Ian Smith

Don, If I can get the gold lining thin enough on the chocolate parts, then I may well try to put the brown lining in the cream panels. I really am shying away from the attempt though because I really don't think I can get the lining thin enough and feel that not putting it in will be better than putting in lining that is obviously over thick. Whilst I model to P4 standards, I still have an old school view that if you couldn't see something at about 50 yards (2 feet in real life) then it probably isn't worth putting it on - after all we generally view our models from at least 2 feet away. Ian

So far I only have a part completed 6 wheel coach, an IKB Models U28, pretty much all that needs to be done to complete the vehicle is to add the brass grab irons for the doors, however I am putting those off until I summon the guts to put the gold lining on which will go all around each of the panels just inboard of the raised mouldings. Also on the books are another couple of IKB 6 wheeled coaches (a U21 compo and an S6 all third), and a rake of 3 Slaters clerestory coaches.

I have edited the original thread to include a bit more info on how I construct my trees, and a photo that hopefully illustrates this with my Elm trees. Ian

So far my blog contained pretty much the layout and it's ancillary items as they were when I was last Railway modelling back in the late 1990's. Over the last couple of days I have been tidying the 2 station boards up, and getting them connected and installed in the loft. A couple of photos below show the full extent of the trackwork constructed so far, and give the overall impression of what the station layout will eventually look like. I have also begun the construction of the retaining wall that will go around the end of the platform road. Beyond the wall will be the Station approach road which is a few feet higher than the track bed. The wall is being made from Will's Coarse Stone plastic sheets (as are all of the stone walls that will be on the layout), Once the walls are complete, they will be painted in a mortar colour and then the individual stones will be picked out in various shades of grey - time consuming but I think very effective (the Signal Box and Platform face have already received this treatment, the brickwork on the Signal Box chimney was similarly painted but in various brick-coloured shades). The photos below hopefully show my method of curving the plastic sheet to form the bend in the wall.

The Brake Van is a D&S white metal kit, I have no idea whether it is still available. I was scratchbuilding one in plasticard back in the mid-1990's, but when D&S released theirs I decided to can the scratchbuild and purchase a couple (the other one is still in kit-form somewhere among the boxed up items in the loft)

What I did fail to mention is the cable is araldited together as well as being bound with fine wire. In fact the tree has a 5mm bolt root to which the strands of cable were araldited to (and allowed to set thoroughly) before the trunk itself was formed. I also began making an Elm tree back in the late 90's so that must be in a box in the loft somewhere (I should add that I have only just started Railway modelling again since stopping before a house move over 10 years ago) Ian

David, After I had weathered the Iron and Outside Framed Minks with the 25" GW livery, I did think that I had overdone it a bit , as you rightly point out for the period depicted by my layout they would be less than a year out of the shops. Obviously it's very grimey down in the South West I think that the interior of the cattle wagon needs toning down somewhat, it is not really quite so noticable in real life - flash photography does tend to highlight things!! You are also quite right about the red colouring of wagons, I am completely ignoring it - I have made the assumption that it would have been a livery used on the Broad Gauge sometime before 1892 (as per Slinn). Whether the Broad Gauge Society have managed to come to any conclusions over it in the last 11 years since I was last a member I do not know (unfortunately all of my wagons were built when I was last actively Railway Modelling over 10 years ago, so more information may have come to light in the intervening period). Clearly, any models of the GWR c1900 should be photographed in black and white only Ian

Devondynosoar118, Tonight I have taken several photo's of a variety of items that have been built for the layout, locos, coach, and wagons (and even a tree). I have started new blog entries for each category. Ian

So far I had only completed one tree for the layout, a Scot's Pine. The trunk and branches were formed from steel cable (the type used in push-bike brake and gear cables), this was bent to the shape required (and bound together with fine wire). Once the trunk and branch shape were as required, the whole was covered in Isopon car body filler (the non-flexible type). Once this was dry, the bark texture was engraved in with a hack-saw blade, and painted (rather unfortunately, I sprayed the whole thing with Matt varnish, which for some reason has a slight sheen - a future repaint is required). The foliage was Woodlands Scenics foliage net, this was attached with Evo-stick impact adhesive (if I remember correctly - it was made over 10 years ago), a slightly darker green was applied to the netting with water colour paint. The end result is a tree that is about 30 cm tall. All being well it was all worth it 01-Jul-2011 (Edited original entry) I have included a further photo of a couple of Elm trees under construction, the more completed one has the remnants of Woodland Scenics foliage attached to the outer branches, but I was unhappy with the result feeling that a denser foliage will be required, so eventually I will be attaching clumps of rubberised horse hair to beef up the branches a bit before adding the foliage. The tree on the right hopefully illustrates the method of construction, several lengths of cable are placed around the diameter of a 5mm bolt (with it's head sawn off), these are then held in place by twisting some wire tightly around them and the bolt "core", once satisfied that there are enough lengths of cable, the whole is liberally covered with Araldite 5 minute epoxy, the trunk is then formed by further binding of the cables as I move up the tree, branches are formed by taking 1 or more of the individual cablesout to the side, and if necessary binding them and untwisting as necessary to produce finer and finer branches as the bough gets further from the trunk. Obviously as the branches are considered long enough they are chopped off with pliers or cutters. (Please be aware that using steel cable as I do that it is the very devil to cut, and being stiff and sharp easily scratches, or pokes little holes in your fingers ) When complete both trees will stand over a foot tall (75' to 85' scale feet in height)

I have several wagons and vans completed, photos below (all of the pictures were taken on what will eventually be the cattle dock siding). The vehicles display a variety of lettering that would be seen on GWR stock in the 1905 period, small "G.W.R" painted lettering, cast plates and the latest 1904 25" GW. The tarpaulins on the two Coopercraft Open wagons were home made, a thin sheet of A4 paper was turned black by covering it entirely using a thick black permanent marker, the lettering and numbering then applied in white drawing ink :

So far I have 2 engines partly built, both are Models & Leisure kits. The first which really only needs the chassis completing, and the body painting is the 517, the second which requires far more to get near completion is a Buffalo (Saddle Tank version). I have taken a couple of photos to show progress so far (the dome and safety valve are not attached to the 517, this will be done after painting is complete) :

That looks really impressive! I have put some detail in the Trefallion Signal Box (shelf for block instruments, levers, cupboard, stool, and fire-place), but eventually I intend putting further detail in too, especially some notices on the walls and other objects that I think will be obvious - there is a grain-of-wheat bulb inside which nicely illuminates it all. I will have to post a photo to show off the interior detail that is there Ian

Thank you all for your comments of encouragement!! The original layout was designed to run around 2 or 3 sides of a largish bedroom in an L or U shaped configuration, unfortunately it's home in my loft now can only be a straight in and out affair, so I will have to re-design the boards outside the station precincts to accomodate the change of plan. Luckily, all of the existing constructed point and trackwork was (and is) confined to the existing two 4'0" boards that the station itself is on. Obviously, there is an extremely long way to go but I am lucky that I have an awful lot of kits and parts that were purchased for the layout in the late 1990's - all being well I won't need to spend ridiculous amounts of hard-earned in the near future The loco's bought for the layout were all white metal kits, so will probably look quite dated if compared to the latest Mitchell and Finney locos available now, especially since a couple of them were built for a '00' gauge layout so will ultimately need new chassis to be converted to P4, however I do have all of the wheels I need for the conversions. The first loco is quite near completion, being an old Models & Leisure 517 tank (these days Alan Gibson markets this engine with many of the original white metal parts replaced by etched parts), but I am really happy with the work I have done to the M&L kit, and really just needs painting. I will try to keep this blog updated to show progress over the next few months. Ian

Hi all, I have decided to begin a blog on my layout, Trefallion. The layout was begun some 12 years ago, but following a house move some 10 years ago has been gathering dust in the loft. Recently, I have been inspired to begin Railway Modelling again by Chris Baker's "Much Meddling". The layout itself is completely ficticious, and is based in Cornwall c1905. This time period will allow me to model trackwork in Brunel's Baulk Road, and allows locomotives and coaching stock to be modelled in what I consider to be the prettiest liveries. The Baulk Road is being constructed from parts available to members from the Broad Gauge Society. I have attached a few photo's which show some of the trackwork, and the Signal Box (which is the only structure that is antwhere near complete). I have also included a photo of a Timber Stop Block that I have completed today (apart from painting and installing at the end of the cattle dock siding). I appreciate that GWR Branch Termini are not everyone's cup of tea, but I hope that some at least will find my blog interesting Regards, Ian