Ropley Station between 2010 - 2012 as preserved

[chriscleveland]

At last the last MHR coach rake completed and most challenging one. 
 

each coach turned out to be much harder to do than I originally thought and worse still the railway has repainted them all to make the green train. 
 

Many hours going over YouTube, google, etc to find the best photos of each coach to help get the transfers made for them and each coach seemed to be much different to just being out of the box. 
 

 

restaurant car is from a Bachmann mk1 however quite a few windows and doors had to be filled in before starting. 
 

 

pullman 351 is a Bachmann Pullman coach with a whole transfer overlay

 

 

 

sage and fern are both Hornby mk1s as Hornby seem to be the only one to make this type of mk1 which started as the Hornby infrastructure mk1 first open. 
 

 

buffet restyrant car is also a Hornby mk1 which started as a intercity mk1 catering (rbr) coach.

 

 

also joining them in the lineup is Pullman mk1 eagle which was at the line the early part of the time frame and amethyst which was at the railway but I never saw it run although it’s now on the mainline with west coast along with car no 351. 

 

not been the easiest job but at least I can now say every coach is correct to the layout although currently deciding if a make another two coaches which would be the read break coach they used with the crane a while back and also if I make a new mk1 under some sort of repair for the sheds

 

 

[G-BOAF]

Just discovered this thread. As a fellow preservation modeller, I absolutely love it. Incredible representation of a modern day preservation scene with wonderful attention to detail in capturing the character of the real site.

 

@chriscleveland what overlay did you use on Pullman 351? What livery was it initially?

[chriscleveland]

23 minutes ago, G-BOAF said:

Just discovered this thread. As a fellow preservation modeller, I absolutely love it. Incredible representation of a modern day preservation scene with wonderful attention to detail in capturing the character of the real site.

 

@chriscleveland what overlay did you use on Pullman 351? What livery was it initially?

Was originally this livery but another coach number. Precision details do the transfer I used for the coach and was one of the simplest transfers I’ve used 

[chriscleveland]

Probably my last post of the year hope everyone had a great Christmas and a happy new year. Breaking cover again the peak has made a trip to the workshop to improve its appearance again mainly by having a new lick of paint on the chassis, sorting the loose edges on the tarpaulins, and getting rid of those massive coupling hooks. Sometimes the little things make a big difference. Definitely been a busy year for the layout and hopefully I can get hold of some more projects soon.

[6990WitherslackHall]

13 minutes ago, chriscleveland said:

What's the story with 45132 then? Why's it nose look like that?

[chriscleveland]

26 minutes ago, 6990WitherslackHall said:

What's the story with 45132 then? Why's it nose look like that?

Good question at the mhr diesel gala in 2013 it was displayed like this in the yard to show ongoing works to that particular nose. There’s a few clips of it on YouTube as well as at the end of the gala being taken to Alresford by 37905. I saw it and thought it was a great idea to model rather than just having the tarpaulin over the nose and is something a bit different. 

[chriscleveland]

For those interested in where 45132s look came from here’s a link to the YouTube video I used to model it from 

 

 

 

[chriscleveland]

Thought one more post wouldn’t go a miss 

 

layout has come a long way this year probably my most productive year in a long time. Not just in stock but on the layout itself too. Plenty to come next year starting with its next outing in March 

 

 

Thumper is ready to depart as the freight heads off to Alton 

 

 

a very full looking head-shunt towards Alton

 

 

looking down from the road bridge which you can’t see as far from now days as the King’s Cross footbridge now sits in front of the carriage shed 

 

 

A peak through the woodland walk into the yard. Definitely my new favourite photo spot.

 

 

plenty of diesels awaiting their turn in restoration looking down from the road bridge. 

 

 

08 shunting the coaches out of the carriage shed after being correctly renumbered to those on the railway. Just people to add at some point. I’m definitely not doing this with the wagons. 
 

Happy new Year everyone 

 

Chris 

[chriscleveland]

Another project done 

 

Bachmann wickham trolley has had a change. Swapped the bodies over addded curtains to the side of the main trolley and removed the ballast load and replaced it with some rail chairs and tools. Not as easy as I thought it would be but makes it a bit different 

 

 

 

 

[Nick C]

That looks a lot more realistic - the ballast load always looks a bit silly, they tend to be used as you've got it, with tools and the odd spare 'bit' for a particular repair.

[chriscleveland]

2 hours ago, Nick C said:

That looks a lot more realistic - the ballast load always looks a bit silly, they tend to be used as you've got it, with tools and the odd spare 'bit' for a particular repair.

Definitely so I’ve never seen one mounded with ballast

 

here is a view of what’s in the back 

 

 

a tool box, some ballast remains, tools and rail chairs. Another pw piece of rolling stock added to the fleet properly now alongside the atlas crane. If you see it running means someone’s tinkering with the wiring hahahaha hopefully the covers being down hides the fact the motor is now in that compartment 

 

 

[Nick C]

21 minutes ago, chriscleveland said:

the covers being down hides the fact the motor is now in that compartment 

and keeps the wind and rain out when they're up at Medstead!

[chriscleveland]

5 minutes ago, Nick C said:

and keeps the wind and rain out when they're up at Medstead!

I’ve only ever seen them with the tarps down. Used to go there sometimes when we were helping to build the model railway in the pmv back in the day. Shame technically this one is the one that is now green. 

[chriscleveland]

Something I rarely get to do 

 

just playing trains 

 

been working out where I need to relocate some isolation sections before removing everything out of the yard to work out where there seems to running snags to see if they are quick wins to improve it as well as fix some areas in the yard I seem to catch with a track rubber on the ground 

 

then it will be turn the layout into a freight yard as wagons seem to react to any issues better than locos if there’s anything making the wheels rise on the filled in floor. 

 

[chriscleveland]

 

another loco down. Hornby 08 has finally had the black front grill painted green and matched in with the rest of the paintwork to look like 12049 before it was repainted to black as it is now at the railway. 

[chriscleveland]

Not long now till Ropley goes out to its next show being next weekend at Basingstoke.

 

Hopefully runs as well as it has been for the last couple of weeks. Just now needs a good dusting before being boxed up ready.

 

[Temeraire]

Evening all

 

Dropped by Exford Park earlier and there's what looks like a loco convoy in the stabling point.

 

 

Three locos awaiting a path and a tow presumably to next weekend's diesel gala at Ropley perhaps? 😉

 

 

Upfront is 33109 'Capt Bill' on loan from the East Lancs Railway. This one has had plates fitted, yellow paint on the bagpipes, orange on the electrical connectors and finally lightly weathered.

 

 

MHR resident 37901 'Mirrlees Pioneer' came in for weathering.

 

 

Bringing up the rear is 37324 'Clydebridge' that has finally gained its plates.

 

All had a wheel polish and are ready to go next week. 

Edited March 1 by Temeraire

[chriscleveland]

38 minutes ago, Temeraire said:

Evening all

 

Dropped by Exford Park earlier and there's what looks like a loco convoy in the stabling point.

 

 

Three locos awaiting a path and a tow presumably to next weekend's diesel gala at Ropley perhaps? 😉

 

 

Upfront is 33109 'Capt Bill' on loan from the East Lancs Railway. This one has had plates fitted, yellow paint on the bagpipes, orange on the electrical connectors and finally lightly weathered.

 

 

MHR resident 37901 'Mirrlees Pioneer' came in for weathering.

 

 

Bringing up the rear is 37324 'Clydebridge' that has finally gained its plates.

 

All had a wheel polish and are ready to go next week. 

They are looking amazing looks like a diesel gala Sunday will be required 

[chriscleveland]

Nothing beats a bit of last minute tweaking 

 

layouts had a dust along with the locos and the switches are finally going in that turned up later than hoped, but adds to the stress I mean fun of it all. 
 

looking forward to getting it out for the first time this year to prove all is ok and see it in some proper lighting to see what else needs to be done after the show. 
 

With all locos clean and had an hour run in the performance difference is amazing. Just hoping the layout behaves over the weekend and is well received. 
 

looks like the diesels are getting ready for a gala as the convoy is due. Hoping to do a lot of things on the weekend I’ve never done with the layout before. Steam gala, diesel gala, mega shunt, shunting all the sheds etc. the yard has had some serious tlc and the running quality has paid off from doing it just had to preform this well and n front of an audience and cameras. Hopefully simplifying some of the electrics will help the team to operate it as it’s been a while for us all and some this is a first. 

 

[chriscleveland]

Ropley performed well today more operating errors than faults for a change. Expected as it’s all been re wired even I didn’t know every answer. First mega shunt completed at a show which was a challenge as as I started it seemed to get caught every 2 min by people asking questions which was nice plus had to answer a load of questions when the layout was being judged. Ropley was very well received. Let’s see how tomorrow goes but I hear it’s a diesel gala as we did a steam gala today. Hopefully I get some good photos tomorrow morning when we do a photoshoot with it as it’s something I’ve always wanted to do but space as previous show issues have prevented us doing. One more show invite today hopefully some more tomorrow. 

 

 

 

 

[Nick C]

Good to see Ropley today. I did note at one point at least three MHR people all watching!

[chriscleveland]

9 hours ago, Nick C said:

Good to see Ropley today. I did note at one point at least three MHR people all watching!

Hi Nick you should have said Hi always good to meet people who follow the page in person. There was nearly always someone from the railway in front of the layout yesterday l. Good to talk to a few of them and had a long discussion with the wagon group team who are at the show too as well as others who have helped get the layout into a good place. Hopefully some networking may help for some of the upcoming projects. 

[BluenGreyAnorak]

This layout looks great. I know Ropley pretty well and it's nice to see something that's so recognisable.

 

Any plans to build other stations on the line? It seems like something that would lend itself to being a series of modules that could be linked together to represent longer sections or even the whole line if space allowed!

[Nick C]

2 hours ago, chriscleveland said:

Hi Nick you should have said Hi always good to meet people who follow the page in person. There was nearly always someone from the railway in front of the layout yesterday l. Good to talk to a few of them and had a long discussion with the wagon group team who are at the show too as well as others who have helped get the layout into a good place. Hopefully some networking may help for some of the upcoming projects. 

Yeah, we did have a bit of a chat while you were shunting the yard, but I forgot to introduce myself! I was the one in the green Watercress Line fleece operating Merstone behind you.

[chriscleveland]

20 hours ago, BluenGreyAnorak said:

This layout looks great. I know Ropley pretty well and it's nice to see something that's so recognisable.

 

Any plans to build other stations on the line? It seems like something that would lend itself to being a series of modules that could be linked together to represent longer sections or even the whole line if space allowed!

 

Thank you seemed to go down really well with people at the show over the weekend many being from the railway itself. 
 

unfortunately no plans to build any of the other stations with Ropley being 32ft creates a challenge already although a few years back we were thinking of linking with Alton station modelled by the Alton club. And medstead once came on the cards but never went any further. 
 

Ropley now has a new challenge coming up soon as I look for a new place to move to in due course. Big layout to accommodate but currently we get 8ft up at a time only which makes it tricky sometimes a bit more.