Cowley 47521 Posted June 1, 2020 Share Posted June 1, 2020 I spent the summer of 1991 living in a tent and then later on in the “Tea Junction” cabin overlooking the yard at Ropley, and the water tower was almost exactly level with my tent so I woke up to that view every morning for months! Of course there was no shed on the left at that point - just a motley collection of stuff including an old LMS 12 wheeler sleeping car which was used for volunteer accommodation (I wonder what happened to that?). The resident diesels at that time were 08288, 25067 and 27007 (all three were runners back then but the 25 was getting a bit tired), I can’t remember when the Peak arrived but I think it was shoved up in the headshunt along with various other things including an old LMS inspection saloon that a good friend of mine lived in back then. It’s so good to see someone making a proper go at modelling the place, and also modelling a preserved railway which is quite difficult to capture convincingly. Excellent work Chris. I think I’ve got a couple of photos from my first visit in 1987. I’ll dig them out tomorrow and post them. Nick 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 Thank you Nick. The Loco fleet have been even more challenging than the layout build itself but there is a few more restoration jobs in planning Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 The next job is now underway I have decided it’s time to sort out one of my pet hates on the layout! the wagon between the containers was never painted into the correct colour and was never completed. It was placed in before a show and I never sorted it since. so today the crane has been in and put it on the rails and off down the line it has gone for The wagon group to work there magic! I am also looking at more detail along the back of the layout as this is most definitely the most cluttered area of the layout by far! 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Temeraire Posted June 2, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 2, 2020 Hi Chris When did the second level of containers get added. Was that after the bridge went in? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 2, 2020 Author Share Posted June 2, 2020 3 hours ago, Temeraire said: Hi Chris When did the second level of containers get added. Was that after the bridge went in? Hi Ian second level of containers went in after the bridge. even I had to double check I did notice I should have clutter on top of them however I think there is another one now in the yard if I’m right stacked up as well? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowley 47521 Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 (edited) Here you go Chris. A couple of photos taken by my stepbrother on our first visit in 1987: The arial photo of 34105 Swanage heading north out of Ropley was taken from a light aircraft also by my stepbrother on the same day as the Basingstoke Rail day - September 1987 (jammie git). And one from 2017: Probably not much use for you but worth sharing. We spent half an hour in the cab of 25067 during one of those first visits while the driver shunted locos in the yard. Pure heaven for a pair of teenage bashers... Nick Edited June 8, 2020 by Cowley 47521 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 Another part of Ropley has gone missing??!! the fence between the running line and Loco yard by the pits has been removed. It’s another project I have left and forgotten about. The fence was always built incorrectly along with the signal area. I have decided it’s time to correct it as at Newbury show part of it was damaged when a mk1 coach derailed and caught it before the train was stopped. it’s a going to be a interesting project to say the least but will hopefully look the part when all the details are added to the fence when completed. as for in the yard the tanker wagon is progressing well and having some additional work done but is almost completed now. 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted June 15, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2020 Funnily enough an area that's getting rebuilt on the real thing as well - they've just started rebuilding the pit road and the wall between it and the main yard... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 (edited) 23 minutes ago, Nick C said: Funnily enough an area that's getting rebuilt on the real thing as well - they've just started rebuilding the pit road and the wall between it and the main yard... Ah ok that’s interesting to know and a bit of a nightmare as more photos would have helped but hopefully I can put something together must be plenty of photos about Edited June 15, 2020 by chriscleveland Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted June 15, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 15, 2020 14 minutes ago, chriscleveland said: Ah ok that’s interesting to know and a bit of a nightmare as more photos would have helped but hopefully I can put something together must be plenty of photos about A quick look on Flickr shows plenty of photos of that area, it's a popular spot for photos, especially looking down off Bighton Hill bridge or the KX footbridge towards the sheds. I can't help I'm afraid as I don't appear to have any photos of Ropley at all, all mine are Alresford or M4M... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 15, 2020 Author Share Posted June 15, 2020 More work continues on the layout. Progress is slow with the fence as it’s quite a fiddly job. The first photo shows the old with the template in the middle and the new at the bottom a big difference in my eyes. The fence is taller as well as longer this time and most importantly correct! the last photo shows the crane has moved into the yard? I wonder what it’s there for? Plenty going on at last as the big push continues Chris 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 19, 2020 Author Share Posted June 19, 2020 Another project done. I have finally gotten to a stage I am happy with the tanker wagon! The difference I think Is a great improvement. This photo shows how the tanker wagon has been since the early days of Ropley starting. How it now looks. Now the next problem. I have noticed that from this more work needs to be done around the area to make things look more realistic. The fence is coming along nicely now too and is now built ready for the next stage Chris 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 Does anyone know if anyone does sack trucks and wheelbarrows? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Morgan Posted June 20, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2020 Severn Models do a wheelbarrow. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 Might have to try and figure out how to use the 3d printer and print lots of tools and accessories. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Morgan Posted June 22, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 22, 2020 Sack trolley on thingiverse https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2960894 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share Posted June 26, 2020 (edited) More of an update on Ropley At last I have finished the fence ready for the next stage of the project. I have finished making and detailing the fence in between the pits and main running line. This is now ready for the next stage of bringing the height up to the top of the concrete panels below on the yard side so more detail can be added and slightly higher on the running line side. The tool rack on the fence was quite tricky but adds to the scene nicely Another long overdue project down plenty more to go Chris Edited June 26, 2020 by chriscleveland 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted July 4, 2020 Author Share Posted July 4, 2020 Wadebridge 34007 passes with a freight train as it comes into Ropley passing 45132 which is receiving work in the head shunt. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Another project down. After finishing the tanker wagon I have decided to attempt to build the fencing for inside the yard. These are built onto little feet and used to close the public off from wondering down to the carriage shed at Ropley itself. A very tedious project itself but I think it adds to the scene. This will be the only time they will be put across as I will want the yard open for operation purposes. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 Some more work done on the layout The fencing has now been fixed in place by the tanker wagon the next project along the back of the layout is now the ash pit. To me it’s always looked odd so a new colour is in order. I have planned to do more work along the back from the coaling stage to the carriage shed. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 More work at last on Ropley i have remade the ash pit into a darker shade which I personally think works better I have also added around the other tanker wagon more details like pallet stock, items under tarpaulins and even some boiler cladding from 30828 now the next job will be just more clutter around 30499, a fence behind for the field and I have decided to do something new with the field behind. I also need to find a photo of the tanker wagon that I have just done the work around. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowley 47521 Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 It looks so good Chris. Whenever one of your updates pops up I find myself gazing at the photos for ages! Here’s an interesting thing that you may not have heard before, but in the 90s where the points were at the London end of the passing loop there was a little colony of Glow Worms living on the trackbed! Seeing your recreation of the place keeps reminding me of little things like that. I wonder if they’re still there..? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted August 10, 2020 Author Share Posted August 10, 2020 A busy yard a Ropley The details are starting to come along nicely now But i am hoping to get some more loco projects done in due course hopefully both steam and diesel 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriscleveland Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 More progress on the layout. Really starting to get a mooooooove on the cows are all being painted to become another addition to the layout. I am doing these alongside the fencing for t back of the layout. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Temeraire Posted August 15, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 15, 2020 On 10/08/2020 at 18:58, chriscleveland said: i am hoping to get some more loco projects done in due course hopefully both steam and diesel oops! Sorry mate I will get on to them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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