The Skarloey Railway 1942-1960: Scaca Fell Forestry Crossing

[2ManySpams]

On 19/08/2021 at 13:10, Tom F said:

Thanks for all the kind comments!

 

Last night, I went over the stems of the seafoam with 'dirty thinners' just to try and darken them that little bit. I think it has worked, and being able to see the trunks through the trees gives that feeling of translucence through the autumnal colours.

 

 

This last shot, was really a case of serendipity!

 

 

I wanted to see what the view was like down the forestry track. As it happened I had the door open, meaning the foliage from the garden was in the shot too. I tweaked the colours to match the layout....and a lovely little scene came into being.

 

 

 

Absolutely superb.

[rilksy]

As a lifelong fan of the Reverend Awdry I have to say that your interpretation of his work is absolutely stunning. It is a privilege to be able to witness the creation of this beautiful layout. Thank you Tom.

[Tom F]

Thanks for all the lovely feedback guys

 

I've done a touch more scenic work, adding patches of bracken.

I've used the Noch bracken but as I'm depicting the autumn period, I've painted the bracken various shades of orange and browns.

 

 

 

 

 

[NeilHB]

Tom,

The layout is looking utterly superb. It all feels very natural with the colours you’ve used - I love it! 
Fantastic news about the RM article too. 

[Andrew Young]

Evening Tom, only just found your thread and enjoyed reading through it this evening. Simply stunning modelling, difficult to believe this is 4mm scale and not larger. Instantly recognisable from a damp autumnal day on the extension heading for Nant Gwernol.

 

Will there be any space to include the ‘Road to Adventure’ gate?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[Tom F]

21 minutes ago, Andrew Young said:

Evening Tom, only just found your thread and enjoyed reading through it this evening. Simply stunning modelling, difficult to believe this is 4mm scale and not larger. Instantly recognisable from a damp autumnal day on the extension heading for Nant Gwernol.

 

Will there be any space to include the ‘Road to Adventure’ gate?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

Cheers Andrew, that means a lot from someone who knows the TR as well as you!

 

No 'Road to Adventure gate' on this layout, but there will be a gate when I do the next layout 'Skarloey Station'.

 

Tonight, I've been working away on the first bit of slate fencing. Used the Talyllyn's fencing as guide around the Hendre Forestry Crossing.

 

Edited August 22, 2021 by Tom F

[JustinDean]

I know I’ve said this on your FB page but I’ll say it again - this is just fantastic!

 

Jay

[Tom F]

1 hour ago, Andrew Young said:

Evening Tom, only just found your thread and enjoyed reading through it this evening. Simply stunning modelling, difficult to believe this is 4mm scale and not larger. Instantly recognisable from a damp autumnal day on the extension heading for Nant Gwernol.

 

Will there be any space to include the ‘Road to Adventure’ gate?

 

Cheers,

Andrew

I forgot to add, it’s been your photos on Flickr and the FB group I’ve been using for reference regarding autumnal colours on the TR.

 

They’ve been incredibly useful!

 

 

Edited August 22, 2021 by Tom F

[1722]

Tom, I’m assuming at some point you will confess you’ve found Sodor in real life and have been busy taking photos of the real Skarloey Railway, rather than building a model…? :-)

[Andrew Young]

7 hours ago, Tom F said:

I forgot to add, it’s been your photos on Flickr and the FB group I’ve been using for reference regarding autumnal colours on the TR.

 

They’ve been incredibly useful!

 

 

Glad to hear they’ve come in handy!

 

I’ve got a couple of days booked in this October too so will see how autumnal it’s got by then this year. 
 

Cheers,

Andrew

[sparky]

Thanks for the link to your thread Tom, I had missed that. What a superb piece of modelling, I love it!

 

Geoff

[Northroader]

Beautiful modelling, you’ve captured the look of the Tal y llyn so well.

[ullypug]

Tom

Just found this thread and have to say it is some of the finest modelling I have ever seen. The scenery is just stunning. You clearly have an eye for replicating the real world, both with this layout and your weathering.

It's great that you have found this to be such a tonic. Like you I've struggled with mental health issues and the quiet place of the modelling bench is a great therapy.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Tom F]

4 hours ago, ullypug said:

Tom

Just found this thread and have to say it is some of the finest modelling I have ever seen. The scenery is just stunning. You clearly have an eye for replicating the real world, both with this layout and your weathering.

It's great that you have found this to be such a tonic. Like you I've struggled with mental health issues and the quiet place of the modelling bench is a great therapy.

Keep up the good work!

 

 

Hi Andrew!

Thanks for your kind words. It's been an exciting process as a lot of these techniques I've been making up as a go along, and just seeing what seems to work. Modelling is most definitely a great therapy, and the escapism of that Awdry's Sodor brings has certainly helped me this summer.

 

Today I've made up another batch of slate fencing and painted them grey. Once dry, I'll given them a wash before fitting them to the layout tomorrow or Thursday.

In the meantime here's a photo from the Skarloey Railway!  

'Timber was an important export for the Skarloey Railway secondary only to the slate out of Ward Fell. Since 1925, the maintenance of the woodland around Skarloey has come under the management of the Sodor Forestry Commission, a subsidiary of the British 'Forestry Commission', formed in 1919.

The loading of logs and timber normally takes place at Scaca Fell Forestry Crossing, where Taylforth Timber Haulage will hoist the logs onto the S.R's bolster wagons, with the use of their trusty Douglas Timber Tractor.

On a crisp autumnal morning, S.R No. 2 'Rheneas' approaches the crossing with two empty bolster wagons. These will be left in the ward fell exchange sidings until a suitable time that a load of timber is due to arrive.'

 

 

[mullie]

I've just found this via Nhy581s thread, superb modelling. Another  follower. 

 

Given me loads of ideas. I have just bought some sea foam to model autumnal trees, I now know how to go about it, many thanks. 

 

Martyn 

[Tom F]

17 minutes ago, mullie said:

I've just found this via Nhy581s thread, superb modelling. Another  follower. 

 

Given me loads of ideas. I have just bought some sea foam to model autumnal trees, I now know how to go about it, many thanks. 

 

Martyn 

 

Thanks Martyn

 

For autumnal trees it has definitely felt the way to go, however as I'm generally only using the tops of the sea foam, there is quite a lot wastage (I'll have used around two and half boxes worth). However what is left will work well for doing summer trees on the next layout.

[Tom F]

58 minutes ago, David jennings said:

Hi Tom

 

just come across your thread - amazing stuff. I zoomed in on the photos and still wasn’t completely convinced Ed they weren’t of real life !! The landscape and trees are just stunning and the railway looks hugely impressive too.

 

Really good stuff.

 

 

Thanks David for your kind comments.

 

Tonight I've added some washes over the trunks of some of the newer trees. So I thought I'd do a little 'Railway Series' pose.

 

Locomotive crisis on the Skarloey Railway in the autumn of 1958.

'Several days earlier, No. 4 'Peter Sam' was involved in an incident at the quarry, with a breakaway of slate wagons on the incline. With No. 4 out of action, and No. 3 derailing yet again near Glennock, newly arrived No. 6 'Duncan' has been rostered to collect some of the last slate wagons to come out of Ward Fell Quarry. No. 6 is proving to have issues on the Skarloey Railway's permanent way, and it has been noticed the locomotive is tending to 'rock 'n' roll'. Things should ease when No. 1 'Skarloey' returns from the overhaul at Gibbon Bro's.

 

In a matter of weeks the Ward Fell area will be closed off to Skarloey Railway locomotives, will strictly be under the authority of the Ministry of Defence and be rebranded 'RNAD Ward Fell'.'

 

 

[cctransuk]

On 21/08/2021 at 12:30, Tom F said:

 

 

On 21/08/2021 at 12:30, Tom F said:

Today's modelling activity, is going to be making a start on the slate fencing (using 15 thou plasticard).

 

 

 

Why not use the real thing?

 

When I modelled North Wales NG in 4mm. scale, I built considerable lengths of slate fencing using slate shards, split from roofing slate.

 

When built, slate fencing often had two strands of fencing wire woven between the tops of the slate 'slats', to bind them together and prevent them from leaning over.

 

I also modelled a sizeable slate waste heap and an adit entrance - but that utilised slate 'liberated' from a real waste heap!

 

John Isherwood.

Edited August 24, 2021 by cctransuk

[Tom F]

7 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Why not use the real thing?

 

When I modelled North Wales NG in 4mm. scale, I built considerable lengths of slate fencing using slate shards, split from roofing slate.

 

When built, slate fencing often had two strands of fencing wire woven between the tops of the slate 'slats', to bind them together and prevent them from leaning over.

 

I also modelled a sizeable slate waste heap and an adit entrance - but that utilised slate 'liberated' from a real waste heap!

 

John Isherwood.

 

I felt it may have been over scale and not looked right.  I am well aware of the interwoven wire, but after looking at the real thing I felt to model the wire would be overscale and to my eye, distracting. Same reason I do not model telegraph wire in 4mm.

 

I'm glad it worked for you though.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Tom F

[cctransuk]

1 minute ago, Tom F said:

 

I felt it may have been over scale and not looked right. 

 

I'm glad it worked for you though.

 

Slate can be virtually infinitely split along its bedding planes; the limiting factors are the sharpness of the splitting blade; eyesight; and the resistance of the finished shards to accidental damage.

 

In the latter case, 4mm. scale thickness slate fencing has survived over forty years of existence; and the layout is now in the hands of a young, pre-teen enthusiast!

 

John Isherwood.

[Tom F]

8 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Slate can be virtually infinitely split along its bedding planes; the limiting factors are the sharpness of the splitting blade; eyesight; and the resistance of the finished shards to accidental damage.

 

In the latter case, 4mm. scale thickness slate fencing has survived over forty years of existence; and the layout is now in the hands of a young, pre-teen enthusiast!

 

John Isherwood.

 

Well I'm happy with the plasticard slates I've made. 

 

Good to know the 4mm thickness wire has stayed for your pre-teen enthusiast! I looked closely at the real thing, but felt anything in 4mm would be over scale other than using something like human hair.

 

The lack of wire doesn't spoil the scene for me.

 

Each to their own John.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Tom F

[Tom F]

'Four years ago, Bernard Foster moved away to a lovely cottage with his wife in the central district of Sodor. It was a lovely cottage, nestled in a hamlet of similar cottages overlooking Skarloey Lake. Bernard and Maureen befriended a retired parson called Wilbert and his wife Margaret who lived nearby. Although not a railway enthusiast, he did like his morning walks to involve a short wander by the line side of the Skarloey Railway, where Bernard would always enjoy a natter with the crew. He always did like the 'little engines' on our adventures together.'

 

Miss you everyday Dad x

 

Bernard Foster 25/09/1939-25/08/2017

 

[cctransuk]

14 hours ago, Tom F said:

 

I felt it may have been over scale and not looked right.  I am well aware of the interwoven wire, but after looking at the real thing I felt to model the wire would be overscale and to my eye, distracting. Same reason I do not model telegraph wire in 4mm.

 

I'm glad it worked for you though.

 

Tom,

 

You seem to have interpreted my post as being in some way critical; nothing could be further from my mind. Your reproduction of the natural landscape is, in my opinion, unsurpassed.

 

I mentioned the use of real slate as other modellers - especially those modelling in the larger scales - might wish to try using it.

 

No - I did not represent the binding wire at 4mm. scale; totally impracticable IMHO. Again, the comment was for the benefit of those working in the larger scales.

 

John Isherwood.

[Tom F]

I've kept myself busy today, with some odds and ends on the layout.

Added the water tower's ladder. I hadn't got any rodding on hand to represent the overflow pipe, so I have ordered that today. I've also added a touch of algae wash over the aqueduct trough.

[NHY 581]

10 hours ago, Tom F said:

'Four years ago, Bernard Foster moved away to a lovely cottage with his wife in the central district of Sodor. It was a lovely cottage, nestled in a hamlet of similar cottages overlooking Skarloey Lake. Bernard and Maureen befriended a retired parson called Wilbert and his wife Margaret who lived nearby. Although not a railway enthusiast, he did like his morning walks to involve a short wander by the line side of the Skarloey Railway, where Bernard would always enjoy a natter with the crew. He always did like the 'little engines' on our adventures together.'

 

Miss you everyday Dad x

 

Bernard Foster 25/09/1939-25/08/2017

 

 

 

Beautifully depicted. 

 

Well done, Tom. 

 

Rob.