Ropley Station between 2010 - 2012 as preserved

[chriscleveland]

Lots of progress in the carriage shed the old pmv went out and returned looking a little like this. Think it’s a much better look for the wagon and sets more of a scene in the carriage shed to show the work carried out 

Edited May 1, 2023 by chriscleveland

[chriscleveland]

Plenty of projects on the go I might finish one soon 

 

progress has been made on reshaping and grassing the hills on the up platform to narrow the station platform widths. I must say the people who mentioned this were right on narrowing it and doesn’t it make a difference shame it’s not as easy by the wheeldrop shed on the other side but definitely a good progress. Next stage will be adding shrubs and other platform and embankment details. 

[chriscleveland]

Playing along the woodland walk 

 here we see the black 5 returning having run back light engine from Alton. The crane is in the yard ready for some upcoming lifts. 92212 sits on the pit ready to be used on the demo freight train on a service later in the week. 

[chriscleveland]

Breakdown crane coming along nicely now with its new coat of paint from grey to black and plates added. Now just got to get some transfers made for  its numbers and shed location 

[Ian Morgan]

Are any of these useful?  Taken in 2000, so resolution of my digital camera back then was not too good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chriscleveland]

3 hours ago, Ian Morgan said:

Are any of these useful?  Taken in 2000, so resolution of my digital camera back then was not too good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks Ian it’s the exmouth junction part I’m looking to get done photo 1 got the rest done when I had the crane 3d printed on etch plates. Great photos thank you for sharing 

[Nick C]

32 minutes ago, chriscleveland said:

Thanks Ian it’s the exmouth junction part I’m looking to get done photo 1 got the rest done when I had the crane 3d printed on etch plates. Great photos thank you for sharing 

Here's one on Flickr from 2012: 

 

[chriscleveland]

Not much going on that’s obvious currently. Wiring continues and finding ways to simplify the layout. I have started to un motor some of the out of use locos but need to do an 08 test to see how many they can pull without support. Thomas struggles with more than 1 Loco and the USA tank can do one and a tank engine.  
I have now also started making better tree trunks with mod rock to make them a bit fuller too and removed those I tried with polyfiller. You would have thought I would have remembered to stay clear of the stuff. 
Next job will be the lights going back into the wheeldrop shed. 
 

talking of sheds I realised I never posted the finished photos of the main Loco shed. It’s been tough to find the photos and had to add my own imagination into this final look. 
 

after it’s show later this year I’m October attentions will be turned to backscense to get these updated and more fitting ready for its first show booked in in march 2024. 

[chriscleveland]

Next job has been locos 

 

I have decided to un motor all locos that are out of use to make dc operation easier 

 

plus this will help when one day if I do decide to turn Ropley dcc

 

having to keep notes of how they go back together if I ever decide to 

 

 

Edited July 1, 2023 by chriscleveland

[chriscleveland]

A view many will be familiar with. Looking down from Bighton hill road bridge. Looks like the yard is fairly full as yeoman 08 heads off from the headshunt to start moving some locos 

[chriscleveland]

Bit more work on Ropley 

 

last board towards Alton having been electrically corrected being the headshunt has also given me the opportunity to finish the scenics. Very happy with the difference of using horse hair makes really gives it more depth. Thank you Ian for the tips of how you did this on Tidworth. Down side now is the other side of the bridge looks dusty and flat not to mention in need of a refresh looks like I know what I’m doing next. 

[chriscleveland]

Took the plunge and completed the bank between the road bridge to the platforms. This is the first layer completed before adding more colours to the bank to look like other shrubs and plants growing through. Very happy with the shrubs now having a bit more depth as the horse hair brings more depth. This is now the front of the layout nearing completion for Ropleys next show. Think the headshunt will need some trees to block the exit to the fiddle yard. Then attentions will turn to a new backscene and smartening up the layout in other areas. Then will have to redesign the shed roofs again to make it easier to see more in them as well as make them look finished as I’m not happy with the current ones again but lighting is nearing completion.

 

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by chriscleveland

[Nick C]

It's amazing how different the real thing looks now, with the ex-King's Cross bridge across the front of the carriage works...

[chriscleveland]

5 minutes ago, Nick C said:

It's amazing how different the real thing looks now, with the ex-King's Cross bridge across the front of the carriage works...

So much has changed now the whole yard, platforms, platform canopy, the bridge, second siding etc can’t keep up posters and signs will be the next challenge. 

[Nick C]

Just now, chriscleveland said:

So much has changed now the whole yard, platforms, platform canopy, the bridge, second siding etc can’t keep up posters and signs will be the next challenge. 

Indeed - I can see why you needed to stick to a very rigid period for the model! 

[chriscleveland]

8 hours ago, Nick C said:

Indeed - I can see why you needed to stick to a very rigid period for the model! 

It’s mad before the boiler shop and carriage shed it doesn’t change for ages but makes it’s hard to keep to the time frames when photos are limited with dates on them and so much happened so quickly 

[John Besley]

Very nice Chris, just a tip when you load photos add a space between as it makes it easier to view them

[chriscleveland]

1 hour ago, John Besley said:

Very nice Chris, just a tip when you load photos add a space between as it makes it easier to view them

That’s my bad just adding the photos and not putting them into the post as I type them up. will do going forward

[Cowley 47521]

On 19/05/2023 at 11:31, chriscleveland said:

Plenty of projects on the go I might finish one soon 

 

progress has been made on reshaping and grassing the hills on the up platform to narrow the station platform widths. I must say the people who mentioned this were right on narrowing it and doesn’t it make a difference shame it’s not as easy by the wheeldrop shed on the other side but definitely a good progress. Next stage will be adding shrubs and other platform and embankment details. 

The photo with the 33 looks amazing Chris.

[chriscleveland]

16 hours ago, Cowley 47521 said:

The photo with the 33 looks amazing Chris.

Thank you. I just need to figure out what to do with the shed roofs to allow people to see in but look more finished than they do today 

[John Besley]

3 hours ago, chriscleveland said:

Thank you. I just need to figure out what to do with the shed roofs to allow people to see in but look more finished than they do today 

 

Why not build a removable middle section complete with roof trusses left in place - check Hunslet Works in 7mm by @Andy Ross

[chriscleveland]

4 hours ago, John Besley said:

 

Why not build a removable middle section complete with roof trusses left in place - check Hunslet Works in 7mm by @Andy Ross

 

 

they look like this currently but I’m worried I block too much out guess once lights are in and working might have an impact? The girders lift out in areas so I can track clean. Originally the whole frames did but this damaged the last set of lights. All a bit of trial and error, but I will check out how they have done theirs thank you for the pointer. 

[chriscleveland]

 

 

As 80150 has finally made it to ropley after many years at alresford having work done to it I thought it was rude not to post it in model form copied from when it first arrived. Needless to say the hard work people are putting into it shows 

 

[chriscleveland]

Next project to start 

I’ve decided I want to model one of the diesel galas. Only issue is there isn’t one in the time frame but one either side. I’ve decided to go with the 2013 diesel gala and here’s the first loco progressing starting as D6535 to become 33109 Captain Bill Smith. 
 

 

first challenge was to remove the poor weathering job I did to it years ago as one of my first respray a. Luckily I hadn’t realised I needed to varnish after. 
 

 

Here’s how it’s looking after the first spray of varnish dulling down the blue a little. I have used 33053 as a comparison to show the different final appearances as 33053 will look faded where as 33109 will look relatively new with the odd bit of muck. 

[chriscleveland]

Whilst plenty is going on in the loco side of the workshops we pop over to the carriage shed to see what’s going on 

 

 

I have started to respray the darker green Bachmann mk1s to match the earlier versions to be more in keeping with the rakes I already have 

 

I have also renumbered the coaches once sprayed to mhr numbers and added the cress something Bachmann don’t seem to add but adds a bit of a different look to the rake 

 

 

the last photo shows the one I have resprayed in between 2 Bachmann painted coaches. one of these has been weathered and one straight out of the box. They are a slightly different green but this isn’t uncommon especially as the railway stores them outside. 3 down 4 to go