Neptune Street

[Carl L]

After continually viewing other member layouts I thought it was about time I introduced Neptune Street. Started in 2017 it was a return to railway modelling after an absence of 38 years.

 

Neptune Street was, in its day, one of the entrances onto the docks in Hull. Whilst the layout is in no way representative of the rail system in and around Hull docks, the movement of goods traffic to and from the area is the inspiration, as is the presence of the nearby Dairycoates shed (far too big to attempt to model!). The era I keep trying to focus on is the mid to late sixties, however I keep buying, or get bought stock, which doesn’t strictly fit (rule 1 applies).

 

The layout, 12ft x 8ft, OO gauge and DCC controlled, is a looped eight, or folded eight, as I’ve seen it described, giving a long continuous run, with shed area and goods yard, complete with quayside/dockside. This give the option of watching trains run round as well as shunting options in both the shed yard and goods yard. At present there is no station, although I may consider a short three platform halt as an excuse to run a three car DMU.

 

This is an overview of the layout which was taken in mid May this year. I’ll post more images of the various areas of the layout in the coming days/ weeks

[Graham T]

That looks interesting Carl, looking forward to seeing more of it.

[Carl L]

I can’t see the point in posting in a few years of ‘how it’s progressed over time’, building up the scenery etc, as my methods will have no doubt been much the same as most other modellers, so I’ll just focus on how things are at present. 

 

An ‘aerial’ view of the main lower level running lines and the upper level shed yard. Scenery is at what I would call a basic first stage with further detail to come. More work to be done on the back scene when I get round to it. A second image of the lower running lines, the goods loop is on the left. Lots of line side junk and clutter will be added at some stage, it’s supposed to represent a run down docks/good branch, not the ECML!

 

 

 

 

[Graham T]

I like this.  Could you post a track plan if you have one Carl?

 

Someone had to ask!

[Carl L]

Kind comment thank you. I sometimes think I’ve crammed too much in.

 

I have an original scale drawing on graph paper, which was done to try and make sure gradients worked and points fitted in. As you would expect, the points didn’t fit where I originally wanted, so changes were made. I’ll try and sort something that is more accurate of what’s here.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Carl L
Missed text

[Graham T]

Don't go and draw something up specially on my account please.

 

There is a lot of track in there, I agree, but it's your layout!  And looks like it would be interesting to operate, which I assume is what you were looking for.

[richard.h]

Looks interesting, you have managed to fit a lot of operating potential in your limited space.

 

Is the area on the left hand side going to be a Dock section.

 

I don't know much about the railways in Hull but I do remember there were a lot of industrial lines around the docks which I used to see when going to visit my grandparents in Withernsea.

 

Regards

Richard

[Carl L]

Too many tracks, in a width 30 inches along the sides, 11 on the left and 10 on the right. Although I spent eighteen months planning before I’d even laid a track I wish I’d done more research and visited more exhibitions. But I have to admit the likes of Gresley Beat, Hornsey Broadway and South Pelaw junction, all heavy on track, have inspired.

 

This is looking back along the left hand side (goods yard side). My intention will be to further separate the two running lines on the right with further heavy vegetation, sort of hiding behind a screen of trees (silver birch?) and obviously along the length of the back seen - some considerable work to do here,  and I’ve never made a tree!
 

‘Greenery’ is just flock and bush ‘stuff’. I don’t have a static grass applicator, other priorities lie ahead of that purchase.

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by Carl L
Missed text

[Carl L]

Richard, 

 

yes there is a dock, although it’s so small compared to docks it might be better to call it a wharf. The sheds is a first attempt at scratch building and represents the fish loading sheds at Neptune Street itself. The corrugated roof is made from squares cut from foil baking trays and formed on the ribbed section of a carpet runner. 92 on each shed! 
 

The ‘Dead Bod’ is my homage to all trawler men, the original was painted as a drunken prank on the side of a shed at Alexandra Dock, Hull and came to be a familiar sign for trawler men sailing to and from Hull. It is now preserved in a Hull museum. As I keep saying, ‘scenery’ is a a basic level, and further detailing is to be added. This area needs lots and lots of quayside clutter and junk.

[Carl L]

Night time on the docks.

[Graham T]

I think your idea of using trees to breakup the running lines is a good one.  I've made a couple of trees, and to me they are a huge pain to do.  No connection to these companies, but I strongly recommend MBR for trees, and also these Dutch chaps for all things scenic.  Lars is sending me some samples of his pasture mats, which I think might be a good alternative to static grass.  I'll post on my thread when I receive them.

[richard.h]

4 hours ago, Carl L said:

Richard, 

 

yes there is a dock, although it’s so small compared to docks it might be better to call it a wharf. The sheds is a first attempt at scratch building and represents the fish loading sheds at Neptune Street itself. The corrugated roof is made from squares cut from foil baking trays and formed on the ribbed section of a carpet runner. 92 on each shed! 
 

The ‘Dead Bod’ is my homage to all trawler men, the original was painted as a drunken prank on the side of a shed at Alexandra Dock, Hull and came to be a familiar sign for trawler men sailing to and from Hull. It is now preserved in a Hull museum. As I keep saying, ‘scenery’ is a a basic level, and further detailing is to be added. This area needs lots and lots of quayside clutter and junk.

Excellent work.

 

Can I ask how you made the dockside walls as the finish on them looks really authentic

 

Richard

[Carl L]

Graham, 

 

thanks for the pointers for trees, I’ve been looking at yours and even if they are a pain they look the business. Again something to aspire too.

 

Richard,

 

the walls are Wills Corse stone sheets just painted with acrylics. The ‘seaweed’, brown is dried tea leaves and the green ‘live’ seaweed just scatter material. Wooden staithes are just balsa wood. I could now do with some car tyres hanging over the wall.

[Graham T]

5 minutes ago, Carl L said:

Graham, 

 

thanks for the pointers for trees, I’ve been looking at yours and even if they are a pain they look the business. Again something to aspire too.

 

 

I can't claim any credit for most of the trees Carl, they're from MBR mainly.  The only ones I made are a small one next to the weighbridge office, and the one on the left hand side of the river bank.

[Carl L]

Further progress with the goods yard with the start of the goods shed. The front will be open sided with a girder running the length supported on columns, as seen with some NER goods sheds (and no doubt other companies). The roof is going to be open trusses and some corrugated iron panels, but in a semi derelict condition, more so you can see inside. So now to truss construction, tedium I suspect.

 

 

[Carl L]

I know progress has been slow, but I’m shocked it’s been 7 months since my last post.

 

Work has continued on the goods shed although there’s still a bit to do, gable end barge boards, end doors, guttering and internal lighting. I’m not sure if I’m leaving the roof sections open or glazing them. This week I managed to get the yard groundwork down which is nothing more than sieved BBQ charcoal ashes set with the usual PVA/water mix. A light wash of artists acrylics has been applied but I’m not sure it’s where I want to be with it yet. I’ve taken a step away just so I don’t overwork it. Although I never saw it in person, from the images of Maindee East layout, that is where I’m looking to get to. Yard lights will probably be next.

(apologies, I’ve just noticed that the image looks a bit washed out on the rhs)

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by Carl L

[Carl L]

Further progress in the goods shed yard over the last two nights with the installation of yard lights.

 

Back on to the goods shed itself. There were issues with the gable ends; some of the longitudinal roof trusses didn’t sit right and I was far from happy with them (the Project Manager always knows when there is a problem with something - I avoid it like the plague). Alterations have been made and it now sits taped up and gluing. Gable end barge boards should hide any minor discrepancies. Doors, guttering and lighting still to fit.