Sarn (Montgomeryshire) and Nantcwmdu (South Wales) plus Montgomery Town in 7mm

[corneliuslundie]

Well, I think all my wagons now have Sprat & Winkle couplings and their quota of magnetic links. A couple of dozen carriages and NPCS still to do.

I really must stop building wagons, though I have three kits in progress at the moment - two pre-grouping company wagons and a Gloucester mineral wagon which will be lettered using the method I described above but for Redgrave. I created this decal from a photo by squaring it up in the graphics program and then making sure the "black" really is black and the "White" really white. The only change I have made is to replace the "Empty to" instructions to Nantcwmdu.

I have also just about finished ballasting the third ("country") board and am looking forward to a first ever attempt at water on a layout. 

So hopefully some photos before too long. After all it is still not quite ten years since I started the layout!

Jonathan

[corneliuslundie]

Time for an update.

More wagons building. First an SECR open from a Chatham Models kit.

 

Next another wagon with home made decals. This is a Meon Valley Models resin body and a Brassmasters etched brass chassis. However, I chickened out of the springing (9 ft wheelbase wagons shouldn’t need springing in EM gauge – if they do then the track needs improving) so I replaced the W irons by EM Gauge Society W irons. And I also abandoned the brakegear and used plastic spares from my bits drawer. This time I started with a photograph of the wagon which I took into the editing program, squared it up and made sure the black was black and the white was white instead of shades of grey. The only modification was to replace the “Empty to” instructions to Nantcwmdu Colliery, the fictional colliery on my layout (well, really in the fiddle yard).

 

Last week we went to Cardiff for a holiday and spent two days visiting St Fagans Folk Museum. I wanted to take some photos of the Gwalia Stores as I intend making a model for the layout. I have also acquired some thin Perspex and some L and T shaped plastic strip so now I can make up the windows. I took some photos of the shop windows to help when I produce the window interiors, as they are very visible. But I shall be having a couple of bicycles in one window.

 

However, right next to the Gwalia Stores a pub has been erected which was originally in the Newtown area of Cardiff. It had only been open a week or so when we visited. Just right for the layout, I thought, so took some photos. A challenge will be the glazed tiles.

 

 

Back to wagons, I am currently building a model of a GER round ended 3-plank wagon from the recently retired 5and9 models range. No problem with the paintwork but the lettering will be a challenge because I do not know of any transfers. And I am planning a couple more Rhymney opens, but after that I really must stop. In fact I have quitev a few PO coal wagons which were built for a proposed layout which never happened and are not appropriate for Nantcwmdu, so I may see if I can sell them.

Jonathan

[steveNCB7754]

31 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

Last week we went to Cardiff for a holiday and spent two days visiting St Fagans Folk Museum. I wanted to take some photos of the Gwalia Stores as I intend making a model for the layout. I have also acquired some thin Perspex and some L and T shaped plastic strip so now I can make up the windows. I took some photos of the shop windows to help when I produce the window interiors, as they are very visible. But I shall be having a couple of bicycles in one window.

 

 

However, right next to the Gwalia Stores a pub has been erected which was originally in the Newtown area of Cardiff. It had only been open a week or so when we visited. Just right for the layout, I thought, so took some photos. A challenge will be the glazed tiles.

 

 

 

 

Must try to get back to St Fagan's myself, especially now that I live in Mid-Wales. Visited sometime in the mid 1990's, when I was doing a Building Conservation degree as a mature student. Then, the reconstruction of St Teilo's church was up to about waist or chest height, if I remember correctly.

 

Steve N

 

 

 

 

[ChrisN]

46 minutes ago, corneliuslundie said:

Time for an update.

More wagons building. First an SECR open from a Chatham Models kit.

 

Next another wagon with home made decals. This is a Meon Valley Models resin body and a Brassmasters etched brass chassis. However, I chickened out of the springing (9 ft wheelbase wagons shouldn’t need springing in EM gauge – if they do then the track needs improving) so I replaced the W irons by EM Gauge Society W irons. And I also abandoned the brakegear and used plastic spares from my bits drawer. This time I started with a photograph of the wagon which I took into the editing program, squared it up and made sure the black was black and the white was white instead of shades of grey. The only modification was to replace the “Empty to” instructions to Nantcwmdu Colliery, the fictional colliery on my layout (well, really in the fiddle yard).

 

Last week we went to Cardiff for a holiday and spent two days visiting St Fagans Folk Museum. I wanted to take some photos of the Gwalia Stores as I intend making a model for the layout. I have also acquired some thin Perspex and some L and T shaped plastic strip so now I can make up the windows. I took some photos of the shop windows to help when I produce the window interiors, as they are very visible. But I shall be having a couple of bicycles in one window.

 

However, right next to the Gwalia Stores a pub has been erected which was originally in the Newtown area of Cardiff. It had only been open a week or so when we visited. Just right for the layout, I thought, so took some photos. A challenge will be the glazed tiles.

 

 

Back to wagons, I am currently building a model of a GER round ended 3-plank wagon from the recently retired 5and9 models range. No problem with the paintwork but the lettering will be a challenge because I do not know of any transfers. And I am planning a couple more Rhymney opens, but after that I really must stop. In fact I have quitev a few PO coal wagons which were built for a proposed layout which never happened and are not appropriate for Nantcwmdu, so I may see if I can sell them.

Jonathan

 

Jonathan,

Nice modelling as ever.  The glazed tiles will be interesting.

 

How long have 5 and 9 been closed?

 

 

[corneliuslundie]

I am not sure how long ago Chris Cox closed the business, but he is a member of the Shrewsbury Railway Modellers and in December I bought the kit from him at their meeting, when he still had a few left.

Incidentally he has had articles in the several recent issues of MRJ.

Jonathan

[corneliuslundie]

A long overdue update. Very little done recently as for three weeks the modelling room was occupied by a door being stripped and repainted.

However, three photos today.

First a GE open from a 5and9 Models kit bought last December at the Christmas meeting of Shrewsbury Railway Modellers of which the ex-owner is a member. Lettering from various HMRS transfer sheets as there isn’t one for the GER.

 

 

Next a Rhymney Railway open. The design based on the RCH 15 ton PO wagon spec, 18 ft over headstocks and 9 ft 9 in. wheelbase. This one was started at least 12 years ago but never got completely lettered. Again no HMRS transfers. In the end the Rs one at least one side have come from a sheet of SR wagon transfers. It is possible though that those on one side may be Tony Miller’s.

 

 

And third some 12 in. to the foot modelling, though not by me. We went to the SVR on Wednesday and I spotted this loco in a siding. Looking very nice but I wonder how often it will get steamed.

 

 

I need to get on with the ballasting of the final board and the Gwalia Stores model. I have the small section angle now for the window frames so no excuse.

Jonathan

[corneliuslundie]

What? Only two months since the last post?

The coal merchant at Nantcwmdu, Zechariah Jones, now has an office to go with his coal wagon.

Built from various types of plastic sheet included a corrugated iron version, and some ancient white metal guttering components and wire downpipes. Lettering HMRS Pressfix as usual.

In truth it has been designed and sized to fit over a point motor in the goods yard.

 

 

Actually the rust looks better in the photo than in real life. And the brick plinth is not really bright orange.

Now on to the Gwalia Stores.

Jonathan

[corneliuslundie]

I am doing some modelling but not much worth photographing at the moment. One side of the shop windows of the Gwalia Stores building nears completion, and I now just have to do the same on the other side. Ballasting continues slowly. There was a hiatus when I managed to glue up both syringes with the acrylic/water mix, but I got some more at the Manchester show. And I am completing a SR cattle wagon kit passed on by another club members who has had to give up modelling as his eyesight has deteriorated. That will be useful for Sarn.

Going in the other direction, so to speak, I have identified about 45 private owner wagon models I no longer need as they were mostly intended for the never-built Nelson & Llancaiach layout, so I am advertising them and an unbuilt Malcolm Mitchell GWR Aberdare kit in the EMGS Newsletter. I also have some OO locos which I shall never use, and need to find a new home, such as a GWR Mogul.

But for now: