Upbech St Mary, Upbech Drove and Pott Row a journey through 00 and then into EM and 009.

[mullie]

The baseboard was extended at the back by around two inches to give the goods loading area a more realistic feel although the scenic side is still only 32" long. This are will receive some scenic work soon.

 

 

At the moment it is held in place with PVA initially held in place with dabs of hot glue. Any gaps were then filled with no more nails. Before the back scene is attached I will put some screws in.

[mullie]

As a break from loco building some scenic work has also been attempted this week. I have begun surfacing the goods yard using a variation on Chris Nevard's technique and similar to that used on the previous version of Pott Row.

 

The goods yard first had a coating of ballast applied on PVA

 

 

A thin coating of DAS was then applied mixed with PVA as this is said to prevent cracking and also keeps the DAS flexible.

 

 

As you can see, where scenery had been cut back to fit point rodding DAS has been applied to smooth the edges ready to restore the scenics. Once all the basic structural scenic work has been completed colouring and ballasting can start. The back edge has since been neatened up allowing space for a curved back scene this time.

 

The colour below is something like I am aiming for. I used to have some Woodland Scenics ash ballast but it just didn't seem to be the right colour and was too consistent in colour to be effective in my view. This colouring was achieved using ground up charcoal that still remains from our last real barbecue disposed of some years ago. The final version is likely to use charcoal and talc mixed to the right colour applied over acrylic paint.

 

 

 

 

The J39 has run successfully under DCC with its Zimo decoder, final detailing to be added in the shape of balance weights. I will probably try and make my own as Wizard Models don't have the Markits variety and they shouldn't be too hard to produce using an Olfa compass cutter.

 

The blue box is my Bluetooth speaker usually attached to my phone.

[NHY 581]

Morning Martyn. 

 

This looks tremendous, already. 

 

If it helps, I roll out and lay DAS onto a layer of PVA and deal with any cracks as I go along with a slurry of DAS and water. I smooth things out with a small rolling pin. 

 

Having tried using mounting card to provide ground cover, I now stick (?!) to DAS to raise the level. Good to carve as well.........

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

[mullie]

A huge thank you to all who have followed another year's inane ramblings on this thread. Hopefully 2020 will see this tiny layout near completion and there maybe some exiting developments but who knows?

 

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all.

 

Martyn

[Alister_G]

It's been great following your progress this year, and look forward to what you do in the future.

 

All the very best to you Martyn, have a great Christmas and New Year.

 

Al.

[sb67]

14 hours ago, mullie said:

A huge thank you to all who have followed another year's inane ramblings on this thread. Hopefully 2020 will see this tiny layout near completion and there maybe some exiting developments but who knows?

 

Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all.

 

Martyn

Thanks Martyn, really enjoy looking for your thread in my updates so I'll look forward to any new developments. Have a great xmas and a happy new year 

[mullie]

Basic ground cover was applied on Friday using a combination of talc, artists charcoal and barbecue charcoal. This is how it looked when first applied, the track was covered in masking tape. The surface was first painted acrylic grey to give the mix something to stick to.

 

 

The excess was then brushed off.

 

 

The curved shape at either end shows where I've estimated the back scene will curve round. The ground is too dark, see next installment.

Edited December 21, 2019 by mullie

[mullie]

This afternoon the ground was given a further coat of acrylic brown mixed with yellow ochre in preparation for application of grass etc. The grey surface has since been rubbed down to get rid of any lumps so further colouring will be required though I doubt much will be done this side of Christmas. I intend to set the layout up so some trains can run for a few days.

 

 

 

Next big job will be ballasting.

[wiggoforgold]

Nice work Martyn. I like the gates. Did you make them or are they commercially available?

Alex

[mullie]

1 hour ago, wiggoforgold said:

Nice work Martyn. I like the gates. Did you make them or are they commercially available?

Alex

They are Langley gates bought for the first version of Pott Row built in the loft of our first house in Essex around twenty years ago. The posts and the crossing are scratch built.

 

Found in the scrap box that I think originally held either chocolates or babies dummies!

[stewartingram]

Fen earth is almost black in colour. Are you sure that your earth is dark enough?

 

Stewárt

[mullie]

16 minutes ago, stewartingram said:

Fen earth is almost black in colour. Are you sure that your earth is dark enough?

 

Stewárt

This new version is not quite so fenland focussed, the inspiration is coming from other lines such as the Corringham Light Railway and the Mid Suffolk as well as the Wissington line. I think once the layout is fully coloured and vegetation applied the colour will be more suitable, thanks for reminding me. It is around 30 years since I have spent any significant time in the Fens. I use photos and Google maps for colouration in the absence of visits.

 

 

 

[wiggoforgold]

2 hours ago, stewartingram said:

Fen earth is almost black in colour. Are you sure that your earth is dark enough?

 

Stewárt

As you may have noticed I am a bit of a fan of Treemendus earth powder. They already do Nornandy earth, I wonder if they might be persuaded to do Fenland earth?

Alex

[mullie]

The colour of the soil has been tweaked today using black washes using black washes of ink and alcohol having looked at fen land soil colours on the internet. The way the layout is currently lit I think this will work once grass etc has been added.

 

 

 

 

i didn't go for really black soil as much of it won't be seen and in pictures I looked at soil on the edges of roads and tracks etc looked lighter in colour. I assume this is because like the railway they would have been built on firmer ground.

[mullie]

In other news the mark 2 rolling road has been in use as a digital testing ground. the J39 can be seen. The box contains the interface for the Power cab so can be moved to where it is needed rather than fixed to the layout.  Pott Row had a panel built into the front, this idea was developed for Rickett Street. Connection to the track is by a 5din socket. I built the wooden box in woodwork lessons when I was about twelve making it over forty years old,  it has mitred corners and a hinged lid. It has always held model railway items.

 

 

The J72 chassis has also been modified this week; a flywheel has been fitted and new pickup;s made out of 0.31 wire rather than the 0.45 previously fitted. The chassis has successfully run on the layout tonight, some CV tweaks have helped the elderly TCS decoder.

 

 

Hopefully a few things are starting to come together.

[wiggoforgold]

Morning Martyn,

I was giving some though as to how I might achieve the Fenland soil colour. Have you thought about using powders?  From the ground texture you have achieved, I think I'd make a mix of a black/brown soil colour by mixing powders. I'd use dark earth and smoke, mixed with a little water and decalfix and applied as as wash. Once dry, a bit of dry brushing to enhance the effect, and possibly a bit more powder, this time applied dry. There shouldn't be any resultant glossiness, but if there is, a quick spray of acrylic Matt varnish would get rid of it.

Hope this is helpful

Alex

 

[mullie]

7 hours ago, wiggoforgold said:

Morning Martyn,

I was giving some though as to how I might achieve the Fenland soil colour. Have you thought about using powders?  From the ground texture you have achieved, I think I'd make a mix of a black/brown soil colour by mixing powders. I'd use dark earth and smoke, mixed with a little water and decalfix and applied as as wash. Once dry, a bit of dry brushing to enhance the effect, and possibly a bit more powder, this time applied dry. There shouldn't be any resultant glossiness, but if there is, a quick spray of acrylic Matt varnish would get rid of it.

Hope this is helpful

Alex

 

I have artists chalks, time for a play methinks.

 

Many thanks Alex

[mullie]

As usual my main Christmas present completely baffled my wife. There was a time when blue and red boxes would arrive and their contents were easily recogniseable. This however, for a non modeller is more baffling, the parts to convert a Hornby Claud to EM.

 

 

Since childhood we always had books for Christmas, since the late 70s this has usually involved a railway book and even now the tradition is that my now 88 year old mother gives me money that I use for railway books each year. The two lower books were from her whilst the upper book was bought by our youngest daughter and looks like a good 'armchair' read.

 

 

Not a lot of modelling yesterday as expected but about 11pm after everyone had gone to bed I did slip out to the garage and run some trains.

[hayfield]

Alex

 

I do enjoy reading your post, I to am building my first EM gauge layout. So whilst I have built EM gauge track before, the dark arts of building EM gauge chassis are being learnt. Rigid is quite straight forward especially as I now obtained a Hobby Holidays chassis building jig, but sprung at the moment is defeating me. I am also in a quandary over which method of turnout operation to use, the trouble is I know too many, plus do I buy point motors or relays ?

 

Still this is the fun of building a layout, one which you seem to really enjoy. I look forward to seeing how Pott Row evolves and wish you both a happy and prosperous new year

[mullie]

On 26/12/2019 at 09:25, hayfield said:

Alex

 

I do enjoy reading your post, I to am building my first EM gauge layout. So whilst I have built EM gauge track before, the dark arts of building EM gauge chassis are being learnt. Rigid is quite straight forward especially as I now obtained a Hobby Holidays chassis building jig, but sprung at the moment is defeating me. I am also in a quandary over which method of turnout operation to use, the trouble is I know too many, plus do I buy point motors or relays ?

 

Still this is the fun of building a layout, one which you seem to really enjoy. I look forward to seeing how Pott Row evolves and wish you both a happy and prosperous new year

Upbech is my test plank in EM and represents around 2 years work. I initially joined the EM gauge society but they didn't want to take my direct debit so I let my membership lapse and as the shop was out of stock of most things I carried on using usual suppliers such as Marcway for soldered track construction and Wizard models for most other things. The Expo in Bracknell is good and I was able to ask a lot of useful questions and get advice.

 

I was surprised how easy it was to work in EM, I have built two rigid Comet chassis and converted around 4-5 locos all involving slightly different processes using Gibson parts and converted a small amount of rolling stock which is quite simple using drop in axles. My Trams were easy as I simply pushed the wheels out on the Bullant bogies. They don't really stand comparison with the Rapido version having seen under Alex's lovely models I don't fancy trying to re gauge one of those. I had a chat with High Level at the last Expo and fancy having a go at one of their chassis kits, their gearbox in the J72 was  easy to put together.

 

I have been building PCB track for around ten years and scratch building buildings since I was about 14. My decision to change to EM mainly came about because having built an etched wagon and chassis it made more sense to build them to a more accurate gauge though I consider P4 beyond me.

 

It can be frustrating as well as enjoyable, RM Web has been a very useful source of advice as I haven't belonged to a club apart form a brief stint when I was around 14-16. Upbech points are controlled by wire in tube. I have used point motors including digital control in the past but such a small layout doesn't require anything complicated. Upbech suits me at the moment as it can be switched on and used immediately unlike Pott Row that took  5-10 minutes to put together.

 

A prosperous new year to you too and all who follow this thread.

 

Martyn

Edited December 27, 2019 by mullie

[mullie]

Jobs completed today:

 

• Take the bins out.
• Sort the rubbish and recycling
• Empty the dishwasher - twice.
• Resolder a couple of joints on the layout wiring!

Now back to Christmas

[hayfield]

I build turnouts in EM, P4 and 00 gauges, EM and P4 are as just as easy to make, like you I settled for EM over P4 simply as the wheelsets are a but more forgiving due to the depths of the flanges. In some instances I find 00 gauge turnouts a bit harder to build, simply in getting more complicated crossings compatible with the wide range of RTR 00 wheel standards

 

I have 2 High Leven chassis (both bought built second hand) they are lovely both had slight issues which were missing parts, I have one now working, but I am still yet to start using Gibson wheelsets (I now have a GW Models wheel press. I must start to use these wheels in preference to Markit ones as they do look finer. I tend to use High Level gearboxes as first choice, a very comprehensive range of different styles and fitting positions and they seem to mesh without the need for adjustment 

 

I have been having issues contacting the EM Gauge society lately. Having said this now Exactoscale have shut down their retail side their track parts can only be obtained from either the EM or P4 societies. The EM trade supplies have offered a very good service prior to Christmas. C&L have their act together now and new chairs for 2 & 3 bolt chairs will be available in the next 2 months

 

[robert17649]

On 26/12/2019 at 09:25, hayfield said:

Alex

 

I do enjoy reading your post, I to am building my first EM gauge layout. So whilst I have built EM gauge track before, the dark arts of building EM gauge chassis are being learnt. Rigid is quite straight forward especially as I now obtained a Hobby Holidays chassis building jig, but sprung at the moment is defeating me. I am also in a quandary over which method of turnout operation to use, the trouble is I know too many, plus do I buy point motors or relays ?

 

Still this is the fun of building a layout, one which you seem to really enjoy. I look forward to seeing how Pott Row evolves and wish you both a happy and prosperous new year

I too have troubles with EM chassis, four coupled no worries but 6 seems to result in the middle wheelset doing hops and skips even though unpowered it rolls easily, I try to use the fleichas bits , maybe springs would be better.

 

merry Christmas and Happy New Year .

 

this thread is great.

[mullie]

A very useful present arrived on Christmas day.

 

[mullie]

1 hour ago, robert17649 said:

I too have troubles with EM chassis, four coupled no worries but 6 seems to result in the middle wheelset doing hops and skips even though unpowered it rolls easily, I try to use the fleichas bits , maybe springs would be better.

 

merry Christmas and Happy New Year .

 

this thread is great.

I use a Poppy's Wood tech jig that I have found to be excellent for rigid chassis, next thing will be to try it for a sprung/compensated chassis.