Kirkby Luneside

[Ramrig]

Top work as always Jeff.

I really must get into stone production soon. Just need a 4 day weekend/3 day week from somewhere.

 

Steve

[Physicsman]

Top work as always Jeff.

I really must get into stone production soon. Just need a 4 day weekend/3 day week from somewhere.

 

Steve

 

Evening Steve.

 

You'll find that once you start building the damned walls it becomes strangely addictive. But I agree, it does take a fair bit of time. Not for anybody lacking patience!

 

Are you still planning on making a mould of the section of wall I sent you? A suitable mould would be far easier if you only plan to wall on flat ground.

 

I've just had a look at the photos I took of that wall sample - dated 22nd October. Quite attractive with the emphasis on many more horizontal stones than the S&C version.

 

Don't give up - I'll keep sending timely reminders!!

 

Jeff

[jukebox]

Hi Jeff

 

I thought the grass alongside the setts might grow tall and strong, from all the brussel sprouts, and cow manure, washed there... 

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[Physicsman]

Hi Jeff

 

I thought the grass alongside the setts might grow tall and strong, from all the brussel sprouts, and cow manure, washed there... 

 

Cheers

 

Scott

 

A phrase springs to mind, from that Poet Laureate of the USA, Mr JP McEnroe.....

 

"You CANNOT be serious!!!!"

 

I will probably add a SMALL amount of 6mm beige grass - in a FEW small clumps, but I'm afraid all the "Popeye Juice" went into the central drainage channel that Teaky suggested I build.

 

I hear the bacteria are growing mighty strong in the drains, and Methane levels are above average.....

 

 

Now BEHAVE yourself!!       

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Strange day, so far. I've spent about 3 hours in the Bunker and don't seem to have achieved anything.

 

Something like this:

 

30 minutes cleaning track

30 minutes running some trains round

1 hour fiddling with DAS, painting base coats, PVA and flocking

1 hour sitting around, thinking, photographing, checking stock levels, finding the 10 telegraph poles I knew I had stored somewhere.....

Oh, and at least 15 minutes re-setting one of the trains of 3-linked wagons after I ran the damn thing without checking the point settings and derailed the lot.

 

Some truly dull pics later - when the PVA has set.

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Tonight's batch of pics. Some of you will be getting to know this place better than your living room!!!!

 

Of course, if I only put pics up once a week you might notice some difference from one set to the next....

 

Anyway, for your delight and delectation:

 

First pic: Grass area obliterated. Covered in an uneven layer of DAS which has had a base coat of brown paint.

 

 

Second and third pics: Fine turf added - as a soil feature - along the edge / the remainder covered in earth/green blend fine turf (the PVA underneath is uneven to give patchiness).

 

 

 

Fourth and fifth pics: Fine turf around the new section of wall (grass to go on top tomorrow) / view over the wall.

 

 

 

Jeff

[PeterBB]

Impressive!

[Ramrig]

Top work as always Jeff

[Physicsman]

Dental appointment this afternoon, so it may be into the evening before I venture into the Bunker.

 

I have a list of things to do. You can probably guess what they are from what's been done in the preceding fortnight!

 

Jeff

[mark axlecounter]

Hi Jeff,

Bloody stunning but one problem, where's the black 5 on a parcel working.

.

.

.

.

Mark

Running away at a pace of knots ha ha

[lmsforever]

If you were modeling Midland days there would have to be piles of horse poo on the cobbles!

[Physicsman]

If you were modeling Midland days there would have to be piles of horse poo on the cobbles!

 

lmsforever - is there a name rather than a "handle"? Not sure if there'd be many horses on the cobbles between 1955 and 1968. Shame - a horse or two, along with some poo, would add that je ne sais quoi!

 

 

Hi Jeff,

Bloody stunning but one problem, where's the black 5 on a parcel working.

.

.

.

.

Mark

Running away at a pace of knots ha ha

 

I know you've a keen interest in Black 5s, Mark, and they were certainly a workhorse on the line. Rest assured, a Black 5 is likely to be among the first batch of steamer-conversions when the process starts. Then I can grant your wish!

 

Thanks for the ongoing support.

 

Jeff

[lmsforever]

Yes there is a name as well ,its Chris

[Physicsman]

I managed 90 minutes in the Bunker this evening.

 

Here's the area of "grass" between the goods shed and signal box areas. In keeping with its counterpart on the other side of the setts, the soil is a bit polluted and subject to periodic dumping of railway spillage and general rubbish. So the vibrant, park-like predecessor (much "beloved" of Andy and Jason) has been replaced with something entirely more grotty:

 

 

 

 

In contrast, the embankment near the lie-by is awash with life. A base coat of 2mm grass has been applied - most of this will end up covered with longer grass and low vegetation - as before:

 

 

Jeff

[Donw]

FLOCK, = but we knew wot you meant. hahha

 

Ah but they should be HERDwick sheep  

 

Don

[Andrew P]

Morning Jeff, That grass is certainly coming on very nicely, and with the last couple of pics I can now see why you do the differing lengths, and how it changes the look.

 

Enjoyed our chat via PM's last night too.

[Physicsman]

Ah but they should be HERDwick sheep  

 

Don

 

Thanks Don. That was obviously what I was thinking about when I mixed up my herds and flocks. Yeh, right......

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Morning Jeff, That grass is certainly coming on very nicely, and with the last couple of pics I can now see why you do the differing lengths, and how it changes the look.

 

Enjoyed our chat via PM's last night too.

 

Yes, we had a good chat, didn't we - about all kinds of stuff.

 

Including the whereabouts of that "ruffian" Jason Thomas. So JT, if you read this, post a comment to let us know you're still alive and kicking!

 

As for the grass, both you and Jason were correct about the original. While I think it looked ok, it was a bit incongruous in the middle of a "busy" (haha, was the S&C really busy?), dirty goods yard. I think the toned down, slightly ill-looking and sparse arrangement fits in better.

 

Jeff

[Donw]

Thanks Don. That was obviously what I was thinking about when I mixed up my herds and flocks. Yeh, right......

 

Jeff

 

You should also ask him what Shepherds and Shepherdesses do, a Sheepflocker sounds rather immoral   

 

I must say the scenic treatment is coming on fine capturing the feel of the fells. Up around Grassington the steps up the stone walls to a gap in the top had wooden boards sprung or weighted shut blocking the gap. I presume the Sheep have learned to climb the steps. The Forest of Dean ones certainly would do they climb over and bit of wall in poor repair where they can find footholds.

Don

[lmsforever]

You have certainly given me food for thaught on static grass your latest work looks terrific.  Chris

[Physicsman]

You should also ask him what Shepherds and Shepherdesses do, a Sheepflocker sounds rather immoral 

 

I must say the scenic treatment is coming on fine capturing the feel of the fells. Up around Grassington the steps up the stone walls to a gap in the top had wooden boards sprung or weighted shut blocking the gap. I presume the Sheep have learned to climb the steps. The Forest of Dean ones certainly would do they climb over and bit of wall in poor repair where they can find footholds.

Don

 

Thanks Don. And yes, I can well imagine a few raised eyebrows when the job title and description of "Sheepflocker" went to press. And of course, there have always been rumours in certain parts of the country, but I'll say no more!

 

Let me know when you feel ready to start our "project". There is no rush at all for this.

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

You have certainly given me food for thaught on static grass your latest work looks terrific.  Chris

 

Hi Chris.

 

I don't know how much work you've done with static grass, but until August 2016 I'd never used the stuff.

 

If you're interested, have a look at pages 119 and 139 (roughly, off the top of my head) on this thread. I chucked a lot of stuff into a couple of posts re. my static grass methods, in response to some earlier questions.

 

Can I also add that I just "make it up". Most of the time it comes out ok. Sometimes it doesn't. I have a golden rule: put all the static grass layers on BEFORE you add any further vegetation. Last week I broke that rule..... I decided to add some 12mm grass onto the embankment AFTER I'd put all the coarse turf stuff in place. The coarse turf is held in place with hairspray. So as soon as I used the hoover to remove the excess 12mm fibres.....about half of the turf vegetation disappeared up the cleaner and the area resembled a bomb site.

 

A few (dozen) swear words and curses, some more coarse turf and hairspray, and an hour later I'd got back to "normality". Now IF I'd put the 12mm on first, as I usually do.....!!

 

My attitude to modelling is - try it, see how it works. If it's crap, bin it and try again. Monkeys and typewriters. Eventually it comes out half-decent.

 

Jeff

[Schubert]

Looking mighty impressive Jeff. Those walls really are a work of art.

 

Little did I realise what the end result would be when I suggested you 'have a go at scratch building something'!

 

I will certainly be copying your static grass methods, with absolutely no shame whatsoever

 

As for the recent doubts about your mental stability, is there any truth in the rumour that the only handle on the bunker door is on the outside?

 

 

Cheers

 

Al

[Physicsman]

Quite a few "bits" done today.

 

The remaining section of "park" grass near to the setts has been removed and replaced with a blob of DAS. The pic shows the DAS with a fine turf earth edging. This lot will probably be dry by Sunday!

 

 

Another heavy duty buffer stop assembled and in place at the end of the cattle dock spur. Plenty of weathering and a bit of ballasting to do here tomorrow.

 

 

A couple of scenic pics of the approach to and from the step-stile in the wall. The grass on the far side of the wall has had a 6mm coating. I'll add some 12mm clumps and low vegetation tomorrow.

 

 

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Looking mighty impressive Jeff. Those walls really are a work of art.

 

Little did I realise what the end result would be when I suggested you 'have a go at scratch building something'!

 

I will certainly be copying your static grass methods, with absolutely no shame whatsoever

 

As for the recent doubts about your mental stability, is there any truth in the rumour that the only handle on the bunker door is on the outside?

 

 

Cheers

 

Al

 

Al, I've given you a "Like", even though you've spilled the beans on the Bunker door handle arrangement!

 

As for scratch building. You suggested something SENSIBLE - a curved viaduct. It only took 3-4 weeks. The bleedin' walls have acquired a life of their own!!

 

Jeff