Lapford Gate North Devon BR Blue O gauge bodging

[Devonbelle]

Hello, I thought I'd share my bodging in BR Blue O gauge, taking a break from my longstanding French O gauge interest. It's been a while since I built the 6 foot long baseboard, which will have a fiddle stick on each end, so allow through running but recently have cracked on with track laying - wiring points - all PECO.

 

The track work is all down, single track running line, with a platform (to go in) and two sidings. I'm seeking to get a Barnstaple line feel, LSWR / SR feel in BR blue days which interested me as a school boy - doing both Exter Waterloo with 33s and 50s plus the Barny line with 31s and 33s fascinated me.

 

I'll share progress on here. To date I've invested most time in models - I've bodged a Lima O 33, which is waiting final completion on the bogies, plus purchased a brass finish Bachman 08 some ten years ago and now spray finished in blue. Little bit of chequebook modelling too including a Bachmann Met Cam DMU. I've weathered my Heljan blue 31 and 47 too. Plus I've built some wagons - a Slaters standard BR brake van, some opens including an air braked OCA (Mendip Models kit) plus some GJH VGA box van kits and some Slaters van fits. I've attached a few snaps of progress so far, and some prototype photos I took many years ago at Eggesford and on the Torrington Meeth line.

 

I am seeking to better the modelling standards I attained on my French O layout Nouvion - see thread on this forum.

 

Cheers Paul

[two tone green]

Nice project. Keep up the postings.

[muddys-blues]

Ooh some Blue .... nice keep the updates & pics coming please.

 

Craig.

[Devonbelle]

Thanks for the comments - will keep updates coming - plan for the week ahead, is to spray track, now it's all tested - then think about ballasting - I normally use the next scale down, although I'm tempted to use N scale ballast - which would replicate the finings used to ballast the Torrington to Meeth line - see my pic above at Badslake on that section of the Meeth line - June 84.

 

I've dug out my O scale cars, I've acquired the last few years, so an old Ford transit and a Marina will appear. Thanks again. Paul

[Devonbelle]

Hello. I've been busy again - I've sprayed the track - all over mid brown - Humbrol acrylic - note to self don't spray in house again! I plan to pick out some sleepers in a darker brown - to represent spot resledpering - so typical of the Barny line in the 80s.

 

I've undertaken some work on rolling stock and just finishing Slaters brake van - yet to be weathered. I have weathered my 31 too, still some more work to come but it's getting there, reflected in pic attached. Cheers Paul

[Ramblin Rich]

Oooh, North Devon in the blue era, what's not to like?  Thanks for the P.M. 'heads up'! The 31 is very convincing. Looking forward to seeing progress (as I've stalled again... ).

[Devonbelle]

Ballasting is now complete. Photos to follow in coming days. Belatedly here's a diagram. Going off either side will be fiddle sticks to hold complete trains - so length need cater for a DMU or a 47 and 2 VGA box vans and an OCA type wagon.

[pwr]

Excellent start - I shall be following this!

 

Paul R

[gismorail]

Interesting one to follow here look forward to further updates

[Devonbelle]

Ballasting all but finished - I just want to do some spot ballasting - but overall pleased - I used Woodland Scenics medium ballast - actually quite fine for O gauge. Straight 50/50 PVA glue mix with water - applied with a syringe.

 

I have started on the wooden framework for the over bridge and have cut wood for the platform edge facia. So making some swift progress - aside from Ripper Street - easy to forget TV and get some modelling under my belt.

 

Plus I've been experimenting with weathering some of my vac braked open wagons - about 5 coats of thinned grey wash (using Humbrol acrylics) - I'm trying to capture the look of ball clay wagons used from Peters Marland and Meeth. The photos attached should give a feel for efforts the last few days.

 

Paul

[pwr]

Devonbelle

 

Any photos of that 47?

 

Paul R

[Devonbelle]

I've undertaken some mod-rocking - building up land levels - with a bridge at each end, the raised land at one end and the station platform there will be many different land levels - hopefully taking away the baseboard look.

 

This week, I need complete the ballast - arrange point control - manual rodding rather than motors then press on with the land form work.

I tested my 47, along with the OCA wagon I built today. The wagon was a Mendip/Buzz models wagon kit - part resin, part white metal and part plastic card - it was a pleasure to build. Some more work on the class 47 to occur - now I've got a set of numbers - I can do the 47 and 31 as 200 and 174 respectively. I was cab rode 47200 when in Advenza service so will bring back memories.

 

Paul

[d600]

Hi very nice I shell be watching your progress.

 

cheers

[pwr]

Nice!

 

I missed out on a blue 47. Got mine when Tower were selling the remaining stock and the only had a green one. That said I also ave an unbuilt RJH class47/4 kit that may well end up as County of Essex

 

Paul R

[Devonbelle]

Hi, I've been busy (avoiding tele) and modelling - I've attached a shot of the efforts at one end of the baseboard - readying to start further landform work. In attached shot you'll also see the double light switch - I'm planning to operate the layout from the front - and the double switch will isolate/liven the two fiddle sticks either side of the scenic board.

 

Yesterday saw the arrival of goodies from Skytrex - I'd ordered the resin kit for the corrugated store building - plus 2 pairs of Southern Region lampposts - with those charming white glass shades - as I teenager I remember so clearly stepping onto Torrington platform (off the last train on 6-11-82) and looking up and seeing them. The white metal lamppost kits will make up nicely and grace Lapford Gate station platform.

[Devonbelle]

Busy few days with building up landscape - used a mix of mod roc over a card contoured area, stapled to the wood sections in view of some earlier shots and expanding form filler. The whole lot was painted with Polyfiller, mix with green / umber poster paints, see photo below, then I started with base grass, before I crack on with electro-static grass application. When glueing the grass, I used PVA brushed on, but again mixed in green poster painted, mixed with umber.

 

I'm building some more trees, wire for trunking and branches, so will feature in the next week. Gave every thing a test run over all three lines, first time since spray painting and ballasting the track. Cheers P

[Father Dougal]

 

I'm building some more trees, wire for trunking and branches, so will feature in the next week. Gave every thing a test run over all three lines, first time since spray painting and ballasting the track. Cheers P

 

Hi DB,

Looking very nice. Can you post a few pics of your tree making? I am in the process of building loads for my layout. I am interested as to what medium you use for the canopy and what scatter / foam you use.

 

Out of interest, why are there cocktail sticks, stuck in the side of your layout?

Dougal

[Devonbelle]

Hello - back from holiday and back into work on Lapford.

 

I've taken a break from scenery side and done some building - I've had a crack at a scratch built store shed - which has a vague Southern Region feel - being painted green and cream - I just need some drainpipes to complete - pic below of same which also includes a scratch built station building - which is for my next layout (Japanese 0).

 

Father Dougal asked about tree making - I use wire of varying thickness - shaped with pliers - then dressed with a poster paint and polyfiller mix. Tree foliage is woodland scenics cover teased out to form a canopy of cover - pic of tree underway attached - needs another coat of paint and polyfiller before foliage teased out and glued in place - I learnt the technique from Shirley Rowe when she presented on A Lineside Look at Model Railways - on tv about thirty years ago.

 

Also to answer Dougals question - they are cocktail sticks in an above photo - they are dowel rods to work points - I could quip about near and far - in true Father Ted mode....

[Devonbelle]

And should have said for the Southern stores building I scaled it from a Skytrex stores building I have which resides on Nouvion my French o gauge layout.

[bynackmor]

Looking good so far, sorry if I missed it what is the size of the layout?

[Devonbelle]

Morning

I've been busy this morning with the static grass applicator, second pass - with a 3rd pass. I'm delighted with the FMR grass applicator (I'm no relative of the firm just a happy customer).

 

I've used varying shades and lengths of Noch grass. And used the spray on adhesive manufactured by Woodland Scenics - it's got a good viscosity - ,meaning it (the adhesive) can be sprayed I used a plant spray. Anyway some more shots will come at the end of the weekend, post kids footy matches this morning, I'll be full on again this afternoon on scenics.

 

And to break cover, the plan is that Lapford Gate will be at the RM web day in April.

 

All the best Paul

[Devonbelle]

Apologies, an update took a long time - the day job (on the big railway) occupied me, then an operation diverted me - albeit once back on feet post op, I'm plotting next jobs on layout. I've cracked on with further grassing, and now started hedges. The shot from the road bridge with the 08 and BR standard BV shows that I've built the platform fascia.

 

I had a question as to size of board - it's 6 by 2 feet - very light - plywood sheet with a softwood frame. Post op the last few days I've quietly managed some stock weathering.

[Captain Kernow]

 

And to break cover, the plan is that Lapford Gate will be at the RM web day in April.

 

 

Yes indeed, looking forward to seeing the layout!

[Devonbelle]

Managed some more work yesterday evening. Fence posts (cooks matches), cut and drilled - ready for post and wire fence. They were then spray painted and affixed. And tree - seen in shot earlier in the thread, has been dressed, using woodland scenics mid green foliage clumps. On trees I've built before I've used scenic matting, teased thin, but this one with the clumps, which needs a trim with nail scissors, is growing on me.

 

Following up on Dougals question, I've used garden wire of varying thickness to do trunks and branches. Since earlier photo of tree 'dressed with plaster mixed with poster paint, I've sprayed trunk acrylic mid brown, I'm pleased with effect.

 

Alongside the wagon (OCA I built from a Mendip Models kit), is the planking (cut stirrers from well known coffee chain), ready to form the platform for a 4 lever ground frame, to control both sets of points, FPL, shunt signal.

[mopar]

Looking good.

Have you noticed any wheel drop when running through the points?