railwayrod Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Just noticed that the end of Howards van has been cut off but I hope this does not spoil the effect too much. Railwayrod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 (edited) No, Rod, you haven't cut my end off I'm relieved to say - the whole van is in both pics. Edited January 5, 2014 by HSB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 (edited) The photos Rod took of my Utility Van last week were a bit on the dark side so I have had a play and am posting one of them again:- I've done a little more work on it since this was taken and now have only the lamp irons to make for the ends and some steps for the bogies Edited February 24, 2014 by HSB 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Hi Everyone. With a bit of help from Andy York I have changed the title of this topic to the Ramchester Chronicles. This does not mean that the approach will be different but the layout has reached the stage where a lot of work is being done with little results. The layout has reached the stage where Howard and I have to start thinking about the finer details to help bring it to life. As most of you know this stage is very time consuming but the layout does not "progress" very quickly. With the exception of the station roof/canopy and finishing the cattle dock the layout is nearing completion needing only signals/pint rodding and all the little details to bring it to the stage where it can be published in the model railway press. I have hinted that "talks" are being held regarding the fiddle yard end of the layout and thiswill be discussed in due course. Suffice to say that at the moment we are both busy trying to get the railway to a point where it could be considered as finished (is a layout ever finished?). In the meantime I hope all of you who have taken the time and trouble to look at this thread and possibly make a connent will continue to do so. Thank you all very much. Railwayrod 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Hi Everyone.With a bit of help from Andy York I have changed the title of this topic to the Ramchester Chronicles. This does not mean that the approach will be different but the layout has reached the stage where a lot of work is being done with little results. The layout has reached the stage where Howard and I have to start thinking about the finer details to help bring it to life. As most of you know this stage is very time consuming but the layout does not "progress" very quickly. With the exception of the station roof/canopy and finishing the cattle dock the layout is nearing completion needing only signals/pint rodding and all the little details to bring it to the stage where it can be published in the model railway press. I have hinted that "talks" are being held regarding the fiddle yard end of the layout and thiswill be discussed in due course. Suffice to say that at the moment we are both busy trying to get the railway to a point where it could be considered as finished (is a layout ever finished?).In the meantime I hope all of you who have taken the time and trouble to look at this thread and possibly make a connent will continue to do so.Thank you all very much.Railwayrod Loyal follower here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted January 14, 2014 Author Share Posted January 14, 2014 (edited) I have now finished detailing the body of my LMS Utility Van and am about to begin painting it. There should be some steps on the bogies which I need to find better pictures of although I doubt anybody would notice if I left them off! Edited February 24, 2014 by HSB 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted January 15, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 15, 2014 Very nice Howard, did you count all the tiny bits of brass you used? Cheers, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted January 15, 2014 Author Share Posted January 15, 2014 (edited) Thanks, Dave. I didn't keep score but apart from a few lengths of brass wire and tube and the two vacuum cylinder cranks formed from brass strip I count 16 door buffers and 8 door handles from Laurie Griffin and a couple of brake wheels from CRT. Edited January 15, 2014 by HSB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 We had a session on the layout this afternoon without either of us seeming to achieve very much. I have been experimenting with various designs of canopy for the station without finding one that I'm really happy with so it may end up without one. It would look okay without one and a great many stations didn't have canopies but I think one would add a bit more distinction to it. Anyway, watch this space. We did, however, make a bit of visible progress last week with the bald area in front of the goods yard at last receiving a bit of greenery and a bit more ballast being added to the trackwork here and there. I also lightly weathered a bit more of the track. Here are a couple of pics I took today:- 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Hello Everyone. Howard and I had another session on the layout this afternoon - that is twice this week! I finished fitting Bachmann couplings to a Lionheart mineral wagon and this has now been passed on to the paint shop (Howard) for weathering, etc. He has been working on a lorry kit doing the bits which I cannot do and he has informed me that my next job is to finish this. I had hoped to be able to report that the cattle dock was finished BUT after gluing the post/rail assembly to the base and fitting two pairs of gates all was going well - or so I thought! The third and final pair of gates needed a bit of filing to make them fit properly and - you've guessed it - I managed to break two of the vertical rails in the gate. The holes had to be drilled out and new ones fitted in and secured with a drop of Mekpak which of course means that they need to harden overnight, trimmed and repainted. Ah well next session!!! Railwayrod 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted January 29, 2014 Author Share Posted January 29, 2014 Rod and I have spent a couple of afternoons working on Ramchester this week. We got a few bits for the station building at Bristol on Sunday including brackets for the fairly modest awning I'm now planning to fit. Yesterday I began painting them and also fitted a fireplace inside the stationmasters office which will be visible through the windows. Today I did some further work on the backscene while Rod has been working on a lorry kit which was bought at Telford a couple of years ago. I finished the glazing recently and Rod is now fitting the steering column into the cab. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted February 5, 2014 Author Share Posted February 5, 2014 (edited) Rod and I did a bit more work on the layout today. Rod has finished working on the cattle dock at last and it now needs weathering and bedding in. Today I have stuck the canopy brackets to the station building and have also painted a bit of Scotland (the other side of the Solway Firth) on the backscene after having lowered the sea horizon level by an inch last week. My LMS Utility Van is now partly painted and I took it along to photograph it on the layout this afternoon which also gave me a chance to try out my new cheapo Vivitar camera (£19.99 from Argos) which I bought just to carry in my pocket when I don't want to take my bigger bridge camera and would not be a great financial loss if it gets lost or damaged like my last two compacts! Edited February 24, 2014 by HSB 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 Hello Everyone. As Howard intimated above we had a session on the layout yesterday and I am very pleased to report that the cattle dock is at long last finished. It still needs to be weathered and then bedded into the layout to avoid the tell-tale black line underneath the wall.I I have posted a couple of photos to show the completed model resting on the layout. I have also been working on a lorry kit and spent "hours" fitting in the steering wheel and mounting the cab on its chassis, photo later. l 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 Here's another picture I took yesterday looking across the goods yard but before I painted in the distant hills of Scotland. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 We did a bit more to the layout this afternoon. I did a little more work on the backscene at the end while Rod is still working on his lorry kit. Here is a photo I took today with the view across the Solway Firth to Scotland. The rather pristine cattle dock will not stay that way for long as I began weathering it shortly after taking this shot. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CME and Bottlewasher Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 We did a bit more to the layout this afternoon. I did a little more work on the backscene at the end while Rod is still working on his lorry kit. Here is a photo I took today with the view across the Solway Firth to Scotland. The rather pristine cattle dock will not stay that way for long as I began weathering it shortly after taking this shot. DSCF0004 (640x402).jpg Hi Howard, That view 'off into the distance' looks superb- very realistic - the transition from 3D to the 2D backscene is very well executed which really helps the whole scene to be very realistic indeed. Kind regards, CME Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thanks,CME. The cattle dock has now been weathered but I'm afraid the pic isn't very sharp! 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asa Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Nice work Howard,it looks like it's been there forever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 Thanks asa. I'm planning to start bedding it in at our next session and then planting a bit of grass and weeds around it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Hi Everyone. I do hope that you are all enjoying this thread and want to see more! Howard has been working very hard this week on the layout as his latest photos show. He has weathered the cattle dock and has now "bedded" it in with just a bit of ground cover to do before it will look as though it has been built into the ground rather than being "plonked" on top. He has also been working on the canopy of the station building and I believe that he is planning to post a photo of progress so far very soon. I have fitted another wagon with Bachmann couplings which is now ready to go into the paint shop (Howard) for weathering. I have also done a little more work on the lorry and I intend to post a photo of progress on this vehicle this weekend. So watch this space! I consider myself very lucky indeed to have a friend like Howard without whose help "Ramchester" would not have reached the stage that it is in. Thank you Howard. Railwayrod 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 As Rod says I have done a bit more work on the station canopy today and now have the framework in place. I will give this a coat of paint before adding a roof to it. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asa Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Keep it coming Rod I'm really enjoying it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Will keep it coming while people are enjoying it . I intend to post a photo of my lorry thus far during the weekend. Thanks for your comments and support. Railwayrod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
asa Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Rod I look forward to seeing your lorry also. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSB Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 I have added the roof to the canopy which now needs tiles and gutters to complete. Rod has taken pictures of his truck this afternoon (his second attempt - ones he took at the weekend came out blurred!) which he may post later. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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