The Oak Hill Branch - LBSCR / SECR 1905ish - New layout starts on page 129

[BlueLightning]

Well Alex, the 009 was an amazing layout to play with, everything worked and was very very smooth. In fact one of the locos may well be the smoothest loco I have ever used!!! and as a layout it is even better in real life than pictures. It's not often you see a layout that has absolutely no compression!!

 

Gray

[GreenGiraffe22]

It was a fantastic show, lots of inspirational stuff that has given me ideas! And great to see you again Gary, thanks for the personal tour

[BobM]

Hi

Thanks for posting the images....great stuff...plenty of inspiration there....

Regards always....

Bob

[BlueLightning]

It was great to see you Matt, the tour was my pleasure. Just a shame you didn't buy anything!!! Not even one of those nice Terriers that everyone seemed to be getting rid of!

 

Glad you enjoyed Bob, there was not a bad layout there, the inspiration was strong. I left feeling very enthused to get on with some modelling!

 

Gary

[ChrisN]

Gary,

Is Brighton East the one with the hospital centre stage behind the embankment wall of the running line?  If so the actual model is amazing as I took one look at it and immediately knew what it was.

[Regularity]

Llanfair Caereinion (009, I managed to spend most of the weekend behind this one!!)

 

From which I hope you have learned two very important lessons of layout design:

4 turnouts arranged as a loop and two sidings facing in the same direction is all the “layout” you need;

Don’t compress things too much: length is important for replicating the amount of time to move from a to b and width is important for creating open space.

And one lesson of layout construction:

It doesn’t matter what the subject matter, nor the techniques, just so long as it works well.

[BlueLightning]

Chris,

 

I don't think Brighton East has a hospital, I could be wrong though, but it does have some amazing modelling.

 

Simon,

 

Indeed, a very simple yet very enjoyable layout. Every time I had to leave it I couldn't wait to get back! It was shear joy to operate, certainly something I will aim for when I eventually design a layout. Something for the NC&GLR no doubt.

 

Gary

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The Hospital on Brighton East is based on the Hospital in the area of the old Kemp Town Station. The Royal Sussex Hospital, which is in reality to the East of the old station, further along Eastern Road.

 

From the Brighton East thead....

 

 

These CAD images show initial thoughts on basic scenery and buildings. The Station building is based on photos of Kemptown and Brighton London Road. The terraced houses are based on the photos in the first post which are on top of the chalk cliffs surrounding the original Kemptown site.The large office type building is going to be based on Royal County Hospital Sussex where my son is a medical student (his request).

 

The old station was on Coalbrook Road, which has been replaced by Freshfield Way, which is a side road, parrallel to Eastern Road, one road in!

 

The station site was re-developed into an Industrial Estate, with a new road called Stephenson Road!

 

Site of Kemp Town Station...Where Jewson is now!

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8220273,-0.1203772,431m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

The tunnel mouth is visible in this shot from Streetview...

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.822819,-0.1227241,3a,15y,22.29h,90.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2DfsHvWGTSRmlIoMK8Zm9A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

 

I can actually remember the old Kemp Town station, before it was demolished....I have also walked the lengh of the tunnel, which was single track, and not so far short of 3/4 of a mile long!

 

Google maps measurement, a straight line (The tunnel had a curve, so was longer...there were at least 2 quarter mile posts still inside the tunnel...) Total distance: 901.93 m (2,959.08 ft) (0.6 Miles approx...)

 

As the far end had been capped, and burried, it was a return trip to the far end, with a good light!

 

Site of the Lewes End of the tunnel....By Elm Grove Primary School. (When the line was running, the tunnel mouth was below a wall on one side of the playground!) The round feature is almost on top of the tunnel mouth...and the Netball (or basketball?) pitch is on the line of the cutting, which can be followed to Hartington Road...

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8321189,-0.1229037,116m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

The actual line ran onto the Brighton to Lewes line towards Brighton,  just on the Lewes side of the London Road Tunnel...there could have been a tri-angular junction there with a line towards Lewes, without too much hassle, as the area was not very built up...OK, there has been some new building since I was last there! Another industrial estate on the site of a large, once rail served, coal yard...on the new Hughes Road...

 

Site of the Junction...

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@50.8377935,-0.1298676,223m/data=!3m1!1e3

 

There were intermediate Stations at Lewes Road, just before the now demolished viaduct (Which crossed Lewes Road, and cut across Melbourne Street), where Sainsbury's is now...and Hartington Road Halt, just after the also demolished bridge over Hartington Road....where the cutting leading to the tunnel began.

 

The site of the viaduct and embankment can be spotted by the gap in the older housing, now filled with a new school, St Martin's. The site of Hartington Road Halt is now the site of the Anchor - Old Viaduct Court development.

 

The filled in and landscaped cutting is now partly William Clarke Park...

 

In it's short length, the branch was almost all either on a viaduct, embankment, bridge, or in a cutting or tunnel....

 

The Signal Box at the Junction survived for a long time as a "Summer House" for the residence of a BR employee off Princes Road...it looks like new houses are there now...

Edited October 25, 2018 by Sarahagain

[Regularity]

Also, the inimitable Old Stations site:

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/k/kemp_town/

[Compound2632]

(this picture taken especially for Compound!)

2018-10-21 08.58.33.jpg

 

 

 

Thanks! That's the end-door version of the D299 5-plank wagon, D351. At c. 1902, it was the third most common type of Midland wagon, after D299 and the 3-plank dropside D305. And I've yet to build any!

 

Looks like an altogether splendid show. If it's the first weekend of autumn half-term next year, I'll have to look into making the trip - Bing maps tell me it's under 2 hrs. 

[BlueLightning]

I saw the Midland 5 plank and thought of you. Although with my lack of knowledge I assumed it was a D299!!

 

Looks like an altogether splendid show. If it's the first weekend of autumn half-term next year, I'll have to look into making the trip - Bing maps tell me it's under 2 hrs. 

 

It has been a great show every year I have been there, either as a club member of customer. Next year is the 19th and 20th October. I would assume that makes it the first weekend of the half-term again. Would be great to meet you if you do decide to come next year!

 

Gary

[Marly51]

Just catching up on the Forum after a bit of a break! Thanks for posting photos of the Uckfield Exhibition, Gary. Must try and plan a couple of visits to some exhibitions south of the border next year!

 

All the best, Marlyn

[BlueLightning]

Remembrance has seen a bit more work. and it is now starting to look more "finished"

 

I have started to paint the loco into it's final colours so a black smokebox, and red bufferbeams have appeared and they make a huge difference!!

 

I have also spent some time working on the backhead:

 

which has now made it's way into the newly painted cab:

 

I have drawn up the transfers and placed an order for them to be printed professionally, This was done a couple of weeks ago, however I do not know yet if they proper transfers will be ready on time. I do have a plan just in case.

 

2 weeks to go!!

 

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed.

 

Gary

[Compound2632]

Looking through those photos from the Uckfield exhibition again, I find that on Clevedon I'd overlooked the Midland D607 7-plank, 16ft over headstocks, 9'6" wheelbase 12 ton coal wagon - 5,250 built 1911-1914 and a further 400 in 1921 - after my period. There's a D390 10 ton brake van in the same photo but I'm guessing that's one sold into WP&CR service.

[TJC05]

Looking good! What did you use to make the backhead?

[BlueLightning]

The backhead was like most things stolen from  "Great British Locomotives" static model. In this case I think the Lord Nelson, which had a Belpaire firebox of the correct size so it matches up nicely. All I have done is give it a coat of primer and paint it up.

 

Gary

Edited October 28, 2018 by BlueLightning

[BlueLightning]

Let's have a look at some transfers! or at least the design process.

 

When working with transfer design I find the easiest way to get measurements correct is to draw them "in-situ" on the loco, or at least on the drawing I have. So we start by colouring in the areas that need transfers:

 

I then, if nothing else is available, use a drawing of the top of the boiler to design the lining, the thickness of the boiler bands being used. (In this case I have the details of measurements thanks to the HMRS Southern Style book, so this was actually used):

 

With the lining prepared I can fill in the rest of the details on the loco, fonts, sizes, and positions of wording are matched as well as possible to photos:

 

When my first draft is completed I print these on regular printer paper. I can then cut these out and make sure they fit the loco and that the sizes and positions of everything look correct, the background colour is not important as the final transfers will not include it (note the incorrect text on this version. This was shown earlier and has been corrected as can be seen in the previous pictures):

 

This loco also has a plaque commemorating the LB&SCR staff who died in the war. After a search on google I found a link to this page, which contains a Black & White picture of the plaque. I took this picture into Photoshop, and a short while later had a coloured version of it:

 

Once all this prep work is done a final transfer sheet can me put together, it is always a good idea to include spares on a sheet. I have highlighted the background in yellow here so that all the white areas show up:

 

This sheet can then be sent off to someone that print the transfers, for some locos I can do this myself, however I cannot print white so these ones need making professionally.

 

1 week to go!!

 

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed,

 

Gary

[richard i]

And who do you recommend for the printing?

Many thanks,

Richard

[BlueLightning]

Hi Richard,

 

These ones have gone off to Railtec although many other companies are happy to make custom transfers.

 

Gary

[BlueLightning]

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

 

[Dana Ashdown]

A very fitting, very personal tribute Gary. Well done!

[BlueLightning]

Thanks Dana,

 

It was a lot of hard work to get it to this point, but worth every moment.

 

I suppose I should really get a post up showing the final bits of progress on Remembrance.

 

Gary

 

PS. I haven't forgotten your PM. I should be seeing my friend about it on Monday, so hopefully will have something for you then

[BlueLightning]

Remembrance, the end - For now..............

 

I say for now as the transfers from Railtec have not arrived yet. This is not Railtec's fault, I left sending them off much later than originally planned. However as has already been seen I did have a backup plan!

 

Before I put the backup plan into action, it was suggested to me that a headboard might be a nice thing to make for the loco, I liked this idea and looked up ideas. Then with a bit of work I put together this:

 

It was made by printing the design onto a piece of card and cutting to shape, it is held on by two hooks on the back making it removable.

 

Once I knew the transfers wouldn't be ready on time I started working on my backup plan. The stuff I had designed was printed out and cut ready to apply temporary lining to the loco.

 

Starting with the boiler bands:

 

After that the panels for the sides were cut. The cut was done around the outside of the lining so that the difference in finish was not as visible. It looks better in real life, the camera accentuates the difference:

 

The plaque is applied separately printed on the same card as the headboard.

 

While printing the headboard and plaques, I also printed a larger copy of the plaque on the same card, this allowed me to finish up with the picture used as the basis of my memorial picture:

 

So that closes the project for now. I will pick it back up again when the transfers arrive, until then I have a couple of other things to get on with. The layouts refurbishment included!

 

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed,

 

Gary

[Dana Ashdown]

Thanks Dana,

 

It was a lot of hard work to get it to this point, but worth every moment.

 

I suppose I should really get a post up showing the final bits of progress on Remembrance.

 

Gary

 

PS. I haven't forgotten your PM. I should be seeing my friend about it on Monday, so hopefully will have something for you then

 

I'll look forward to it Gary!

[BlueLightning]

Well today has been very busy, and now I'm too tired to actually write a proper update. So how about I leave you with a picture of a new toy I picked up this week?

 

 

It obviously needs some changes, the reason I got the Southern one is because the body represents it's pre-rebuild condition. The only thing I think it needs is bogie brakes and a repaint. (I'm sure James will correct me if I'm wrong!) It will be staying as number 421 and going into 1912 condition to run on Hailsham.

 

While we are here it is a wonderful runner, and the work done so far to Oak Hill has really paid off. I must get on with the refurb again!!

 

 

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed,

 

Gary