Ellerby - 4mm/OO gauge - All photos working, hotlinked.

[signalmaintainer]

Glad to have caught up with this topic! Inspiring stuff, Jamiel, and I'm looking forward to seeing the progress.

 

That being said, I'd better get on with Ettinsmoor. The ground frame project has been put on hiatus, but only because I got wrapped up in revamping the station area while waiting for some suitable brass wire to arrive from a supplier. Pictures of the station area to come soon!

[Jamiel]

Here is a plan for the first signal I am making, reworked from a plan by Mick Nicholson in his 'Constructing and Operating Semaphore Signals' Book.

 

The left doll is for straight ahead (down) on the goods/branch line, the second doll is turn on the points through to the main passenger down line, and the third is to platform 5. I put a scan of the assembled base on the scanner to match the size for printing out this as a template for the rest of the construction.

 

Top are pieces of 1mm U brass for the base of the main platform, and below is the three plank etch, plus two more planks cut from the sprue left from the etch to make it a five plank base masking taped into position ready to solder. Five planks seem to be standard on these signals. I didn't measure the holes for the dolls as well as I should have, but I will mask this with the base of them (somehow)

 

 

Two views of those pieces, plus the 3mm U soldered together. Some of the blobbiness that can be seen is water from washing of the acid dip.

I think that this part of the construction is probably the part that differs from the kit as supplied the most.

 

 

Opposite where the signal will go, I have printed out the plan for the the Northern most platform building, based on the one from Birmingham New Street shown on the previous page. I can't get a feel for the exact positioning without mocking up some platform. I know how I planned it, but I want to see if it works best, proud, in line, or set back from the retaining wall beyond it, and this is how I want to test that.

 

Sitting in the headshunt is one of the Bachmann Modelzone Test Car 6s, which are discussed elsewhere on the forum. I think some etched grills, and properly plating over the window will be on my long term to do list. Also to drill out the end windows and glaze them. Still quite a nice model, but perhaps not as good as the previous RTC models. It is at the end of the time I am planning to run, the layout is really early to mid 60's, but I will push it back to the late 50's, and through to the late 70's as the latter were my spotting days.

 

 

Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. More soon.

 

Jamie

Edited September 15, 2012 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Several weeks of work (on a film for Status Quo no less) have left me little time to do anything on the layout.

 

There was a small bit of progress on the signal, but not enough to post, and soldering is something I have to concentrate and spend time on until I get more experienced.

 

I have had time to think a bit more about the facing points at the North end of the station, and how much they would compromise the operation of the layout, also the positioning of the signals. I was finding the curve, straight, curve forced on me by using Peco points was making the stcok movement ugly, and have decided it is time to take up four points and replace three of them with some hand/component built track.

 

Mostly I want to achieve the track having a smooth curve throughout the section to make stock movements look more realistic, and less chance of derailments.

 

Here is what is currently there.

 

 

My initial thought was a like for like replacement changing the facing points around.

 

 

I then realised that if I moved the split between the platform 4 and 5/goods loop beyond the point splitting from the down main line, that I would only need a single slip, rather than a double, which would be easier to build (as a beginner especially), make less points on the main line, and be more prototypical needing less maintenance.

 

 

The one thing to make sure was that it would all fit and not make curves that are too severe. I also realised that the curved point splitting between platform 4 & 5/good line could be a Peco right hand curved point, which would mean less building (although if I get into making the track, I could make it at the same time). I laid some lengths of track in position to check it would work, including the Peco right curved point, and looked at the radius compared to a Peco medium turnout. It fits OK.

 

 

I will see the members of the Leeds club this week, some who are currently building track (C&L fine scale I think), and ask for advice, but I would welcome any that forum members could give.

 

Here are my basic questions:

 

What make of components do people recommend? C&L Finescale?

 

Can this be integrated with Peco code 75? (butted up to) without a jump in height.

 

Is there an option for deeper sleepers, or would you recommend a thin cork, card, or other base to match the track height?

 

What software to use for making the templates? Templot?

 

Please bear in mind that I will be new to building track, especially points, and that it matching to the Peco track is more important to me than being a perfect represenataion of BR track from the 1960's.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give.

 

Jamie

Edited October 21, 2012 by Jamiel

[devondynosoar118]

Several weeks of work (on a film for Status Quo no less)

Was it the same three scenes endlessly(but with great enthusiasm) played over and over for years?

 

On the subject of your model, the second solution looks like a huge improvement, with a great flowing look. You will get faster answers to your track questions in the track forum. I am totally useless for these as I have never made any either! Will follow your build with interest.

[Jamiel]

Sorry for the lack of updates the last few months. After finishing the Status Quo film (Bula Quo - out this summer in cinemas and on DVD at the end of the year) I started work on a Sci-fi film away from home in Dublin.

 

It is going well, so well that we are moving to a town just north of Dublin at the end of this week. The layout will stay back at home, but be packed up when the Leeds flat is put up for sale.

 

I am hoping to take one section of the base boards with me to keep working on later in the year, and also will continue to build signals, buildings and start on some C&L pointwork, so that when I do get a place to set up the full layout again I can continue from where I was.

 

So when I am settled in our new place in Ireland, I will start to update on the bits as they are built, and hopefully this time next year the layout will find a new home to start being worked on and used again.

Edited January 7, 2013 by Jamiel

[class"66"]

Some realy nice modeling!! luv how you build your walling,see alot of thought has gone into this layout....

[hybridangel77]

Hi

 

I love the layout plan and design of all the tunnels and walling.I just wanted to know what colors you used for the walling

and how you got it to look as old and weathered as it is.

I am using brick red then weathering it with my airbrush with different darker colors but it dont seem to come out as well

as yours has.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

regards

terry.

 

P.S. I will be watching your progress with great enthusiasm!!!  

[Jamiel]

EDIT - have gone through this in a little more detail in post 91, if you are reading this thread through) - EDIT

 

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for not replying sooner, web access is bit intermittent as I am working away from home.

 

Terry, I mentioned a little about the wall painting in post #9, but to go into a little more detail.

 

It is almost the same as the method in Geoff Taylor's 'Building Model Building in 4mm and 7mm' (GTetches - website or Google search, or most rail book sellers) in the opening example of building the terrace houses. I can't recommend this book enough, the follow up looks good too.

 

All paints Humbrol. Apart from where mentioned all the painting is done with brushes, long wide for the coats, and short flat brushes for the dry brushing. I suspect it is the airbrushing that might be making some of the streaking too soft. Brush strokes are always in the direction of gravity, or across the top of the tunnels.

 

The brickwork is red Slaters plastic card brick, painted with Brick Red (Matt 70) and left 24 hours to dry. A day later Stone (Matt 121) painted on and wiped off straight away with a kitchen towel. Again leave for a day (you can't rush this, I tried and it all just turns messy and you have to start again).

 

I then dry brushed the Brick Red Matt 70 mixed with Chocolate Matt 98 about 50/50, but varying the mix a bit.

 

This is where I often add a layer not in Geoff's book, I often found this gave the mortar too much contrast, so I lightly airbrushed it all with a coat of the Brick Red Matt 70 to even out the brick colour.

 

Now various colours were dry brushed on, Oxford Blue Matt 104 (or a very dark matt blue) gives some nice brick edge detail. Blue works much better than black, black is just too much for an overall dry brush. Matt 62 Leather does the opposite to the blue, if it gets too dark, or to make some patches.

 

For streak detail Black and blue were dry brushed in downward streaks, particularly in the tunnel. I made downward patches of Humbrol Plastic filler to create heavy lime deposits, painted white, then toned down a little with black, chocolate and brick red.

 

Gun Metal 53 (not matt that one) was also dry brushed on to some bits of brick, and on details to give that oily look.

 

You can also tin down the Matt Stone 121 to a very runny mix, and dab a spot at the edge of the brick work and allow capillary action to take it into the mortar course, which gives some nice variation.

 

Sometimes being bold with streaks is good, and you can always go back if it goes wrong. Try and follow the lines of the gravity of the walls, or sometimes the water flow if that is different.

 

The darkening of the soot at the tunnel entrance was just an airbrush of matt black, I thought it too strong at first, but then brought the other tunnel to that level, and was happy with it. Sometimes accidents work out better than what was planned.

 

I do sound like an advert for Geoff Taylor's books, but basically my modelling of buildings etc. is all based on that, and a few variations (using thin wood ply rather than plasticard for some of the base structure, the airbrush pass), it is worth getting the above book, and the follow up, each is only the cost of half a dozen Humbrol small pots, and will inspire you so much. I also got a book 'The art of Weathering'.

 

Not had chance to touch the layout for a few months, but am going to get on with some buildings while the base is packed away until I get a new space for it all. The roof for the water tower and the station platform building are the next  things to work on.

 

I hope that helps. If you want any details on dry brushing let me know and I will go through it in some detail.

 

Jamie

Edited June 15, 2013 by Jamiel

[Guest bri.s]

Good to see ya back at it really like the retaining walls and tunnels they really look the part can understand about not getting the time ive 3 kids and a six day a week job its no good for layout building quite frustrating at times you know there's things you could be getting on with but cant get the chance.cant wait to seeing it progress looking good

Bri.s

Edited January 22, 2013 by bri.s

[hybridangel77]

Thanks for the replies. Sorry for not replying sooner, web access is bit intermittent as I am working away from home.

 

Terry, I mentioned a little about the wall painting in post #9, but to go into a little more detail.

 

It is almost the same as the method in Geoff Taylor's 'Building Model Building in 4mm and 7mm' (GTetches - website or Google search, or most rail book sellers) in the opening example of building the terrace houses. I can't recommend this book enough, the follow up looks good too.

 

All paints Humbrol. Apart from where mentioned all the painting is done with brushes, long wide for the coats, and short flat brushes for the dry brushing. I suspect it is the airbrushing that might be making some of the streaking too soft. Brush strokes are always in the direction of gravity, or across the top of the tunnels.

 

The brickwork is red Slaters plastic card brick, painted with Brick Red (Matt 70) and left 24 hours to dry. A day later Stone (Matt 121) painted on and wiped off straight away with a kitchen towel. Again leave for a day (you can't rush this, I tried and it all just turns messy and you have to start again).

 

I then dry brushed the Brick Red Matt 70 mixed with Chocolate Matt 98 about 50/50, but varying the mix a bit.

 

This is where I often add a layer not in Geoff's book, I often found this gave the mortar too much contrast, so I lightly airbrushed it all with a coat of the Brick Red Matt 70 to even out the brick colour.

 

Now various colours were dry brushed on, Oxford Blue Matt 104 (or a very dark matt blue) gives some nice brick edge detail. Blue works much better than black, black is just too much for an overall dry brush. Matt 62 Leather does the opposite to the blue, if it gets too dark, or to make some patches.

 

For streak detail Black and blue were dry brushed in downward streaks, particularly in the tunnel. I made downward patches of Humbrol Plastic filler to create heavy lime deposits, painted white, then toned down a little with black, chocolate and brick red.

 

Gun Metal 53 (not matt that one) was also dry brushed on to some bits of brick, and on details to give that oily look.

 

You can also tin down the Matt Stone 121 to a very runny mix, and dab a spot at the edge of the brick work and allow capillary action to take it into the mortar course, which gives some nice variation.

 

Sometimes being bold with streaks is good, and you can always go back if it goes wrong. Try and follow the lines of the gravity of the walls, or sometimes the water flow if that is different.

 

The darkening of the soot at the tunnel entrance was just an airbrush of matt black, I thought it too strong at first, but then brought the other tunnel to that level, and was happy with it. Sometimes accidents work out better than what was planned.

 

I do sound like an advert for Geoff Taylor's books, but basically my modelling of buildings etc. is all based on that, and a few variations (using thin wood ply rather than plasticard for some of the base structure, the airbrush pass), it is worth getting the above book, and the follow up, each is only the cost of half a dozen Humbrol small pots, and will inspire you so much. I also got a book 'The art of Weathering'.

 

Not had chance to touch the layout for a few months, but am going to get on with some buildings while the base is packed away until I get a new space for it all. The roof for the water tower and the station platform building are the next  things to work on.

 

I hope that helps. If you want any details on dry brushing let me know and I will go through it in some detail.

 

Jamie

Thanks for the info jamie.do you use acrylic or oil paints for this?

[Jamiel]

Hi Terry

 

I am just using enamel paints, Humbrol mostly and Railmatch for the train elements. I haven't used weathering powders, or any other type of paint.

 

I did try powder paints for a test on the ballast, but that was a disaster, fortunately on a hidden bit behind the tunnel.

 

Jamie

[Jamiel]

Back home and hope to progress with the layout soon, but in the meantime here is a look back at the making of the water tower/coaler.

 

As I had some positive feedback on previous postings of the techniques I used in some of the building for the layout, I thought I would take some of images and text I had posted on my website about the water tower and post it here as it will be easier for people to find and follow, and I can update it more easily too.

 

This was the first building I attempted, although it is still not quite finished.

 

The water tower/coaler on my layout is based on the the one at Plaistow, West Ham, London as seen in  'LMS Engine Sheds. Volume 4' by Hawkins & Reeve, published by WSP. Out  of print, but worth tracking down on Ebay, etc.

 

 

A search on the web will find a couple more images, but sadly I haven’t found many other images beyond those in the above book. Other images of this lovely building would be appreciated if you know of any.

I saw the water tower in the book, and though that it would make a distinctive building for my Ellerby layout. Originally I planned to change the position of the high and low tracks. The central track on the model was to be at ground level with the raised coal supply track behind. After initial construction I realised this was impractical, and reverted to the prototype arrangement, this was covered on the previous page.

 

Plans for main body.
These are pretty much the same for how it has ended up, but I did waste time dealing the inner support brickwork, which will be covered over in the end. Still it gave me modelling practice. The only difference would be to swap the high and low tracks shown. I think these image are half size (at 150dpi).

 

A - marks where the top view section cuts through the side.

Plan.
The plan is not accurate to prototype, but eye matched to a photograph which was corner pinned in Photoshop into a flat elevation. They have also been drawn to allow most of the brick arches to be cut from the Wills SS55 overlays, the side elevations using the outer part of the smallest semi circular arch pieces, and the two wide end arches from the inner part of the largest arch. The four small end arch tops have to be cut from plasticard and and scored with brick textures.

 

Construction.

This is as I biult it, but bear in mind I changed the supply track from the back, to the middle, so some is a little bit irrelevant.

It is a fairly ambitious start for scratch building for me, but I have been helped with good advice from members of the Leeds Model Railway Club, especially John, Steve, and Peter, as well as my old friend Graeme who knows pretty much all I could possibly want to know about woodworking and power tools.

I must also acknowledge (yet again) Geoff Taylor's excellent book 'Creating Model Buildings in 4mm and 7mm' which has given much inspiration and a lot of really practical advice.

 

There is no one way to do this, but from the advice I received, and with a little experimentation and guesswork from myself I decided on a thin ply wood frame, with balsa and hardwood bracing.

The tower was to be built in two separate sections which will then be bolted together before final detailing is done, but I have decided to simple build the water tower part onto the completed brick pillared support, which will then have the water tower section added on top.

 

The side elevation outers and back to the columns were cut from 1.2mm plywood using a Stanley knife, scroll saw and the curves finished with a Dremmel sanding tool. The inside sections are cut 1.5mm shorter at the top to allow a roof piece to be inserted. There is no indent at the ends, as the end pillars are slightly wider, and the wood frame will butt to the sides to form this.

The front/side elevation has the arches cut the full height of the tower on the outside to form the pillars seen below the platform, but at the back the arches are only cut above the platform as most of below it will be covered by a raised supply track.

 

At the front a piece of wood is glued behind the lower part of the arches.

 

'

 

The outers have then been braced with hardwood strips to form the edges of the columns, and a strip of balsa glued in to cover the top curve of the arches. All the wood sections are glued with normal wood glue.

 

 

The back to the columns were then glued, clamped and left to dry. When dry the balsa was roughly shaped with the scroll saw and then sanded to form the arches
using the Dremmel.

 

Edited March 16, 2013 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

The same was done for the end sections, but with the inner part cut back to fit behind the side section. These were then glued to the front section, and the back section checked for its fit, but will not be glued into place until a much later stage to allow access for adding brick sheeting, detailing and painting of the inner areas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The saw toothed platform sections were then cut from wood so that they could be slotted in from the inside.

 

 

The front elevation was now glued to a rectangular piece of wood which will form the ceiling of the brick part of the tower, and then one of the end sections was glued on.

 

 

Leaving the other end and back unattached at this point allows good access for adding the brick sheeting, details to the inside and painting.

I now began cutting the brick sheeting. Here I did a couple of things that I would do in a different way on the other sides. I tried cutting one of the Wills brick arch overlays down to one brick thickness, but realised that it is better to put in the two brick wide overlay, with extra in the gap and then use the Dremmel to sand away the excess, so I did this for all the other inserts.

 

 

This first cut overlay was later used on one of the inside parts where it is not easily seen

 

I also added the bricks to front outside section, but on the others I realised that it was better to do the insides and then work out, so that any problems could be hidden with the final overlays. Fortunately the front went OK, so it was not a problem, but it would have been best to start with a section of brick work on the inside that would not be in plain view had there been problems which I could learn from.

The brick sheeting was cut to the size of the area from the top of the brick pillars to the bottom of the arch curves, the flat section of the pillars will be clad later, and the join covered by the detail which can be seen in the top pictures. I marked where the pillars would be on the brick sheeting, then took one of the arch overlays put it in position to these marks, and drew round it to get the shape to cut away to allow it to sit flush with the brick walls. I also marked a line across the top edge of the curve to make sure that all the arches are level. I roughly cut out the arches tops, and then finished then again with the Dremmel, fitting in one of the arch top overlays to make sure it fitted snugly. These was then glued in place with Evostick solvent free glue.

For the wide end arches, the inner single line of bricks was cut from the widest of the Wills arches, and the end 3 bricks were cut off, as this arch is not quite a full semi circle. The brick sheet was marked around this and cut in the same way as before.

 

There were no arch details small enough for the four small arches tops on the end sections, so these were marked out on plasticard and have the brick details scored onto them, which is not as neat as the Wills arches, although I might get better at this in the long run.

 

 

The top of the platform had a piece of 30thou plasticard cut to fit the saw shape, up to the front edge of the arches and glued into place. Another strip was cut to fit from the front section, covering the gaps in the wood, and scored and folded down to make a front edge. This was glued in position, and any gaps filled with Humbrol plastic filler.

Next small rectangular pieces were cut to form the straight outers for the pillar part of the arches, these were glued in place. A piece of card was fitted into the top of the arch to measure then length to fit inside, this was cut from the brick sheet, bent around the handle of a screwdriver to make it curve. It was then glued into the top of the arches, it is cut so that it has to be firmly pushed into position, so that the fit is tight.

 

Edited March 16, 2013 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

All the brick edges that but against each other were cut oversize and then the joining edges cut back with a sharp knife, finishing with the blade scraped sideways to make the join flush.

The overlapping edges of the arch overlays were now sanded off with the Dremmel.

 

 

The second end was glued into position, and brick clad on both sides. The back elevation was also brick clad on the inside, but not glued into position yet.

 

Any gaps in the brick work, arches and sides were filled with the Humbrol plastic filler.

Adding the inner detail on the arches could now be started. Strips of both brick and 40thou plasticard were cut to be one brick thinner than the pillar depth, glued together.

 

 

The edges of the inner details were scored with a brick texture on the sides and then glued into position.

 

 

 

The bottom of the front was now clad with pieces fitting around the lower part of the columns.

 

 

Next inner pieces were added to the arch top, strips of 40thou plasticard were cut to the same width as the pillar detail pieces, and measured to the length to just fit into the top of the arch. These were fitted and glued straight in place, as if it brick sheet were added before putting these pieces in place it would buckle as they were bent to fit the arch. The same was then down with the brick sheeting. I did this for all the arches, front back and the end ones except the two small arches at the back which will only be fully formed when the rear side of the arches in glued into position.

 

 

Now I began work on the cornice details on the pillars at the bottom of the arches. I cut strips 3 bricks deep and to the depth of the arches, and stuck them in place on the sides of the arches.

 

 

Initially i cut tiny pieces of plasticard to fill the holes left at the corners, but I later decided this would be done with filler, so it was only done to a few of the cornices. Next 3 brick deep strips were cut and glued to the out and insides, I made them slightly over length, and once they were glued and set in position, I cut off the overlapping edges to make the corners tidy. I then repeated this process with a 2 brick strip sitting level with the top of the 3 brick pieces to make the second layer of the cornices.

 

 

 

 

The keystones for the arches were now cut from 20thou plasticard and glued in position.

 

 

Small pieces of plasticard were cut to the same width and glued on the inner part of the arch. The large arches at either end had card cut to continue the keystones from outside through to inside.

 

The top and any corner holes of the cornices has been filled initially trying Milliput, but I found this a bit clumsy for such a small piece of detail (perhaps my not working it properly), but I changed to Humbrol Plastic Filler, thinned and worked with Mekpac liquid.

In the same way the cornices were made, the buttress detail at the bottom of the building was made with two layers of brick sheeting. These also required side pieces to be cut as well but followed the same process, but with a little additional finishing of the edges with a knife to make everything flush. This was done all around the front half of the building, and is in progress on the back inner. The rest will have to wait until the back section is fitted.

 

I need to process the next set of pictures from camera raw to Jepgs to post, but when I have the computer set up I will add more on this.

 

Jamie

 

PS. Back in Leeds, Ireland didn't work out, and the layout is was never moved, so it will be good to get back to developing it over the next few months.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

A little bit of a jump forward to the recent work I have down on the Tower over the last couple of weeks.

 

 

I did want to try ans have a removable roof so I could get to the wiring for the lights, but the curve of the roof didn't lend itself to one that would clip on and off, and I couldn't hide the screws I used, so I gave in and had a glued on roof.

 

First a sheet of 20 thou platicard, the screws were used to hold it until the Mec dried.

 

Then corrugated platicard pieces were cut, 21 I think.

 

These were then sanded on the overlapping edges, and also the back. The edges were quite harshly sanded back, so that they almost cut through to the back of the ridges on some pieces, and then these had the gulley scraped over with a Stanley knife, held sideways, to give a broken and rusted away edge. Some gulleys were also cut/scored.

.

Glued on with Mec, overlapping slightly.

 

 

Some pieces were scored and pushed up around the score. The rough bits you can see one top of the card were scraped off too before painting.

 

Gutters added with half round Evergreen strips. Brackets cut to fit under to hold them. Just 3 each side initially, but then more were added later. The ends above the etches had corrugated card added. I also put in an access door at one end, made of flat plasticard, and a handle bent from fine brass wire. I couldn't see a roof entrance on the source photos, although I couldn't see one at the ends either, some a little license was used to add this detail. I also added square of masking tape to give fine depth to the door.

 

 

In addition to the above, I also sanded over the edges of the panels to lose the bump, which is a bit over scale. A compromise between ridge and gulley detail, verses the thinning of the panel joins to represent and better scale thickness of the metal pieces. I was quite happy with the result, and the painting and perhaps rust and moss can disguise this compromise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I now made the end drain pipes. In retrospect they are a little too thick, but I can live with that. Shaped over a candle to soften the Evergreen rod so it is flexible. Some needed to be cut in two, and new bits added when I over did the candle heating. Joins were made from little strips of masking tape again.

 

 

Glueing on took a few trials. Superglue, Mec and Humbrol Plastic Cement all failed, the paint had insulated the underlying plastic too well. Evostick worked in the end. Some little rectangles of plasticard made brackets behind the pipes before they were fitted.

 

 

Now layers of paint, initial grey, back and rust thinned and run down the gulleys with capillary action, and dry brushing on the ridges with a lighter grey. Some rust on the panel edges. It was a but too contrasty at first.

 

 

I then gave the whole roof top, and some of the water tank sides a light airbrush with medium grey, and then did more controlled gulley work, plus some highlights. Rust and dirt dry brushing, and also some very thinned dark grey as a wash to weather more.
Sorry the exposure is by artificial light so it is a bit red on the below image.

 

 

Again much technique gained from Geoff Taylor's books on scratch building model buildings, and also Martyn Welch 'The Art of Weathering'.

More still to do, a coaling conveyer of the left as you see it above, and then the raised track and concrete embankment to go through the middle, and the steps at either end to be added. Meanwhile I have been returning to some ballasting, more on that soon.

 

Any comments always welcome.

Jamie

Edited April 17, 2013 by Jamiel

[hybridangel77]

that building looks brilliant.you have lots of patience mate.

[Jamiel]

Ash ballasting using Das worked into normal ballast, to get the feel of an urban station in the 60's. It will be painted grey, and darkened in the track centre, and lighter away from the track, then the track and sleepers retouched. I may work some talc in to give the paint texture. I did try adding back fine Carrs fine ash ballast, but for this sort of well trodden ballast it just sits on top. Some of the Carrs ballast is left showing through though to get some variation.

The near track at the bottom has yet to have the Das added as the ballast hadn't set. All a learning process, I think less ballast to start with on the next bits of track, to allow the Das to sit a little lower than the sleepers more.

[Jamiel]

A little off topic, but with all the continuing talk of Austerity, I can't help thinking that it should lead to some functional, but wonderfully stylish steams engines being built again.

WD 2-8-0, WD 2-10-0, LNER J94, Bulleid Q1 and Ivatt 4MT. Building a few of those would certainly cheer me up in these 'hard times'.
 

[rs4]

My my..... There is an impressive layout with ALOT of brickwork and general building going on.

 

Puts me to shame.

 

You really are BUILDING...A

 

Love the tunnel with the cables through it and the water tower.

 

Excellent

[Jamiel]

Thanks RS4.

 

Yet more brickwork being started, the goods warehouse, loosely based on the building seen at the end of platform 1 on Birmingham New Street demolished in the 60's renovations, as seen on page 1 of this topic, and with thanks to those who helped me in the prototypes section of the forum.

Here is a plan of the front elevation, minus the roof, and without the fine detail in the brickwork and drain pipes.


The sash windows and doors are designed to use GT etches for the windows and window arches above. The two central lower windows will have to be scratch made, as will the four wide lower window arches.

First stage, thin ply, cut size with the print tapes on, to act as a guide so that I can cut the window and door holes. These are cut wide, so that a plasticard brick recess can be made accurately into each.

 

I used a Stanley knife to cut around the print and score into the plywood, and also marked with a pencil.

 

The print then removed.

 

The corners drilled, the centres drilled with a wider bit, and then roughly chiseled out, and finished with the Stanley knife. My Dremel bit lost the screw from the thin sander which I would have used a bit - Ebay tomorrow for a replacement I think.

 

The ply back ready to have the sides and supports cut, sitting on a second print. I actually scanned in the GT etches to get the right size, and put the plan together in Photoshop.

I have also been doing more of the Das clay ballasting, which was then sanded over, the reveal a little of the Carrs Ash Ballast through, and the flatten it. Getting near to having a first coat of paint added.

 

More soon I hope.

Edited May 2, 2013 by Jamiel

[Jamiel]

Thought I would add a tip, from recent experience ( and proof of stupidity).

When using Mek-Pak, or bottles of similar plastic solvent, if like me you are prone to having too much on your work bench, and then knock things over.

Keep you old bottles of Mek, and just put half an inch (1.5cm if you are metric) in the bottom of the old bottle to use when modelling, and keep the new one on the shelf just to keep topping it up.

That way when you knock it over, you don't waste a whole bottle, just a little bit, and you also have less to mop up, while it dissolves all the small finely cut pieces you spent hours cutting out.

[Guest bri.s]

Just caught up with your thread theres some nice modelling there really like the retaining wall cutting its coming along very nicely

Can't wait to see a few trains running

[Jamiel]

Thanks Bri.

 

I was thinking that my layout is rather lacking in rolling stock. I have quite a lot, but I have been focusing on the building perhaps a bit too much.

I will have to take some photos soon with some locos and rolling stock on there. It is mostly straight out of the box, some factory weathered.

In the mean time, yet more on the buildings. The wooden ply base for the goods warehouse is taking shape.

 

In fact the shape is being forced on it a little, as the front ply had a slight warp in it.



It will stay there over night.

I am tempted to get at least one coat of grey on to the Das clay ballasted track before I photograph some trains moving on it, but I will definitely make an effort to show some stock on there soon.

 

I have a couple of Hornby 8fs, out of their boxes at the moment, and perhaps the Class 128 Parcels DMU (Midland version without corridor connectors, a Craftsman kit on a Hornby 121 in BR blue).

[Jamiel]

More work today on the goods building.

Cutting the brick overlay for the front, marked out using the A4 paper print I made, and then cut with a Stanley knife.

 

One of the things I love about Rmweb, is there are so many examples people have shared of how they did things, and one of the very best for those wanting to scratch build buildings must be 'Diesels in the Duchy' by 2ManySpams  , her is a link to page 18, which shows a much better example of the technique I copied to make the arches above the three big windows and double door.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/12234-diesels-in-the-duchy-aka-st-blazey-dcc-em/?p=459217

 

Here is my attempt, not sure if I will leave it just as vertical scores, or add in some horizontal breaks too. I will see when they are in place. The pencil has smudges quite a lot as I made the scores, and it could be better lit and focussed, see 2ManySpams version, ot is much better.



A little filling and tiding needed no doubt.



Released from the clamps, here is the body ready for it to sit on.



I do promise to show some trains on the layout in the next few days, promise.

[Jamiel]

As promised, a loco on the layout (at long last).

Two images of a Hornby 8F, factory weathered, sorry no detailing or additional weathering, and a few goods wagons emerging from the tunnel on the down goods line, as a set of MK1s come out of the down passenger line.

The in progress signal is propped (not very straight) on the right. Well as lot still to do, but proof that I do have some trains to run on the layout, and not just to sit in boxes under it.