Newton Grove 19F

[Jon Fitness]

 Cor! got me almost blushing here!

 

The signals are built by me but the bounce action is all down to Dave at Megapoints or the 2 fine gentlemen at GF Controls.

 

Without their expertise, I probably wouldn't find it so easy to operate those servos!

 

JF

Edited October 19, 2016 by Jon Fitness

[Dmudriver]

I'm in discussions right now with Jon from Boltons Bits, about producing a 2 disc ground signal for Newton Grove. It will be placed between the two tracks just behind the boothy/almost under the bridge.

 

I've seen videos of John's work and they are amazing. There was even one video where the signal bounced after it has been placed back to STOP - very very impressive.

 

If you haven't seen Jon's work, check out his website: http://www.boltonsbits.com/

 

Thanks to Stephen Fay for putting me onto Boltons Bits 

I'm another one who can totally recommend Jon's work.  All the signals on West Kirby Town were built by him and are just superb.

 

Rod

[Newtz1981]

Here is the latest design of the brake blocks.

 

Please I ask for no more suggestions or comments about how they would be stacked, etc. My research from both photos and what I see on the preserved railway I work on shows that this stacking arrangement is quite normal, and as it's all going up against the inside of the shed wall, I know it's going to look great. Thank you for your understanding 

 

[Newtz1981]

 Cor! got me almost blushing here!

 

The signals are built by me but the bounce action is all down to Dave at Megapoints or the 2 fine gentlemen at GF Controls.

 

Without their expertise, I probably wouldn't find it so easy to operate those servos!

 

JF

 

Hi Jon,

 

Thank you for letting me know that. I must say that I was thinking about having my ground signals 'bounce' so it's good to know who does what, etc.

 

I look forward to placing my order with you very very soon.

 

Newtz

[Newtz1981]

I've just ordered another 12 loco crew figures from ModelU - Newton Grove is going to be a very busy MPD indeed!

[steve4rosegrove]

Here is the latest design of the brake blocks.

 

Please I ask for no more suggestions or comments about how they would be stacked, etc. My research from both photos and what I see on the preserved railway I work on shows that this stacking arrangement is quite normal, and as it's all going up against the inside of the shed wall, I know it's going to look great. Thank you for your understanding 

 

Capture.JPG

If Modelu can be persuaded to do a 4 m.m. version Rose Grove will benefit from your efforts - thank you.

I think that doing a tall stack is a good idea, a simple saw cut will produce short stacks for others and I can copy that photo.

Steve

[Newtz1981]

If Modelu can be persuaded to do a 4 m.m. version Rose Grove will benefit from your efforts - thank you.

I think that doing a tall stack is a good idea, a simple saw cut will produce short stacks for others and I can copy that photo.

Steve

 

Hello Steve,

 

I have spoken to Alan and he will make the brake block stacks, and the single brake blocks as well, available in both 7mm and 4mm on his website soon. Please feel free to email him to ask about prices and place your order - and show us all some photos of when you have them around your Rose Grove layout 

 

Newtz

[Newtz1981]

I had my girlfriend over the other day - I'm lucky in that she is impressed with my modelling and also very encouraging of it too. She looked at the road bridge and said "it needs the white lines on the road." Damn, she's right.

 

So first I thought of what lines I ought to put on. Very quickly I decided not to put a double line in, as I didn't feel it would look good - maybe too much. I considered a single continuous line, but that was also given away quickly as I though it would be far too dominant. So, I decided to put single broken lines in. Now this really isn't what you would find on a road bridge, however it's my model and I make up the rules 

 

I took a small length of balsa and cut out 3 'lines' somewhat evenly spaced. I then lay the balsa across the road and gave each hole I'd cut a dab of white weathering powder, then I vacuumed away the excess right away. I did not want the white to be overly white, and so there are a few patches where it looks like it is fading, etc. 

 

I'm quite happy with the result I must say and it really has made a big difference to this dominant side of Newton Grove.

 

 

 

Next step is to add some weeds and grass around the base of the brickwork. The lamp is just there for now to see how it looks. In fact I rather like it and I think I'll order a second one (Langley Models) and put it on the opposite side at the rear. Once finished these will be illuminated too.

Edited October 21, 2016 by Newtz1981

[steve4rosegrove]

Hello Steve,

 

I have spoken to Alan and he will make the brake block stacks, and the single brake blocks as well, available in both 7mm and 4mm on his website soon. Please feel free to email him to ask about prices and place your order - and show us all some photos of when you have them around your Rose Grove layout 

 

Newtz

That's good news, the order to him is getting bigger (we need lots of LNWR loco lamps for Clarendon), and it will prompt me to build that low wall.  The shed building isn't there yet but another small step can be done.  Don't hold your breath for a completed layout though - too many house projects to progress as quickly as you!

 

Steve

[Jon Fitness]

I had my girlfriend over the other day - I'm lucky in that she is impressed with my modelling and also very encouraging of it too. She looked at the road bridge and said "it needs the white lines on the road." Damn, she's right.

 

So first I thought of what lines I ought to put on. Very quickly I decided not to put a double line in, as I didn't feel it would look good - maybe too much. I considered a single continuous line, but that was also given away quickly as I though it would be far too dominant. So, I decided to put single broken lines in. Now this really isn't what you would find on a rad bridge, however it's my model and I make up the rules 

 

I took a small length of balsa and cut out 3 'lines' somewhat evenly spaced. I then lay the balsa across the road and gave each hole I'd cut a dab of white weathering powder, then I vacuumed away the excess right away. I did not want the white to be overly white, and so there are a few patches where it looks like it is fading, etc. 

 

I'm quite happy with the result I must say and it really has made a big difference to this dominant side of Newton Grove.

 

image1(5).JPG

 

image2(4).JPG

 

Next step is to add some weeds and grass around the base of the brickwork. The lamp is just there for now to see how it looks. In fact I rather like it and I think I'll order a second one (Langley Models) and put one of the opposite side at the rear. Once finished these will be illuminated too.

Looking really nice but probably best not to go too much with the grass / weeds around the base of the walls. In the 50/60s the local council workers were quite free and easy with some serious weedkiller!

Railway yards were liberally dosed with it too, probably until the late 60's. Some bits of railway remained fairly weed free for a good 18 mmonths after closure.

 

Jon F.

[Newtz1981]

I've had someone suggest to me to exhibit Newton Grove around the UK. Hmm, now there's a thought. I guess if the right deal came along, I may consider it

[Newtz1981]

I've been working on the smoke shoots within the shed. This is going to be a long process, however I have most of one road done already. Here are a few photos of the inside of Rose Grove.

 

 

 

You can see the detail in the smoke shoots. Now I'm not going to model this exactly (because you won't really see it anyway) so I'm doing it in a similar yet more simple way. Using matches, I drew lines that are 1cm apart, and off-set, to give the diagonal angle. Then one by one the matches were glued down onto the balsa wood. Once dry I cut the heads off.

 

Here are a few photos of the progress so far...

 

 

 

 

 

And here is what it will look like (kind of) from 'ground level'

 

 

 

If you are wondering what the black strip is underneath the brick work - this is wet & dry sand paper; really fine grade too. This is going to simulate concrete, once it's been weathered. Here is another view of the face of the shed, slowly coming along.

 

 

 

I love that mirror! Best idea I had for the layout 

Edited October 21, 2016 by Newtz1981

[steve4rosegrove]

I've been working on the smoke shoots within the shed. This is going to be a long process, however I have most of one road done already. Here are a few photos of the inside of Rose Grove.

 

image8-1.jpg

 

image7-1.jpg

 

You can see the detail in the smoke shoots. Now I'm not going to model this exactly (because you won't really see it anyway) so I'm doing it in a similar yet more simple way. Using matches, I drew lines that are 1cm apart, and off-set, to give the diagonal angle. Then one by one the matches were glued down onto the balsa wood. Once dry I cut the heads off.

 

Here are a few photos of the progress so far...

 

image4(4).JPG

 

image3(4).JPG

 

image2(5).JPG

 

 

And here is what it will look like (kind of) from 'ground level'

 

image6(2-1).jpg

 

 

If you are wondering what the black strip is underneath the brick work - this is wet & dry sand paper; really fine grade too. This is going to simulate concrete, once it's been weathered. Here is another view of the face of the shed, slowly coming along.

 

image5(3).JPG

 

 

I love that mirror! Best idea I had for the layout 

I'm sure you are aware of this already, but don't get caught out by the different sections of roof at Rose Grove.  The front and rear 1/3 sections are the concrete louvre type (LMS 1930's) and the centre 1/3 is a cheap BR (1950's) wooden version.  Internally similar, the outsides are very different.  The concrete version appears in the Hawkins Reeve LMS Sheds volumes.  Probably telling grandmother etc.  apologies if so.  Steve

[steve4rosegrove]

I'm sure you are aware of this already, but don't get caught out by the different sections of roof at Rose Grove.  The front and rear 1/3 sections are the concrete louvre type (LMS 1930's) and the centre 1/3 is a cheap BR (1950's) wooden version.  Internally similar, the outsides are very different.  The concrete version appears in the Hawkins Reeve LMS Sheds volumes.  Probably telling grandmother etc.  apologies if so.  Steve

P.S.  The mirror is very effective!  And, just spotted those tall stacks of brake blocks.

Cheers,  Steve

[Newtz1981]

As it's the weekend I've spent more time today working on the shed, in particular the smoke chutes again. There are only 2 side left to finish before I think about painting them all in matt black and weathering. Here are some photos of the work finished today.

 

 

 

 

I'll get back to the remainder of the smoke chutes soon. I was also inspired to make a start on the low relief terrace houses. These will be featured on top of a cutting, over looking the railway. The model is from Scale Scenes and I have printed it professionally on thick matt card. This will make construction easier and will give the building strength when completed. I am also modelling these houses in 00 scale, to give a forced perspective when look towards the bridge and beyond into the distance. I'm sure that when it's all done it will look perfect.

 

 

[Newtz1981]

After I have the lamps finished and on the bridge there will be no more work being done to this part of the layout. When the pelmet goes on the layout most of the road will be obscured, so there will be no point in adding minute details such as grass/weeds and footpath.

 

When all is done you will see what I mean

[Newtz1981]

The smoke chutes are finally completed and I have painted them Matt Black. It's currently in the shed drying overnight. The next step is to weather them before gluing them in place into the shed itself. The next step will be to add the smaller trust beams that run across the roof. These will not only give support (well, not really on the model), they will also make way to accommodate the interior lighting that will eventually be installed.

 

At the moment I am thinking that the easy part of the shed has been completed. The roof may present a challenge for me, as at this moment I have no idea how I will build it or make it work. Having said that though, that's been the case with all scratch built items so far and somehow I seem to work it all out along the way - so let's see how this all unfolds.

[Newtz1981]

And here are a few photos to show the detail of the painted and weathered chutes...

 

 

 

All I have used here for the weathering is Humbrol 'Dark Earth' and Humbrol 'Smoke' powders.

[Newtz1981]

I've been doing more work to the shed building again. This time I have added the brick work to the side wall at the entrance of the shed. This wraps around the inside of the shed too. It was very easy to produce and install. To secure it hard and fast I used liquid nails. This meant that I could hold the brickwork in place and in a very short time I was able to walk away from it and let it dry, while it still retained its bend and shape.

 

Images below:

 

 

[Newtz1981]

More work has been carried out on and around the shed. To begin with I have started to install the pit floors into each road.

 

 

Next job was to install the fire drums around near the water columns. The lighting works well, however I need to add more paint and rust it seems, as the sides are glowing too much.

 

 

I seem to have a soft spot for Alberta. Shame she wasn't preserved 

 

I have also made up my concrete pillar at the shed entrance. This is just wet and dry sand paper that has been wrapped around the plastic, again I used liquid mails here so that it would dry quickly and hold firm. You can also start to see the smoke chutes and details and it's starting to look very very good indeed, in my opinion.

 

 

 

And in the final photo we see Alberta and 48773 at the shed entrance. This is what Newton Grove will be all about, creating atmosphere so I can take some great photos that look as realistic as possible.

 

[Guest Isambarduk]

"I seem to have a soft spot for Alberta"
 
Me too, although I named my Jubilee Jervis, after our long gone but very well-loved Golden Retriever.

[Newtz1981]

"I seem to have a soft spot for Alberta"

 

Me too, although I named my Jubilee Jervis, after our long gone but very well-loved Golden Retriever.

 

 

That looks simply beautiful!

[Newtz1981]

I decided to break the harsh look of the bridge up at the back scene. What better way to do that than with a tree (which I have not actually 'planted' yet - it's just sitting in place right now)

 

 

Now I know that it was not common to have trees so close to the railway, back in the days when they managed line side vegetation, etc. However as this is the 1960s and workers are slowly being laid off and pride and care is fading in the railways, this tree has been left to grow.

 

 

It's a young tree, only around 4 years old; however it looks lovely and helps to break up this end of the layout and soften it. What do you think?

 

 

Here 46443 waits near the boothy. The tree just adds that little extra something I reason. I will only be putting this one tree in as adding any more will just look silly.

Edited November 10, 2016 by Newtz1981

[Guest Isambarduk]

"That looks simply beautiful! :)"
 
Thank you, Newtz!  The Jubilee is just one of my heavily reworked San Cheng Crafts locos; I worked on a Black Five at the same time.  If anybody's interested, I mentioned what I did here: 

 

www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/101674-reworking-locos-from-finescalebrasssan-cheng-models

 

and I explained, much more tidily in captions pictures, here: www.davidlosmith.co.uk/LMS_Black_Five_Jubilee.htm
   

 

Hijack over ... promise!

 

I thoroughly enjoy reading about your railway and I wish that I had the artistic talent (and energy!) to do something similar but, as it is, I'll probably just continue to (re)build locos, and occasionally I'll build stock.

David

Edited November 11, 2016 by Isambarduk

[Newtz1981]

"That looks simply beautiful! :)"

 

Thank you, Newtz!  The Jubilee is just one of my heavily reworked San Cheng Crafts locos; I worked on a Black Five at the same time.  If anybody's interested, I mentioned what I did here: 

 

www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/101674-reworking-locos-from-finescalebrasssan-cheng-models

 

and I explained, much more tidily in captions pictures, here: www.davidlosmith.co.uk/LMS_Black_Five_Jubilee.htm

   

 

Hijack over ... promise!

 

I thoroughly enjoy reading about your railway and I wish that I had the artistic talent (and energy!) to do something similar but, as it is, I'll probably just continue to (re)build locos, and occasionally I'll build stock.

 

David

 

 

Thank you David,

 

We all have our strengths. I wish that I had the talents that you posses to be able to add detailing to locomotives and build/fab things from nothing. I'm no engineer one little bit and even the most simply of engineering things seems ultra complex to me. I do admire your work and have looked at it dozens and dozens of times.

 

Newtz