Bacup - Mills in the hills

[southern42]

It seems like you guys love fiddly stuff so here is tonight's submission. Still needing a bit of work but it is the telegraph pole for the phone box.

 

It is an old Merit one (it would have been plonked on the layout I had at the age of 13) that I have trimmed a few of the arms off, filed to get the mould lines off, painted in Weathered Wood followed by a dry-brushing of Sleeper Grime, wee box thing added (I had a look at telegraph poles on Google Images) and then a fine wire from that down to the ground, that nobody will ever notice.

 

 

All those who grew up on those 'learn how to draw' books filled with roads and telegraph poles will. 

Nice job. Nice photo. Nice layout.

Thanks for posting.

Polly, Apprentice Lunester

[Jason T]

Thanks Polly. Part of me thinks that a photo of a telegraph pole is a bit boring and when I look back, the last post with any rolling stock intentionally in the photo was four pages ago, but I guess that people are like me in that they enjoy the full scene rather than just seeing locos and rolling stock. Thing is, with other threads, I love seeing locos and stock; I visit Gilbert's Peterborough North on a daily basis and I would like to think of myself as a LMS fan. But, when I go to exhibitions, I tend to look at the buildings and other infrastructure more than I look at what is running on the layouts. Maybe I am odd (well, I know I am odd ) but I am one of those who can happily stand in front of a layout with nothing running on it for a good 15 minutes if the buildings, etc., are scratchbuilt.

 

Another example on here I just thought of is Grimleygrid's fantastic model of Toton (that's right isn't it GG?). Now I have to admit that I do have a bit of a soft spot for BR blue as it is what I grew up seeing (25's and 40's rattling over Arnside viaduct) but my preference is steam by a long shot. However, I find GG's (sorry for the abbreviation mate ) layout utterly fascinating because he is constructing the depot building, a HUGE depot building, from scratch and adding a huge amount of detail into it. I was a latecomer to it and sat reading through his thread for a couple of hours.

[Andrew P]

Thanks Polly. Part of me thinks that a photo of a telegraph pole is a bit boring and when I look back, the last post with any rolling stock intentionally in the photo was four pages ago, but I guess that people are like me in that they enjoy the full scene rather than just seeing locos and rolling stock. Thing is, with other threads, I love seeing locos and stock; I visit Gilbert's Peterborough North on a daily basis and I would like to think of myself as a LMS fan. But, when I go to exhibitions, I tend to look at the buildings and other infrastructure more than I look at what is running on the layouts. Maybe I am odd (well, I know I am odd ) but I am one of those who can happily stand in front of a layout with nothing running on it for a good 15 minutes if the buildings, etc., are scratchbuilt.

 

Another example on here I just thought of is Grimleygrid's fantastic model of Toton (that's right isn't it GG?). Now I have to admit that I do have a bit of a soft spot for BR blue as it is what I grew up seeing (25's and 40's rattling over Arnside viaduct) but my preference is steam by a long shot. However, I find GG's (sorry for the abbreviation mate ) layout utterly fascinating because he is constructing the depot building, a HUGE depot building, from scratch and adding a huge amount of detail into it. I was a latecomer to it and sat reading through his thread for a couple of hours.

Your not odd Jason YOU ARE A LUNESTER

 

hahah Old Lune

[Jason T]

The new area continues to be detailed, still quite a way to go but the walls are now in and painted / weathered, with the exception of a bit of greenery at the bottom of the walls in the alleys, etc.

 

Google Maps (satellite view)

 

The bare bones

 

The back alley

 

The main road (pavement to come)

 

The phone box - has highlighted other areas that need touching up

[coachmann]

I've been a bit late in catching up on this thread but regarding cobbled streets, the setts were usually local stone and so would look similar to stone put to other uses such as pavements and buildings. Setts only differed in being kept clean by passing traffic and feet and were cleaner in the middle than in the gutter, whereas buildings just weathered down of course.

 

When I had cobbled ways on my Diggle layout, they were weathered as per stone walls then an india rubber was used to clean the cobbles where traffic ran.

 

I took particular notice of an old 'Summer Wine' episode today and the houses, stone walls and flag stones up Nora Batty's ginnel were all the same colour.

Edited January 27, 2013 by coachmann

[Jason T]

I've been a bit quiet for the past few days as I've not done anything of note really. I did buy a Wills greenhouse and cold frames kit on Saturday, to populate the gardens at the back of the houses and have been messing around with them. Basically, the greenhouse had no interior detail and for a structure which by it's very nature has a lot of windows, I decided to amend it somewhat so have been busy with the Plastikard and paints. Thing is, when I worked out the size of it, it's a bit too big so it'll be sited elsewhere. The cold frames will be used (I'm in the process of adding brick to the inside of them, missing from the kit).

What this has taught (reminded) me is that scratchbuilding can be a lot less hassle than kits or RTP buildings.

 

At some point I will pop a photo up but there is nothing worth showing yet.

[Jason T]

Oh, and the cold frames kit is English Bond brick. Why? I really should have made my own.

Edited January 28, 2013 by Sandside

[Baby Deltic]

Every time I come and visit this thread, it just gets better. Those are super buildings, infact the whole scene has wonderful atmosphere. The colours of the stonework and mortar courses and the general dirty look of the buildings really captures the prototype very well indeed.

Edited January 28, 2013 by Baby Deltic

[Jason T]

Thanks BD. Just been looking at Sumatra Road and it is stunning; I'm hoping to get to the Watford Show to see it.

 

I thought I would pop up a photo of where I am with the greenhouse and cold frames. With the greenhouse, I am altering the Wills kit so that the base is brick rather than plank, which has basically involved filing off some of the ridges and then adding brick both inside and out (as mentioned, it's a mainly glass structure so interior detail is a must really). At the same time, I added a door frame to the inside. I have painted the white structure in white (seemed a bit odd ) and then weathered it, possibly too much but it's not often you see a pristine wooden framed greenhouse. The shelves for the inside have been painted in a generic wood colour and supports added to the underside of the one that will be most visible. The brick has been painted and the mortar courses added. The things on the cocktail sticks in the background are to represent flowerpots to sit on the shelves. They aren't very accurate but should suffice and will look ok (hopefully) with plants in them.

Thing is though, as a structure it is pretty massive, it could double as a bloody signal box

 

The cold frames are a bit of an odd one. For starters, they are huge, to the point where you'd have to climb inside to get to the furthest plants. As mentioned yesterday, they are also moulded in English Bond which for the life of me, I can't understand why you would build such a thing in such a way - surely stretcher bonds (e.g. one brick thick) would be all you would need. Unless I am missing something.

Also, the moulded bricks are not continued on the inside of the structure (probably constraints of moulding) so I added my own, all painted up with mortar courses, etc.

I then added some suitable looking plants; one trying to give the impression of being quite neat, the other full off weeds. To finish off, I weathered the frames and the glass, almost to the point where you can't see through to the plants and the brick on the inside (on the one full of weeds, anyway).

 

 

Honestly, kits. More hassle than they are worth

 

Edit: Yes, I did model one of the greenhouse roof windows open. Took some careful cutting, I can tell you!

Edited January 29, 2013 by Sandside

[kipford]

Jason

Good to meet you albet only fleetingly at Southampton on Saturday, it wood have been nice to have had longer to talk. Some great modelling and I admire your tenacity with the micro strip, you must have shares in evergreen! Keep up the good work.

[Jason T]

Likewise; I hadn't realised that it had got to kicking out time. I have to admit that when I saw your fantastic laser cut buildings, I thought 'that would have saved me a lot of time'

[Jason T]

Before I post the following, I should warn you that my crappy camera really doesn't seem to like trying to focus on the white and clear sections of the greenhouse and as such, of about 30 shots using different settings, the below are all you are getting and I don't want to take any more or try anything else because at teh end of the day, it's just a Wills greenhouse that I have messed around with. My camera is lucky to not be in the toilet now, as it is as much use as a Box Browneye (spelt correctly)

 

 

 

[emt_911]

Jason

 

I'm always impressed with your attention to detail.

 

Duncan

[Jason T]

I finally managed to get a decent shot of the greenhouse. You will notice that the roof panels aren't exactly square; I just noticed when I looked at the photo (much larger than the greenhouse itself). I can live with it.

 

 

I have also been knocking up a couple of sheds. There are probably kits available but to be honest, I would rather make stuff myself really. The hinges are a bit too large on the door of the brown one but they will be pretty much out of sight so I am not going to lose sleep over it. The window is modelled as being slightly open, the roofing felt is fine grade sandpaper and the planks are hand-scribed (inside and out, even though you can't really see inside), with both sheds being made from 40 thou Plastikard. The brown one also has a shelf in it with a flower pot on it.

 

All three together. Maybe the greenhouse isn't too large after all, although the sheds are modelled so the doors are just shy of a scale 6' high.

 

[coachmann]

I found those greenhouse mouldings dead useful for making roof lights and even a wooden extention waiting room!

[Jason T]

I wouldn't have thought of that Larry, but that's a cracking kit-bashing / using idea

[aberdare]

Hi Jason

 

Like you I prefer to make my own sheds etc even if a kit is available, however I am not averse to chopping them about if it suits my needs. I don't know how you made your hinges but I have some masking tape that seems tougher than normal and cut them from that and Mek them to the uprights, allows the door to open and close too.

 

Maybe in the future if you need more greenhouses for your 'town' can the greenhouse be halved with scratchbuilt ends so that you end up with two smaller ones, never having built one I am not sure how easy it would be.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Jim

[Jason T]

Hi Jim,

 

I don't want to go overboard with sheds, greenhouses and the like but the scruffy bit of land behind the four houses (the ones I've been working on recently) was crying out for some allotment-type structures. To be honest, so far these are the only houses that actually have an area where someone could plant vegetables. (all other yards will be paved, etc) and with the houses being a tad larger than the terraced ones opposite, I thought that it was quite fitting to add the greenhouse, etc. It also adds something a bit different to the stone, etc., that feature just about everywhere else and (as far as I am concerned) is a feasible thing to model without being cliched or out of keeping with a mill town. After all, why wouldn't someone in such a location want to grow their own veg?

 

It also makes a nice little filler for an area I wasn't sure about - there was originally going to be an old warehouse in that area but I then realised that it would make coupling / uncoupling stock for the goods yard a tad difficult

 

 

 

Edited because I had used the abbreviation 'etc.' about a thousand times in one sentence.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Sandside

[lmsforever]

The sheds look brilliant ,hope you place a few flat capped individuals around them when planted on the layout ,every post Bacup gets better.

[coachmann]

Folk oop north were poor b*ggers and some greenhouses were erected from any old timber available durin't war, even from window frames....No you young-'uns,  not the PVC double glazed sort  !!! The pawsh types with a motorised peddle cycle might have invested in a pukker greenhouse kit though. Only a strange person went round photing allotments and neibours back yards, but allotments were once a feature of land beside railway tracks so there should be some clues in railway albums.

 

Aye, and don't forget washing lines strung across ginnels (if it's Monday at Bacup) and the pig bin for household veg waste.

Edited January 31, 2013 by coachmann

[Jason T]

This kind of info is invaluable, Larry. Within the railway boundary, it's relatively easy to find out what infrastructure was in place, etc., at a certain date but for items like what would have been in people's yards, how many houses would have aerials on the chimney stacks, what street lighting would have been in place and at what intervals, how much traffic would have been on the road, how many houses would have had inside toilets, etc., then it's not so readily available. I admit to making some presumptions along the way but when you, Steve, Andy C and countless others provide such data, it makes life much easier.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Sandside

[Andrew P]

Hi Jason, that little group of buildings looks really good, I wouldn't even try that in O Gauge, hahha

 

All the best

The Old Sandster

Edited January 31, 2013 by Andrew P

[bluebottle]

Folk oop north were poor b*ggers and some greenhouses were erected from any old timber available durin't war, even from window frames....No you young-'uns,  not the PVC double glazed sort  !!! The pawsh types with a motorised peddle cycle might have invested in a pukker greenhouse kit though. Only a strange person went round photing allotments and neibours back yards, but allotments were once a feature of land beside railway tracks so there should be some clues in railway albums...

 

This is true also of the largely DIY accommodation provided for that important denizen of any Northern town - the racing pigeon. Every loft was unique, according to what its proud owner could scavenge, and I think this may well hold true, judging by what I can see of the pen a few hundred yards from my back window. So, examples similar to those which might have been seen in Bacup in the fifties might still be seen. If the model lofts were near the back of a layout, squadrons of pigeons swooping and soaring – an exhilarating sight – might be depicted on the backscene.

An excerpt from a piece by an enthusiast on the sport:

… in Bacup, not many people have a garden big enough to support a loft. So they rent the space for their cabin. Many of these allotments and pens can be found around the former mining areas of England, Scotland and Wales, it was considered expedient in the early part of the century for the mine owners to give their employees a piece of land where they could have some sort of recreational activity in the fresh air after working a hard day or night at the coal face. Of course not all lofts, cabins, crees, coops (different area, different name) are on pens, I was fortunate enough to have a loft in my backyard about 1/4 of a mile from the Pens, but only had a mere 11 yards overfly on a 348 mile race … (http://www.redroselofts.com/pen_and_ten.htm)

 

(edit to tweak grammar).

Edited January 31, 2013 by bluebottle

[billyb_imp]

Jason

 

Just catching up with your thread, the detail is fantastic, the techniques you use certainly pay dividends  Mags my wife is working on some buildings, she had a brief look at this thread and she thought it was scary but I will push her to have a go, she will just have to come back and be terrified. 

[Mythocentric]

Hi Jason

 

Have you had a look here: http://www.igg.org.uk/gansg/index.htm#apps

 

It's full of the sort of information you're after regarding street furniture, etc. As far as TV and associated ariels were concerned, in the mid-fifties, in northern towns they were very few and far between. I can vouch for that because we were only the second family on Duckworth Street to get one around 1957 or so. The first was my Auntie Nellie who lived down the road some two hours earlier. The result was a mass exodus of kids to our house every day to watch 'Watch With Mother', etc. (My auntie would'nt let then in because she was 'posh' and I never did find out if Bill and Ben were gay!). By the early '60's they were spreading like wild fire and every other house seemed to have one of the big 'X' shaped things or one of the more modern 'H' type (Still big) sprouting from the chimney!

 

For road vehicles have a look ay this site: http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk Again for road vehicles, personal transport was uncommon in working class areas but there were some. The first car I rode in was an already ancient Austin 7 which belonged to my Uncle John, otherwise most vehicles would be small to medium-sized commercials, including horse-drawn carts (i.e. our coal man Alty's, the window-cleaners and the ice-cream van owned by Fantonelli's) amongst them.

 

Regards

 

Bill

Edited January 31, 2013 by Mythocentric