Upbech St Mary, Upbech Drove and Pott Row a journey through 00 and then into EM and 009.

[NHY 581]

3 hours ago, marc smith said:

Better get on with building at least something or that @NHY 581chap will be after me!  

 

 

 

[mullie]

Sheepishly moving on to restoring photos, we go to the other end of the line at Upbech St Mary. This end is really the home of the trams and the J15. The design of halt is based on those in Norfolk on the old M&GN. Sugar beet traffic is important here, empty wagons arrive and loaded wagons leave.

 

 

 

[MrWolf]

That all looks wonderfully back of beyond and basic. Great atmospheric piece of modelling.

[mullie]

Some more photos of Upbech St Mary. 

 

 

An overview of this part of the layout. The  J39 shouldn't be this far up the line,  someone will be in trouble. 

[mullie]

Some photos from upbech Drove's recent appearance at the SWAG exhibition in Taunton. Big thank you to Jamie @SouthernRegionSteam for photos that really flatter the layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

With the SWAG exhibition out of the way attention has turned to other jobs.

 

A different class 10 shunter is seen at Upbech St Mary. Being the latest conversion to EM, a Bachmann model and Pott Row veteran, it was never fitted with Kadees so at the moment only has early 50s wagons to worry. Wire loops were formed last night so I can begin converting the 60s stock to S&W. The 08 needs a trip to the weathering shop.

 

 

In other news, those with long memories will remember that there is yet another module between Upbech St Mary and Drove. This will be a small quayside scene including a working wagon turntable and it is my intention to rope shunt the quayside.  I originally used code 75 rail to begin creating the inset track but this looked too heavily engineered so out it came. I recently ordered some 5mm strips of brass from Nairnshire Modelling supplies. These give more of the effect I am after. The buildings are already done for this scene, currently stored in boxes.

 

 

All Upech modules can be worked independently or as at home, linked together.

Edited May 10, 2022 by mullie

[mullie]

The track on the harbour module is currently being tested and locos seem quite happy passing through  it including an inlaid point.  Pictures of the buildings are lost somewhere back in the thread and I couldn't resist having another look at them. They are built from whatever I felt was appropriate at the time so some are plasticard, some are card, finishes include a brown envelope on the cottage, plaster and card on the pub, Scalescenes tiles and slates on the pub and cottage, Wills on the shed.

 

First we have a cottage based on a design in the Peco book of model buildings.

 

 

Next is a model loosely based on the goods shed at Walton on the Naze

 

 

A pub which I thought started out as a model of the Bell in Kersey, Suffolk, right hand side of the gable, which I added later, is based on it but looks nothing like it really.

 

 

Finally a rough composition of how they fit in, with a curved backscene the pub is the only building that will fit across the back, less is more on this module too. Lots of little details will fill in the gaps. There is also a thatched cottage, I think that will have to wait for the next project.

 

[NHY 581]

Top stuff Martyn. 

 

Your buildings have a lovely, muted look to them. 

 

Very attractive indeed. 

 

Rob. 

[mullie]

The J72 was on the daily goods today, seen at Upbech St Mary.

 

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

A tale of two shunters, Bachmann and Hornby both now working and showing a contrast in finishes.

 

 

 

I had to recover them from a potential disaster. Having weathered them with pastel chalks and achieved what I thought was a nice effect, I tried sealing them  with AK pigment binder. This produced a horrible dark sludge with all definition lost. I have spent the last couple of days removing the finish with white spirit. Perhaps it is the use of pastel chalks  rather than weathering powders that is the problem, shame as it seems like a good product.

 

The sides definitely need more definition, the Bachmann model still has a few jobs to do and once I have detailed the type 2, all will be treated to some new glazing.

 

 

[JustinDean]

5 minutes ago, mullie said:

A tale of two shunters, Bachmann and Hornby both now working and showing a contrast in finishes.

 

 

 

I had to recover them from a potential disaster. Having weathered them with pastel chalks and achieved what I thought was a nice effect, I tried sealing them  with AK pigment binder. This produced a horrible dark sludge with all definition lost. I have spent the last couple of days removing the finish with white spirit. Perhaps it is the use of pastel chalks  rather than weathering powders that is the problem, shame as it seems like a good product.

 

The sides definitely need more definition, the Bachmann model still has a few jobs to do and once I have detailed the type 2, all will be treated to some new glazing.

 

 

I’ve had exactly the same mishap using pastels and pigment binder - basically it doesn’t work. Matt acrylic varnish will do the trick though. 
 

Jay

[mullie]

SWMBO is out all day today so a start has been made on the quayside board. The quay and wagon turntable have been edged. The balsa constructions are walkways that seem to have been quite common at one time in smaller ports, I will need to build/buy some steps down to them. My intention is to model it with the tide out and lots of mud, too small to do much else.

 

 

The wagon turntable does work, back lots of pages is a short video showing it in operation. The J15 is extracting a wagon to attach to the back of the local passenger service currently sat in Upbech Drove.

 

Last night I had to change the point switch on this board as the slide switch had stopped changing the polarity, all is working now.

[mullie]

SWMBO is away with eldest daughter on a short holiday that was first postponed in 2020, so I have  been up to Essex to see my 91 year old mother. Yesterday we went out for lunch and on our way called into Maldon for coffee, I think this is definitely one of the places that is inspiration for Upbech Quay and has been a place of regular visits all my life.

 

 

 

Having returned today, being on my own time can be spent on the layout so tonight I have continued to work on the quayside and inset track. Mainly DAS clay, some is polyfilla mixed with PVA and grey paint. I have checked that the buildings can be bedded in properly tonight and will be cutting wood for the back scene over the next couple of days

 

 

In the next few days I will have to get the track to a workable state and hope I haven't damaged anything.

 

I will post some more photos of my travels over the next few days though to be honest there is little of railway interest, more general inspiration.

[great northern]

13 minutes ago, mullie said:

SWMBO is away with eldest daughter on a short holiday that was first postponed in 2020, so I have  been up to Essex to see my 91 year old mother. Yesterday we went out for lunch and on our way called into Maldon for coffee, I think this is definitely one of the places that is inspiration for Upbech Quay and has been a place of regular visits all my life.

 

 

 

Having returned today, being on my own time can be spent on the layout so tonight I have continued to work on the quayside and inset track. Mainly DAS clay, some is polyfilla mixed with PVA and grey paint. I have checked that the buildings can be bedded in properly tonight and will be cutting wood for the back scene over the next couple of days

 

 

In the next few days I will have to get the track to a workable state and hope I haven't damaged anything.

 

I will post some more photos of my travels over the next few days though to be honest there is little of railway interest, more general inspiration.

Well, if they are as lovely as those two above, I for one will be very happy to see more.

[MrWolf]

General inspiration is an essential part of railway modelling IMHO. There's much more involved than just the railway.

That really is a beautiful place, I have managed to miss all the nice bits of Essex. The only place with a nautical name I've been to was Yeldham Lock, a vast housing estate near Chelmsford. Bleh. I did like Dedham and Thorrington. Basildon? Er...

[mullie]

Basic ground cover now in place, a mix of warm grey, yellow ochre, and sienna mixed with a lot of talcum powder. It was then washed with black ink thinned with alcohol. Clay in the river bed is still drying.

 

 

 

The turntable has thin balsa planks again washed with ink.

 

 

With SWMBO still away back scene will be cut tomorrow though not put in place until more scenic detail is added.

 

Things have been able to progress faster recently. After SWAG I went back to work for just three days and have been off since with work related stress, something I never thought I would suffer with having always done very stressful work. Phased return begins next week.

Edited June 3, 2022 by mullie

[mullie]

I was going to post some more photos of my travels but then I took the scenic route to Tesco's tonight.

 

This is the view from the cliffs facing towards Lulworth and Durdle Dor. The branch to Easton ran round the island and at this point is 80-100 feet below the path climbing sharply. The line climbed from sea level to 285 feet above by the time it got to Easton.

 

In the distance Portland bill Lighthouse can just be seen. The large building on the right is the former Underwater Research building, Top Secret. Part of it is now a school.

 

[mullie]

Wood and card cutting is not very photogenic though it does mean the backscene will be ready when I get to that stage.

 

So instead, here are some photos of Coalhouse Fort in Essex. Built in the 19th Century to guard the Thames, used during both World Wars, now part of a park and being cared for. The Radar Tower in the third photo should be familiar to fans of Spooks. More information on the fort can be found here.

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

Massive breakthrough tonight as the Tram successfully ran through the inset track on the quay. If it had not worked I dread to think how I would have corrected things as it is all buried in modelling clay.

 

 

I have spent part of the evening fitting S&W couplings to some 60s period vans, once some more couplings and bases arrive more can be converted.

 

[NHY 581]

42 minutes ago, mullie said:

Massive breakthrough tonight as the Tram successfully ran through the inset track on the quay. If it had not worked I dread to think how I would have corrected things as it is all buried in modelling clay.

 

 

I have spent part of the evening fitting S&W couplings to some 60s period vans, once some more couplings and bases arrive more can be converted.

 

 

 

Hi Martyn, 

 

I love the backdrop that the pub provides in the top photo. 

 

Top drawer. 

 

 

Rob. 

[hayfield]

On 01/06/2022 at 21:35, mullie said:

SWMBO is away with eldest daughter on a short holiday that was first postponed in 2020, so I have  been up to Essex to see my 91 year old mother. Yesterday we went out for lunch and on our way called into Maldon for coffee, I think this is definitely one of the places that is inspiration for Upbech Quay and has been a place of regular visits all my life.

 

 

 

Having returned today, being on my own time can be spent on the layout so tonight I have continued to work on the quayside and inset track. Mainly DAS clay, some is polyfilla mixed with PVA and grey paint. I have checked that the buildings can be bedded in properly tonight and will be cutting wood for the back scene over the next couple of days

 

 

In the next few days I will have to get the track to a workable state and hope I haven't damaged anything.

 

I will post some more photos of my travels over the next few days though to be honest there is little of railway interest, more general inspiration.

 

We live 5 miles away from Maldon and its always nice to walk along the quay side to Promenade Park. Its a but more industrial nearer the road bridge where the rivers enter the estuary, also there are some lovely buildings on the road up to the High Street. 

[mullie]

Pictures of soldering couplings hasn't got any more photogenic so here are some more  photos of my recent travels. Having left Colahouse Fort, I headed through the lanes towards Tilbury Fort and the site of Riverside station. Here are some photos of the site of the former Low Street Station, apparently built to serve East and West Tilbury. This really is in the middle of nowhere down some very narrow lanes and once East Tilbury got a station I suppose there was little need for it though it did hang on until the 60s. Not much left now.

 

 

 

There are some good photographs here. I do have a family connection with this area as my father grew up in Horndon on the Hill and went to school in nearby Stanford Le Hope. Quite a lot of ancestors are buried in Horndon and Stanford Church graveyards. We lived in Grays before moving to Dorset. A nice house on top of a hill with great views over the Thames and into Kent.

[mullie]

Nope, don't think Soldering couplings has got any more visually interesting?

 

 

What you see here is small pieces of wire being soldered to the mk1 coupling to convert it to delayed use. There is also one mounting plate visible too, wires need a little bit of trimming. 

[AdeMoore]

Trying to visualise what’s going on there Martyn, Long sticky out bit looks big? Not even sure which way they mount.

Defo. Interesting more pic’s please.

[mullie]

13 minutes ago, AdeMoore said:

Trying to visualise what’s going on there Martyn, Long sticky out bit looks big? Not even sure which way they mount.

Defo. Interesting more pic’s please.

A short piece of 0.45 handrail wire is curved over the coupling hook. The S&W couplings are the 3mm version so quite fine, the wire provides the delayed coupling. This wagon photo possibly explains how it works. Not my idea, I saw it at Expo EM in either 2018 or 2019.