GRANBY JUNCTION - Shunting Siphons for the Up Parcels with a Manor!

[81C]

Worth a look if you are still for suburban's

 

  https://www.modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/special-offers/

 

Bob

[gwrrob]

7 minutes ago, 81C said:

Worth a look if you are still for suburban's

 

  https://www.modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/special-offers/

 

Bob

 

Now that's an excellent price for those.

[john dew]

More card cutting I am afraid.

Its actually quite a pleasant activity on a hot sunny day ........sitting outside, under a sun shade, with the occasional glass of Rose to quench ones thirst.


The storage yards are screened by a long row of Metcalfe low relief terraced housing. There are 4 self contained modules. Any unit can be lifted clear to give access to the yard




I needed to build another module to fill the gap created when I decided to move the factory that used to be there






The Metcalfe units were made 10-12 years ago and the design has changed. I used the Scalescene Terraced house kit to make some houses next to the Parcels depot. For a number of reasons, its not my favourite kit but it does have a half relief option.

Each set of two houses is separated from the next by an exterior dividing wall......a feature which I dont find very convincing. The plan was to modify the kit and build 9 houses in a continuous row. The joins to be disguised at the end with drain pipes

Other than that a standard Scalescene start. Glue template to 2mm card base. Cut out windows and doors on base and printed cover sheet. Glue cover sheet to base





Fit Doors, windows and curtains





Fit sills to window

Cut out base and side walls. The two walls on the right will be end walls and are direct from the Scalescene half relief template. The four on the left are narrower and will be the interior support walls





Glue side walls to base

Cut out street base and pave individually with Metcalfe Pavers. Time consuming but so much better than a printed sheet......best done with a glass of Rose.



 

 

 

Glue unit to street base and add door steps






Next tiling!




The Metcalfe rooves are not individually tiled (although I have thought about it!). So I could have applied the printed sheets direct but because of the long continuous row there would have been two very obvious joins

So it was back to individual tiling strips........blacken leading edge,carefully cut each strip, glue and place on template.

I think it looks quite effective but is extremely time consuming.......more than one glass of Rose was required during this process.





Down to the train room :

 

 

Given hindsight  I should, of course, have modified the Scalescene end walls and cut them back to the same depth as the existing Metcalfe units.

If I had thought of it at the time it would have been so easy.......to make the change now will be more than a little complicated.

One of the pitfalls of modelling in the sunshine with the occasional glass of Rose I am afraid

However here is a shot from a more flattering angle

 

I think that I need look at this from a glass half full perspective!

 

 

Regards from Vancouver .....where it should shortly be sunny again.


John

Edited September 6, 2022 by john dew
5/9/22 Photos

[trw1089]

Great work John, looking superb!

[81C]

John thanks for the last 2 photo's I've finally got my hands on the correct Mike's Models crane which is shown in both of them, it looks as if it will need a shallow plinth to sit on

for loading containers.

 

 

Bob

[john dew]

Hi Bob

Sorry missed this post

I believe you are correct......how did I miss that for all these years? I think I had better reschedule container traffic to the branch!

 

Best wishes

 

John

 

 

 

[M.I.B]

Lovely card modelling as usual John.

 

And a reminder to me to buy a Mike's crane for my furniture container depot, and think of a plinth to  put it on.............

 

 

[john dew]

In the last couple of weeks I have hardly been near the Train Room. 

I guess June is rarely a good time for modelling but this year is exceptional. As previously mentioned we are about to embark on an extended holiday to the UK and Europe. We made the first booking in 2017, so its hard to believe that its now actually less than a month away. Most of my time has been devoted to setting up an automated irrigation system for the garden. Its quite similar to modelling in a way. You spend ages joining components together and setting up junctions......switch on the power (water) and then spend forever dealing with shorts (leaks)

Fortunately I have files of a couple of projects which I never got round to posting. The first is about Loco Coal wagons for Granby Shed.

When I finished the shed in 2013/4 I built a dozen 10 ton Loco Coal Wagons using Cambrian and Coopercraft kits for the coaling station ramp
 

At the time Bob (81c), who has given me much valuable advice over the years, pointed out very gently that 10 ton wagons were more appropriate for a small branch shed.

Of course he was absolutely correct (he usually is!)........I needed something a bit bigger......twice the size in fact:




Like this.....or almost

In 1929 the GWR introduced a 20 ton steel mineral wagon which they leased or sold to collieries and coal factors throughout their network. Over 7,000 were built.....the last for BR in 1949   Most, like the example above, had twin side doors and an end door.

Loco coal was hand shovelled into tubs,so the Loco coal variant had no end door. Unfortunately, as far as I am aware, there are no kits or rtr models available. The model I am using is Dapols unpainted version of the commercial wagon.......carefully posed to conceal the end door.

Here is a link to a very useful article on GWR loco coal wagons    http://www.gwr.org.uk/nondiags.html

It took me about 4 years to react to Bob's suggestion.....I bought these wagons last summer and took a further 9 months to put them into service.

We move at a glacial pace on Granby.

 

 

 

Multiple washes of Grimy Black with Dirt and Rust washes on the Chassis
 

 

 

 

Multiple Rust washes on the body

 

 

Transfers from Railtec*, weathering powder and real Canadian Coal pretending its fresh from the Welsh Valleys

 

 

 * Steve at Railtec was amazingly helpful. I could have cobbled something together from HMRS sheets except I had used all the Loco decals on the 10 ton wagons. I emailed Steve to see if I could buy his custom Toad pack and use "Loco"  as the location! In the event he produced the full pack for the pre 1936 livery with 16" GW that you see above. The decals are a delight to handle and saved me a load of time.

For variety I branded 2 of the 8 wagons in the simplified 1936 livery with 5" GW.........using assorted decals....and it shows

 

If you havent seen it already here is a link to GWR wagon liveries  http://www.gwr.org.uk/liverieswagongrey.html


At long last the 8 wagons in service

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who can tell these wagons have end doors?  In fact some revenue earning wagons, with end doors, were diverted to departmental use during and immediately after WWII.

 

 

At the moment it is a static display I am afraid The pannier can manage the incline ok and can actually uncouple at the top but coupling is, to say the least, variable .......and its all happening 4' away. One of my regrets is not having more space for coal sidings in the shed area.

I hope this overdue post wasnt too long.......I had so many different segments I wanted to fit in.

Regards from a very warm Vancouver......its hovered around 80o for the last few days and its forecast to continue into next week. The train room beckons......being part basement it is undoubtedly the coolest room in the house!

John

 

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by john dew
5/9/22 Photos

[Mikkel]

 

John, that last black and white photo nearly fooled me. Great stuff.

 

On 14/06/2019 at 18:33, john dew said:

Most of my time has been devoted to setting up an automated irrigation system for the garden. Its quite similar to modelling in a way.

 

Just don't get them mixed up! 

Edited June 16, 2019 by Mikkel

[M.I.B]

Irrigation systems are easy -  it's only two pipes......................

 

 

The rust work on these wagons is excellent John.  You have inspired me to attack my  fleet.

 

Thank you.

[Darwinian]

Parkside (now produced by Peco) do a kit for the 20t “Pole” wagon but that is the one with the end door, although it should not be too hard to make a second end. 

Mallard/Blacksmith also did an etched multi-kit for various versions but no longer available.

[john dew]

There will, I am afraid, be very little railway news on here for the next few weeks.

Todays the day, after almost two years planning, when we start our 5 week trip to Europe. We fly out from Vancouver at 5.50 pm this evening arriving at Heathrow at 12.05 pm  tomorrow.....8 hour time difference and  9 hours flying time which I am not looking forward to at all.

I did think of starting a separate thread about the holiday but I have never really made a fetish of sticking rigidly to the topic of Granby so, unless the Moderators object, I will pop in here from time to time and post the odd photo.

The focal point of the trip is a Danube River Cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest with both our daughters and their respective partners. Along with some family friends, we will be celebrating our youngest daughter's 25th Wedding Anniversary.

We will all meet up with the family in Prague and then on to Nuremberg to join the cruise. Prior to that Mrs D and I will drive slowly northward from Heathrow, staying at various carefully selected Pubs, before spending a few days with her family in  Rochdale

When the cruise finishes and the family goes home, Mrs D and I, together with another couple, will spend a week in a friend's gite in South West France............finally something on topic.......while there we will drive over to another friend and hopefully, harvest permitting, admire his new railway.

And thats about it........I feel quite exhausted just describing it all!

Next post may well be from the Crab and Boar at Chieveley!
 
 

[5BarVT]

Enjoy!

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, john dew said:

There will, I am afraid, be very little railway news on here for the next few weeks.

Todays the day, after almost two years planning, when we start our 5 week trip to Europe. We fly out from Vancouver at 5.50 pm this evening arriving at Heathrow at 12.05 pm  tomorrow.....8 hour time difference and  9 hours flying time which I am not looking forward to at all.

I did think of starting a separate thread about the holiday but I have never really made a fetish of sticking rigidly to the topic of Granby so, unless the Moderators object, I will pop in here from time to time and post the odd photo.

The focal point of the trip is a Danube River Cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest with both our daughters and their respective partners. Along with some family friends, we will be celebrating our youngest daughter's 25th Wedding Anniversary.

We will all meet up with the family in Prague and then on to Nuremberg to join the cruise. Prior to that Mrs D and I will drive slowly northward from Heathrow, staying at various carefully selected Pubs, before spending a few days with her family in  Rochdale

When the cruise finishes and the family goes home, Mrs D and I, together with another couple, will spend a week in a friend's gite in South West France............finally something on topic.......while there we will drive over to another friend and hopefully, harvest permitting, admire his new railway.

And thats about it........I feel quite exhausted just describing it all!

Next post may well be from the Crab and Boar at Chieveley!
 
 

Sounds good John, especially the last line. Don't hold back on posting news and photos! If you get the chance in Budapest, visit the Pioneer Railway. Oh, and the railway museum at Nuremberg is a must-see!

 

Bon voyage.

[john dew]

Thanks for the good wishes and suggestions guys

 

Arrived safely 30 minutes early courtesy Air Canada and a tail wind. The immigration process at Heathrow was very impressive.....previously, as non EEC nationals, there were massive lineups but now Canada and some other countries are included in the auto scan passport system. We just walked through without any delay .......same with car rental....even got an upgrade to automatic

Once we sorted which side of the road to drive on we were on our way to Chievely. Two and a half hours after the wheels touched we were sitting outside the Crab and Boar with a glass of Rose and a nice lunch.....convincing our body clocks that it wasnt really 5 am.

 

 

 

Although that is actually a shot of a pre-dinner Campari.

Today we are off to the Steam museum at Swindon and then to Bath for a couple of days

Regards to all

John

[john dew]

We have been home for two weeks now. I have never worked out which direction of travel creates the worst jet lag. I suspect that, regardless of direction, excitement and adrenaline take you through the time difference at the start of a trip whereas once you have returned home reaction sets in. Certainly the case with us.....we were zombified for about a week. In addition my irrigation system was almost too successful.....the garden was like a jungle.

I am afraid that my aim of keeping in touch by posting the odd holiday snap lasted about a day. While we thoroughly enjoyed (almost)  every day of the trip it could hardly be described as relaxing. Of necessity, the itinerary was very fragmented...UK 5 towns 10 days, Prague 2 days, Danube cruise 7 days, Budapest 2 days, Gaillac SW France 7 days, Paris 4 days........given hindsight a bit ambitious for Old age pensioners. Next time we visit Europe  we will be staying in less places and looking for quiet shady French cafes rather than crowded Chateaus!  

I thought I might share a few photos that we took at the GWR Steam Museum at Swindon. We were very impressed with the Museum.......its much smaller than the NRM at York but tells the story of the GWR and their Swindon "servants" (as they were called) in a very clear and enjoyable fashion.

 

4073  Caerphilly Castle

4

 

 

 

2516 Dean Goods.





I tried, but failed, to capture the row of phantom firebox rivets that Oxford slavishly reproduced.

.




Previously I was a bit uncertain about the static figures. When you see them in the context of the museum as a whole, they make perfect sense. It seemed to me that the main theme of the exhibition was about the people of Swindon who worked here. It was a story that was brilliantly told. We particularly enjoyed all the audio visual links where long past employees enthused about their work. One got a very strong sense of the GWR as a family

 

 

 

Inside the cabin there was an inter active display that intrigued Mrs D




The challenge was to temporarily move a branch train from the main line to clear the way for a Royal Train



In no time at all she was hopping from lever to lever like a proper bobby.


To finish here is a non railway shot
 

 

I hadnt realised that the whole site is owned and administered by the National Trust. This gorgeous border captures the spirit of the place........definitely a five star visit.

Regards from Vancouver where we are basking in a very pleasant 25o

[trw1089]

Hi John

 

i really enjoyed my Swindon visit, I thought the museum was very well set out and I really enjoyed the people aspect of it.

 

Cheers

Tony

[john dew]

Despite some glorious weather I managed to find time to work on the Engine Shed back scene.

Regular followers will recall that it is in one of two deep set window sills which present both physical (its a fearsome 4' stretch) and aesthetic challenges (attractive views of the composter)

As a reminder this is what it looked like a year ago





and a week ago





The Metcalfe warehouse has been in place for months but the large Scalescene warehouse was only placed there last week.

Its not a new build.....I cant make them that fast!..........its recycled from the other side of the room
 

 

 Last Spring I reluctantly decided that, for operating peace of mind, it had to be replaced with something lower and shallower.

So waste not want not .....after a minor modification, it fits perfectly in its new home.

Still in recycling mode..... the Bilteezi tenements, also from the other side, have been refurbished, yet again, and mounted on Langley arched walls
.

 

In their new home they will act as a back scene to a brewery (also recycled!). The added height is designed to stop the Warehouse from totally dominating.

Planning the brewery was quite a challenge. The wood structure, on which it rests, covers two double running/storage lines used for the long coal trains. For obvious reasons this structure is removable........consequently the brewery module also has to  be removable........and remembering the 4' stretch....easily removable in one lift.


First step was to cut out the floor which will be loose laid on the wood.

 

I dont find Scalescene cobblestones particularly convincing but the viewer will rarely see them

Next challenge was to cut out and fit pavements to go under the brewery entrance and overbridge





Here are the random collection of modified Metcalfe buildings that have been in storage since I dismantled the brewery in 2017.

 

Glued to the card base, along with a little added detail, to make a single moveable unit


 

Finally, and not without a few scares, in position on the window sill


 

I know that a bus on a bridge is considered by many to be a cliche......hopefully this is not the case with a bus under a bridge!



Here is the view from the doorway........ most visitors vantage point.

 

 

 

It aint perfect........the foundation isnt level so Granby now has its own leaning tower......could be a useful source of revenue. Overall though I am reasonably content. It will make an effective backdrop for the shed photos I like to take.

It is, of course, not complete. There is about 18" of vacant space on the sill in addition to the massive cream pillar separating the two windows. Granby Castle is sounding an increasingly attractive proposition. The second window with its seedy collection of high street models is now looking very tired. Apparently a layout is never finished.........






However this post is about to finish.........totally off topic............. with a scene in complete contrast to Granby's grime:


 




No prizes for guessing where that was taken.

Edited August 31, 2022 by john dew

[gwrrob]

I meant to ask you John how you got on with that Millicast Comet tank you purchased. The Bachmann warflat is imminent.

[M.I.B]

You make it all look so easy John, which it isn't.  Nice work.

[john dew]

On 04/09/2019 at 09:03, gwrrob said:

I meant to ask you John how you got on with that Millicast Comet tank you purchased. The Bachmann warflat is imminent.

 

Hi Robin

 

What a good memory you have

 

This is where I need an embarrassed face icon.

 

Its all built, nicely designed and easy to assemble although instructions were sparse and some fine detail had lots of flash

 

 

 

I spent forever researching transfers.....couldnt get the ones I wanted so had to compromise.....and somehow never got around to putting them on,,,,,,pretty anal really.... they must be at least 12 square mm in total area.

 

But thats a side issue........the Comet is quite beamy and as you can see overhangs the Warwell slightly ....this may well have been the case with the prototype.....it has certainly created issues on some roads in my badly designed storage yard.

 

So for the last 2 years its sat on my to do shelf, all ready to be secured with lengths of chain (otherwise MIB would be on my case), while I work out a suitable route for regular scheduling

 

I guess I really ought to make some decisions.....

 

Are you planning to buy some armour to pass through Brent?

 

Cheers

 

John

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by john dew

[john dew]

9 hours ago, M.I.B said:

You make it all look so easy John, which it isn't.  Nice work.

 

Once again, you are too kind Tinker.......but nevertheless thank you.

 

There is not a lot of skill in recycling .......but quite a lot of courage involved in standing on a 3' unit and stretching 4' out over a very vulnerable card roof with my aged limbs .  9 for effort and 2 for style

 

Cheers

 

John

[M.I.B]

John your description makes me think of Mrs Doyle and her knack of fallout of the same window repeatedly in  "Father Ted"..............

 

[M.I.B]

Apologies - no idea what happened here.

 

Comets were "out of guage" John - Conquerors were even larger.  AFVs do have finite sizes - there is a minimum size and a maximum size for any AFV - I still remember all my lessons on AFV design and technology.  I can still repeat most of the explanatory diagrams of how explosive reactive armour works too.  Can't do the same for the battles of the Wellington era etc.....

 

As for chaining AFVs - same as any other load - needs restrained in three dimensions - side to side, up and down, and front to back.

 

On any vehicle load a crossed pair of chains at each end suffices - mounted low on the transporter (Warwell  LORIOT  etc) and higher up on the vehicle.  Usually somewhere on the glacis plate/waist line area of a tank.  The cross over gives you the "side to side" restraint.  Straight chains won't.

 

50-70 ton tanks do need holding down - they do move in transit if you hold them down the wrong way.

Edited September 5, 2019 by M.I.B
terminology

[gwrrob]

10 hours ago, john dew said:

 

Hi Robin

 

What a good memory you have

 

This is where I need an embarrassed face icon.

 

Its all built, nicely designed and easy to assemble although instructions were sparse and some fine detail had lots of flash

 

Are you planning to buy some armour to pass through Brent?

 

 

A search for Millicast on RMweb found this thread John and yes, there will be a warflat or three on ANTB , with or without the Cromwell. I fancy something different as a load too, hence the look at the Millicast website.

Edited September 5, 2019 by gwrrob
tidying up