Eastwood Town - A tribute to Gordon's modelling.

[amdaley]

Thank you so much for posting that link Tony. I'm really pleased that you have made so much progress. The layout looks really great and deserves to be shared with a much larger audience, so come on, start a new thread on here. Some of your scenic work and backscenes are very good indeed.

 

Hoping to see that wonderful terminus soon....

 

The terminus will appear eventually but as I said I spend only a few hours a week, mostly on Sundays working on the layout and as you know even when you have lots of time things still take time to complete.. At the moment I am making up little point control panels for around the layout. A fair bit of work involved,most of which you don't see so you think nothings happening but I'll get there someday. My partner who's interested in art likes to paint the backscenes & I really enjoy doing the scenic work. The one problem I find is that where I live there is no one to turn to for inspiration. Most of my ideas come from any visits I have had to the UK & reading on forums like this. My partner is great support to me & the fact that she is interested in what I do is a great help. Once I get my little point control panels up & running I will start a thread here on the forum. I was sorry to hear of your hand injury,the next time pick on something cooler

[Mucky Duck]

Hi Gordon,

 

This is the first tme that I've caught up with your progress on the latest incarnation of RMweb – and it's very inspiring,

your trackwork is looking superb. Some time ago I saw your thread on your trials with ballasting – now you obviously have it sussed!

 

I haven't even finished my first small layout, yet yours is making me dream of that 'monster' project in the distant future…

a day when I hope that Templot will also be available for my Mac without having to run Windows on it!

 

I shall continue to view with pleasure.

 

Ryan

[ColinW]

I'm not sure yet Rob. Ive ordered one of the ID backscenes to see how they look as I couldn't find an urban backscene at all. Peco had one but to be honest it looked pretty dated compared to the photographic ones. I think there was one on the Scalescenes layout where you could download a grey sky and then add your own choice of pics. I did find one supplier that might have been interesting. They talked of their library of shots but didn't go into any detail. It was three intials, something like KRP backscenes, but I'm blowed if I can find it again. This particular section is about 12' long, but I'll need another 12' long and two 18' long to complete the picture. The scene under the window will only be about 6" high as I'm pretty stuck for space there, but otherwise I can have 12" - 18" on the other walls.

 

As I said, I'd welcome any suggestions.

As has been mentioned before, do you actually need to have a backscene, those retaining walls can definitely set the scene for the layout, or is it possible that you would only require a backscene for certain areas of the layout?

 

Colin

[gordon s]

I'm still not sure Colin. The 'Into the Town' backscene arrived today and the quality is great but it really is too bright for my dirty, dingy part of the UK. I'm going to try the distant hills one and see how that fares, otherwise I do like the idea of lighting the layout and keeping everywhere else in darkness. The trains are the stars after all. Our home lighting principles are similar. Put lighting where you need it and provide a contrast between light and dark, detail and distance.

 

I think you guys may well be right.

[great northern]

Hi Gordon,

 

Have you considered the Townscene offerings? They tend to be more industrialised and grimy, and it is possible to personalise them, though I must say it is a fairly tedious process. Unfortunately the lady who produced the ones you saw on my layout is no longer in business, otherwise I would have recommended those. I agree though that if it is a choice of a poor backscene or none at all, the latter option is the better one.

 

Gilbert

[gordon s]

Hi Gordon,

 

Have you considered the Townscene offerings? They tend to be more industrialised and grimy, and it is possible to personalise them, though I must say it is a fairly tedious process. Unfortunately the lady who produced the ones you saw on my layout is no longer in business, otherwise I would have recommended those. I agree though that if it is a choice of a poor backscene or none at all, the latter option is the better one.

 

Gilbert

 

 

I wasn't aware Townscene did any Gilbert. I'll go take a look. The ID Backscenes are very good, but probably not suitable for the dirty and grimy grey stonework of my particular layout.

[Highlandman]

Hi Gordon

 

I have been following this thread for a while now and i am trully impressed with the amount of effort and detail you have put in to the project. I hope things start to pick up again after your hand has recovered.

 

Backdrops can play such a large part in a layout and it pays to get this part of the model right. One layout on the circuit seems to have done this and I can only recommend you have a look at their website (http://www.009.cd2.com/members/how_to/backdrops.htm) for back scene ideas.

 

I hope this will help you to incorporate the sort of scene you want for your railway.

 

Best wishes

 

Andy

[skipepsi]

I think in your position I would complete the walls first with all detailed parts fencing etc then look and decide whether a backscene is necessary to complete the look of the layout.

 

Edit for spelling

Edited June 27, 2010 by skipepsi

[gordon s]

Another six weeks gone and apart from ballasting the new section not a lot has been done on the layout itself. I've been totally absorbed/distracted by attempting some things I've not done before. About two years ago, I picked up a Jun Air compressor from a lab that was closing down and bought an airbrush. It sat boxed up on the layout room floor since the day it arrived and if I'm honest, I was a bit wary of actually taking an airbrush to one of my locos without really knowing what I was supposed to do. About a year ago at the RMWeb open day, PMP very kindly allowed me to play with his airbrush and filled me with the motivation to rush home and start playing. Sadly the reality was slightly different and about a year later, it finally came out of the box and was put into action.

 

This also coincided with the wish to attempt some weathering with MiG powders and convert a Bachmann chassis using either Gibson or Markits wheels. Following a few disasters, I now know understand a lot more about 00 gauge wheels, flanges, check rail gaps, tread thickness and all the other bits of info which stop locos running smoothly through pointwork. Many thanks to all those who provided advice and guidance over the last six weeks, it really was much appreciated.

 

So six weeks went by tacking all sorts of things I've never done before and here is the end result. Feel free to give some constructive criticism as I know this is the only way I will learn and improve. The loco runs fine and I'm quite pleased with the outcome although I'm sure it can be improved.

 

I've fitted a Mashima motor and replaced all the wheels with Markits. The tender has been close coupled, real coal added and pin point bearings and axles have improved the running considerably. I'm hoping the fit tender pickups in the next few days and still have all the brake rods and vacuum pipes/screw links to add.

 

It's been a great six weeks of odd hours here and there, but it has taken me away from track and baseboard building. The best thing though is that the change of emphasis has proven quite motivating so I will be back on tracklaying soon and away we go again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[amdaley]

Well done. In fairness that's really excellent.

[Re6/6]

Gordon, that is top stuff! Excellent.

[Pugsley]

Well done Gordon, that looks excellent B) B)

 

The only little thing I've noticed that you could do is to scuff around the area under the smokebox door where people would stand when clearing out the smokebox, but that would be an addition to something that is already very good indeed.

[Taz]

Wow, looks like your weathering skills are right up there with your track building skills.

 

Super stuff

[gordon s]

Thanks for that tip Martin..

 

I realise there is much to learn, but this really does open another aspect of modelling for me. Just glad I'm retired. I have no idea how guys with full time jobs and family demands ever find the time...

[eldavo]

That looks a crackin' result Gordon. If it runs as well as it looks I can imagine you are well chuffed. Only another 50 locos to do then! Now you need to get that MPD sorted so it has somewhere to live.

 

Cheers

Dave

[250BOB]

Flippin eck Gordon................. Are there no end to your talents..??

 

Its absolutely brilliant.......it stands the test of close up photography/scrutiny, exceptionally well.

 

Well done mate.!!!

 

Bob

[lezz01]

Hi there.

That is very nice work indeed mate. This might be improved by adding white water stains/dribbles from places that would leak steam/water. For instance boiler pipe work, cylinder ends,washout plug and anywhere pipes are joined by flanges or where there are gasgets that can fail. Please do not take this as a critisum it is not intended as such but I think it would add the finishing touch to what is already a very well exicuted piece of weathering.

Regards Lez.Z.

[gordon s]

Hi there.

That is very nice work indeed mate. This might be improved by adding white water stains/dribbles from places that would leak steam/water. For instance boiler pipe work, cylinder ends,washout plug and anywhere pipes are joined by flanges or where there are gasgets that can fail. Please do not take this as a critisum it is not intended as such but I think it would add the finishing touch to what is already a very well exicuted piece of weathering.

Regards Lez.Z.

 

 

Thanks Lez, much appreciated. I did try that but somehow it just looked like white paint had been spilled on the body, so I painted over it again. Do you have any tips how this should be done?

 

White weathering powder? Airbrush or small brush application?

 

Funnily enough the pic on the Bachmann box of 43139 shows no white staining at all, so perhaps that one was in good mechanical shape...

[Mr Brunel]

Really very lovely, for a moment I thought it was O gauge

until I saw the coupler!

[lezz01]

Thanks Lez, much appreciated. I did try that but somehow it just looked like white paint had been spilled on the body, so I painted over it again. Do you have any tips how this should be done?

 

White weathering powder? Airbrush or small brush application?

 

Funnily enough the pic on the Bachmann box of 43139 shows no white staining at all, so perhaps that one was in good mechanical shape...

 

Hi.

I use a fine brush and Humbrol matt 34 as the new formular seems to be more translucente than the older stock was which in this case is a good thing. I tend to apply a small blob of paint and then drag it in the direction of gravity, its easyer to do than tell lol. As with all things practise is the key. My insiration is "The Art of Weathering" Martin Welch, published by Wild Swan. I'm sorry I have no examples on hand to show you my railway modeling is on hold atm and my stock is completly inacsessable although I'm doing some millitary stuff Tanks don't tend to be steam powered so thats not much help.

I hope that helps regards Lez.Z.

[Morphaniel]

Just finished reading through this thread over a few days and am hugely impressed like many others.

 

I know it was in May that there was a discussion about backscenes but since you paused thereafter to 'learn' the art of weathering locos I hope I am not too late to offer another option.

 

My own small, very slowly progressing layout, Back Yard, is also intended to be set in a grimy location and faced with white painted backboards I was in a similiar predicament to you until I went to the Dumfries show this spring. The host club layout there (apologies - I don't have the programme and I know the host club isn't actually Dumfries MRC...) had a backscene that was essentially a silhouette of a modern cityscape and it looked fabulous.

 

Back home I googled for silhouette cityscapes to find that most are recognisable and therefore unsuitable without much work but I found one that suited me and could be resized to be printed full size for my 6 foot x 6 inch requirements without distorting. A quick printout, sticking to thick card, cutting out and respraying with black primer later I continue to be very pleased indeed. It's an effect that works best with half relief buildings and retaining walls coming off the backscene itself, I think...

[tetleys]

Gordon.

 

Rain has stopped play on building Tetleys Mills 3 so I've had to retire indoors with a pint of home brew and now Tony (you met him last year at Tetleys Towers)has just arrived so I've still got a couple of pages of your post to catch up on. I have to say I am amazed and very impressed at your progress. But can you please get your finger out and get Eastwood finished before this time next year. Then I'll get the beer in, all you have to do is drink it, oh and bring your tools with you,that is your OO tools, I'm OK for the rest.

 

Dave

[trisonic]

Gordon

I really love the "greasy feel" you've given to the gear!

Man, when you apply yourself.......fancy a trip to New York?

 

Best, Pete.

[gordon s]

Sorry Pete, 2000-2008 saw me rack up over a million air miles in my job and I've vowed never to set foot in another plane unless it can be justified or it's an emergency....

 

.....and I can't row that well either.

[trisonic]

Ok - You'll have to wait until my Banana Boat navigates its' way up the Manchester Ship Canal..........

Btw I drew the line at 3 continents in 6 days....I understand.

 

Best, Pete.