Eastwood Town - A tribute to Gordon's modelling.

[trisonic]

"90mm air framing nail gun" - Man sized! You could take down HE111's with that (throw back to my youth...).

 

 

House looking good, I miss those solid English jobs - my house in America appears to be made of matchsticks and recycled (used) toilet paper.

 

Really looking forward to progress reports on layout.

 

Best, Pete.

[Re6/6]

I have some interesting/funny stories about people from Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix (incl. the 'Stones).

 

Oh do tell Pete! ...sorry Gordon but you have given permission to go off topic!

[amdaley]

 

Remember the next one is Tetleys Mk 3, the second one got eaten by woodworm and my ever whinging neighbours to the north are, even as I write conspiring to 'de-rail' the new layout. strange how the local planning department couldn't find time to visit and discuss my intended new-build but the moment the neighbours complain I'm building out of position the enforcement officer arrives at warp speed. (We anticipated the likely complaints and we are well withing the specified parameters

 

I call them the moving curtain brigade. They're all frustrated planning officers.

[trisonic]

Oh do tell Pete! ...sorry Gordon but you have given permission to go off topic!

 

Sorry, suitable only for sitting around in a Pub with a nice pint or two.

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

About time for an update, Gordon.

Can't leave your fans hanging like this.

 

Backscene:

Just a thought and not a recommendation:

What about commissioning MikeC to paint you a backscene on canvas?

[Pete Harvey]

I think that Gordon will be having a sort of an update in issue 150 of Model Rail magazine going by the taster in MR149 I think that, that will be a good reason to buy it on its own.

 

Pete

[DDolfelin]

"laboured for 'Mick The Brick' my 67 year old bricklayer"

I expect 67 year old bricks are hard to find.

[skipepsi]

"laboured for 'Mick The Brick' my 67 year old bricklayer"

I expect 67 year old bricks are hard to find.

 

The brickie on my extension admitted to being 'over 70' he was just keeping some money coming in to add to his OAP.

[gordon s]

17th October and after a long tough year for numerous personal reasons, I've finally got off my backside and started some more work on Eastwood. Several months back, I realised I had to change the goods relief route at the back of the stairwell board. Changing the track was easy, but ballasting impossible with it in situ. I also knew the turnout underneath this board, which leads to the traverser needed some realignment and the only way to deal with these issues was to take the stairwell board off it's mountings and work on it away from it's normal position.

 

Of course the problem is that it is quite heavy and you have to lift it up and over the stair finials, so impossible for my good lady on both counts. There never seemed to be any mates or neighbours around at the right time and eventually the 'do nothing blues' set in and Eastwood ground to a halt. I still enjoyed modelling so found every excuse under the sun not to forge ahead and got distracted into weathering and playing with my lathe, rather than biting the bullet on the layout and getting on with it. So several months went by and b*gger all had been done.....until this week.

 

Earlier in the year Chris Nevard came over and took some superb pics of Eastwood for an article to appear in Model Rail. The pics were great and that motivated me to get on with the layout until the family issues kicked in. Summer came and went and then suddenly November MR appeared and blow me, Eastwood will appear in December. That was just the kick up the backside I needed, so phoned a mate and minutes later the board is off the wall and work has recommenced. I have also realised that scenic work on this board would also be impossible with it in situ, so I'm going to have my first attempt at landscaping. I'm following Eldavo's method of dilute PVA and kitchen roll and decided to start with this piece of wasteland over the main lines. Two reaons. It is very low profile as it will just be long grass and more to the point won't really be seen as more than likely, this first go will need some improvement. So kitchen roll is in place, painted brown and work with my Grassmaster will commence tomorrow. Scary........

 

The relief loop has been moved across and track ballasted, so that's solved that problem. It feels great to be working on it again, so I hope their will be something else to report before Xmas.

 

Here's a few pics just to prove I'm working on it again.....

 

Realigned relief loop which has been moved across a few inches. This will allow a further loop to be run outside the original to service the various industries that will appear at the back of the boards.

 

 

Painted and PVA'd kitchen roll in place awaiting some grass and dumped rubbish.

 

 

Been unable to take this view before. Back of the new signal box.

 

 

...and a couple of the 9F just for the hell of it.

 

 

[trisonic]

Well done, Gordon!

 

 

We never know how long we've got - which is a good reason to get on with stuff we enjoy!

 

I still can't believe that trackwork is OO - it's some of the most beautiful I've seen.

 

Has your Wife got over you sawing through the armrail yet?

 

All the best, Pete.

[DDolfelin]

Looks like a good start on the 'artistics', Gordon.

 

We'll be coming to you for tips soon.

[45156]

Great to see you're back in action Gordon, and as Pete said, the track is superb. Hopefully you'll let the impetus comtinue through the winter, and that the layout will move forward during the winter.

[PhilH]

That last photo is the business Gordon - all you need is the glow from the half open firehole door......

[trisonic]

That last photo is the business Gordon - all you need is the glow from the half open firehole door......

Yes, and I like the atmospheric "orbs" - it looks like it was taken on a day of drizzle.

It just needs someone hanging out of the cab trying to find out why they are stuck there.....

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[PhilH]

 

It just needs someone hanging out of the cab trying to find out why they are stuck there.....

 

Best, Pete.

 

I am available for a small fee.

[trisonic]

I am available for a small fee.

 

Your avatar photo inspired my response, Phil!

 

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[PhilH]

I guessed that, just wanted to emphasise the fee part..

[trisonic]

I guessed that, just wanted to emphasise the fee part..

 

Well, what you ought to do Phil is publish a photo of you with a WTF? expression that can be inserted into other locos such as a mighty GE AC4400CW stuck at some signal somewhere in Anthracite Land or a SW1500 grinding down a road surrounded by cars in your way in "downtown" Brooklyn etc., etc. "Where's Phil?"

 

 

Best, Pete.

 

 

 

[DDolfelin]

Best I can do:

 

 

[gordon s]

Good grief, I've only been gone a couple of hours and missed all the banter from the usual suspects...

 

Thanks for the compliments guys, but now I need a bit of guidance...

 

OK, stop laughing at the back, but here's my first pass. Immediately noticed you need to make one mix of the fibres as this side is green and t'other more brown, so that needs to be addressed. The undulations I put in the 'earthwork' were clearly too small as there is little difference on the level of grass, but it has worked. Clearly it needs some more work, so I would be grateful for some suggestions as it looks pretty naff at the moment. Maybe some bushes and a trodden path through the grass....

 

All ideas and suggestions welcomed...

 

[PhilH]

Maybe make the grass 'scale' length? At 4mm/foot some of that grass looks like it could be 6 foot high!

 

Another thing is that you can get stuff called theatrical hair (and I'll keep going on the model railway theme...) - ebay link. It can be teased right out, stuck down, stiffened with cheap hairspray, pva flicked at it from an old toothbrush and have flock sprinkled on it when it looks for all the world like brambles.Not something you see modelled very often.

[Sidecar Racer]

Maybe make the grass 'scale' length? At 4mm/foot some of that grass looks like it could be 6 foot high!

 

 

 

I think Phil has a good point , maybe keep the longer stuff around the walls and edges but go for a shorter

look on the more open areas , I think that would look a bit more natural.

 

 

And I would not worry to much about the colour difference , the real stuff can vary dependent on sunlight

and location .

 

Just my 2p's worth .

[gordon s]

I think Phil has a good point , maybe keep the longer stuff around the walls and edges but go for a shorter

look on the more open areas , I think that would look a bit more natural.

 

 

And I would not worry to much about the colour difference , the real stuff can vary dependent on sunlight

and location .

 

Just my 2p's worth .

 

 

Thanks guys. The fibres are 6.5mm long so that's only 19" in real money. I totally agree that it needs different lengths of grass, so I'll give it a trim and taper it down from the back. I quite like the idea of brambles Phil, so I'll have a wander onto eBay and see what I can find.

[eldavo]

The grass length looks fine to me Gordon. This is a lost bit of land that nobody walks on so just make it a mess with some brambly bits and the odd bush. A few Budleia plants or the like will make it look like a bit of disused land. Also you might want to try a few dabs of PVA about the place and mash the grass down a bit to give some variation. Sprinkle with some finely ground garden soil and it will give you muddy patches. You can always add other fibres on top using hairspray to give more tonal variation if it doesn't look right.

 

If this is really at the back near the wall I wouldn't worry about it too much frankly.

 

Cheers

Dave

[PhilH]

Also you might want to try a few dabs of PVA about the place and mash the grass down a bit to give some variation. Sprinkle with some finely ground garden soil and it will give you muddy patches

 

And maybe some weeds on the muddy patches?