Oak Road - 2013 to present (a fictitious place somewhere in Somerset) - Raising Money for Meningitis Research

[James Makin]

Loving that drain setup, incredible stuff, something you see all the time in real life and you never see that modelled!!

[Revolution Mike B]

Loving that drain setup, incredible stuff, something you see all the time in real life and you never see that modelled!!

 

 

....from the master of modelling bizarre things......I learnt from you James!

 

There's another one of these but without the drains that'll sit in front of the station building and then I need to start adding the manhole covers etc to the car park. I figured there wouldn't be any drains up near the bridge due to the slope where gravity would take over and I've not seen any pictures of drains on roads near old style stone / brick bridges.

[Revolution Mike B]

OK, a few people on one of the social media sites have been asking how I've made the platforms so to update an earlier post, here goes.

 

The platform edges are run of the mill Peco ones of the stone or brick variant that have been glued together and covered with embossed brick plascticard. To make the surfaces, I've used 30thou plasticard sheet, cut to sit inside the edging and this sits on top of the little lugs kindly provided by Mr Peco. Next up, a thin strip of 20thou plasticard was added to the edging slabs to make them wider and scored to match, and then a larger 20thou piece of plasticard added to bring the whole surface level. I've also added supporting ribs underneath the main surface to stop it from bowing.

 

In some places, I've added a very fine skim of cheap filler from the Range, which was sanded back and covered any glaringly obvious joins.....and then for the bit that took me forever....

 

....the whole thing has probably had about 6 /7 coats of acrylic paint, in various shades of grey / brown, applied with a bush using a stippling action.....when I say 6/7 coats, this is because it never looked right so I just kept on over painting it, time and time again, but.......when it's sanded back using a sanding block, it creates a very random effect. The words 'Trial and Error' don't even come close and I'm sure that most people would be happy with a Metcalfe kit!

 

So on to the slabs - these were done in a similar way but using various colours dry brushed over the top which picked up on the stippled effect. The gravel is Woodland Scenics fine grey and was stuck down with good old fashioned PVA.

 

And finally, the drains and gully. The drain covers are from Wizard Models (I hope all these companies appreciate the free advertising ) and are ridiculously cheap! I cut the platform surface and chiseled it out to suit the size of the drain cover, and then superglued them in. The gully is just a strip of grey paint that's been deeply scored with a scalpel and then painted in the same way that the coping stone were.

 

Hopefully, that'll help anybody that's trying to achieve a similar effect.

 

As per one of my previous posts, the excellent DCC Concepts modern platfom lights are more O Gauge than 4mm (which is a great shame), so I'm in the middle of building my own which I've decided will be non working. Posts are brass tube, with a plastruct outer sleeve for the wider part, and Alan Butler of Modelu (please visit his stand if he's at any exhibitions you're attending) is going to make me some lamp heads when he's not rushed off his feet.

 

I know I've said it before but I've really enjoyed learning many new skills and meeting new friends through building this layout, and non of it would've been possible without taking advice from other modellers.

Edited June 2, 2017 by scoobyra

[Revolution Mike B]

Well, Nicky told me the Hoover was on the blink so I very kindly bought her a new one....

 

 

       

[dogbox321]

Well, Nicky told me the Hoover was on the blink so I very kindly bought her a new one....

 

Hoover.jpg

 

       

 

Thats a bit mean of you, you normally do things properly - you should have bought her Ajax as well, just incase she runs out of detergent as well!  You can never be too careful!

[Revolution Mike B]

I've come to the conclusion that there's just some things I should leave well alone and get other people to do!

 

Having owned a pair of DRS 37s (model ones - I'm not Rothschild!) for quite a while, I thought it would be fairly easy to knock up a short set to go with them. I had some new tooled MK2Es sat in the 'stock' cupboard for around 6 months and had already painted the BSO in some nice DRS blue........and this is where it all started to go very wrong!

 

Firstly, because it was a proper Hornby coach with metal wheels, I naturally assumed the windows would be as impossible to get out as the new MK3 ones so covered them in Maskol.....what a mistake that was. After leaving it on for over a moth, I couldn't get the stuff back off! But, and there's a big but......it got a lot worse before that point as I'd decided I'd hand paint a second coat of blue over it, along with another Railroad MK2 TSO. It was about this time that I realised all the windows popped out really easily regardless of whether it was a Railroad version, or the super detailed proper effort!   .......it was also about this time that my Tourettes made a dramatic reappearance!

 

The story doesn't end there.............the hand painted blue looked like I'd let my two year old Grandson loose with 5L of emulsion and a 6" pasting brush 

So out with the Superstrip to remove the offending paint which for some reason, it didn't, despite numerous efforts and after a few google searches, I immersed both bodies into a 50/50 water / Dettol bath and left them for 24 hours......which was mistake number 3. The Dettol completely melted the bodies  resulting in a lovely gloopy mess     

 

I suppose I really only have myself to blame - I was never any good at painting Airfix kits as a kid and clearly I'm still as useless now. I'm surprised the O Gauge MK3 turned out as well as it did but then thinking about it, all I had to do was spray it with a spray can       

Edited June 16, 2017 by scoobyra

[dogbox321]

I've come to the conclusion that there's just some things I should leave well alone and get other people to do!

 

Having owned a pair of DRS 37s (model ones - I'm not Rothschild!) for quite a while, I thought it would be fairly easy to knock up a short set to go with them. I had some new tooled MK2Es sat in the 'stock' cupboard for around 6 months and had already painted the BSO in some nice DRS blue........and this is where it all started to go very wrong!

 

Firstly, because it was a proper Hornby coach with metal wheels, I naturally assumed the windows would be as impossible to get out as the new MK3 ones so covered them in Maskol.....what a mistake that was. After leaving it on for over a moth, I couldn't get the stuff back off! But, and there's a big but......it got a lot worse before that point as I'd decided I'd hand paint a second coat of blue over it, along with another Railroad MK2 TSO. It was about this time that I realised all the windows popped out really easily regardless of whether it was a Railroad version, or the super detailed proper effort!   .......it was also about this time that my Tourettes made a dramatic reappearance!

 

The story doesn't end there.............the hand painted blue looked like I'd let my two year old Grandson loose with 5L of emulsion and a 6" pasting brush 

So out with the Superstrip to remove the offending paint which for some reason, it didn't, despite numerous efforts and after a few google searches, I immersed both bodies into a 50/50 water / Dettol bath and left them for 24 hours......which was mistake number 3. The Dettol completely melted the bodies  resulting in a lovely gloopy mess     

 

I suppose I really only have myself to blame - I was never any good at painting Airfix kits as a kid and clearly I'm still as useless now. I'm surprised the O Gauge MK3 turned out as well as it did but then thinking about it, all I had to do was spray it with a spray can       

 

 

Oh dear!  Sorry to hear the Mk2's didn't go to plan.  Whilst its frustrating - look at the positive - at least it weren't a locomotive body.  I'm sure you'll get there in the end.  The other solution would be to use Fragonset Class 31's on a small rake of Intercity Mk2's.  They worked in the area a few years ago.

 

Regards,

 

C.

[Melangoose]

I'm sorry to hear that your repaint of your mk2's didn't go as planned, I have had a similar drama as I wanted to paint some aircon mk2's to create the Arriva Trains Wales set to go with my 57 (just wasn't very happy with the stripes on the finished item). At times there is nothing more frustrating than model railways, you spend lots of effort and time into a project and feel short changed when it does not turn out how you wanted. Next time I'll listen to the wife and cut the grass or do some ironing.

 

On the positive side for you, the layout looks stunning. Your attention to detail and ability to recreate In model form the observations of today's railway is very top draw (I am really jealous).

[Revolution Mike B]

I'm sorry to hear that your repaint of your mk2's didn't go as planned, I have had a similar drama as I wanted to paint some aircon mk2's to create the Arriva Trains Wales set to go with my 57 (just wasn't very happy with the stripes on the finished item). At times there is nothing more frustrating than model railways, you spend lots of effort and time into a project and feel short changed when it does not turn out how you wanted. Next time I'll listen to the wife and cut the grass or do some ironing.

 

On the positive side for you, the layout looks stunning. Your attention to detail and ability to recreate In model form the observations of today's railway is very top draw (I am really jealous).

 

Thanks buddy

[Phil Mc]

Just read this thread from start to finish, love it !!

 

Cheers,

Phil.

Edited June 19, 2017 by Phil Mc

[Ragtag]

That tarmac really looks the business

[Iron Horse]

Just read this thread from start to finish, love it !!

 

Cheers,

Phil.

 

I knew you would, ace isn't it 

[Melangoose]

Hi

I was on a Castle Cary job today (out via Pen Mill and back via Westbury), taking loads of festival types. I have never seen Castle Cary so busy. A stand in the car park selling ice cold Cider, did catch my eye. There was also x3 double decker buses in the car park for onward travel to Glastonbury. In Westbury up yard I saw 37025 Inverness TMD (Large Logo) with a Network Rail Test Train of x3 ex mk2's aircons and a DBSO and then coming from the Salisbury direction Colas 70810 with x10 welded rail wagons and x5 Autoballasters.

Thought you might be interested.

[Revolution Mike B]

Hi

I was on a Castle Cary job today (out via Pen Mill and back via Westbury), taking loads of festival types. I have never seen Castle Cary so busy. A stand in the car park selling ice cold Cider, did catch my eye. There was also x3 double decker buses in the car park for onward travel to Glastonbury. In Westbury up yard I saw 37025 Inverness TMD (Large Logo) with a Network Rail Test Train of x3 ex mk2's aircons and a DBSO and then coming from the Salisbury direction Colas 70810 with x10 welded rail wagons and x5 Autoballasters.

Thought you might be interested.

 

Thanks Nigel

[Revolution Mike B]

With just three months to go, I'm still miles off completing the layout! This is mainly due to work, and the fact that I've got a load of other projects on the go (helping friends with their layouts, O Gauge HST and my own stock).

 

I'm my own worst enemy at times so there's no real 'layout' update.

 

There is however this........

 

 

.....that was kindly supplied at a bargain price from Ian Blackall.

 

Considering my earlier post, they're coming along rather well, I just need to tidy up around the doors and add the transfers......and then do the 150/1, and finish of the Local Lines 158!!

 

The DRS coaches are a different kettle of fish, they look like the stuff you tread in whilst walking down a dark ally but once the transfers are on, I'm hoping they'll be passable too......as long as your first name is Ray or Stevie!

[Melangoose]

Hi Scoobyra

The FGW 150 looks very nice, but I must say that I am intrigued how you are going to repaint a 158 in Local lines livery? (have you got an ace up your sleeve).

Regards

Nigel

[john new]

First time on this thread, inspirational.

[Revolution Mike B]

I've just realised there's now 119 people following my thread - I'm a bit taken a back by that if I'm honest!

 

For anyone interested in the the Local Lines, John at Precision Decals with the help of a guy called Brett Baldwin, has reproduced the Local Lines livery that can be added to any 150 / 153 / 158. The hardest part is getting the base colour right due to the fade on the vinyls used on the real versions. They're not cheap though - around £70 for a 3 car 158/9 but if you knew how much effort has gone in to layering the print, then you'd understand why!

 

Brett's effort is closer than mine because the fade is a bit clearer but here's the sides waiting for the transfers. Ignore the poor finish....

 

 

and here, waiting for the doors to be tidied up.....

 

 

And for those of you that don't already know that I'm barking mad, here's my little FGW MK3 waiting for it's transfers. I think I'm going to need a bigger layout......

 

Edited June 29, 2017 by scoobyra

[Melangoose]

Interesting re the local lines transfers. Look forward to seeing the finished models.

[Melangoose]

Charlotte and Stella today were in the area Starting at Reading then onto Salisbury then on the single line to Exeter and New Yard. Then of to Westbury and back to Salisbury.

 

 

Thought you might be interested

[CazRail]

Just seen this thread, where have I been?!

 

Brilliant work, following avidly 

[Revolution Mike B]

I've made a bit more progress on the 150/2 and both units are nearly ready for the windows. I'm just waiting for the revised door transfers (the refurbed 150/2s have different ones to the Local Lines and John at Precision Decals didn't realise this so he's sending me some more) and then I can add a satin coat and put it all back together once I've painted the door rubbers. I'm now running a bit low on the First Group Blue so the 150/1 may need to wait a while.

 

 

As far as the layout goes, I've got the track for the fiddle yard and Dave's going to help me build the boards to save a bit of time. Hopefully the scenic stuff I ordered from Jacqui the Tree Lady will turn up today or tomorrow and I can crack on with the foliage on the two station boards. I need to get a move on and not get distracted by beer and sunshine!

Edited July 3, 2017 by scoobyra

[Iron Horse]

Yeah........that's all good......but beer and sunshine :sungum:

[Revolution Mike B]

Progress has been really slow but I managed to get a bit more work done over the weekend. It's not the finished article but it gives an idea of where I'm going with it. 

 

The rails still need painting and I'll tone the bright colours down a bit so they blend in more.

 

 

The scatter over spill on the track won't be there but it's given me a few ideas for the branch line and the sidings 

 

[vulcan product fan]

bloody good work there fella like that a lot mate