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Hemyock - Down on the farm...


aberdare
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After following a few threads on here I thought it was about time I made a start. I have yet to replace my garage (old asbestos) which has a distinct lean with a newer workshop (20x10ft) some time next year. In the meantime I have started on the branch terminus as a friend has kindly offered to house it during the destruction and erection of the aforementioned buildings.

A brief history of events

I first stared this layout (MkI) back in 1978 and got both stations and some buildings in place before changing jobs and of course house causing it to be scrapped in 1984. It was started again in 2003 only to be stopped again the following year for yet another job/house move. I moved with it twice more until taking early retirement to become a carer and downsizing in 2010 when it was scrapped again. So here we are with the final version - I am not moving again.

The start

As I need all my savings for the new shed I started the layout on some old doors and have got some track laid to the following state so far.

post-13569-0-96132900-1346080056_thumb.jpg

I have been comparing the laid track with early photographs to try and get the correct alignment with the original station. Believe me it has been moved and re-pinned several times despite having a grid system to get positions correct to my drawing. I also made a couple of temporary sheds and a platform to help in getting the correct positions.

post-13569-0-61587200-1346079153_thumb.jpg

Hopefully I have captured the lay of the tracks well including the sharp curves. Next job is to complete the track laying to what was the old butter factory and cottages beyond the station, then chop out the river. I will leave some of the scenic details until next year when it has a permanent home and I can cover the join.

References are from several books including;

GWR branch terminus Vol 2 - Paul Karau
Branch lines around Tiverton - Middleton Press
Culm Valley light Railway - Michael Messenger

and of course http://hemyock.org/m...070125171009335

I hope the link works as It is the first time I have tried it!

Jim

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I think you've captured the station really well there, Jim. The engine shed and the coach shed look a bit close to each other, but obviously space is an issue.

 

Dont forget "The Culm Valley Light Railway" by Colin G. Maggs, published by Oakwood press. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Culm-Valley-Light-Railway-Locomotion/dp/0853616523/ - an excellent book.

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Hi John

 

Thanks for that,I was hoping it looked something like it. The two sheds aren't really that close as there is a gap between them, I think the end on photos make it look as if they are touching. Space is not really an issue as it is 11ft long and around 30inches wide, I may have to compare it to pictures in other books I have and adjust before a permanent fix is made.

 

I have seen the book you mention and may buy it as even one extra photo could be useful, I have been tempted a couple of times. Thanks for reminding me.

 

Jim

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Hi Jim

 

A good start to a great subject. The relationship between the engine shed and Carriage shed looks about right to me. Iain Rice included a plan of Hemyock in his book on Layout Design and they were quite close to each other.

 

You appear to have planty of space for scenic development and it should make a wonderful layout. I look forward to seeing more.

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Hi, Hemyock has always attracted me and I think the book that will assist you is GWR Branch Line Album, VolumeTwo, by Paul Karau. Oxford Publishing ISBN 0 686093 018 1

 

Excellent plans, photographs and working details.

 

I commend it.

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Nick

 

Thanks for your comment and I hope it lives up to my expectations too, you always have an idea of want you want it to look like but achieving it is another matter. I will probably extend some of the scenery in places once it is permanent as I always feel it gives it atmosphere, I will just do my best and see what happens.

 

John

 

Yes you are right that is a good book and one of the ones I am working from (I listed the title wrong in my first post - oops). Thanks for commenting and I hope I can capture the feel of it that makes it so attractive.

 

 

Progress today.

 

I had a bit more time than usual today so got 'stuck in' literally. All the track has now been fixed except for the two shed lines to allow final adjustment when they are built. The final end of the factory line has also been left until I work on that end. The river has also been cut out as far as the road bridge.

post-13569-0-25235900-1346265829_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

After doing the final adjustments I couldn't resist taking this shot to see if it matched the one in the book, it just needs the driver and not my temporary branch engine.

post-13569-0-13193200-1346265465_thumb.jpg

 

Which should look like this http://www.disused-s...k/index34.shtml

 

Jim

 

Hi Joseph, just seen your comment come through as I was writing. Yes, I am looking forward to doing the Junction as it will be the main focus of the layout, I've got an awful lot of kits to build as well to get all the stock. It looks as if I'll be busy for many years yet.

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After following a few threads on here I thought it was about time I made a start. I have yet to replace my garage (old asbestos) which has a distinct lean with a newer workshop (20x10ft) some time next year. In the meantime I have started on the branch terminus as a friend has kindly offered to house it during the destruction and erection of the aforementioned buildings.

 

A brief history of events

 

I first stared this layout (MkI) back in 1978 and got both stations and some buildings in place before changing jobs and of course house causing it to be scrapped in 1984. It was started again in 2003 only to be stopped again the following year for yet another job/house move. I moved with it twice more until taking early retirement to become a carer and downsizing in 2010 when it was scrapped again. So here we are with the final version - I am not moving again.

 

The start

 

As I need all my savings for the new shed I started the layout on some old doors and have got some track laid to the following state so far.

 

post-13569-0-96132900-1346080056_thumb.jpg

 

I have been comparing the laid track with early photographs to try and get the correct alignment with the original station. Believe me it has been moved and re-pinned several times despite having a grid system to get positions correct to my drawing. I also made a couple of temporary sheds and a platform to help in getting the correct positions.

 

post-13569-0-61587200-1346079153_thumb.jpg

 

Hopefully I have captured the lay of the tracks well including the sharp curves. Next job is to complete the track laying to what was the old butter factory and cottages beyond the station, then chop out the river. I will leave some of the scenic details until next year when it has a permanent home and I can cover the join.

 

References are from several books including;

 

GWR branch terminus Vol 2 - Paul Karau

Branch lines around Tiverton - Middleton Press

Culm Valley light Railway - Michael Messenger

 

and of course http://hemyock.org/m...070125171009335

 

I hope the link works as It is the first time I have tried it!

 

Jim

 

Nice strategically placed mug :)

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If you can ever visit Coldharbour Mill at Uffculme you'll find an 'every station and halt' model of the branch. The car park to the mill is on the site of Coldharbour Halt, and you can walk the line into Uffculme along the footpath.

 

Is that still there? When we lived in Uffculme 5 years ago, the Mill was looking at removing the layout.

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If you can ever visit Coldharbour Mill at Uffculme you'll find an 'every station and halt' model of the branch. The car park to the mill is on the site of Coldharbour Halt, and you can walk the line into Uffculme along the footpath.

Luckily I visited this in 2002 before venturing on MkII. It was closed to the public at the time but when I got talking to a member of staff I was allowed a private viewing, can't remember what happened to all my old photos though.

 

Nice strategically placed mug. I thought so too, sadly missing from the later post when I had my tea in a plain red one then used it to weigh the track down while it set.
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Yes - stopped in Hemyock at the Castle SC apartments a long while back - a good holiday - was there a connection with the St Ivel Creamery - Works? - I recall some sort of Branch Line......

 

....remember a first visit to Beer when there (1995) and the excellent PECORAMA :)

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Yes - stopped in Hemyock at the Castle SC apartments a long while back - a good holiday - was there a connection with the St Ivel Creamery - Works? - I recall some sort of Branch Line......

 

....remember a first visit to Beer when there (1995) and the excellent PECORAMA :)

 

I've not been to Beer since 1984 when I went for a management job at Peco, got down to the last three then it was postponed because of poor sales due to the home computer boom. When I was invited back down again I had already moved on, Oh well, what could have been - certainly not a 27 year break from the hobby.

 

On my visit to Hemyock there was nothing left to see except a building site.

 

Hoping to get some work down around the Cattle dock area this weekend before next weeks heavy schedule of the wifes appointments which will slow things up.

 

Jim

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I have managed to spend a bit of time on building the Cattle dock during the evenings as I need this to get the correct position for the road and bridge over the river. Here is a brief update of progress so far.

 

The Cattle dock was made from a block of MDF and covered in some thick paper stones - these are all parts from my wifes scrap box from when she built Dolls Houses, I cut the stones to random sizes and fixed them individually. It took some time.

 

post-13569-0-41204800-1346867740_thumb.jpg

 

The colour was already painted onto the stones when I found the paper. The stones were then bent around the corners and fixed.

 

After a few painstaking hours I have this.

 

post-13569-0-87772500-1346867920_thumb.jpg

 

 

It was then time to sort out the sleeper made ramp that leads to the dock and again I discovered some balsa wood scraps in the box and made them from those. These were fitted to a cardboard frame and all glued to the dock itself.

 

post-13569-0-64801600-1346868139_thumb.jpg

 

Colouring was by using some creosote substitute that was knocking about in the shed - well it is what would have been used isn't it. I did have to leave it outdoors for a bit though.

 

I hope to get a bit more colouring complete and then move on to the dock rails and the groundwork on the base of the pen as and when I get time. Hopefully after Friday I am hoping to have a bit more time.

 

Jim

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That looks really good Jim. What have you used for the mortar on the stonework?

 

The balsa ramp looks good too but maybe consider coffee stirrers next time, they are a great source of FREE timber for models. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

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Hi Nick

 

Thanks for the comment. The mortar is just the base of the wood with a diluted matt white wash, it depends on how much light is on it as to how white it looks which you can see when I used the flash. I think it looks enough like lime mortar to pass.

 

I did look at using coffee stirrers as I have loads but they were a bit too wide and didn't absorb the creosote so well. I tested them first to compare results and to check if the stain dissolved the glue I used, obviously it did not, which I was pleased about.

 

I hope to spend the best part of a day on it this weekend all being well.

 

Jim

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Very good looking layout John, and nice to see Hemyock modelled in its original form.

Will you be modelling the various odd weird and wonderful locos that ran in its early days?

 

All the best,

Dave.T

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Jim, you are capturing the magic of Hemyock and it's a pity the 'outside' working conditions prevent progress there.

 

But looking forward to indoor work on the buildings..

 

 

Regards,

 

 

 

Thanks John

 

I am sure there will be odd days when I will get out there even if it is to fit the odd thing or two. I will be carrying on with all the buildings over the winter and hope to have them all completed by the spring.

 

 

 

Very good looking layout John, and nice to see Hemyock modelled in its original form.

Will you be modelling the various odd weird and wonderful locos that ran in its early days?

 

All the best,

Dave.T

 

Thanks Dave

 

I always wanted to model in its early form and of course will use the trees that overhung the station, a good a backdrop as any. But that has just reminded me that could be another winter time job. As for the rolling stock I will want to make the engines, starting with 1300 with a straight backed bunker and open cab. I just need to practice my loco building skills again on a number of unfinished kits. In the meantime I will use a Metro tank which I hope to modify and my Ratio 4 wheelers plus a few brass kits i have had for 30 odd years.

 

 

I have made a start on the platform - for the third time, didn't like the first two - and hope to have this in place so I can complete the ballasting etc between the platform and the river bank retaining boards (completed today).

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Hi Jim. I followed your link after your post on KL. You are doing a super job here! The river area looks great. Layouts dominated by scenery are my cup-of-tea, so I think I'll be posting regularly from now on!

 

Jeff

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Hi Jim. I followed your link after your post on KL. You are doing a super job here! The river area looks great. Layouts dominated by scenery are my cup-of-tea, so I think I'll be posting regularly from now on!

 

Jeff

Thanks Jeff

 

I have to admit I like the scenic part as well especially on a prototype model as it brings it to life and the surroundings are usually as recognisable as parts of the station itself. The only scenery I had made before was the river and some trees on Mk 1 so it is a whole big new adventure for me. I try and use whatever materials I can find at home as I need to keep the costs down until the new garage is paid for and even then I will still do it as cheaply as possible, there are a lot of kits I would still like to buy instead. I think the reason I like scenery so much is that when I started out all those years ago I was greatly influenced by such layouts as Buckingham and Pendon.

 

Jim

 

 

 

You've made some rapid progress there Jim. Most of the photographs I've seen of Hemyock are taken over the river and it looks like you are recreating this admirably. A very spacious feel. I like it a lot.

 

Thanks Nick

 

Rapid! I'm glad you think so, to my mind I felt I should have done more, which I would have done if I hadn't had to rebuild the dock through clumsiness and build the platform three times because I wasn't happy. Mind you looking back at the pictures it is moving along nicely, maybe I had time to hand-build track after all as it was my original intention to build everything.

But, I am happy with the appearance so far as I want the overall effect to please not just one single item which is why I was impressed by your own work so much.

Well that's 1 sq ft almost done, only 34 more to go.

 

Thanks again

 

Jim

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