Horniman Park V2.0

[gc4946]

I've boxed up both Greensgrove station and MJG Engineering modules.

 

 

I'm running out of space so they'll be the last modules (as well as Priory Arena) to be completed.

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Work's begun on fencing and scenery, there's still a lot of painting and weathering to complete in order to blend it all together.

 

 

It's intended that this module will primarily represent the 1967-1977 era, although it's also suitable for the previous decade.

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It's amazing how quickly this art-deco style stadium stand developed ...

 

On Sunday morning, all I began with were two unused Subbuteo spectator stands, a Knightwing platform with Triang-Hornby steps, three spare Triang-Hornby curved platform canopies and loads of styrene sheets of various thicknesses.

 

 

 

By 9pm this was the result. There's still a lot to do including removing the adverts and painting the seats, work on the main entrance and general cleaning up but I couldn't believe how it all came together so quickly!

 

Size: 59 cm long x 22 cm wide x 18 cm high on 715 x 297 mm board

Edited December 24, 2018 by gc4946

[gc4946]

Pre-Xmas treats from Monk Bar Models:

 

 

Hornby Railroad B17/4 2864 Liverpool and LNER Toad B brake van.

Mum studied at teachers' training college there in the late 50s and our family later lived in Liverpool briefly. Once the loco's run in it'll receive proper shaded numbering and lettering. I'm pretending it was purloined for a Cheshire Lines Committee service to Chester after Gorton Works' attention.

 

I like the shape of the wooden duckets of the Toad B, but the brake van will be much more useful prototypically than the later version which developed into the standard 20T BR brake van.

 

The next thing I'm eagerly waiting for is the J36 in LNER livery.

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Here's three of my modules joined together:

 

 

Junction, Fawcett Priory terminus and MJG Engineering works

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After a lot of deliberation to work out what was the best arrangement to complement the arena entrance I decided to model part of a multi-storey car park over the station.

 

 

 

This structure is made from styrene sheet and selected Plastruct sections.

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Today I added full- and half-height (the latter not yet glued) concrete walls and began work on the base for a small booking office.

 

 

In order to work out platform and other clearances I glued down the track.

Edited January 6, 2019 by gc4946

[gc4946]

My LNER J36 arrived today, it hasn't been tested yet, but this was the main reason for wanting this loco

 

I own Hornby's D49 2753 Cheshire and N2 4749. All three classes worked side by side on ex-NB lines.

Strictly speaking the J36 should be re-numbered LNER 9722 and the N2 lose its condensing gear and be re-numbered to represent one of those transferred to Scotland.

Once these tasks are done they can represent the situation as of 1927-28, before red lining for goods locos was discontinued.

 

I also own three Hornby teak non-corridors with 3XXXX numbering - the first "3" represents their LNER Southern Section (ex-NB) allocation.

 

 

[gc4946]

I made more progress on the rebuilt Subbuteo stand incorporating parts from Triang-Hornby canopies.

[gc4946]

I finally decided on the back story for the station with multi storey car park.

 

The station was built in art deco style in the 30s with huge shelter and access ramp in order to serve a football ground. Sometime during the late 60s/early 70s a multi storey car park was built over the station (in less enlightened times) in order to cater for shoppers visiting the Priory shopping centre.

The car park will be removable if I want to run trains during steam and transition era.

It's all white styrene except for the track and Hornby platform!

 

Edited March 25, 2019 by gc4946

[gc4946]

I haven't done anything but took stock of what I've made progress on and hopefully set a course for the next few months.

 

I've often left structures unfinished for ages on end, this art deco-style football stand was begun just before Christmas last year. It's built around two Subbuteo terraced stands and Knioghtwing and Triang platform sections.

However making progress on a matching art deco style station and finally decided not to plonk a concrete monstrosity multi-storey car park over it.

The station will cater for the steam/diesel transition era, its name hasn't been chosen yet.

[gc4946]

I assessed how much work would be required on my outstanding modules and concluded that the Greensgrove Southern Region station would be able to be finished soonest.

As I don't name stations or major structures after individuals, I'm calling my engineering works module Brassey Engineering (after a famous Victorian engineer and coincidentally a street where I lived in Bournemouth at one time)

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After a morning's work, Greensgrove is more or less complete and ready for use.

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Resumed work on Brassey Engineering Ltd (formerly MJG Engineering) module.

Began weathering the track and as a result of damage to the spear fencing whilst in store, erected much more durable Ratio SR concrete fencing plus home-made concrete plank fencing using left-over Ratio fence posts.

[gc4946]

I fancy modelling an art deco style station so imagining it's set somewhere in the Wirral during the 1960s (hence the graffiti); lived in New Brighton during 1965-69.

Its walls and shelter will feature bright white concrete used on several other major buildings of that era, although that wasn't used on the railways, probably because it would have got filthy quickly as a result of steam traction.

 

 

 

[gc4946]

It won't be long now before Priory Arena hosts its first event. I finished the first floor and glazed the frontage and canopy.

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Priory Arena is open for business beginning with an 80s music tribute night.

I haven't located a box to store the whole module yet but essentially it's complete.

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Work's begun on detailing of the art deco style station platform.

I haven't decided on the station's name and once decided may even render it in concrete style on the walls.

Incidentally the raised platform level is 603 mm, long enough to comfortably hold 2 Mk1s or just fit a 2-car class 155/156/158/170/175 unit.

I've yet to begin constructing the wall from the steps to the end of the ramp.

I own some Scenecraft 44-542 concrete platform lamps https://anticsonline.uk/N425/N783/N2128/N2349_Bachmann-Scenecraft-Detail-Parts/17798_Scenecraft-Concrete-Platform-Lamps.html although there's also a 44-591 version available https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/44-591-Scenecraft-OO-Gauge-Concrete-Single-Arm-Lamp-Post-x-4-/264133862444

[gc4946]

On ‎25‎/‎05‎/‎2019 at 16:18, gc4946 said:

It won't be long now before Priory Arena hosts its first event. I finished the first floor and glazed the frontage and canopy.

 

I rescued a surplus box which fitted the size of this module although its elements (base, main frontage and lamps) have had to be separately packed in bubble wrap.

I'm curious, has anyone ever been tempted to model their own British freelance open access operators?

My plan is to establish Westfield Priory Trains as a passenger operator (I've got in touch with quite a few old schoolmates via FB who are distributed around the UK and imagining running services to meet their needs).

I'm identifying reasonably-priced suitable rolling stock although I'm not planning to own much stock because it all takes up room at home.

[gc4946]

I'm imagining an open access operation about a decade ago and can draw upon 5 Hornby (ex-Airfix) Mk2ds, Hornby (ex-Lima) 67 and a pair of Heljan West Coast Railway 33s.

The locos would be hired in, the carriages owned by the open access company. I might tackle the brake carriage first because Hornby printed the Intercity logo in the wrong place.

Top-and-tailed 33s will run Leeds-Doncaster-Chesterfield services on weekdays and Leeds-Blackpool North on Saturdays.

The 67 would be useful for longer distance services to Bristol and Portsmouth which may use Mk3s.

[gc4946]

Having looked at what's available, I've chosen to run top-and-tail 67s with Mk3s and air-con Mk2 brake carriages.

Therefore I've ordered another secondhand Hornby (ex-Lima) 67, 2 new Mk3s (Hornby and Oxford Rail) and a new Hornby Railroad Mk2e BSO.

These purchases will make up the sum total of loco-hauled stock (8 carriages) for my fictitious Westfield Priory Trains.

Edited June 11, 2019 by gc4946

[gc4946]

The Westfield Priory Trains service to the south coast will run between Leeds and Portsmouth & Southsea. It's routed via Doncaster, Chesterfield, Derby, then avoiding Birmingham New Street via Saltley and the Camp Hill line, Bromsgrove, Cheltenham, Bristol Temple Meads (reverse), Bath Spa, Salisbury, Eastleigh, then all stops to Portsmouth and Southsea.

At the time imagined ten years ago two ex-schoolmates lived in the Bristol area hence the less direct journey.

Logos have been devised to cover over the "Intercity" branding (will be revealed in a few days time) although the company's not ready to undertake full repaints of its own stock.

[gc4946]

The three carriages were collected today and I had to fix loose footboards on Oxford Rail's Mk3 and glue loose NEM coupling boxes on Hornby's Railroad Mk2e BSO. A pack of metal wheels will need to be bought for the BSO.

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I've labelled the first two carriages with Westfield Priory Trains branding.

In the end I removed the incorrectly-placed Intercity logo on the Mk2d BSO using enamel thinners applied with a cotton bud., although it left a slight sheen which adds to its appeal as a hastily rebranded carriage.

I don't want too many items of stock with this branding in case I change my mind.

 

My second Hornby ex-Lima class 67 is awaiting collection and a photo of a complete top and tailed set will appear in due course.

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I collected my other class 67 that I located secondhand, an unboxed Hornby Wrexham & Shropshire 67014 Thomas Telford.

 

Here's my assembled Westfield Priory Trains long distance open access set:

EWS 67027 (Hornby, ex-Lima) +

Ex-Virgin RFB (Hornby) + Cargo-D blue/grey rebranded Mk3 SO (Oxford Rail) + rebranded IC Swallow livery Mk2d BSO (Hornby) +

Wrexham & Shropshire 67014 Thomas Telford (Hornby, ex-Lima)