Sevenoaks - Spring update

[David Todd]

I would not worry, about the building site effect, I have shown worse,on my attempted build.

I do like the way you have depicted,the various shades of grey,(not quite 50,of them) along the lengths of you platform's.

Especially the flags at the edges.

Dependant,on your commitments,work/family time, it would be nice to know/see some of your building construction methods

And materials used.

Look forward to your next update.

[Nearholmer]

Seems to me that you are actually progressing quite quickly, and looking like a building site, when it is a site that you are building, is quite natural.

 

I'm mega-impressed by your eye/craft for colour and texture - the green algae/moss along the top of that concrete retaining wall, for instance, is spot-on. The section from the station to the tunnel always has been a bit of a damp and gloomy place, and you are capturing it perfectly.

 

K

[kintbury jon]

CEP looks nice. Is it your own conversion?

[westerhamstation]

Hi, some great modelling going on at Sevenoaks and at quite a pace to. But what I really need to know is when will you reach Dunton Green, so that I can return my loco back to Tonbridge Depot. All the best Adrian.  

[Bogie]

Love the product placement in today's second photo.

[Southwich]

Superb modelling! Keep up the good work.

 

Will

[Lyddrail]

Really looking very good.

Just a comment re the cable troughing, we stagger the lids so the route is better linked and stable.

Cheers.

[shanks522]

I can only echo the previous comments, superb work.

 

I'm very interested how you weathered the concrete platform edge's.

 

cheers

 

Graham.

[tjf4375]

Thanks very much everyone, really appreciate the kind comments and encouragement! Responses:

I would not worry, about the building site effect, I have shown worse,on my attempted build.
I do like the way you have depicted,the various shades of grey,(not quite 50,of them) along the lengths of you platform's.
Especially the flags at the edges.
Dependant,on your commitments,work/family time, it would be nice to know/see some of your building construction methods
And materials used.
Look forward to your next update.

Thanks David; I'm learning quite a few things along the way! Some things have worked better than others, but I'll be happy to show a bit more about my methods/materials if it helps

 

Seems to me that you are actually progressing quite quickly, and looking like a building site, when it is a site that you are building, is quite natural.

I'm mega-impressed by your eye/craft for colour and texture - the green algae/moss along the top of that concrete retaining wall, for instance, is spot-on. The section from the station to the tunnel always has been a bit of a damp and gloomy place, and you are capturing it perfectly.

K

Many thanks, really appreciate that! Concrete seems to be quite a difficult surface to replicate for some reason, I still struggle with it a bit but I was quite pleased with the way that concrete wall turned out in the end. I went up to SEV to get some pictures of this area so that I could get this as close as possible. It's by no means perfect but I hoped to recreate the general effect - you're right, it is a very damp and gloomy place, especially in the winter months!

 

CEP looks nice. Is it your own conversion?

Thanks! Yes it is, MJT brass sides and custom etched nickel silver window surrounds, the paintwork needs toning down a bit though - for some reason it looks very shiny in the photos but it isn't that shiny in reality!

 

Hi, some great modelling going on at Sevenoaks and at quite a pace to. But what I really need to know is when will you reach Dunton Green, so that I can return my loco back to Tonbridge Depot. All the best Adrian.  

Ha ha! thanks Adrian - I don't think I want to lay that much ballast and 3rd rail though!

 

Love the product placement in today's second photo.

Ah, yes, whoops! Essential construction materials (other beers are available....)

 

Superb modelling! Keep up the good work.

Will

Thanks Will

 

Really looking very good.

Just a comment re the cable troughing, we stagger the lids so the route is better linked and stable.

Cheers.

Thanks Lyddrail, I'm not too sure what you mean by staggering the lids though?

 

I can only echo the previous comments, superb work.

 

I'm very interested how you weathered the concrete platform edge's.

 

cheers

 

Graham.

Cheers Graham, much appreciated. The platform edges were done firstly by spraying with a concrete base colour (stock colour is much too orange I think) - I then built up the effect by using a series of darker warm grey washes, and also by dabbing the surfaces with pieces of washing up sponge, to get a more textured effect. You can't go wrong really but it does take time - it's just a case of building it up layer by layer until it looks about right. I also scraped bits of the paint off by using a course sandpaper, which adds a bit more variation and stops it looking too uniform. One thing though, do this before you fit the edges on the layout - it's much more difficult to do once they're in place, because the washes simply drain onto the trackbed instead of sticking to the surface!

[tjf4375]

Hi all -

I need a bit of advice - I am getting to the point where I need to start planning foliage and trees for the section of track running between the station and the tunnel. Looking at the photos I have of this area, they seem to be Sycamore trees lining the trackside, and are exceptionally tall. At scale, they will stand between 300-400mm tall, which is much larger than any of the model trees I've seen for sale! Does anyone have any ideas how I might go about sourcing these? I'm happy to have a go at making them myself, but at this size I want to make sure I'm going about it the right way!

 

Would really welcome any suggestions or advice. Here is a pic of the area in question:

 

[Guest]

Could do worse than take a look at this RMWeb blog:

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1009/entry-12142-going-round-the-twist-for-st-ruth-trees-pt-1/

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/595/entry-12336-trees-for-st-ruth-part-2-first-part-in-personal-blog/

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/595/entry-12543-more-trees-for-st-ruth-part-3/

 

I've seen some handmade trees that are simply so much better than shop-bought, and I think at the height you need, making your own might be the best option.

[tjf4375]

Thanks for the links Pete, some very impressive craftmanship in those blogs - I'm not sure if I have the skill (or patience) to go the handmade route having seen those!

I'm going to need about 2 dozen of them for the layout so I will have to try and find a technique that is reliable and not too fiddly!

[Blue]

Dont forget that although they do look large, they are on a very step sloping embankment, so look bigger than they actually are.

[tjf4375]

That is true, although wiki says they grow between 20-35m tall, which is a scale 260-460mm. Still enormous compared to most of the model trees I've seen! ​

[Lyddrail]

What I mean about troughing routes is we put half a lid or so on first so many lids go over the joins, but I have only done medium lengths of troughing when I was with Network Rail. 

Regards the treed section of your layout see the pics below.

 

 

This building might have gone in your period.

 

 

 

Cheers.

[Blue]

The Sevenoaks tunnel ganger huts. They were in use up until the early 90's

 

I would like too add that some people thought that the sidings were haunted by an old driver who had been "seen" by P-way staff and the odd shunter and driver!

[tjf4375]

Lyddrail, these pictures are absolutely awesome, thank you very much for sharing them.

I am having a hard time finding pictures of this section of track (probably because only track engineers are allowed to be there!) - I'm an hour down the line from there so I have taken a couple of trips and tried to get decent photos from the train but not been very successful so this is very helpful and fills a few gaps.

 

The ganger hut is a very interesting looking structure - although my layout is based on what's there currently, I'll be running stock from 80s to present day on the layout so could justify modeling it!

 

Blue, love the story of the haunting of the sidings - it always looks like such a gloomy place going past it, I don't envy the railway worker having to be there alone at night! There is something about railway ghosts that really captures the imagination - one of my favourite films is the 1976 film adaptation of 'The Signalman' by Charles Dickens.

[Blue]

The ganger hut is a very interesting looking structure - although my layout is based on what's there currently, I'll be running stock from 80s to present day on the layout so could justify modeling it!

 

Blue, love the story of the haunting of the sidings - it always looks like such a gloomy place going past it, I don't envy the railway worker having to be there alone at night! .

In the mid 90's after a major signalling problem, i spent about two weeks on the signal just outside of the tunnel mouth, doing earlies and lates. I can assure you it was cold, damp and very very spooky lol but due to its location, when we needed the loo, we tries using the loo beside the pway hut, but as there was no water, weonly used it for a day or two!!

[David Todd]

Hi all -

I need a bit of advice - I am getting to the point where I need to start planning foliage and trees for the section of track running between the station and the tunnel. Looking at the photos I have of this area, they seem to be Sycamore trees lining the trackside, and are exceptionally tall. At scale, they will stand between 300-400mm tall, which is much larger than any of the model trees I've seen for sale! Does anyone have any ideas how I might go about sourcing these? I'm happy to have a go at making them myself, but at this size I want to make sure I'm going about it the right way!

 

Would really welcome any suggestions or advice. Here is a pic of the area in question:

 

sycamore.jpg

 

Scale trees'    

 

    

Have a word with John,very nice chap, @ Greenscenes   see if you can get a box, of LARGE, seafoam trees,

 

or I have some,will pick one out for you to send, my largest, is ....just looked, I have none.........    .

 

Here I have turned my new diorama around, to shew you, bit of track and a 33, on it.

 

The tall tree on the left,is 10.ins high.  (I try not to use, Napoleons money, to measure in).

 

 

The trees on the curve are growing on a steep embankment,  maybe a box of each, Medium and Large 

 

 

Edited November 10, 2015 by David Todd

[tjf4375]

Thanks David, I've seen a few tutorials on youtube that show the sea foam in use, and that does seem to be the way to go! Appreciate the signpost as well, I'll give greenscenes a buzz and get some on order. Medium to large if tiered on the sloped embankment probably would look about right I guess, I was just keen to try and recreate the towering woodland effect! 

 

And I can't get to grips with napoleon's money, too many fractions!

 

In the mid 90's after a major signalling problem, i spent about two weeks on the signal just outside of the tunnel mouth, doing earlies and lates. I can assure you it was cold, damp and very very spooky lol but due to its location, when we needed the loo, we tries using the loo beside the pway hut, but as there was no water, weonly used it for a day or two!!

 

 

That sounds terrifying, I bet you were glad when that signal was fixed! I can't believe they expected you to work down there without water as well   Nowadays I hope they would provide a portaloo or something!

[lmsforever]

Sea foam is a brilliant way to go I have used it on many layouts and its so easy set up production line and vary your foliage and you will have excellent trees also Greenscenes are great to deal with.

[David Todd]

Thanks David, I've seen a few tutorials on youtube that show the sea foam in use, and that does seem to be the way to go! Appreciate the signpost as well, I'll give greenscenes a buzz and get some on order. Medium to large if tiered on the sloped embankment probably would look about right I guess, I was just keen to try and recreate the towering woodland effect! 

 

And I can't get to grips with napoleon's money, too many fractions!

 

 

 

That sounds terrifying, I bet you were glad when that signal was fixed! I can't believe they expected you to work down there without water as well   Nowadays I hope they would provide a portaloo or something!

 

Beware, dont get caught out, people miss out stages in some videos.

 

John should provide info inside boxes, please confirm with him, you will have destructions provided.

[tjf4375]

Thanks David - yes you have to take some tutorials with a pinch of salt, but there are a few modelers I subscribe to who do very good 'how to' videos and explain everything in detail. The sea foam seems to be cheap enough that you can afford to experiment and try different techniques until you find one that works!

 

Thanks again for the pointers

[lmsforever]

I use a very simple method for making seamoss trees ,select your basic seamoss ,carefully dip into pva,then roll gently in your scatter /tree cover ,shake gently and then hang upside down over a sheet of paper pegs are good to hold them onto a length of string.When dry plant and enjoy dead simple and easy and also very therapeutic one of my cats was fascinated when I did the last lot watching every movement!

[tjf4375]

one of my cats was fascinated when I did the last lot watching every movement!

 

Ha ha! I know what that's like, my cat is absolutely obsessed with the layout - I only have to move one of the carriages or wagons a few inches and she's straight up on the baseboard. It's a bit of a pain when I'm ballasting though! I've thought about making a small circle of track for her with an 0-4-0 dressed as a mouse, just to keep her occupied!

 

Thanks for the tree tips btw, another good technique - I think once I've got the sea foam, I'm going to have a go at various different methods I've seen and see which one I get on with. Some have used the 'hairspray and sprinkle on' method which also seems to work quite well.