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

[NHY 581]

1 hour ago, wiggoforgold said:

 

I've just used a Parkside underframe for one. It's pretty much a drop in replacement. Rumney models do a detailing g etch if you want to take it further.

Alex

 

Morning Alex, 

 

I'm having a bit of a slow start to the day....

 

Which of the Parkside underframe kits did you utilise ? 

 

I have a couple of Bachmann vans which would benefit from an upgrade. In any event, I could do with a few more vans for Outwool. 

 

Rob. 

Edited December 15, 2020 by NHY 581
Sausage hooves

[hayfield]

If its the running characteristics that's an issue, with some kits like K's they are transformed by using etched W irons with pinpoint wheels, plus plastic kits benefit from metal wheels and weighting (etched W irons and whitemetal castings help with this)

 

If its detail you are after, I think Shire Scenes do underframes as do Ambis engineering and Maso Kits

[wiggoforgold]

30 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

Morning Alex, 

 

I'm having a bit of a slow start to the day....

 

Which of the Parkside underframe kits did you utilise ? 

 

I have a couple of Bachmann vans which would benefit from an upgrade. In any event, I could do with a few more vans for Outwool. 

 

Rob. 

Hi Rob

10' Moreton fitted. I,m going to stock up as they are a drop in fit for Bachmann etc. The van being shunted in to the siding in the last pic on my Yelverton thread is the van in question.

Alex

[mullie]

First bit of substantial time for a while so I thought I would make a start on the inlaid track work in the harbour area. Having looked at photos of Yarmouth, Wisbech and having looked at Weymouth before they removed it all (seriously not impressed by that decision!) all three seem to have been laid with check railed line so I thought I would lay this type of track too. This is progress so far.

 

 

 

Because I wasn't sure what I was going to do I did lay the point work with conventional check rails. One has been removed and replaced, one still to do. All has been cleaned up since so excuse the muck. Using PCB track this was quite easy to do.

[mullie]

This small layout requires a few more wagons, these are the last rtr wagons that can be easily converted to EM. In this case new wheel sets from Wizard, filed down brake gear and new couplings. The intention is to run either mixed trains or add a tail load. The brake van will be modified in the new year to make it more of an LNER model. I had considered a new roof and handrails but think it is probably best left alone.

 

 

 

More substantial projects will follow in the new year.

 

I think subconsciously I have been influenced by US railroads I have read about and seen on YouTube. The layout provides varied opportunities for 'switching' and it certainly makes this small layout interesting to operate. Freight services are definitely a priority traffic just like the real thing. One day I will get around to building a US layout, that is the plan.

 

Progress on the layout was helped in 2020 because I had to work from home during the first lock down, I think I would have still been laying track in a normal year.

 

A Merry Christmas to all who have followed my inane ramblings during 2020 and thanks for the advice, let's hope the new year will see things improve. Please stay safe.

 

Martyn

 

 

[mullie]

[NHY 581]

Merry Christmas, Martyn. 

 

Wishing you and yours a happy festive season. 

 

Best wishes, 

 

Rob. 

 

 

[Alister_G]

Merry Christmas, Martyn,  and best wishes for the New Year.

 

Al.

[mullie]

Happy new year everyone, now we have the tail of two brake vans. These arrived on Christmas day to go with the volume I already have. These are thought provoking books and have definitely inspired me to try and improve my models.

 

 

Some years ago I built a Dapol brake van with a rudimentary conversion to make it more of an LNER type, using the information in the book I plan to improve my model whilst converting to EM. This is what we currently have.

 

 

To buy me a bit of time I picked this up on Ebay, apparently this is an LNER version but there are a number of errors. It will be converted to EM and have couplings fitted so it can be added to the roster, initially unweathered (possibly).

 

 

Once I have completed improvements on the Dapol version I will see what I can do with this one, should make an interesting comparison, there are positives about both. The Bachmann one gives me a bit of time.

 

There is also a Cambrian SR 25 ton van for the 1960s setting to be built. These ran on the W&U and I have a photo of one at Cromer in the 50s.

 

The garage is close to freezing at the moment so indoor projects are the border of the day. There has been a small amount of work on the harbour scene and the half timbered pub. updates to follow soon.

Edited January 1, 2021 by mullie

[coline33]

Mullie, I totally agree with you as I have fallen back on Geoff's works many times over past decades.   I see he has had another book published on modelling items in the landscape from the past.   Just seeing things as he travelled to work and elsewhere over the decades, he photographed with this book in mind.   So I expect it to be up to his past high standards.   

 

The more one looks deeply into photos of W&U so one finds such a greater variety of wagon, van and brake than one would expect on such a branch line.   So another aspect worth doing indoors - the only tool needed is a magnifying glass!   Colin.

[sb67]

They are fine books Mullie, enjoy looking through them. I'll look forward to seeing pics of your work.

[mullie]

The Bachmann LNER brake van has ended up becoming a mini project of its own, I decided to work on this first as the Dapol version will require considerable surgery and if I can't get the roof off may end up in the bin!

 

The Bachmann van has had some tinkering with its undercarriage to suggest a more detailed under frame though much of it won't be seen in normal operation. The wheels are Bachmann simply moved out on their axles, the brake gear was filed down to ensure free running. I do feel a bit of a fraud when I do this!

 

 

 The ballast weights at each end have been reprofiled, the cut outs were a BR feature and the lamp irons moved. Trying to do etched lamp irons later in the evening after a day at work is an interesting challenge.

 

 

There should be a third handrail on one side but as not all vans had them I will leave it off, simply because it will be difficult to match the Bachmann style handrails. This is very much in my 'sketchbook' style of modelling. Now needs to be painted and weathered.

 

The Dapol van will be next though I still have a building to finish.

Edited January 6, 2021 by mullie

[mullie]

The Bachmann brake van has ended up becoming quite a nice little project. This is where we are up to today, just couplings to be fitted. Makes an interesting comparison with the photos above.

 

 

 

[mullie]

Anyone for the pub?

 

This has turned into much more of an epic project, the windows have been completely rebuilt, timbering tweaked etc. This is how it looked this morning:

 

 

This afternoon I cut out all the roofing panels in readiness for the Scalescenes tiles. The panels have since had all their edges coloured with a Sharpie to avoid exposed card edges. Still need to sort out the downstairs bit of roofing.

 

 

 

I thought the original part of the  building was loosely based on The Bell at Kersey in Suffolk but but now I'm not sure what I based it on but the new part is loosely based on part of The Bell. I think it works and will look ok tucked up the back of the harbour scene.

 

The roof is made of card from cereal boxes, it will be braced, but I'm not too bothered if the roof develops a few dips, none of these buildings have flat roofs and in the 50s and 60s wouldn't have been the chocolate box buildings they are today.

 

What to call it? The Black Horse or the Victoria Arms were where I spent my formative years though the Rosemary Tree and Fox and Furkin were involved in some key years as was the Kings Head? Need to make a decision, who makes pub signs, I think there used to be Scalelink fret, is that still available?

 

Martyn

 

 

Edited January 23, 2021 by mullie

[MrWolf]

That's looking really good, I like the way that you have set the main chimney partly into the valley of the rooves. That is one of the things that gives away a very early building with many additions, what was once a central hearth originally serving two rooms.

I think that Tiny Signs ( via the Gaugemaster website ) still do a range of British pub signs.

[mullie]

Thanks for your comments.

 

Kersey is a lovely village and we used to eat in the Bell from time to time many years ago. I built the original part of the building before we had children and that is over twenty years ago, wonder what I based it on, it would have been a prototype somewhere in East Anglia? In those days I would have found a picture in a book. Hmmm.

[coline33]

Lovely job,   Just the right place in which to isolate especially if it has a secret passage into the pub!

[mullie]

Let the madness commence, the first of seven panels has had the Scalescenes tiles applied. Tiles will be trimmed to length once fully dry.

 

 

Still, did get out for a walk today.

 

[wiggoforgold]

You have my sympathy re the tiling. The gable ends of the waiting room at Upwell Drove have 4 rows of Scalescenes plain tiles, alternating with 4 of Scalescenes ornamental tiles. I use Wills sheets now.  

Alex

[mullie]

22 minutes ago, wiggoforgold said:

You have my sympathy re the tiling. The gable ends of the waiting room at Upwell Drove have 4 rows of Scalescenes plain tiles, alternating with 4 of Scalescenes ornamental tiles. I use Wills sheets now.  

Alex

The next building needs re thatching!!!!

[wiggoforgold]

 

[mullie]

17 hours ago, wiggoforgold said:

 

I'll probably use Plumbers hemp, not sure how SWMBO would take me cutting her hair even though the hairdressers is closed!

 

Martyn

[MrWolf]

2 hours ago, mullie said:

I'll probably use Plumbers hemp, not sure how SWMBO would take me cutting her hair even though the hairdressers is closed!

 

Martyn

 

That sounds like the safest option all round. I have a pretty good idea how it would go down if I snipped bits of my other half's hair off.

Always fascinating to see anything about Pendon, I read the articles on "how we did it" in old copies of MRC when I was at school over and over again. 

[mullie]

Alex's Pendon video made me go back and look at a few more on YouTube, aways worth doing even though I will never get close to their standards.

[mullie]

The pub now has tiles, still loads to do though we do have progress.