Horton

[mac1960]

As you can see from the attached Barn or rather its shell its footings are being planted into the ground, which is as buildings are in reality (I work in construction so it is one of the things I need to see on a model). This barn caused Richard to swear little he tells me, as it sits across the slope and the structure it is planted on is curved bowed board (deliberate ) underneath. Under that is the fiddle yard so the barn had to have a base to mimic the curved land form which caused some issues apparently ! The two other barns on this slope are far easier as are smaller, and built in a North South profile if you see this one as being West to East as you view this model from a Westerly perspective. So left to build, are 3 barns and one slew bridge then Richard has a lot of walling to plant, and quite a bit of Grass and hedging, though he tells me once the buildings and bridge are completed the hard part is over !! I am not sure, as I am not sure any part of this build is easy as we have set ourselves some challenges, and real world issues have intervened to some degree, but maybe he is right, fingers crossed.    

[mac1960]

Some further updates. Currently trying to get coloration and textures correct according to Richard as you can see from photos below. The moraine and barn wall samples look very good and leaving it with him to decide re stone work on the barn as to which to go for. I will post more when further progress evident but all looks good so far and we are both very pleased how its shaping up.

 

 

 

 

[mac1960]

Well a brief apology for lack of progress photos recently. Down to two reasons work in my case, and working on 1to1 scale for Richard ie his house.

 

Anyway we are back to it, and as you can see we are still playing with the Drystone walls, and the various scales, and trying to get the look right. It would have been ideal if we could have some 3mm wall, but alas not yet available so back to cork ! The critical thing is getting it right to the eye, and in particular the walls running towards the viewer. We think this may have been solved now, though I have ordered another pack of 00 walling from Osbourne's, which should allow us to complete all the walling. 

 

The Barns have still to be detailed as you can see, and trees added, but I think you can start to see the plan of the walling taking place. The thing to remember is the fields are very large up there, so they form a major part of the landscape, hence us trying to make sure we do this right.

 

So for structures there are still 3 barns to build, and 1 nr slew bridge and a loading dock, then a lot of grass to apply, but moving along again. I think we will be looking at spring for completion due to other commitment's for both of us, but will keep posting updates as we go, and would be glad to hear any comments good or bad on what you see.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mac1960]

Well a quick further update of walling which is ongoing a pace helped by the unseasonable weather which gas delayed the 1to1 real drystone walling that Richard is doing when not doing N gauge walling. 

[mac1960]

As you can see yet more walling under way and yet we still need more so another order to Osbournes for another two packs which will be with others later next week. Their laser cut walling has been a godsend on this layout as you can fold it into the landscape as you can see over these and previous photos .

 

All these photos are taken looking "East" from the side the model will be viewed from, so you are looking down slope so to speak, and therefore you do not see the changes in height as the land folds away, which allows us to give the perception of distance and depth which we think is working rather well.

 

I will post a photo looking the other way which the model will never be viewed from, to show you the falls in the landscape . It is reminiscent of what garden / landscape gardeners did with  the Ha-Ha back in the 17th Century. When you see it you will either think what a great idea or that we are both mad !   

Edited July 22, 2023 by mac1960

[mac1960]

The view looking "West" and up slope where you can see our Ha-Ha drops. In the fore ground you have what will be another slew bridge and then a sidings and the line to what would be the Quarry if we had the space so the line is a dead end and just eludes to the presence of the Quarry or I suppose you could even call it a branch line but we are staying with the Quarry as the prototype. 

 

The buildings are only temporary placed currently in the previous post and indeed only the station and and the shelter are in the sort of correct position.   


 

[mac1960]

Some further photos following the appalling weather of last weekend which allowed Richard time off on the 1 to 1 scale stuff and he cracked on with Horton and cost England the Ashes. However he did find one snag. The Railway cottages which we had moved and done new footings for look wrong ergonomically now, and we are going to move them back to their original position. However the original footings have been filled in so will have to be r e excavated as a result.   



 

[drduncan]

A very interesting project and I’m interested to see how the forced perspective works.

Duncan

[mac1960]

drducan

So are we 🫣

cheers

[mac1960]

Well due to yet more rain, Richard was able to get the cottages moved and bedded in their new location ! It is just a pity that you will only see one side of them, but he and I both know the back is there !

The photo looking South down the track really starts to evoque the S&C we feel, though obviously the OO barn throws it, as it looks the size of a block of flats, but do bare in mind you will never view this stage from this angle. Anyway onwards and upwards.

 

Cheers

 

 

 

[mac1960]

Well todays question is quite simple, Goods Shed or no Goods Shed. Richard prefers no Goods Shed, I am a bit on the fence, so looking for some feed back either way, as I can see where Richard where is coming from, and we do not have to make any immediate decision, but we would be interested to hear what the 2700 of you  who have had a peak at this build think ? That is not to say we would act upon a majority, after all that is how we got Brexit  - sorry I am a, as I think Richard is a,  Remainer. No more politics I promise just a good line !

 

Cheer's

 

[mac1960]

Well the ongoing English summer (not) has allowed further progress on Horton to the detriment of Richards 1to1 Drystone walling so the loading ramp has been completed. Apparently quite a bit of searing involved in constructing the ramps.   

[mac1960]

As you can see work has pushed on in the cattle dock area with the addition of the proto typical Midland fencing and the bonding of the cattle dock in place so it will not be moving again along with completing the weathering !
 

 

The barns are ongoing projects as you can see from attached photos. We took the cottages out to ease access for modelling, but you can see the footings where they will be located.

 

The look of the station area has the grime and run down look which we are trying to achieve. The model is being done in autumn with a time frame for the model being between the years 1964 -67 and towards the end of steam when the S&C was itself being run down. The video by Ken Ellwood - Last Days of Steam has been a great help in getting the feeling of the area in that time, though that was filmed more into the winter period. Anyway as we progress I will post further updates, we hope you enjoy seeing what we are about, and also that it works, though both of us now think it probably will, so a lot more confident in that regard. 

 

[mac1960]

Well I thought with Autumn just around the corner we should update with some of the rather wonderful autumn tinted trees made for Horton by Treemendouse which were made some time ago. They thoughtfully gave us some more leaf mix so that we could enhance the autumn feel with some leaf scatter which will be going down post grassing. Also those keeping up will have noticed the return of the goods shed which we were having doubts about, or more precisely Richard was, and I was a more of wait and see. So the consensus's is, that though when you look from the front or side of the layout it sort of jars a little,  when viewed from the audience side (remember the stage analogy ) it looks very right we feel. Any thoughts or comments welcome.  

 

[mac1960]

 

 

As you can see we are going Green at last !! So I went down to  see Richard to discuss progress and have a Beer and was pleasantly surprised to see the very good progress now with the grass. We are now  starting to talk about the fine detail stuff which will be coming up in the next month or so. All the buildings and platform positions are agreed but are yet to be cemented into place. The He Haw works a treat as you can see and greatly aids the perspective. Richards only complaint is you model what is in front of you from the back of the layout and then have to check again from the front, if you know what I mean. Also he has been really surprised how the Scale Dale buildings we have used, a Barn and Goods Shed have blended in.

Edited October 7, 2023 by mac1960

[mac1960]

Well yet more Grass and a chance for you to see one of the advantages as Richard says of "doing it the hard way".

 

As you can see our rolling Dale Valley side is in fact of unitized construction, which means the hills can be modelled in smaller sections and slotted back into position upon the lower frame. There  has to be some careful thought put in to how and where you want the secret breaks to be, but it make's for lighter boards and also the chance to move sections into other rooms if required, as you can see see with the shot of a smaller section in Richard and Sharon's kitchen counter. Sharon I am told  was not so impressed by this slight detour of the build ! That aside the unitized sections really work well, and do give you many benefits even if the initial sculpting of the foam takes time. I think we would both recommend it.

 

It does look from some angles as though we have had a giant land slip but the sections fit back together really very simply and the view from the actual viewing side is coming to together really well, and surprisingly quickly. Richard has a new Grass spreading toy which he is enjoying using on here as well. I need to find an old HO bit of farm kit which we can have abandoned with grass and brambles growing through it to go in one of the enclosures further up the hillside closer to the viewing point.

 

We have good weather up here for the next few days, so both of us will be working on 1 to 1 construction outside, Richard on the garden me playing with big boys toys on a high rise in central Manchester so it could well be a week or so before there is another update.  

 

So I will leave it here and go in search of something suitable for that distressed farm machinery which cant look to none British.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by mac1960

[mac1960]

Well Friday night storm delayed Richards going to the Pub but Horton was the beneficiary as you can see with more Grass and shrubbery going down.    

 

[mac1960]

Can I ask if anybody has an ideas about sourcing Mininatur grass in the UK ?  If you can give me overseas link that would be ok as well. Running in UK 😢😢
 

 

Edited October 26, 2023 by mac1960

[mac1960]

Well we are slowing down a little on scenic works due to not being able to source the Silhouette/ Mininature products we need .

Richard really rates their products and as we started with them we will have  to await UK supplier ordering from Germany, which they are not doing until after Telford show mid November, and then due to the B word, it can take 3 weeks for them to arrive. However they are worth waiting for, and we are not  dropping standard after such a long design and build process.

Ironically I was in Germany and called into 3 model shops, and though they had extensive stock the one’s we need were not available 🙄

Anyway Richard is  at Spalding Show with Millsbridge  so no more updates until the following week I am afraid, but if anybody knows another UK stockist let us know.

[mac1960]

Well a few update photos.

 

As you can see, the autumn foliage is coming on, and as you can just look out the window at the moment as Richard says to get it right, it helps. The barns have received their stone slate roofs, and due to the delay enforced by the German grass, we have taken the opportunity to introduce more landforms into the upper fields, as we felt they appeared a little too stark. The farm equipment arrived, and went together with out much swearing apparently, and we just need to decide where to put it. Also more sheep have arrived (OO), but the first 2mm have been temporarily placed on the far side of the tracks by one of the barns to see how they looked, and they work well. 

 

We had a discussion about vehicles, and we both feel that less is more, as there simply was not the number of vehicles back then, so you may only have a few scattered around. I have got a number of suitable 60,s cars, and indeed a Ribble coach, but these may or not make an appearance. I did pick up a very good German Wiking  2mm tractor and trailer, which though not very prototypical, is a very good model in comparison with the Oxford 2mm Ferguson etc, so we are going to get the modeling knife and paint out, to tone down its European heritage a tad !  Other than these, there will be a Red VW Beetle as a nod to the photographer Gavin Morrison, who spent a significant amounts of time chasing and photographing trains on the S&C using one. However that will probably be it, on the less is more principle, as we both dislike overly cluttered layouts, where some people seem to want to put everything they have bought into it rather than being selective, but that is our view, others will know doubt disagree.

 

Anyway pending the Grass arrival, other large tasks can be moved along, so more work on the barns and bridges and gates, though the trees are just about right now. We are getting down to some of the finer details, so station signs have been obtained and indeed Sankey Signs have managed to do the iconic sign which existed on the real Horton in Ribblesdale Station showing the elevation and distance from London etc. They kindly did it in 3 sizes as they were guessing the size in reality from the fencing in the photo I sent. Unfortunately these still proved a little large, so I asked could we go smaller, as it really is at this viewing distance a hint of what the sign is, rather than being able to read it. They very kindly have done this, and we await receiving the revised product. I have to say they were excellent to deal with.    

 

So that is it so far, and as I am away for sometime working on 1 to 1 scale, it will probably be nearly Christmas's before there is another update.   

 

 

 

[coronach]

A great blog of the development of your layout. You have really captured well the sense of space in that part of the country. I’m for a goods shed if for no other reason that they were significant visual features at most of the S&C stations, which served a wide catchment area. I very much like the barns cut into the hillside - the topography was there first and everything else, including the railway, was built into it. You have captured that well. Any trains perchance - what era are you modelling?  Don’t forget the signals :-)

[mac1960]

Coronach

Thank you for the kind comments re Horton.

 

You are correct in that we are about setting  the layout in the landscape, which is why we went for N gauge for the actual railway, but OO closer to the viewing area in order to give the perspective which gives it a feeling of depth, or at least that is the plan. Oh and the Goods Shed will be staying !

 

As for the period we are modelling, it is basically set in the period from Autumn 1964 - Autumn  67 , ie any October / November in that period. It coincides with when the Yellow stripe started to appear on Jubilee and  some other classes, the line started to be run down with the end of steam approaching, and I thought autumn colours would suite that end of days feeling. However as so little changed up there it really allows us to chose quite a large selection of traction. So currently we have about 6 Jubilee class, a similar number of Britannia and Class 2, 4; 5 , 8, 9, as well A1 and 4F  the latter also with the Yellow stripe. Diesel traction is predominantly 45 , 46, 40, 25, with a supporting cast of 26, 17, and a lone 50 as well as two DMU sets one in Blue and  one in Green which took over the local services in early 60;s. 
 

As for signals all have been constructed 4 semaphore's  as per Horton, with ground signals / point leaves and will be fixed closer to completion as they risk being damaged otherwise.

 

I lived in West Yorkshire, and was born in 1960, so I have a child hood memory of the end of steam, and was blessed with a Steam engine driving Grandfather, so my first experience of a footplate was being let onto the footplate of Bihar and Orissa at Huddersfield Station,when I was 5 years old with that Yellow Stripe quite freshly painted as I remember so the period mirrors my memories.

Edited November 12, 2023 by mac1960

[mac1960]

Just a quick update to say we have been able to obtain the much needed MiniNature grass through the New Modelers Shop in Peterborough, who have very kindly said they would put in a special order with the German company for the required grass in the scales required. They do not do the Grass normally but are looking into it in future but they said they would order it for us which was very kind. The order was placed yesterday, and subject to Customs, they expect to receive the order by the end of next week, and should ship it out straight  away so it will be with us w/c 27/11, which is really great, as we were concerned about the delay this product or rather lack of it was causing.

 

I have to say that all the companies and individuals who have supplied or constructed items for Horton have been delightful to deal with, and very accommodating. Its a pity in my one to one real world of construction there was not a bit more of the same attitude !!   

 

As I am away, these materials  will go straight to Richard, who is eagerly awaiting its arrival, so he can get on with the large upper fields in my absence. If there is further progress pending my departure I will update of course.      

Edited November 19, 2023 by mac1960

[mac1960]

Coronach

You asked after our signals in your reply, and as I had not seen them for a while, and having already lost the first 4 (a very expensive mistake)  I dug them out to double check they are still here, and took the opportunity to photograph one for you. There are 4nr built for Horton, though we will probably only need 3nr, with two on the downside and probably 1nr on the up.

 

The idea is to position two close to the bridge either end of the viewing area probably with the iconic painted White stone behind, which was done to aid train crews vision of the arm in low light conditions, and seen in many photographs of Dent station and bridge over the years. There were no electric signal lights in the area of the station at the time of  our model, with the nearest being a mile or so south of the station, and indeed the semaphores may still have have had oil lights at the time, I am not sure.      

[Dragonboy]

Lovely layout. Looking forward to seeing this develop.