The Hintock Branch-1930's Dorset Joint GWR/SR Workings in OO

[Andrew P]

Excellent workmanship John, I like the never afraid to re look at a scene and try again approach to your modelling.

[john flann]

The first order of business here today  is to say a very sincere thank you to all who have visited my Hintock thread and enabled it to pass 100,000 views; namely, when I last looked 100,090.

 

I've had fun along the way and looking back it's interesting to note the manner HIntock has developed since August 2012. I think that says a lot for the substance of the content and the informed status of the followers and vistors. It's kept us both involved. I've enjoyed it and I trust you have too. Again my sincere thanks and appreciation of those "views" of approval.

 

The Hintock Branch story is by no means complete and, all going well, I hope to amuse and entertain for a while longer.

 

Now, the second is to respond to Andy: yes. I'm quite prepared to rip out and change and generally and eventually, it's turned out well. It's also called evolution and Hintock has done that. That, I feel, is down to the strength of the original story line that is just as valid today as it was when I started on Hintock in 2011. 

 

My construction methods lend themselves to it and very often I can re-cycle many of the parts as I did with what was the mill of Ayling & Strudwick and its transformation into Carr's Mill as has been shown previously and next.

 

So third are more images of Carr's Mill, the turning point (pun intended) was when I re-oriented the main structure and that turned what had been the front and the back into the two exposed sides. It was then just the case to make those look interesting and appealing.

 

If you follow these images along it shows what occured.  

 

 

 

 

and finally,

 

 

Once again, no emoticons-THANKYOU!

[john flann]

 

I seem to spend a lot of time trolling for images that I think I have but it appears not.

 

In doing so, however I came across these two (and they might brighten Andy's dreary day-here it's snowing), the upper as shown was taken in 1988 when still in the UK and it shows the engine shed portion of my layout 'Melbury' , the lower here in small town USA where I currently am living. You will see the empty open streets. the trees, the Bear River Range of the Rocky Mountains and the wide and bright blue sky.

 

Meantime I'm working on Port Bredy and it's beginning to look something like.

 

 

ON EDIT: despite asking for HELP and over 70 hits, I'm no nearer getting my emoticons back in order that I might say "thanks" for the "likes". So in the old fashioned manner THANK YOU gentlemen for the likes.

[john flann]

 

Here are two more curiosities from the late 1980's that I have just found. 

 

This board from Melbury was between the station boards to the L through an overbridge and the staging yard through a tunnel to the R. It was a nice little arrangement with the working convenience of the carriage siding across from the engine shed. Pick the coaches up in the morning set them back at close of day. (These two coaches, ex Triang clerstories converted to corridor stock I still have and are regularly seen on Hintock. By now they must be getting on for forty years old.)

 

It was a nice scenic arrangement too with the river and embankment affect achieved by dropping the baseboard several inches.

 

As an aside how photography has so much improved since then.

 

[Andrew P]

Any more like those John will always be welcome.

[sp1]

Any more like those John will always be welcome.

I agree.

It's nice to see Hintocks ancestors- and in some cases how you have reused the buildings, or at least the idea of them - a continuous theme?

[john flann]

Gentlemen, may I first say to you all thanks for the interest and the likes. My emoticon problem remains unresolved.

 

Now as to the two particular remarks,

 

Andy, yes I do have some more images and in view of the interest I shall post them. I can't say I'm keen to do so but as record of the times I can understand the request to see them.

 

My own comment is that how things have moved on and how much better my modelling has become. But that was then and today is now.

 

The images need some preparation beforehand for posting and I shall do it later today or tomorrow.

 

sp1, Steve, I think, and rightly said, yes the ancestry of today's efforts can be discerned and it's all the better for that. I did write about the development of Melbury and then to Hintock in MTI's of 10 and 11 1988 and 1/89 for those who may still have copies, and I do refer to it generally in my Hintock website (address below.) To those who haven't, Melbury was begun in the early 1970's after the retirement of Little Hintock. By then I had a new home in Tunbridge Wells (I was transfered from Preston to work initially in central London for about four years) and it had roof space over the garage. There Melbury eventually extended to about 16'0 in length on four base boards. All this was a great improvement on my previous garden shed and I made the most of the semi-permanent location.

 

It's been a continuing story having the same theme and of which I haven't tired nor it seems you and many others; many of the structures have moved easily along (with little adaption) and are just as home today as when first part of the setting. In fact I have just added to Port Bredy a structure I built for Melbury back in the 1970's and that will need little or no great adaption.

 

Again my thanks to you all for your interest.

[john flann]

As requested here are further images of Melbury and  from which Hintock sprang. It appears I built Melbury about 1980 and enjoyed it, I had an operating sequence, used 3 link couplings and for those days it appeared Ok. Looking at it today I'm glad I moved on. Before  emigrating to the USA in 1990 I got rid of much of the the stock, scrapped all but one of the baseboards, and also most of the buildings.

 

The baseboard I retained was that of the immediate station area, packed it securely and brought it with me to Montana and along with that some of the buildings I had salvaged. Once here I put it away unopened and went American, building my HO layouts, first Clark Fork, (GMR 2000) and then Providence River (MRP 2011). Later after another house move to Utah, I re-erected and enlarged Providence River and under which the box containing Melbury continued to rest. In about 2010 I felt the urge to go back to modelling the GWR and, after getting on for twenty years opened the box.

 

All was secure but what immediately struck me was how sombre it all was and so very cramped. By now my eyes were accustomed to the wide open spaces, bright colours and the vast skies of the American West. The baseboard nevertheless provided a start, there I enlarged it, and as the trackplan was satisfactory left it alone. I did, however re-arrange the buildings after altering, re-furbishing and re-painting. Such are the foundations of Hintock and traces of the original Melbury-after about forty years- can still be discerned.

 

These images show some of that original Melbury. Their quality is not good; they were taken with a fairly ordinary camera, digital hadn't been invented, in the cramped spaces of the roof space, in poor light and a long time ago.

 

I won't add captions as they speak for themselves. I'm sure many members can identify the significant features of strucures then and now today. Not shown is the station building and that still continues its useful employment on Hintock.

 

 

 

[sp1]

Some of the buildings are instantly recognisable!

 

Interesting to see how this developed into Hintock- does any of the track survive on Hintock?

 

Steve

[Andrew P]

Excellent origins for Hintock, and yes you can discern certain Buildings, especially the Cottages.

[westerhamstation]

Hi John, what a contrast between yesteryear and now. The sun was behind a cloud then, but is now shining brightly on Hintock and all parts west. All the best Adrian

[CourthsVeil]

Very interesting to see the development, John.

 

Thanks for sharing - Armin

[john flann]

Thank you gentlemen for your "likes" as will be obvious the problem with my emoticons in responding to my own posts-persists.

 

Now to the particular comments and which I appreciate :-

 

sp1, yes some original track remains in form of Peco in the two sidings and a length of Gem in the loop.  And, as you say some buildings are very recognisable.

 

My style has too been acknowledged by others. Sometime I wonder if I'm constantly repeating myself. But, as is said, if it works don't fix it. And this style and theme works for me.

 

Andy, the cottages are quite distinctive and continue to serve me well. There, the rather plain building in the image behind  the Pannier went after its Atlantic crossing on to my American layout and but a few days ago I took it off and now it's on Port Bredy where it's now serving as part of the local Farmer's Co-Operative.  

 

The other building at the rear is now part of the Crown Brewery. That to the R front was scrapped. I was a bit sorry about that but it didn't fit in the new set up. It was replaced by the A&S mill subject of posts a little way back. That too was reformed into Carr's Mill also subject of those posts.

 

Adrian, shortly and aptly put. Once the box was opened a new light in so many respects has certainly shone as witnessed in this thread. It's quite salutary to look at the first few pages and see from whence the current Hintock has sprung. I've been very fortunate to have been able to develop it in such a fashion. I think it says so much for the original concept.

 

Armin, once the baseboard was widened and lengthed those few inches made such a difference. I imposed the original dimensions because of the need for ease of handling as a readily portable exhibition layout. That too constrained  what I could do, but absent them and retaining the theme its been a whole new and most enjoyable ball game.

 

My regards to you all.

[Edwardian]

Charm itself.  Clever compact plan, the buildings that we have come to admire, and surprisingly good to see that Peco backscene, blended in and so looking the part. Lovely to see those pictures.

[john flann]

Ian (?), that's a very generous compliment and it is appreciated. Thank you.

 

As you say the Peco back scene did fit in well. To achieve that as I recall I cut the backscene in parts to get the best affect of the individual scene and its particular perspective. That worked well in the first image showing the church and market square, not so happily in the others, and generally the colours of the buildings in the scene and on the railway didn't match.

 

Since this occasion I haven't used a printed backscene preferring my own handpainted sky scenes. I think they give the impression of a greater distance and to the horizon.

[john flann]

 

I was browsing through my images and came across this.

 

It's interesting in that it shows one of the stages in the transformation of the A&S mill, but more pertinent in the current context of how Hintock has developed from Melbury are the now Dairy Cottages at the rear and the stand proud Water Tower.

 

Also noteworthy is the notation in the new mill structure "Built 11/12".

 

ON EDIT: the familar comment no click a button "thanks" for the likes so the real McCoy-THANK YOU!

[Dannyboy2891]

^{Hi John,}

 

^{Just found this wonderful thread, I am sure this has been said many this before.. but would like to say what a fantastic layout you have and I very much enjoyed looking at your modelling journey with this layout.}

^{Truly great, majestic and you have really captured that nostalgic feel of a railway..Brilliant.}

 

^{Kind Regards}

^Dan  

[john flann]

Dan, those are very kind words and I do appreciate them. It has been quite a journey and I enjoyed it, others have and I'm glad you did too.

 

I must admit I didn't expect the response those old images brought thinking as represented it wasn't really very good, but it has proved a solid foundation and on which once again I'm moving forward.

 

It's not over yet and I'm happy to say that the next new part of it, Port Bredy is shaping up well.

 

Thank you for your interest and for making the post. I hope you will feel inclined to post again.

 

I have two or three further images and those along with a track plan I shall soon post.

 

My regards.

[Dannyboy2891]

Hi John,

 

your very welcome for my kind comments, they are very well deserved. I sure will keep following and posting, thank you.

Your layout is a truly inspiring and I hope that given time and lots of practice.. I could achieve some stunning scenery and nostalgic model railway like you have.

 

May i please ask, Any tips for a novice?.

Kind regards

Dan

[john flann]

Dan, yes, of course.

 

My first tip is pay no heed to so-called "expert advice", second, make a start, and three don't be afraid of making mistakes.

 

And, think about what railway you'd like to model, where it's located and when. Then, if you would PM me with your private email address I'll see what I can do to assist. I won't do it on this thread for it would be OT. Here, it's strictly Hintock business only.

[Gwiwer]

Dan, yes, of course.

 

My first tip is pay no heed to so-called "expert advice", second, make a start, and three don't be afraid of making mistakes.

 

And, think about what railway you'd like to model, where it's located and when. Then, if you would PM me with your private email address I'll see what I can do to assist. I won't do it on this thread for it would be OT. Here, it's strictly Hintock business only.

 

 

John

 

First may I apologise for having appeared to be absent over the past so many months.  In fact I have read the posts as they come through on the phone but without the images which chew data to download.  The current job (after 14 months I can't call it the "new" job any longer) has taken out more time than I might have expected and left me not much more than commuting hours to browse the forums.  I have however followed in the background and have today caught up from where I left off.  

 

As always your quite exquisite workmanship backed by a sound storyline produces outstanding results worthy of every "tick" of recognition received.  I also echo your sentiments copied above as that was the methodology which brought Penhayle Bay into existence.  I had little previous knowledge or experience, had read only a couple of general books and discarded much of what I read there as not really relevant.  I blundered ahead, made some mistakes and created what remains today a small world - an extension of the real one just as is yours and which can be "slotted in" to the map of reality quite comfortably - which confounds me as to its enduring and still-growing popularity.  I too am willing to offer any and all support that I can to anyone should they wish to contact me.

 

I am also in the final planning stages of the 2016 visit to home shores.  With family in Sussex and friends in Cornwall I shall be wending my way from one to the other via the serene countryside you represent.  This year I shall have the pleasure of showing the neighbour's daughter around Cornwall.  She has left home for a gap year and her travels coincide with mine so we shall meet and spend a few days together in the west before I drive her to friends also in Sussex.  What a small world we live in!  It would be remiss, in the circumstances, to stick rigidly to the A35 through Dorset and miss some delights so we shall take the coast road from Bridport through West Bay to Abbotsbury before heading back through Little and Long Bredy to Litton Cheney then uphill to Whiteway Down and the main road once more.  I might even drop into Uploders and Askerswell.  While doing so I shall have your world firmly in mind.

 

All the best to you John. I shall continue to watch with great interest even if I don't get as much time to chat as I once did.

[St Enodoc]

Dan, yes, of course.

 

My first tip is pay no heed to so-called "expert advice", second, make a start, and three don't be afraid of making mistakes.

 

And, think about what railway you'd like to model, where it's located and when. Then, if you would PM me with your private email address I'll see what I can do to assist. I won't do it on this thread for it would be OT. Here, it's strictly Hintock business only.

John, I think your first tip is a bit harsh.

 

I certainly wouldn't take much notice of an expert who said "this is how you should do it", but one who said "this is how I did it" or "this is one way that you can do it" is a horse of a different colour.

 

Your second and third tips are spot on - in fact I would put the second tip first!

[john flann]

Thanks Rick, yes  some expert advice is valuable, other from opionated individuals not so and that is why I used the inverted commas. And if I give advice I always temper it along the lines of, as you say, "I would suggest ..."

 

We know each other well enough to leave it at that, I would hope.

[john flann]

Rick, just seen your long post, thank you. As ever your thoughtful and knowlegeable comments I appreciate for it's very obvious to me that my endeavours strike home with you.

 

Like Penhayle Bay is to you a parallel world so is Hintock to me and we each in our way live in it. I think probably that has much to do with their success. They have a life, real enough but apart from the every day cares.

 

Your trip to the UK I know you will find enjoyable and a form of remembrance, and it's kind of you to prepare to give a thought to Hintock  as you travel that rather mysterious and charminge locality. Dorset at its finest.

[Dannyboy2891]

Dan, yes, of course.

 

My first tip is pay no heed to so-called "expert advice", second, make a start, and three don't be afraid of making mistakes.

 

And, think about what railway you'd like to model, where it's located and when. Then, if you would PM me with your private email address I'll see what I can do to assist. I won't do it on this thread for it would be OT. Here, it's strictly Hintock business only.

 

Hi John,

 

Thank you for the advice.. will certainly take that on board. my next project to which I hope to start building the layout next year is to be modelled on the Wisbech and Upwell tramway, I have done an epic amount of research and over past 2 years I have scratch built a handful of the wooden bodied trams and placed them onto Bachmann chassis.

 

But being a family man and having a somewhat demanding job.. modelling time is kind of limited.. Rm web being my main source of socialising and relaxing.  

 

Many Thanks to you.

 

Regards

Dan