A New Start

[jcredfer]

Your scenery really sets those train off, to perfection  ...  brilliant!!

 

Julian

[C&WR]

Thanks, Julian.  It's all a bit of a cheat - I used the various urban grime models I had built for the fun of it to screen off the more bucolic elements of the railway - the warehouses with the graffiti & the red doors cover the cottages & brick & flint wall!

 

Can't post pictures until I find another hosting site, but I have also been delighted that The Long Haired Controller spent a day off work rearranging our sitting room.  This gave me space (with her blessing) to  buy a bureau with fold down work surface to hide all my modelling gear in & work when I need without having to keep clearing the dining table.  I'm chuffed to NAAFI breaks about this.

 

The payoff was that she has obtained a 5' x 5' storage unit which was put in one of our guest rooms & which is now full of enough knitting wool to keep her going to retirement.  The upside is that the top of this could probably hold an inglenook layout...

[C&WR]

Not been in for a while.  Afraid to say TLHC & I separated last October after nearly ten years together, & two years married.  She has mental health issues, & not only has said she doesn't want to live under the same roof as me has been restricting my access to TSC as she believes for some reason I am a threat to him.

 

While they are so vulnerable I have taken refuge at my Parents' place abou half an hour away.  I couldn't bear the thought of TSC being moved to some rented place & to be away from his own bed, books & toys.  Because I am now occupying my old bedroom I haven't had the chance to get the railway out, & for months had no interest in anything apart from work & my new-found enthusiasm for Tai Chi & Daoist meditation.

 

However things have been picking up gradually, starting with model soldiers.  I've then moved back onto railway stuff & have built a BR 12 ton van liveried up for Brakspear's brewery to go with my beer train, nearly completed the MICA-B which went on hold as I had banjaxed the last of the transfers on an ancient HMRS sheet, & to use other transfers on the replacement HMRS sheet have bought a PYTHON and BLOATER to build.  I've also bought a tea bar and some market stalls to build a vignette at the end of the layout by the city gate & park with play equipment.

 

Hope to get some pictures up soon as these evolve.  It's been tough for the last seven months, but I need to start looking after myself.

[C&WR]

Well hoorah and huzzah!  It now appears we can load photos direct into RMWeb, so I'm back   As I said above, I have had a torrid time since Oct 17, ad this culminated in a nervous breakdown and loss of my job in Jul 18, not long after my last post here.  As part of my rehabilitation I've taken up cycling in a fairly big way, and from wheezing round the village for a couple of miles I'm now knocking out 100 miles  week, and went for a 32-miler this afternoon just for the heck of it.

 

I've also got back to the railway.  I've been having fun!  First filling one of the corners:

 

 

Grass mat ordered from the internet, it's superb:

 

Filled up with a selection of trees:

 

 

Finally a place for the pillbox:

 

 

Anyone who served in the Forces during a certain period will recognise the climbers' adventure training kit:

 

 

Are climbers on the cliff a new cliche like the bus on the bridge?  There are more developments, though...

[westerhamstation]

Good to have you back and posting  and that you are coming out of what must have been a difficult time. All the best Adrian.

[RJS1977]

Sorry to hear everything you've been through and I pray that things start to look up for you soon.

 

In the meantime, as you're now back at your parents', if you find yourself at a loose end, do feel free to pop down to the station on a Thursday or Saturday - I'm sure the guys will find something for you to do!

[jcredfer]

I am so glad to see you back, I have very much missed your posts and not to mention concern as to how you were faring.  Your experiences are amongst the least pleasant that life has to offer and your firm resolve to do what is right is a resounding credit to you. Your modelling skills haven't diminished either, all credit to your persistence to see it all through.  Much respect.

 

Looking forward to more enlightening posts.

 

Regards

 

Julian

 

PS. Cliff climbers, very cliche - and one I love, just perfect action, which can freeze for as long as one might wish.   

[C&WR]

Thanks, all! Making most of time while I’m not working, but at my other home a lot of the time too so not around Thursdays, Richard.

 

As for climbers Julian I’m sure I could find a servo & give the one on the cliff disco legs! The figures are actually highly modified Airfix WWII Commandos, the climber had his Tommy Gun & Fairborn-Sykes knife trimmed off, but can’t remember which one I used for the belayer.

 

Another adaptation of an Airfix figure to come...

[jcredfer]

45 minutes ago, C&WR said:

Thanks, all! Making most of time while I’m not working, but at my other home a lot of the time too so not around Thursdays, Richard.

 

As for climbers Julian I’m sure I could find a servo & give the one on the cliff disco legs! The figures are actually highly modified Airfix WWII Commandos, the climber had his Tommy Gun & Fairborn-Sykes knife trimmed off, but can’t remember which one I used for the belayer.

 

Another adaptation of an Airfix figure to come...

 

A Servo would be a lovely active solution, and reversible, back down the cliff, a nice challenge.  To be honest, I would be very content with a couple of climbers working out their next move, whilst I worked out how to paint what they were climbing.   

 

Regards

 

Julian

[C&WR]

Some random updates.  Had another trip to Pendon in the summer with my Father to see the extended scene & ended up with some of their 3D printed figures. These are really good, & as I cycle past on a regular basis may extend the collection.  Put them together with a Coopercraft barrow & tools set:

 

 

Some stock additions.  Think I've shown the inspection saloon before, but I added the details pack.  There is actually a photographic precedent for this:

 

 

Had to have the Oxford Rail 6-wheel Toad.  I'm using a 1-plank as a match truck between my old Lima stuff with large tension locks & wagons with small locks:

 

 

Birthday present from my Sister was one of these.  It's to go on a London Underground/Southern 3rd Rail layout that is in advanced planning stages.  It's a lovely runner & has been taking specials of maroon Mk 1s round the railway:

 

 

Finally someone said on another site that the memorial here would cause big problems for mowing the grass.  Actually what happens is that a crane comes along & moves it

 

[C&WR]

Next job was to fill the corner diagonally opposite the cliff with climbers.  This is the area with the city gateway & play area.  I had some freebie kits from a certain modelling publication so set to:

 

 

There were enough bits to make a third, I just left out the choice of books or vegetables & substituted with stuff from Mother's ribbon box:

 

 

Then used the remaining bits & some styrene to make a fourth:

 

 

I'd seen the flowers in a modelling publication so had to have some. Top of staff from grass mat.  It's named after a stall where I used to buy my wife flowers in Earls Court in happier times:

 

 

All of them together ready for planting:

 

 

Also thought the market needed a snack bar.  I'm waiting for some cook figures to go in it, & it will be illuminated.  Signs inside a little anachronistic, but I was happy with the shelves at the back which I coloured in in pencil, also weathering the paintwork outside:

 

[C&WR]

Also thought the corner needed a war memorial.  I ordered another Dapol one & replaced the obelisk with an Airfix WWI Tommy painted up in Citadel paints to look bronze:

 

 

Made some poppy wreaths out of red card punched out with a dab of paint in the middles:

 

 

 

I was then challenged to make a little protester of some sort.  Another Dapol (?) figure adapted a bit did the trick.  Again anachronistic, but could be my excuse to buy some older GWR Locomotives

 

[C&WR]

Then did a series of tests to see how it would all go together:

 

 

And then completed.  Last photo awful, but I'm not complaining about sun shining through the window at this time of year:

 

[C&WR]

Then set to work with some buildings for the end of the branch line.  These were freebies from the modelling press:

 

 

Right-hand cottage pebble-dashed with some PlastiKote textured paint from Hobbycraft:

 

 

As you know I like fitting interiors, & it's of great regret I didn't do so with the thatched cottages & goods office.  I was wondering what to use instead of the kit interiors (which I didn't think fitted on my branch) & my acupuncturist who is really interested in my modelling suggested as I'm into cycling I should have a bike shop.  Then realised that as I had another Coopercraft barrow & tools kit in stock I could do an ironmonger's.  Added a cut-down Peco bench & ordered some dustbins along with the Model Railway Scenery laser-cut bikes.

 

Scalescenes furniture & lineside junk set did most of the accommodation, doors from Scalescenes &another kit of unknown provenance.  Posted downloaded & rescaled from internet images:

 

 

LEDs fairly evident in pics.  Here's the exterior of one shop with illumination:

 

 

The sharp-eyed will see a green bike with drop bars.  This was made from one of the laser cut bikes, handlebars from bag-tie wire.  This represents my road bike:

 

 

 

[C&WR]

Finally the shops finished.  The bike shop is named after one in the town where Dad & I went to School & which was owned by a friend of his; the inronmonger is in a market town near home:

 

 

Quick test of where they will go, along with the tin tabernacle I made ages ago:

 

 

My Brother-in-Law then chalenged me to make a cinema.  Not a problem, Superquick one in stock from a railway show ages ago.  Really liked this, even if it's not up to current day realism:

 

 

There as a placeholder.  Think this a bit big for a branch, & the Post Office too tall for backboards when I fold railway away:

 

 

Then planted the tabernacle.  I ate soldering, am rusty, & there was language!  Like the effect, though:

 

 

And finally lit up.  Need to dig proper camera out to retake a lot of these pics, but not bad for iPhone:

 

[jcredfer]

You have been very busy and with much success, too.  So many delightful developments to see,  

 

I agree about soldering, it is so much about a set process and quality ingredients.  Aged shaker hands are no big assistance either, although not for youngsters like yourself.

 

I note you have been to Pendon, and  have made a resolution to go there soon, there is so much to be seen and learned there.

 

Lots of lovely developments you have show there, and delighted to see them.

 

regards

 

Julian

 

[C&WR]

Thanks, Julian! Pendon just round corner from home. Went as a child but far more of a regular now. Dad likes it as one of the scenes includes Smuggler’s Lane where he did some Civil Engineering & also as he was brought up round here as was I.

 

Give me a shout if you’re heading over, it would be good to meet up. While I don’t drink any more there’s a rather good pub in Long Whittenham.

[jcredfer]

I really must get a grip and get over to Pendon, I must get over the age related homeostasis.  It would be good to see you again, too.   I would like to see the pub, in Long Wittenham, is that the one which you showed in detail a while back?

 

Regards

 

Julian

[C&WR]

Sadly a different pub, but they’re about 30 mins apart. We could arrange an Oxon/Berks mystery tour if you fancied-both Didcot Railway Centre & the Cholsey & Wallingford Railway between Pendon & the Bell, although Didcot is a full day plus of entertainment.

 

Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway also fairly handy. Surprising amount to see round here!

[C&WR]

Oh, & didn’t add this one. When I build the railway they’re to be used on it will obviously be heritage day:

 

[RJS1977]

And don't forget that Didcot, Pendon, C&WR and C&PRR (plus Swindon & Cricklade and STEAM) have a mutual discount scheme - visit one, and you get a £2 discount card you can use at any of the others, and when you do, you get another one!

[C&WR]

Have taken advantage of that a few years running, Richard! Rarely use on C&WR as I’m a member, though.

[deltic9014]

Loving all the work on the buildings. Should get on with some of mine.

[Alister_G]

I've only just noticed your posts, sorry about that.

 

Really sorry to hear of your problems, please accept my very best wishes for the future.

 

But wow, what a comeback! Some really great modelling again, the interiors and the cycle shop are great and I love the cinema, reminds me very much of one local to me.

 

Welcome back mate.

 

Al.

[C&WR]

Thanks, Al, & for your PM. I’ve been doing a fair bit of modelling (converting a MINI Cooper S hard-top to represent my Cooper Convertible was fun, along with a straight Cooper & a Countryman rally car) & a SR-71 Blackbird which I’m pleased with. Also started on a balsa & tissue aircraft as a project for when I’m at my own home.

 

it’s been fun adapting figures & so on. Just another tool in the modelling box!