Kings Moreton, (1980's BR)

[lmsforever]

Morning all, thanks for the education on Sewing Machines and Spiders webbs. I've never been into that sort of that thing, apart from my German Layout that was OHLE.

 

I hadn't realised that Railways went further East than Rugby and Nottingham, not quite the DARK AGES over there then.  

 

They used to throw spears and not talk to you back in the day!!!

[dhjgreen]

Next train from Platform 12 is the 11.00 to Clacton and Walton, calling at Shenfield, Chelmsford, Witham, Colchester, and Thorpe-le-Soken...

In the early '90s we were working with a consultant from Thorpe-le-Soken.  We very soon learnt to call him in the pub rather than his home; he seemed to be there from about 9am until well after we might call in the evening.  He did call himself a soak and wrote a poem about himself which he read out in the pub; "I am the soak of Thorpe-le-Soken".  I think he is probably long gone by now.

 

Edit to add; just remembered his name Ray Matchell a lovely man originally from Yorkshire.

Edited October 7, 2017 by dhjgreen

[The Stationmaster]

The only jet black in nature is coal. The ash I use is mid grey but being real, it reflects lights in different ways. Paint will never do this; I've tried it. Ballast is too course. You need something that will file down to dust after it has been glued down. While the track would have been laid in stone ballast initially to hold it in position, the rest of the yard would be ash, often to quite a depth to aid drainage. In places where road wagon weight caused it to sink and where clay bled through, extra ash or ballast was brought in, which in turn sank in after a time. Ash was a by product of steam engines and was readily available in the steam age.

 

Ash in the steam age - stone dust or '3/8ths to dust' (or at a pinch chippings) in the diesel age. Using ballast in the walkways in a yard is - in my experience - a sure fire way of making sure your Shunters will refuse to work there (it's horrible stuff and rips shoes and boots to pieces if you're walking on it all the time).

[Andrew P]

The only jet black in nature is coal. The ash I use is mid grey but being real, it reflects lights in different ways. Paint will never do this; I've tried it. Ballast is too course. You need something that will file down to dust after it has been glued down. While the track would have been laid in stone ballast initially to hold it in position, the rest of the yard would be ash, often to quite a depth to aid drainage. In places where road wagon weight caused it to sink and where clay bled through, extra ash or ballast was brought in, which in turn sank in after a time. Ash was a by product of steam engines and was readily available in the steam age.

 

Ash in the steam age - stone dust or '3/8ths to dust' (or at a pinch chippings) in the diesel age. Using ballast in the walkways in a yard is - in my experience - a sure fire way of making sure your Shunters will refuse to work there (it's horrible stuff and rips shoes and boots to pieces if you're walking on it all the time). 

Cheers Larry and Mike, lesson learned, although this morning it was still all a mushy so no big lumps to ruin the Nikkie's of the Shunters.    

 

I will see how it looks once dry, and may add some Ash later.

[Andrew P]

A shower of rain earlier meant I had to come in to watch the F1 Qualifying, so back out again later, as the Sun always shines on Kings Moreton.

 

 

 

 

 

Still loads of hoovering up to do and waiting for the newer PVA to dry, then start to add some greenery.

 

 

[lmsforever]

Looks very good the puddles give a good effect what di you use to make them please.?

[Andrew P]

A quick hour and I've started to add the Embankment alongside the Yard. You have to image that the land form Fields at the back came down to the top of this new embankment, and the land in between was cut away for the Railway.

 

 

 

The LUMPY BITS will be hoovered up once the main area is set, if I did it now, it would lift half the Yard.

[Andrew P]

Looks very good the puddles give a good effect what di you use to make them please.?

Thanks Ian, it's just some clear sheet, (the sort you use for model windows), the sort that comes with some Bachmann Boxes, and paint one side in black, then when dry fit it flat with the UN PAINTED side up for a nice clean shiny surface.

[Focalplane]

Ah, no varnish then?

 

Looks good, Andy.

[BWsTrains]

A shower of rain earlier meant I had to come in to watch the F1 Qualifying, so back out again later, as the Sun always shines on Kings Moreton.

I'd expected TOPS to at least have a roof over it's precious contents - puzzled.

[Andrew P]

Ah, no varnish then?

 

Looks good, Andy.

No Paul, I think I've cracked it,      hahah

I'd expected TOPS to at least have a roof over it's precious contents - puzzled.

Look for the Puddles, ahhaha.

[MarshLane]

Really is looking good Andy - you seem to have taken giant steps forward every time, I have a few minutes to look in!

 

Love the puddles to, never would have guessed it was clear window sheet!

 

Nice work mate

 

Rich

[Clive Mortimore]

I hope the shunters have been given wellies, don't want them to get their Nikkies damp. 

 

It does look a lot better than your river, but where are the travelers going to go now?

[Focalplane]

If I remember from when sneaking round 5A in 1958, all engine sheds have puddles of water.  Running through the puddles confused the tracker dogs used by the Transport Police to apprehend number hungry trainspotters.  (That and 46235 suddenly opening its cylinder cocks to create a steam screen and hasten our escape).

 

I hasten to add there were no dogs, but 46235 was real.

[Andrew P]

This morning I've made a start with the greenery in the Yard, and although about 50% will be hoovered up later after a coffee break, it's already starting to look lived in. Still loads to do to get it looking right, but it's a start.

 

 

 

Also my selection of Greenery pots, I have about the same number for Ballast / Stone as well.

 

 

Edited October 8, 2017 by Andrew P

[Focalplane]

The yard reminds me of the sidings on the north side of Oxford Station, now used to stage Thames Turbos.  That area has changed a bit over the years!  But then what hasn't?  As Pete Waterman has observed, Leamington, Banbury and Oxford had tremendous diversity with representatives of all four Groups/Regions visiting, even in the late 1950s early 1960s.  A great area to represent in model form.

 

Keep up the good work, Paul

[Donw]

I think that looks much better then the bank with the stream. Mind you I am a bit worried about the amount of grass and weeds in those sidings could be scheduled for closure soon   

 

Don 

[Andrew P]

The yard reminds me of the sidings on the north side of Oxford Station, now used to stage Thames Turbos.  That area has changed a bit over the years!  But then what hasn't?  As Pete Waterman has observed, Leamington, Banbury and Oxford had tremendous diversity with representatives of all four Groups/Regions visiting, even in the late 1950s early 1960s.  A great area to represent in model form.

 

Keep up the good work, Paul

Funnily enough Paul, that's the area I looked st for inspiration, and it's come out rather well.

 

As for diversity of traffic, well yes I can legitimately justify 3 and a 1/2 out of the 4 Regions quite easily.

[Andrew P]

I think that looks much better then the bank with the stream. Mind you I am a bit worried about the amount of grass and weeds in those sidings could be scheduled for closure soon 

 

Don 

Thanks Don, as for weeds and closure, well we are talking the 60's so not that far off now I wouldn't have thought, it just needs an excuse to survive into the Speedlink era, as that's the newest stock I have.

[Andrew P]

So a short walk with the dog around the Park, and then back for a hoover up and tidy up.

 

I've also grassed the embankment with Peco 2mm Burt Grass, more will be added once that has dried.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Andrew P]

Question please, would there be a wooden fence around behind the Buffers, but leaving access to the Signals?

 

[Pigwife007]

Hi Andy

that's just not fair how can you do something so good and so quick.

 

Really nice detail there and what a difference it has made to the whole scene. Ten out of ten as usual

Dan

[tigerburnie]

Railways seemed to have fences everywhere, I'd be tempted to go further along towards the points too. Maybe up to the signal box where a pedestrian sleeper crossing could be fitted.

Edited October 8, 2017 by tigerburnie

[Andrew P]

Hi Andy

that's just not fair how can you do something so good and so quick.

 

Really nice detail there and what a difference it has made to the whole scene. Ten out of ten as usual

Dan

Hahah, Cheers Dan, Oh it's just something I knocked up, you know how it is, hahah.

[Andrew P]

Railways seemed to have fences everywhere, I'd be tempted to go further along towards the points too. Maybe up to the signal box where a pedestrian sleeper crossing could be fitted.

I wondered about that, probably between the Yard and the Head Shunt, and up to almost the Lamp Hut, with just a gap for the Bobby to get to his Box.

 

Cheers.