Much Murkle - back on the road

[Removed a/c]

Nice additions ! Is the dray from Langley? 

[nickwood]

Hi Britfarmer

 

The flat dray is from Dart castings and the Parcels van and Cider / brewery Dray is from Langley Models.

[Removed a/c]

Thanks Nick

[Andrew P]

Hi Nick, I looking forward to seeing MM again this weekend.

 

Have a good Show.

 

Bodge

[DLT]

 I won't mention to her that she's got a doppleganger 

But she can get treatment for it

[nickwood]

Hi Nick, I looking forward to seeing MM again this weekend.

 

Have a good Show.

 

Bodge

 

Thanks Andy, there are a few small additions since you last saw it. I just hope it runs as well as it did at Sutton Coldfield.

[gwrrob]

Nice to see MM again at the weekend.I've played around with this shot for effect.Great modelling Nick.

 

[nest]

very good to see the layout over the weekend. I was the last punter on Saturday I believe...

Lovely layout

 

Nestor

[nickwood]

Nice to see MM again at the weekend.I've played around with this shot for effect.Great modelling Nick.

 

DSCN4714bw.jpg

 

I like that Rob, a lot

Amazing depth you've got into that photo as the main building looks to be quite a way back from the dock whereas it is only about 75mm behind

[nickwood]

We had a great weekend with Much Murkle at the Ricoh. My team were great fun and hopefully we put on a good show whenever folk were watching. 

 

Andrew and my wife Janet ready to fly into action.

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by nickwood

[Jaz]

Photos from relive I include the ratings as really they are yours.......

 

Being rather cheeky.....   ....I asked one of the guys if I could get the other side of the retaining fence, having leant over and not got close enough.....and was kindly given permission.....

this was the layout

rmweb2876show81

 

but this is what I wanted a good picture of......

rmweb2879show84

 

and whilst there took another good close up or two.. 

These figures were used to maximum effect

rmweb2880show85

I'm sure the 'flockage'  will be appreciated..... 

 

edit = oops got carried a way by my joke and forgot the rest of the pictures....

 

look at the 'window' on the roof detail

 

 

love the horse and carts

end to end this hand little gems a plenty

Edited by Jaz, 13 September 2014 - 22:51 .

•  Like x 13
•  
•  Thanks x 1
•  
• List

Thank you again for letting me get in close for the cows.

[Graham Walters]

Hi Nick,

 

As a native of Herefordshire (and a particular fan of Mr. Henry Weston's golden drink), I would like to say that you've done an absolutely fantastic job of setting and capturing the scene. It's simply the model of a lifetime, and more than once I was wondering if your photographs were photographs of the real thing! Your poppy seed apples are simply an inspired idea, and I don't think your premise of a rail-served cider mill is too far from the truth since Westons did dispatch their finished product via the GWR at their local station for many years (I would imagine from Ledbury on the Hereford to Worcester line, but I do remember reading somewhere that it was somewhere along the Hereford, Gloucester & Ross). But I think that's probably drifting too far from the point of this post.

 

One thing I would like to ask, is how did you lay the grass in your fields? It looks too perfect (by which I mean both perfectly applied, and completely realistic) to be static grass - but then again, as the rest of your model has been so skillfully made it probably is!

 

I am only familiar with the modern railways (I'm mid-20's), and as such my two "attempts" at layout building have been firmly set in the modern era (or recent past), and all I have is the relics of the GWR and Western Region. But your model is truly inspirational, and I am seriously considering building a GWR layout based on another Herefordshire station in the future!

 

All the best

 

 

Andy

 

P.S. Please let us know if / when you will be appearing at exhibitions!

 

I can only echo this, having personally known Henry Weston, The chap at the bottom of the steps is very much like him, stocky, ruddy complexion. Westons did indeed cart their cider to Ledbury for distribution, it was also carted to Ross for distribution into the S.Wales area.

[nickwood]

On 17/09/2014 at 10:10, Graham Walters said:

I can only echo this, having personally known Henry Weston, The chap at the bottom of the steps is very much like him, stocky, ruddy complexion. Westons did indeed cart their cider to Ledbury for distribution, it was also carted to Ross for distribution into the S.Wales area.

 

Hi Graham. That is useful information and I know from talking to you before that you have a lot of local knowledge that I need to tap into further sometime. Thanks.

 

The justification for rail serving the Cider Factory was a photo taken at Bulmers in Hereford during the 1930's with a 2-6-0 Aberdare waiting at a similar loading dock with a train of vans.

 

On 17/09/2014 at 09:11, Jaz said:

 

Photos from relive I include the ratings as really they are yours.......

 

Being rather cheeky.....   ....I asked one of the guys if I could get the other side of the retaining fence, having leant over and not got close enough.....and was kindly given permission.....

 

 

Jaz, I could have been me or any of my team. We don't mind letting folk get closer and I'm always happy to let people have a look round the back as well. They only need to show an interest in the operation to get an invite. They may even get to have a play.

 

Great photos by the way. Thanks

Edited December 21, 2022 by nickwood

[mudmagnet]

Great to see MM at the weekend! Didn't get much time to take photos over the weekend, but those that I did are really not that good.

 

Very impressed with the layout though.

[Graham Walters]

Hi Graham. That is useful information and I know from talking to you before that you have a lot of local knowledge that I need to tap into further sometime. Thanks.

 

The justifictaion for rail serving the Cider Factory was a photo taken at Bulmers in Hereford during the 1930's with a 2-6-0 Aberdare waiting at a similar loading dock with a train of vans.

 

 

Jaz, I could have been me or any of my team. We don't mind letting folk get closer and I'm always happy to let people have a look round the back as well. They only need to show an interest in the operation to get an invite. They may even get to have a play.

 

Great photos by the way. Thanks

 

Bulmers had their own sidings up until the late sixties, which would make a good layout, they were quite spread out over Hereford, and if remember rightly were inside what was called the "Brecon Loop" ( don't quote me on that), Why Bulmers moved to road transport baffled every one.

My grandfather used to sell apples to Bulmers, in fact I can remember my father talking about taking the sacks of apples to Stoke Edith station for Bulmers

[Anotheran]

Nick,

 

I saw MM in the flesh for the first time at the Ricoh on Saturday and had to find, and then go through, the thread for the first time. So apologies for the rush of ratings on posts going back two years! Having only just set off on my journey on Newcastle Emlyn (via Doxey End which is intended for me to learn my skills) there is a lot on MM that is inspiring.

 

I don't see GWR BLT as cliched... or I wouldn't have gone for NE. They give some wonderful detail that can be picked up, and consistent looks over extended periods. What you've done is take those facts in a masterful way and produce a truly spectacular model. Seeing things in the photos now I wish I could go back and spend more time in front of the layout in real life as I see that I missed so much!

 

Kind regards, Neil

[nickwood]

Nick,

 

I saw MM in the flesh for the first time at the Ricoh on Saturday and had to find, and then go through, the thread for the first time. So apologies for the rush of ratings on posts going back two years! Having only just set off on my journey on Newcastle Emlyn (via Doxey End which is intended for me to learn my skills) there is a lot on MM that is inspiring.

 

I don't see GWR BLT as cliched... or I wouldn't have gone for NE. They give some wonderful detail that can be picked up, and consistent looks over extended periods. What you've done is take those facts in a masterful way and produce a truly spectacular model. Seeing things in the photos now I wish I could go back and spend more time in front of the layout in real life as I see that I missed so much!

 

Kind regards, Neil

 

Thanks Neil

 

I had noticed the number of likes and appreciate your endurance in going through the thread from the beginning. Seeing where you are located in the country you might be interested in knowing that Much Murkle is booked for the Stafford show in February 2016. I know it is a long way off but if you visit and make yourself known I'd be happy for you to come behind the scenes and get more close up.

[Anotheran]

I will definitely do so Nick. I expect I'll be helping to operate one of the club layouts at the show, so will make sure I find you and say hello... and look at all those bits I missed last time!

[gwrrob]

Another shot from me Nick from last weekend.Plenty of detail under cover that is easily missed by the casual viewer.

 

[Mikkel]

Another shot from me Nick from last weekend.Plenty of detail under cover that is easily missed by the casual viewer.

 

DSCN4715bw.jpg

 

Thanks for those lovely shots, Rob!

 

Nick, those boxes on the goods deck look rather good. Where are they from, please - or did you make them yourself? 

[nickwood]

Another shot from me Nick from last weekend.Plenty of detail under cover that is easily missed by the casual viewer.

 

DSCN4715bw.jpg

 

And a pair of steps floating in midair. 

 

Must rectify that.

[nickwood]

Thanks for those lovely shots, Rob!

 

Nick, those boxes on the goods deck look rather good. Where are they from, please - or did you make them yourself? 

 

I made them Mikkel. I can send you the file if you would like to PM me your email address.

[nickwood]

Thanks to everyone for a whole raft of likes etc. it really is appreciated. For me RMweb Live was a great weekend for a host of reasons.

 

It was great to meet so many fellow RMwebbers, some to catch up with, others for the first time.

It was great to have time to talk to people about Much Murkle

It was great to get take Much Murkle to a major show for the first time

It was great to see Andy York get a thorough soaking in the Ice Bucket Challenge

It was great that Andy raised well over £200 for doing the IBC 

It was great that the RMweb LIVE format seemed to have been appreciated by most visitors

and finally it was great that so many people seemed to like Much Murkle

[nickwood]

After all the excitement of the two recent weekend exhibitions, it's back to some work on the layout.

 

One thing I've been meaning to do for ages is replace the tree in the back left hand corner, seen in this photo. The proportions are not right and it has been bugging me for quite some time.

 

Settling down to watch the Ryder Cup last weekend I decided to have a go whilst watching Europe's win unfold using Gordon Gravett's excellent book Modelling Trees as reference. I wanted a tree that was light and airy but yet substantial and dominating with better proportions. An English Elm seemed to fit the bill.

 

First the wire skeleton from florists wire. Slightly awkward to do as the tree trunk has to fit quite tight into the corner and so the tree has to be modelled partly in relief.

 

Next job is to coat the frame with something to represent the bark. Gordon recomends a mix of artex and pva, I used Greenscene's Flexi Bark. This pot is over three years old and still going strong. I suspect it is an Artex based mix with a bit of texture. It took about three coats to get a satisfactory covereage all over. Watching Europe winning the Ryder Cup helped pass the drying time

 

When everything was set I painted it a mid grey colour using acrylics and then highlighted areas by firts dry brushing with a much lighter grey and finally a grey/brown mix. Once this was dry I then teased out small pinches of rubberised horsehair and glued with pva to the branches to represent twigs working my way around and up the tree from the bottom. I found it easier to trim any long strands with a pair of small scissors as I went.

 

A couple of shots of this job completed

 

 

Need to let the glue thoroughly dry before getting the flock out to finish it off although that isn't going to happen for a few days as going to be working away from home until the weekend.

Edited December 21, 2022 by nickwood

[artizen]

As well as flock for the leaves, have you thought of using leaf scatters?

 

I have a sheet of rubberised horse hair lying around under the house, I might try this idea on some trees I have to make. I even have all three of Gordon's books here somewhere as well!