Gresby - N Gauge Great Central (MS&LR 90s-2000s)

[Kris]

Those meter boxes suggest a recent conversion to flats. Given the type of house would the back yard not be more likely paved than the suggested lawn that you have on the plan?

[Chinahand]

Hi there MrSimon.

 

I only recently joined RMweb and have just found your thread. What a superb little layout you have with some really first class N Scale modelling. I love some of the the 'out of the box' thinking that has been employed, particularly the 'half car' low relief workshop. I shall now look forward to seeing your updates, and will be hoping to steal some ideas for my own layout.

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

Thank you for your comments I have pretty much finished the house I was working on:


The front,


The side - in the photo it doesn't seem to be sitting level so I'll check that out this afternoon. I also need to make some gates.


The back. I need to add a few more details like dustbins, satelite dishes, tv aerials, chimney pots and weather it all.


Close up of the back yard. The lawn stopped being a lawn pretty much as soon as I wrote it, but I'm not sure if it should be a cobbles or concrete or muddy grass... the shed roof is sandpaper.


The house in the street, it won't be stuck down until I've fully finished it. I need to do a tiny bit of patching up the paint...

I'm not sure which bit to work on next - the pub on the other side of the bridge or the yard behind the house infront of the garage? Or I could work on some stock!

Lots to do

Simon

Edited August 30, 2017 by MrSimon

[Forward!]

I used to know a girl from Doncaster called Jemma...

 

 

Will

[ECML180]

I used to know a girl from Doncaster called Jemma...

 

 

Will

 

 

I know a girl from Doncaster called Jemma! And her personality fits the graffiti perfectly...perhaps us three have been involved in some sort of mind-link

[Southernboy]

I love that last photograph - a convincing scene on many levels. Great modelling of well-observed detail. Hats-off to you Simon!

 

For the back yard - I somehow picture scrubby grass, maybe a washing line, or perhaps an old washing machine waiting to be taken away (?)

[MrSimon]

Hello everyone!

 

Thank you for your comments! Spookily, Gresby is on the way to Doncaster - maybe she commutes

 

I'm liking the idea of a washing machine, or a fridge or something - it'd have to be a normal washing line though, I don't fancy making a whirlygig thing!

 

Are wheelie-bins available in N Gauge? If I scratch build one maybe its worth somehow making a mould of it and casting a load of them in some sort of resin... what do you think?

 

Stock to finish today!

 

Simon

 

PS. Chinahand use any ideas you like, I'm putting them on here to share - have you got a topic on here?

[grahame]

Are wheelie-bins available in N Gauge?

 

BHE do cast white metal N gauge wheelie bins. You can see three in this pic;

 

 

 

G.

[MrSimon]

Thanks Grahame! I'll get some ordered

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

I've had a few days off working on the scenery for Gresby and turned my attention to working on some stock for a change. First to reach the desk was a pair of NGS JGAs (I resisted the temptation to make all four in my box at once) closely follwed by the clam and the grampus from page 5 for painting - I even remembered to take some photos of how I paint them:


Step 1 - built clam ready to paint. One day I'll remember to keep the buffers off until painting is complete!


Step 2 - I paint the sides all over yellow, this ensures there isn't a step in the paint halfway down the side. I also paint the top edge of the side and the axle box covers. For this waggon I used quite a strong yellow but others I've finished have had a more faded shade.


Step 3 - With a very sharp 2B pencil I draw a line 2mm from the top using a metal ruler (on one where the line went wonky I levelled the ruller and moved the line up the wagon to create a smaller yellow area)


Step 4 - with a flat ended brush (I wet a humbrol brush and trimmed the end with my scalpel to make it flat) and thinned grey paint edge up to the pencil line but don't go over it. I do the flat bits first, then the tops of the ribs and then go back for the bits I've missed on the sides of the the ribs. It always takes two coats of grey so I tend to only go up to the line on the second coat.

Step 5 - neated up the the black on the underframe and paint the buffers some sort of black/dark grey (not forgetting to paint both sides of the buffer head which I always forget to do before fitting)

Step 6 - paint the end of the brake lever, the lamp iron bracket and the handrail white (I only paint one edge of these as it usually makes a mess of it if I try and paint the sides)

Step 7 - paint the inside of the waggon a mixture of Humbrol 66 and 160 which I mix in the waggon (one brush of each colour swirled around the bottom to mix and then painted up the sides from the bottom to the top, not going over the side onto the body colour)

The waggon is now ready for transferring and weathering, but I think I'm going to do them as a rake on a day when I need to be punished.

In more scenic news I have planned out the area behind the shop infront of the garage and will get cracking with it shortly

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited August 30, 2017 by MrSimon

[Kris]

That looks good for some brush painting Simon. Where have you got the transfers from?

[MrSimon]

Thanks Kris - I use a lot of thinner on the top coat, usually gets it where I want it

 

I got the modelmaster transfers from the NGS pack MMT557, I'm putting off applying them though because its my absolute least favourite modelling job ever - I usually wait until I've got a sheet worth of waggons ready and then do them all at once or have a mad pannic at the last possible moment before an exhibition

 

I REALLY must have a transfer day soon!

 

Simon

[Chinahand]

PS. Chinahand use any ideas you like, I'm putting them on here to share - have you got a topic on here?

 

Hi Simon,

 

I don't have a topic at the moment but I have started a blog on the building of my new N Gauge layout and have now included a link to it below my signature. Maybe I should have started it as a Topic instead of a Blog but, being new here, I wasn't sure of what the protocols are.

 

The paint job on the wagon has come out really well for a hand brushed finish. Have you tried using Maskol masking fluid for the line between two colours ?? It overcomes the problem of free-hand painting a straight line.

[MrSimon]

Hi - I found it on your signature I get confused whenever I go over to the blog-side; but I'm not sure of any protocols about using one or the other or mixing...

 

I've never tried the masking fluid, wouldn't I still need to paint the fluid on straight at the start? I'll have to give it a try some time - I can't really airbrush living in a flat so everything I build gets brush painted

 

Simon

[Chinahand]

I would suggest that, after completing the first colour, you use some Tamiya masking tape to set the straight line and then apply the Maskol. After removing the masking tape you can, if necessary, clean up the line with a scalpel and then paint right up to (and over) the Maskol. When everything is completely dry the Maskol can be easily removed witth warm water.

 

I know what you mean about apartment living as I have to do all of my messy work out on the balcony. I would suggest, however, that you apply an undercoat of Halfords Grey Primer spray to your models before doing the final livery.

[MrSimon]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the tip there, and I use the Tamiya masking tape on everything else I paint but the clam has really deep ribs down the side which I found impossible to tape around - its why i started using a pencil line for clams

 

I always prime with thinned humbrol grey or white brush painted on - theres nowhere to spray inside and its too cold to spray outside in Helsinki for most of the year but I can save things that really need spraying for when I visit my parents!

 

The maskol sounds just the tonic for masking curves though!

 

Right, must get some more painting done

 

Simon

[Kris]

Maskol is worth a try but it's not a magic cure all for masking. It is more use for spraying than brush painting as if you can paint the maskol on you can paint the paint on without the maskol. The only thing I now use it for is to mask off Top hat bearings when I'm painting chassis.

[MrSimon]

Hello!

I couldn't find maskol in the shop in Helsinki so its something I'll have to track down when I'm next in the UK. In the mean time heres a few more things ready for transfer day:


I've never been able to get the big white transfer on the JGA to go on right, so I've been painting the white instead. The orange on the steps needs a bit of touching up from where I cut it off the etch.


Heres one I transferred and weathered a few years ago. I think I'm going to go over the weathering again when I finish the rest off - see if I can get it looking better.

Coming soon - the plans for the area in front of the garage AND the pub!

Lots to do

Simon

Edited August 30, 2017 by MrSimon

[Revolution Ben]

Hi Simon

 

You've made a nice job of those RMC hoppers!

 

Some of the decals had a faulty varnish layer, meaning that the white stripes don't hold together very well. It doesn't seem to be an issue that affects any of the black lettering. There are three options: (1) return decal sheet to NGS shop for replacement (2) paint the stripes or (3) coat the decal with Johnson's Klear floor cleaner. Once it has dried it forms an additional varnish layer which strengthens the decals.

 

FWIW on my rake I decided to paint the white stripes!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[porkie]

BHE do cast white metal N gauge wheelie bins. You can see three in this pic;

 

 

 

G.

 

Wow them bins do look good, Grahame did you scratch build the big blue front loader skip ?

[MrSimon]

Thanks Ben!

 

I definately favour option 2 - all the orange is painted on too Its a brilliant kit to put together, thank you for all the work you put in to it!

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

I've spent the last day playing architects and have produced the drawing and plans for the pub next to the station:


The frontage is only 4cm wide so the front of the pub will be cropped where the baseboard ends, I might design the rest of the pub for an extension at a later date. The highest point of the pub is 8cm (40ft) and it is 16cm front to back. I have ommitted details on the ground floor because the pub will but up to the viaduct.

It is supposed to be a large pub with boarding rooms upstairs - there'll be stables out the back too - and its gradually become shabby and rough, maybe with the upper floors let out on long term lets. I've got some people in my box who will be fighting outside when its finished

Now to build it...

Simon

Edited August 30, 2017 by MrSimon

[54Strat]

Just spent the last hour reading this thread. Very inspirational and educational.

 

It may even persuade me to get my finger out and some modelling done, thanks for sharing.

 

Paul

[MrSimon]

Hi Paul

 

Glad to be of inspiration to you hope you start some modelling soon!

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

There has been absolutely no progress on the layout at all this week, but I've spent the weekend finishing off stock and adding to the transfer line:


First up, 5 PFAs with coal containers (Still need to paint the inside of the containers and the couplings/buffers)


Three Dapol fish vans that were cheap yellow ones - these need transfers and weathering to go back to Enlgand for use on Farndon Road (Bingham MRC)


I spent ages today trying to get the ventillators in the holes and then painted the roof. This coach represents a NSE MK2 sent up to the North West and partially re-liveried by Regional Railways. I'm not totally sure if any of the coaches sent were first class but I thought it was a 2nd when I bought it the second class one like this still needs the paint touching up before it can go in the transfer box. At some point I need to order the correct underframe "stuff" to make it into a MK2a/b/c(?)


The first of many MK1s turned into Thompson coaches for Farndon Road. I fitted Commonwealth Bogies so I could close souple it to Dapol Greasleys on either side. It needs transfers, the roof sticking down and some more bits and bobs on the underframe before varnishing and weathering.


The O1 is still not finished. I need to number it and build the cab steps and then weather it to be filthy. I'm going to have to investigate why its not sutting level anymore This will also be heading for Farndon Road and should be running on the layout at the Bingham MRC exhibition in Cotgrave at the end of April.

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited August 30, 2017 by MrSimon