ChrisN

8 hours ago, greslet said:

Why are all the pictures missing on the early pages of this thread?

The Web Host that RMWeb was with at the time had a crash, and all the pictures across the whole forum were lost.

I assume that you have checked the clearance of your longest coach?  (Sorry, I have to ask because sometimes when you ask a stupid question............., and I feel happier asking now when any mistake can be rectified.)

1 hour ago, Sasquatch said:

No problem at all mate!

The stuff I buy is widely available in the states. It's usually 5mm give or take and approximately 20 x 30in sheets. It has a foam core with paper on both sides. 

At present I have 5 sheets in my stock. 

One has a kind of plastic coating and seems tougher than the others. Top. 

 

Two are cheap Dollar Store product which as the name suggests cost a dollar each. Paper coating and not so good quality. I use this for internal walls etc.

 

The Elmers stuff is good quality, comes in various colors of which I use the white for scribing and drawing out.

Queensbury's station masters house is made from it. Bare folded board painted with water based acrylics. 

 

The main booking hall had the stones scribed in with a fine black pen.

 

 

The Elmers black variety inevitably gets used up the quickest and if I'm lucky there might be a damaged, large school project, folding display (36" x 50") at the craft store for which I'll make a low-ball offer!   

 

Hope that helps 

Regards Shaun 

Shaun,

Thank you very much.  This is the stuff that I thought you and others meant, but Foamex has been mentioned and seems to be different.  The stuff I have come across seems to mark quite easily, and if I cut a window out ot it the window would need some plastic lining I think.  I have some black but have stayed away from it as I will need to paint the inside a light colour.

Shaun,

Sorry to be a pain, but can I ask a question to get things clear in my head.  When you say 'Foam Board', do you mean foam covered in a plastic type of paper, or something like Foamex, which I think is PVC board?

Thank you,

Confused of England

Interesting.  I have just wanted to fill in the corners of a carriage, and opened a tube of Humbrol filler.  A smelly clear liquid came out, I think it had separated in the tube.  I tried shaking it then read the warnings, : Use Eye Protection, Gloves, protect your clothes and use in a ventilated area.'  It also said, if you put too much on it will eat away the plastic.  It is for a model!  I hastily put the lid back on and returned it to the drawer it came from.   

Wood filler seems eminently more suitable, or something similar, but perhaps not for coaches.

Looking good.

1 hour ago, Janjy Giggins said:

Hello! I just got a Silhouette Cameo 4 yesterday and am slightly overwhelmed with all the variables. I have been reading through this thread, but obviously there's a lot of it and if anyone could point me in the right direction for the settings to cut 2mm Cricut chipboard, I'd be very grateful. I have the standard autoblade and the 3mm Kraftblade.

 

Also, has anyone got experience of cutting the embossed Slaters brick plasticard with it (4mm scale)? Can you just treat it like other kinds of styrene? My assumption is that it would probably cut better face-down.

 

Thanks!

Hi,

I cannot help with the Circut but maybe I can with the plasticard.  @Mikkel in his blog says that he has problems with Slater's embossed sheets, and yes you should cut them face down.  I have never cut embossed plasticard myself but for plain plasticard my settings are

Blade depth :  4

Thickness:        17

Speed:               1

Hope this helps.

On 14/01/2024 at 12:21, MikeOxon said:

The class divisions between servants in pre-WW2 British society were almost more marked than those between their masters!  There's a flavour of it in Eveleyn Waugh's 'Brdeshead Revisited',  when Lord Marchmain returns from Italy and his retinue of servants have to be amalgamated with those already at the English estate: "Plender and Wilcox became Joint Grooms of the Chambers, like Blues and Life Guards with equal precedence, ... the senior footman was given a black coat and promoted butler, the nondescript Swiss, on arrival, was to have full valet’s status; there was a general increase in wages to meet the new dignities, and all were content." 

 

When Lord Wilcote ordered his special train then, in addition to the Family Saloon, he required a tri-composite, to ensure that the divisions could be carefully maintained.  In my blog post, I commented that "I expect the greatest fun was enjoyed in the 3rd class section, where the young maids would be making their first trip to London."

 

Mike

Mike,

Had to think about this one.

Butler and Valet in First Class?

Ladies Maid in First Class?

Cook in Second?

Downstairs Maid in Second?

Upstairs Maid in Third?

Scullery Maid in the luggage compartment?

The other day on Downton Abbey, (Honest, your Honour I do not watch it, but my wife was looking for something else,  It was only on 5 minutes), they went on holiday, (from Yorkshire, (?), behind a green SECR 0-6-0), and they left the Butler and the Housekeeper behind with other servants to run the house and do the jobs that they could not do when the 'family' was at home.

1 hour ago, corneliuslundie said:

At that period probably an open carriage truck. The Cambrian had two but of course you would want one from the other end, GWR or LBSCR.

Jonathan

33 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

Not that covered carriage trucks weren't available - just 4/- extra!

It will probably depend on whether I want to build another carriage.

There is the model that has a horse drawn tramway on it, with the horse sort of moving.  In the background there is someone hitting two halfs of a coconut together.  It has been discussed on a thread here, somewhere.

9 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

Yes, and a compartment for those nasty smokers. 5 ft 6 in. between compartments for the lower orders, 6 ft 5 in. for the smokers, and a couple of nice basket chairs in the saloon. Plus luggage space and a lavatory of course. Ideal for taking the family to Traeth Mawr, with the Brougham on a flat wagon at the end of the train of course.

Jonathan

 

Jonathan,

Yes, I had not thought about a carriage as well., and a horse.  Unless they came to stay in a hotel, but then why bring your servants?  I suppose they could rent a house.

Sir Jon who is coming from Oak Hill has a Brougham, so perhaps I shall have to see if there is another suitable vehicle.  Would it need a CCT or an open truck?  A GWR horse box will be needed as well.

Gary, @BlueLightning. has just put into his shop an LSWR horse box and carruage wagon, perhaps I will need a LSWR saloon as well.  Salmon pink though.😑

6 hours ago, Mikkel said:

An interesting Saloon Chris, I didn't realize that there were variants with servant's compartments (typical middle class ignoramus).

 

 

 

Mikkel,

Yes, there are several of them, although this one is one of a kind.  There are other diagrams that are similar but with a different configuration.  I only need someone to tell me it was only used by the Duke of Clarence on wet Tuesdays when there was an 'r' in the month.  

8am Monday morning.

Now look Guv, it's a supply problem.  'Aving difficulties wiv gettin the stuff.  No probs though.  Once it comes we're away.  Well, when we have put up the guttering on the station, and given it a lick of paint.  Archetecs done all the drawins.  It will be a doddle, you'll luv it.  Nice little bit of garden as well, close to work, so you won't 'ave to walk far. 

What's this?  You hav'nt got a desk. Cor, luv a duck, you must be jokin.  Do you want your house built or not?

All right, all right.  I see what I can do.  Look you can always go and sit in the refreshment room. 

Okay, okay, I'm goin.  I will do your room right after the refreshment rooms.  What is the problem with that?  Customers to sit at the tables, and painting them.  Can't do that 'till spring.

Why?  Technical reasons.  Right must go.  This talkin won't make the baby a new bonnit.  See ya.

Well, in lieu of me posting any proper modelling here is another side project.

Now you may wonder why a side project.  I have nearly finished the flashing on the station chimneys and then it is the guttering, but I really need to sit at my table to do that.  I have also got the sides of the Cambrian Third Saloon together and now as Dart Castings have sent me some W irons to hold the wheels I can progress with that.  So why this project?  Well, I would like to start on Mr Price's house, (shh!  He may hear and get excited), but I have given away my mounting card and have decided to go to foam board and have yet to buy some.

So, as I want to do something while my wife is busy, and also to be in the same room as her, I have progressed another coach on the Silhouette, and brought it to the point of cutting.  The coach is a G41, a 4 wheel saloon.

At one point I did not like saloons, as I prefer compartment coaches, and a saloon reminded me of the Mk1 Tourist Opens, and all modern coaches.  (Sorry for the bad language.)  I then realised that these coaches were different and could be hired.  I looked for coaches that I had heard about, as I wanted a coach with a saloon, a smoking compartment and a servants compartment.  This has those plus a toilet and servants quarters.  I had started with a G35 but found this was used exclusively by the Prince of Wales, Edward that is, the future Edward VII.  Here it is.

I had hoped my Cambrian Third would fit onto a ratio chassis, but of course I was kidding myself, hence the parts from Dart Castings but this one will fit on a ratio chassis and I have the right one, and it has the correct wheel base.  So it is likely to get built, as I want to see if my Silhouette Program on a Windows 11 computer still talks to my machine, while I still have an older one that does.  It will however languish in the 'to do' pile waiting to be painted.

If you have been, thanks for looking.

1 hour ago, BlueLightning said:

 

13 you say, I'm not sure we can let you into Terriers Anonymous on such low numbers 🤣 (all the new tooling ones are good runners, regardless of who made them)

 

 

and that doesn't include the ones that have been sacrificed for test building the Oak Hill Works kits!

 

Gary

Gary,

As you have as many as the LB&SCR I hope that they are all renamed and numbered.  😄

13 hours ago, Sasquatch said:

Yes, it is Chris! The windows can be set as deep into the wall as required. If clad in brick it is about correct for a cavity wall and probably wouldn't be too far off for an old stone Yorkshire farmhouse. It definitely makes for a stout construction and looks more solid than say a Ratio goods shed or Wills engine shed.

 

Regards Shaun. 

Shaun,

I had intended to make my next model from mounting board and embossed plastic, but I gave my sheet away to my grandson.  I have some black foam board but I think that it would be difficult to cover the colour, on the inside of course so I will need to get some white.

Most Victorian houses would have had a double thickness of bricks so about the same thickness walls as cavity ones.  I still think internal walls will be, at least on the next build, card.  If I had used foam board on the station building the internal dimensions of the rooms would have been tiny.  As it is I am having to use H0 people in the refreshment rooms, or else no one would be able to get in!

7 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

That's very unfortunate regarding your eye Chris. 

My endocrinologist recons my high cholesterol is inherited, I think that decision is a shot in the dark personally having not given any DNA samples to prove it. I'm prepared to take baby aspirin, something that is proven to work. My grandfather for instance did very well on it following a heart attack in 76. He was from a generation who fought their way through their youth on bacon sandwiches, woodbines and stress, then following that ate every hot meal cooked in beef dripping for 20 plus years and who's knowledge of nutrition extended as far as eat your greens!  

We'll see what my next cholesterol sample throws up after cutting out all the grains, alcohol, seed oils etc.

We eat lots of fresh farm eggs, that will give anyone a high result but isn't it about a healthy balance.

Having said that I'm feeling guilty after buying a family size pack of breakfast sausages last time I went shopping. By accident of course! (As a type one diabetic I need the protein!)

 

Incidentally My doctors have both lectured me about not taking the statins, but neither of them praised me for giving up the grains, something which has been much harder than quitting smoking and probably just as much if not more so beneficial. 

 

Regards Shaun.

Shaun,

I often think that if I run out of Statins I will go on low dose asprins as it should stop any clotting.  I tried dropping my cholesterol by diet, mainly by cutting out a weekly fried breakfast and cheese.  My eldest son then said, as I had found the high cholesterol out by going to the doctor because I was always tired, "Dad is not only tired, now he is depressed as well, (from cutting out fried breakfasts and cheese.)"  The diet never worked.  The only person I know it worked for was my sister-in-law who is vegetarian, she cut out cheese and it dropped like a stone.

Still there is no cholesterol in anything when you are on holiday, or in really, really strong cheddar, or stilton  Honest!  😄

8 hours ago, Sasquatch said:

Were you on any medications at the time?

 

I had the same issues from statins! It got so bad that I couldn't get out of the chair and don't understand how sitting about getting bored and stressed was helping to reduce the risk of a heart attack! Besides there's no proof that the statins do that either!!

 

Shaun.

Ah, Statins.

I have had high cholesterol for years.  My last GP said that I did not need statins as they would not reduce the risk of a cardiac event by very much, but I could go on them when my risk was at either 10%, (the then proposed guidelines for prescribing statins), or 20%, the then guidelines.

My current GP when I joined him advised Statins as my risk was 13%.  I declined and said I would wait.  Long before my risk reached 20% I threw a blood clot that, fortunately, went into my right eye and has damaged my vision in that eye permanently.  My only risk factor was the high cholesterol, so I went onto Statins then.  I said, 'fortunately as if the eye had not stopped it, I would have had a stroke.

I have had no side effects from Statins.  I would always ask people why they are taking Statins and what risk are they at.  Knowing my experience I could not advise people not to take them.  I at least had been given some information to base my decisions on.  (Note:  In the States, in general, the policy is to prescribe and treat for any and every condition, the cynic would say, and with some justification, because the doctors get paid for it.)

On 02/01/2024 at 23:27, Sasquatch said:

A start has been made on the next building. This one’s actually for Queensbury, it will occupy the empty spot at the bottom of Brow Lane. ( I was never going to be happy with the Mossy Bottom farm house!)    
 

Same proven scratch build construction of embossed plastic stone/brick stuck to foam board. 

 

A Happy New Year to you all

Shaun

Shaun,

Is this 5mm foam board?  Is it too thick for the windows or at a scale 1ft 3" does it mimic the thickness of the walls correctly?

It does seem a very nice space, and still very tidy

4 hours ago, MatP said:

Hi,

There's a commercially-available simple kit of Ivor in 16mm scale which is officially licensed, according to the company which produces it:

 

https://www.rail-roadmodels.co.uk/product-page/ivor-the-engine

 

If you are interested in the search for missing episodes of black and white TV shows, this Ivor-related page might be worth a look:

 

https://missingepisodes.proboards.com/thread/14119/ivor-engine

 

The Ivor stories were set in North West Wales, though some of them had a bit more of a South Wales feel to me. But I'd be delighted to hear from anybody who has a model of Grumbly Town or another part of the Merioneth and Llantisilly Railway that they would be willing to exhibit at the Bala Model Show (which is, of course, in Meirionnydd) in 2024! Or, indeed, any Welsh-set standard gauge exhibition layout, because I'm getting the distinct impression that there are remarkably few of them on the exhibition circuit at the moment... 

 

Best Wishes,

Mat P. (Bala Lake Railway Society Secretary and Bala Model Show Organiser) 

Hi,

There is a serious model of the Cambrian Railways called LlawryGlyn by I think Richard LLoydall.  It appeared at an ExpoEM South.  Serious as it was it also had a model of Ivor, plus a cattle wagon that had smoke coming from it, which, of course contained a dragon.  It is a beautiful little layout.

Unfortunately I did not take any picture of Ivor.

Just found this link as well.  Third wagon along is from Grumbly Gas Works.

Brian,

Thank you again.  I shall start putting my pennies into my piggy bank.

15 hours ago, lezz01 said:

I would say it's pre 1908 looking at the coach liveries. They all seem to be lined chocolate and cream and there isn't a brown one in sight there are also only horse drawn cabs in the cab road and London taxi drivers were very progressive.

Regards Lez.  

The file name says the picture is 2 July 1908.  The Regatta was on that week.

Well, it is that time of the year again, when I do my annual review of my modelling, or to put it another way, a look at how little I have done.  First, my list from this time last year.

Now this year's list, you will be forgiven for thinking that nothing has changed.

You may wonder what is the difference between 'Finished' and 'Done'.  'Finished' means it is finished, that there is no more to do on the model.  No seriously, finished.  'Done' means it is as done as far as it goes.  The Tin Tabernacle may at some point get a pipe to carry hot water, a model pipe carrying pretend hot water, but that will take lots of time for no scenic effect on the outside.  The coaches need passengers, and checks to make sure they run well.  The carriage truck needs chains and chocks.  What is most amazing is that the Kiosk and the Tin Tabernacle where not even on a list last year so they have been completed in one year.  Is this a record?

In the 'Current' section I am still trying to get some brass blacking for the 645, and the GWR Saloon is waiting for painting.  The 'Traeth Mawr People'  is an ongoing project and some have been done this year but there are lots in the pipeline.

You may notice that this list has grown.  The Cambrian Third is a short side project, (cough, cough), the G41 I am making the file for cutting as I sit next to my wife while we watch Christmas TV.  The Dean Bogie is going to go under the E25, which may or may not be cut this year.

The point motors I tried to finish last year, but will take a concerted effort of a number of hours in one go to fix the fact that they are not working.  I am not sure that will happen.

So stay tuned for, 'Will he finish the station building this year?', 'Will Mr Price's House get built this year?', 'Will Station Road get made?', 'Will Mr Price get released from the display cabinet?', 'Will watching paint dry be more interesting?'

If you have been, thatnks for looking, and a Happy New Year with lots of modelling.

I am not sure if they could answer these particular questions but @MikeOxon has a Broad Gauge blog and @Charlie586 has a Broad Gauge thread.  

8 hours ago, Edwardian said:

Here's an old time copper for you, Chris, though I assume that you will have come across this picture yourself by now.

 

He's a member of Merionethshire Constabulary pictured in 1894. As I assume from its proximity to Barmouth that Traeth Mawr lies Merionethshire, and IIRC your setting is 1895, this fellow would seem to be pretty spot on. 

 

 

It is to be hoped, however, that your Sergeant Roberts enjoys a happier home life and kinder fate than that of PC Ashton. I've always felt too much poetry has a deleterious effect: Link

 

 

 

James,

Thank you.  Yes Traeth Mawr was at the time in Merionethshire.  I think Police uniforms did not change much until after WW2, although this one has slight differences to the ones I have seen.  When, Sergeant Roberts appears, probably not until I do the next layout and the market scene, he will be resplendent, probably, in a 'Peelers; uniform complete with top hat and tails, next to the mayor.  Reason?  The Mayor put on his chains and he dressed up as there was going to be the recruting parade of the Volunteers, and because I had an Andrew Stadden figure that fitted the bill and i thought, 'Why not'?

On 27/12/2023 at 11:47, Skinnylinny said:

Very nice... but that's an LSWR horsebox, not an LBSC one! Don't get the two muddled up... :P

For those wondering, the render of the LBSC one (a Stroudley D53) looks like this: 

Duly noted.  

Still looking for Cambrian ones, and small cattle wagons for 1895.  I think when I get that far they will have to be scratch built.