Gurney Slade. Over the Mendips.

[JZ]

Decided that the platforms needed some kind of lighting. So, after looking around, I plumped for these from PD Marsh. Not sure that the colours are correct, maybe they should be all green, but I think they look OK.

[JZ]

Must get some more photo's up. The major scenic work is complete, apart from the area around the colliery, which will be mainly hidden. Fences, hedges, crossings, a couple of signals and point rodding can be added later. I may even get some done today, but as I became a Grandfather early this morning, I think I may have other things to do.

 

 

 

Edit: The lamps above are all green now.

Edited September 26, 2015 by JZ

[JZ]

All of these were taken on my Samsung S6. I find I can get better depth of field without a long exposure and can also get it places I can't get the DSLR.

The farm. Hedges, fences, garden to do. In fact there is still a huge amount to do on the layout, but now the basic geography is complete, this can amuse me as and when the inclination takes me.

 

Back gardens of Railway Cottages.

 

And the front ones.

 

 

 

This gives the impression of being way out of scale, but the next shows the height difference.

 

One drawback of the phone camera is distortion close up.I can assure you that the cant is nowhere near as much.

 

Next time I post some pictures, I promise I'll get more typical rolling stock out.

[JZ]

Quick update. Six of my 12 rest days done and only five minutes spent on layout. I have though fitted Kadee #5 couplings to my older wagons. What did arrive today were these.

What are described as peach trees. There are four in a pack, all different sizes, this is the smallest and second largest. I think that they look more like flowering cherry and they add a bit of colour. They needed a little work on them, removing flash and a coat of paint over the glossy plastic trunk, but at £1.11 with free p+p from a Chinese seller on eBay, they ain't bad.

 

Tomorrow I intend to spend the whole day out there. The shed that is, not China. And in two weeks time I will be sailing up the Norwegian coast.

 

 

EDIT: Really need to get a boundary fence put up, it looks odd without it.

Edited October 1, 2015 by JZ

[JZ]

Put some fencing in today. I think it make a huge difference as it separates the railway from it's surroundings.

 

And four more trees from China arrived today.

These cost the Princely sum of £1.01 with free p+p. Like yesterday's, a lick of paint after flash removal and the jobs a good'un. Three more should be here in the next few days, apple this time for the farm's orchard.

 

Time to ask a question of you. In my world, the S&D remained jointly run by the London Midland and Southern Regions. This gives me an excuse to run some alternative motive power, Q1s brought in to replace life expired 4Fs, maybe to odd S15 and N classes, type 1 and 2 diesels, with something bigger on the Pines and of course DMUs. Which brings me to the question. Would the DMU destination blind read BATH G.P., BATH GREEN PARK or just BATH ?

 

I have been making a load up on the PC this morning and for good measure, I have also done BATH (MIDLAND).

[JZ]

This is the sheet of DMU destinations I've made up.

 Printed out on plain paper, they will be fitted during today's rugby.

 

Any other movement?

Well I placed a few telegraph pole in this morning, but otherwise very little. With the days getting cooler and the air a little moister, I've decided to leave the colliery until next year and to concentrate on other details. I have two signals to make up, there is the platform fencing to finish, barrow crossing to install and a myriad of other bits and pieces. And I still have to pack for my Norwegian trip.http://nordkapp.kystnor.no/ It looks cold there today so thermals are already in the suitcase.

[Rivercider]

 

Time to ask a question of you. In my world, the S&D remained jointly run by the London Midland and Southern Regions. This gives me an excuse to run some alternative motive power, Q1s brought in to replace life expired 4Fs, maybe to odd S15 and N classes, type 1 and 2 diesels, with something bigger on the Pines and of course DMUs. Which brings me to the question. Would the DMU destination blind read BATH G.P., BATH GREEN PARK or just BATH ?

 

I have been making a load up on the PC this morning and for good measure, I have also done BATH (MIDLAND).

There don't seem to be many photos of DMUs at Green Park, this is too distant to make out details

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/4929827909/in/photolist-8vCE5V

 

edit -  To answer your question, I don't think a blind would show simply 'Bath' as that would be liable to confusion with Bath Spa.

 

As an example of the time, in Rail Centres Bristol is a 1958 photo of a working at Henbury with a  blind showing 'BRISTOL (T.M.)'

 

cheers

Edited October 3, 2015 by Rivercider

[JZ]

Delving into books and much googling I found BRISTOL(T.M.), BRISTOL T.M., BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS and also just BRISTOL.

 

I think, judging by the spacing, it says BRISTOL TM on the DMU at Green Park.

[JZ]

Every time I go out to have a running session, I get sidetracked and get little jobs done.

So, I've put in a foot crossing, the steps on the far side are yet to be fixed down, as is the drystone wall, which will require some surgery as it is fixed. After that, just some general views of the layout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little tufts of grass mark the uncoupling magnets.

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2015 by JZ

[edward66]

Just found this thread and worked my way through 7 pages. Looks great, impressive scenery work! Rather surprised that no one has mentioned The Strange World of Gurney Slade though, maybe you are all too young. Featured Antony Newley, quite funny at times with odd musings like if an ant was as big as a human it could carry a grand piano in its mandibles. Didn't like his singing though, I think the show ran sometime in the sixties.

 

Now I've found the thread I will continue to view it with interest, good stuff.

 

Edward

[JZ]

Last modelling update for a few weeks, off on my Norwegian Odyssey in a few days.

 

Made a start on 'The Mendip Railwayman'. Actually got much farther than I expected. The raised stonework will be black, the rest white. A few more parts need to be purchased, windows, doors and a brick arch for the right hand door. Will also build a bottle store on the left, but not sure whether to match to the main structure, do it in brick like the dunny on the other side or maybe timber. I can ponder that while I'm away.

I've already made up the artwork for the pub sign. It features a 2P in Prussian Blue with matching coaches. The pub will back onto the railway, a bit like the South Western Arms at St. Denys.

 

If I do any updates during my trip, it will be my travelog, but a lot depends on how good the wifi is on the boat.

 

[JZ]

So, while I've been away.

 

[JZ]

While I was away, my Bachmann PMVs arrived. So, yesterday evening they came out of their boxes, had the detailing parts fitted and given a bit of weathering. The maroon one received a full coat of my 'dirty wash', while the green one had it applied and then wiped off while wet.

 

 

Probably be a week or so before I resume work on the layout.

[JZ]

I have said, a few pages back, that my premise is that the S&D never passed to WR control. Apart from Highbridge, it's connexions were only Midland and Southern. So to some extent, my layout is a what if and to that end, I have developed the motive power to suit that idea. Would it have been dieselised? Certainly by the time of the actual closure date. Would it have survived? Maybe not. It may have soldiered on until the early 1970s, but with the Somerset Coalfield nearing exhaustion of easily accessible coal and it had always been expensive to mine there and also the general downturn in freight and passengers during this period, the end would have been on the cards by then. So, back to 'what if'. The 7Fs were getting long in the tooth by the early sixties, so alternative loco power was sought. 8Fs from the MR and the SR had some spare S15s which had a few years left in them.

 

So, on that note.

Left is DJH kit I built a few years back and Hornby on the right. Think the older one needs some additions below the footplate. Otherwise they look OK together.

Edited November 1, 2015 by JZ

[JZ]

This week sees a restart after the holiday. The cooler, moister weather now means that the colliery area will be now left for the Spring, as the plaster takes too long to dry in these conditions, but basic scenery blocks can be done. Otherwise it will be a return to detailing and there is a huge amount of that to do. First priority will be the station. Point rodding needs fixing down so the last point and short length of track can be ballasted, platform fencing to finish, lamps need putting up, running-in boards putting up and a starting signal needs building. Then it will be the yard, but at least there it is just a few point levers and general clutter.

 

Watch this space.

[JZ]

Well, bu99er me, it's been over a month since I last posted here. Not actually done much layout work in that time. I have been pottering about with rolling stock though. Mostly weathering/re-weathering loco's and building a few wagons. Another job done was to re-motor a couple of Lima railcars with Black Beetles. A(what was to be)121 had new pick-ups added to the trailing bogie, also fitted with Ultrascale wheels/axles. These and the black beetle came from a doomed 117 project. An exGWR railcar had the same treatment, except I fitted new Hornby trailing wheels supplied by Peter's Spares. Both have now been programmed to run at a scale speed of about 35mph. Other things done have included fitting coachboards to some coaches.

Also made a few up for for through coaches on the summer excursions.

 

Been working on a couple of Bogie Bolster kits from Cambrian. Not wanting to pay for a large sheet of transfer, most of which I would never need, I knocked up a few of my own.

 

And last, but not least, this little lady has taken up some of my spare time.

Meet Lucy Joy Boniface. My son (JZjr) and his wife's first.

[Andrew P]

Great pics Jules, especially the last one, Layouts looking very good as well.

[Tim Dubya]

Top stuff Gramps (or are you a Pop?).

 

Loves it!

[JZ]

Top stuff Gramps (or are you a Pop?).

 

Loves it!

I'll let her decide.

 

Anyhow, still building wagons, but at least I can now see the bottom off the drawer. Latest is a Genesis girder wagon, the results might get photographed later. Then I must get a couple of signals built, a home to cover the goods yard entrance and a home and distant for the colliery branch. While the soldering iron is out, I will get the tablet catcher out for the banking token.

[JZ]

A month since the last non-update. So here's another non-update.

 Still no work going on as it's too cold for the plaster to dry properly, so this waits for a couple of months. Really should be making the couple of signals needed and the token equipment, but instead I potter around with rolling stock. A few more wagon kits have been put together, started work on improving the looks of the pony truck on the 8F, then that started me looking at other loco's where this could be improved. Bulleid pacifics, so my brand new Bude was taken into surgery, the other 4 will be sorted in the next few days. The Black 5's are waiting for Comet bogies. Myself and a couple of chaps at work are looking into the possibility of building Ventnor in 00. Sorely tempted by a couple of O2's and maybe a Terrier. Spare baseboards exist, so watch this space.

 

One other thing. Hornby Magazine have asked for some pictures of the layout.

[JZ]

So, one of the little jobs I've been doing was improving the front end looks of my Hornby 8F. The original pony truck looked like this.

Not very attractive is it. The options were, A, leave it be. No. B, Comet etched jobbie. Tempting and I went as far as buying one, but the swing mount that was on this model made it difficult without major work. C, modify what was there and this is what I chose. I cut the front away directly ahead of the springs, fashioned new guard irons from scrap brass, using the Comet etch as a template and super-glued to the underside of the casting. Alan Gibson wheels were fitted and hey presto.

Much more pleasing to the eye. Also did the same to my Golden Arrow 7F, which uses the same chassis. The Comet one now finds itself in the spares box and may well end up on my Crab.

[JZ]

Apart from playing trains, I've been ridding myself of carriage boxes. These are now stored in Warley Stock Boxes. So much more convenient. Also been weathering and crewing a few locos. AND, I've built the last two signals I need.

Not quite finished, the distant needs to have the fishtail cut out, it's a transfer, glazing and all arms need to have operating wires fitted. Maybe, just maybe, this awful weather might improve enough for me to venture out to the shed, I really don't fancy getting waterproofs on to make the trek.

Edited February 7, 2016 by JZ

[JZ]

Also did improvement work on my Black 5's.

 

And my 2P finally arrived after getting lost between Margate and East Cranmore. This too has had it's bogie wheels changed.

Also been renumbered as 40700 and heavily weathered.

[NHY 581]

Hi Jules.

 

Not sure I would go for 40700. Pretty certain it was unlined black and the tender was fitted with coal rails.

 

Rob

[JZ]

Hi Jules.

 

Not sure I would go for 40700. Pretty certain it was unlined black and the tender was fitted with coal rails.

 

Rob

There was a reason for wanting 40700, but I can't for the life of me remember why, it goes back many years. I have fitted coal rails. Not sure of it being unlined, I think there are traces of it in this picture, below the number, maybe a hint on the lower edge of leading splasher and the lower edge of the tender. Going through my S&D books, it is also difficult to tell, it was in such an awful state. I have added a spare tablet catcher from one of my Bachmann 7F's and I need to fit a handrails above the steps, but I broke my last 0.5mm drill.