ginger j Posted September 21, 2014 Share Posted September 21, 2014 I trust that the reader of the following topic has the relevant security clearance, as per the Torchwood Institute Secrecy Act 1888 (addendum 1911, 1923, 1939). The following contains vital information which, should it fall into German Intelligence, could cost the success of the War and will expose the work of the Institute to protect the Empire. Signed N. McCullough Torchwood Depository 1942 Background The Torchwood Institute was set up in 1872 to protect the British Empire from alien threats, on the command of Queen Victoria. Over the following decades the Institute collected a large number of alien artifacts, which were stored in the various centres across Great Britain: Torchwood One in London, Torchwood Two in Glasgow and Torchwood Three in Cardiff. While never directly intervening in human wars, some confidential help was offered by the Institute during the Great War to advance the technology available to British Army in order to protect the empire. And so Torchwood continued throughout the 1920's and 30's until 1939. Outbreak of War Torchwood watched with concern the events in Continental Europe from September 1939. After the fall of France and the evacuation of Dunkirk, the Prime Minister was approach by the three heads of each Torchwood Institute centre with the request to construct a new secure storage facility. The reasoning behind this was that in the event of the German invasion of Britain the Torchwood facility in London would be directly available to the advancing army, despite the security measures in place. There was also concerns that bombing could lead to the activation of weaponry stored in the facilities. (Torchwood wished to avoid a repeat of the Torchwood Two incident, where a disintegration device was inadvertently activated during an examination; leading to the destruction of the streets and property nearby) The Depository A location was chosen in the Lakeland Mountains miles away from the nearest settlement. To avoid detection locals were informed the area was being used as a munitions store and barracks. Indeed, fake 'munitions' were often brought in and out of the Depository to maintain this image. A special railway line was constructed to ease the movement of alien technology between Torchwoods One, Two and Three. When construction was completed in late 1941 the depository was given the official designation of Torchwood Zero, although most simply referred to it as the Torchwood Depository. Each of the warehouses inside the heavily guarded complex were individually served by a network of sidings and the Institute purchased several locomotives to run on the private system, with an interchange with the main line 7 miles away. Torchwood requisitioned numerous wagons in which to transport the classified cargoes, as well as constructing special wagons which where reinforced. Outwardly theses commissioned wagons looked exactly like any other private owner or Railway Company wagon, except for the code TW on the side. The Model A rather grand justification for a very small layout of 28.5cm by 20cm! This is going to be a cheaply made micro layout using some lengths of spare Hornby track and a few other bits and bobs that are lying about. I would include a few images of the space but due to a lack of forward planning the camera battery is flat, so this is all your going to get tonight. Hopefully I'll get some pictures by tomorrow night, as well as a few more details about the model side of this random project. Advice and comments welcome as ever, Thanks for looking GJ EDIT: Just realized I measured in cm but wrote down in inches - now amended Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 Hello all, Here are the photos as promised. I apologize in advance for the quality, they are not the best but they will serve their purpose. This is a quick overview of the intended container, with a Hornby 0-4-0 for scale. Side view of the box. It used to contain the entire Ian Fleming's James Bond novel collection (how appropriate ) The original plan was to use a Metcalfe factory building as my scratch building skills are.............well, the less said the better. The main issue is, I feel that it dominates the area too much and that a low relief structure would be more appropriate (and may enable there to be two sidings instead of one). Thoughts? A quick rummage through the spares box has revealed a few items that may be able to form the basis of a more suitable less intrusive structure. These include: A Watertower The sides of a Hornby engine shed (the snap together plastic one) I also found a slightly bashed Superquick goods shed. Now this is what got me thinking. As it is it would be too intrusive, but if I cut it up into seperate pieces it could form several minimum relief "structures". And if you're wondering about a certain cat who appears in most of these images, that's Lilly. There is a radiator right behind that side which she likes to sit by (even when its not on) Thoughts and comments welcome as ever GJ Torchwood Depository 23/9/41 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 23, 2014 Author Share Posted September 23, 2014 After having made a rather silly mistake with the measurements I can now conform that the size is 28.5cm by 20cm (or thereabouts). And with that shocking revelation comes the plan..... This gives a rough idea of the plan. The brown areas are buildings and the pale yellow/cream is a loading platform for Storage 7, which stocks smaller items of alien technology. The siding runs past the dock and into a covered loading/unloading area for more "secure" items on the right. The main fiddle yard will be on the left and will be most likely of the cassette type. The lorry represents a suitable military vehicle (which may not actually be a lorry). Many thanks for the 'likes' you guys have been dropping, any suggestions welcome. GJ 23/9/41 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maunsel Posted September 24, 2014 Share Posted September 24, 2014 A micro layout of Torchwood in a blue box? I'll be following it with interest - after all we all know that the inside of a blue box is always much bigger than it appears from the outside................. Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 25, 2014 Author Share Posted September 25, 2014 I'm afraid to say that not much further progress has been made, due to concerns that the box will lose structural support once great big holes have been carved out of it. Most of the front will need to come out to make it easier to see inside the box, as well as another two holes leading to the fiddle yards at each end. (one for the main cassette, the other for the "inside loading" bay of Storage 9 of the Torchwood Zero complex) In other news, I have been looking at a suitable colour to repaint the loco with. I was thinking of a khaki paint job, but would black or some other colour be more appropriate? Additionally, I'm not quite sure if the locomotives at the Torchwood Depository would have come under the W.D or under Torchwood themselves. A micro layout of Torchwood in a blue box? I must confess that I never realised the link between the colour and the idea.......just a coincidence? Thanks for looking, GJ 25/09/41 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGC Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Is the Top Secret Torchwood Repository anywhere near the Top Secret Nuclear Bunker in Brentwood? Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stadman Posted September 26, 2014 Share Posted September 26, 2014 Is the Top Secret Torchwood Repository anywhere near the Top Secret Nuclear Bunker in Brentwood? Phil In Cardiff as I recall, although a London section was disbanded Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 26, 2014 Author Share Posted September 26, 2014 In Cardiff as I recall, although a London section was disbanded It has been mentioned by the creators somewhere that there was (is?) a Torchwood Institute in Glasgow - Torchwood Two, as well as one in India (disbanded in the mid 1920's, if I remember rightly). There is also a missing one - Torchwood Four - that nobody knows anything about. Maybe a future episode of Doctor Who will reveal what happened to Four........ Hopefully this weekend will provide the opportunity to make some more progress. Main jobs include crafting some sort of warehouse building, cut up the box for viewing windows and entrances, and tracklaying. If all goes well there should be some more pictures by next week. Thanks for looking GJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 27, 2014 Author Share Posted September 27, 2014 Hullo all, Good progress has been made over the duration of today. The fiddle yard exits have been cut out, the front cut down to make it easier to see into and the goods shed (from post 2) is now in several pieces ready for gluing to the box. Unfortunately I am again unable to post pictures as some darned fool (who was most certainly not me ) left the camera on and the battery is flat. Never mind. The next job involves electricity........ Thanks for looking GJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maunsel Posted September 27, 2014 Share Posted September 27, 2014 Unfortunately I am again unable to post pictures as some darned fool (who was most certainly not me ) left the camera on and the battery is flat. Never mind. The next job involves electricity........ Thanks for looking GJ Maybe you only thought you left the camera on..........? This is Torchwood after all - so I'm hardly surprised that that's what THEY made you think......... ....... Personally I'm starting to wonder if it might just be safer to think about something involving Ivor The Engine, Thomas, or the Trumpton Express. If we don't happen to see any more posts from you then we'll know what really happened....... ..... Regards....& stay safe.......... Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 28, 2014 Author Share Posted September 28, 2014 Maybe you only thought you left the camera on..........? This is Torchwood after all - so I'm hardly surprised that that's what THEY made you think......... ....... Personally I'm starting to wonder if it might just be safer to think about something involving Ivor The Engine, Thomas, or the Trumpton Express. If we don't happen to see any more posts from you then we'll know what really happened....... ..... Regards....& stay safe.......... Eric I did wonder about that black SUV that tore down the road yesterday evening.......especially as the camera had been fully charged not that long ago...... In all seriousness, here are a few progress pictures. The less said about the quality is probably best, as they were taken using the poor camera on my iPod Touch 4th gen. But first, here's an Austin Tilly. Below is an aerial view of the various features in roughly the position they will be stuck down in The right hand side of the micro. The concrete strucutre is from a Superquick coaling tower, with the sides of the goods shed forming the background. The platform is just a standard Airfix station platform (that was still in Airfix packaging, dread to think how old it is). Luckily it is just the perfect width so I will most likley use this instead of fashioning a goods platform using the Metcalfe platform kit, as was the plan. Here is a better view of the platform and Storage 9. So, what do members think? Thanks for looking, GJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Griffin Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Excellent. Who says you need space for a layout. I'll be watching with interest Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted September 28, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 28, 2014 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=35820&hilit=porth+byhan#p549721 Great story, nice simple plan. Small box layouts can be fun - also don't be afraid to have a go at scratch building in such a small area, any mistakes don't cost much. As another example, with a very similar track plan, see the link above ( stupid tablet...) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 28, 2014 Author Share Posted September 28, 2014 Excellent. Who says you need space for a layout. I'll be watching with interest Thanks for that Dan. Just to add to my post a few mins ago. I do have a few concerns about the buildings as, over the years in a large box, the sides have bowed out slightly. I have a feeling that the bowing worsened somewhat when I was cutting apart the goods shed.Ev en the back wall of the box has bowed. Steps have been taken to try to counteract the bowing, which as worked to a degree. However, the bowing is still there and things may go drastically wrong as I try to stick bowed sides to bowed walls, if that makes any sense. I do have a backup plan though Thanks for looking GJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted September 28, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 28, 2014 If the box was deep enough you could have laid it on its side so that the layout could be viewed through the open 'top' of the box. This would be better for the integrity of the box and less cutting out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 28, 2014 Author Share Posted September 28, 2014 If the box was deep enough you could have laid it on its side so that the layout could be viewed through the open 'top' of the box. This would be better for the integrity of the box and less cutting out. I did trial doing that, but there wasn't quite enough space to have the main features that I wanted (two tracks and a loading platform). I could have squeezed it all in at a push but the front track would be too close to the front for my liking. That said, I suspect most of the bowing on the box was caused by me gripping the side while cutting. The box is still quite sturdy despite the gaping holes in it, so it should be alright. I hope. I'm sure that somewhere among all the alien tech is something that will help with the bowing........ GJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maunsel Posted September 28, 2014 Share Posted September 28, 2014 Thanks for that Dan. Just to add to my post a few mins ago. I do have a few concerns about the buildings as, over the years in a large box, the sides have bowed out slightly. I have a feeling that the bowing worsened somewhat when I was cutting apart the goods shed. Even the back wall of the box has bowed. Steps have been taken to try to counteract the bowing, which as worked to a degree. However, the bowing is still there and things may go drastically wrong as I try to stick bowed sides to bowed walls, if that makes any sense. I do have a backup plan though Thanks for looking GJ I would suggest a reinforcement of an off cut of thin plywood or balsa to provide a stiffener between the side wall of the box and the goods shed walls. Those wooden boxes that Scotch bottles or Port bottles come in might be suitable - so two stiffeners for the price of one, so to speak. Or failing that take a look at the lolly sticks/wooden tongue depressers that can be picked up cheaply in craft shops and pound shops. Looking from the front of the model I'd be looking to add some further view blockers to the exit tracks - eg a brick water tower or something similar in the front left corner. A couple of sheets of brick paper should just about do it. The Tilly is a super little model, is it a plastic kit? Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted September 28, 2014 Author Share Posted September 28, 2014 The Tilly is indeed a plastic kit, taken from the Airfix RAF Bomber Command re-supply set. Mini-Update While not usually purchasing Hornby Magazine, one thing I like about that particular publication is the relatively frequent free kits, usually from Scalescenes, that can be found in the pages. And it would appear that this month has got another free kits. Due to my irregular reading habits of HM I typically find these free kits halfway through, so they are of no use. This month, however, looks like it contains an entire building that is very nearly perfect for the Depository. This means that I might be able to retire one of the slightly battered goods shed sides and replace it with a low relief version of the workshop. It looks like I also need to scavenge through the spares box, as per maunsel's (Eric's) suggestion, to find some sort of view blocker. I had been already thinking about that but got distracted by the Airfix platform (see post 11). I have also been putting some thought into the ground surface for the layout. I was thinking of using some DAS clay and scribing it into concrete slabs, but I am slightly concerned about covering the tracks in case some fault appears as the track is hardly brand new. This lead me to: Fig 1 - the projected area which will hopefully be concreted over, shown by this (very) crudely edited picture in grey. This is where a small cameo will be placed utilizing the aforementioned Tilly That's all for now, Thanks for looking, GJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maunsel Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 I have also been putting some thought into the ground surface for the layout. I was thinking of using some DAS clay and scribing it into concrete slabs, but I am slightly concerned about covering the tracks in case some fault appears as the track is hardly brand new. This lead me to: Fig 1 - the projected area which will hopefully be concreted over, shown by this (very) crudely edited picture in grey. This is where a small cameo will be placed utilizing the aforementioned Tilly concrete area.jpg That's all for now, Thanks for looking, GJ Having just relaid a couple of fiddle yards with 40+ year old Peco and Triang track I have had no issues, nor have any new ones emerged. The only important part was to give it all a thorough clean - lighter fluid worked well, as did Antiseptic Wipes from Boots wrapped around a small wooden block (just make sure you get the alcohol based ones). The only things that can happen to track is that it goes out of scale if the sleepers break or go out of shape, or if you lose electrical conductivity - which is very unusual for simple straight sections. So if it's a decent bit of track in the first place then it shouldn't be a problem to cover it up. Especially if all the electrical contacts are off stage. As for concrete you can download some concrete yard surfaces from such as included in the free download kit:- http://www.scalescenes.com/products/R002b For the concrete track inset it may be easier to just use card cut out to fit between the track. I would suggest painting the trackbed black, otherwise you be continually bugged by glimpsing white through the track grooves. Good luck! Eric Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginger j Posted October 4, 2014 Author Share Posted October 4, 2014 Hullo all Its been a while since I've put an update up so here is progress as of today. The main task that has been completed is the backscene; I have attempted to produce the appearance of a cloudy overcast day. While the paint has dried somewhat lighter than I had anticipated I'm still pretty chuffed with the result! *Again, I apologise for the image quality. I currently have no access to the DSLR so please bear with* Fig 1: Overview of the current state, showing the backscene You may have noticed the cardboard tube.This, along with the concrete building to the right, acts as a scenic break that hides the fiddle yard exits from the view when the layout is looked at around eye level from a similar distance to where the image above was taken. This tube will hopefully become a tank filled with some unknown highly classified liquid that I cannot repeat here (of course, it could just be fuel but that would just be boring - this is supposed to be Torchwood, after all) The buildings along the background have now also been glued on, along with the platform. That's all I have time for now, more to come soon (hopefully). GJ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyro Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Apologies in advance, I may steal your idea. Not necessarily the track plan tho'. A fan of torchwood and the Doctor is a friend of mine.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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