Traeth Mawr -Building Mr Price's house , (mostly)

[ChrisN]

Thank you for your reactions as ever, but at the moment they are more important than ever.  RMWeb has decided that I have never posted in this thread and that I did not start it.  It does not appear in 'My Activity'. 'Content I have posted in' or 'Content I started'.  Only one of my threads does.  I am working on trying to get the connection back, bt if all else fails I will cry for help.

 

Now, just so I know, can you put your hand up please if you can see this thread?  Nice and high so I can see those hands.  If not can you send me a postcard please, the address is:-

 

Ty Mawr,

Pen-y-Cilan.

Naf Valley, 

Merioneth.

 

You will need a halfpenny red stamp.

 

So what have I been doing?  The station building, with no distractions!  (Honest, guv.)  So this will be quick but boring, just a few pictures.

 

 

 

The sills bases have been scraped away and the surrounds going in, plus a course of stones.  I then decided that perhaps it would be better to put the layer of stone above the window before the surrounds as it needed to be turned under and glued in place and it might be easier to do that first.  

 

 

 

This is as far as I have got on one side, slow work.  I have not shown the back but the surrounds are being turned round behind the gaps.  Now a close up,

 

 

 

I am not the best exponent of this method, but I think/hope I am improving.  The sloping layer is partly in place.  I wonder if @Nick Gough's method of sloping brickwork would have been better.  Now another close up.

 

 

 

Now where did that come from?  It is not as if I took advantage of the warm sunshine once the boiling temps had gone to spray paint some ATS and squaddies.  Some squaddies look as though they have been in a firefight, or else the resin has not filled the mould properly.

 

 

 

The other end.  The bottom plasticard is due to be wrapped round the gaps.  Finally, the other side.

 

 

 

Just the top layer of stone.

 

There is only so much you can do at a sitting as the PVA needs to dry or everything just moves around.  When I reach that limit I prepare some more of the plastic surrounds, so it is  bit like a belt in a factory, well a bit.  I have also cut out the front door arch, front door wall and the two side front door walls.  The front door has two pillars which in my innocence thought I could buy from Langley.  I could, but they are the wrong size.  I need to think how to do it, perhaps some dowel?

 

 

 

You can see the pillars here.  (Thank you @corneliuslundie)

 

If you have been, thanks for looking.

Edited April 10, 2023 by ChrisN

[Sasquatch]

You there. Private second from left front row. Eyes forward or I'll av' you 'beasted' you sloppy shower.

 

Station's coming along a treat mate!

 

Regards Shaun

Edited July 29, 2021 by Sasquatch

[Mikkel]

I can see the thread!  Judging by the sidebar RMweb seems to recognize you again.

 

Those surrounds are really beginning to make a difference, I can begin to picture the final station now. Quite a step up from the more modest structures we've seen to date.  I can imagine a certain station master being quite full of himself...

[westerhamstation]

Hi Chris. 

[Nick Gough]

It might be slow work but it's looking good. All the fiddly bits are time consuming but really make a difference.

 

Could you make the pillars from round plasticard section glued into square tube, then a little filler and filing?

 

I say, those military types look improperly dressed, and ladies in uniform, with TROUSERS! What will her majesty say?

[corneliuslundie]

All present and correct. 

The station is coming on nicely. I also thought of plastic rod or tube for the pillars, as long as they are parallel and not tapered. Some time ago I bought a mixed pack from one of the major suppliers and it is often useful for odd things like this.

I must try your technique for sloping window surrounds when the opportunity come up.

Vaguely relevant, we had a discussion via Zoom last night at the monthly HMRS Bletchley Area Group meeting about through trains from Cardiff to Pwllheli in the late 1950s and early 1960s - specifically to Penychain for the Butlins camp. Through all the way to Butlins but change at Carmarthen on the way back. Not a fast journey with two reversals at Aberystwyth and Dovey Junction. (and yes, I am an exile from the Area Group). Of course it would have stopped at Traeth Mawr, but a little late for your model.

Jonathan

[Nick Gough]

In 1970 we had a family holiday at Butlins, Pwllheli (though not by train or from Cardiff).

 

My first visit to the area, I spent much of the time exploring the railway between Pwllheli and Criccieth.

 

Most of the steam age infrastructure was still in place then although the short section of double track between Penychain and Afon Wen junction was out of use with the signal arms removed. Afon Wen station, with the Caernarvon (sic) line closed, was also closed with the buildings abandoned. A rather desolate and sad location.I

 

Sadly in that pre digital camera age I didn't use any of my meagre film ration to record what I found. I just sketched the buildings, track layouts and signalling and I have, long ago, lost these.

 

It did spark an interest in the Cambrian - though I haven't used this (yet) for my modelling efforts.

Edited July 29, 2021 by Nick Gough

[ChrisN]

Thank you one and all.  Just to say that I can see my thread, and it now recognises that I started it, however, it does not recognise that I have started any others.  That is not a problem as I have links in my signature.

 

[ChrisN]

7 hours ago, Sasquatch said:

You there. Private second from left front row. Eyes forward or I'll av' you 'beasted' you sloppy shower.

 

Station's coming along a treat mate!

 

Regards Shaun

 

Shaun,

Thank you.  Yes I noticed him as well, and was fairly shocked.  He will probably be on a charge before the day is out.  Fatigues, pealing spuds for the whole battalion.

 

(Do not tell anyone else but these are for plan B if I have to move the layout to 1940.  Much easier to paint uniforms as you do not have to worry about the colour of the clothing.)

[ChrisN]

4 hours ago, Mikkel said:

I can see the thread!  Judging by the sidebar RMweb seems to recognize you again.

 

Those surrounds are really beginning to make a difference, I can begin to picture the final station now. Quite a step up from the more modest structures we've seen to date.  I can imagine a certain station master being quite full of himself...

 

Mikkel,

Thank you.  Yes I do appear to be back.  The station will be quite impressive, if I can make it work, especially with the sloping canopy.  They are so distinctive of the Cambrian, even if not all stations had them.  Mr Price is already rubbing his hands in glee, not least because he will have his own office.  (I have just realised he will want a desk, and a cupboard and some shelves, and a set of drawers and ............)

[ChrisN]

3 hours ago, westerhamstation said:

Hi Chris. 

 

Adrian,

Thank you.  I received your postcard and read it over breakfast.  I am not sure if the post for up the valley comes in its own bag and goes straight to the Twll Du railway for onward shipment or if it goes via the Post Office for more sorting.  If so Anne Davies the Postmistress will now know I have a friend called Adrian.  I am not saying that she is a gossip but if you want to tell half the town something you just whisper to her, "I just say this in confidence...."  

 

All the best.

[ChrisN]

2 hours ago, Nick Gough said:

It might be slow work but it's looking good. All the fiddly bits are time consuming but really make a difference.

 

Could you make the pillars from round plasticard section glued into square tube, then a little filler and filing?

 

I say, those military types look improperly dressed, and ladies in uniform, with TROUSERS! What will her majesty say?

 

Thank you Nick.  

 

There is no way round the fiddly bits, although the Silhouette has made the surrounds easier and more consistent.  Evergreen do tubes that fit inside each other but I am not sure what size they go to.  I need to check, but the company that sells the most has very high postage rates.  I shall check out another one.

 

Well the ATS did wear trousers for certain jobs.  I am not sure what his majesty the king thinks about it but her Majesty Princess Elizabeth has no problems it seems. (Half way down the page.)

 

The lady on the far left of the group of the bottom right is based on the picture of her Majesty.

 

1 hour ago, Nick Gough said:

In 1970 we had a family holiday at Butlins, Pwllheli (though not by train or from Cardiff).

 

My first visit to the area, I spent much of the time exploring the railway between Pwllheli and Criccieth.

 

Most of the steam age infrastructure was still in place then although the short section of double track between Penychain and Afon Wen junction was out of use with the signal arms removed. Afon Wen station, with the Caernarvon (sic) line closed, was also closed with the buildings abandoned. A rather desolate and sad location.I

 

Sadly in that pre digital camera age I didn't use any of my meagre film ration to record what I found. I just sketched the buildings, track layouts and signalling and I have, long ago, lost these.

 

It did spark an interest in the Cambrian - though I haven't used this (yet) for my modelling efforts.

 

Yes very interesting.  The line is now a shadow of its former self.  I assume it would be GWR, which is interesting, but not as interesting, (or difficult), as the Cambrian proper.

[Nick Gough]

I was rather thinking that the military looked a bit anachronistic for HM Queen Victoria, but clearly you have a plan so cunning that you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel!

[ChrisN]

2 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

All present and correct. 

The station is coming on nicely. I also thought of plastic rod or tube for the pillars, as long as they are parallel and not tapered. Some time ago I bought a mixed pack from one of the major suppliers and it is often useful for odd things like this.

I must try your technique for sloping window surrounds when the opportunity come up.

Vaguely relevant, we had a discussion via Zoom last night at the monthly HMRS Bletchley Area Group meeting about through trains from Cardiff to Pwllheli in the late 1950s and early 1960s - specifically to Penychain for the Butlins camp. Through all the way to Butlins but change at Carmarthen on the way back. Not a fast journey with two reversals at Aberystwyth and Dovey Junction. (and yes, I am an exile from the Area Group). Of course it would have stopped at Traeth Mawr, but a little late for your model.

Jonathan

 

Jonathan, thank you.

 

The mixed pack I have of rods are far to thin for this, I will have to try some tubes.  Hopefully my window technique will work successfully. 

 

That is very interesting about the train from Carmarthen.  It is a shame that the rail connection was lost long ago.  Yes it would be a little late for my model.  We went there for a day once, just to ride on the fun fair when the children were young.  I think it is a Haven Holiday place now.  I hope they have built some new chalets as i looked a bit run down when we were there.

[ChrisN]

16 minutes ago, Nick Gough said:

I was rather thinking that the military looked a bit anachronistic for HM Queen Victoria, but clearly you have a plan so cunning that you could put a tail on it and call it a weasel!

 

Nick,

Yes I am sure HM Queen Victoria would have a fit, let alone all the Generals and colonels.  I have tended to trawl the military model sites, less so since Andy Stadden's figures appeared, to see if there were any military figures that might be useful.  Generally the answer is 'No', but I have seen some squaddies just hanging around, or going on leave, and then these at attention and at ease and felt they were too nice  not to have.  There are other white metal figures on parade but they tend to look like the usual caricature metal military figures.  I keep looking though. 

[corneliuslundie]

A good many years ago we went to Spring Harvest at Skegness. The leg of Clare's stool went through the floorboard!

Jonathan

[Sasquatch]

On 29/07/2021 at 04:04, ChrisN said:

 

Nick,

Yes I am sure HM Queen Victoria would have a fit, let alone all the Generals and colonels.  I have tended to trawl the military model sites, less so since Andy Stadden's figures appeared, to see if there were any military figures that might be useful.  Generally the answer is 'No', but I have seen some squaddies just hanging around, or going on leave, and then these at attention and at ease and felt they were too nice  not to have.  There are other white metal figures on parade but they tend to look like the usual caricature metal military figures.  I keep looking though. 

Many years ago I was standing in line Queuing up at the post office counter to get my gran's pension and saw a packet of cheep British paras, These were 1/76 Chinese knock-offs of the larger 1/32 Airfix types but all wearing berets. Most of them ended up getting decapitated. The heads were then put on USAF personnel and some had the heads replaced with those from Airfix US paras! Incidentally I put a set of 7 (one of each pose) on eBay and much to my delight the bidding reached £22.50! I still have a set that I painted which appear on the layout from time to time. Amazing what you can do with a scalpel and a few old Airfix soliers!

 

Regards Shaun

[ChrisN]

Today we are going to play, 'Spot the Difference.'

 

 

 

 

 

 

So here are two photos of the station as it was last night before modelling and before it got too dark to take a photograph.  Can you remember what it was like last week?  Clue.  It has had more of the white plasticard above and below the windows added.  Also, the idea of having the white below the window the same size and trying to fold it back I realised was stupid.  It would not work so I have used 15 x 60 thou strip.  (I do not have 20 thou and it will be below the window sill.)

 

I have also though a lot about the windows and doors, but thoughts are not very photogenic until they produce something.  I will probably start at the toilet door end, which is looking more rough every time I do something to it.  Remedial action will be taken.  

 

Here are some pictures of young ladies who now, mostly, have arms and heads.

 

 

 

They will probably not appear again as they have got to the painting stage.

 

So what else have I been doing?  Well, last week @laurenceb was reading back posts on my thread and although I did not look at all the posts he had been looking at I did look at a couple.  I was stung by the fact that he was reading about the 6ft Dean Bogie and that I posted it, wait for it...............two years ago!  Now you may have thought that I had quietly forgotten about it, but I had not.  A while ago, quite a while ago I had decided that it would be almost impossible to line it all up without a template.  I therefore decided that I would cut a rectangle out of plasticard on my Silhouette and use the already drawn shapes to cut the holes in it.  All I would then have to do would be to push some drawing pins through and I could slot the individual pieces over them and they would all be in the correct position.  'Wait!' I hear you shout, all you will do is glue the pieces to the template. No, I have glued a piece of cardboard to the plasticard.

 

I did this, as I said a while ago and I went to look for drawing pins.  The only type I found had rather large spindles.  So I sat and thought, while I did other things of course.  Then, maybe a couple of months ago I can across an old noticeboard in the railway room.  (Don't ask.)  In it was pinned at least four drawing pins that were smaller and the right size for the job.  Then last week's promoting made me actually do something.

 

Now, you ask, 'I thought you were doing scenery?'  Yes, but the way I do laminating is to do it slowly.  I take two pieces, fit them together using Limonene as the solvent, then put them under pressure for three days, or for the bogie, two days.  This is to try and prevent warping as we go along.  ASDA produce glass placemats, which I think was about £7 for four pieces of maybe 6 x 10 inches.  The first is laid down, the piece laminated laid on it and the next three turned upside down and laid on top.  If it was a coach books would be added to this but I have not bothered with this.  So, here we go.

 

 

 

The template and some parts.

 

 

 

One part had holes cut to push out rivets.  I experimented with two types of pointy thing.  The top one was actually sharper and better.  I did not use that at first as I was worried about pushing through the plasticard and making holes and not bumps.

 

 

 

There are bumps on this, honest.

 

 

 

Springs lined up.

 

 

 

 

And glued down.  Yes, the rivets should have been in the axlebox parts, but I forgot and had not looked at the pictures as I was having trouble with my laptop.  I am not sure it would work as they are quite fragile but on another one I might try.

 

So, so far, three full length laminates, one spring with two more to go and a final cover.  More to follow.

 

If you have been, thanks for looking.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by ChrisN

[ChrisN]

Ooh, just realised, it is Tuesday so I can do a bit more on the Dean bogie.

 

I have been thinking.  I do sometimes, usually weighing all that I need to do very carefully then coming to the wrong decision.  When I look at it again I wonder why on earth I decided on that as it is obviously wrong, then make the right decision.  Never used to be like this at work, thank goodness. 

 

I have been thinking about window and door frames.  I need to decide what thickness of plasticard to use.  I am assuming that window frames are no more than 1 1/2", (Umm, cannot do super or subscripts), wide so the whole surround will be 1mm or 40 thou.  This may actually be too big for the windows really, but I think I would struggle to do it any smaller.  Using my 20:20 hindsight vision it would have been better to make the windows slightly larger than scale to make up for the overscale frames.  Too late now.

 

Also, I am assuming the door posts are 3" square and no bigger, although looking at them again they may be 3" deep, and only 1 1/2" wide.  Would those who know the stations confirm my thoughts or otherwise please?  Thank you.  (I am not asking for measurements, just, 'Oh that seems right/wrong.')

 

I am going to make the window frames from sheet plasticard cut out, but I am still deciding if I am going to use strip plasticard or cut sheets for the doors.  Of course using cut sheets for the doors means the doors will fit the holes, perhaps.

 

If you have been, thanks for looking.

[Sasquatch]

One tip on door construction is to build the detail up on the plastic sheet before cutting it from the sheet!

Last time I used .020" grooved siding which helped no end lining up the munts and panels etc. (London type doors). 

Also if you require closed doors the door can be made oversized with wider styles and top rail but still a loose fit in the opening and the frame added last to close and seal the whole assembly.

Making doors with glass in is not easy in 4mm!

Good luck with it!

 

Great job on the bogies too mate!

Regards Shaun. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Sasquatch

[ChrisN]

1 hour ago, Sasquatch said:

One tip on door construction is to build the detail up on the plastic sheet before cutting it from the sheet!

Last time I used .020" grooved siding which helped no end lining up the munts and panels etc. (London type doors). 

Also if you require closed doors the door can be made oversized with wider styles and top rail but still a loose fit in the opening and the frame added last to close and seal the whole assembly.

Making doors with glass in is not easy in 4mm!

Good luck with it!

 

Great job on the bogies too mate!

Regards Shaun. 

 

Shaun, 

Thank you.  I have not yet decided exactly how I shall do the doors and surrounds, but for the surrounds I am leaning towards cutting out the framing from plasticard sheet rather than using strips.  (I have literally just ordered the strips I need.)  The disadvantage of cutting is that it is likely not to be too straight, the disadvantage of the strips is lack of strength.  It is a good point about the doors being a size larger.  The doors I have done most of are internal ones, and for that you can cut them out, or not as the case may be, put the door panelling on it, then the framing round it.  This will be different.  I have thought about the windows, but not so much the doors.  The main ones at the front and the back will be open, allowing passengers, and the wind, a free passage through.  Mr Price's door will be definitely closed, but I am not sure about the others onto the platform, apart from the men's toilet door that is.  I have just realised that only ladies have a waiting room which is not a refreshment room, and quite a large one as well. (It does include a toilet though.)  All these doors will have glass in them, but I do have Glue 'n Glaze, or something like that. 

 

The doors on the Ratio station I built were left open as it was suggested on another thread that if you were going to detail the interior then how else would you see it.  As ever, I will take the lid roof off and have a look.

 

Thank you about the bogie.  I took all the tips from @JCL and @uax6 so it was easy with the cutter, and these parts have not even been cut properly, but everyone has forgotten that so please do not tell anyone else.  I wonder if I should do another bogie and the coach to go on top of it.  The only problem with that is that I will be running white and grey stock as most of what I need to do with the coaches now is to paint them. 

 

Keep Safe!

[Sasquatch]

Having put a bit more thought into my last reply I did my homework and looked back a few posts.

I don't envy you looking at those doors. The top rail alone is going to be a challenge let alone the diagonal T&G paneling. The finial on top of the gable looks like fun too. Cocktail sticks with plastic tube sleeves turned in the mini drill with needle files.

Not much modeling was done around here when I finished Queensbury's waiting room interiors, as I spend much time staring in through the rooves!

Isn't modeling fun!

 

Regards Shaun

  

Edited August 11, 2021 by Sasquatch
Neglected to include the image.

[Sasquatch]

Oh and about glue for windows. After much glazing has fallen off many structures over the years I set about curing the problem. My solution has been to use tacky glue such as Hob-E-Tac which dries clear and even sticks to painted surfaces!  

[ChrisN]

16 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

Having put a bit more thought into my last reply I did my homework and looked back a few posts.

I don't envy you looking at those doors. The top rail alone is going to be a challenge let alone the diagonal T&G paneling. The finial on top of the gable looks like fun too. Cocktail sticks with plastic tube sleeves turned in the mini drill with needle files.

Not much modeling was done around here when I finished Queensbury's waiting room interiors, as I spend much time staring in through the rooves!

Isn't modeling fun!

 

Regards Shaun

  

 

Shaun,

Ah yes, but this station is Newtown which is similar, but not quite the same as Aberdovey, or Barmouth.  Now, when Barmouth finally took over Traeth Mawr, and first downgraded it to a halt, then demolished it altogether, it also burnt any photos that had been taken of it.  Now it is known that a couple have survived, but I am unable to show them to you at the moment.  What is clear though is that Barmouth objected strongly to a station at Traeth Mawr wanting their own station to be Barmouth, alight here for Traeth Mawr, especially as the beach at Traeth Mawr was superior to theirs and they feared losing tourists, so the station at Traeth Mawr was not as some other stations.  Still, who knows, I have not seen the alterations that Mr Price asked for!

 

9 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

Oh and about glue for windows. After much glazing has fallen off many structures over the years I set about curing the problem. My solution has been to use tacky glue such as Hob-E-Tac which dries clear and even sticks to painted surfaces!  

 

A paint that sticks to glue!  Wow! As long as the glue sticks you are fine.  I think I have some of that to fix furniture inside buildings and people to surfaces so that I can move them afterwards.  I have in the past glued the widows in and painted over the bits that needed it but this sounds much better, especially as I have already painted the inside of most of my coaches.

[ChrisN]

I intended to give a full update until I realised that I had not downloaded some photos from my camera and that I have more to show than I thought.

 

So a question.  If the MS&LR railway coaches were teak, (or was that mahogany?), and the LB&SCR thirds that I have made were mahogany, (or was that teak?), would anyone know the difference even if they were side by side, especially as they would be at the end of their careers and painted and not varnished.

 

I would like to know as painting the MS&LR tri-composite, and the LB&SCR saloon and brake third in a single colour seems an easier side project, once I have finished the Dean bogie,  than trying to paint the GWR coaches.