By "unpeeled", am I right in interpreting your photo as meaning two of the arch spans have been combined through the central part, but left "as nature intended" at the ends (pillars visible)? To my eye, the transition from two spans with pillar to single wide span gives it a very contemporary look - like some kind of architectural project by Zaha Hadid ! Or will the central row of columns be represented/suggested in some other way? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted January 6, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 6, 2021 ........ about as far removed from a GW branch terminus in West Cornwall as you can get! A fabulous project Pete. I'm looking forward to seeing it almost as much as getting back to York itself - sans Brigantes:-( I have a Midland rake .......... :-) Jerry 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirmies Posted January 6, 2021 Author Share Posted January 6, 2021 (edited) Justin 1985 - you are exactly right in your description and it prompts me to describe it in a bit more detail as it's clear to me what I'm aiming for but it might not be so clear to others. Here are a couple more pictures of the mock up: As you say, the roof is as in real life at either end and peeling up in between to enable a view in (the pillars are only 15ft tall so a viewing window through those would be a little too narrow in 2mm). The taper down from the open middle to the ends is not quite right on the mock up (and this is about the 3rd attempt) but, once I've nailed it, it should be immediately apparent to the viewer what's going on. I've only built about 1/3rd of the roof beams for the mock up - enough to satisfy me that the idea works. These were cut from plastikard with a craft cutter but for the actual model will be etched - much stronger and better detailed. The similarity with modern architecture isn't something I'd thought of but I'll take a comparison with of Zaha Hadid's work any day! Here's a plan of what's being modelled laid over a plan of the real roof: The 'viewing window' is the length of the overall roof and the 'open air' parts of the platforms either side will be seen only through the arched ends of the roof. Baseboards will be high (as on Laramie) - about 54" so you'll be looking in rather than down (I'll carry a periscope - as I do with Laramie - for anyone who finds this difficult height wise). The footbridge and signal box will definitely be modelled and the hotel and foyer area definitely won't. I'm tending to think I won't model the parts of the entrance building on either side of the footbridge as they would block the view. Likewise the columns between the outer 2 arches won't be there though I may end up representing both of these in outline on the platform surface - not sure yet. Edited May 31, 2022 by kirmies re-adding photos 16 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofty.ian Posted January 7, 2021 Share Posted January 7, 2021 A facinating idea, I look forward to seeing it (some day). A bit different from Laramie. Lofty 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirtleypete Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 I'm going to enjoy watching this develop alongside my 4mm version; I think a visit to York is going to be called for in 2022 around Easter! Modelling York seems to be flavour of the month......is anyone going to tackle it in 7mm?! Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirmies Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 (edited) Two of a batch of 17 Gresley coaches I've just finished - Brake 3rd D114 & Composite D137 - built using Chris Higgs' Masterpiece Models replacement sides. This process has taught me 2 things: Building coaches using replacement sides is definitely quicker than building complete coaches Whilst batch building saves time, a batch of 17 is FAR too big - at virtually every stage I reached a point (around coach 6 or 7) when the will to continue started to fade! Edited May 31, 2022 by kirmies Re-adding photos 14 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted January 27, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 27, 2021 Look very nice Pete.. yes my batch building days are over.. after building 24 Iron Ore wagons in one go.. I was dreaming about them! Baz 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kirmies Posted January 27, 2021 Author Share Posted January 27, 2021 The big (and blindingly obvious) advantage of batch building is of course.......you end up with a whole batch of stuff built. You also get a great feeling of achievement when they’re finished! I reckon a maximum batch size of around 6 is more manageable (and better for the sanity!). And, in case anyone was wondering, these were etched replacement sides on Dapol Gresley coaches. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted January 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2021 On 27/01/2021 at 14:32, kirmies said: The big (and blindingly obvious) advantage of batch building is of course.......you end up with a whole batch of stuff built. You also get a great feeling of achievement when they’re finished! I reckon a maximum batch size of around 6 is more manageable (and better for the sanity!). And, in case anyone was wondering, these were etched replacement sides on Dapol Gresley coaches. Youre absolutely right Pete. I recently did thirty odd North Somerset PO wagons. I kept telling myself it might be lots of wagons but it's still only one train! cheers Jerry 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kylestrome Posted January 29, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 29, 2021 Your mock-up gives the impression of perspective as seen through an ultra-wide camera lens. I can imagine that there will be a certain viewpoint where you will have the feeling of actually being inside the the train shed. Happy modelling. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Bold, imaginative and quite bonkers... I love it! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kirmies Posted February 9, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 9, 2021 (edited) More from the recently completed batch of Gresley coaches - all Dapol fitted with Chris Higgs' Masterpiece Models etched sides: A pair of D155 corridor thirds destined for the Flying Scotsman set. A pair of D27A open thirds. Two D130 composites. A couple of brake thirds (D212 & D37A) And, finally, a two full brakes (D43 & D113). These last should be riding on Fox bogies and will be when I get round to building some! I'm pretty pleased with the teak finish I've managed to get with these - could perhaps do with being a little darker (though they aren't quite as pale as these photos show) and definitely could do with more variety of shade both between panels and coaches. I very much realise these are the 'low hanging fruit' - the next 30 coaches will be much harder work being mostly pre-grouping so will either be etched kits shot down from 4mm or drawn for etching myself. Next on the agenda some locos to pull them...... Edited May 31, 2022 by kirmies re-adding photos 28 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post kirmies Posted February 11, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 11, 2021 Quite an exciting day for 'THIS IS YORK' - the first test etches for the roof beams have arrived: I love getting a new sheet of etches - having spent hours drawing it up, sent it off, and then waited, suddenly, and slightly magically, there it all is crisp, shiny and jewel like. Usually, with me at least, there are some errors and today's sheet is no exception. So far, I haven't spotted any serious ones and, anyway, I was expecting to have to do a couple of test etches to get these beams right - they are quite complicated and, as can be seen, not the easiest to fit onto a rectangular sheet. The aim with this first test was to establish proof of method and correct any errors. Then, in theory at least, a second test etch before sending a bulk order for the whole of the rest of the roof. Photos of test build to follow! 22 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Andy Ross Posted February 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2021 Looks good. I was struggling to work out what some of the shapes were for but I think I have worked most of it out. looking forward to seeing it assembled. I am also waiting for etches for bits for the engine works. Hopefully they will arrive next week. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold queensquare Posted February 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Trams and Locos said: Looks good. I was struggling to work out what some of the shapes were for but I think I have worked most of it out. looking forward to seeing it assembled. I am also waiting for etches for bits for the engine works. Hopefully they will arrive next week. Just worked out who this is. Hello dear boy, look forward to catching up when we are allowed out to play again, Jerry 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Andy Ross Posted February 11, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2021 Hi Jerry i look forward to seeing you. All being well at Steam in September. Andy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradfordbuffer Posted February 13, 2021 Share Posted February 13, 2021 On 11/02/2021 at 16:36, kirmies said: Quite an exciting day for 'THIS IS YORK' - the first test etches for the roof beams have arrived: I love getting a new sheet of etches - having spent hours drawing it up, sent it off, and then waited, suddenly, and slightly magically, there it all is crisp, shiny and jewel like. Usually, with me at least, there are some errors and today's sheet is no exception. So far, I haven't spotted any serious ones and, anyway, I was expecting to have to do a couple of test etches to get these beams right - they are quite complicated and, as can be seen, not the easiest to fit onto a rectangular sheet. The aim with this first test was to establish proof of method and correct any errors. Then, in theory at least, a second test etch before sending a bulk order for the whole of the rest of the roof. Photos of test build to follow! I'm I alone in my view that shiny etched in brass or nickel that when done right have a fascination all on there own in the 2d true works of art...is it the modelers fascination/ asperation of models to be made why etched are almost a collectable! Oh just me them....I'm off to look in my etch brass draw ! Corrr lovely etch! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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