SRman's Current Layout - Newton Broadway

[SRman]

Thanks for the compliments, Jamie.

I used the brown paint as a temporary measure to hide the stark white of the polystyrene, particularly as I was going to host a meeting so it would be seen. I still have a little more landscaping to do, followed by a layer of plaster, before I do the 'real' grass and shrub textures. I usually mix some brown powder paints into the plaster mix so any chips won't show up white later. That's the technique I have used in the past on several layouts.

The church itself is the standard Hornby Skaledale one from a few years ago - the second church they released.

[SRman]

Well! I'm back from 10 days in New Zealand  (had a lovely time for Agnes' and my 30th anniversary), so only a couple of days left of the school holidays before reality sets in and I have to go back to work.

I have promised to widen the layout slightly to provide more clearance for the front viaducts, so went to Masters Hardware today and bought some 12mm square and 12mm x 30mm wood. This allowed me to add a strip 12mm wide at the front edge of the layout. To compensate for the projecting lip, though, I also had to add some timber behind the pockets for the controllers, using this as a good excuse to also lower them slightly so they don't project upwards over the layout top surface quite as far.

Of course, it also meant unscrewing the hinges for the control panel and resiting that onto one of the 12mm x 30mm bits of wood.

[DougN]

Why is it that no matter how well planned the layout is another 30mm makes it work so much better!

[SRman]

Actually only 12mm, Doug, but I know exactly what you mean. That was just enough to give me the clearances I needed for the LT lines behind the viaduct.

[Mallard60022]

Why is it that no matter how well planned the layout is another 30mm makes it work so much better!

....and also no matter how well planned the layout is it will help if you actually have built it, as I have not....,yet!!!!! Is that the 'Dance Hall' I spy on the right?

Incidentally, I have at last received my Ballast Plough Kit. I shall have to prepare myself mentally for a considerable time before tackling that.  

Phil          

[SRman]

That is a Ballast Brake conversion of a Cambrian Kits 'Dance Hall'. They supply the necessary bits and the instructions in the kit to do this conversion.

[SRman]

Continuing on with the small extension, a quick lick of "Hurricane Grey" paint completes this stage of the project. The first pic shows an overall view, while in the second, I have moved the viaduct into what will be its final position (or very close to it).

[SRman]

It's getting a little closer: an approximation of the track alignment on the upper level viaducts.

[St Enodoc]

It's getting a little closer: an approximation of the track alignment on the upper level viaducts.

 

I like the LT track - very effective.

[David Todd]

When you said,"back to school,soon", I thought at first, you were one of the students'.

Cor ! You have got more Powercab's than Richard Johnson has. You must be living close by to him.

 

Like the work on the viaduct, I feel it will be very effective, when you have train's running, "top and bottom".

Edited October 5, 2015 by David Todd

[SRman]

Ha ha. While one is never too old to learn new things, I am a teensy bit too old to be a student at the high school I work in!! I finished my year 12 in 1973.   

I am still a fair way away from getting the upper level running, but it really is something I am looking forward to.

[DougN]

Take that one as your youthful appearance SRman.... Now what will Mrs SRman think?

[SRman]

After a conversation with someone recently (was it you, Doug?), I decided to experiment with a bridging section for the curved bit along the viaduct. I had originally envisioned it as being a solid embankment or wall section, but we talked about another lattice or girder bridge to leave the view more open.

With that in mind, I have used mostly recycled bits and pieces to create a deck with plate girder supports. I have used six plastic tube sections as supporting posts here but if I did build it properly, these would not be required, or possibly just the two centre ones if I want something different. The ends would be on buttress supports from the arches on either side. The deck would be wider on the "production" version too.

As a way to visualise the effect, it works quite well. I like it, but would welcome any comments too.

[P.C.M]

Hi Jeff,

I remember you talking about this at your meeting. I think it looks pretty good, you probably only need the support posts in the middle if any.

 

Cheers Peter.

[DougN]

My thoughts on the bridge buttress needs to be wider as currently there is only a half a buttress there. If you have some of the off cuts from the columns that could be enough to fabricate the end buttress out of... Now thinking aloud here it could be bomb damage that has taken out one of spans or a rebuild to gain height for another reason... Road widening.... My thoughts are bomb damage could be the most likely fast replacement during the 40's

 

Chat soon.

[SRman]

Some new arrivals on Newton Broadway: I have received two parcels this week just gone, one from Hattons and one from Rails.

One included two of Bachmann's new SR-style PMV vans, while the other contained a new Hornby BR (ex-SR) S15 4-6-0 locomotive.

The S15 has been run in on the rolling road on DC, then fitted with a Lenz Standard decoder. I have fitted the brake rodding, and fitted then removed the cylinder draincock pipes pending modifications to allow the bogie to swing further. The front steps will follow suit, with modifications if necessary.

It has only run a few circuits in 'revenue-earning' service, so far! Running with the BR blue vans is just possible as most of the S15s were withdrawn by 1966 while the BR blue was introduced just before that ... whether any of the parcels vans had been painted blue before the S15s had gone is a little questionable, but it doesn't look wrong to me.






Also, I have been working on getting my London Transport 1920 F Stock train up and running (see my workbench blog for more details of the build to date). While the two trailer coaches have not yet been fully finished, requiring further painting and cleaning up of rough spots, and have no glazing in their windows, the four-car set has been able to run around the layout, and is seen here in Newton Broadway station.





 

Edited October 31, 2015 by SRman

[Gwiwer]

All looking very good Jeff.  Sorry I was unable to get to the last shindig but that's a price I have to pay for working on the real thing

 

I see you've beaten me to receiving your S15 as well.  Mine should be here on Monday then!  Not to worry as there's a little something to be admired for anyone visiting tomorrow and not just the vans.

 

The LT track is looking particularly realistic and it's good to see the F-stock back in full view.

[SRman]

Hi Rick.

 

I meant to call and put in an apology for today (Sunday). I'm still coughing a lot and don't want to spread the germs. Will have to catch up another time.

[Gwiwer]

Hi Rick.

 

I meant to call and put in an apology for today (Sunday). I'm still coughing a lot and don't want to spread the germs. Will have to catch up another time.

 

No worries Jeff.  You and many others seem to have the cough this week.  I do hope it's gone soon and that we can catch up at Llanbourne soon.  

[SRman]

Encouraged by the success of that under-bridge photo of the F stock (but with anachronisms!), I have attempted to redo the shots with contemporary stock in each photo. 

First off is the F Stock again, with CO/CP Stock in the platform behind.






Now, the S Stock with a few non-Underground types in the background, including SouthWest Trains class 450 units, a First Great Western class 143, and an EWS class 66.

[john flann]

Jeff, going back a bit to the girder bridge, I'm not an engineer but those supporting "columns" look rather on the slim side.

 

I doubt whether a girder bridge of that substance would require them. Just a thought.

 

And like others I "like" that underground track. Very realistic and better still when painted.

[SRman]

Hi John.

 

Assuming you mean the girder bridge section I posted  with the circular columns, the columns are "placeholders" for if I do use any. If I do use columns at all, only the centre ones will be used as the ends will be supported on buttresses from the bridge piers on either side.

At the moment, the centre columns are actually taking all of the weight while the end ones are steadying it to stop it tipping one way or the other. Even the main girders and deck were cobbled together from scrap balsa and leftover plate girder sections just to see if it would look right. As it stands, I don't mind the effect at all.

If you were referring to the larger bridge in the S15 photos, I thought it needed the girder columns as a mid support for when looked at from the other side as that side's span is considerably longer than the one visible in the S15 photos.

 

Peco code 100, painted, doesn't look too bad for the Underground tracks. I have not laid the third and fourth rails at this end yet, but from the camera's viewpoint for those photos it hardly shows. Once all that is done, I intend putting in all that lovely trackside cabling that LT liked. That will improve the London Underground atmosphere a bit, but it will also conceal the third and fourth rails from low camera angles anyway - so no one will notice whether I have done it or not!!

Edited November 5, 2015 by SRman

[SRman]

Here's a pair that could never have been seen together in this form in real life! 

Both are models I have been working on recently (see more in my workbench blog), with a little more work still being required on both. The Maunsell diesel-electric shunter, 15203, still needs the four lifting loops on the top engine cover, plus a little more work on the rear cab stripes and a few more spots to fill and file. I did sit the body down on the chassis more, but it shifted slightly before the photos. Once the work is finished on it, I will do something about fixing the body and chassis more securely.

The 08, D3272, was a complete repaint and had sound fitted, plus some replacement bits and now merely requires a handrail to be fixed up and a couple of very minor paint retouches, before some weathering can be applied. I know I didn't quite get the numbers straight on one side of this locomotive, and while this did happen in real life, it doesn't look quite right on my model. I was more careful with the Maunsell numbering and used some masking tape to set a level under the transfers.

The two types did work together during the 1950s and early 1960s, but as the three Maunsell shunters were all withdrawn from service in 1964, they would not have been seen with BR blue class 08s - the blue came in at the earliest in 1966.






Edit: Ooops! I just spotted the lump of black-tack holding the ladder while the glue set. I forgot to remove it for the photos.

Edited November 10, 2015 by SRman

[SRman]

I have been doing bits of work on various projects lately. This probably belongs in my workbench blog, but seeing as I am showing them on the layout, it's not entirely inappropriate here.

The Maunsell 0-6-0 d-e shunter 15203 has been sat down a bit on its chassis and a few more paint touch ups done. One handrail seems to have gone back out of kilter but I will fix that again soon.




I have also commenced some weathering on these projects. I must emphasise that these are only the initial attempts and all need more work before I am satisfied with the effects. 

The S15 4-6-0 has had a crew fitted and some Humbrol black weathering wash applied to tone down the brightwork, cab roof and smokebox. Lots more work to do here with browns and greys before I will be able to claim it is finished!




The O2 0-4-4T has had the pipework fitted at the front and all the brightwork toned down with the black wash, plus a wash of brown on some of the brake gear. Again, more needs to be done before it is convincing. A crew has also been fitted in the cab.




And finally, the blue 08 has copped a heavy weathering using the black wash, some oily stains and a white 'dust' wash (which was not successful in representing the chalky paint effect I wanted! It got another thin black wash to compensate). Again more needs to be done but I am happy with the effect so far. I do want to redeem a little more of the blue again but that can be done by dry brushing. I also want to add a driver and a couple of shunters hanging on to the front steps and in an open cab door. After a bit more research and digging through photos, I think I need to renumber this one to D3219, which has a better match to the features of this particular model.

[SRman]

Approaching Christmas and the holidays, I decided to start a small tidy-up. One result of this was these two unusual wagon loads of people ready to be distributed around the layout or added to locomotives as crew. they are in suspended animation but will resume their lives once I find appropriate places for them. 

One man has already found his way into the cab doorway on the 08 shunter!