Gresby - N Gauge Great Central (MS&LR 90s-2000s)

[Southernboy]

Hello Simon,

 

Yes exactly, I was curious as to your method in comparison to Frankland. (I couldn't make out the hole in the baseboard from your original picture.)

 

On Frankland I used T-Girder construction, so the entire length/width underneath the viaduct is open from underneath, but even so, in N gauge it still doesn't give much space to get a hand and screwdriver inside. The sides to my viaducts will be detachable for extra manoeuvrability in the event of point failure.

 

Mark

[MrSimon]

Hi Mark,

I wish I'd used a T-Girder to support the viaduct, but I didn't think of it to specify it in my plan and my friend built the viaduct as a sort of box! I'll have to think about whether to make any extensions the same way or more open for repairs...

I didn't get much done yesterday despite there being no RMwebbish distractions, but I did get the Thompson O1 mostly finished (which is good because my Dad is back today) so here is the threatened picture of it passing through Gresby on some coal empties. The class is right for what would have run on the line in steam days but there would have been a lot more track at Gresby back then


I got the pavement painted but not stuck down yet and I started on the inner structure for the shop but most of the day went on taking the coal load out of the Union Mills tender which was about 6mm thick of solid metal. There is no coal to replace it yet because after all that drilling and cutting and filing I found I don't have any dilute-able glue! The number will go on next week and I'm making the cab steps/floor tonight and then its disappearing off into my Dad's loco box until Whatton show next March/April.

I've still got plenty to do so I'd best get cracking!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

Today I stuck down the first bit of viaduct to its final position, a momentous occasion indeed. Now that it has een stuck down I can get to work bedding it in at ground level and on the trackbed (its amazing how not having any PVA has held me up so much)


Its not a very glamorous or interesting bit of viaduct, and will probably never be seen under normal circumstances, but I'll know its there - and it forms the main wall of the pub beer garden which might be photogenic when its done... but its the first bit stuck down and I'm pretty chuffed hehe

Also finished today are all the window sills and lintels for the shop next to the station. All I need to do before gluing it together is the window frames and doors and filing and shaping the curved front window arch thing; I'm a bit worried I might have made the hole too big, in which case I might have to do a spot of surgety on the front wall before calling it finished.

Here are the bits all laid out - I carved the lintels on the two sides that face the street but I'm not sure if I like them


Here are all the bits with the mounting board skeleton. I'm in two minds about adding basic interiors... normally I wouldn't bother but the building is right at the front of the layout and has pretty large windows.

I might make a bit more progress tonight, and if I do I'll put it up tomorrow!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody

I've had a bit of a busy afternoon today putting in some (cosmetic) cable ducting on the track bed. They run from the relay cabinets to approximately where the signals and point motors are. I need to given them their base colour before ballasting and then when the trackbed has been sprayed, touch them up and weather them.


The flat card bits at the back are where the relay cabinets will go, with space for the Network Rail vans to park up close. The stub of ducting that comes out towards the front of the layout is for a ground signal to control trains exciting the kickback sidings. I was going to put the ducting straight onto the trackbed, but I'd forgotten about the depth of the peco track, so I raised it up slightly with plasticard, but that will be covered with ballast. I've still got to add the orange pipes under the tracks and fill in the gaps in the sleepers (I might do that tonight) also I need to find some relay cabinets and dummy point motors... n brass?

Lots to do

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[porkie]

looking good fella, seeing that cable trunking made me add another item on my to do list

 

simon, milton grove is all most all wired up just got to connect all the power feeds up and work out what im gonna use for a backscene

[BernardTPM]

Langley do point motor castings.

[MrSimon]

Aww thanks! I've not even thought of a backscene yet; I'm a bit bogged down on the station, bridges and road - but it really should go on my list. I've got all the power feeds in and connected to them terminal block things but no panel or switches started yet

 

Thanks for the suggestion BernardTPM, I'll have a look at them

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

I've spent another two days fettling steam engines for my dad (which can be seen on "Parnhams" at Grantham Model Rail show 4th & 5th September) but I managed to get a bit of work on my own layout done this afternoon. I've almost finished one of the bridge pier:


As far as I can tell, it just needs some bridge plates, some graffitti/fly posters, a wheelie bin infront of the fire exit and some rust streaking down from the bridge girders. I tried to make some bridge plates but I couldn't get them to print right so I'll have a look out for some etches and the weathering can wait until I've finished the other bridge pier.


Here is the view from street level, the underside of the bridge is the next thing on my list and of course the road surface. The pavement is only blutaked in place at the moment but will be stuck down onto the road (I'll stick some people on it before I glue it down)


Here is the view from the end of the station platform; the door way is the fire escape from the workshops etc in the viaduct. I found the fire escape sign online. I also need to neaten up the line between the blue brick and white tiles.

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[Guest Moria]

Peco do dummy point motors in N and Liddle end has some relay cabinets if that helps

 

Regards

 

Graham

[MrSimon]

Hi Graham,

 

I've been looking for the Liddle End cabinets for a couple weeks now and there seems to be a Nottinghamshire wide shortage of them, I've seen some at N Brass and Langly though so they might come from one of them. I didn't realise Peco did the dummy motors too - I've got a choice of three manufacturers now so I'm going to investigate them all a bit more closely.

 

Just seen Long Meg, it looks really good - 60040 is one of my favourites and I'd love a basement like that

 

Thanks for your help

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello!

I made a start on the false bottoms of the girder bridges yesterday, I was very organised and made paper templates of the trackbed so they could be done away from the baseboard.


Its made of plasticard, with [ shaped channel on the edges and then plain plasticard strips in the middle made to look like girders, unfortunately when I test fitted it on the board with the bridge piers it was 5mm too short and the wrong shape - so much for the templates!


Here is the second attempt, and the one I'll be using when its finished. I put the cross bracing in after some sort of mental episode, its going to be a pain to paint and I doubt it will ever be seen... but I know its there! I've just got the side girders to make now.


Test fit of the bridge bottoms.

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello!

I think I've maybe inhaled too much Contacta Proffessional.


This afternoon I finished off one of the bridges and the room is sort of spinning... and it still needs painting

Time to sit outside for a bit I think!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[James]

I've had a bit of a busy afternoon today putting in some (cosmetic) cable ducting on the track bed. They run from the relay cabinets to approximately where the signals and point motors are. I need to given them their base colour before ballasting and then when the trackbed has been sprayed, touch them up and weather them.

 

 

The flat card bits at the back are where the relay cabinets will go, with space for the Network Rail vans to park up close. The stub of ducting that comes out towards the front of the layout is for a ground signal to control trains exciting the kickback sidings. I was going to put the ducting straight onto the trackbed, but I'd forgotten about the depth of the peco track, so I raised it up slightly with plasticard, but that will be covered with ballast. I've still got to add the orange pipes under the tracks and fill in the gaps in the sleepers (I might do that tonight) also I need to find some relay cabinets and dummy point motors... n brass?

 

I really like to see people taking the time and effort to get signature items of the 'modern' scene like troughing and location cabinets

 

One thing to bear in mind for the cabinets is that if they're long standing ones, they would normally be parallel with the track but newer ones in the last few years are now required to be at right angles - I think the idea is to allow safer working when the line's open to traffic. I believe there are exceptions sometimes if a cabinet is replaced on a like for like basis though.

[MrSimon]

Hi James,

 

Thanks for posting, I didn't realise that they'd started putting them at right angles - do you know when the change was made at all? Also, would it be feasible to have a mixture of older ones bein parrallel and newer ones being at right angles at the same location?

 

I've not been doing much modelling this week due to spending two days in a farm shed wiring up the fiddle yard to Farndon Road (Bingham MRC available for exhibitions from mid 2011 plug plug) but I made it to the model shop today and got the dummy point motors today, so I'll try and get some pics up when they're fitted... and then I belive I'll be ready to ballast

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

[James]

Thanks for posting, I didn't realise that they'd started putting them at right angles - do you know when the change was made at all?

It's relatively recent but I'm not sure, sorry.

 

Also, would it be feasible to have a mixture of older ones bein parrallel and newer ones being at right angles at the same location?

Yes; I've seen examples. An excuse for weather betaen older examples next to brand new ones too I think!

[MrSimon]

Definately and excuse I'll be using - just need to get me some cabinets!

I've done a bit of work this morning, I cut the door to the station - I'm not sure why I'd put it off for so long! I thought the entrance might have been a bit ornate, so I did a bit of research on the disused stations website (Braunston, Finmere and Lutterworth were the closest match to the layout of Gresby) and found the entrances to be quite plain arches... which suited me just fine!


This morning I masked and painted bridge piers, so now all needs doing is detailing and weathering.


I spent a bit of time last night preparing some posters and signs to use on the entrance, I wasn't sure what size text I'd need so I did a selection - I found network maps on a project mapping website and the BR logo on google images. I'm not sure which network map to put up. In my mind Gresby is mainly served by Central Trains and Northern Rail, but I can't work out in my head which company would manage the station... maybe both maps would be shown but only one company provide the station staff?

So much to think about and even more to do!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

I think I've finally gone insane:

The monitor is 3mm x 3mm x 3mm made of three strips of plasticard laminated together and filed to shape, just needs painting now... maybe then I'll be able to get a more in-focus shot of it! Also, I've just realised that only actual N gauge people will be able to see it which sort makes me wonder why I made it that way!

Next layout will definately be O Gauge trams haha!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Morning everybody!

The end of the bit under the bridge is finally in sight All that remains for me to do is cut out and paint the road, paint the pavement on the station entrance side, finish off the paint on the bridges and touch up the station entrance and it'll all be ready to fit and i can move onto a different part of the layout!


I painted the departures monitor which gave my camera something to focus on, I'm pleased with how it came out, especially as despite my earlier post it turns out that it can be seen from the usual viewing angle (I'd forgotten about people looking down on the layout haha)


Here is the monitor in situ, I made the light out of two bits of plasticard I filed into shape. I need to touch up the paint where I cemented the entrace bit to the bridge pier and add the station signs and a spot of weathering... but not too much!

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[Revolution Ben]

Hi Simon,

 

Nice work so far. What colour paint are you using to represent engineers' blue bricks?

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[MrSimon]

Hi Ben,

 

Glad you like the work so far - its good to get fresh eyes on it if that makes sense?!

 

I've just been using Phoenix Paints P954 Engineers Blue Brick for the blue, I've not weathered it yet but when I do I'm going to try and do it like P4 New Street on here...

 

cheers

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

I'm back after a right old week getting stock ready for Grantham Model Rail show and not been able to do any of my own modelling - but now the show has passed its full steam ahead on Gresby.


I started the day by masking off and painting the first part of the Ferodo sign on the bridge girder. I know they're usually black and white but I'm sure there was a red, blue and yellow one in Manchester (Near the new TPE depot) which seems to have been painted over before the streetview car made it round - but I might be completely wrong! I've just got the blue and all the weathering to go and the bridges and street will be ready to install, but if it looks rubbish when Its done I might paint it over in grey...

Tonight I decided I had better give the bridges one final test fit so I don't have any nasty surprises when I come to fit them and before they're finished. Good thing I did because they seem to have warped a touch since I made them and the trackbed required filing away a bit and the bridge needed opening out slighty so I could get stock into the station. I took the picture above while all the adjusted sides were setting in situ.

Hopefully the bridge will be installed by the end of this week - I'll keep posting progress up here

Lots to do

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

So far today I did a spot of weathering of the bridge sides ready for fitting, I've not taken a photo of them yet because I need to track down the weathering powders and get them looking right before I put them on here. I also added the blue to the Ferodo lettering and it looked absolutely rubbish! The D and second O looked wrong and I didn't like the colour, so rather than re-mask it and try again I waited for it to dry and then attacked it with some wet'n'dry and rusty coloured paint:


It looks a bit Cuban but I can tone it down slightly when I do the other sides...

Later today I need to paint in the road markings and then I should be ready to fit everything later in the week - which should be fun!

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon

[grahame]

This thread continues to inspire. Superb attention to detail and great modelling - it's already looking atmospheric and is N gauge to boot. Great stuff.

 

G.

[Southernboy]

Ditto ... and I'm looking forward to seeing this area come together. Keep those posts coming

[MrSimon]

Hi,

Thank you for your kind comments, posting on here has really been spurring me on to model as well as I can

I didn't get much done yesterday on account of the "Rodfather" coming to sort out my drains, but work has been continuing on all the bits I need finished before fitting the bridge tomorrow. Everything is drying at the moment so I thought I'd come and post progress!


The road! Its thin card, painted in grey primer and sanded smooth (pesky brush marks!) the bus stop and road markings were done by masking them all and dabbing neat humbrol on with a cotton bud. I've got a few more markings to put down (bus stop lettering and double yellow lines for a start) and then I can start patching and weathering the road as detailed in Nspirations2.


Close up of the bus stop. I nearly got run over measuring the length of the yellow lines, so I went home and checked my measurements against the google maps view. I'm a bit suspicious of my measurements for the white lines - they were 17ft long with a 3ft gap, so thats what I painted last night and they looked wrong to me so this morning I scraped 1 16th of an inch off each line and they look better but still a bit long - do I shorten them a bit more?

As a break from doing the bridge bits I decided to give making window frames a go and dug out the sides of the building next to the station. They turned out better than I expected.  I've not done the (ex) shop front yet and I think I'll wait until I get the bridge area sorted out before I start. I can't paint the sides until I've seen Phoenix at Leammington on Saturday but I'm not sure whether to paint before or after I stick it together. I was most pleased with the central arched window because I'd gone slightly wrong opening out the hole for the arch and I was worried I was going to have to replace the whole side but I managed to save it with a few extra bits of plasticard.

 
Before and after. Note the square top to the actual window frame in the arched window just as it is on the original building I copied. I was quite glad about this because I didn't fancy cutting and filing out another arch.

Currently drying are a bill board and notice-cases for the wall outside the station and just about to be filed into shape are a cable tv relay box and one of those yellow water hydrant things - I'm doing all the little jobs to put off weathering the bridge sections!

Lots to do and thanks again!

Simon

Edited August 31, 2017 by MrSimon