Camden Shed

[92220]

Thanks Brian, that's very kind. I'd love to see any film that you might have, as and when you get the chance. I've got a few clips on various DVDs, but not a huge amount.

 

That pic of Duchess of Norfolk is wonderful, isn't it? I've used it once before, and I ought to try to recreate it again, now that I've got a bit more of the layout done.

 

I've completed and laid the formation I was building a week or two ago. This is while the glue was setting:

 

 

And then when dry:

 

 

I won't know for certain how it runs until it's wired and I can run locos under power, but test bogies and loco chassis run through ok without any tight spots. It isn't completely perfect, but the prototype was anything but. No loco will go through the reverse settings and diamonds at anything more than walking pace anyway, so hopefully we will be ok. It is such a characteristic feature of Camden that it makes me feel I'm getting somewhere just to get this bit done.

 

Turntable:

 

A Peco item, significantly modified. This one was bought (badly) built for less than a tenner, so I didn't feel too bad about attacking it. Having said that, it would have been a whole lot easier as components.

Brick facing to the pit wall:

 

 

To accommodate this, the table itself needed shortening. Razor saw to cut a slot:

 

 

Then solvent to reattach the ends to the shortened girders:

 

 

Beginning of the operating platform:

 

 

More to do here.....

 

Signal box getting closer to completion:

 

 

I haven't done the interior yet, but have decided to make it separately in a detachable box:

 

 

That way, I can attach the box to its locking room base on the scenic board to the rear, and add the interior later.

 

And finally, a couple of Tony Wright couplings in a parcels rake.

 

 

 

These need painting and weathering, but I'm very pleased with the appearance, running qualities and flexibility. And they cost virtually nothing at all.

 

Iain

[1BCamden]

Hi Iain, best wishes for the new year, the standard of the track work will 'kill' the RTR suppliers if you keep it up, the double crossing into the country end is fantastic, I'm wondering what I should do about all the tillig elite track I've bought - fiddle yard ?

over Christmas I received a copy of Rod Steele, Euston and Camden Train Spotting, I think he must have wrote it with you in mind, well worth the fourteen or so pounds, 1962 and all that photography.

Really enjoying both threads, thanks.

[TerryD1471]

Iain

 

Great to see your progress; the trackwork and buildings are beautifully done and thoroughly convincing. Good to see your "locoholic" tendencies, too! You can never have enough.

 

Salutations from further north on the WCML.

 

Terry D

[92220]

Hi Terry and Stanley,

Thanks as ever for your kind words and encouragement. I've got a lot to do still, and most of the locos need some significant detailing and weathering.

Great recommendation about Rod Steele's book! I hadn't spotted it before, but managed to get a copy quickly. I've got about 5-600 photos now, and many of them are used in the book. But there are many new ones too, and a there are quite a few details clearly visible that I haven't already got.

I've done literally nothing in the past two weeks due to work. But here is one thing I'd not mentioned before:

 

 

Making the wheels for the narrow gauge ashpit wagons. I've got a few z gauge wagon axles, with wheels about 4mm diameter. File down the brass pinpoints and then solder 4mm hand wheels from an MSE etch to the faces. By the time they are covered in ash, they should be ok I hope.

 

Iain

[1BCamden]

Camden June 1962, what a scene !!

[1BCamden]

Hi Ian, found this trawling through Flickr, I hope Richard (Rick2E) doesn't mind.

There is an incredible amount of detail to be found, but I think you got the bridge steel colour right anyway, how about the leading two carriages behind that tin (Sulzer type 2) can thing, non-corridor something or other ?

Anyway, take some holidays, and think about some youtube footage over the double diamond, now that would be 'incredible'

[92220]

That pic is off the charts Stanley! Thank you - I've never seen even that angle before - looks as if the photographer was on the shed roof? But to have that bright sunshine and all the details that are normally obscured is wonderful. It makes me realise that the compromises that I had to make in the background - with the station building and associated structures - are quite significant, if ultimately necessary.

I start thinking of a rebuild including the dive under of the two slow lines in the centre, plus the 3rd/4th rail.....and the retaining walls and railings......

I wistfully imagine that I could include the goods lines between the station and the up fast.......

But I can't!

 

The two leading non-corridor coaches are ex LMS I think? I have just bought a few cheaply to mess around with. I have an article from the Barrowmore site written by John Kendall on upgrading the old Airfix LMS suburbans, including some Comet bits and pieces. http://bmrcm.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/LMS-Suburban-Coaches.pdf

The subject of a future post or two I hope....

 

Holiday? Nice thought if a bit distant..... I'm not complaining in the slightest. I do get thoroughly decent holidays, but only when I'm told. In term time it's 7 days a week and most evenings. I'm taking a school trip in both the next two holidays too. And yes, it is a different school to most!

 

However, after a long weekend I do get 2 hours in the shed this evening....

 

Iain

[1BCamden]

Yes it's a telling photograph, but to date you and Vincent are leading the field, and a rebuild would just be wasteful and unwarranted in the current plan. Somewhere else a well respected blogger started ripping up great work, it seemed odd in that the original concept was not realised. I posted this photograph really for the colour detail, which you have captured, not the DC line dive under, as gradients on prototypical length trains are another matter completely. I seen the John Kendall article, it's great, and now that shawplan glazing is available - what a finish it will make to any suburban set !!

[92220]

Hi Stanley,

 

Thanks - I'm not going to rebuild it in its current guise, but, if and when we move, I may consider adding more elements in v2 like the beginning of the dive under, the electrification of the slow lines, more of the goods depot etc, but it will depend on the space available. As it stands, it's my first layout to get anywhere near scenic stages and I'm happy both now and in the future to make some sensible compromise in context. I do notice from your previous pic that I didn't quite get the colour of the buildings adjoining the station, and may consider repainting.

 

You're beyond kind to mention me even in the same sentence as Vincent. Take a look at this pic:

 

 

This is similar to one of the photos in MRJ172.

 

It really is the most spectacular portrayal of the great vista of Camden Bank. Looking here from Parktown, down past Mornington St bridge, to a Granby Terrace, it both looks and works (or will do when complete!) just like Camden Bank of the 1950's. There is Deltic Prototype (weathered by Tim Shackleton) with 9 or 10 on and completely lost in that great expanse of urban mainline. The whole thing is exquisitely crafted. Handbuilt interlocking lever frames, bespoke milled and turned operating mechanisms under the board for the turnouts and signals, etched coaches, beautiful EM track, scratchbuilt signal boxes out of plasticard as good as anything on the signal box thread. It was originally wired for a pioneering type of radio control but Vincent has now rewired it for DCC.

 

There are 3 other sides to the loft too...... The shed area that I am doing occupies around half of one of the long sides. I think it bears comparison with any of the astonishingly good layouts on here or at shows.

 

I've done very little recently, which is a bit frustrating, but there we go.

 

So, for inspiration, a few pics from various freely accessible places on the web and eBay auctions, none of them mine:

 

 

 

 

 

Good subject matter for the future.

 

Iain

Edited February 9, 2014 by 92220

[billy_anorak59]

I’ve managed to miss this thread up to now -  how, I don’t know (I think I must be a bit slow…). I don’t usually contribute to the forum, as I’m not worthy, I just lurk - but this thread has grabbed me by its ability to simply ooze atmosphere.

 

Apart from my gushing appreciation, I was just wondering if you had seen the aerial shots of Camden on the excellent ‘Britain From Above’ site? It seems to have got a lot bigger lately, and there is good resolution available if you register, as you are then allowed to zoom in a fair way. Not quite your era (20s/40s), but useful? Apologies if you were already aware.

 

See http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/epw000804?search=camden&ref=1 for example.

 

It’s been great to follow your journey so far – looking forward to the rest of it!

 

Bill.

 

 

 

[92220]

Thanks Bill.

I have used that site a few times and it has some wonderful views. As you say, a bit early for me and there were some big changes in that period, but fascinating nonetheless.

 

Thanks,

 

Iain

[92220]

Finally had a few hours today to do something.

 

In order to complete the track in the north end of the yard, I need to sort out the turntable, because everything else references off that, both in terms of alignment and levels. Following the templot plan is one thing, but going from code 75 BH to the 100 FB that is on the deck means I just have to tweak everything to get it right.

 

There isn't much to show for the time spent today. A lot of thinking and testing, and I think there is a plan. I'm using the Expo motorising kit including the gearbox (I love the look of what Ray is doing in his thread but I barely understand a word of it!). I've begun painting and detailing both the well and the deck, as it will be a lot easier to do so before it's installed, and have built the under board mount:

 

 

The Meccano axle is a friction fit into the hole in the deck, but will be araldited too. It will be held at the right level by two brass cylinders grub screwed onto the axle, either side of a piece of meccano that will be screwed onto the two lengths of wood in the photo. It will probably be easier to explain with a picture when I've done it.

 

I've also been chipping away at a few other jobs that will appear in photos when I get a bit further with them - painting the LNWR signal box, building the cover for the ashplant hoist, completing the tiny shed that sits by the ashplant - but have been somewhat distracted by doing some more work on various bits of coaching stock as in the thread in my signature.

 

Iain

[bobster]

Suberb quality modelling - Thanks.

[92220]

Quoted from the Black Country Blues Signal Box thread:

 

Spotted a link to this film on another forum; lots of useful detail for anyone else modelling an ex-LNWR signal box - reminds me I still need to do an interior for ours too

 

 

 

The YouTube video won't seem to add, but it is entitled Sentinels of Safety 1938 (LMS)

It is great and includes the following:

 

 

 

The elusive NE side of the shed wall - best image I have found yet and I doubt it changed much from 1938 to 1960. It certainly wasn't cleaned.......

 

 

A bit more done in the shed but not a lot.

 

Turntable well with brick painted (red brick base, mortar wash and 8 sorts of dry brushing over the top), white band from evergreen plastic strip and then painted. The real thing had various drips and spills of white, but I'm not certain whether that would be right to reproduce here.

 

 

 

Drilling jig for handrail posts:

 

 

And a pile of handrail posts....

 

 

Turntable deck with some added details - more to do

 

 

Chipping away.....

 

Iain

 

Edited to add youtube details....

Edited March 5, 2014 by 92220

[Black5]

Hi Ian, just been looking at your latest pictures. Certainly been some work going on there. I posted some pictures last year under the heading Black5 of the Ash Hoist and Coaling Tower that i`d built. Since then i`ve built an Aqua Duct at one end which is totally wrong i know but i wanted to build in some relief to lose some of the flatness of the layout. Your layout is certainly larger than mine which is why i concentrated on the yard area. I`ll take some pictures of progress so far. I`m half way through building the engine shed at the moment. Regards, Jim.

[1BCamden]

Hi Iain,

in relationship to earlier discussion, avoiding line siding stops, I've had a hunt round a number of photos, and it appears that both sidings must have been damaged and hammered down from buffers stops, to rail stops as you guys have been discussing.

In about 1936 when the LMSR was carrying out road realignment a number of new LNWR/LMSR buffer stops were installed, the 4mm equivalent of MIKES MODELS MM88, as seen in the shot of 70048, it has those huge whitewashed brackets (looking really bad in this photo) these were installed in both city and country end yards. The line stops were very different however, if you look at 6255 shot from Richard, they are quite small and tidy. Now in the 6240 shot the middle bracket has become the stop, with front diagonal hammered down beside the rail.

Interesting prototypical date stamp .........

 

best regards

Stanley.

Edited April 14, 2014 by 1BCamden

[1BCamden]

Pretty tidy turntable well here, yours must have had a bad day, possibly rain or twenty odd years later .....

best regards

Stanley

[1BCamden]

A bit more on buffer stops,

PH DESIGNS do a very nice buffer stop that could do the trick, PH7BUFPRAIL, I think that's right, on the photo of the fret it did state 4 mm.

Although they appear out of stock at C&L's, but at thirteen pound plus each, and needing five, what's the rush, especially when you are going wreck two of them.

best regards

Stanley

[92220]

Hi Jim,

 

Thanks - I have been following your blog post ever since you first posted in fact! Do post any updates. Where does the aqueduct go? Very keen to share ideas on the construction of the loco shed. This will need to be built once I've finished the track.

 

Stanley - thanks as ever for some great pics and info. The one of 70048 I've never seen - practically ex works by the look of it? I'd earmarked the PH stop for the siding that leads towards the turntable but stops short of it - as in that pic background. There is one road through the table that has a stop just by the bridge parapet, and another which is the coal wagon road at the back of the table. Both of these need stops. The siding by the ashpit that 46240 is on above will have some kind of semi-demolished rail stop, and the three vestigial roads off the table need white wheel stops only - easy enough to fabricate I hope......

 

Still to decide how to do the two machine shop roads with the wheel drop. Because the entire shed is necessarily shortened, it's pretty tight in that area. I may compromise.....

 

Progress? Well, not a lot. Backscenes are now complete and once I have finalised detailing of the station and goods shed boards, they will be permanently fixed and I'll post some photos.

 

I've been unable to do anything for several weeks, and have just come back from the USA. In an attempt to keep awake on my return, I did a little more on the turntable. I do have to get this completed in order to connect up all the track in that area, because of getting all the levels correct. Given the way I have chosen to motorise and mount the turntable, once it's built it's built, so a complete painting and weathering job needs to be done. The handrails are fiddly, but I set them up with a jig. Solvent to attach the uprights to the base, cyano to stick the 0.45 ns wire through the uprights.

 

Trimming etc needed....

 

 

 

Iain

[Black5]

Hi Iain, iv`e put a few pictures here for you to show progress so far on my attempt at something resembling Camden..The track layout i measured off an LMSR ratings dawing drawn at a scale of 40ft to the inch. The drawing is on one sheet and measures 9ft x 3ft layed out on the floor. I had a neighbour who worked for British Rail at the time and i asked the question regarding a track plan of Camden Shed and the drawing i have is what she brought home. It covers the complete curve from the Regents Canal round to Primrose Hill including the whole goods area and Gilbeys Bonded Wharehouse,( now the Roundhouse Theatre), all the buildings,stables etc.

The shed is built to fit the space i have, is approx 3ft x 1ft 3ins and covers the five main tracks. Space dictated losing some track and i won`t manage the offices at the end. I`ve been wondering what to do about the water tank, modellers license i think. The layout is 17ft x 2ft and comes as 4 separate boards that hang on the garage wall when not in use. I`m surprised it all works as well as it does considering the car goes in there at night wet and frosty depending on the weather! I`m unsure how to find you when i`m signed into the rm web, i only find you through google under Camden mpd.

 

[CUTLER2579]

Black 5,

now that you have posted on this topic it will automatically come up under Black5's content if you click on Black5 at the top right hand corner.Some great modelling by the way,which was my reason for commenting really.

Regards,Derek.

[92220]

Hi Jim,

 

Love what you've done there! Thanks very much for adding the pictures.

I've sent you a PM (personal message) with my email address if you want to contact me off the forum. It should come up as an envelope with a little red 1 near the top right of the screen.

 

Stanley - further research confirms what I thought, that the PH designs stop is perfect for the stop in your pic of 70048 above, and one will be purchased soon. The coal wagon siding and the single road off the TT by the road bridge are different to this, similar to the peco one, though I'm not certain whether one of the Lanarkshire Models ones will be right here. The stop on the siding under the water tower eludes me at present.

 

I've been doing a bit of painting, weathering and detailing the last day or so, which seems to take ages and yet it looks as if if I've done very little! I'll post a pic or two in due course.....

 

Iain

[welsh wizard]

Just came across your layout ,superb ! don't know if anyone has mentioned this before but  I did have a book when i was a youngster I think it was called modern railways the world over and there was an article titled a Royal Scot visits Camden ( I think) any way there were about 6 pages of photos of Camden with the loco being disposed and coaled etc ..might be a worth a look if you can get hold of a copy? merv from a sunny s wales coast.....

[92220]

Thanks Merv, I have that book and very useful it is too:

 

 

It helped with a load of detail pictures of areas rarely photographed, and also with my understanding of operation sequence.

 

A bit of progress, but don't get too excited......

 

Camden no.2 box which was basically there to control movements in and out of the goods yard. I've painted this, which highlights yet more shortcomings in my abilities. The detail painting of gulf red and biscuit to the different areas required better technique than I currently have. Still, removal of overpaint with thinners seemed to work......This is a longer range photo, given that the box sits right near the backscene, and I've yet to weather it, fit the interior into the detachable box I made, and add the name board.

 

 

Footbridge over to the goods depot has been weathered

 

 

 

 

Turntable has had a few further bits made, plus the first stages of painting. I have a colour photo from the early 60's with 46238 broadside in bright sunshine, and the handrails are definitely red. Whether they are heavily faded gulf red or just primer, is hard to say but I suspect the latter. These are in primer and look similar in shade.

 

 

 

I tried to scratchbuild the vacuum operation mechanism but I am also going to get a Dapol turntable and see whether that item from the kit can be used instead. For 6 quid, it's worth it to try.

 

Iain

[welsh wizard]

I am so glad that my memory wasn't playing tricks !! and that it has helped you out ! merv from a cloudy S Wales coast...