Bath Queen Square

[queensquare]

Thanks Bruce, the layout room is roughly 20'x10' which will now be all scenic, the fiddle yard is moveing onto the far wall of the workshop extension but will otherwise be unchanged. Other than the tunnel mouths there will only be an underbridge, a ground frame and a couple of huts so not too much work on the new bit. It will offer some interesting new views of the colliery and also set it further into the landscape though I will have to upgrade the areas which were previously unseen - starting with those cottage fronts!

 

Jerry

 

[Donw]

Few people would opt for 2mm in that sort of space but the results you show questions that. I have a foot in both the 2mm and 7mm camps and tend to think of 7mm for the bigger space it might be better the other way round.

 

Don

[VRBroadgauge]

15 hours ago, queensquare said:

Thanks Bruce, the layout room is roughly 20'x10' which will now be all scenic, the fiddle yard is moveing onto the far wall of the workshop extension but will otherwise be unchanged. Other than the tunnel mouths there will only be an underbridge, a ground frame and a couple of huts so not too much work on the new bit. It will offer some interesting new views of the colliery and also set it further into the landscape though I will have to upgrade the areas which were previously unseen - starting with those cottage fronts!

 

Jerry

 

That's a good space Jerry. The way you've constructed your layout makes it seem much larger. I'm a big fan of sweeping curves rather than "trainset" beasties. Your design works very well. Whilst we may have more real estate out here in the antipodes area doesn't always matter. It's what you do with it that counts.

[queensquare]

Thanks gents, I’ve always felt that 2mm was ideally suited to large spaces to really exploit the railway in the landscape feel with its broad brush approach.

7mm on the other hand, is much better in a small space as the intimacy suits the very high level of detail possible.

That said, Anthony Yeates tiny Port Jubilee, which he brought down to Wells, is exquisite.

 

Jerry

[CF MRC]

I am a firm believer in large 2mm scale layouts…

 

Tim

[CF MRC]

On 22/08/2023 at 11:04, queensquare said:

7mm on the other hand, is much better in a small space as the intimacy suits the very high level of detail possible.

 

Jerry

I recollect quite a few years ago there was a massive 7mm gauge model of Millers Dale & Monsal Dale on display at Matlock. The modelling was superb, but it didn’t really ‘work’ for me as you couldn’t get far enough away from it to take in the whole scene. That being so, why not make it in a smaller scale?

 

Pendon’s Vale scene works well but could easily  have used more perspective effects in the space available. CF is really just a big impressionistic painting with depth. 
 

Tim

[Compound2632]

1 hour ago, CF MRC said:

I recollect quite a few years ago there was a massive 7mm gauge model of Millers Dale & Monsal Dale on display at Matlock. The modelling was superb, but it didn’t really ‘work’ for me as you couldn’t get far enough away from it to take in the whole scene. That being so, why not make it in a smaller scale?

 

I remember that, from a visit round about 1980. It impressed me then! Not long after, it was the idea of saving it (from condemnation due to a premises move) that led Bob Essery, @Dave Hunt and others to establish the Midland Railway Society.

[VRBroadgauge]

13 hours ago, CF MRC said:

I am a firm believer in large 2mm scale layouts…

 

Tim

Me too. Jerry said to me that 2mm FS was the perfect vehicle to model the big landscapes of the Australian country side.

 

My proposed layout is attached. I'm currently in the planning stages of building a new house and this layout will be in a purpose built "shed" as part of that. I'm about 12 to 18 months away from the build. I plan to build this layout over the next 10 to 20 years time and health permitting.

 

If people are interested I'll post this on my thread so that I don't hijack Jerry's.

 

LAYOUT CUDGEWA.pdf

[DLT]

Speaking of size Jerry,  This   is a bit big for the layout, but would look great in your garden.

[queensquare]

A couple of evenings plasticard whittling and I have the north entrance to Devonshire tunnel. I found a really useful picture of the tunnel mouth on the web taken from the centre line of the track, inside, looking out which was perfect for getting the subtle curve right. I printed out a copy to scale (guesstimated!) and used it to make a card template.

I used an old Farish coach which now sees service on the grandsons layout to test clearances. It looks suitably snug so I’m happy I’m not far out.

I have several more bridges and tunnel mouths to make and they make an ideal subject for my little front room bench.

 

Jerry

 

 

 

 

[queensquare]

The S&D had a fine selection of very modelable  tunnels. My friend Paul Stephens has included a number of them on his N gauge layout. I built the track, bridges, tunnels and buildings but the scenics are all Paul’s work.

 

Paul has really nailed the north end of Devonshire tunnel and the final drop down the bank into Bath. Mine will be much more compressed but then he isn’t building the rest of Bath!

 

His Chilcompton tunnel is also excellent. If it wasn’t for the fact I’d already built it  I would probably have opted for this scene for the new extension - it just screams S&D.

 

 

Winsor Hill tunnel, north end. If I’d had another few feet of space I’d love to have done this, in the 1920s when the quarries either side of the line were both working unlike Paul's 50/60s period with overgrown sidings and derelict signal box.

 

 

 

 

As seen a page or two back I’ve opted for Winsor Hill south end - wrong end for me really but I do get a quarry siding, small signal box and I can do it with minimal compression. Here are the tunnel mouths on a site visit at least four years ago - mother and daughter Jelly and Jazz in attendance.

 
Jerry

 

edited to add that the excellent model photos are the work of Andy York

Edited August 26, 2023 by queensquare

[Steve Smith]

And then there's those two strange 'tunnel' bridges in Cannards Grave cutting:

This one is in 7mm scale on YMRG's 'Evercreech New'.  All the structures on the Bath Extension have subtle differences depending on where they are.   Around Shepton  big clay bullnose coping bricks and zig-zag wing walls definitely a 'thing'.  The (widened) up side walls lined in brick, and down side walls in stone. 

Edited August 27, 2023 by Steve Smith

[queensquare]

1 hour ago, Steve Smith said:

And then there's those two strange 'tunnel' bridges in Cannards Grave cutting:

This one is in 7mm scale on YMRG's 'Evercreech New'.  All the structures on the Bath Extension have subtle differences depending on where they are.   Around Shepton  big clay bullnose coping bricks and zig-zag wing walls definitely a 'thing'.  The (widened) up side walls lined in brick, and down side walls in stone. 

Nice, one of those double arch bridges around Cannards Grave was considered as an option but in the end I wanted a tunnel - I like tunnels!

 

Jerry

[queensquare]

I’m on a roll, this evening I made the short , ‘new’, Winsor Hill tunnel entrance - nice quick job as there are no wing walls thanks to the rock cutting sides.
When the line was doubled in the 1890s the engineers found that if they slewed the line slightly to the south they could make the ‘new’ tunnel 110 yards shorter than the old - a significant saving for the cash strapped  company.

 

Jerry

 

 

[queensquare]

Having completed the third and final tunnel mouth required on the layout I was up with the lark this morning to flash a quick coat of primer over them before breakfast. I think with careful painting they should look the part.

 

Jerry

 

[DLT]

On 28/08/2023 at 22:43, queensquare said:

When the line was doubled in the 1890s the engineers found that if they slewed the line slightly to the south they could make the ‘new’ tunnel 110 yards shorter than the old - a significant saving for the cash strapped  company.

And considerably more comfortable for the loco crews going uphill.  Or should that be "less uncomfortable"

[queensquare]

If I drive the trains fast enough they might just make it…….. 😊

 

Jerry

 

 

[Caley Jim]

45 minutes ago, queensquare said:

If I drive the trains fast enough they might just make it…….. 😊

Need to put Red Bull in the tank!

https://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&as_q=&as_epq=red+bull+advert&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&as_filetype=&tbs=#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:c56bb4c6,vid:LH8BHxz9lPg

 

(or get Max Verstappen on the regulator!)

 

Jim

[65179]

No.1 has stayalive. Does it have stayaloft too?

[VRBroadgauge]

If I drive the trains fast enough they might just make it…….. 😊

 

Jerry

 

Jerry Kinevil.......

[John Brenchley]

It might help take off if you incorporate a bit of a ramp.

[queensquare]

Very little to report on the layout as I’ve been busy knocking down walls, plastering, decorating , hanging new doors etc ….. it just goes on!
Anyway, now finished, new floorings and carpet going down and trying to decide what to spend my huge stash of smarty points on before I blow the lot on one ill judged comment!!

 

I’ve got a gathering of friends here tomorrow followed by 2mm missionary work at Scaleforum in High Wycombe next weekend then, with temperatures back down to sensible levels I shall be back in the workshop for the autumn season.

 

On the livestock front, this morning we picked up three new girls for me to talk to through the workshop window - point of lay, nineteen weeks old so should start giving me lovely fresh eggs in the next couple of weeks.

Will post some train pictures soon!😊😊

Jerry

 

Ps. The sheds long term residents don’t look overly excited by the new arrivals!!

 

 

[VRBroadgauge]

Nice chooks Jerry

[andy stroud]

I really like chickens.

Just off junction 26 of the M5, south of Taunton is a garden centre called Willowbrook.  They have a cafe with an outside seating area which has lots of chickens freely wondering about and taking titbits of food. Im actually surprised that its allowed in these days of strict hygiene rules and regulations but I think its very pleasant and long may it continue. The food there isn't bad also. A much nicer place than Taunton Dean services.

[mullie]

Point of lay, does that make them finescale chickens?

 

Hat, coat........gone!