RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted January 18, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2013 Apart from much posting of ebayed stuff I'm now back in the position of having some 4mm rolling stock. - and a little more progress has been made on the station building now it has been decided to go 'low relief' I've put plasticard supports, it thick 70 thou stuff along the back of the wall and made up some partitions that go front to back. Next will need to decide how much interior detail to go for (or not) as with the big windows the inside is quite visible. Then the roof. Finally a small extension with toilets in the style of:http://www.flickr.com/photos/38727358@N04/3558487787/in/photostream Interestingly later pictures show the station building gone - with just the van body remaining as a shelter! http://www.flickr.com/photos/38727358@N04/3688257118/in/photostream Incidentally after alot of umming and ahhing bought the Bachmann Cravens in speed whisker livery. Its slightly incorrect for the Aberdeen based ones in that it has a slightly different guards van layout (one less window + the double doors nearer to the carriage end) on the grounds: - I wouldnt of noticed if it hadn't been pointed out to me. - I wouldnt be able to build a kit version (or more particularly paint it) to anything like the same standard. - It's a lovely model & its my trainset rules apply! - Handy price chop from a well known Liverpool based box-shifter. Also got a few wagons for good measure! -been planning out the goods facilities and decided not to go down the road of traditional GNSR goods shed like the Blacksboat one - they are quite huge ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/lonegroover/2781638369/) and in the APA box context would drown the rest of the layout. So thinking multiple smaller lineside sheds/loading bank or hardstanding. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted January 19, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 19, 2013 In the general scheme of things the one & only point will be fairly well hidden, so what follows is a bit of an 'excercise' - I wanted to see if altering the sleepering looked any better. The conditions were I did not want to disturb mechanically or electrically the original point: I've seen large radius point done before to good effect, but this being an APA box, its a small radius point! The effect is probably not as good on a small point as it draws attention to the fact that the geometry is really too small? Left the original peco sleepers around the crossing area - timbering on points can be closer together in that area anyway. Also removed plastic webbing from between plastic sleepers where they were not being replaced. I think I might have invalidated the gaurantee - I've left the point motor holes for now as a decision not yet reached on how the point will operate. But will probably revisit that and the tiebar when a decision is made. Can I remove any more sleepers without buggering it? More pics when all finished & painted! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted January 22, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 22, 2013 Start made on getting the goods siding trackwork in now: the shortest siding at the front will become the coal siding, the support for it needs further work before that siding can be laid permanently. As you can see a template has been made for the station building roof, though I've not had the courage to go any further yet. with a few wagons about it gives an idea of the smallness of the box! - Imagine a couple of 16 tonners on the coal siding rather than the open wagon. with the track now in at the fiddleyard end I can make a start on opening up the entrance/exit to it. I now need to decide on a girder plate bridge or stone arch so off to search out some GNSR bridge photos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted January 27, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2013 No good shots here! Just a record of progress, ballasting is now underway, always a good thing as its in the stage prior to getting track ballasted and painted that I tend to loose interest so we are hopefully over that hill now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted January 27, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 27, 2013 No good shots here! Just a record of progress, - ballasting is now underway, always a good thing as its in the stage prior to getting track ballasted and painted that I tend to loose interest so we are hopefully over that hill now. Ash ballast is what was required, have tried various methods for this in the past. On Deadwater Burn normal fine chippings were used then painted an appropriate colour, bit too coarse. Some later attempts used air-drying clay with a plain flock in then painted, which was better. This time however I decided to try sand from the beach (from dunes is good as the texture is regular and very few stones) as it is free and plentiful. This will be suitably coloured once the glue has set. The end of the APA box is now 'opened' cutting hardboard isnt very neat it tends to shred a bit as you are cutting- but this will be able to be tidied as scenery goes in. Peco platform edges, I never could make good platforms, are being converted into timber ones -the masonry bits are filled in, should be with filler but no more nails in this case (availability!) then plank effect slaters plasticard added. - these have been painted flat black in acrylic project paint now. Too BLACK so will need toning down with silvery grey weathering to represent aged wood. I've put curved beading in the corners of the box now, which may be evident in some of photos. - not sure quite how to handle the backscenes with the box as there is obviously the outer hardboard layer, but I think maybe use an internal 'skin' possibly thin ply or maybe foamboard. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted January 28, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 28, 2013 Track/ballast: as mentioned earlier first try using sand to represent ash ballast. On the whole I'm pretty pleased with it so far, def better than painting normal grade ballast, getting a good 'sunken in' look. A good clean up next and test run. further work is needed at the point end I've mostly left that area for the time being till its nailed on what/where and how the scenic break/fiddle yard bit will work. Half toying with the idea of low relief distillery buildings as a scenic break but the buildings might overpower the small size of the layout so may try a mock-up first. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 2, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 2, 2013 A bit stalled today, mostly been moving bits of buildings round trying to make sense of the APA box space - its an odd shape really more depth than length somehow? Certain ways of placing things seem to look appalling and others good, this trial & error approach isn't something I have practised before. I'm usually well in front with plans of just where each item of scenery will be, even down to the trees. The biggest decision at the moment is whether to go minimalist post station demolition: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38727358@N04/5866891947/in/photostream http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4143/4917561744_c1121faf7c_m.jpg or with the building still in place: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3606/3558487787_99144c8be9_m.jpg the small space available is tempting to go with the post demolition, flat pack the building as it is so far for use on a future project? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 8, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8, 2013 Decks cleared for action: -mostly cleaning of tracks and removal of loose ballast. Removing loose ballast is easy on this size of layout you can simply take it outside, turn upside down and shake! Clearing the area has not really made any difference to my present indecision as to whether to continue with the small station scene, as an equally appealling idea of small goods yard competes, not helped by having re-read the article on Ian Futer's Fisherrow Yard - I can just imagine a similar sea wall at the back of this layout and...... fish vans mmm??? I'll need to make up my mind as it's getting to the point where there's not a lot more I can do without knowing how & where the scenery is to go. A possible solution maybe to go with the 'grounded van' shelter in a base which could then be substituted with another disused van store to go in either passanger or goods yard mode. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Scottish Modeller Posted February 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2013 Hi Russ, Interesting concept.... Will watch and see how this is developed! Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
invercloy Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Funny you should be working on an APA box, Russ, I've been thinking of building another micro layout again, so guess what I'm off to buy tomorrow? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 10, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2013 They are very good if a little small- somewhere between one & two joined would be good! - the frame is very sturdy - the hardboard panels less so- you'll need some reinforcement where the track is to go. Missing the borders both literally & modelling wise, actually seems further from the Waverley route now I live in Scotland lol!! - this one might become another border disorder yet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 10, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2013 How large (or small!) are these APA boxes Russ? IM just trying to get a handle of the size you have here.... Its just over 2 feet by just over 1 foot probably 26 inches by 14 without getting the measuring stuff out : http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/20078031/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 10, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2013 Yep it is small but think will get something out of it. I bought two with the 2mm stuff in mind and now working with one in OO - bloodyminded to a fault lol!! I could still join the other - it started out as a boxfile size plus fiddleyard but all in the same box. -Thinking INSIDE the box is good though it keeps clutter down and with the time and space I have now I'm doing something rather than nothing ! small 0-6-0 shunter types Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 10, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2013 Well there's more operational potential in this despite the smaller size, its not really the operation that interests me tho' its making it look scenically good !- and the name will likely change again before its finsihed lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 10, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2013 - needed with a Butterfly Mind like mine this has already gone fom L&Y to GNSR and its very likely to end up being NER/NBR next time it features lol! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 11, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2013 SO its round n round in a giant circle and back where you started.........Sounds familiar to me, and it shows where you interests really do lie Pretty much, though the border counties is a railway I've never seen in action , only walked & cycled the track bed - it took Neil Caplans book to make me realise the loadings were light enough to model a small space. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 11, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2013 Ar but to me that makes perfect sense; the railway is almost incidental to why you want to model something/somewhere....Its back to my favourite "Time and Place" thingy - Find the location you like and then look into the Railway yep, I'd go for the Settle Carlisle in the 70's if I had the space ! but you've to be realistic. Really like the in that era as motive power very varied and short trains but not got it together enough yet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 11, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2013 I hope Im not diverting your mind here Russ!! I like em all, thats why I have try (not very hard) to be a bit self disciplined about such things, or I could fill the barns of the farm next door with a million unconnected micro layouts! and Im usre the already low standards I have would fall thru the floor! Well we'll pull through together as your set of standards is very much the same! if Bachmann do get the 40 right I'll have to have one managed to resist the peak so far ! tbh I do like the earlier eras of BR and even back into LNER/LMS days for the smaller lines - and the general public carrier approach - the warcop for all it was a single carrier for the MOD interesting for the trains but not something I'm into = got a J72 & J94 coming for the plank - see where we go from there? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 11, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2013 love it ! just put the track plan together for this one based on the ashfordley plan of PECO and RM and see what happens - I've not really much stock to dictate the location, and Hattons being out of stock on class 26's in relevant liveries is also good thing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 14, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2013 I see that the names have been changed to something much more Borders already H'mmm I think that was partly due to over enthusiastic whisky drinking on the night we were last chatting!! That said - I'm definitely giving solid thoughts to havin this one portraying the borders now, it would however mean some new buildings possibly. - there are a few ideas. http://www.railways.whblakey.co.uk/images/allendale/allendale_01.jpg http://www.railways.whblakey.co.uk/images/allendale/langley_01.jpg http://www.railways.whblakey.co.uk/images/alston/coanwood_02.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 21, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2013 It can take a while to realise it but the original idea can sometimes be the best, part of the thing with the apa box is that the existing framework makes an 'unlevel' rear and side section which could lead to the backscene being a challenge to get right. The penny was slowly dropping that the beauty of the 'Old Lane' scheme was the way the backscene could largely be avoided due to the tall retaining walls and likelihood of the other bits being full of rampant foliage! The decision was made all the easier by finding the retaining walls from the original project ( as they were almost 'complete' sheets of embossed plasticard I knew they'd be ripe for re-cycling sometime!!) so here they are now in the APA box. A trick learned from the previous incarnation was not to go straight onto the backscene with the retaining walls - as this left little room for capping stones, foliage and other details/landscaping. The walls are supported by offcuts of polystyrene this time which holds them away a bit leaving a bit of room. made a start on mocking up the blocked up bridge/tunnel that will make the non- fiddleyard end of the layout, its not as 'arched' as the original old lane, but its how I remember alot of the bridges in our area. (ref. pics to follow) - there is obviously much further to go with that yet. So essentially after a big 'traipse' around the UK its back where it started, tho I dont know how far it will follow the original 'Old Lane' other than high retaining walls, which could have happened in many other town & cities I suppose, parts of old railway walked along in Edinburgh are quite reminiscent of this too Scotland Street? So till I decide on the colour of those stones ? Seriously with the bits of stock now procured a 'made up' ex NER incursion into Yorkshire woollen district looks the most likely - the DMU's can wait for another layout and the borders needs more space! Edit to re-attach photos which mysteriously went somewhere?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjcampbell Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Urban scenes are ideal for micro layouts because buildings and walls enclose the scene. That photo is crying out to be modelled with some sidings and tatty stock being shunted! Nice work. I'd suggest pulling the end wall/tunnel mouth forward a little to allow the mill to provide the back-scene at the end, even if as a "flat". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 21, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2013 Urban scenes are ideal for micro layouts because buildings and walls enclose the scene. That photo is crying out to be modelled with some sidings and tatty stock being shunted! Nice work. I'd suggest pulling the end wall/tunnel mouth forward a little to allow the mill to provide the back-scene at the end, even if as a "flat". Totally agree, the original location with the mills in close proximity to the tunnel is one of those situations that if you modelled it someone would say it was wrong, the tunnel was cut & cover though and the mills could possibly have predated the railway though by no means sure of that. - having played about with ideas I possibly favour the ex continuing line being single- dont think it would make sense to cobble or infill right upto an ex running line, it wouldnt seem quite right somehow. So maybe that line could have formerly disappeared into a mill building or yard will be having a think about that. Favourite idea for the sidings at the moment is scrapyard as that would be fun to model and would look plausible in a compact and ill thought out location. Be nice to have some area below rail level too, maybe a old canal basin.... but space?...!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Russ (mines a pint) Posted February 21, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well now thinking of the scrapyard idea I was looking up a bit of research - simply entering 'rail served scrapyard' into google images..... Scrapyard on disused railway, Dewsbury© Copyright Humphrey Bolton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. From geograph so maybe make the rearmost line a siding & the front the ex through still leaving one lines worth of 'double tunnel' to be accessable without track. I'm thinking mill machinery from the conversion from steam to electric would be appropriate for this timescale, (late 50's? -ish) , and resisting the temptation to stick all my unused railway bits in! - though there are a couple of Bachmann 'boiler loads' which WOULD fit in Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjcampbell Posted February 22, 2013 Share Posted February 22, 2013 Scrap would be interesting, although whether it could generate enough traffic to justify being rail served ... scrap yards take up a lot of space in reality! Perhaps one of the mills still uses rail, or if your setting is pre 1980's, a coal merchant? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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