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


john dew
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Thanks for the likes and the kind words

 

MIB, the reasoning behind my comment is that John's period is pre-1947 and post WWII, by then little or no maintenance (including painting) had been carried out for many years and there was no money at that time for things like paint, so grubiness was the order of the day.

 

I don't doubt that out of the towns and in rural by the ways pre-war paint had survived quite well though by now faded, and original colours in evidence.

 

Actually I think both John and Tinker (MIB) are correct! I am fairly certain from a number of sources that Water Tanks/Cranes/ Shed Doors etc were originallly painted in GWR Light and Dark Stone at medium sized MPDs.......I am equally convinced that for my period 1947  (actually it stretches to '48 to accommodate the Hawksworths!) nothing had been painted for 9 years and as a result would be both faded and very dirty......far more so than at country branches where I am sure there was a certain amount of local staff initiative in repainting.......those were the days when staff took great pride in the appearance of their stations......as a boy in 1947 I remember my station (albeit LMS) winning the NW station garden competition!......I digress 

 

I may well be guilty of my paint not being faded enough.......although in truth my GWR cranes were painted 7 years ago.....but then despite my wife's remarks.....the railway room is a little cleaner than the prototype! I suspect I am also guilty of not dirtying stuff enough......it is something I am very conscious of but it is difficult to wash over all the fine detail you have just spent hours constructing! It is also remarkably difficult to make the dirt look naturally accumulated.

 

Sadly not getting too many bites on the LMS/LNWR crane........I fear you may be right about Grey John.......but it is sooo drab! I have been looking at a delightful LNWR thread by Penlan and he used the reddish brown/cream scheme very effectively on his shed....unfortunately no water crane in sight.......maybe I will PM him

 

Regards from a damp Vancouver

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John, I should have been more specific but my reply was directed toward the colour of the L&NWR water crane.

 

I agree the original structure colours could still be seen albeit worn and weary. Perhaps light washes of gray/brown would be appropriate in this situation. I think you will find too that rather than obscure detail it will enhance it.

 

There is no doubt the GWR stone/cream was hard wearing and I can recall a watertower and crane at a branch station I was familiar with in the late 40's early 50's paint still in very good original colour.

 

PS, and your damp is today our snow.

Edited by john flann
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Hi John, I've just been spent some pleasant minutes browing your latest photos. You have really managed to capture the expansiveness of a loco shed, I think. As you say it is amazing to think how much land was actually taken up by these things!

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PS, and your damp is today our snow.

nearly 30C, very very sunny - and a badly sunburnt face to deal with at present.  This is pay back for Feb and March in Budapest, Calgary and Ottawa where I go sick of the sight of snow.

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I posted a general enquiry about the LNWR water crane hoping to attract some LMS experts who will not be following this thread.....not exactly an overwhelming response....one! But it was quite helpful..........many thanks Jol!......Dark Grey for the Water Crane and Yard Lamp......LNWR Brown for the Shed doors it is!

 

I have spent the last few days doing some initial detail/scene setting.


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Yard Lamps...water cranes.....fire devils and water hydrants........no people or junk at this stage.

 

I do have a question......should I be modelling  piles of ash on the concrete service apron or would that be confined to the Ash Pit and the roads leading up to the Turntable. It does seem to me that one of the most obvious differences between model and prototype is that the latter is invariably dirtier and much more cluttered



At this time of the year the trajectory of the sun through the railway room window creates some interesting effects

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The Water Hydrant is a Gem model.....I bought a set for Granby II and managed to save a few  


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Not sure about the paint scheme ......suspect it is too pristine




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Yard Lamps are Mikes Models (Holts)......I have seen a number of photos of yards with lamps similar to these and each has a permanently attached ladder.....I have thought about this but think that by 1947 the lights would be gas or electric rather than oil.........what do you think?



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Mikes Model Water Crane repaired and bedded in......they really are superb models the mounting plate for the crane even has GWR embossed on it!




I have started playing around placing some buildings on the far service road......they are not bedded in yet and I am very open to suggestions.

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Not sure about the GWR but LNER sheds had tanks to store used Engine Oil. I had a spare tanker and a spare corner and it seemed to me an eminently sensible war time practice

Next to it is the Depot's sandhouse........its based on my only on the ground research trip.......Didcot circa 2000

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This is a very cruel close up



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Clearly I need to sort the drunken Fire Bucket......what part of Right Dress didnt it understand?

I had a Fire Iron rack, like the prototype, in Granby II and on reflection I think I should fit one here.

I have a Cambrian Starfish (?) Kit to build for the sand wagon......a bit over the top because it can hardly be seen........mind you the idea of a sandhouse being supplied via a turntable is even more over the top.....cashing in my ML chips I am afraid! 


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I have put a couple of buildings on the other side of the track.........an Oil Store and the Yard Foreman's office



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If that becomes their final location I will put a barrow crossing in the siding.

 I think it is very (totally?) unlikely that an MPD would have a Pagoda hut......I just happen to have one spare.....I will probably leave it as a place holder and build a more conventional store with Wills Corrugate Sheeting

I have had a lot of fun fiddling about.....I do enjoy detailing.....but tomorrow its time to start finishing the roundhouse .
 

Edited by john dew
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I see, absolutely, your eye for detail and can find no fault with your building placements. It's all beginning to take on the shape of a busy yard that has grown as needs demanded. Stunning work!

 

I agree, the pagoda building is unlikely and another curved roof, corrugated hut would blend/fit into the scheme, better but the general layout is perfect, in my opinion and, yes, with regard to ash, dirt etc, I reckon the whole area would be thick with it. No matter how much you kept your dropped fires and smokebox ash to the pit, the wind would have blown it around the site and the rain would have washed it all everywhere. The more "grime" the better!

 

Get it on!!

 

Jim

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John, I'm not all sure about how much ash there would be about the shed roads, some of course but not 'thick' I think.

 

Google Lostock Hall engine shed and have a look at what you can find.

 

For there amongst the photographs are, I suggest, some answers.

Edited by john flann
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Thanks for all the likes,replies and kind words........dont think in all the years I have ever had a "like" from the boss......never earned one I guess....not sure its merited this time but very nice all the same

 

I agree, the pagoda building is unlikely and another curved roof, corrugated hut would blend/fit into the scheme, better but the general layout is perfect, in my opinion and, yes, with regard to ash, dirt etc, I reckon the whole area would be thick with it. No matter how much you kept your dropped fires and smokebox ash to the pit, the wind would have blown it around the site and the rain would have washed it all everywhere. The more "grime" the better!

 

Get it on!!

 

Jim

 

Thanks for the advice Jim...........I agree the Pagoda has to go.....I have run out of Wills corrugate and its not stocked by Model Shops in Vancouver......but I think Evergreen or similar do an HO version. I am thinking of replacing the Ratio hut and scratch build/kit bash some Scalescene stuff to make a slightly larger structure....Office/Mess/Latrine

 

John, I'm not all sure about how much ash there would be about the shed roads, some of course but not 'thick' I think.

 

Google Lostock Hall engine shed and have a look at what you can find.

 

For there amongst the photographs are, I suggest, some answers.

 

Thanks John......thats a great site....... thank you for reminding me I had forgotten all about it....lots of really good ideas. One of the more striking first impressions was that the locos seemed to move faster in the Shed area than I had imagined.......I guess I could change some of my maximum speed settings on the computor.....which will help with some of my dodgy track!

 

Just had a read over this thread. A thoroughly enjoyable read! Looking forward to future updates. 

 

Regards 

Scott

 

Thanks Scott......good to hear from another Canadian ......albeit a few miles away..................I have been meaning to ask for ages a really dumb question almost too embarrassed to do so......  maybe you can help?   How do I convert my signature so that the Granby bit is an actual link (hyperlink??)..
 

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For those of you following John Flann's delightful thread "Hintock"   you will have seen that a couple of fruit vans have left Hintock for Granby via Wolverhampton....

 

..http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/60526-hintock-gwr-oo/page-9&do=findComment&comment=1021009:

 

Clearly the GWR runs a fast service

 

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Dorset Golden Russets from the Orchards of J Flann & Son  Little Hintock!

 

Now for a change of pace in every sense......I am something of a butterfly when it comes to modelling......so in addition to finishing the main engine shed roof I have started on Granby Junction South Signal Box

 

I wasnt really certain whether to leave these shots until both projects were completed because this rather interrupts the flow of the Engine shed build, although in truth it is part of that overall project.........its destined to go in front of the Turntable. Moreover I like to write about things as they happen rather than wait until its all done and dusted.

 

So here is Chapter 1 of my Signal Box kit bashing 

 

Granby South controls the main lines  into to the South end of terminus. I wanted it to be of sufficient size to reflect its importance. So I decided to join together two of the recently released Ratio GWR Brick Signal Boxes

 

 

 

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 This kit came out with surprisingly little fanfare........I have built a couple of the Ratio Wooden Boxes and at least 3 of the Wills versions.......this is somewhat different in a number of respects..........the integral hipped roof moulding and the guttered base are particularly ingenious.

Its relative newness is reflected in the crispness of the brick moulding and the accuracy of the mitre joints on the window frames. I am guessing it shares some heritage with the  older Ratio Midland box.......there are a number of unexplained surplus bits on some of the sprues......the instruction sheet is more than a little rudimentary.

I washed the brick mouldings with dilute dirty grey acrylic to flow into the mortar courses then dry brushed with dirty red/orange with the exception of the base foundation which I dry brushed  in Engineers Blue Brick along with the detailing on the upper structure.

First step was to join the two plinths and glue the support walls.


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I strengthened the underside with some spare plasticard. The kit is designed to have the ground floor door to the locking room at one end and the entrance to the first floor at the other end. In view of the length of the two kits I chose to have a ground floor entrance at both ends.


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Window Frames inserted in rear wall and the wallls glued to the plinth and then one of the floor sections secured in place


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This is the right hand end with the single locking room door


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With all the handling the initial paint is more than a little bashed about so a fair bit of touching up and weathering will be needed.

To accommodate the entrances on the left hand  side...... two end moulding had to be cut and joined


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Not the most expert job in the world.......I seem to have gained 1/8" and a slight tilt but hopefully I have a cunning plan!

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Here is the box plonked roughly in position between the Turntable and the main line.

I dont normally do interiors  but even with the roof on I think the inside will be quite exposed so I have glued some wallpaper and a clock from the Scalescene Signal Box kit and I have ordered some levers from Dart Castings.The centre join is quite obvious but will eventually be obscured by a drain pipe

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Next step is to trim and fit the front window frames
 

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Thanks Jim and as always the "likes".........I wasnt too sure about the digression....but that is the way I model and my aim with this thread is to recount, more or less in real time, the development of the layout......warts and all (as you will see)


Been a productive few days......The side and end walls of the last three shed bays are now done

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The end bay shows the start of what I intend to be the booking in office.

The scalescene shed of course is rectangular so the end panels have to be scratch built.Given hindsight I wish I had made more with windows......the railway room faces almost due west and the sunlight flooding through the real windows through the shed illuminating the model windows is sometimes quite spectacular

Anyone with an interest in pure geometry should look away right now!

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The six "pie" slices should all be the same identical shape.........but they are not!icon_redface.gif

First off, to save space both end walls are at right angles (sort of) to the entrance.......secondly I some how got the spacing wrong between roads 4 and 5...........and finally the horizontal levels are not!icon_redface.gif

 In fact this shot shows it quite clearly........the wedge was necessary to ensure clearance for the low level coal trains........I did the tests when I first constructed the baseboard with my permanent test pilot ....a 57xx pannier........forgetting that the coal trains are hauled by 56xx 0-6-2s which are somewhat bigger!.......even now, with the wedge the clearances are extremely tight......when my 52xx 2-8-0 T finally arrives (allegedly next month!) I dont think it will be going underground

the end result has become a bit of a dogs breakfast and definitely not for the purists. Personally, I am both amazed and relieved that it has all come together without being too obvious

Here is a shot from the front......still has to be weathered etc

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And in Black and White

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Overhead shot showing the mark ups for the North Lights and the drainage gutters that separate the individual roof sections

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In case you wonder why I butterfly, here is the production line for the 9 North Lights  that are now required


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I rather wish I hadnt done this......but I counted up the number of cuts just to make a single Northlight........64 rolleyes.gif.......64 x 9 = ????

Which is probably why, from time to time, I take a break

Here is the signal box with the front windows inserted.....I just had to trim the centre uprights.....it was surprisingly trouble free.........


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.Hopefully the doubled hip roof and steps will be equally easy rolleyes.gif

 

Regards from a very warm and sunny Vancouver

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John, another amazing piece of work, you are very honest and it's nice to know that others are just as capable of 'c....kup's as I am!

 

I tend to keep quiet about them.

 

The box is looking good and you have mentioned internal fittings for the box, but just how much will be seen? I would have thought just a hint of what's inside should suffice.

 

PS, our weather has improved, nice bright sun in a clear sky BUT a bitter wind. Maybe Spring will arrive some day.

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