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

[Neal Ball]

Good luck with the weather John.

 

That warehouse is going to look great when it's done. You have my sympathy about unfinished jobs, I have loads!

 

One day they will all be done eh!

 

Have a good evening, Neal.

[Mikkel]

Another interesting project John. Watching Granby Jct grow is like watching a real town develop - including the coming and going of construction sites and overshooting of deadlines!

 

Once or twice I have even felt a slight remorse when an old building or cameo disappeared or was rebuilt. Oh well, that's progress I suppose 

[john dew]

18 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Another interesting project John. Watching Granby Jct grow is like watching a real town develop - including the coming and going of construction sites and overshooting of deadlines!

 

Once or twice I have even felt a slight remorse when an old building or cameo disappeared or was rebuilt. Oh well, that's progress I suppose 

  Oh dear…..I guess I will have to carry out due diligence and make sure all the boxes are ticked in my planning application for the next project!

 

Best wishes

 

 

[Mikkel]

Good idea, and please do send it all out for public hearing and a vote first. I'm sure it won't take long to reach a consensus 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Mikkel said:

Good idea, and please do send it all out for public hearing and a vote first. I'm sure it won't take long to reach a consensus 

Over the years, I've come to the conclusion that a consensus is when nobody in the room agrees with each other.

[Simond]

No, a consensus is when everyone disagrees equally with everyone else

 

aka “the least bad option”

 

 

 

 

 

[john dew]

8 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Good idea, and please do send it all out for public hearing and a vote first. I'm sure it won't take long to reach a consensus 

Not sure about that. In Chateau Dew that would leave the dog with a casting vote and I know where his loyalties lie.

[john dew]

                                                           The Last Wall

I cant really call this the last spike. There is still the Brewery to complete (dont ask) and perhaps a Castle around the pillar. However, other than that, this is the only major construction remaining

54" in length it will form the layout edge from the canal warehouse in the foreground to the green bus above the red throttle



The first section will contain a tunnel mouth for the branch line

 

I have built plenty of walls on Granby over the last 14 years. I think the most successful have actually been Scalescene prints but I dont believe they will work here. So close to the viewer they will look too flat and have durability problems.

Lots of Wills sheets to paint:

 

The absolute master at modelling with Wills sheets was undoubtedly the late Alan Downes. Here is an example of his work with Wills Random Stone:



This example is perhaps a bit too "Cotswoldy" for dark satanic Granby but is a superb example of his painting technique.
He claimed to use Wills sheets by the lorry load......check this link if you dont believe me:

He developed a very effective weathering technique:

"All the stonework used here was WILLS RANDOM STONE SHEETS (SMP 200) where I first brushed them over with COLRON LIGHT OAK WOOD DYE which acts both as a primer and the base colour to the plastic sheets.
 
Working a sheet at a time, lay it flat then aim a very light dust coat of ACRYLIC MATT BLACK up and under the stone courses but don't over do it.
 
When this has dried, rub talcum powder well into the joints then scrape off the surplus.
 
Using the COLRON ENGLISH LIGHT OAK again DAB, NOT BRUSH, this over the stonework with a large FLAT modelling brush where it will soak into the talcum powder and because the dye is corrosive, it will adhere the talc between the courses permanantly.
 
However, you can use different shades of wood dye if you wish but it MUST be COLRON as this is spirit based and not water based which will just run off the plastic. - oh, and the matt black MUST be acrylic as the dye will not attack it."
 

My plan to follow these instructions to the letter fell at the first hurdle. Colron Spirit based dye is unavailable in Canada! Furthermore the few examples of spirit based dye I could find were in unsuitable shades.....too dark

So here after much experimenting is the Dew Compromise (how very Canadian)




At the bottom a virgin sheet.  Next dirty white weathering powder rubbed vigorously into all the mortar courses. Surplus powder removed by a sharp tap with the sheet held vertically
Light dusting of matt black acrylic from rattle can held at an angle to sheet

Here is a close up

 

 

Not a patch on Alans but I am not too unhappy as a start point. Once the various sub units are made I will apply some dilute washes.  I may brush highlights to individual stones.....not sure about that right now

So with the trials complete it was time for some mass painting in the garage :




To be continued...........

In other news Ben Jones @61661 the Heljan Rep was able to find a spare buffer spring for the Diesel Railcar and mailed it to me in Vancouver......thats what I call service.........thank you again Ben.

I often finish with a comment on the weather......The little creek in our local park on Monday:

 

 

 

The lower mainland has had the most horrendous non stop rain for almost a week. In just 2 days the rainfall exceeded the total for a normal November. Merrit (pop 17,000), a town threatened by forest fires in August, has been completely evacuated because all essential services have been cut by flooding. Sections of both the highway and railway connecting Vancouver with the rest of the province (and Canada!) have been completely washed away.

It kind of puts the absence of Colron Dye in perspective!

Edited July 13, 2022 by john dew
Replace photos

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, john dew said:

                                                           The Last Wall

I cant really call this the last spike. There is still the Brewery to complete (dont ask) and perhaps a Castle around the pillar. However, other than that, this is the only major construction remaining

54" in length it will form the layout edge from the canal warehouse in the foreground to the green bus above the red throttle



The first section will contain a tunnel mouth for the branch line



I have built plenty of walls on Granby over the last 14 years. I think the most successful have actually been Scalescene prints but I dont believe they will work here. So close to the viewer they will look too flat and have durability problems.

Lots of Wills sheets to paint:



The absolute master at modelling with Wills sheets was undoubtedly the late Alan Downes. Here is an example of his work with Wills Random Stone:

 

This example is perhaps a bit too "Cotswoldy" for dark satanic Granby but is a superb example of his painting technique.
He claimed to use Wills sheets by the lorry load......check this link if you dont believe me:

He developed a very effective weathering technique:

"All the stonework used here was WILLS RANDOM STONE SHEETS (SMP 200) where I first brushed them over with COLRON LIGHT OAK WOOD DYE which acts both as a primer and the base colour to the plastic sheets.
 
Working a sheet at a time, lay it flat then aim a very light dust coat of ACRYLIC MATT BLACK up and under the stone courses but don't over do it.
 
When this has dried, rub talcum powder well into the joints then scrape off the surplus.
 
Using the COLRON ENGLISH LIGHT OAK again DAB, NOT BRUSH, this over the stonework with a large FLAT modelling brush where it will soak into the talcum powder and because the dye is corrosive, it will adhere the talc between the courses permanantly.
 
However, you can use different shades of wood dye if you wish but it MUST be COLRON as this is spirit based and not water based which will just run off the plastic. - oh, and the matt black MUST be acrylic as the dye will not attack it."
 

My plan to follow these instructions to the letter fell at the first hurdle. Colron Spirit based dye is unavailable in Canada! Furthermore the few examples of spirit based dye I could find were in unsuitable shades.....too dark

So here after much experimenting is the Dew Compromise (how very Canadian)




At the bottom a virgin sheet.  Next dirty white weathering powder rubbed vigorously into all the mortar courses. Surplus powder removed by a sharp tap with the sheet held vertically
Light dusting of matt black acrylic from rattle can held at an angle to sheet

Here is a close up



Not a patch on Alans but I am not too unhappy as a start point. Once the various sub units are made I will apply some dilute washes.  I may brush highlights to individual stones.....not sure about that right now

So with the trials complete it was time for some mass painting in the garage :




To be continued...........

In other news Ben Jones @61661 the Heljan Rep was able to find a spare buffer spring for the Diesel Railcar and mailed it to me in Vancouver......thats what I call service.........thank you again Ben.

I often finish with a comment on the weather......The little creek in our local park on Monday:

 

 

The lower mainland has had the most horrendous non stop rain for almost a week. In just 2 days the rainfall exceeded the total for a normal November. Merrit (pop 17,000), a town threatened by forest fires in August, has been completely evacuated because all essential services have been cut by flooding. Sections of both the highway and railway connecting Vancouver with the rest of the province (and Canada!) have been completely washed away.

It kind of puts the absence of Colron Dye in perspective!

Hope the rains aren't affecting you too much, John. I saw some photos of a derailed train in, I think, Fraser Pass. I believe that nobody was hurt and no pollutants were released, fortunately.

[john dew]

1 hour ago, St Enodoc said:

Hope the rains aren't affecting you too much, John. I saw some photos of a derailed train in, I think, Fraser Pass. I believe that nobody was hurt and no pollutants were released, fortunately.

 

Thanks John. Its not too bad here we live about 600' up on the North Shore Mountains. 40 miles to the east, Abbotsford (150,00) is completely surrounded by floodwater.........its the centre of a big farming community. Its heart-rending watching the poor farmers trying to save their livestock by trying to tow them to safety with a rowboat- only the cows head above water- hundreds of animals have died. The economic impact will be long lasting I am afraid

 

Best wishes

[Simond]

Some thirty years ago I visited Merritt, en passant Jasper to Van.  It was high summer, and my recollections are “dry and dusty”.

 

It brings these thing home when you’ve been there.  It looks damn hard for the local population, and I guess it’s already near winter.

 

my sympathies.

Edited November 19, 2021 by Simond

[trw1089]

Hi John

 

Glad you are staying safe with all the wild weather.  You certainly seem to have the stone wall painting sorted, it looks great and the final wall should look the part.

 

Cheers

Tony

[john dew]

For the last few weeks my railway time has been disrupted by a series of medical appointments. However I did find time to finish the tunnel mouth and most of the wall edging

Here are some before and after shots

From the Railway room entrance:

 

 

 

I ran out of overlays for the wall so for now I will focus on the tunnel mouth

Here is a before and after from inside the layout:
 

 

The camera is a great fault checker.........I tried so hard to subtly graduate the weathering from the extreme grime of the tunnel through to the first wall panel but I think I need to apply a few more diluted dirty black washes.

 

 

The buttress is designed to hide the transition between the straight sheets of wall used for the tunnel and the wall edging modules. Its made from offcuts of wall material.....sanding the mating edges down to 45o angles was a ton of fun....fortunately I was given dispensation to do this upstairs while watching one of Netflix's less than stellar offerings. 

Top right there is a glimpse of the newly installed yard gates......all will be revealed next post.

Now its time to put the tunnel to use........

 

A Dean Goods emerges with the afternoon pick up goods for Cynwyd. The lock keeper hardly looks up from hoeing his vegetable patch. I rather like this cameos but more often than not it gets cropped out..

 

The Dean is one my favourite locos. Its a genuine silk purse from sow's ear story. When it first arrived it was a total dog.....the only loco I have ever returned.....the replacement wasnt much better but I persevered fitting a Zimo chip and butchering the tender to squeeze in a Stay Alive Capacitor. Now its superb .....ultra reliable. Its time I kept my keep promise to do video of her shunting the yard at Cynwyd

 

Regards from Vancouver

Edited July 13, 2022 by john dew
Photos

[Neal Ball]

The new walls / tunnel mouth etc look great John

[M.I.B]

Absolutely first class John.  

 

[john dew]

      A very Merry Christmas

                   from Vancouver

 

 

Wishing all RMWeb members a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy 2022. Special thanks to all who follow Granby. Your comments, advice and support throughout the year make my weekly (?) attempts to write something lighthearted and amusing feel really worthwhile.

In other news, here is a picture of Granby shed which you may not have seen before:

 

 

I occasionally post Black and White shots in the "How realistic are your Models?" thread. This has been selected to appear in the February edition of BRM to be published Dec 31. Its the first time a photo of Granby have ever appeared in a magazine, so I guess that quite a memorable start to 2022!

Edited August 14, 2022 by john dew
title photos 14/8

[Sandhole]

4 minutes ago, john dew said:

 

      A very Merry Christmas

                   from Vancouver

 

Wishing all RMWeb members a very happy Christmas and a prosperous and healthy 2022. Special thanks to all who follow Granby. Your comments, advice and support throughout the year make my weekly (?) attempts to write something lighthearted and amusing feel really worthwhile.

In other news, here is a picture of Granby shed which you may not have seen before:

 

 
I occasionally post Black and White shots in the "How realistic are your Models?" thread. This has been selected to appear in the February edition of BRM to be published Dec 31. Its the first time a photo of Granby have ever appeared in a magazine, so I guess that quite a memorable start to 2022!

Merry Christmas from Manchester.
chris.

[Neal Ball]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year John, thanks for all the posts during 2021. Let’s hope 2022 is better!

 

Congratulations on getting a photo into a magazine.

[Mikkel]

Personally I think it's about time that BRM took a trip across the Atlantic to do a photo shoot of Granby Jct.  There's material for several issues.  I suppose there are one or two slight obstacles such as money, pandemic and climate change - but needs must! 

 

Have a good christmas John 

 

 

 

 

[john dew]

17 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Personally I think it's about time that BRM took a trip across the Atlantic to do a photo shoot of Granby Jct.  There's material for several issues.  I suppose there are one or two slight obstacles such as money, pandemic and climate change - but needs must! 

 

Have a good christmas John 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Mikel........and a very happy Christmas to you!

 

Andy would be very welcome. Apart from the photography I have a couple of non performing point motors I cant quite reach! One can live in hope I guess.

 

[john dew]

Definitely a white Christmas here!

 

[brianusa]

My annual visit to Granby Jctn to see what's happening.  Hi John, Merry Christmas!   Lookin' good as usual, I don't know where you find the time especially  at this time of year.  Not much 'training' for me as I fell and broke my hip.  Can't reach over the layout for a while as I'm still hobbling around.  Lot of snow your way and its supposed to come this way soon so I'm not venturing out - don't want to make it worse!  All the best for 2022!

   Brian.

[Neal Ball]

9 hours ago, john dew said:

Definitely a white Christmas here!

 

That scene looks lovely John, although I guess it’s cold with it as well.

 

Trust you had a good Christmas Day.

[trw1089]

Hope you had a good Christmas John and you are staying safe. Looking forward to more shots of Granby in the New Year, as long as there are not too many panniers ;-)

 

cheers

Tony

[john dew]

On 25/12/2021 at 15:54, brianusa said:

My annual visit to Granby Jctn to see what's happening.  Hi John, Merry Christmas!   Lookin' good as usual, I don't know where you find the time especially  at this time of year.  Not much 'training' for me as I fell and broke my hip.  Can't reach over the layout for a while as I'm still hobbling around.  Lot of snow your way and its supposed to come this way soon so I'm not venturing out - don't want to make it worse!  All the best for 2022!

   Brian.

Hi Brian

 

Good to hear from you. Sorry to learn that your hip is taking so long to heal. Lets hope your recovery will be complete early in 2022. You are absolutely right not to venture out in this weather. Quite apart from the snow, the temperature here is at an all time low. Inland -25o can be par for the course but not on the coast…..its really is b****y freezing.

 

Keep safe,  Best wishes