Copenhagen Fields

[CF MRC]

The details on the YR ground floor roof have been added over the last few days. I tend to understate down pipes, using pre-coloured florists wire and painting in the pipe supports. It is so easy to end up over-scale with 2mm details. Having said that, I am very pleased with the toothed brick courses on the corner of the building. 

The ground floor flat roof had a couple of lantern roofs. These were made by scoring clear plastic with the back of a #15 scalpel blade with the dimensions dictated by the plan underneath. 

The lower halves were assembled, keeping the protective film in place to avoid glue marks (frankly, you have to be incredibly parsimonious with the Evostick contact adhesive anyway).  The clean notch-shaped grooves made by the scalpel can be seen - they could be filled with paint, but I suspect these might have been a galvanised metal construction, so the natural colour is satisfactory.

The vertical parts of the lantern had flashing strips of black styrene added; black so as not to show up white through the glazing.  These were then glued into place and the top roof also glued into place. The final act was to flood the base area with thick matt varnish to seal the flashing to the roof and avoid unsightly gaps. The roof was painted with dried puddles and a significant amount of green weathering. 

One thing that was evident and increasingly annoying was a dodgy brick joint in the first floor rear wall. Initially, the down pipe was placed prototypically, but then expedience took over and it was shifted to cover the joint.

The rear view is now nearly complete.  There should be a safety handrail at the right hand end, but that can wait until the building is being handled rather less, as it would be quite vulnerable. The protective clear polycarbonate sheet for the sectioned rooms will soon be made and fixed, probably with blackened 12BA countersunk screws. 

Tim

 

[east barnet andy]

just had a thought Tim; with all this wonderful new stuff at  York Road  , and the magnificent trains in the middle , won't there be a bit 

of a scrum , at the next public viewing , with the fans coagulating  (?)  at  one end   ? 

 

seems to me you'll need to do something equally inspiring  at the north end . . . any ideas ? 

E B Andy

[Talltim]

On 29/07/2020 at 22:27, CF MRC said:

 

 

 

 

Seems a bit extreme to have to book to use the lifts...

[CF MRC]

3 hours ago, east barnet andy said:

just had a thought Tim; with all this wonderful new stuff at  York Road  , and the magnificent trains in the middle , won't there be a bit 

of a scrum , at the next public viewing , with the fans coagulating  (?)  at  one end   ? 

 

seems to me you'll need to do something equally inspiring  at the north end . . . any ideas ? 

E B Andy

Not quite sure about exhibition visitors coagulating, maybe coalescing, but there again...

The north end has always been where crowds tend to gather Andy, because it has the tube, tram and a big expanse of scenery. Developing YR will help to even that out a bit.

 

Tim

[jamespetts]

On 04/11/2020 at 17:42, CF MRC said:

More plumbing now fitted, the cistern and feed pipes for the urinals.

Pans & cisterns for the ladies.

The interior detailing is probably now complete, excepting installing lights in the lift lobby and stairwell. 

I suspect that this may be the first time someone has made a visible interior for a 2mm scale building; quite a silly thing to do, really. I blame it all on that Mitchell fellow...

 

Tim
 

Goodness me, that is very impressive.

[CF MRC]

We’re now beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel for the upper works of the YR tube station. The ‘plaza’ has now been paved using printed paving paper. 

Awkward joints were masked by letting-in individual paving slabs.

The whole was given a wash of light stone to bring it together and then many different colours to produce the correct effect - it’s still not quite right and it will need pedestrian flow marks to bring it to life. PVA glue was used to seal the joint between the building and the paving otherwise any horizontal cracks look awful.

Continuing with the front detailing, the entrance lamps have been made from the etches made by Jim Watt, finished with 3D printed lanterns derived from some oversize yard lamps that Richard Wilson printed. 

Once painted, the glazing bars were added using a fine-liner, permanent ink, black pen. 

This picture has appeared already on RMWeb, but I thought it worth another viewing. 

 

The surface mount miniature LED lamps (courtesy Justin Colson) are now installed:

They will encourage viewers to peer into the building and see how it all joins up. It will be fun when they’re installed in the working lift car. 
 

Tim

Edited November 16, 2020 by CF MRC

[Coal Tank]

Absolutely superb work Tim

John 

[grahame]

1 hour ago, CF MRC said:

We’re now beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel
 

 

That'll be a tube train coming. Best get off the tracks.

;-)

 

But otherwise, stunning modelling.

 

 

[sladen]

On 14/10/2020 at 09:45, CF MRC said:

older buses … going along York Way … modifications to the layout front to accommodate YR station … bus turning triangle (next to Clifford’s Grocery store), but the north end would be very tricky, especially as the scale starts to reduce...

 

Slightly later than the CF steam era, but there was a Bus 639 that went along York Way, then turning right (eastwards), then left (northwards) onto the Caledonian Road, and returning (westwards) via Market Road (which is modelled; the parallel Brewery Road is not).  Page with map:

• https://www.londonbuses.co.uk/_routes/withdrawn/639.html

However, there would be weird scale (and clearance) issues at the top of Copenhagen Fields where Market Road/York Road intersect requiring one of those dynamically resizing Harry Potter Knightbuses!

 

Perhaps a solution could be to make use of the large width afforded by the North London Line bridge over York Road and "disappear" under the bridge (or via the immediately-following cul-de-sac) into the backdrop.  Presumably real estate is cheaper on the backside for a corresponding bus depot/turning loop.  This would create an allusion to the disappearing act performed under the post-1937 Waterloo Bridge, with trams entering the southern end of the Kingsway Tram Subway:

• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingsway_tramway_subway#Waterloo_Bridge_rebuilding

Using the NLL bridge as cover would keep bus/vehicle traffic captive within the ~1:152 zone.  Technology-wise, choices are probably CarSystem-style (self-propelled vehicle, following iron wire, complex vehicles), or Magnorail-style (moving chain, occasional magnets, complex infrastructure, baseboard joints...; but existing resin models would work).
 

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by sladen
grammar + Caledonian→York

[sladen]

Bus turning either west into the fiddle yard (ease of access), or east under the NLL embankment (one fewer baseboard joints to cross).

Tim (et al): how much vertical clearance is there under the NLL bridge area—is it even possible to drive a double decker under the bridge, or would it come out as a single decker?

 

Now for the praise, it's watching the work on the York Road underground station that is astounding a motivated the posting.  Even more amazing to read back to August and find out that the overhang/urinals/shafts/platforms/tube integration was not planned from the very beginning, but only organically "discovered" during the last few months.  Like book ends on a bookshelf, the end-to-end tube really seems to frame the already magnificent contents!

 

—somewhat frustratingly, had previously lived in London, a bit north from here, and many many times cycled down Caledonian Road (up direction) to get to KX/StP/Marylebone/Paddington in a hurry, and then up York Way (down direction) at a more leisurely pace on the Brompton towards home again.  All the time not knowing that MRC/CF was just around the corner… those years were also during the St Pancras development phase when the scene above went from being inaccessible, but recognisable as seen in the CF model, to accessible, but unrecognisable!

[chrisf]

Route 639 was a trolleybus route, rather out of period for Copenhagen Fields!

 

Chris

[bécasse]

The 639 mentioned was a short-lived very localised route, although that number had indeed once been borne, not only by a trolleybus route, but by one of the very two trolleybus routes (the other was the 615) which passed the end of Calshot Street at the time that Keen House opened; it didn't serve York Way (the former York Road) though.

 

Before WWII, York Road was served by single-deck route 239 operated by LT type buses (known as "scooters" because of their length - they were 6-wheelers) from Hollway Garage. It ran between Kings Cross Albion Street and Tufnell Park Hotel with a running time of only 13 minutes.

 

Prior to the LPTB route renumberings of October 1934, it had been General route 297B. I don't know what operated the route before the scooters arrived in the summer of 1931 but there were single-deck versions of both K and S type vehicles, the older K is perhaps the more likely of the two.

[sladen]

1 hour ago, bécasse said:

a running time of only 13 minutes.

 

That might explain why the very same bus keeps appearing with such frequency…

[CF MRC]

This is all fascinating stuff, thank you all.  We have a scooter, currently on the Cally; I think that will get re-routed to York Road as it is one of Ced Verdon’s wonderful clear resin models. This end of the layout is set at 1932, so just right. 
As for making  a bus work - lovely idea - but that would be a major challenge.  York Road viaduct would be relatively easy to host a motorised bus, it being just one long removable structure. However, the NLR over bridges do not have a reasonable amount of space through or under them as they have upright supporting the NLR tracks in that area.  This is also just about the most inaccessible part of the whole layout - not good for when things go wrong.  
I think we already have our work cut out when operating and setting up the layout, without expecting members to get a PSV license, or whatever was used pre-war...
 

Tim

 

Edited November 23, 2020 by CF MRC

[bécasse]

32 minutes ago, CF MRC said:

I think we already have our work cut out when operating and setting up the layout, without expecting members to get a PSV license, or whatever was used pre-war...

 

Yes, PSV licences required for both driver and conductor, and in London even tram drivers needed a licence (issued by the LCC).

 

The route would have been numbered 297B  in 1932 under the Bassam numbering system where each route had a unique number and the suffix indicated a version of short working - 297A was probably used for journeys extended further along Tufnell Park Road to/from Holloway Garage. I can only find one photo of a scooter with a Bassom-style number display (on route 109D on the SE outskirts of London). I suspect that the rear route number display was a large stencil. If you are making the run-out displays readable, Holloway garage was "J".

 

York Way was also served by several Green Line routes (in the days when they were lettered rather than numbered) as there was a Green Line coach station at Kings Cross (which I believe can still be seen today unless it has been demolished recently). Although Green Line itself didn't start before 1933, the routes had been operated previously by private operators such as Queen Line.

Edited November 23, 2020 by bécasse

[CF MRC]

I have been pottering about painting figures and other bits of detail for YR and its environs (I don’t know whether you realise it or not but apparently CF doesn’t have enough people on it...). First up was Flo’ who is putting on a bit of lippy in the ladies.

A very smart city gent is deciding what sort of pipe tobacco he is going to buy from Wilson & Watts.

Of course you wait for one bowler hatted chap and another comes along almost straight away: I wonder why?

He is even more pukka because he’s wearing spats and has an ebony stick. 

[/URL]

Meanwhile, the post is collected from the box on the corner. Looking at the gutter, it’s about time the street cleaners came around,  (‘cause CF is too clean, don’t you know...)

Finally, Cliffords have decided to broaden their services to also supply Hovis bread - apart from their world beating vegetables and eggs.

Not much to show for a couple of days work for the black hole that is detailing CF.  (Figures by Modelu and Smart Models. Hovis sign etched by that talented Scottish dentist).
 

Tim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[queensquare]

3 hours ago, CF MRC said:

I have been pottering about painting figures and other bits of detail for YR and its environs (I don’t know whether you realise it or not but apparently CF doesn’t have enough people on it...). First up was Flo’ who is putting on a bit of lippy in the ladies.

A very smart city gent is deciding what sort of pipe tobacco he is going to buy from Wilson & Watts.

Of course you wait for one bowler hatted chap and another comes along almost straight away: I wonder why?

He is even more pukka because he’s wearing spats and has an ebony stick. 

[/URL]

Meanwhile, the post is collected from the box on the corner. Looking at the gutter, it’s about time the street cleaners came around,  (‘cause CF is too clean, don’t you know...)

Finally, Cliffords have decided to broaden their services to also supply Hovis bread - apart from their world beating vegetables and eggs.

Not much to show for a couple of days work for the black hole that is detailing CF.  (Figures by Modelu and Smart Models. Hovis sign etched by that talented Scottish dentist).
 

Tim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tis only right and proper, the famous Hovis add was filmed just up the road from us.

.... a horse and cart in the style of Frankie Howard is in progress. 

 

Jerry

 

[2mm Andy]

27 minutes ago, queensquare said:

 

Tis only right and proper, the famous Hovis add was filmed just up the road from us.

 

Jerry

 

I always preferred the Two Ronnies version;

 

 

Andy

[maico]

Is this section of line on CF?

[CF MRC]

Indeed it is. This is the public’s view, with the Cally road under bridge in the foreground. Our bridge goes over the road, so as to ‘lose’ the trains.  The NLR viaduct is lost in the foreshortened telephoto view. The picture would have been taken early 80s, the Ebonite  (previously Tylor) tower being demolished in 1983, the year we started planning the layout. 
 

Tim

Edited November 29, 2020 by CF MRC

[chrisveitch]

1 hour ago, CF MRC said:

Indeed it is. This is the public’s view, with the Cally road under bridge in the foreground. Our bridge goes over the road, so as to ‘lose’ the trains.  The NLR viaduct is lost in the foreshortened telephoto view. The picture would have been taken early 80s, the Ebonite  (previously Tylor) tower being demolished in 1983, the year we started planning the layout. 
 

Tim

 

It's not really my area or subject but the CF thread continues to fascinate with its wealth of detail - I've learnt a LOT about tunnels after reading up on the building of the Tube, inspired by York Road. 

 

I was curious about the Tyler Tower and wondered why it was built (water meter pressure testing) but in the process found out that it was next to the St Pancras Carpet Beating Works. Which sounds like a model railway fiction like a spaghetti mine, but did really exist. Can anyone enlighten me as to what a carpet beating works did?

[queensquare]

9 hours ago, 2mm Andy said:

I always preferred the Two Ronnies version;

 

 

Andy

 

Classic. It still surprises a lot of people that this wasn't filmed 'oop norf', but a couple of miles south of us over the Dorset border.

 

Jerry

[bécasse]

3 hours ago, chrisveitch said:

 

Can anyone enlighten me as to what a carpet beating works did?

 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it beat carpets, probably in the main carpets from commercial premises, to remove dust and other dry matter. In the days before vacuum cleaners there was a significant requirement for such cleaning of those carpets which saw a lot of foot traffic. You could think of it as the dry equivalent of a (wet) laundry.

Edited November 29, 2020 by bécasse

[grahame]

31 minutes ago, queensquare said:

 

Classic. It still surprises a lot of people that this wasn't filmed 'oop norf', but a couple of miles south of us over the Dorset border.

 

Jerry

 

Aye, Gold Hill, Shaftesbury. The Sarf can often do the Norf better than the Norf can do itself. But the big irony, for me, was the accompanying music being Dvorak's New World Symphony when the advertiser was trying to depict a bygone era.

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2020 by grahame
correcting autocorrection

[3rd Rail Exile]

2 minutes ago, grahame said:

 But the big irony, for me, was the accompanying music being Dvorak's New World Symphony when the advertiser was trying to depict a bygone era.

I'd also always thought that was ironic, but it seemed to work when the ad first came out.  As a result, that piece has now become inextricably linked with that sort of scene...