TONFANAU CAMP - IT AIN'T HALF WET MUM

[81A Oldoak]

I have repainted my ex-Cambrian 0-6-0 in BR black livery. This is a signature loco for the ex-Cambrian lines in the early 1950s and will look just the ticket on Tonfanau Camp with my rake of blood-and-custard Collet coaches. She will need weathering in due course, but I don't think I will overdo it.

 

The booking office progresses.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Gilbert]

Simply spendid Chris

[Northroader]

Nice job, I saw 893 at Gobowen around then, it didn't look glossy, by any means!

[daifly]

A bit like this?

Dave

 

[Northroader]

Just like that!

[81A Oldoak]

The appearance of 887 in this photo is more like what I will try to achieve.

[Marshall5]

There's a good photo, on p 34 of Foxline 55 'The Cambrian main Line', of 895 at Oswestry having arrived on a train from Gobowen dated 22/7/54 - and it is also respectably clean.

Ray.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Marshall5

[Andrew Young]

Very nice Chris. Have seen photos in one of the books I have of one of these looking quite presentable in BR Black recessed in the siding at Towyn on a northbound freight. When I unearth which book it's in I'll let you know!

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[Andrew Young]

Found it. Coast Lines of the Cambrian Volume 2 by C.C. Green,page 127. No 895 in September 1953.

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[81A Oldoak]

Found it. Coast Lines of the Cambrian Volume 2 by C.C. Green,page 127. No 895 in September 1953.

 

Cheers,

Andrew

Which just happened to be on my desk opened to page 159 as I've been working on the booking office for Tonfanau Camp station. There is definitely scope for a machine that it is not excessively dirty.

[81A Oldoak]

The basic construction of Tonfanau Camp station's booking office is complete. The lamp above the door is fabricated from a shade and glass from the Ratio 00 swan-neck station lamps and 0.9mm brass wire. The door knob is a 7mm scale short loco handrail knob filled with solder and polished smooth. The carcass had previously been sprayed with Halfords grey primer, which provided a good base. The topcoat needs to represent cast concrete, which I think is not an easy colour to simulate. I did some experimenting on the inside. From left to right, the first patch is neat Woodland Scenics Concrete, a thick water soluble paint designed for concrete slab roads. It can be textured, but looked too light and new. The second patch shows the same paint with some black gouache mixed in, but still did not look right. Patch 3 is Humbrol Enamel Matt 103 Cream mixed with a little matt black. Eventually, I settled on Humbrol Enamel Matt 64 Light Grey with a very small amount of M103 Cream. It looks satisfactory in the flesh, but one can never be sure about colour reproduction on a computer screen.

 

The next step is to weather the concrete, which is another difficult task in my book. When complete I will install the poster boards to finish off the structure.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[peter220950]

The photos also show my experimentation with underlay. This is more to provide a flexible and resilient track base rather than deadening sound, which is not really a problem given the low speeds at which the trains move on my layouts.  The product is a foam underlay for wooden floors. It is 3mm thick and sold by B&Q in 10m2 packs. I would be interested to hear if others have used this material.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

 

Chris,

 

I've been using it for about 4 years without any real isues, in conjunction with ballast fixed with latex, this makes a wonderfully resilient trackbed. It's also shown no indication of any decay or change in composition during that time, just make sure you keep anything spirit based away from it, - it dissolves! It certainly seems more stable than cork, particularly when it gets wet during ballasting.

 

The only issue, (if it is an issue) is that it's quite difficult to stick down with anything, being a bit like polythene. I have used PVA to attach it to Styrofoam and ply and if provoked it will peel off leaving the PVA behind, but it doesn't seem prone to separating if left alone.  Similarly double sided tape will stick to it, but only in the way the backing material of the tape doeswhen on the roll, it again peels off if provoked. I think it may be worth making sure the landscaping goes over the edge to hold it all down, though mine hasn't shown any problems on boards left in the garage and roof since around 2012.

 

Peter

 

P.S. It's also remarkably like the stuff Norman Soloman uses.

[Northroader]

I notice in the GOG Gazette this morning, the trade news says JLTRT are bringing out a quick build kit of the Dukedog, promises to revolutionise kit building, around £450.

[81A Oldoak]

Chris,

 

I've been using it for about 4 years without any real isues, in conjunction with ballast fixed with latex, this makes a wonderfully resilient trackbed. It's also shown no indication of any decay or change in composition during that time, just make sure you keep anything spirit based away from it, - it dissolves! It certainly seems more stable than cork, particularly when it gets wet during ballasting.

 

The only issue, (if it is an issue) is that it's quite difficult to stick down with anything, being a bit like polythene. I have used PVA to attach it to Styrofoam and ply and if provoked it will peel off leaving the PVA behind, but it doesn't seem prone to separating if left alone.  Similarly double sided tape will stick to it, but only in the way the backing material of the tape doeswhen on the roll, it again peels off if provoked. I think it may be worth making sure the landscaping goes over the edge to hold it all down, though mine hasn't shown any problems on boards left in the garage and roof since around 2012.

 

Peter

 

P.S. It's also remarkably like the stuff Norman Soloman uses.

Peter,

Thank you for the advice. Further experimentation is clearly needed.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[81A Oldoak]

I notice in the GOG Gazette this morning, the trade news says JLTRT are bringing out a quick build kit of the Dukedog, promises to revolutionise kit building, around £450.

Thanks. I was already aware of this project and the Dukedog will be an essential signature locomotive. However, I am always wary and a little sceptical when terms like "revolutionise" or "innovative" are used. They always remind me the Red Army's dog-mounted anti-tank mine that was developed to help blunt the German Army's attacks in 1941 and 42. The theory was that the dogs had anti-tank mines strapped to their backs and were trained to run under tanks where the mine would be detonated by a long tlt fuse that killed the dog and hopefully the enemy tank. One of the more serious problems with this idea was that the dogs were trained on diesel powered Soviet tanks, whereas the German tanks used petrol engines.

[Father Dougal]

Thanks. I was already aware of this project and the Dukedog will be an essential signature locomotive. However, I am always wary and a little sceptical when terms like "revolutionise" or "innovative" are used. They always remind me the Red Army's dog-mounted anti-tank mine that was developed to help blunt the German Army's attacks in 1941 and 42. The theory was that the dogs had anti-tank mines strapped to their backs and were trained to run under tanks where the mine would be detonated by a long tlt fuse that killed the dog and hopefully the enemy tank. One of the more serious problems with this idea was that the dogs were trained on diesel powered Soviet tanks, whereas the German tanks used petrol engines.

That and the fact that the dogs were just as likely to run back to their handlers!

[Northroader]

It's a dogs life in Russia, if you're not running under a German tank, they're shooting you up into space in a rocket. Coming back to the new loco, I was thinking of this way of model production the other day. I've been working on an old American 4-6-0 done by AHM Rivarossi which I picked up on eBay. This was made with most of the superstructure made out of plastic parts and cemented together like the old Airfix plane kits. Just the running parts were metal, and it would seem the new job must be on much the same lines, presumably moulded parts to stick together. Certainly easier for most folks than a set of etched brass sheets. Then it's down to production costs, which you know far more about than me. And then there's 3D printing seeing more and more use. Interesting times, if not quite revolutionary- "How would you like an Order of Lenin, Fidovitch?"

[Andrew Young]

I notice in the GOG Gazette this morning, the trade news says JLTRT are bringing out a quick build kit of the Dukedog, promises to revolutionise kit building, around £450.

Personally, think,the term 'Revolutionise' is a bit strong. 'Applying the techniques used in JLTRT diesel kits to steam outline loco kits' would be more appropriate. Whilst I have no need for a Dukedog, I'll be interested to see how it gets on as someone still not completely confident with bashing metal.

 

But we digress...

 

Cheers,

Andrew

[Giles]

I must say, I Duke-Dog has long been on my list..... I'm sure Chris would have made a lovely one, but I'll make. Do with somebody else's if I have to!

[81A Oldoak]

I think the time has come to declare the booking office for Tonfanau Camp station completed. I weathered the concrete before installing the poster ensemble. The local BR marketing team, or whatever marketing was called in the 1950s, is making a determined effort to entice the soldiery with cheap fares to the local fleshpots. Clearly they had failed to do their research for by this time the All Arms Junior Leaders Regiment was stationed at Tonfanau Camp training 15 to 18 year-old boys. They  were more likely to be confined to barracks during the week spending their evenings doing improving activities, while weekend leave would have meant going home.

 

The model is loosely laid on Cwm Bach (which will be receiving a proper backscene soon) and I have included the Ladies' Room structure and a prototype photo for reference. Concurrently, points are under construction, with some of the work contracted out. I need to build some more signals and must start on a low relief Nissen hut.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[Donw]

Chris

 

Stationmaster Mike suggested this stuff to me

 

You could use high density foam rubber instead Don -try these folk and ask about 'Hillseal' amazing stuff in various thicknesses cut to width to order and self adhesive on one side, sticks to ply like, well you know.  Used by various modellers in this neck of the woods for many years and thus definitely known to have a reliable 'on layout' life in excess of 25-30 years.

 

http://www.hillsrubberco.com

 

I haven't tried it as I had some cork in stock which I decided to use in the goods yard. I was thinking about this for the main lines but the house move negated any action.

 

Don 

[aac]

Chris,

I eagerly await to see your goodies. Today I was at Railex and stocked up on C&L paraphernalia in preparation for construction of the PW.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

 

I visited Tonfanau Camp in May 86. Having passed it the day before on a train en route to the Talyllyn, we could see one of the wooden huts had a roof length board running along the ridge announcing Lady somebody's tea rooms (Angela Forbes?). Revisiting by car the next day, it was the remnants of the BBC's filming of "The Monocled Mutineer" earlier in the year. The sign had been put up as part of the set representing a soldiers' restroom. We met the owner of the camp at the time who told us he allowed one phase of filming, but he was intending to knock the buildings down and use the hard-standing under each wooden hut as caravan pitch. The BBC then asked to come back and film the riot scenes and paid a handsome sum to burn a building down, not realising they were simply helping the owner to carry out his plan! I have photos taken as we wandered around - the owner gave me free rein. The guardroom still had all the keys in the key press, with old card tabs on each rusty key, labelled by the Army, e.g. NAAFI Main Door etc. The most amazing thing in that room was a cardboard box on an old table. It had the full filming script and directions for The Monocled Mutineer, simply left behind. As to photos, I'll need time but will get back on here when successful. Hope this might help.

 

aac

Found them! I have two photos and some other negatives.They are prints from the pre-digital age (May 86), and I don't think they would scan very well. Thirty years of photos, and not the last box I happened to look in, but the last box of all the boxes of photos in the house, but we got there. I'll check negatives from other photos around that time because I thought I had taken more than I have found. You are welcome to keep them if you could let me know where to send them. Found some nice views of Barmouth bridge too.

 

aac

[81A Oldoak]

Found them! I have two photos and some other negatives.They are prints from the pre-digital age (May 86), and I don't think they would scan very well. Thirty years of photos, and not the last box I happened to look in, but the last box of all the boxes of photos in the house, but we got there. I'll check negatives from other photos around that time because I thought I had taken more than I have found. You are welcome to keep them if you could let me know where to send them. Found some nice views of Barmouth bridge too.

 

aac

Thank you! I'll send you a PM with my contact address. I have been scanning a lot of old, discoloured family prints and slides from the 60s and 70s and it is amazing the restoration that  can be achieved in Photoshop.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[81A Oldoak]

The Cambrian coast line ran through the army camp at Tonfanau, so an essential part of the model will be the inclusion of military structures along the backscene. I plan to make eight nissen hunts to flank Tonfanau Camp station using resin casting. The master structure is a simple plasticard affair and was based on a prototype drawing that I  found from a Google image search on the internet. I may make a separate door/porch casting for some of the huts.  I have built the mould box, only to discover I am out of stock of silicone rubber to make the mould. An order has been placed and hopefully it will arrive early next week. I have included a prototype photo of the real Tonfanau station looking south, which shows some of the army buildings including a nissen hut. I will post the results of the casting when completed.

 

Regards,

 

Chris

[muddys-blues]

Hello Chris, will you be creating this scene with one of Easybuild's Class 101 DMU kits ? fantastic picture this.

 

Craig.