Sheffield Exchange, Toy trains, music and fun!

[Clive Mortimore]

Only just picked up on this layout thread - Clive, it's really looking good! Hope to see it in the flesh before too long.

I suppose the appearance of one of my rebuilt Bulleids might be pushing the steam envelope a bit too far?

Hi Colin

 

Better tidy up the man shed if your heading over Cranham Hill

 

More than welcome to come and have a play.

 

I do have a loco size restriction, no longer than a Class 31 so a N or a Q1 would be allowed.

 

Second thoughts not the Q1 that has traversed these baseboards before, when Hanging Hill Diesel Deopt lived on them.   It was all Lloyd's (Baby Deltic) fault, he borrowed one of my class 23's and ran it on South Pimlico, on a speical. This broke Colin's "Keep it Southern" rule, next thing I knew I had a odd looking steam loco sitting on the refueling point with a confused fitter trying to find the filler cap for the diesel. :scratchhead:

[richard i]

i would keep going with the end of houses look, there is gap between them, it is there in reality so it should be on the model.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Also remember that Sheffield is in the floor of a valley, so rather than "a lot of sky", there might be hills in the distance.

 

As others have said, keep going with this as it's a bit different from all the front views if houses one sees and not at all untypical of an inner city.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Don't forget that not all streets were square on to the railway. This example from Bournville may be of use, Two roads meet at the West Suburban line which is the left hand one. The right hand line is the Lifford Curve.

 

[The Stationmaster]

I wonder if a bit of perspective representation of the terraces - as effectively suggested by SE - might look better?  let's face it is rarely possible to just have an end on view of a building without seeing something of one side or the other (unless it is a very large building).

[HeeleyBridge]

picturesheffield.com is a great resource for ideas.

 

The areas around the old Bridgehouses station had some interesting streets and boundary walls before it was all "improved".

 

Dave

[Andrew P]

Morning Clive, Backscenes are one of the biggest problems facing the Railway modeller, they cannot, and never will look three dimensional because if you see the left side of a building but look or photograph it from the right hand side its totally wrong, and vice versa. With the flat ends that you have it will trick the eye in a far better way but still has you wanting to LOOK for the sides of the Houses.

 

That's why I cheat, and only build Layouts with a Country outlook, its so much easier.

 

There's no doubt about it Clive, you have a conundrum on your hands my friend. 

 

I wish you all the best with this problem.

[Clive Mortimore]

No work done on the layout this week. I did have a couple of running sessions which always help with thinking about what needs doing and how I am going to achieve it.

 

I ran my new Stainer 2-6-4T class 4, I now have two of them. I also had a bit of a running stuff for fun moment when I was supposed to be tidying up the manshed. I ran a scracthbuilt BTH type 1, not built by me but by Robin Idle. Robin kindly gave me the loco body as he now models 3mm (very nice stuff too). I had a Tenshodo power unit knocking about, so under his loco it went and so did the loco. Ran my eldest scratchbuilt class 20 for the first time in years. I was building one with him and tried to run mine, I found a broken wire to lazy to fire up a soldering iron so I ran my not qite completed GT3, again another loco that has not turned a wheel for a very very long time.

[Clive Mortimore]

Morning Clive, Backscenes are one of the biggest problems facing the Railway modeller, they cannot, and never will look three dimensional because if you see the left side of a building but look or photograph it from the right hand side its totally wrong, and vice versa. With the flat ends that you have it will trick the eye in a far better way but still has you wanting to LOOK for the sides of the Houses.

 

That's why I cheat, and only build Layouts with a Country outlook, its so much easier.

 

There's no doubt about it Clive, you have a conundrum on your hands my friend. 

 

I wish you all the best with this problem.

Hi Bodge

 

I think I might have sorted out the conundrum, the backs of big industrial buildings like I had on Hanging Hill. These can be fairly flat and still look OK without having to paint a scene in the back ground or do too much modelling as I would have to with house backs. 

[Colin]

Clive,

 

You could do something similar to what I had on "South Pimlico" perhaps - there were a couple of industrial areas, just small yards with parked vehicles, stacks of boxes or barrels and a couple of figures.

[Clive Mortimore]

There has been some more work on the coaches. 

 

Last time I cheated with the LMS composite as I had only done one side. Here is the other  side.

 

002a.jpg

 

Apart form the second class compartments at the ends all the others have been resized. The LMS CL had wider first class compartments than the C. I am not sure all the effort was worth it. The wider pillars between the first class compartments hardly show when next to the all second conversions I have done, so may be where the RTR guys use the same body for a S and a C, but with some 1s on the doors isn't so lazy.

 

Anyhow here are 2 seconds cut and shut from BSLs.

008a.jpg

003a.jpg

 

I still find it odd that Airfix all those moons ago chose the two non corridor types that were least produced by the LMS for their models. A C, a S and a BS would have been more useful. With the top coach I have removed the rain strip to give it a more period 3 appearance, the other two shall be modified as well.

 

Now I taken the loos out of the LMS stock, it is time to add them to the BR coaches.

These two SO (NG) have having their middle compartment converted. I have blanked out the quarterlights and opened up the droplight to to the size of a toilet window.

004a.jpg

005a.jpg

Next time I will place the weathered coach on its own underframe.

 

The CL is also slowing coming on.

006a.jpg

Loo widow added as above. The corridor windows on the first class corridor were too long so I have added some plastic card to bring them to the correct length. Because I have left the compartment spacing alone the corridor window spacing on both ends is a little out.

007a.jpg

After an enjoyable operating session last night I had ago with the Gamesworkshop Liquid Green Stuff filler. It is like a thick paint and is brushed on. I was quite disappointed with the result I got in that when it dried it had not filled the small gaps in the joins of the coaches that I hoped it would. Back to Milliput. 

 

I came away from my local model shop with some of the new Hornby LMS non-corridor coaches. They are wonderful. I will still carry on with my Dapol conversions, only because I enjoy model making.

[Clive Mortimore]

With the liquid green stuff, I had a second go. Much better result, but I do think its use will be limited on my models.

 

I cleared all the mess of the layout the other night. Only to put more on as I was making the boards for Ranelagh Bridge.

 

No work done on the layout but have had some enjoyable operating sessions. I have added a train of the new Hornby LMS suburbans to the roster and a rake of BR Mk1s, this time I will not be adding the loos to them. I think I have enough loco hauled stock and steam locos to run a steam only session.

 

I have also been working on my DMUs for the layout, see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/93301-dmu-conversions-for-sheffield-exchange/?p=1861867

Edited April 19, 2015 by Clive Mortimore

[jonhall]

Don't forget there would be a wall of some sort (and I see no reason why it couldn't be quite high) between the fronts of the houses to stop people walking off the precipice at the end of their road.

 

Jon

[Andrew P]

Morning Clive, Good to see your still having lots of operating sessions mate.

 

All the best.

[Enterprisingwestern]

With the liquid green stuff, I had a second go. Much better result, but I do think its use will be limited on my models.

 

 Clive, that is not gap filler, but as you surmised, a thick paint type stuff, intended mainly for filling in small cracks, the GW stuff is much smaller than ours and they don't cut and shut so much.

As you found out, layering it up bit by bit is the way to go, the finish when rubbed down is superb.

 

Mike.

[Clive Mortimore]

Im only just catching up here,,

With the now dropped terrace housing end on, there would be less sky than appears from your mock up because Sheffield terrace houses dont have the back alley between the rows, they can be rather close together across the back yards.

Hi Mickey,

 

Thanks for the information. I am a bit lost now as the ones I was looking at did have back alleys. Never mind, it isn't the house backs that are the problem but the big space at the front. How many ECW bodied Leyland PDs did Sheffield Transport have, and can I put one in each road

[Clive Mortimore]

Don't forget there would be a wall of some sort (and I see no reason why it couldn't be quite high) between the fronts of the houses to stop people walking off the precipice at the end of their road.

 

Jon

Hi Jon

 

There will be a boundary wall which will fill a wee bit of the empty area but that will be a inch or so in front, as there will be a access path/road between the houses and the wall.

[Clive Mortimore]

 Clive, that is not gap filler, but as you surmised, a thick paint type stuff, intended mainly for filling in small cracks, the GW stuff is much smaller than ours and they don't cut and shut so much.

As you found out, layering it up bit by bit is the way to go, the finish when rubbed down is superb.

 

Mike.

Hi Mike

 

Oh dear, when Number One Sun and I built our Space Marine army we done quite a bit of cut and shut (and scratchbuilding). We were showing the staff at our local Gamesworkshop and one of the serious gamers said that we had built an illegal army because we had modified them so much. :nono:

 

Anyhow what is wrong with Space Marine cavarly, bikes pulling wheelies, snipers etc...

 

Number One Sun still does a lot of GW modelling.

[Joseph_Pestell]

Ref the backscene, if you can not find a suitable photographic approach (shots taken along streets of terraced houses), perhaps the answer is to use stageset design principles and paint it all black. This would admittedly work better with clean brick houses than dirty stone.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Hi Mickey,

 

Thanks for the information. I am a bit lost now as the ones I was looking at did have back alleys. Never mind, it isn't the house backs that are the problem but the big space at the front. How many ECW bodied Leyland PDs did Sheffield Transport have, and can I put one in each road

 

1152/3. YWB 152/3. Leyland PD2/20. 1957 to fleet. Gone by 1970.

1292 - 4. YWB 292 - 4. Leyland PD2/20. 1957 to fleet. Gone by 1974.

 

5. That's yer lot Clive.

 

Mike.

[Clive Mortimore]

Owing to some WR diesel stabling point being in the way no work has been done on the layout. I have shifted Ranelagh Bridge out the way for the moment.

 

I had a silly notion that I would run Exchange with loco hauled trains only, and more to the point steam only. I hate modern packaging, it took ages to pack up the DMUs and get out the hauled coaches and locos, I only had a short operating session. It was good.

 

 

[Andrew P]

Owing to some WR diesel stabling point being in the way no work has been done on the layout. I have shifted Ranelagh Bridge out the way for the moment.

 

I had a silly notion that I would run Exchange with loco hauled trains only, and more to the point steam only. I hate modern packaging, it took ages to pack up the DMUs and get out the hauled coaches and locos, I only had a short operating session. It was good.

Do you mean this Ranelagh Bridge Layout that was at Derby his weekend mate?

 

 

[Clive Mortimore]

Do you mean this Ranelagh Bridge Layout that was at Derby his weekend mate?

 

Stafford 2015 31st Jan 1st Feb 024.JPG

 

Stafford 2015 31st Jan 1st Feb 153.JPG

Hi Andy

 

I do like Paul's version. Last year at the Cheltenham show I spent some time chatting to him about it. He/the layout wasn't having a good day at the time.

 

My version will not copy Paul's (or Steve Fay's) as the viewing point for mine is from the flats towards the running line. It is very difficult not to replicate someone elses model when making a real location. I have always wanted to model Ranelagh Bridge ever since a photo taken from the records building appeared on the front cover of Modern Railways, December 1973 and Mr Kazmierczak's article in MRC April 1980.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Don't blame me Clive........

[Clive Mortimore]

Owing to some WR diesel stabling point being in the way no work has been done on the layout. I have shifted Ranelagh Bridge out the way for the moment.

 

I had a silly notion that I would run Exchange with loco hauled trains only, and more to the point steam only. I hate modern packaging, it took ages to pack up the DMUs and get out the hauled coaches and locos, I only had a short operating session. It was good.

I still do not like modern packaging, done the reverse this weekend.  Must get myself some suitable stock boxes.

 

I experimented with only one platform road empty and the traverser full, or no room at the station and only one free road at t'other end of train set. It was an intersting operating session. I think I will go for two empty roads which gives a bit more freedom of movement, when operating by myself.

 

 

I have had second thoughts about the station being set in a cutting, I won't see very much. I don't like seeing layouts with a tall retaining wall at the back and the front scenery being at rail level. Not very common on the real thing, I can think off an example local to me. Witham in Essex, Cutting/retaining wall on the north side, level on the south. The GER dug away half an ironage fort to level the station area.

 

I did start to make the retaining wall. For the first time ever I thought about using brick paper and cardboard. I purchased a bottle of "School PVA", brushed this on to the card, and stuck down the Superquick brick paper. It went like a granny's skin, all wriggly.   It will cost an arm and leg to do the length of retaining wall with embosed plastic card.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Clive Mortimore