Popular Post SouthernBlue80s Posted January 28, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted January 28, 2021 (edited) Well. I have not run this as a layout for a long time. The track is dirty one of the points has packed up. It really needs a fiddle yard which I don't have room for. And operating stuff is pretty limited on a layout this size. I seem to be using it as a diorama these days. If one day, I have the room I will build a bigger operational layout. Untill that time, this has been disconnected. I don't want to start again as so much work has been put into it. And some bits I am pleased with such as much of yard shown here. However this layout or I should now say diorama was a big learning curve and there are bits I really am not happy with. So seeing as Covid has forcibly retired me. Drastic surgery is going to be undertaken. Below is an overview of how it looks now. You can see l don't have much room. Firstly the disused engine shed and the wall block the view of the fuel point. Also the engine shed has some disused track coming out of it which doesn't make much sense in relation to the rest of the layout. So all that lot pictures below is being pulled up Also the fuel road has no buffer stop. So it will have one, I have placed one in situ and all the ground around here will need reworking. The new more open view. The engine shed needs reworking but it's new position is here to one edge of the yard. It looks way better there. There is lots more to do. Including a major rebuild and extension of this So that's the background to it. I am hoping by the end of it all I will have a more realistic set up Cheers Steve. Tomorrow. Engine shed rebuild and placement...will post pics. Edited February 10, 2022 by SouthernBlue80s 23 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechnicArrow Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 I'm not really sure how, but I seem to have missed this layout up until now! I love the amount of atmosphere you've built here, and it ties into the photographic backscene really well. Your modificiations already look better, it will be excellent when they're properly bedded in. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 (edited) 58 minutes ago, TechnicArrow said: I'm not really sure how, but I seem to have missed this layout up until now! I love the amount of atmosphere you've built here, and it ties into the photographic backscene really well. Your modificiations already look better, it will be excellent when they're properly bedded in. A few more atmosphere pics. It is 1980 - 1985. Often with more of a Western/Southern feel but I stick all sorts on there. All the stock is weathered and complete. I have had a few bad nights so have felt to tired to touch it today. But hopefully this weekend I will get cracking. Edited January 29, 2021 by SouthernBlue80s 14 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold simonmcp Posted January 29, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2021 36 minutes ago, SouthernBlue80s said: A few more atmosphere pics. It is 1980 - 1985. Often with more of a Western/Southern feel but I stick all sorts on there. All the stock is weathered and complete. I have had a few bad nights so have felt to tired to touch it today. But hopefully this weekend I will get cracking. That's the most realistic 08 I've ever seen, the layout looks amazing and your weathering is superb. Is there another thread detailing the original build? I would love to see more of your work. Simon 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 Hi Simon I am glad you like it. The link below shows it when it worked. The weathering on much of the stock shown has now been improved from what you see in the pictures. For example on the TTAs. It had kind of grown slowly. It is actually 3 boards bolted together. I turned it around. Took down the wall behind the stabling point. So it has really been messed about with over the years. So I am thinking this next stage is the final radical big change. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135394-boxchester-revisited/ 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ighten Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 I like the more openness from the "center stage" area now the sheds been moved - seems to add more breathing space to everything (not that it wasnt superb before) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Made a strong cup of coffee. Need to find some energy. So I have broken this down into 4 tasks. 1. As you know the fuel point opened up and all needs making good. A couple of TTAs to show how you can now see stuff. Might include a very low wall in...not sure. 2. Disused engine shed blended in. Thinking of a tumble down fence behind it. 3.Widen the platform out to meet the other track which is quite a bit of work. And remove the wall and much more. I am going to add another 15mm onto back between the back track and the back scene. Perhaps a low relief building or two. 4.The brick paper on this has faded. And as you can see I have bodged something over the back track. So it is being pulled up rebuilt as a bridge that spans both tracks. The extra 15mm at the back will make all the difference here. So that's the plan. Enough talking and more doing! The coffee has woken me up a touch. So onto task 1. Cheers Steve 12 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Got stuck into area 1. Built a small wall that is crumbling at the end. It was probably part of a building once. Buffer stop is on, burried in gravel. Assorted junk is back on and a couple of concrete slabs as well. I quite liked the ground showing where the building had been removed. I was going to put a road in but like the waste ground feel. I used railmatch frame dirt for the earth colour on the baseboard for the first time. And it worked well. Still more to do mainly weeds and weathering. In area 2. I have de Southernernisd the buffer stops with white paint. All the lamps, junk and stuff has temporarily been removed. The back wall has been pulled off. I am going to build a better lower one. I have turned around and moved the small shed. So now have created a gap so that a vehicle can drive into the yard. A yellow br van I think will make an appearance. After lots of hacking about. The disused shed now sits right. Infilled one of the windows with corrugated iron. Now need to improve the guttering. There is room around it for bushes and tumble down fencing. Cheers Steve 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 Couple more pictures of work in progress in area. 2 In area 4. Just White on buffer stop and the wall hacked away so far. It seems a shame to pull the bridge up....but it needs doing. Not sure if to have a country lane on the top of it or probably a disused line covered in grass and weeds. Represented by the track I have layed on top. Not sleeping well again. So today might just be baking mud in the oven, no doubt to my wifes horror. Cheers Steve 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted January 31, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 31, 2021 As well as the realistic weathering of the stock and layout generally, I like the concept of the combined baseboard/cupboard unit, very neat. As I am currently refurbishing a slightly larger layout I shall be following with interest. Mike. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Sweet pea Posted January 31, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 31, 2021 Steve I like the weathering and grime look to the layout. Your locos and wagons are nicely weathered and I to will be watching the progress to your layout. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 (edited) 4 hours ago, Enterprisingwestern said: As well as the realistic weathering of the stock and layout generally, I like the concept of the combined baseboard/cupboard unit, very neat. As I am currently refurbishing a slightly larger layout I shall be following with interest. Mike. Thank you for the encouragement Mike. Which we all need from time to time. A few more pictures to show you how I approached it. The layout and Backscene are both removable. So I can move the layout onto the dining room table to work on it and also take pictures in different light. The cabinets underneath is 4 IKEA things bolted together. One has my tubs with all my modeling gear. The next is work in progress, locos are stored in there ect - so a bit of mix. The next is loco and stock storage. I made the trays with the rails on which slide out as per the picture. I think if I did them again I would not use track as they roll about a bit, I would build something with wooden rails to hold the stock inplace. Finally box storage. So as compact as I can get it. And hopefully some food for thought. Cheers Steve Apologies for the bottom pic. It won't display the right way up. Edited January 31, 2021 by SouthernBlue80s 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 Today's progress. The shed has been weathered and new guttering made for it. Not perfect but it will do. It needs a few more weeds here and there. The fuel point wall has been removed and weathered. Still not 100percent sure on it. But it will probably go on. A 37 on the fuel point to see how it looks. The red barrel although way more weathered than the picture shows has now gone. It is way to distracting. View from stabling roads. I will make a Backscene for that end at some point. Cheers Steve 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 Today's progress. Area 1. Finished. I tried using real fine dried mud. I also mixed it with weathering powders and it seemed to work well. The wall stayed but was made very grubby it even with a spot of mud on it. I will revisit with a critical eye once I am finished. 9 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Sweet pea Posted February 1, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2021 Steve I like what you have achieved with the hard standing wall and the strewn pallet, sleepers and rubble around by the buffer stop. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 Taken in artificial light. So not the best but stuck a loco on to see how it looked. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 1, 2021 Author Share Posted February 1, 2021 In area 3. I extended the platform a touch. Built a new wall. Removed the clutter temporarily and blended the ground in. To finish this I need to build a building. The dimensions of which I have worked out Again poor night shot but you can see what I have done so far. Area 4. I pulled the bridge up. I was hoping it might come up in one piece. But wasn't expecting it. The remains. So l have the big bridge to build and a building for the platform. Hopefully by the time they are finished a DIY store will be open and I can get my hands on a long bit of timber to put that 15mm all the way along the back. And then get all three structures on blend them in. And job done. Cheers Steve 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted February 1, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 1, 2021 1 hour ago, SouthernBlue80s said: poor night shot Atmospheric IMHO. Mike. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 2, 2021 Author Share Posted February 2, 2021 Final pic. General view of the fuel point. Pics are great I think as they show you all the bits that need tweaking. Note rubbish on fuel point and grease on the 37s buffers. Next will be the bridge build. Which will take a while. Does anyone remember a bridge thread in one of the prototype forums. As I still don't have a clear picture of what exactly I am going to build and I am looking for inspiration. Cheers Steve 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Sweet pea Posted February 2, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 2, 2021 Steve nice work on the fuel point area, I like the little touches such as waste paper and the grease on the buffers. Look forward to seeing how your bridge build progresses. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 5, 2021 Author Share Posted February 5, 2021 A picture in better light of the fuel point wall. A spot more rubbish and oil and it's finished I scratch built this for another diaroma I haven't done much to yet. I wondered if I could work it in to my big bridge. But it doesn't work. So built the three pillars for the big bridge and now have a clear plan in my head. So will post up my progress. This is the big job. Area 4. I have decided to have a black board at the back of the bridge which you can remove to look through the bridge onto the layout. I will post a picture when I am more progressed with it to show what I mean. Hope you have good modeling weekends Cheers Steve 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ighten Posted February 6, 2021 Share Posted February 6, 2021 Nice, I like how your keeping the almost theatrical stage exit disguise with the angled bridge- quick ? what are you using for the structure on the pillars 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 6, 2021 Author Share Posted February 6, 2021 Going to burn the midnight oil on this. I am using 2mm card for the main structure. Along with 1mm and 2mm for various bits and scalescenes brick paper. I know this is fine in my dry non damp environment. But would not recommend it for a loft shed layout where you might get dampness. Built a frame to space the pillars. And a box to replicate the 30mm extra on the back. I sometimes use bits of old square Dowl to keep things square inside. The board is uneven. So I am having to hit it with a Dremel and a chisel. When I am finished the back strip although Hidden by the bridge will be the same length. Anyway a fair few hours to go yet.... 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted February 7, 2021 Author Share Posted February 7, 2021 I have taken this as far as I can I think as I need to build it in situ from here on in. And to do that I need that strip of timber along the back which I am hoping to buy as soon as a shop is open.... whenever that is. It is just placed in position. So all a bit wonky. But all the time consuming front of the bridge is built. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechnicArrow Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 Looking very neat and square! I always enjoy building structures this way, it's simple but it works so well. I'm looking forward to seeing it finished, it should provide a very good "stage entrance" to your layout. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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