Jump to content
 

Adventures in code 55


Gloucester Road
 Share

Recommended Posts

Nice work on the hardstanding Stephen. I bit of weathering on it to make it a bit more grubby would really complete the look. I suggest you use some weathering powders rather than paint though as you can control it better just by pushing it around with a brush and rubbing it in with a finger tip.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Had a bit of a rethink on the hard standing, so i took it up. I was only using one layer of card so it was not even and things were starting to sag. My rethink involved tracing paper and two layers of card. The tracing paper was used to trace the area between the running lines and the area between the seperate lines. Once this was done a layer of card was cut and fitted, so far so good. Then another layer of card was added on top of the previous to cover up the ties.

 

Here you can see the two layers and how the lower card is slighlty smaller than the top layer.

 

post-7403-042447900 1292464161_thumb.jpg

 

None of this hard standing has been clued down yet as i am waiting for and order from Joes Model Trains. It includes the rusty rails paint and applicator and some weathering dyes to paint the rails and weather the ties.

 

 

Have finished all of the hard standing and wiil tackle the cement and ashpalt from Scalscenes next.

 

A close up of the hard standing.

post-7403-096801700 1292464687_thumb.jpg

 

some views of the shed area.

post-7403-046278200 1292464797_thumb.jpg

post-7403-070162300 1292464894_thumb.jpg

 

then overall

post-7403-001682500 1292464981_thumb.jpg

 

and with the unfinished shed insitu

post-7403-070865200 1292465077_thumb.jpg

post-7403-062619500 1292465131_thumb.jpg

 

Finally a class 08 doing some clearance tests.

post-7403-020199000 1292465214_thumb.jpg

 

Next some experiments with cement and ashpalt courtesy of Scalscenes.

 

Stephen

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Shame about the sagging issue but looks like you have found a good work round. Are the bottom 2 tracks next to the shed running lines? If they are I would remove a little part of the hard standing that buts up against this to allow for proper ballasting.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Kris,

 

The bottom two lines are not running lines. Line closest to the camera is for the fueling point (awaiting delivery from a certain store over there) and the next line is the headshunt for the wagon storage line and entrance to the shed area.

 

Did some work with Scalescenes cement and ashpalt surface and finished off the hardstanding area. Happy with it; again its not stuck down as i need to paint the rails and weather the ties, but you get the idea.

 

post-7403-043163700 1292609299_thumb.jpg

 

post-7403-016110700 1292609386_thumb.jpg

 

 

Some more work on the shed with an entrance in place and internal bracing done.

 

post-7403-078426000 1292609539_thumb.jpg

 

37419 in the shed

 

post-7403-042364700 1292609647_thumb.jpg

 

Thats all for now

 

Stephen.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Ok back from flying for another week. Spent Christmas in Tampa FL, but the missus made a video and we were able to Skype so i watched the boys on Christmas morning.

 

On the modelling front I have sort of come to a stop as i am waiting for paint and ballast to show up. However my fueling point and storage tanks finally showed up so they have been plonked in place.

 

The storage tanks and fueling points

post-7403-0-36684000-1293479503_thumb.jpg

 

The fuel point

post-7403-0-72446100-1293479594_thumb.jpg

 

08921 being fueled

post-7403-0-44371500-1293485794_thumb.jpg

 

Just had a foot of snow arrive here in New Hampshire so that needs to be moved off the drive and put somewhere. Winter in New England.

 

Off to play in the snow with the boys before it gets really dark and cold.

 

Stephen

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Stephen,

 

Those storage tanks and fueling points look very good and even seem to be partly weathered. What make are they, if you don't mind me asking ?

 

The layout is certainly starting to come to life now.

 

 

Hey Trevor,

 

Fueling points and storage tanks are from scenecraft by Graham Farish, and yes they are weathered. Purchased mine through a certain store in Liverpool.;)

 

Stephen

Link to post
Share on other sites

Happy New Year to all.

 

Kris, yes the shed is removable. Have finished asembling the shed and started work on the small corner shops.

 

Here are some pics of the shed, I am resonably satisfied with it. Needs to be sealed and weathered.

 

post-7403-0-96486100-1294067245_thumb.jpg

post-7403-0-55167600-1294067307_thumb.jpg

 

 

Also did a "back of napkin" sketch of buildings and roads for the shed doard. All of the buildings will be scalscenes products including the new theater and high street, lots of bulding to do.

 

post-7403-0-30485300-1294067380_thumb.jpg

 

 

Stephen

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

For your street I think that you would be better off keeping to all commercial buildings, or all housing not mixing the 2. If you do mix then try to keep the commercial buildings smaller scale in nature. This just comes from observing that shops that are next to housing tends to be local or specialist. Larger retailers tend to be in the centre away from residential areas.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Not very satisfied with the US Postal service at the moment. I ordered paint and an applicator to paint the rails of the shed from Joes Model Trains. The products have shipped according to the postal website and have even arrived at my local post office. Then there is a snow storm (20 inches of snow), post is still delivered. Now the website says a note was left in the mail box and they were unable to deliver the post due to the snow. But it was delivered and no note. So waited another day to see if would come in today. Nope; but post was delivered. I see a trip to the post office tomorrow.

 

Whilst waiting for this deliverey i started work on the pub. This is going to be the scalscenes small corner shops. Im building both a left and right hand version and then will put them back to back, on the right side is the pub and the one on the left will be a corner grocers. Some pice.

 

Here is the pub and grocery store with no front wall

post-7403-0-98361500-1294973793_thumb.jpg

The front walls

post-7403-0-74581500-1294973873_thumb.jpg

On the workbench

post-7403-0-52765000-1294973932_thumb.jpg

In situ.

post-7403-0-22009800-1294973969_thumb.jpg

 

post-7403-0-19171100-1294974006_thumb.jpg

 

Front walls are just temporarily in place as there is much to be done before walls are fixed in place. Now what time does the Post Office open........

 

 

Stephen

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

So they could get to you to put a note in your box saying they could not deliver.....

 

NIce to see the construction of the buildings, all to often you just see the end product.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Evening all

 

Went around to the Post Office today and discused delivery. They were insistant that they were unable to deliver my package the other day due to the snowstorm, even when I let them know that they HAD delivered the mail that day. So we back and forth about this and clearing the snow from mail boxs; ours was and is the only one that is cleared so that the carrier cab drive their vehicle up to it. Anyway they had my package and i hurried home with it. Here are its contents:

 

Ballast and squeese applicator:

post-7403-0-26686300-1295061495_thumb.jpg

rail paint applicator and rust paint:

post-7403-0-23644000-1295061537_thumb.jpg

weathered black paint, and two paint dyes:

post-7403-0-16640800-1295061596_thumb.jpg

 

Now a shameless plug for Joes Model Trains; the paint appilcator should have been thought off long ago and the squeese ballast applictor, genius.

 

OK, down to business. Out came the test track and the paint applictor. This is a neat idea, included are 6 foam wheels (different sizes) and two clear applactors (different sizes). There is a paint holder and a screw cap with a tube that leads to the foam wheels or clear applactor. The instructions say to use the clear applicator for code 55 track. After adding paint and the correct clear wheel you simply prime the tube and wheel; out comes the paint as you roll it against the rail. Presto rusty rails, genius.

 

post-7403-0-56127900-1295062218_thumb.jpg

 

post-7403-0-90673900-1295062282_thumb.jpg

 

Before and after photos of the rust applied.

 

post-7403-0-70556100-1295062619_thumb.jpg

 

post-7403-0-20580600-1295062667_thumb.jpg

 

Neat and clean.

 

Ballasting is just as clean and simple. Cut off the tip and gently puff the bottle and a controllable trickle of ballast comes out. You can puff it into place and gently build up the depth; why didnt i do this before.

 

Here is the bottle with the tip cut and ready for appliction.

 

post-7403-0-06038100-1295063237_thumb.jpg

 

Now some shots of the ballasted and painted rails waiting to dry.

post-7403-0-95270800-1295063485_thumb.jpg

 

post-7403-0-17150700-1295063666_thumb.jpg

 

post-7403-0-20825100-1295063622_thumb.jpg

 

The light grey ballast is a little light, so will be toned down with the weathered black paint after the glue dries overnight.

 

Couldnt resist the posing of some stock. It took 45 minutes to this point that includes opening and reading instruction and minimum cleanup. Fantastic.

 

post-7403-0-58452300-1295063931_thumb.jpg

post-7403-0-84914000-1295063969_thumb.jpg

 

Night,

 

Stephen

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Stephen

 

I am following this with real interest and I got to say what a wonderful job you are doing. I have made the switch to n from OO. My first lot of Peco code 55 arrived 2 weeks ago just in time to see your post on ballast. The rust looks really good and I think thats a far better method than painting. I got to agree that fueling depot looks great, I had assumed you had weathered it.

 

Love the track plan.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

Link to post
Share on other sites

Did some more on the test ballast this afternoon.

 

This is the peco track with concrete sleepers. If you look carefully you might be able to make out that the righthand side has been weathered abit and then down front some grass and dirt added. I think that for the shed area the grey will need to be toned down, something close to what is on the right and the main line will be cleaner like that on the left

 

post-7403-0-39414500-1295122540_thumb.jpg

 

FGW 156 on the test track

post-7403-0-18935700-1295122850_thumb.jpg

 

My class 08

post-7403-0-05444900-1295122902_thumb.jpg

 

I then moved onto the atlas track to see what the rust and ballast would look like on the non concrete track. I think i might have gone overboard with darkening the ballast as it looks darker than that of the peco. Not sure if i like it that dark, though it might be effective around spots locos would sit ie fueling point.

 

post-7403-0-49623600-1295123082_thumb.jpg

 

Here is a 66 on the altlas track.

post-7403-0-15533100-1295123240_thumb.jpg

 

So where do we stand. I am happy with both the rust effect and the ballast (just need to work on colour) so next step is to paint the rails on the shed board. Maybe tonight once the boys are asleep.

 

Stephen

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

The ballast does not look unduly dark to me, it does look a little patchy though. If the colour was consistent I think that it would have made the difference.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Had quite a day of modelling today. The boys got what they wanted; after several hours playing in the snow they played on the WII and DS while Dad headed into the train room. After seeing Kris' coment went back and worked on weathering the ballast. Got it to a colour that was better, so worked up a plan for my time in the train room. Step one was to paint the track. So off came the buildings stock and anything else that would get in the way. Out came the rust applicator and off we went, track both in the shed and upper main line were painted.

 

post-7403-0-66077200-1295228160_thumb.jpg

 

This was allowed to dry and then another coat was added to touch up areas that were missed.

 

Next was to attack the buffers and in particular the buffer boards and their colour. Per a prevous post i did a google search and came up with different images; decided to do some all red ,some off white and some a combination of both colours. So here are two pics looking each way.

 

Two closest are the fuel point and headshunt followed by the two shed lines and another headshunt.

post-7403-0-72914800-1295228562_thumb.jpg

 

Then we have the wagon storage line, headshunt and loco storage line.

post-7403-0-78648400-1295228606_thumb.jpg

 

So next step was to mess around with ballast/weathering around the first fuel point. So down went some ballast.

post-7403-0-21648100-1295229083_thumb.jpg

 

This was then glued down with the usual mix of PVA glue, water and liquid soap. Followed by various washes off black paint and some straight black paint, then some green, tan and brown ground cover.

post-7403-0-89395100-1295229475_thumb.jpg

 

Once this was all dry and track cleaned a class 66 took a test run to check that rails were all clean and clear.

post-7403-0-82585900-1295229596_thumb.jpg

 

All was good, so started to glue down the hardstanding and put the shed and TMD back together. It is now being weighted down by books and various other heavy objects, so we'll se how it looks in the morning.

 

Stephen

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...