Jump to content
 

Kelly

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    6,174

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Kelly

  1. Kelly

    Been a while

    By Kelly,

    Has been a while since I last visited the site. Other things and my health have kept me occupied really. Health has been very poor over the last 6 months.
     
    Am still going to exhibitions with Natalie when i/we can manage it. The last one being the Leamington Spa & Warwick MRS Show at the NAC, Stoneleigh, which we both enjoyed a lot.
     
    As well as that we went along to the LWMRS open day at their club rooms and had a very good, interesting day out there. We both left feeling like we'd join up and go along when money/time/health permits for each of us, etc.
     
    I am still planning on doing the 'Chilmark' MoD/Military layout, as well as developing the Lillie Bridge diorama idea into a small layout. The Lillie Bridge one may come about first. But more planning and research is needed on both still.
  2. Kelly

    Progress.. of sorts

    By Kelly,

    Still recovering from Saturday, but a fantastic day it was! Photos are edited and online. Video to follow later.
     
    Been discussing West Cromwell Road (name for 2011 Challenge entry) more with Natalie, so a finalised trackplan and arrangement has been worked out with the aid of old stock and track to get impression of what fits etc.
     
    More work on track plan for the narrow gauge and standard gauge military layout, which is still without a name, continues also. I think the trackplan is almost sorted now, with a few minor details to figure out. Then it'll be onto making some kind of start hopefully.
     
    Have decided to get some Styrofoam to have a play with to see how it works for a base, will probably use it for the diorama initially and go from there.
     
    As halfwit predicted my workbench didn't stay tidy for long, especially as I came back from Natalie's with yet another Mainline Warship that was found in the cupboard (that makes 3 blue D827s! and a green one)... Eventually the two here will end up both as D827, one in Maroon the other in blue with full yellow ends.
     
    Also picked up a set of 3 Corgi cars, HA Viva, Ford Anglia and a Morris Minor.
     
    Am tired and sore, especially after I slipped and fell down Natalie's stairs Saturday evening!
     
    Kelly
  3. Kelly

    Another plan...

    By Kelly,

    Decided to download Inkscape and have a go drawing a full plan. It is still rather rough and still needs more thought, but I think its starting to give an idea of whats what and where etc.
     
    Added a road section to allow lorries to load/unload from the transship shed as well as a tank/truck/vehicle ramp for loading/unloading onto trains etc.
     
    kelly
  4. Kelly

    Ponderings and stuff

    By Kelly,

    After having a rather busy last few weeks with DEMU Showcase and a DEMU airbrush/weathering meetup in Tamworth haven't had much chance to sit and do anything at the newly cleared workbench alas.
     
    However, conversations with Natalie have progressed on various aspects of both the Salisbury/Chilmark layout plans and possible subjects for the RMWeb 2011 Diorama Challenge.
     
    My thinking now is to work on the Diorama and put the Salisbury/Chilmark idea on ice to some extent and continue researching it as it will be a longer term project I think, especially the exchange sidings/main line bit!
     
    the Diorama will be a small, easy and simple way to get back into the hobby and both myself and Natalie have a few ideas we're passing about between ourselves at present, some rather exciting.
     
    As well as this, have been looking at Warship (Cl 42) details with the aim to update/detail an old Mainline model, and repaint it Maroon as D827 ' Kelly', as the Salisbury/Chilmark idea can feature warships as a later period, allowed by the
    ideas floating around about multi-eraness of the layout by having items such as buildings and signals removable (also to aid storage).
     
    Am currently working way through photos taken at DEMU Showcase, so they should be on flickr
     
     
    (http://www.flickr.com/photos/geekgothgrrl/sets/72157627000402774/)
     
    and here fairly soon.
     
    Kelly
  5. Kelly
    ... by that I mean i've cleared space off of my desk enough to have a work area at last!
     
    Now to decide what to do with the space... (box in left corner is full of plastic kits (mostly Dapol/ex-airfix))...
  6. Kelly

    updates and so on

    By Kelly,

    Not been posting on rmweb recently due to personal life issues (mainly health related). But have still been thinking about the plans I have with Natalie.
     
    Finally got the 25W soldering iron at the weekend at DEMU Showcase for a better price than I could find online, so was happy, as had to cancel previous order as the site couldn't get stock.
     
    Also picked up a few books and a couple of magazines. So came away happy without spending too much.
     
    So pretty much have most of the tools I think I need, with only an airbrush/compressor and paintbrushes missing really, which can be gotten another time.
     
    After Showcase stopped by at Natalie's and picked up a few items I'd left there (mostly loads of old humbrol paint tins, tools and so on) and some Dapol plastic kits, which will get me back to doing plastic kits in a simple small fashion. Then can do the parkside dundas CCT plywood kits I got the other month at some point.
     
    Then it is onto thinking about getting a brass kit of somekind, am thinking one of the Judith Edge 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 shunters which should be usable on layout being planned. And even if not i'm not too worried as really want to get back to building kits. And the Judith Edge kits look both well put together, affordable and are supplied by very friendly people!
     
    Will leave it there and get back to watching telly I think. Over the coming weeks hopefully I can manage to clear off some space in my 'office' to work at to start building some of the kits as well as seeing what I can salvage from the paints and the aircraft kits I also brought back with me (ones I made over 15 years ago and were left at Natalie's gathering dust, which I don't think came out too bad, but have suffered exterior damage).
     
    Kelly
  7. Kelly
    As well as the narrow gauge module, there will be the depot/transfer shed module.
     
    A rough outline of which i've drawn below:
     
     

     
     
    Unsure whether it will stay quite like that, I may take one of the storage sidings (with blast shields) out and the engine shed perhaps.
     
    So things are starting to get an image forming of how things will be laid out I think. Still very rough atm, not sure really on what buildings would fit.
     
    Then theres the selection of stock that will be needed. Need to do some research on this, but certainly Q1, Merchant Navy, West Country will featue as well as probably Maunsell and Bulleid coaching stock and warflats/warwells.
     
    Need to think first what traffic might be seen going to or past the depot. Certainly high explosives and other munitions.
     
    Considering having the depot as a storage/transfer location for military vehicles such as trucks and tanks to add extra traffic options.
     
    Kelly
  8. Kelly
    Now almost recovered from Taunton I've been giving some thought to the plan of the narrow gauge module.
     
    As you can see, it is pretty simple in design:
     

     
    Really is just a couple of sidings and a bunker. One of the lines to the bunkers may well go to a fiddle yard off view, not sure yet.
     
    The real Chilmark had a lot of natural surroundings to provide good cover, so plenty of trees and scenic items will be needed I suspect as the RAF/MOD basically let nature do as it pleased apart from on the track areas etc.
     
    Kelly
  9. Kelly
    So, firstly Taunton
     
    Wonderful event, glad I went. Long tiring drive there (for me 100+ miles is very tiring and painful), but by the time to go came, I left with a feeling that it was all very much worth it!
     
    Having better access to the layouts to actually see them working and admire the handiwork of those who have lovingly created them was the best aspect. Shows such as Ally Pally and so on are great, but the sheer number of people who go means actually seeing and admiring or talking to the people who built/operate said layouts is often simply impossible, even for me being 6ft tall and wielding my walking stick!
     
    So with being able to get better looks at some layouts I'd admired pretty recently on this site and others, and to complement the owners of the layouts and get a good look at them (never any substitute for seeing it in the flesh as it were imo!). The other layouts that were there were equally good to see, especially the 2mm efforts and the array of Southern stock and locos on show. I wants me one of them Golden Arrow Leader kits I do.
     
    Came away with some idea and some inspiration.
     
    Previously I had never really paid much attention to certain layout types/subjects, not often because I viewed them in a poor light, but simply because they didn't appeal my tastes and fighting the crowds to see didn't appeal and a cup of tea and painkillers appealed more so. This was certainly very true of 2mm layouts, as I found them too small for me to consider working in such a scale.
     
    So it was very nice to get a very good look at some rather excellent 2mm layouts on display at Taunton. Got a chance to discuss various aspects of 2mm modelling, which was very welcome as I'd decided about that time on the 3rd module for the layout plan I'm working with Natalie on.
     
    Was lovely to meet various members of this site and put a real face to a name, etc.
     
    A big thank you to all of those of the SWAG group for putting on such a wonderful show.
     
    Now if only there were a West Midlands AG to do something similar? ...
     
     
     

     
     
    Photos
     
    I will later look through the photos I (and Natalie) took, clean then up a little, resize and upload them on this site. I think next week I shall order a gorilla pod + adapter for smartphones to better be able to balance/steady phone when using it as a camera. It certainly has proven so far to be better than the Sony digital compact camera I have and as I cannot afford a better quality compact or a DSLR camera will have to suffice for the foreseeable future!
     
    A small selection of photos from Taunton are attached below:
     
     
    Elm Park

    Elm Park again

    Catcott Burtle

    And showing what can be done in 2mm!
     

     
     
    They're unedited, but reduced in size. Will be cleaning up and uploading the rest of the photos I took and Natalie took sometime later.
     
     

     
     
    The layout with no name
     
    So, the reason I was glad I saw so much of the 2mm layouts up close? well I decided then that I'd reevaluate to some extent how the layout in planning (and currently with no name) with Natalie would consist of at least 3 modules, as follows:
    Narrow Gauge layout module, with small simple plan leading to storage bunkers.
    Standard gauge and narrow gauge layout module with standard gauge MOD depot and narrow gauge leading off of transfer shed to narrow gauge layout module
    Mainline (Salisbury) and exchange sidings to MOD depot module.

    As yet it has no name. But it is inspired by RAF Chilmark and based currently on a plan of Dean Hill. The plan is to do the NG module first, as a simpler introduction to the concepts involved in building a layout as this will be my first one I've ever attempted.
     
    The idea is to have all 3 modules able to:
     

    Work independently
    Work together as a single layout
    Be DCC controlled
    Have interchangeable (except NG) fiddle yards to save construction thereof.

    Speaking of fiddle yards. I have currently in my head the crazy idea to have a rat run going underneath the main module to link fiddle yards at either end of the mainline module. Thus needing a stacker module for the fiddle yards so they can go up/down between the levels. How well this might work in practice is another idea, but I have (with Natalie's help) uncovered prior work on this type of thing by the likes of Iain Rice.
     
    More later when I've had time to have a cup of tea and rest some more as I am still tired from yesterdays excursion!
     
    Kelly
  10. Kelly
    Tomorrow sees Natalie and myself heading down to Taunton for the members day. Very much looking forward to it, will be first time I've been to one as well. Looking forward to seeing various items people have said they're taking.
     
    Recently I've been inspired a little to think of a very small format layout other than the Chilmark or Hilsea ideas that myself and Natalie are going to be working on. [Hillsea is Natalie's layout plan/idea, I was getitng myself confused].
     
    I've come up with a few possibilities:

    Some kind of small London Underground layout, using some of the EFE stuff and a yellow battery loco for other traffic, undecided on whether surface stock/deep tunnel or cut & cover, but something that does appeal as the layouts of similar scenarios at the Acton open days I've seen have been very pleasing to the eye personally.
    Some kind of industrial layout, possibly narrow gauge. This partly inspired by Mr Nevard's layouts of a similar theme and Claverton Engineering equally has inspired me.

    There were a few other possibilities I came up with, but think the above are the most likely to keep my interest.
     
    Other things I've been giving thought to recently having been creating a semi-scratch build Bulleid 4DD unit. Possible ways I'm thinking of are either self-etching or using plasticard or card to do the sides. The biggest hurdle being the curvature of the roof. More research is likely needed, but I shouldn't have much issue getting hold of some plans I suspect. At present it is a bit of a 'mad cap' brain idea and may well be ages before I attempt any kind of build of such a unit.
     
    One way I was thinking was using something like old Lima Mk1s as base donor vehicles and then making the sides and ends (and roof) on top of the floorpan and then changing bogies/under equipment. But again haven't thought much of it in much detail yet.
     
    Think I'll leave it there as my brain is craving more Earl Grey!
     
    Kelly
  11. Kelly

    Further planning

    By Kelly,

    Seems I got a little confused previously. The chilmark based layout is to be a joint effort between myself and Natalie. Natalie has taken the rough plan I did and reworked it (see attachment).
     
    Its starting to come together I think now.
     
    Thinking of '39-'45 or early/mid 50s or maybe mid-late 60s as era.
     
    Attached image done by Natalie. Thanks!
     
    Kelly
  12. Kelly

    Plan - WIP

    By Kelly,

    Had a play with AnyRail just now to put together a rather rough idea of the trackplan.
     
    Its pretty simple. The idea that it'll be in two phases.
     
    Phase One:
     
    Exchange sidings + Exeter mainline
     
    Phase Two:
     
    Chilmark Depot
     
    Still rather rough and might well change depending upon input from Natalie who I'm liaising with on this.
     
    The nice thing about the area/plan is that it allows for similar stock to be used on this layout and the one Natalie and me are planning together (Hilsea/Portsmouth), which might cut down on costs a little. Again subject to change.
     
    Kelly
  13. Kelly
    Whilst searching for more info on RAF Chilmark for a layout plan I'm thinking about I came across the following:
     
    RAF Chilmark visit by 28dayslater site
     
     
    Another visit report
     
     
    The photos show some interesting aspects of the Narrow Gauge railway in the facility.
     
    Not sure I'll model the NG stuff, but interesting non-theless.
     
    Kelly
  14. Kelly
    Having discussed a little with Natalie possible locations to model, I think a WW2 or 1960s transitional era Chilmark based layout might well meet my needs.
     
    Will need to do more research when time permits, but from looking at the plan Natalie showed me seems to be small enough and with enough interest for me to be interested in doing it.
     
    Kelly
  15. Kelly
    I've been wanting to make a start with making brass (and white metal) kits, and theres been a lot of helpful suggestions on the forum here - thanks! - but I'm wondering if it might be better to start getting some scraps of brass sheet and try my hand soldering that rather than risking a kit for a first attempt.
     
    So have a sort of shopping list forming:

    Soldering Iron (have an 18W Antex CS) - 15W and 25W (£13 for Antex XS25 from Rapid Electronics) should cover it? or 15W overkill? any higher than 25W needed I wonder?
    Solder - 140/188 i believe? and 70 for white metal
    flux - phospher?
    Brass strip
    White metal - can you get seperate bits of it to try with?

    --
    Kelly
  16. Kelly

    Inspiration

    By Kelly,

    Today I've been browsing the rmweb galleries and blogs and came across Tanis 1937 by Will Vale. Whilst that is pre-war German setting, it has given me some thoughts of what to do myself a little.
     
    Something along similar lines perhaps, but with a post-war British setting.
     
    Quite what setting and so on I'm not sure, but it seems about the right size for what I want to do perhaps.
     
    Due to costs I suspect I'll stick with OO. N is just too small for me and whilst I've worked in 1/48th before with aircraft, it would just be too big with my current abode and space therein.
     
    So need to do some research and find suitable locations that might lend themselves to this. Ideally a Lightening on a dispersal pad ready to fly up to intercept a encroaching Russian Bear, but doubtful that any railway would of been near by for that to feature, although a diorama of such a scene is certainly one I wish to do at some point [of a English Electric Lightning on alert readiness that is].
     
    Kelly
  17. Kelly

    Modelling thoughts

    By Kelly,

    I've recently gotten the bug and inspiration to get back into doing model making after a number of years out of the hobby.
     
    Primarily I've an interest in Aviation modelling - WW2 and/or Cold War mainly - and the majority of my modelling output may well be in that direction.
     
    However I've been thinking of seeing if there is a way to have a 60s to 80s era RAF dispersal diorama with some element of railway modelling to it, maybe for transport. Possibly a narrow gauge line bringing armament? I've as yet not been able to find any record or photos showing anything like this, so not sure if I can manage it and remain prototypical.
     
    Of course at present I haven't got any models of either type (other than an Airfix 1/72 Avro Vulcan and a Star Trek Klingon Bird of Prey) that I can get on with, so till I've the money to buy a few small kits my output is likely to be nil. However I have been making sure I've got a) an area to do such work and tools to do so, buying where needed.
     
    Kelly
×
×
  • Create New...