Camel Quay - A North Cornwall inspired layout in 4mm

[tender]

The York Modelling Slates arrived today so I thought I'd have a practice run on the old card roof that was removed to fit the windows.

 

 

This is what you get, two sheets of laser cut slates, 4mm wide with slots between each slate 5mm long.

They don't come with any instructions so you have to work out what overlap spacing looks the best.

They are self adhesive so fairly easy to lay.

Guide lines were drawn on the card as a guide, on one side at 4mm spacing but these gave square looking slates and then at 3mm on the other which looks much better.

The first guide line is 6mm from the edge to give the slates a bit of overhang on the roof.

 

 

Ridge tiles are also available which fold over the ridge of the roof but I don't think this looks right so I'll give York Modelling a ring on Monday. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong with these.

As you can see from the pictures getting equidistant rows is quite tricky even with guide lines, I also drew some vertical guide lines to make sure alternate rows lined up vertically.

 

The building has now had 1mm plasticard roof fitted and lined ready for slating.

 

[N15class]

A 12 inch wide slate would be 24 inches long, you would have between 10 and 11 inches showing. This is with a batten gauge of 10 or 11 inches.

[tender]

A 12 inch wide slate would be 24 inches long, you would have between 10 and 11 inches showing. This is with a batten gauge of 10 or 11 inches.

Not necessarily so, see this from Penrhyn Quarry (North Wales)

---------------------------------

This system of naming slate sizes after female nobility was devised by General Hugh Warburton at Penrhyn quarry in 1738. It soon became the industry standard and lasted for over two centuries.

 

Empress 26 x 16

Princess 24 x 14

Duchess 24 x 12

Small Duchess 22 x 12

Marchioness 22 x 11

Broad Countess 20 x 12

Countess 20 x 10

Small Countess 18 x 10

Viscountess 18 x 9

Wide Lady 16 x 10

Broad Lady 16 x 9

Lady 16 x 8

Wide Header 14 x 12

Header 14 x 10

Small Lady 14 x 8

Narrow Lady 14 x 7

Small Header 13 x 10

Doubles 12 x 6

Singles 10 x 5

--------------------------------

 

As you can see, slates come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

 

 

This roof (my own) has 'Small Duchess' slates measuring 22" x 12"

As you can see the overlap is arranged so only about 1/3 of the slate is visible. We don't like our roofs to leak in Wales.

Edited June 29, 2013 by tender

[N15class]

Not necessarily so, see this from Penrhyn Quarry (North Wales)

---------------------------------

This system of naming slate sizes after female nobility was devised by General Hugh Warburton at Penrhyn quarry in 1738. It soon became the industry standard and lasted for over two centuries.

 

Empress 26 x 16

Princess 24 x 14

Duchess 24 x 12

Small Duchess 22 x 12

Marchioness 22 x 11

Broad Countess 20 x 12

Countess 20 x 10

Small Countess 18 x 10

Viscountess 18 x 9

Wide Lady 16 x 10

Broad Lady 16 x 9

Lady 16 x 8

Wide Header 14 x 12

Header 14 x 10

Small Lady 14 x 8

Narrow Lady 14 x 7

Small Header 13 x 10

Doubles 12 x 6

Singles 10 x 5

--------------------------------

 

As you can see, slates come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

 

image.jpg

 

This roof (my own) has 'Small Duchess' slates measuring 22" x 12"

As you can see the overlap is arranged so only 1/3 of the slate is visible. We don't like our roofs to leak in Wales.

Yes I know they do, the most common sizes in use are 10x20 and 12x24.  Just before coming to Brazil I did some old coastguard cottages where the slates start at 48 inches long down to 36 inches long in various widths. These were in fact Welsh slates. Had devils own job to get replacements.

But you really need to see what is used in the area you are modelling.

I gave the answer working on a the most common 12 inch slate.

I actually prefer smaller slates and tiles, I think they look better. I also find it a nightmare trying to get model rooves to the right colours.

[trains12]

Back to the slate roof, and I've just about given up on the Slaters Slate plasticard. Whatever you do with it it still looks like a piece of flat card with grooves in, the relief is all wrong for a slate roof, more like a brick wall. I've now ordered some York Modelling laser cut self adhesive slate tiles to try out. Watch this space.

Hi Ray

Which slates form Slaters have you used I find the indivedual slate strips from them give both depth and you can adjust the overlap look Ok

Peter

[tender]

Hi RayWhich slates form Slaters have you used I find the indivedual slate strips from them give both depth and you can adjust the overlap look OkPeter

Hi Peter,

The Slaters slates were a A4 embossed plasticard sheet, like I said earlier they look more like a brick wall, I didn't know they did individual slate strips.

[trains12]

Hi Ray

Yes we have in stock at the shop.

 

 

A not to clear shot of them being used on the toll house.

 

Peter

[tender]

Slate roofing complete, will have to do a bit of weathering to the standard York Modelling grey finish.

 

 

Close-up showing the relief on the slates.

 

 

Just need to add some guttering and down pipes and replace the steps to the first floor.

[Andrew P]

Hi Ray, I just love that cottage, I bought a 3 set in low relief when I built Masons Lane, they were second hand and I think they were made of a sort of Fiberglass, They really looked the part but I will need to scratch build some for Bute Road  and that will be my first attempt so I will be on here for some tips and ideas, hahaaa

 

Bodgit

[tender]

Thanks Andy, but I'm the novice here so I would look elsewhere for 'expert advice'. I've taken most of my inspiration from the work that Sandside and Coachman turn out, but I've a long way to go before I get anywhere near the quality of their work.

 

Anyway, while Polly's been doing tea and painting the gutters and down pipes before they get stuck on I thought I'd have a look at building a goods shed from a LSWR drawing that I downloaded off the web.

 

 

This will be full relief at one end and low relief at the other so it looks like it regresses into the back scene along the line of the bay platform.

The front and two ends have been scaled and marked out on card ready for cutting out. The right end will be cut down in width once I've had a play around with its position on the layout and a false back added.

[7APT7]

Hi Ray

 

Great work dude... slowly coming along nicely... great progress.

 

Jamie

[Andrew P]

Hi Ray I have studied your track and I think that the colour is right for the LSWR, and I now fancy your idea of the different levels of track so I am probably going to drop the goods yard down to one thickness of cork, as the main will be on two thicknesses to line up with the fiddle yard.

Thanks for all your input and as you can probably guess by the time,(00.29am) I cant sleep as I keep getting ideas. 

 

Bodgit

 

P.S.

Regards to Polly, and tell her its time to GET THAT KETTLE ON.haaaahahahha :no:

[tender]

No updates for a bit, but things have been moving on.

Firstly at the Station end a roadway leading down to the station forecourt. This runs down the newly constructed hillside with the forecourt cut back into the rock.

 

 

I needed some more stone walling for the road so started casting a new batch, got a bit carried away as I was on a roll, this is only half of it. The resin I use releases from the Mold after 30 mins so its quite a quick process.

 

 

At the quayside end a i run out of retaining walling so finished off with a new rock face.

 

 

This was crafted in 'sculptamold' after which Polly did the painting. Still a bit of plant life to add on the rocky edges.

 

The quay wall has also been coloured and Polly is experimenting with the water surface colour as I type.

 

Off to York tomorrow for the 'Gathering', no A4's on the North Cornwall railway, but you don't get the chance to see this spectacle very often.

 

Ray.

Edited July 16, 2013 by tender

[tender]

A close up of the corner of the quay, the baseboard forming the water was painted with several coats of an emulsion paint to seal it and then coloured green to represent the high algae blooms of the summer. Finally a sheet of mottled clear plastic is glued over the top to give a rippled effect and aid reflections in the water.

 

 

The glue used is waterproof PVA which I'm told dries clearer than the normal PVA.

 

The platform surface is currently being given a base coat before being coloured and weathered.

 

 

Looking at pictures of the area the platform surface seems to be concrete slabs, so I've scribed lines in the plasticard using a ofla cutter to represent this.

 

Ray,

[emt_911]

Ray

 

I'm really impressed with the look of the water and algae.

 

Duncan

[7APT7]

Hi Ray...

 

Great Photos... love the Water dude, looking really good, hope Polly is ok, see you soon...

 

Jamie

[trains12]

No updates for a bit, but things have been moving on.

Firstly at the Station end a roadway leading down to the station forecourt. This runs down the newly constructed hillside with the forecourt cut back into the rock.

 

image.jpg

 

I needed some more stone walling for the road so started casting a new batch, got a bit carried away as I was on a roll, this is only half of it. The resin I use releases from the Mold after 30 mins so its quite a quick process.

 

image.jpg

 

At the quayside end a i run out of retaining walling so finished off with a new rock face.

 

image.jpg

 

This was crafted in 'sculptamold' after which Polly did the painting. Still a bit of plant life to add on the rocky edges.

 

The quay wall has also been coloured and Polly is experimenting with the water surface colour as I type.

 

Off to York tomorrow for the 'Gathering', no A4's on the North Cornwall railway, but you don't get the chance to see this spectacle very often.

 

Ray.

 

Hi Ray

What casting resin did you use in the mould. Mine has been taking a lot longer to set than half an hour. When you have finished with it just drop it back to me I need to make a some walls for Water Mill Halt in a bit.

Cheers

Peter

Edited July 19, 2013 by trains12

[Donw]

I like the roofing Ray. Often the smaller slate sizes were used on cottages larger sizes on the more fancy places. On old cottages where the roof is not quite square a good slater will adjust the guaging so that the roofs has the same number of courses at each end and the lines look parallel. Although 1+1/2 tiles were used at the verges sometimes particularly repairs a 1/2 tile can be seen. Also on very old places the batten wwere riven rather than sawn much stronger but not so level.

Don

[Andrew P]

Hi Ray that water does look good, I do like the plastic sheet for effect and also it is easy to wipe clean at shows.

 

Regards to Poly

Bodgit

[tender]

Hi RayWhat casting resin did you use in the mould. Mine has been taking a lot longer to set than half an hour. When you have finished with it just drop it back to me I need to make a some walls for Water Mill Halt in a bit.CheersPeter

Hi Peter, I'm not sure of the exact details of the resin, I'll check when I go back to work and let you know.

 

 

I like the roofing Ray. Often the smaller slate sizes were used on cottages larger sizes on the more fancy places. On old cottages where the roof is not quite square a good slater will adjust the guaging so that the roofs has the same number of courses at each end and the lines look parallel. Although 1+1/2 tiles were used at the verges sometimes particularly repairs a 1/2 tile can be seen. Also on very old places the batten wwere riven rather than sawn much stronger but not so level.

Don

Hi Don, that sounds like the voice of experience. I served my apprenticeship when I had my house re slated a few years ago labouring for the roofer. Don't think I've got the head for heights to do it for a living.

 

  

Hi Ray that water does look good, I do like the plastic sheet for effect and also it is easy to wipe clean at shows.

 

Regards to Poly

Bodgit

Hi Andy, the plastic sheet was a bit of a gamble, I'd never seen it used before on any other layouts before but it seems to have worked out ok.

 

 

Polly's been doing more painting today and I've been building a fiddle yard extension along the back of the layout to give more variety of stock movements.

Will post some more pictures tomorrow.

 

Ray.

[Andrew P]

Good man, keep her busy, she knows it makes sense, hahhaaa

 

Bodgit, ducking for cover at the next show, hahaaa

[Donw]

Not a professional Ray just done up quite a few old cottages. Useful to see how they were done rather than today's methods.

 

You might find this interesting taken last autumn

 

Don

[N15class]

I was reading somewhere that the old LSWR hotel in the middle of your photo, cost something like 20,000 pounds, (sorry no L sign on a portugese keyboard), to build. I doubt these days you would get the footing for a house for that figure.

[tender]

Not a professional Ray just done up quite a few old cottages. Useful to see how they were done rather than today's methods.

 

You might find this interesting taken last autumn

Padstow.jpg

 

Don

 

Thanks for the picture Don, the only time I've been to Padstow was by yacht on the way back to N Wales from Newlyn so this view brings back memories. I didn't have a camera with me at the time and my interest in model railways was still a pipe dream so an opportunity missed.

 

I was reading somewhere that the old LSWR hotel in the middle of your photo, cost something like 20,000 pounds, (sorry no L sign on a portugese keyboard), to build. I doubt these days you would get the footing for a house for that figure.

Or the land to build it on.

 

Ray.

Edited July 20, 2013 by tender

[tender]

Had a bit of a disaster with the road surface in the platform forecourt.

I've used Javis grey stone scatter and Tarmac for the surfaces, applying a raw coat of PVA to baseboard and then sprinkling the scatter on top. When dry I hovered up the excess. However the scatter was not very even after this so I spread some more scatter into the 'thin' bits and then applied a dilute PVA mix.

 

This is the result.

 

 

Polly is going to have a go at colouring it with some acrylics to see if we can recover this mess to a more acceptable surface.

 

I've never used these scatters before so if anybody knows a good technique to use for laying a road surface with this stuff I'd be very grateful.

 

Ray.