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Train spotting at Finsbury Square


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Last time I walked around Finsbury Square some poor dear of a street lady had hoicked her skirts up and was taking a crap in the doorway of a banking institution (which I thought was fairly apt). The doorman had a better view because he had opened the door behind her and was having some kind of heated argument with her as she carried on. Great London vignette.

 

Nice layout, indeed. Thanks.

 

Pete.

Not a vignette I intend to replicate on the layout!  Although I did imagine, if it had existed, the station might have been in the 'scuzzier' streets just off the Square itself.

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Hi

 

Great layout and detail, how about Finsbury Park Station next my old train spotting station in the very early 1960's.

 

Regards

 

David

I like the idea very much, but would probably have to buy a warehouse first! :)

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Right up my street this, I'd like to see some more pics please!  Also how did you build the retaining walls and warehouse?

The photo's certainly capture the atmosphere, well done :no:

Steve

Many thanks, as you can see, I've put a few more up this evening.

 

The design of the arched retaining walls is based on ones found on the Circle Line; when I started building the layout, I sketched the walls at King's Cross Thameslink, as it then was.  I started making them from balsa wood and brick paper, with detailing in card.  That worked fairly well until I wanted to weather them which didn't seem to go well at all.  So the last bit of arched retaining wall (to the right of the diesel shunter in the fourth picture) was made of plastikard.

 

The goods warehouse has a carcass of thin ply (1,5mm I think), faced with brick embossed plastikard.  The windows were etchings from D&S Models; I don't believe these area available any longer, but other similar ones are, and the sack hoists on the front are just made up from plastikard again, faced with planked embossed sheet.

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Neither my "Rail Atlas of London" nor any of my Ordnance Survey or A-Z maps appear to show Finsbury Square Station. I'm going to write to the publisher's pointing out their omission. After all, we now have pictures to prove its existence.

 

Do you have, by any chance, a sketch map to show how this station connects up to the rest of the Eastern Region please?

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Not a vignette I intend to replicate on the layout!  Although I did imagine, if it had existed, the station might have been in the 'scuzzier' streets just off the Square itself.

Quite so! The "circus" itself is rather "tonyish" as they say over here - your concept is brilliant, however......I just wish that I had thought of it!

I had thought of something to do with Smithfield.......

 

My Father had told me about a rather lucrative prostitution scheme running between Liverpool St station and Bethnal Green station during the "Jazz" era - I'm now not sure as to whether he was just pulling my leg.

 

Best, Pete.

Edited by trisonic
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I found this interesting description of Finsbury Square on "Wiki":  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finsbury_Square

 

All of these locations (and, indeed, I meant the "Circus" in my original post)are within a stone's throw of each other for anyone not overtly familiar with the "City".

 

Best, Pete.

Edited by trisonic
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Thanks for the tip off, Pete, I'd missed this one completely.  

 

What a beautiful layout!  Urban London and BR E to boot.  

 

I must also have missed it on my weekly excursions to Kings Cross/Euston/Paddington/Liverpool St back in the '60's...

 

No mistaking the area from the buildings and stock.  More pics please!

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I love that photo looking from the buffer stops. If it was not for the wallpaper where the sky ought to be, I could forgive myself for believing it was taken at a real station.

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The more I look at it the more I appreciate your overall plan. Concise and compact without looking so - and it must be ER with all those "slips"....

Retaining walls are so cool and right too (that's why I alerted GordonS).

 

Best, Pete.

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A splendid layout! Full of all the right elements and excellently executed. Those musing about a Minories-based layout should look here and see what the effect might be.

 

As far as Routemasters are concerned, that route 56 on the bridge was operated on Sundays in 1960 by RMs from Poplar garage. So no problem.

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Have always been a fan of this layout and I feel it's long overdue to appear in one of the Mags.

 

The owner feels it's not finished.    :no:

 

I reaffirm my View that it's long overdue to appear in one of the Mags   :dontknow:

 

Love the latest pics.  Especially 60070.

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I love this.  Having been based in EC2A along the road for a few years, I believe I can hear, smell, and dare I say taste the atmosphere.

 

Many thanks for opening this window into your world for us....

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Have always been a fan of this layout and I feel it's long overdue to appear in one of the Mags.

 

The owner feels it's not finished.    :no:

 

I reaffirm my View that it's long overdue to appear in one of the Mags   :dontknow:

 

Love the latest pics.  Especially 60070.

I didn't know about it until it appeared here a few days ago. I think the actual railways aspects are great, but would also like to know more about the construction of the buildings which give so much to the atmosphere of the whole thing. 

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That is fantastic, you have created something very believable. 

I get the impression of faded former grandeur, but a station still fulfilling a vital function in the rush hour.

And superbly executed as well. Look at the first photo - did anyone look twice to make sure it was a model?

Well done, sir !

 

Dennis

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Or a triangular carton of "Jubbly".....(always either warm or frozen solid).

 

Best, Pete.

Frozen(!) - in my case at Liverpool Mossley Hill watching Coronations, Scots, Patriots, Jubilees, Brits, and even DP2 bombing past!

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Hi all, thanks so much for all the kind, helpful and encouraging comments - I'm flattered by the responses!  I'm afraid I probably won't have much time over the next few days to post anything constructive on here, but will return as soon as possible with answers to the questions asked, and some more photos.

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Or a triangular carton of "Jubbly".....(always either warm or frozen solid).

 

Best, Pete.

Maybe off topic and not to detract from the fantastic model!

 

Thanks to Pete for his memory of the famous "Jubbly", I particularly liked the frozen version.

 

I recall well enjoying the drink and a Lyons apple pie on Waterloo station. The best bit was after finishing the drink we would make our best attempt to seal the carton, then to "stamp" on the carton to get the loudest bang! Echoed around the station as you can imagine.

 

Happy days.

 

Eddie

 

 

 

 

frozen version.

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