North Welsh Coast Railway - Welsh Dragon Rail

[Simond]

French marmalade in Brizz…. Whatever next?

[Stephen Freeman]

2 hours ago, Simond said:

French marmalade in Brizz…. Whatever next?

The French don't really do Marmalade at all, certainly not that brand, as far as I know. Now an interesting fact is that a certain DIY store in Sauze Vaussais used to cater for the home jam making and they sold jars of the same design as Bonne Mamman (of course on sale in UK as well even now, though I don't really rate them and nor do the French I think, as they are probably the least expensive brand there) now whether they were brand new or recycled I couldn't say...

[Joseph_Pestell]

23 minutes ago, Stephen Freeman said:

The French don't really do Marmalade at all, certainly not that brand, as far as I know. Now an interesting fact is that a certain DIY store in Sauze Vaussais used to cater for the home jam making and they sold jars of the same design as Bonne Mamman (of course on sale in UK as well even now, though I don't really rate them and nor do the French I think, as they are probably the least expensive brand there) now whether they were brand new or recycled I couldn't say...

You are behind the times. The French definitely do Marmalade these days. I think that "Orange Amere" has been in the Bonne Maman range for about 20 years.

Agreed that it was not well known 30+ years ago when my parents moved to France. Several orange trees' fruits were going to waste. But she taught several locals to make marmalade and it is now available in the village shop.

[Stephen Freeman]

I suppose it depends on the part of France, certainly the better quality stuff, I think in my opinion was Andros, and they did do Marmalade. There was the top quality preserves in the thin tall jars, can't remember the name but they were available in the UK whereas Andros was not.

[lezz01]

I lived in St Raphael for about 18 months around 35 years ago and they had never heard of the stuff. We had to get friends to bring it out to us along with decent sausages. The local one's were OK but they weren't a patch on a good Cumberland. Now cheese well that was a different matter entirely.

Regards Lez.   

[Simond]

There is Bonne Maman in the local hypermarkets in Brittany, and the copy-in-the-similar-jar in the local supermarket on the quayside in Plerin.  The Bonne Maman Orange Amere is my go-to since my mum stopped making Seville orange marmalade some years back.  She’s probably still cooking on her cloud somewhere…

 

I shall look out the Andros stuff next time we get across the channel.

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear Simon John Lezz Stephen and Joseph,

 

Who would have thought using jam jars in Australia would promote so much discussion om jam!! In Australia Bonne Marmon produce the best jam I have found, Our old Cottees brand is now more like a jelly with miniscule flavourings elements and virtually no fruit, At least with Bonne Marmon you can see the fruit. I have inserted photographic evidence as to the existence of Bonne Marmon orange marmalade in the next photo. That on a slice of toast with an accompanying raspberry is my combination of choice for breakfast.

 

(I now have a picture of jam in my layout photos!!!)

 

 

The North Welsh weekly newspaper has further reported:

 

"Extensive land back fill has been taking place at Penmaenmawr just below the Grand Hotel. Back fill operations have intruded onto the Chester/Holyhead main line at Penmaenmawr with the narrowing of Station Rd. This line will be closed until further notice. Aerial shots of the extensive ground work are included, including the debris covering the main line. Rail authorities need to prioritise clearance and the reopening of this line!!!! "

 

I need to paper mache the new ground work and then get on with walls and foot path construction.

 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

[Bogie]

1 hour ago, Anthony Ashley said:

Who would have thought using jam jars in Australia would promote so much discussion om jam!!

 

Never - I mean never - underestimate the ability of posters on RMWeb to go off topic!

 

As off topics go, jam is a pretty good one.  My wife and I prefer the Boone Maman raspberry - whereas our daughter prefers strawberry.  Mix-ups involving the jam have lead to some of the biggest crises our family has ever faced!

 

Oh and good to see progress on the layout continues.

[Simond]

For those who don’t speak French,

 

“Bonne Maman” translates literally  as “Good Mummy”, but actually means “Mother in Law” 

 

:)

[Anthony Ashley]

To all Jam Connoisseurs.

 

My wife Sarah has insisted that I put a photo of her favourite jam on RM Web!!!! Here it is.

 

 

I have also been pouring the resin mould to create the wall stone sections. Photos of the operation are below.

 

 

I also discovered that I missed a road and the houses in it. The road has now been cut and the house floor plans drawn and cut out. Just need to attach the road and do a plaster pour for this road and one other.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley 

 

 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Anthony Ashley said:

To all Jam Connoisseurs.

 

My wife Sarah has insisted that I put a photo of her favourite jam on RM Web!!!! Here it is.

 

 

I have also been pouring the resin mould to create the wall stone sections. Photos of the operation are below.

 

 

I also discovered that I missed a road and the houses in it. The road has now been cut and the house floor plans drawn and cut out. Just need to attach the road and do a plaster pour for this road and one other.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley 

 

 

That's another good brand too. Both are especially good in the mini-jars you get in hotels or in the case of Bonne Maman the Advent calendar that Veronica bought last year. Ideal for mixing paint, cleaning brushes and so on.

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear All,

 

I finally decided to conduct surgery on the layout. The area of Penmaenmawr near Pennant Hall on Beach road has a small hill on my layout which does not seen to exist. I decided I needed to finally lower the area so get better access to Pennant Hall. I took about 60 ml off the ridge line. Photos of the surgery are below.

 

I have cut the paper mache and opened up the layout. 

 

I rrealised the working area was insufficient so widened the gap after cutting and removing the chicken wire

 

Further expansion as the paper mache remaining was stiff and would create an edge line with new paper mache being laid.

 

Covering up the gap. The area of Pennant hall is now relatively flat allowing the car park to be properly modelled. The beauty of using paper mache is its flexibility, the ease of cutting out errors and the cheap cost of fixing any errors.

 

I have now cut many walls and am cutting different resin stone surfaces to fit.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Simond]

And it’s lighter than plaster…!

 

:)

[Howard O]

Anthony 

I finally got to visit the museum in Penmaenmawr hoping to get photo of the Grand Hotel and Cinema. No joy I’m afraid as they have not cataloged much of their material. The lady manning the desk suggested that I try the Conway archives but no time on the day. 
you seem to be making great progress Well done!

Kind Regards 

Howard

[Anthony Ashley]

Howard,

 

Thankyou for your efforts. If you have time to inquire at the Conwy archives that would be fantastic. Thanks again for the help,

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

[HJ72]

[Anthony Ashley]

Howard,

 

Thanks for the great photo. It gives a great view of the whole building, including the roof  forecourt and the grounds. I wonder what part of the area was the "garage in grounds". I presume it was at the back in what probably was the old stables. The photo below is of the area I am talking about, with a door starting half way up the  wall to link to the road, which is gaining elevation on the outside of the building, most unusual!!

 

I have experimented with adding blended turf scatter to the hedging material. I am interested in any comments on which version looks better. 

 

The first is without the scatter.

The second is with scatter fixed to the hedge.

 

Any comments on look of both are appreciated. 

 

I have also been cutting and painting foot paths. In the process of sticking them to the roads. 

 

I shall have to make or purchase some bench seating to replicate the seats in the foreground. Thanks again the photo is great.

 

It has been a really busy month with Sarah my wife having a knee replacement. This has impacted seriously on time available for modelling so things have slowed down again.  She is at least home now so no more hospital visits but I do need to spend time looking after her. Slow progress for the next month or so. 

 

Any comments on the hedging would be appreciated. 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

Edited May 30, 2022 by Anthony Ashley

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear All,

 

A couple of more photos side on.

 

Without scatter With  scatter.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

[5BarVT]

Hi Anthony,

 

I think it looks better with scatter.  It has a slightly fuller feel and a bit more variation in shape and colour.

 

Paul.

[Howard O]

Anthony 

It’s with some reluctance that it wasn’t me that sent the brilliant photo of the Grand Hotel. I’m not sure who Hj72 is. 
 

re the buildings round the back of the hotel. Yes there may have been garages there but (at closest the camera) there was a large in-house laundry which ran quite a long way along the building. 

 

[Anthony Ashley]

HJ72,

 

My apologies for mistaking your identity. The photo is the best I have seen of the Grand providing a wider view of the structure and its components. Thanks again as all of the combined info provided by contributions really helps with the modelling. My wife and I were due to visit Wales last year but we are now still planning.

5 B ,

 

Thanks for the feed back, you have reinforced my views.

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley 

Edited May 31, 2022 by Anthony Ashley

[Anthony Ashley]

Dear All.

 

Sarah, my wife, became suspicious about the disappearing pegs which seemed to be vanishing from the peg bag. I decided it was time to buy my own. Finding the right peg however was a little more difficult as most have the clap section well back form the top of the peg. I found the right ones shown below and used all of them on a curved road section.  

 

Peg with clamp section on the end of the peg.

 

Pegged road.

 

I have a lot more road edging to complete. Most of the foot paths are now done with curbs added separately as shown above. The council will need to employ a road sweeper to get rid of the debris on the road.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

 

 

[lezz01]

Personally I go with wooden pegs myself. I'm not sure why maybe because when I first needed pegs for modelling wood was the only option and I've just carried on using them. Kimmy uses the plastic ones for the washing so if I felt the need there are plastic ones in the house but I have a good supply of the old wooden ones in stock.

Regards Lez.

[Simond]

Probably not much use to Anthony, but wooden ones are vital for soldering etched brass kits.

 

I usually reverse the spring so the “handles” become the bits that hold, and the rounded bits that normally hold the washing to the line become the bits you squeeze to open the grip.

 

worth noting that it’s perfectly possible to saw interesting shapes into the gripper ends to meet the needs of special jobs.

 

and the “rustless” aluminium hair grips can be bent and arranged for all sorts of special gripping jobs.

[lezz01]

Yes I have a few that I've reversed also some I've inverted, they still grip on the blunt end but upside down as opposed to back to front and I use them mainly for soldering etched brass. I also have a good supply of the ally "Dinky" hair grips. You can never have too many IMO.

Regards Lez.