Boldon Colliery Signal Box

[Lee Whitty]

Alreet as a small diversion from my main micro layout based on tyne dock shed i have decided to model a small section of line just past boldon colliery station where Boldon colliery signal box was located. I have always wanted to model the station itself but due to the size it isnt feasible. Having seen in Hornby magazine a 3ft diorama challenge i decided to use a spare offcut of ply which happended to be the correct size for the competition. I have the layout started and thought i would put it on here for some advice/ comments during the build.

 

Anyone curious if you type boldon colliery signal box into google u get a few images of the box itself

 

sketch showing the general idea of the location with the box, two signals with an embankment to the rear of the box with a double track line running accross the front.

 

sketch of the box at 1/76th scale worked out by estimating the door height and steps etc to gain rough dimensions.

 

beginnings of the layout it will have a curved backscene and is constructed in a similar method to chris nevards polbrock with 6mm ply on supporting framework with a foamboard top to allow the layout to be lightweight.

 

the layout with two sections of track and a few scale mock ups of the box and store roughly placed on for an idea of scale.

 

any comments / suggestions / information is welcome

 

if anyone has any idea what colour the box should be it would be greatly appreciated. my initial research has led me to believe the window framework to be white with the door to the left in a different colour. it looks to be of a similar construction to the tyne dock bank top box which was white with a blue painted door and the pontop crossing box is also of similar construction.( all photos of the box are in black and white there are colour photos but they are a later period as the chimney is missing in these photos.

 

cheers

[Lee Whitty]

ignore the figure to the left in the plan drawing as it is not in the correct scale to the rest of the drawing. (i meant to remove it from the image before uploading)

cheers

[beast66606]

Looks interesting, one of your signals (the one on the right) is drawn back to front.

[4630]

If your sketches are anything to go by your diorama should be pretty good. I hope you'll post more as this develops further.

[New Haven Neil]

Looking forward to seeing this develop. I don't need search for photos, the 'box is etched in my memory - and Tile Sheds & EB - as a one time resident of the area. I still think of modelling some part of this line, I spent so long watching trains there in the 70's!

[simon hudson]

I'm not sure but isnt the Smartmodels signal box based on the one at Boldon,It's quite good I'm in the process off finishing it off I used the plans and played about with them and have built it in plasticard for my layout based on Philadelphia

[Worsdell forever]

Interesting project, looking forward to seeing it progress.

 

In what period will it be set? can give a better idea about colour schemes if we know.

 

I'm not sure but isnt the Smartmodels signal box based on the one at Boldon.

 

I think it's based on the one at Beamish which is ex Carr House West, Consett. Same basic type but different details.

[56120]

Going to keep my eyes peeled on this as the signal box was only 2 gardens away from me. I remember it alot as a younging and the night they pulled it down.

[Brian D]

Hi Les,

I have a copy of "The Steaming Sixties:5 - Coal Train Survivals in the North East". If you are modelling this period, there are good colour photos of Seaton Box which looks very similar to your drawing. The window frames and external timber stair-landing enclosure are painted white and the door and stair handrails painted light blue. The stair treads and strings look to be unpainted.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Brian.

[Lee Whitty]

Alreet thanks for all the comments so far i will try and update as much as i can.

 

Looks interesting, one of your signals (the one on the right) is drawn back to front.

haha so it is just shows what happens when u do a quick sketch in ur 20 min break at work and ur hurrying to get it finished, it def won be like that when built.

Hi Les,

I have a copy of "The Steaming Sixties:5 - Coal Train Survivals in the North East". If you are modelling this period, there are good colour photos of Seaton Box which looks very similar to your drawing. The window frames and external timber stair-landing enclosure are painted white and the door and stair handrails painted light blue. The stair treads and strings look to be unpainted.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Brian.

thats sounds similar to the images of tyne dock box in the steaming sixties 1. a north east redoubt with painted white framework and light blue door. the box is very similar to boldon but just on a larger scale. cheers

 

thanks so far. More soon Hopefully

[Lee Whitty]

Hey i dont have any more pics of the layout yet as its taking a while making the curved backscene. so while waiting for things to dry etc i have done a test using a section of peco track. i have adjusted the sleeper spacing to see if the track can be made to look better. its has been hastily painted and weathered to get a better idea of the end product on the layout and obviously more time will be spent on the actual layouts track. I have considered using C+L track as i quite fancy trying it but money is a bit tight at the minute so i thought id put this up to get peoples opinions.

 

respaced track with a section of regular peco track for comparison

thought id add my class 08 for a bit of scale.

 

anyones thoughts on this would be appreciated. More pics of the layout soon.

Cheers

[Lee Whitty]

alreet bit of and update here ive managed to finish the curved backdrop by using foam wedges filled and sanded to create the curved sections in the corners. a Sheet of thick wallpaper was then glued to the backdrop to give a smooth finish. the embankment has been made from insulation foam and the edges blended into the base and backscene using das clay.

 

next up undercoating and painting the backscene an appropriate colour before comencing scenic work

 

any comments / suggestions welcome cheers

[Lee Whitty]

alreet thought id start the construction of the box itself as im still waiting for the das clay to dry from yesterday.

 

Construction is of plasticard with embossed sheeting glued over the base structure

 

need to buy some very thin balsa for the wooden sections however i may use scribed plasticard as an alternative if im not convinced by it.

[Lee Whitty]

Sorry its been a while since my last update got a bit more done and its now starting to take shape any comments welcome

[moorlander]

May seem an obvious question.

With the insulating foam did you just cover it over with the DAS clay.

Looks the business .

[simon hudson]

Looking good reminds me of my misspent youth in Hall Dene Seaham and Seaton boxes no health and safety then me and my mate often looked after Hall Dene box whilst the employee did a few odd jobs

[Lee Whitty]

May seem an obvious question.

With the insulating foam did you just cover it over with the DAS clay.

Looks the business .

sorry its took so long to answer been a bit of a lull in modelling over the winter. yes the das clay is just put directly ontop of the insulation foam it sticks to the roughly cut sections well enought but was a little more difficult over smoother sections.

 

little more progress i have built the embankments up further with das clay and undercoated the hillside with a tester pot of emulsion from wilkinsons.

 

the first layer of scenics has been applied using woodland scenics fine turf - soil as a base onto which various other scenics will be applied.

 

track has also been weathered using my airbrush.

 

 

any comments/ questions/ suggestions welcome cheers

[Brian D]

Hi Lee,

I have built a very similar box based on a handed version of the box currently located at Beamish.  I am not however over impressed with my windows having now seen yours.  Can you spill the beans please about how you fabricated your windows?

Thanks in anticipation.

Regards,

[Lee Whitty]

Hi Lee,

I have built a very similar box based on a handed version of the box currently located at Beamish.  I am not however over impressed with my windows having now seen yours.  Can you spill the beans please about how you fabricated your windows?

Thanks in anticipation.

Regards,

i can give it a go its quite a long winded explanation if they're anymore questions just ask and i'll try to explain in more detail.

 

Materials - jarvis clear acrylic sheet 40C or 60C i cant quite remember which i used.

                  jarvis plasticard i believe it was 10W or 20W i used

                  evergreen 291 angle 1.5mm strip

 

1. after working out the size of each window pane and the overall sizes of windows etc i drew a grid of the correct sizes onto a sheet of paper and taped it to my cutting board.

 

2. Take the clear acrylic sheet and place it on the cutting mat (i also taped it so it didnt move) and using the back of a regular cheap craft knife score repeatedly along the lines of the grid template. As this just creates a groove rather than cutting through the material.

 

3. After getting the scored lines to a sufficent depth, white acrylic paint was run into the grooves with a fine paintbrush. After it has dried use a offcut of acrylic sheet of a thicker variety to gently scrape any paint that has ended up on the window panes.

 

4. You now have the framework for the windows. take the evergreen angle and cut lengths to fit around the edges of the window frames and glue in place. This will give you your main framework.

 

5. this is optional really but you can cut strips from the plasticard sheet to give the window frames bigger depth in certain places. this is just visible in the last photo i uploaded.

 

quick diagram on photoshop

Hope that helps bud.

[Brian D]

That's terrific, Les.  I'll give this technique a go.

Regards,