A Cartoon of Helston(ish)

[DLT]

Loverly work Tony,

Thanks, Dave.

[Mulgabill]

Thanks for all the recent ratings, particularly Andy P for the pics of the point rodding. What rod did you use, and where from? I've

got reels of wire of suitable diameter, but its a deveils job getting it straight.

 

Also Dave (DLT), it's good to know our progress is appreciated.

 

Apologies to all for not getting back with more of yesterdays celebratory pics, but I realised I'd missed taking pics of a couple of

the significant developments.

 

So for today we'll start with the further progress of the scenic panel behind the loco shed. The bare area behind the signal box has

been tidied up as a park area. Ultimately I anticipate a row of cottages, based on the row I live in, but that may be a while off before

this area is properly finished.

 

 

We had a bunch of sheep collected, which are smaller than those used elsewhere, and these have been utilised in this area to help

give an impression of depth, and I'm quite pleased with the result.

 

 

 

 

When I do make the cottages, I am considering building to 3 or 3.5mm scale again to give the impression of more depth - any thoughts?

 

There is now a third tree above the cutting, the idea being that we have a view break created by the trees, rather than a short tunnel

- I think it's getting there.

 

 

The loading bank now has it's cattle pens. Not an exact copy of Helston, but adjusted to fit the layout space. The original was on the

loading bank, but the bank itself had more depth and length, as the siding was straighter.

 

 

 

The mill is now looking a bit more at home, but the tree now makes it much more difficult to remove, so it may soon

be fixed in place ( and bedded in better at the front).

 

 

 

This has turned into a bit of a marathon post so I'll just end with a couple of overviews of this end of the layout.

 

 

 

p.s. if anybody is going to the cotswold exhibition at Eastcombe next weekend (21st/22nd) please let me know - it would be

good to say hello!

Edited October 11, 2017 by Mulgabill

[treggyman]

Hi Tony

 

Good progress...

 

What happened to the cows?

Lightening strike !!!!!!!

 

Cheers Bill

[Mulgabill]

Hi Tony

 

Good progress...

 

What happened to the cows?

Lightening strike !!!!!!!

 

Cheers Bill

Certainly looks like that Bill.

 

The actual explanation is that  Mrs MulgaBill was playing with the camera and took the pics of her handywork, without any set up.

I have to admit I'd demolished the herd whilst planting the tree!

 

All the best, and thanks

[Mulgabill]

After an unexpected, but good, days work, I couldn't wait to share some of our results.

 

Just a few pics, will post some commentry and possibly more pics in the week.

 

 

 

 

 

Back soon

Edited October 14, 2017 by Mulgabill

[Mulgabill]

!!!!!!!!!! Probably a good job nobody has enthused over the backscene - 1/2 hr after the pics post, it had fallen down!!!!!!!!

 

Hopefully it's earning its keep as a dust cover!

 

 

[Mulgabill]

Shhh don't shout, but the backscene has now stayed up for 48hrs.

 

The solution was to paste it to the wall. Still don't know how I was able to talk SWMBO into agreeing that!

 

I have also today been able to paint across some of the joins, to blend the whole together a bit better. As well as

"creating" 2 more, smaller, pieces to set behind the corner (Truthwell) board. These will be fitted shortly.

 

My thanks to Andy Peters for his backscene painting video, without which I doubt I would have attempted this.

Although I have to say I didn't follow the advice re spray cans, but settled for the dregs of our "bedroom blue" plus

brilliant white emulsions, and some paynes grey acrylic worked in.

 

I am amazed at how much better the layout looks, especially the trees when viewd form the opposite end of the room.

 

Back with pics when I've got some worth showing.

 

 

[Andrew P]

Thanks for all the recent ratings, particularly Andy P for the pics of the point rodding. What rod did you use, and where from? I've

got reels of wire of suitable diameter, but its a deveils job getting it straight.

 

Also Dave (DLT), it's good to know our progress is appreciated.

 

Apologies to all for not getting back with more of yesterdays celebratory pics, but I realised I'd missed taking pics of a couple of

the significant developments.

 

So for today we'll start with the further progress of the scenic panel behind the loco shed. The bare area behind the signal box has

been tidied up as a park area. Ultimately I anticipate a row of cottages, based on the row I live in, but that may be a while off before

this area is properly finished.

 

DSC_0412.JPG

 

We had a bunch of sheep collected, which are smaller than those used elsewhere, and these have been utilised in this area to help

give an impression of depth, and I'm quite pleased with the result.

 

DSC_0413.JPG

 

DSC_0415.JPG

 

DSC_0416.JPG

 

When I do make the cottages, I am considering building to 3 or 3.5mm scale again to give the impression of more depth - any thoughts?

 

There is now a third tree above the cutting, the idea being that we have a view break created by the trees, rather than a short tunnel

- I think it's getting there.

 

DSC_0417.JPG

 

The loading bank now has it's cattle pens. Not an exact copy of Helston, but adjusted to fit the layout space. The original was on the

loading bank, but the bank itself had more depth and length, as the siding was straighter.

 

DSC_0426.JPG

 

DSC_0428.JPG

 

The mill is now looking a bit more at home, but the tree now makes it much more difficult to remove, so it may soon

be fixed in place ( and bedded in better at the front).

 

DSC_0424.JPG

 

DSC_0425.JPG

 

This has turned into a bit of a marathon post so I'll just end with a couple of overviews of this end of the layout.

 

DSC_0423.JPG

 

DSC_0422.JPG

 

p.s. if anybody is going to the cotswold exhibition at Eastcombe next weekend (21st/22nd) please let me know - it would be

good to say hello!

Hi Tony, Sorry I missed this post with the question about the Point Rodding, It's from K & S and comes as about a Meter length and I used No 501, which I think is the 1/32nd dia. Hope this helps mate.

[Andrew P]

After an unexpected, but good, days work, I couldn't wait to share some of our results.

 

Just a few pics, will post some commentry and possibly more pics in the week.

 

DSC_0430.JPG

 

DSC_0431.JPG

 

DSC_0432.JPG

 

DSC_0433.JPG

 

Back soon

 

 

Shhh don't shout, but the backscene has now stayed up for 48hrs.

 

The solution was to paste it to the wall. Still don't know how I was able to talk SWMBO into agreeing that!

 

I have also today been able to paint across some of the joins, to blend the whole together a bit better. As well as

"creating" 2 more, smaller, pieces to set behind the corner (Truthwell) board. These will be fitted shortly.

 

My thanks to Andy Peters for his backscene painting video, without which I doubt I would have attempted this.

Although I have to say I didn't follow the advice re spray cans, but settled for the dregs of our "bedroom blue" plus

brilliant white emulsions, and some paynes grey acrylic worked in.

 

I am amazed at how much better the layout looks, especially the trees when viewd form the opposite end of the room.

 

Back with pics when I've got some worth showing.

Excellent work on the Backscene Tony, your Clouds are very Turner / Constable mate, superb.

[BWsTrains]

After an unexpected, but good, days work, I couldn't wait to share some of our results.

 

Just a few pics, will post some commentry and possibly more pics in the week.

 

DSC_0430.JPG

 

DSC_0431.JPG

Great work,

 

I've just discovered your topic via AndyP's. I love the back-scene style, "Turneresque" if you will, but just one thought. John Flann on Hintock favours curved back-scene corners to avoid the discontinuity effect caused by the sudden sharp right angle. Something that's very obvious in these 2 photos

 

Maybe the clouds might flow and look better rather than changing abruptly if you did that??

 

Colin

[The Fatadder]

Really like the back scene, brings it all together very nicely

[Mulgabill]

Firstly thanks for the flurry of responses.

 

Andy - I will be turning to the possibility of retrofitting point rodding, so the info is welcomed, but I will have to get my head round where it has to run.

As well as working out how I'm going to do it on a very tight budget. Thanks for the kind words re the backscene (sky), I hope it will look better still when we get onto pics.

 

Colin (BW Trains) - welcome to my low brow offering. I am aware of the idea of curved backscenes, and if I was starting again, may well try to incorporate them. However this venture is a bit of a voyage of discovery which has it's plusses and minuses. To add in a curve at the bufferstops end wouldn't, I think, work with the end of the row of cottages. Those cottages have been one of the big plusses, in that as they developed there appeared a trick of perspective which makes them "fall away" as you look down the row. Definately a positive that I don't want to compromise. At the other end of the layout the sheet joins which were emphasising the corners, have been worked over, and hopefully will look better in the new pics. Otherwise I may well have another go, although it's a bit tricky reaching to do it in in situ.

 

Rich (Fatadder) I'm grateful for your observation too, and would suggest it's certainly an option worth trying, even as an interim step.

 

So onto some progress, which I'd hoped to get pics of over the weekend when visits from grandchildren actually offered the chance to take pics, whilst they positioned the trains. But I found the camera battery to be flat. Fortunately an unplanned re-visit yesterday let me grab a few, although the limited number reduces choice.

 

First up the working is a "Holiday Express" from Padstow to Helstonish, precurser to the away-days I recall in the 70s. Formed of Std class 3mt and

3 southern region coaches. (Well 2 Bullieds and a maroon mk1 brake).

 

At Truthwell halt where newly planted trees and the additional backscene (sky) appear.

 

 

 

 

 

Arriving at Helstonish. In the background 2 or 3 trees have been added to the woods. This with the sky has made a pleasing backdrop.

I'm especially pleased with the road disappearing into the woods.

 

 

I will save the shunting moves for next time, but must squeeze in a couple of non railway pictures.

 

I know Andy P has been adding cows & sheep to his layout. I have also suffered from "dead" cows recently, but I want to share with you proof they are very much alive (and before Andy beats me to it).

 

 

 

See - dead cows don't leave cow-pats!

 

Had to take pics whilst glue was still wet, not sure you'd see them otherwise.

 

More soon

 

 

[treggyman]

Hi Tony

 

The layout is really coming on......

 

Some nice angles to take good atmospheric pictures....

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Cheers Bill

[Mulgabill]

Took a day off modelling yesterday, to get some inspiration.

 

Thought I'd share a little with you.

 

 

 

 

And now a question

 

How do you tell the difference between a £?million + track grinder, and a near 70yr old pannier tank?

 

 

The pannier tank works!

 

Back to working in the rain this morning, after the weather was kind for our trip yesterday

 

 

All the best

 

[Mulgabill]

Thought I should perhaps give an update, but no new pics to hand as its been a blance of steps forward vs back recently.

 

The new backscene behind the bridge at Truthwell Halt was short lived! I took it out, so as to address some running issues.

When the card backscene support was installed, the thickness of the card threw out the alignment of the track crossing the

board joint under the bridge. And also some stock was derailing at the the joint the other end of the board.

 

As a belt and braces solution, the section of track between the under bridge joint, and the traverser, was rplaced and re-aligned.

All does run better, as in staying on the track, but a "stall point" seems to have developed, so I'll have to keep an eye open to see

if it settles down.

 

The action was taken on the backscene for another good reason. As it was the relatively low sky was a big improvement. BUT

when stood in the doorway, it was possible to see most of the fiddle yard, over the backscene. I have therefore made a larger and

more substantial mount for a new backscene. This awaits some artistic inspiration to strike, but will be a big improvement. At least

for Mrs MulgaBill, its high enough that she can't see beyond it. For me the distraction is reduced. I felt it quite important to address

because to me the best view of the layout is from the doorway, i.e. not too close, more a vista.

 

We are well on the way to improving the overall 1st impression with these changes, plus under board curtains (2 out of 3) are made

and in place, and will again reduce distraction from the layout.

 

By way of a warning, it seems I'll be back to 12" : Ft modelling on the daughters farmhouse between now and christmas, so I'm not

sure how modelling will progress. But on the upside we're expecting a visit from my Brother at the weekend. Which will probably mean

some more pictures, and probably some variety of stock, possibly blue period diesels. Although I have had my Airfix 14xx running, albeit

slowly, recently. I've also had my BR 3mt tank running. Trouble is its so free running I can slow it down enough on my controllers!

 

Guess thats all for now, will try to put more up soon.

 

 

[Mulgabill]

The outage prevented me from posting an update, and I'm now in midst of the 12"/ft work, so quick unauthorised break! Shh!

 

Last weekends visit did happen, and a pretty good 3+hour running session was managed. Pics were taken

but I've not seen them yet. (How long do boots take to process them these days?)

 

Will post again when I'm free and pics available.

[danstercivicman]

Lovely work and we were at the SVR a few weeks ago when that track machine was present- seriously smart bit of kit!!!

[Mulgabill]

Must have been on their priority developing service - some pics are back!

 

Will simply feed through a few at a time (takes quite a time to save and resize), but also because I think its interesting to have

a bit of an outsiders view, as compared to my own.

 

Some will work, and some maybe won't. But equally some of you may spot something my pics miss.

 

Starts with local goods working in the hands of the Collett goods. I have made a mistake with this, in the early days of this thread.

Nobody has picked me up on it - yet. How kind!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the way the "mistake" isn't really apparent in these pics, I notice. Wonder what schoolboy error

I have made?

 

Back with more, when I get fed up with trying to make "cost effective" point rodding.

 

 

 

[Mulgabill]

I had thought I would share some more pics today, but got distracted by the temptation to go bid for model railway stuff

at our local auction house.

 

Once there decided to stay and bid, the lots were the last half dozen in the sale. And all went above my limits immediately.

 

So here is a token offering, whilst I go and try to resurect another of my old locos!

 

 

And I was looking forward to running a Wrenn West Country, or GWR 2-6-4T to shock you all.

 

 

[Mulgabill]

Carrying on with the photos from my Brothers visit, in no particular order.

 

Firstly some general views

 

 

 

Then a couple of detail (non train) views

 

 

 

Meanwhile I have made about 17cm of point rodding, for 3 points, which doesn't look too bad

from a distance. But I've not included any expansion cranks, and I've to make a 1 mtr length

to run infront of the platform, just to get to the next board joint. Then I'll have to deal with the

point operating cranks.

 

Looking even further ahead, a question. Am I right in thinking facing point locks would only

apply to passenger running lines?

 

Also I have managed to get a few more "old locos" running although none are strictly appropriate.

i.e. 2 x G Farish 94xx, Bachman Std 5, Mainline Std 4, Airfix 4F and Dublo class 20, plus Airfix

61xx.

 

These will not appear regularly, but could be ok in an alternative universe, where Helstonish

is not in Cornwall, but on Severnside, somewhere near the 1st Severn (road) Bridge site.

Built with the intention of continuing over a bridge and connecting with the wye valley line, the

bridge was not built but traffic continued via the Aust Ferry.

 

That would allow trains to arrive from Bath Green Park, and Bristol, as well as further afield.

If this reality shift appears I'll try to give some warning.

 

And a taste of whats to come from the remaining visit pics

 

 

All the best

 

.

Edited November 25, 2017 by Mulgabill

[treggyman]

Hi Tony

 

Some nice pictures there.....

 

Most of your scenics aren't era specific apart from the road vehicles so it should look good whatever era you choose to run......

 

Keep up the good work

 

Cheers Bill

[The Johnster]

Era is not much of a problem for you, but if you are going for the 'Severnside' look some background might do with changing.  The area is flat alluvial plain with hills in the background (or mountains if you are looking towards Wales) with an element of chemical plants around the Avonmouth/Severn Beach area.  At Aust, where the original Severn Crossing takes off over the estuary, a low line of red and green Triassic Marl cliffs comes in to the shoreline, the start of the Beachley-Aust narrows.

 

If you are changing location, you might consider some sort of evocation of this.

[Mulgabill]

Thanks for the responses to the last post.

 

I thought that might provoke some comments, so I'll elaborate a little.

 

The model is based on, but not an exact copy of, Helston. And will continue to be built "as if" in Cornwall. It should then be

operable as 50s/60s Cornwall. But as I have said before being strictly prototypical I would only run 45xx prairies and D63xx

NBL type 2 Diesel Hydraulics. Plus traffic would be fairly sparse.

 

Therefore I would like to be able to vary things a bit. One option is to run in late GWR period, although the station signage would be wrong.

 

Another alternative would be to make it into a part of a larger layout, which again gives a couple of options.

 

I have always had a soft spot for the railways of Cornwall, and something based on Truro, Long Rock shed etc would go down well.

 

Or as I grew up In the Bristol/Gloucestershire area, with some recollection of steam, there are memories to be reconstructed.

 

However this past couple of years has taught me a lot, whilst building Helstonish thus far. That is what can be achieved with some

focus and concentration. Therefore it is unlikely that any changes of direction will emerge in the short term, whilst Helstonish can

still be developed. Indeed I would like to think I might get to something that has the feel of an Andy Peters creation, although at

nothing like his pace.

 

In the meantime variety may come from operating GWR Cornwall/ BR Cornwall / BR Severnside sessions which will all hopefully

look ok.

 

Should the time come for an overall layout based on Severnside then some of the scenics/backscene may get updated, but for the

time being the backscene at least will be fairly neutral.

 

To break up this waffle a few more pics

 

 

 

 

 

All are from my brothers visit, his 33 and carflats.

 

I have this afternoon had a good enjoyable testing session myself, although without a camera to hand. Plenty of off the cuff running,

but all goods workings were done to the playing cards system. Worked really well, even with a mix of tension lock and 3 links.

 

I have also painted my trial length of point rodding, which has now been placed on location, so I'll try to share a photo of that soon.

 

Must also hold my hand up to having spent last weeks premium bond winnings on "that" auction site for a BR Black "weathered"

45xx - described as a hesitant runner, but it wasn't a jackpot win!

 

 

 

[treggyman]

Hi Tony

 

At the end of the day what you run must be gives you most fun.....

This is a hobby.....

 

What you have produced has given the people watching it enjoyment...Or they wouldn't view it.....

 

The layout looks great with all the stock shown....

 

By the way....That last shot of the mill looks great....

 

Keep up the good work

 

Cheers Bill

[Mulgabill]

The Flea-Buy purchase arrived yesterday. It wasn't due until Saturday, could we be back to trains arriving before time?

 

It was described as a hesitant runner, but is in fact virtually as good as my other prairie. There are two sets of steps

missing (1 cabside and 1 front) as well as 1 set of drain cocks.

 

Otherwise I am very pleased at £26 all up I think that was the premium bonds winnings well spent.

(Could do with a few more bargains like that).

 

Took a few pics to share

 

 

 

 

(Incidentally the 2 16T wagons were bought at a local show a couple of months ago - for £4).

 

Whilst here the last from the recent blue diesel set

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you liked these