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There has been some progress at Upwell Drove. I’ve decided to lower the proscenium, and have marked it out, but haven’t cut it yet. I’ve also had some ideas on improving the backdrop. More on this later, suffice to say I’ve decided on a solid backdrop, rather than a roll up cloth one. The downside of the new arrangement is that there will be a vertical join in the sky at the middle of the layout, which I was trying to avoid. Unfortunately I can’t think of any way round this one.

I’ve developed the scenic work at the end of the layout. I’ve built a cattle dock, which currently awaits railings and gates, and lots more grass and weeds, as it is supposed to be out of use and overgrown. I’m also considering a small water tower by the loco head shunt for the trams. I modelled the tower at Wisbech East, but this seemed much too big for the layout, so I cut it in half. So far I’ve done the framing, and placed it on the layout so I can decide whether I like it there or not. I’m going to make the rest of the station buildings (yard office and old tramway waiting room) next, and see how they look together before making a final decision.

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The diesel tram D2201 has had some refurbishment. I’ve done a blog entry with more details for those interested, but in the meantime, here’s a picture.

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Alex

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Work has started on the buildings. First up is the tramway office, based on Outwell. Next jobs are the slates on the roof, and the plinth at the bottom of the building. The finished building will be set in to the surrounding yard, hence the white line at the bottom of the sides.

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Alex

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Nick, they are home made. I used what I think is called the Pendon method, and a more detailed description appears in Chris Pilton's book "Cottage Modelling for Pendon". A pice of thin card, or paper, is held behind the window aperture, and the frame is then marked out with pencil, and cut out. The glazing bars are thin strips of paper, glued to the back of the frame with PVA. The vertical and horizontal bars overlap, rather than have butt joints, but this is hardly noticeable when painted. Once the bars are installed they are painted, weathered to taste, glazed (I used clear plastic sheet) and installed behind the apertures.

 

I'm now on to cutting strips of slates from paper. Hopefullŷ I'll be done by Sunday.

 

Alex.

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I'll have to try that method....last time I went for plastic square section and ended up getting very sticky although part of the issue was that I was rushing, trying to reach a monthly modelling deadline. I believe i still have the part built model here somewhere, will have to dig it out as all it needed was glazing and the tile strips adding.

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What material are you using for the backdrop and is it permanent/semi permanent?

It's Buckram, dress stiffening material. In the pictures it's as it comes, but I have lightly sprayed the one at Elm Lane matt white. I would be inclined to spray a very pale blue or grey along the top edge as well.

It is removable. It is held to the lighting support at the rear of the layout with drawing pins. The idea is it can be rolled up for transportation, and it does away with a vertical joint in the sky on a two part base board. The down side is it is difficult to get to hang well, and takes a bit of time to set up. You have to be careful where any profiles are placed that would interfere with the way it hangs. I originally used profiles in front of and behind the bottom of the backdrop, but have now done away with the ones at the back, with the result it hangs better. The jury is still out on whether I keep it though, and have a semi-permanent one instead, and accept a joint in the sky.

Alex

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Alex,

 

I lived in Cambridgeshire for a few years at the end of the '80s/early '90s and really got to appreciate the 'big sky' landscape. Strangely enough it was very similar to the hinterland of my home town of Southport which is equally flat and featureless with huge fields broken up drainage ditches. Appealing though this landscape is, it can also be a nightmare for modellers of such an area who can easily wish they were modelling somewhere with impressive hills and mountains or rolling downland which would add some 'interest' to the backdrop. One of the best East Anglian backscenes that I have come across was that on Jas Milham's Three Mills layout and the 3mm Society helpfully has some photos here:

https://sites.google.com/site/3mmpublic/members-layouts/three-mills

I am aware that this doesn't necessarily solve your conundrum concerning the one piece foldable backscene or one that may require joints. I admit to being a little sceptical of folding backscenes and, on balance, would probably go for the 'solid backscene with joint' solution. Even an East Anglian scene may be able to support a strategically placed tree!

Really enjoying the layout build. The W & U is a railway for which I have a great deal of affection, especially for the diesel trams.

 

David

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David,

Thanks for the link. There's some inspiring pics there.

I must admit I'm wavering towards the solid backscene with a joint in it. Idon,t really want to use a tree, but I might have to. I'm taking inspiration from boatbuilders who built sectional racing boats with near invisible joints (on the outside). I'm thinking of trying something similar.

Alex

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That's a very nice looking layout taking shape.

 

Sorry to dig up an old one but I too have been scratching my head on 04 black/green debate for some time.

 

I've enclosed a link. Slightly later loco - D2212.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/y/yarmouth_south_town/index35.shtml - May 1970, Yarmouth South Town

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/blue-diesels/3794762588/ - August 1970, Norwich Thorpe

 

The first shot looks clearly green to me but was taken 3 months before the second, which I think looks black. Could this be a film issue? 

 

I've also just found this one which proves it beyond doubt - apologies if this is already common knowledge to you!

 

https://rcts.zenfolio.com/diesel/br/shunters/04/hA0FDD47F#ha0fdd47f Doncaster 1964

Edited by Neil S
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Hi Neil

 

You probably saw the discussion a few pages back about the colour of the WIsbech trams.

We came up with this one: https://transportsofdelight.smugmug.com/RAILWAYS/WISBECH-UPWELL-TRAMWAY/WISBECH-UPWELL-TRAMWAY/i-vxmpxpR

Still not sure if it's green or black. Having discussed the matter, and considered the evidence, I have gone for green. There doesn't seem to be conclusive evidence one way or the other. It appears the trams did end up in green with wasp stripes, but whether this was before or after the end of the W&U is less clear.

I've seen the first two pics you linked to before, but the last one is new to me. D2212 isn't a Wisbech engine though; those were D2201/2, which had a slightly earlier cab with square front windows. D2212 has the later, angular design. A useful link though, and I'm wondering if D2212 might just appear on my version of the tramway :)

 

Alex

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I've finished the first building, the standard W&U goods office. Next I'm going to do the one I've been looking forward to - the tramway waiting room from Upwell. I've learned a bit from the goods office,  so those ideas will be incorporated in the next build.

 

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Alex

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Very nice Alex. I'm taking notes on the colouring and shades you achieve on the layout, looks just right to me.

 

I look forward to seeing that water tower finished, I really like the simple timber built ones - wish the GWR had more of those  :mosking:

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I started work on construction of the Tramway waiting room at Upwell today, Construction will be card, with Scalescenes paper overlays. I've printed off some graph paper, produced a general arrangement drawing using the plan in Peter Paye's book, a couple of good photographs of the building, and a calculator. I've printed off some Scalescenes sheets on matte photographic paper, and sprayed them with matt varnish. No photos of work to date, hopefully there will be something worth a picture in the next few days.

In the meantime, here's a pic of Diddington set up in the redecorated railway room. (Upwell Drove is just out of shot at the RH end.)

 

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Alex

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That looks superb, Alex.

 

What a great enviroment to be modelling in........says he who has just finished weathering a loco in the downstairs loo.......no, really.

 

 

Rob.

Edited by NHY 581
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Construction of the Tramway waiting room is under way. The model is being made from card, overlaid with Scalescenes brick paper.  I produced a drawing using the plan for the waiitng shed for Upwell in the original proposal for the line as a starting point.   I suspect that the plan originally put forward reflected the attitude of the Victorian railway developers to prospective customers, a complete lack of toilet facilities, which was addressed by the time the line was built. The plan was scaled up by working out the diffence between the plan as drwan and 4mm scale, using this as a ratio, and applying this to the plan. The plan was drwan on graph paper produced from the internet. I then scanned my drawing, printed it off several times, and stuck the drawais to a piece of card. These were then cut uot to produce the parts of the model.

Next I'm going to finish the roof, which will be removable, and start work on the windows and decorative brickwork.

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Alex

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Construction of the Tramway waiting room is under way. The model is being made from card, overlaid with Scalescenes brick paper. I produced a drawing using the plan for the waiitng shed for Upwell in the original proposal for the line as a starting point. I suspect that the plan originally put forward reflected the attitude of the Victorian railway developers to prospective customers, a complete lack of toilet facilities, which was addressed by the time the line was built. The plan was scaled up by working out the diffence between the plan as drwan and 4mm scale, using this as a ratio, and applying this to the plan. The plan was drwan on graph paper produced from the internet. I then scanned my drawing, printed it off several times, and stuck the drawais to a piece of card. These were then cut uot to produce the parts of the model.

Next I'm going to finish the roof, which will be removable, and start work on the windows and decorative brickwork.

attachicon.gifWaiting shed #2 21.10.18.jpg

 

attachicon.gifUpwell Drove Depot 21.10.18.jpg

 

Alex

This looks lovely, Alex. One very minor observation though. Does the grounded van body have to be at the front?

If it wasn't there it would give a clear and unobstructed view to the front of the layout and add ( by way of omission)to the minimal look/feel of it all.......just a thought....

 

 

Rob.

Edited by NHY 581
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