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Charwelton in N - update: station buildings construction


Hector Lawn
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Hello and welcome back! Thanks for the comments so far.

Since March I’ve been busy filling in the sleeper gaps at the rail joins using the sleepers of spare bits of rail and gluing the bit that lies between the rails and the micro sized parts for the sleeper ends separetly. I must say this improves the look of the track-work immensely, although I wish I’d used and installed the spare sleepers that are supplied with the points and crossings – it would have made it so much easier!

The necessary jumper cables to link each boards’ bus wires have been added and this has enabled me to run a train around the complete circuit of up/down lines. I’ve since run a variety of locos to check for running and I’ve had to make some adjustments to the alignment of tracks and baseboard joins.

Most of the alignment issues have been a result of sticking the track down with latex glue but having removed the track fixing pins once the glue had ‘set’ this has enabled the flexi-track to try and straighten itself at the joins over time with a resultant dog-leg on the curves. Fixing it has involved either reinstalling the tracksetta and re-pinning, this time leaving the pins in place, or completely re-laying. Rails at baseboard joins also needed a bit of adjustment here and there, but all is now complete.

 

Isn’t it funny (not!) how different locos pick up different track faults while being oblivious to the faults that other locos find! Must be something to do with wheel arrangements and front bogie types I assume.

 
My Dapol’s 9F’s have had difficulty negotiating the diamond crossing at the exit of the storage yard, tending to try and take the wrong exit most of the time. Close inspection showed that the pony truck spring was causing it to stick and this resulted in the pony wheels pushing to the left or right after the exit of curves and no amount of adjustment would fix it. I ended up removing the spring completely and they now traverse all points and crossings correctly. This seems to be the complete opposite of other people’s experience where they normally have to add the spring to earlier releases of this loco for it to work correctly.

So now I can demonstrate a full circuit of the main lines. The honours go to my Britannia class 70015 “Apollo” hauling an unusual empty stock movement comprising of sleeper cars and parcels vans (sorry – that’s all I have in maroon or crimson so far)!

 

https://youtu.be/4R8rhPzC6yA

 

Apologies for the dodgy camera/video work – there’s an art to this photographing/videoing of model railways lark!

Thanks for looking
Hector

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Hi Woodenhead,

 

Initially I had planned to have the top boards hinged at the back but if I need to remove a board for any reason, e.g. to trace a wiring fault or replace a Seep motor, once the scenery is in place it is going to be difficult to get at the back to undo the hinges without damaging something at the front as I lean over, so I have decided to just rest the scenic boards on top. If a derailment occurs, which has already occurred, I can just lift up the front edge to reach under and retrieve any derailments.

 

If I need to remove a board completely for any reason it will just lift off.

 

Hector

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I wanted to stick the track down with Copydex as it doesn't set as hard as PVA and I hoped it would 1. deaden the vibration a bit and 2. allow me to easily lift the track if I needed to to rectify any errors or make adjustments, which I have had to do a few times (such as relaying the iron ore branch and goods yard - see page 1). However, Copydex was only available over here in Australia in very small quantities and so I just used plain latex. The track was held down with track pins while the latex dried but it would appear that I either pulled the pins out too early before the latex had properly set or the remaining flexibility was not strong enough to hold the curved flexi-track in place at track joins. I should have left the pins in until I had ballasted with PVA once I was happy with all the trackwork..

 

For track alignment over base-board joins, I did secure the top boards with the hinges at the back and ensured that a tracksetta remained in place on at least one track while laying the others. All track at baseboard ends was soldered to brass screws but I think if I did this again I would rather use copper strip sleepers, especially on the scenic sections.

Hector 

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  • 1 year later...

Jeez, is it over a year since my last post!

So what's been happening in that time? Well, progress is still being made, albeit at a snail's pace it would seem! The northern half of the scenic section has been ballasted. Some people complain about this being a rather mind-numbing task but I found it quite an interesting part of the layout build, probably because it's the first time I've tried to do it properly and it does make a significant difference to the look of that layout and makes it look as though something is being achieved to bring it to life!

post-18139-0-86695600-1510629059_thumb.jpg

Before I could ballast the southern end though some buildings needed to be erected to enable me ballast around them. So to start off I built the southern portal to Catesby Tunnel. This was a Scalescenes tunnel portal but I modified the buttress and wing walls to make it more like the prototype. Here's the real thing:

post-18139-0-82962900-1510627114_thumb.jpg

...and here's my effort:

 

post-18139-0-12553300-1510627143_thumb.jpg

I didn't think this was too bad an attempt for a first-time Scalescenes builder. As I've built more structures my techniques are gradually improving and the latest builds I've attempted have been so much better. Anyway, next item along the line was the platelayers hut on the down side of the line just before the entrance to the tunnel. This was a free download, but again modified to resemble the real thing: 

 

post-18139-0-53551400-1510627178_thumb.jpg

Next up was bridge 491. For this I used Scalescenes bridge abutment kit, with the girders being constructed from Evergreen plasticard. Here's some pictures of the real thing and my efforts for comparison:

post-18139-0-73115500-1510627315_thumb.jpg

post-18139-0-69882500-1510627409_thumb.jpg

 

post-18139-0-46630000-1510627356_thumb.jpg

post-18139-0-66060700-1510627422_thumb.jpg

 

post-18139-0-83819200-1510627333_thumb.jpg

post-18139-0-18277900-1510627711_thumb.jpg

 

I'm happy with the majority of the bridge apart from the capping on the wing walls which looks diabolical! I'm currently in the process of building bridge 490 which goes over the end of the platform in typical GCR London Extension style and the wing wall capping on those has come out pretty much perfect so I may try and remove the capping on this and try again. However, from typical N-gauge viewing distances it's not quite so noticeable - unless its just the dodgy light in the railway room!

post-18139-0-83424300-1510627469_thumb.jpg

A fair bit of time has been spent constructing Charwelton's signal box. Initially I had thought of using the Metcalfe signal box kit and so I built this:

post-18139-0-75535400-1510628048_thumb.jpg

However, the more I looked at it the more it seemed out of place. The prototype was a slightly different style and it wasn't in LNER colours either and so this was constructed from card/Evergreen plasticard sheets and Scalescenes brick and tile papers, along with the hut next to it, with the Metcalfe kit donating its windows and stairs for this project :

post-18139-0-00717300-1510630655_thumb.jpg

The construction of this box is detailed in the Card Structure Modelling section.

Since then the goods platform and goods shed have been built:

post-18139-0-21822700-1510628316_thumb.jpg

And the main platform has been built but not stuck down yet as its still awaiting the aforementioned bridge 490 to be completed:

 

post-18139-0-84202600-1510627095_thumb.jpg

 

Once bridge 490 is finished that only leaves bridge 489 at the very southern end to be completed then the rest of the ballasting can be completed. 

I must say I've really got into Scalescenes kits and scratchbuilding using their brick sheets, its a nice relaxing past-time in the evenings. and the more I construct, the more my layout is starting to resemble Charwelton! 

Pics of the prototype that I've used are copyrighted but are located on the Disused Stations Charwelton website if you'd like to make comparisons. 

Thanks for looking!

Hector

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  • 2 months later...

I'm back again already!

I completed bridge 490 over the Christmas holiday:

 

Northern side:
post-18139-0-78152800-1516157917_thumb.jpg

South side:
post-18139-0-00392900-1516157903_thumb.jpg

 

The walls under the bridge currently have vertical gaps as this bridge sits on a baseboard join, so I've had to build the bridge in two halves. Like the station platform, it is yet to be glued down until I'm sure the platform needs no final alterations prior to ballasting. 

 

As usual my reference photo's are off the internet and copyrighted but you can view a picture of a similar bridge at Quorn station on the GCR here.

 

The capping on the bridge and wing walls was a lot better than my last effort:

post-18139-0-89646600-1516157876_thumb.jpg

 

post-18139-0-78262500-1516157924_thumb.jpg

The station entrance:
post-18139-0-75662800-1516157891_thumb.jpg
(online reference photo here)

The 'lamp' outside the station entrance is an appropriately bent Peco track pin, while the curly supporting bracket is a single strand of copper from a multi-strand 13amp cable flex! I wasn't sure I was going to be able to include this feature as trying to bend a single strand into the right shape was quite intricate and delicate operation but it seemed to come out ok.

And just to demonstrate the scale I've been working at:
post-18139-0-12921900-1516157865_thumb.jpg

Thanks for looking!
Hector




 

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Hello Hector,

 

That latest bridge looks wonderful - well done. What's particularly inspirational about your thread is how we can all see your skills improving and your buildings getting more refined.

 

I also found making Scalescenes models to be a sharp learning curve, and actually went back and redid some of my early efforts once I "got the hang" of it.

 

Seeing this thread, and following the link to the real Charwelton station site, makes me think yet again what a shame it was that the Great Central closed.

 

Please keep the updates coming!

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Ben,

 

Thank you your positive comments on my building abilities! Although I'm mainly building this layout for myself it's nice to know my efforts are appreciated by others, especially by those that have more experience than I!

 

Yes, I agree it is a shame the Great Central closed and I sometimes wish the whole route could be compulsory purchased and re-opened but I don't think it would quite be the same without the Windcutter express freights thundering up and down the line headed by 9F's and a load of overhead electrics installed Into the bargain. It's probably better to keep the preserved sections of the GCR as is with steam and vintage diesel traction to demonstrate and let us see what once was.

 

Regards

Hector

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  • 1 year later...

Hello, I'm back!

For anyone still interested in following this, it's been a long time between updates and for good reason. Due to a change in domestic circumstances and a house move, I didn't have access to the layout for much of 2018. I have now retrieved my layout from the old house (good job I designed it from the start to be dismantleable!) but as I don't currently have the room to erect a 14ft model railway I have had to put it into storage for the time being. 

After a long hiatus in modelling involving other hobbies/pursuits, including building a 1,686 piece LEGO  Routemaster bus that I received for Christmas last year, I managed to get my modelling mojo back. I thought I should make a start on the station buildings for Charwelton. These are of the typical London Extension design typical of many along the Great Central, such as Quorn and Rothley on the current preserved line. I did briefly consider the excellent Great Central building offerings from Graham Farish/Bachmann, but just plonking a few purchased buildings onto the layout, in my opinion, didn't constitute 'proper' modelling, and so I thought I'd give building my own a go, and if it was a complete failure I could always use the Bachmann offerings as a Plan B. However, having not done any card modelling for a long while I decided to ease myself back into it by building the Metcalfe N-gauge church first: 

 

Metcalfe_church.jpg.e22696da76f4586b53a211d33fb1d096.jpg

 

There is actually nowhere on Charwelton to use this, I just needed the practice!  


Having what I thought was half-decent job of it and having had some recent practice in card modelling again, I felt confident enough to have a go at making a start on the Charwelton station buildings. I wanted to get as much detail in as possible if they were to be good enough to use over the commercial offerings. This has involved some extremely small parts, sometimes needing to cut pieces of styrene only a millimetre wide and a few millimetres long! For example, the window frames were constructed from individual 1mm strips of styrene, all cut with the correct mitres, and the gates at the bottom of the staircase were also put together using individual parts. I also decided late in the day to add interior lighting to the stairwell. I purchased some micro SMD's from Ebay for this and they are small enough to be stuck onto the head of a track pin, and this was used to make the 'lamp' and there are three of these - one each at the top of the stairwell, the middle landing and at the bottom:

 

smd.jpg.0de9820f05570cd1b274fa8258e65b89.jpg


The wires are also extremely fine, so much so that I was also able to add lighting to the front of the station access without the wires being obtrusive.  I also made lampshades from the waste paper out of my home-office hole punch! These having a slit cut in them and then made into a slight cone shape before pushing the track pin and wires through a hole in the middle.

I'm afraid I don't have pictures of the progress of the construction but the completed efforts are below, I think it's good enough to use?
It was constructed using 1mm grey card, Scalescenes brick papers and Evergreen styrene sheet and various shapes. The fire buckets are P&D Marsh:

 

IMG_E1335_e.JPG.b97e80cec8b0c0e0bc162a62a759b06c.JPG

 

And with the obligatory penny for size comparison:

IMG_E1341_e.JPG.01888a8d7a1a136735a8d50101fb285a.JPG

 

And here's how it looks on the station platform with overbridge. Note the stairwell handrail, this was made from N-Brass  loco handrail wire:

IMG_E1343_e.JPG.80030ce1204c963a8296bce1f1c30347.JPG

 

Onto the booking office and platform canopy next. . . I'll try and take some pictures of its construction this time.
Hopefully it won't be so long between updates!


Hector

 

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  • 1 month later...

Having had some 12 days off over the Christmas/New Year break but the fact that it's been so damned hot here on Oz over that time (30-35 degrees C!), I've not had a chance to do much outdoors but that has meant plenty of time indoors to do some more modelling! I've made a start on the Charwelton booking office and so far the progress is thus:

 

Basic structure of double-skinned 1mm grey card. Internal walls covered and some items stuck to the walls. I intend to internally light this building and so it would help if it didn't look totally bare inside! 

IMG_0662a.JPG.b24fb939dd39673ec34379247c9cefaa.JPG

 

 

Floor lined in Terracotta tiling, some furniture installed (serving counter, bookcases and table), chimney added and brick paper added to tops of end walls. Note the Edmondson Ticket Rack  to the left side of the counter. Probably should have been on the right hand side but I'll pretend I have a left-handed booking clerk!!:

IMG_0672a.JPG.976b36cc48c8ff4955b93516bd7a28a5.JPG

 

 

External walls bricked and lintels added. I started to think I was getting a bit anal with my detailing when I found myself adding a strip of skirting board to the wall when said skirting board will be hidden behind the serving counter! However, if I didn't include it I would know it was missing, and to my mind that makes the model incomplete!!  

IMG_0682a.JPG.ea99376d2fea7767da927423d404160c.JPG

 

The almost finished article. Ignore the roof - that's only temporary until I complete the platform canopy. Also awaiting coping stones to the top of the end walls which can't be added until the aforementioned canopy is completed. Signage is from Scalescenes:

IMG_0689a.JPG.e59c938def5603bb3586c47a75fe2da5.JPG

 

 

 

The white parts of the windows are cutdown pieces of Scalescenes 'Scaleglaze'. The maroon window frames have been constructed by filling an A4 sheet filled with maroon colour on a printer and then cutting out strips to assemble the window frames and stuck to Scaleglaze windows of the appropriate size:

IMG_0690a.JPG.d9a6ed283dbf0915b6add92e88bf44e9.JPG

 

The 'Private' marked door was made using the same method as the window frames but just sticking the paper strips onto clear plastic. 
I need to do something about that chimney - it looks completely straight in the previous two photo's but this shot shows a definite lean! How does that happen!! :huh:

IMG_0696a.JPG.75ca87cd516eeac8562743a7dc45dd2c.JPG  

 

Here's a link to a copyrighted photo of what I'm trying to achieve.

As always, thanks for looking!

Hector  
 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 08/01/2020 at 03:54, Hector Lawn said:

I started to think I was getting a bit anal with my detailing when I found myself adding a strip of skirting board to the wall when said skirting board will be hidden behind the serving counter! However, if I didn't include it I would know it was missing, and to my mind that makes the model incomplete!!  

 

Oh dear, I've done this so many times! :lol:

 

Great bit of modelling :good_mini:

 

Paul

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OK so, having procrastinated for several months for fear of possibly undoing all the good work I did on the booking office, I thought I’d use the many hours being spent at home during lockdown to get on with the platform canopy. The roof has utilised Scalescenes asbestos sheet paper while the ornate supporting brackets are from a Ratio platform canopy kit which was purchased purely for the brackets only. Bear in mind that these are extreme close up shots, which can highlight the minutest of errors but from normal viewing distances these are not noticeable. The booking office is only 32mm wide and about 35mm high:

 

ECEA875E-ECF5-4D5F-A0D3-3886C754F8D9.jpeg.1e3a305168c266765c243b5d14fe55d7.jpeg
Looks like the support bracket on this side has gone slightly astray - that will need re-glueing before it goes on the layout!

 

7365CA48-393B-4835-A9F8-D24C7C83A31E.jpeg.fb4dea7c9dbf341e44c1fd7c6c988a8c.jpeg7717D37C-81D3-4E44-AFD7-5942899C5493.jpeg.a7837da72c6cd4b1369c8f8ad482fecc.jpeg


Here’s the underside construction. I didn’t have to cover the underside with asbestos sheet as you can’t see it once it’s the right way up but ‘I know it’s there‘. 
 

B66E56FE-B486-4154-A141-209F16A69525.jpeg.55f764c83f568341cbac1870a35d978d.jpeg

 

I also made this station name board/notice board - it measures only 25mm wide x 18mm high. ‘Charwelton’ was printed on a laser printer but it still appears pixelated close up but again is not noticeable from normal viewing distances. The knobs are actually a couple of ‘100s &1000s’ from the kitchen baking cupboard stuck on top the posts and then painted! - You have to be a bit resourceful when looking for suitable sized materials in this scale! The luggage scales were scratchbuilt from 1mm card and evergreen plastic sheet, posters are Scalescenes and luggage trolley and sack barrow are from Modelscene: 

 

36EC055F-C49B-44A7-8498-9C4B817ED678.jpeg.870be0070e332cd7563fca2585e770cd.jpegF4E50C43-8467-4D41-A9F8-4F937C1D5D8E.jpeg.98faeab64f6a69ee87aa671baa65052a.jpeg
 

And so having completed it all, I did a quick mock up of what it will look like on the platform. The buildings are not yet stuck down. See what I mean about normal viewing distances?

 

056A5E48-9CE0-4124-9F26-02A1AAEFA3A5.jpeg.e531df32a4a83936d05211da6b53bb31.jpeg

 

I then tried to get a couple of comparison shots of similar angles to photos of the real thing that I’ve been using for reference. One is of the existing Quorn & Wood house on the preserved GCR, the other is a Charwelton photo from 1951. What do you think? 


DDB2CF63-A979-4291-A769-49934D3519ED.jpeg.c77702d349a967c46d24a30d457b3615.jpeg

Link to copyrighted comparison photo here
 

96ED1FFC-79F6-4069-B6AD-8BB77BBDFEA8.jpeg.37aef17001c10d534d21c72a878175b4.jpeg

4DB29BDD-DE75-40ED-94B1-AAFA15D525DD.jpeg.04c570aa68eb2575ed8d1ff1a5ff2b88.jpeg


And finally, here’s a couple of shots with the working lights on!

 

97E29458-4B9D-4F48-A552-1A2DEC8640A2.jpeg.9a9c216c4760afc9057eb7216c589a5a.jpeg76091866-60D4-45A9-9913-948BC2EF3F45.jpeg.5c77d4acf32165fe34543072a2ff21bd.jpeg3E1D41A7-4E7E-41E7-8194-9F81D797181F.jpeg.089861f6511fc5ff792bd7204aeb18f6.jpeg
 

I really like those last two shots, they look very atmospheric. All in all I’m very pleased the way the station buildings are all coming together and it has been well worthwhile making the effort to scratchbuild rather than purchase the Bachmann offerings. It’s all looking very GCR London Extension now!


I’ll have a break for a week or two now then it’s onto the waiting rooms. That just leaves the gents toilet then. 

 

Thanks for looking

Hector

 

 

 

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On 29/01/2013 at 09:27, Dicky W said:

Hi Hector

 

Wolverhampton MRC's Charwelton in OO is a superb layout. so looking forward to seeing your N gauge version!

 

Theirs is up for sale, so if you can make your hobby space bigger.......

 

Some fools are bound to buy it :sarcastichand:

On 03/03/2014 at 23:02, Hector Lawn said:

Hi Ben, thanks for looking in.

 

On my original decision to build Charwelton I was intending to use BR Blue / privatisation stock in a 'what if the GCR hadn't been closed in the Beeching cuts' type scenario using the original statioand installing colour light signals. However, the more I researched the station and the type of services and variety of locos that ran on it the more I got drawn towards the last days of steam. I am therefore building it with the 1957-1966 period in mind and will be installing semaphore signals. But considering I had previously collected over 30 diesels (plus rolling stock), half of which are BR Blue, the other half being from the likes of EWS, Freightliner, Fragonset, Virgin, First Great Western and Coal Sector liveries - as and when it takes my fancy, there may be times when diesels will be seen running on my GCR rails under the 'what if..." scenario, assuming that semaphores would still in use in the diesel period (akin to the Settle and Carlisle) as the line would be considered as a secondary route.

 

Regards

Hector

 

..............And pretend it didn’t close and ran on into the 80’s. 

 

just discovered this thread and really enjoying the modelling and thinking behind it!!

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Hi andyb, 

Although I have not yet commented on your Charwelton - into the 80’s layout rest assured I’ve been following the updates with interest! An interesting concept for sure. I’m still not sure about the demolition and simplification of the station buildings but that’s modernisation and progress I suppose!

 

Best regards

Hector

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4 hours ago, Hector Lawn said:

Hi andyb, 

Although I have not yet commented on your Charwelton - into the 80’s layout rest assured I’ve been following the updates with interest! An interesting concept for sure. I’m still not sure about the demolition and simplification of the station buildings but that’s modernisation and progress I suppose!

 

Best regards

Hector

Yes the station buildings were a matter of debate! But the BR property board (the 4 of us) made the final decision and they were banished!

   It’s still strange making decisions that never had to be made but wondering how it might have panned out! 

 

Keep posting please and I will follow with interest!

 

-Andy

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Some really brilliant work here. Much better than just using off the peg buildings

 

My version of a modern GCR in N gauge assumes the buildings survived into the 1990s - eventually to be repainted into Central Trains Green... like the Farish model. It is a slightly lazy approach but it takes me so long to build anything with a family and full time job. 

 

Look forward to more updates. 

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