colin@gorleston Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 This weekend has been busy for me, I finally got around to gauging about 200 axles using a digital caliper. A long tedious job, but worth it I think as the stock now negotiates the Atlas 55 track and points much better. I haven't seen any instances of the wheels picking the points and derailing. I also managed to get my hands on a very inexpensive electronic fly swat this weekend so a static grass applicator was manufactured and used for the first time. The results look quite promising, but I haven't vacuumed it yet to get any loose fibres up (it's still wet). I guess I'll find out tomorrow if it worked or not. I've made a start on the hedgerows, it's amazing how much difference this has made to the overall appearance of the lay-out. It's still no where near as good as the majority of the lay-outs here, but it's a steep learning curve and I'm enjoying it immensely. Pictures of the progress to follow very soon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted October 25, 2009 Author Share Posted October 25, 2009 Just a couple of shots showing hedge rows and static grass. Wow!....Even viewed at 50 percent those are still cruel photos. I'm starting to feel slightly inadequate showing these pics to my peers ( I think I had better learn photshop so I can work on them before offering them up for criticism) Still, in my eyes it looks good and I guess that's the number 1 priority..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
On30runner Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 don't feel inadequate your layout looks fine! thanks for sharing! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted October 26, 2009 Share Posted October 26, 2009 Well, I had to look closely at the couplings to make out that it is "N" rather than 4mm, so that makes it b..... good in my view. I especially like the sense of distance to the background buildings. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted October 26, 2009 Author Share Posted October 26, 2009 Many thanks for the kind words guys, this lay-out still has a country mile to go before it's even near completed ( as you can see from the un-ballasted track around the signal box). Somedays it's very hard even to go near it........so much to do, so little time Hopefully this week will see the end of the ballasting, it would be nice to get that out of the way before holiday season starts. Then maybe I can start making the cassettes which I'm sure will be a royal PIA! One end should be easy as the tracks come off scene square to the front face but the other end is at an angle ( haven't quite figured that one thru yet). Then there's the new board that I'm contemplating, should I start it? should I forget about it?.... I thought this was supposed to be fun! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 Well, today I checked how well the static grass had stuck and all seems fine. Maybe one day I'll have some real rural scenes to add to this project with tall wheat fields as far as the eye can see. I've attached a couple more photos to show further progress. Comments welcome, both positive and negative alike. Maybe I had better post the track plan I've built this to. As you all can see it's pretty much as it was before total demolition with just the additional branch line added which in my world runs off to Belton/Burgh Castle Station instead of being linked via Yarmouth Southtown. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allegheny1600 Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Hi Colin, Mmm! Your layout looks very nice indeed - i really like the spread out appearance that you've captured there. I must say that your backscene looks a little too realistic!! I also like the look of your trackwork rather. Atlas code 55, eh? Is it reliable and robust? I presume that you used that as the locally available product or is it simply better than Peco - it certainly looks no less realistic. I'd be very interested to learn how you built your static grass applicator, sounds a great idea! May i offer one suggestion, please? When taking your photos, (if you can!) turn the F stop up as high as you can or at least, to F8 or above. This will give you better depth of field and allow more of the items in shot to be in focus! I'm no photographic expert - this was something i forced myself to learn whilst photographing models! Keep up the good work and happy modelling, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 Hi Colin, Mmm! Your layout looks very nice indeed - i really like the spread out appearance that you've captured there. I must say that your backscene looks a little too realistic!! I also like the look of your trackwork rather. Atlas code 55, eh? Is it reliable and robust? I presume that you used that as the locally available product or is it simply better than Peco - it certainly looks no less realistic. I'd be very interested to learn how you built your static grass applicator, sounds a great idea! May i offer one suggestion, please? When taking your photos, (if you can!) turn the F stop up as high as you can or at least, to F8 or above. This will give you better depth of field and allow more of the items in shot to be in focus! I'm no photographic expert - this was something i forced myself to learn whilst photographing models! Keep up the good work and happy modelling, John E. The backscene was the easiest part of the whole layout actually. It's not finished yet, I still have fields and distant trees to add. Atlas code 55 was chosen thru necessity, code 80 was more readily available but the symetry of the points wouldn't work for Gorleston and finding Peco or Shinohara in this neck of the woods is impossible. My only issue with the Atlas 55 is how unforgiving it is to out of adjustment BTB on wheel sets. However, once that has been checked with verniers and adjusted correctly it really is very good. As to the static grass applicator, that is sheer simplicity. I made mine in about 10 minutes ( 5 minutes for the soldering iron to heat up) 5 minutes work.There are many places on the internet that show how in painstaking detail. The short of it is.......get an electronic fly swat, dismantle, cut the 2 wires going to the grid arrangement.Solder one lead to a cut down small seive/strainer, the other to a longer lead with a crocodile clip on the other end assemble, insert batteries and hey presto! If you need me to clarify that, let me know and I'll tkae mine apart and take photos to post. Thanks for the photo hint, I'll have a look at my digital camera and see if I can change any settings, if I can I'll try to post some better photos. Regards Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 Just thought I would add a picture of the signal box. It's constructed using the Ratio kit complete with the added interior details including the track plan for the yard and approaches. This one model is certainly one of my favourites as I somehow managed to get the windows fitted and able to slide. My other building which I'm fairly proud of is the kit bashed goods shed (it's very close to the original design which I have copies of) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted October 28, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2009 I think that qualifies as a better photo - it's tack sharp on my screen! The signalbox is exquisite - and it's 2mm! I'd be very pleased to get equal results in 4mm! Sliding windows is certainly an achievement in that scale. Well done! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted October 28, 2009 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 28, 2009 Re the backscene. To be hypercritical, I think it would be better with curved corners, the dark satanic sky effect seems to highlight the sharpness of the corners. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 The last couple of weeks has seen little progress on the layout due to visiting relatives. Finally able to get back to some serious work I decided to finish ballasting the last small section in the center. It came out pretty good with no stuck points or wires in tubes messed up. Then a couple of hours work with the weathering powders and I was extremely happy with the result. Work then commenced on the signalling, semaphores and ground signals. To get this right I pulled the drawings from the file and got to work...............for about 1 minute! As I was studying the track plans something struck me as very odd, my layout was WRONG! Somehow I had layed one set of points in completely the wrong spot! AAAAGH .... ( 4 dots, 4 letters, come to your own conclusions!) Luckily I have used Woodlands scenics glues for ballasting so a liberal dosing of isopropyl alchohol released it. Then I cut the track in the appropriate placees, inserted a new turnout and layed new track as required. Today I'll finish the ballasting again! touch up the weathering and then I'll post a couple more pictures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Nice looking layout, especially the signal box. We used to holiday at Hopton just along the coast from Gorleston, but I only just remember it, being very young. By then, about 1968/69, the line must have been near closure, and I remember a trip looking through the front of a DMU. Don't remember any other types of train by then, and the whole area seemed pretty quiet from memory, apart from the enforced jollity of the holiday camps. There's a photo somewhere of me in short trousers standing on the then-closed track a few years later looking very worried as if a train was going to mow me down. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 Thanks for the compliment, I just looked at some of my old photographs and found one showing a class 31 hauling a weed killing train dated 1967....might make an interesting part of my timetable. Regards Colin Nice looking layout, especially the signal box. We used to holiday at Hopton just along the coast from Gorleston, but I only just remember it, being very young. By then, about 1968/69, the line must have been near closure, and I remember a trip looking through the front of a DMU. Don't remember any other types of train by then, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caseyjones82 Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Very nice progress on the layout. Only thing i have noticed that could do with a little work is the colour in which the track has been weathered with, maybe try toning down a little bit with sone addition of black into the paint mix? Regards, Alex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 The shots that I have already posted were taken prior to the real weathering using powders. Unfortunately, here in South West Florida it's a bit of a modelling desert as far as supplies goes and constantly ordering things from the UK soon gets to be real expensive especially with the price of postage! A lot of what has been completed on this layout has had to have corners cut and new techniques tried to get the desired reult. hopefully when I can get the lay out turned around and photographed you'll see the difference. Many thanks for the compliment tho and the constructive criticism.....all this helps me in persevering in making this as good as I possibbly can. Regards Colin Very nice progress on the layout. Only thing i have noticed that could do with a little work is the colour in which the track has been weathered with, maybe try toning down a little bit with sone addition of black into the paint mix? Regards, Alex Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-missy- Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Hello Colin Thats a fantastic looking layout you have there. I love the sky, its nice and moody just like its going to rain really heavy soon! The signal box looks superb, that has been very well modelled. Missy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 37058 Posted December 3, 2009 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2009 I also agree with Missy, stunning layout, lovely scenics, i like the idea of the large terminal station which you can use your shunter to release the stock and loco, plenty of playablity end to end, also looks like you can do alot of shunting in the yard aswell Well done, keep up the good work Anthony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Thanks both Missy and Anthony, praise indeed coming from the creator of Highclere, a layout I have been following from the beginning. I just wish I had your patience andeye for detail. Regards Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWales Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I can only add my positive comments to those that have gone before-an oft forgotten part of the UK network modelled with great care and real atmosphere!! Keep it up Colin!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted December 13, 2009 Author Share Posted December 13, 2009 At last the relatives are all gone, I've put up the xmas decorations and am finally able to spend a little time with the layout. As I mentioned previously in the thread I had managed to mess things up royally with the sidings......could never figure out why I couldn't store enough carriages for the "Holiday Camp Special". Well now I've figured it out and rectified the situation, what a difference. Still I have to make more ground signals, figure out what the heck I'm going to do about the back scene and then the hard work will start.......detailing. Something I think will never be good enough or finished! I'm also toying with the idea of making it a roundy - roundy by attaching a deck on the back of the layout with a small fiddle yard instead of cassettes,haven't made up my mind on that yet tho. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 What a very nice layout. I know Norfolk very well and you certainly have captured the sense of "place" especially with the back scene which looks like it is either just about to start raining or just stopped! I am an 00 gauge practioner but am really impressed with this layout. Do you have a scale track plan showing how much space the layout takes up? Keep up the excellent work and I hope Santa brings you some great presents, hopefully some of which will run on this layout. Best wishes, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin@gorleston Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Brian, your words of praise are very welcome indeed, thank you. I really wish I could get some decent shots of Gorleston but my photography skills are extremely limited. To be truthful the layout looks way different in the flesh so to speak, much better than in the photos. As for Santa, I asked for two class 24's and a bunch of Birdseye conflats, I'm confident that he'll come thru for me. I have photographic evidence of the 24's working thru Gorleston into Southtown and an amazing picture for me of a long train of Birdseye containers heading back to the plant along the wharf at Gt Yarmouth, I can even see the pub that my gran used to run in this picture.......... The layout is built on 1/2" finished ply with a 2"x1" frame for rigidity. It measures 8'x2' and essentially follows the track plan posted earlier pretty closely ( ignore the red line branch I took that out) The whole thing has been compressed slightly, especially the platforms, because I wanted to use long turnouts. More pleasing to my eyes than short radius points. #10 turnouts are the longest and #5' the shortest. The bridge at the south end of the layout has been moved about a mile or so towards the station to act as the other scenic break. Both bridges are my pathetic attempts at scratch building ( something I reaaly need to practice more) the goods shed is a kit bash of 2 kestrel kits cut down to 3 bays as per the prototype. The station buildings still have some way to go as far as the roof details and I'm also thinking of scratchbuilding more suitable canopies. Stockwise I'm trying to keep it fairly authentic.there are of course a couple of exceptions ( that's why Rule #1 was made!) namely I have a couple of 4MT's (Fairburns I think) but I think that these are a beautiful locos so.... I have a B17, push pull Ivatt, F3, 4F Fowler and J94 to go with the 4MT's and for diesel power a mix of classes 04, 24's 25, 31, 37 and 47, all locos seen around Norfolk and Suffolk. The coaching stock is mainly Gresleys with a few Mk 1's and a couple of Stanniers thrown into the mix for good measure. Regards Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gobbler Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 love the painted clouds, very atmospheric. your layout looks a lot longer, is it 2mm or 4mm? scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Thanks for the extra information, Colin. Keep up the good work. My own BR(NE) layout in 00 measures 7 foot x 14 inches and, as a consequence, is much more compressed in appearance. One day though........!!!! Regards, Brian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.