Middleton Top and the C&HPR

[JustinDean]

11 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

Hi Justin ~ just re-reading through your Dapol J94 improvements and am intrigued what you did regarding the above, as you don’t mention anything in your write up? 
 

Steve S

Hi Steve,

My post on Oct 29th lists the changes and the photo from last Tuesday shows them clearly (all the bare metal parts). 
The RT Models detailing kit is the primary source of materials for the improvements. Their etch has a detailed set of instructions and I’d highly recommend it. 
If you’re specifically referring to changes on the chassis then you’re quite right and you wouldn’t find anything! I left this part alone in the end. 

Jay

Edited November 6, 2023 by JustinDean

[JustinDean]

A little bit of layout progress (better than no progress!). 
More heavy nuts to weigh the wood down.

 

 

The DAS ground work is now advancing towards the engine shed. 

 

Work is intense this time of year so I’m only managing to grab a few hours per week. It’s also my missus 50th this weekend so doubtful I’ll be dirtying up that J94 also. 

I’ll leave you with a view of some tenders awaiting their onward journey having just been brought up the incline. 
 

 

[NHY 581]

Keep chipping away, Jay. 

 

Rob

[TT100 Diesels]

Absolutely fantastic modelling, really capturing the feel of Middleton Top. The engine house is a beautiful piece of work. 

 

I love what you are doing with this layout. Really nailing it. Great to see.

 

Cheers

 

TT100 Diesels

 

PS - Where is the car park and cycle hire place.....😉. In jest of course, but it's funny how the current set up is burnt into my minds eye, probably from years of cycling past the place.

[JustinDean]

The J94 has now been numbered 68006.

Crew, couplings and window boards to fit after weathering powders have been applied. 
 

 

I may have been a tad excited when Rapido announced the D1666 open. Pretty sure I ordered 6. There’s 7 here. These have had some dirty washes applied along with some rust picked out and will get some subtle powder treatment next. 
 

 

These will run with the NLR tanks on the layout, although I’d be interested to know how long the LMS livery lasted for into BR days. 
 

 

As much as I love kit building wagons, these RTR models are really excellent, and I need a lot of wagons to run Middleton Top. That’s how I’m justifying the dent to my bank balance anyway!
 

Jay

 

[Sitham Yard]

5 hours ago, JustinDean said:

. 
 

 

These will run with the NLR tanks on the layout, although I’d be interested to know how long the LMS livery lasted for into BR days. 

Unlikely the large LMS lettering lasted until your 1959 date for 68006 as it was last used in 1936 when the railway companies agreed to switch to small lettering. For earlier BR days it is quite possible to have the remnants of large lettering with either small company markings or BR markings with the occasional unpainted replacement plank as well.

Andrew  

Edited November 16, 2023 by Sitham Yard

[JustinDean]

42 minutes ago, Sitham Yard said:

Unlikely the large LMS lettering lasted until your 1959 date for 68006 as it was last used in 1936 when the railway companies agreed to switch to small lettering. For earlier BR days it is quite possible to have the remnants of large lettering with either small company markings or BR markings with the occasional unpainted replacement plank as well.

Andrew  

Hence these running with the NLR tanks I’ve been building. A quick search around on the net brings up large lettered wagons in photos around 1950/51 but as you say, that lettering is remnants and barely perceptible. 
I’m toying with the idea of heavily distressing/weathering one of these to represent a late survivor. 
 

Jay

[JustinDean]

This is the only wagon I’m going to wreck/weather so heavily. Stopping at this point and will attack it again Sunday. 
 

 

[MrWolf]

Still not as rough as the wagon which still remains half buried in the catch pit though!

[JustinDean]

39 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

Still not as rough as the wagon which still remains half buried in the catch pit though!

Now that would be fun to model!

[JustinDean]

On 17/11/2023 at 15:00, MrWolf said:

Still not as rough as the wagon which still remains half buried in the catch pit though!

 

Here’s the wagon referred to for those that haven’t seen it. 

 

[Tortuga]

That’s a familiar looking photo Jay!

[JustinDean]

Just now, Tortuga said:

That’s a familiar looking photo Jay!

Is it one of yours Nik? I pulled it off aGoogle

search!

[Tortuga]

9 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

Is it one of yours Nik? I pulled it off aGoogle

search!

I posted it in the C&HP FB group after our bi-monthly (that’s once every two months in this case) walk yesterday!

 

Been trying to work out what diagram it is and if the paint is original - if it it’s original paint, it could be a Derbyshire Stone PO wagon, but the buffers and stanchions say ex-LMS to me…

[JustinDean]

1 hour ago, Tortuga said:

I posted it in the C&HP FB group after our bi-monthly (that’s once every two months in this case) walk yesterday!

 

Been trying to work out what diagram it is and if the paint is original - if it it’s original paint, it could be a Derbyshire Stone PO wagon, but the buffers and stanchions say ex-LMS to me…

Sorry it didn’t register it was you that had posted there otherwise I would’ve tagged you. 
Just found the post again and read the discussion. There was more than one type of Derbyshire Stone wagon and I think the later grey ones with small lettering may match up to the one in the pit. I’ll check my laptop (where the photo collection is stashed) when I’m back in Derby. 
 

Jay

[mullie]

On 17/11/2023 at 14:35, JustinDean said:

This is the only wagon I’m going to wreck/weather so heavily. Stopping at this point and will attack it again Sunday. 
 

 

The wagon is great  I'm sure more like this could be justified in your time period?

 

Martyn 

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, JustinDean said:

Sorry it didn’t register it was you that had posted there otherwise I would’ve tagged you. 
Just found the post again and read the discussion. There was more than one type of Derbyshire Stone wagon and I think the later grey ones with small lettering may match up to the one in the pit. I’ll check my laptop (where the photo collection is stashed) when I’m back in Derby. 
 

Jay

No worries Jay! It was a public post so it’s not a surprise it ended up in the public domain.

 

I was going to put it up on here anyway, but you beat me to it!

[MrWolf]

4 hours ago, JustinDean said:

 

Here’s the wagon referred to for those that haven’t seen it. 

 

 

Thanks Jay, (and @Tortuga as it turns out!) It was probably too much effort to haul away for scrap being where it is.

It's one of those odd things that even though it actually exists, would probably come in for criticism as being unlikely if you modelled it, rather like the burned out brake vans that were quite common on layouts a while back.

[JustinDean]

12 hours ago, mullie said:

The wagon is great  I'm sure more like this could be justified in your time period?

 

Martyn 

Thanks Martyn. I’m aiming for 1940ish to 1960’s so I can cover late LMS period and BR so there is potential for some more in this condition. I may have a bash later today so watch this space….

 

Jay

[JustinDean]

More wagon weathering and some limestone loads:

 

I’ve decided to go for various intensities of weathering. 
 

 

A few different techniques have been used across all of these. 
 

 

Scoring, replacement planks and varying levels of powders. 
 

 

I have also come back to 68006 which has been weathered, crewed and received couplings. 
 

 

Along with weather boards for protecting the crew.

 

 

Now ready for service at Middleton Top. 
 

[Tortuga]

Those wagons look really good Jay, especially the last two.

 

I’m afraid I’m going to be hyper-critical though:

The corner plates look quite red, particularly on the last three wagons; is this due to the light or are they really that colour? I’m assuming you’re going for a rusty effect, so perhaps it needs knocking back slightly and/or the rest of the metalwork needs bringing up to the same level.

The large lettering seems slightly too stark. Again, it might be the light, but could the edges be softened slightly, maybe with a fibreglass pencil (as used by Martyn Welch)?

 

Loving the J94 by the way, definitely looks the business. Odd how the additional steps at the rear weren’t painted red where they intersect the buffer beam.

[JustinDean]

2 hours ago, Tortuga said:

Those wagons look really good Jay, especially the last two.

 

I’m afraid I’m going to be hyper-critical though:

The corner plates look quite red, particularly on the last three wagons; is this due to the light or are they really that colour? I’m assuming you’re going for a rusty effect, so perhaps it needs knocking back slightly and/or the rest of the metalwork needs bringing up to the same level.

The large lettering seems slightly too stark. Again, it might be the light, but could the edges be softened slightly, maybe with a fibreglass pencil (as used by Martyn Welch)?

 

Loving the J94 by the way, definitely looks the business. Odd how the additional steps at the rear weren’t painted red where they intersect the buffer beam.

Ay up Nik… it’s terrible light in Cazz’s dining room so the colours in the photos look a bit off as you’ve noticed. Most of the lettering has received fibre pen treatment and some have seen the tip of a scalpel. They were treated in daylight but by the time I’d done it was dark hence the crappy lighting! Also no worries about being critical; I welcome it. We’re all here to learn!

I had the same thought about those rear steps on the J94 at the time of painting, so I had a good search through photos to make sure. No doubt someone will find evidence of them painted red at some point!

Jay

Edited November 21, 2023 by JustinDean

[Tortuga]

Bah! Those buffer beams could be any colour under all that associated rust, muck & grime - yours are too clean!

[JustinDean]

2 hours ago, Tortuga said:

Bah! Those buffer beams could be any colour under all that associated rust, muck & grime - yours are too clean!

 

Here you go, all scrubbed up for an SLS rail tour!

 

Jay

[Sasquatch]

14 hours ago, JustinDean said:

Ay up Nik… it’s terrible light in Cazz’s dining room so the colours in the photos look a bit off as you’ve noticed. Most of the lettering has received fibre pen treatment and some have seen the tip of a scalpel. They were treated in daylight but by the time I’d done it was dark hence the crappy lighting! Also no worries about being critical; I welcome it. We’re all here to learn!

I had the same thought about those rear steps on the J94 at the time of painting, so I had a good search through photos to make sure. No doubt someone will find evidence of them painted red at some point!

Jay

That brace of austerity tanks look like there still sporting army green under all that rust and grime. 68012 definitely doesn't have any black left when compared to that fella's coat and hat.

 

Regards Shaun.