Thorburn's

[themagicspanner]

After I started to run out of inspiration to complete Tarbhit I knew I would need to start something else - something different - and 'Thorburn's' was born.

 

The 'History'

 

Thorburn's is a small steelwork fabricator in the small Berwickshire town of Duns - the place where I grew up.

 

There's no railway there these days and as far as I know Thorburn's didn't exist back in the sixties when the Berwickshire Railway was still operational. They are, however, based on the site of Duns station and it wouldn't be a great leap to imagine that they would have been well served by the railway had it still been there in the 1990's.

 

The Model

 

Having been pretty frustrated by what I saw as the limitations of working in N gauge, I decided that my next model was going to be to a finescale standard. I didn't really know anything about 2mmFS and fancied building something in a larger scale anyway. It was only ever going to be a small layout, as I have very little room, so the minor cost savings by going with EM rather than P4 weren't worth the compromises of choosing the former.

 

For some reason I've always liked to industrial (ugly) look of the SR POA wagons and the industrial landscapes they operate within, so I decided to design a 5-3-3 inglenook based on the length of those wagons and imaginedthe layout as some sort of holding sidings just outside the fabricator's yard.

 

Inspiration - SR POAs

 

 

After a bit of playing about with Templot it was clear that I could fit it all on a 6' long board with nice long turnouts to get that flowing track work I couldn't get in N gauge.

 

 

The Track

 

All of the track is Exactoscale - a couple of B8 turnouts and some bases threaded with code 75 bullhead rail. I built the first one straight and the second on a very slight curve. The kits are easy to build, only taking a few hours each. They look the business too. The stretchers are the fully functional etched ones from Ambis Engineering.

 

Rather than go for ballast, I wanted to recreate the look of the Crossley Evans yard in Shipley. The whole lot is going to be built up with DAS clay textured with a stiff brush.

 

Looking toward what will become the fabricator's shed.

 

 

The Stock

 

SR POAs make up the bulk of the stock - each with a different scrap load so that you can operate the layout as an inglenook with them. There's also a TTA, a BDA, a BZA, and a hooded steel carrier in VTG livery.

 

Motive power is provided by a BR blue 08.

 

A work weary BDA

 

 

 

The class 08 sits precariously on it's OO wheelset (still awaiting the delivery from Ultracscale)

 

 

The Plan

 

Although I don't really see this taking too long, I'm not going to be in any sort of hurry - it's an experiment in modelling and if it takes a long time and I learn loads I'll be happy. I want to learn about AJ couplings and building kits so that not everything comes from the Bachmann factory...

 

There are plans to build a Judith Edge Yorkshire DE2 at some point this winter as I think that would be more appropriate to the fabricator's yard than the 08.

 

 

 

Mike

Edited September 15, 2014 by themagicspanner

[PjKing1]

Hi Mike

 

Nice looking track and 08 defo going following this one, small and simple gives a layout the chance for extra detail.

 

Cheers, Paul

[themagicspanner]

Cheers Paul.

 

I'm pretty happy with the way the track is looking. Just building up different shades of enamels and weathering powders works pretty well for me.

 

The 08 was the first time I'd weathered a loco. Here are some better quality photos of it in the sunshine, prior to the fitting of the flush glazing.

 

 

 

 

I'll keep posting more details as I think of them.

 

 

Mike

[PjKing1]

Well done if that's your first attempt Mike looks great, can't beat a grubby 08!! I use mostly powders an small amount of paint on my locos, but looking forward to weathering my track hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I'd been wondering if I could use a mix of powders and paints on the track/ballast etc.

 

Paul

[themagicspanner]

Thanks.

 

I like paint as it's possible to work in textures. With powders I find that it's very easy to get a very smooth blended look - something you don't always want.

 

For the track I've used three basic colours of Railmatch paint: Sleeper Grime all over; Underframe Dirt to highlight to rail edges and the chairs (it's a subtle difference but worth the effort); and a small amount of Weathered Black around the greased areas. That's all on top of a general coat of acrylics that I've used to colour the dirt.

 

Humbrol Dark Rust weathering powder is used to highlight the chairs a little more.

 

 

Mike

[PjKing1]

Thanks for that Mike

 

I'll give it a go, I tend to use the paint then add powder whilst still wet on bogies, etc but I won't bore u with that on here, it's all on my dirty diesel thread if your interested. But I'm looking forward to weathering the track. Looking forward to your progress to, more soon I hope

 

Cheers, Paul

[Wizard of the Moor]

Nice! Nothing beats an Inglenook for a relaxing shunt.

[themagicspanner]

Nice! Nothing beats an Inglenook for a relaxing shunt.

 

Having anything moving other than by hand is probably a fair bit away as I don't any motive power that'll run on the track at the moment and there are no couplings!

 

Looking forward to getting that side of it working though.

 

On a positive note, it is all wired up and I can throw the points whenever I like...

 

 

Mike

[ess1uk]

Looking good so far. Like the 08

[Jaz]

I agree, looks good.....ready for more    

[Jock67B]

Mike, pestered you on 'Tarbhit' and now I've found 'Thorburn's'. Looks like spring now, due to a major op as well as finances, before I .can start anything like a model but the pictures above are awesome in that your Das method, with much added black, would look to be the ideal solution for the dirty, damp and oily track-work around a steam MPD! Brilliant, another piece of planning solved - thank you. Look forward to following this thread from time to time as long as you don't mind me cribbing ideas!

Kind regards,

Jock.

Edited September 12, 2014 by Jock67B

[themagicspanner]

Unfortunately progress has been almost non-existent this week due to work commitments and good weather.

 

On the up side, the wheels for the 08 should be here shortly as they appear to be second on this month's production list at Ultrascale. It'll be good to be able to run something under it's own power.

 

 

Mike

[themagicspanner]

Managed to grab an hour or two this afternoon to do a bit more work on the basic ground cover around the track and to start picking out the chairs with a bit more rust.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think it needs much explanation and I hope tehse photos show just how much dirt there is in the sidings.

 

The buffere stops are the really nice white metal castings from Lanarkshire models.

[Jintyman]

Simply stunning trackwork!!!

 

I like the scrap wagons too, very nice  Are they much of a conversion to do?

 

Following with interest, even though I'm not P4

 

Jinty ;-)

[themagicspanner]

Cheers Jinty,

 

All of the wagons are converted by removing the original wheels and dropping in the P4 wheels. I've used Colin Craig's discs. I'm wishing I'd battered the sides of the SSAs but I wasn't too keen to take hot knife to them.

 

Mike

[themagicspanner]

That ground looks like total crap...in the nicest possible way

 

Now that's a compliment.

 

If I can get a couple of hours at it tonight I think I'll ballast the track that forms the headshunt so that I can try to tie it into the muddy stuff in a way that makes it look as though there's a much tidier bit of track beyond what's going to be an overbridge.

 

I'm designing the layout to be completely self contained. In general use there is no need for a fiddle yard although I'm keen to be able to pop a fiddle stick at either end to allow some 'guests' to pop in, or to run some wagons into the shed.

 

 

Not decided on what type of bridge to have - probably a plate girder half through road bridge but I could go with a masonry arch. Has anyone any experience with the Masokits girders?

 

Worth noting that I'm a bridge engineer who works on historical bridges almost every day so I'm going to need to do something that's spot on...

 

 

Mike

[Wizard of the Moor]

I bashed two Masokits girders into one for my representations of the Tarry Brig on Waterloo Street. See, for example in this post

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/33349-waterloo-street/?p=963470

 

There's nothing difficult, if you're familiar with etched brass kits, but there is a lot of it. Just take it calmly and all will be well. It took me two weeks of modelling time, roughly 2 hours per evening, to put it together. An RSU helps.

[croydon junction]

Im thinking of starting a layout soon. How hard are those exactoscale kits to build?

[themagicspanner]

James,

 

Good to know that it's not too hard. I think I'll order one for the dark nights...

 

Waterloo Street is a layout I really like. I hope that, with luck, Thorburn's can turn into something along those lines, in terms of quality.

 

 

Mike

[themagicspanner]

Matthew.

 

The kits are really easy to build until it comes to doing the stretchers, which aren't provided. I used the functional Ambis Engineering stretchers which are fiddly to put together and solder to the blades but worth it from an aesthetic point of view. There are easier alternatives.

 

 

Here are some photos of tonight's efforts: Turnout switches.

 

 

 

As you can see they nicely cover up where the stretcher bar extends out to the side.

 

 

Mike

[d winpenny]

Looking great

[themagicspanner]

Just a couple of pictures for tonight. I've been blocking in more of the area around the tracks trying to get that nice dark base colour in place so that I can start building up something a little lighter and maybe even a little greener!

 

Anyway, a couple of old sleepers have appeared between the rails to try to indicate that some track maintenance happened some time in the past (not for a long time mind).

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Jock67B]

Mike,

Is there any chance that you could give me a recipe for the Das mixture you have used, it really is perfect for some of the areas I have in my mind. I can't afford to switch from 00 as I have quite a lot of track etc. in that gauge! The mixture will however help to disguise the shortcomings. By the way, that was a brave step from 'N' in one go!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[themagicspanner]

Jock,

 

The process is very similar tyo the one I used for the rocks on Tarbhit.

 

Firstly you need to get the 'raw' Das where you want it. I prefer to do this firstly with my fingers and then with small clay modelling tools to get into all the wee nooks and crannies without gumming up the details or moving parts. It's easier to do this without any additional water.

 

Once that's done I tend to use lots of water to make everything a little easier to work with. Using the end of a stiff, coarse bristled brush I apply a wet wash of paint. This does two things: Applies colour and introduces a texture to the clay. At this stage you have plenty of time to move the clay around and make sure the shapes are the way you want them. Some of the areas should be lower than the sleepers. Some should be higher or covering the sleepers. Where the sleepers are to show through it's important to try to keep them as free from clay as you can, otherwise they can get a little lost.

 

The colour is a very basic mix of payne's grey and medium brown acrylics. I tend to mix them on the brush so that I don't end up with a flat colour. For the first coat I'm not too concerned about getting a full coverage - the texture is more important.

 

Once the whole lot is dry, which takes about 24 hours, I apply another coat of the same mix.

 

Not difficult but it can be time consuming.

 

 

Mike

[Jock67B]

Thanks Mike,

I think that with more black added and some dips to fill with the latest 'water' available, I should be able to mimic the state of the track-work in front of the shed in the late fifties/early sixties! Keep up the good work my friend,

Kind regards,

Jock.