Ian Smith

Dave,

Very nice.  Did you really need to insulate the beam though?  The reason I ask is that it looks like the running rails with the checks alongside are separate to the main siding anyway (as indicated by the added fishplates)  Obviously if an engine went right up the to the stop block then a short would ensue but are you likely to run an engine that close to the stop block?  But I suppose for security it's a good idea!

Anyway, that aside, I will be interested to see what responses you get to the colour of the beam and positioning of a lamp.  

Personally, I did intend painting my beams red (with paint removed where buffers would strike the beam), but I was also only going to have wooden beams on my stop blocks which I will probably make as wooden ones anyway (I do have baulk road and I don't remember seeing any rail built stop blocks with baulk road track work).  As for lamps, my assumption has always been that they would only have been fitted if some reason dictated it rather than on every stop block (I may be very wrong), but I can imagine that one may be fitted at the end of a refuge siding or long headshunt but for sidings within the station area where a shunter might be directing the movement I would imagine that it would be superfluous.  Just my opinion, and probably completely wrong which is why I look forward to seeing any responses you get from those more knowledgeable than me.

Ian

Very effective Dave.  I particularly like the view across the station unencumbered with your lovely rolling stock.  It's also nice to see that some passengers are beginning to populate the platform too.

Ian

Hi Ian, Thanks for the kind comments. The tarpaulin is from http://www.wagonsheets.co.uk/Sheets/GWR.htm they do 2mm as well as many other scales. Duncan

Duncan,

Shame I didn't know about that outfit some time ago!!!

For what it's worth, I put my artwork in my gallery ages ago in case anyone else could make use of it, here

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/41875-gwr-tarpaulin/

and here

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/gallery/image/42027-gwr-sheet-1903/

For my 2mm ones I print it onto a green Rizla cigarette paper with the inkjet printer set on "draft" mode so as not to soak the paper with ink.  Donw of this parish took a couple of photos of Modbury at the 2mm Expo at Chelford, my finished tarps can be seen in the goods train departing here :

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/53154-photo-call-2mm-layouts-out-and-about-at-exhibitions/?p=1933932

Ian

Very nice Duncan.  I think the red you've come up with looks just right (at least on my monitor!)  Is the tarpaulin home made?  (mine are, from my own artwork - I couldn't find any that looked like the GWR ones of the turn of the century).

Ian

A fabulous piece of modelling Mikkel.  You have taken a model that must originally have been produced over 40 years ago and made it into something that would not look out of place against modern highly detailed and relatively accurate models.  In my opinion she looks just right.  As Mark has already said I too look forward to seeing her posed in some of your evocative photo montages.

Ian

Hi Ian, What shade of red did you use? drduncan

Duncan,

After some deliberation I ended up settling for a mix of Humbrol Matt 70 and Humbrol Satin 132 in a ratio of about 3 x132 to 1 x 70.  I had originally bought the Satin 132 specifically for my "Red" but it dried far to orangey for my taste so I toned it down with the Matt 70.  Obviously my wagons receive a coat of Matt Varnish once the lettering has been applied to kill any satin/gloss finish.  

I rather liked Mikkel's choice of Red and I was trying to replicate it, but my replication is based on what I see on a computer screen rather than Mikkel's exact shade so could be wildly different to his.  In the end I do feel that since no-one knows what shade GWR Red wagons actually were finding something you are happy with and sticking to it is probably good enough - from what I've read the shade appears to have been "Dark", "Light", "Bright" or almost any other adjective!!!

Ian

Very nice Dave.  I particularly like the rotating ground signal.  Also like the fact that all of the work put into the point rodding is really visible in "Torbay Bright Red" / Vermillion.  I'm sure that Albert and his team appreciate the modesty of their shy and retiring team-mate "Big" Dave too :-)

Ian

PS The plasticard separator certainly did it's job - I can't see the join in any of the pictures!

Does the fibre glass brush work for getting the flux off? That's my main concern.

Andrew,

Yes it seems to.  But then I have longitudinal "sleepers" directly below the rail so really I am rubbing along the sides of the rails and along the tops.  As I alluded to before I have no cross sleepers or chairs to contend with.

I would be interested to hear what others do to clean things up with in situ built track work.

Ian

Nice work Andrew.  I build my trackwork in situ (but then you have to when you haven't got any sleepers holding the rails together/apart :-) ).  T`he method I've been using to clean off everything is to thoroughly scrub it with a fibre glass brush (taking care not to inhale the little bits of fibre!)  A thorough hoover, and probably a repeat - note this is far easier simply because I do not have lots of sleepers against which the brush catches causing the displacement of the tiny bits of fibre.

Ian

If I hadn't seen your work for myself I would find it hard to believe. A very nice riveter too.

Don

Don, thank you for the kind comments!

I only wish I could get my 4mm stuff to look as neat

Mike, Thank you.  It's just care and patience really.  Although since taking the photos a more careful study shows that the central row of rivets is not on the centre line of the saddle so I think I need to do it all again!!!

Somewhat humbled!

Thank you.  Isn't that a space telescope? ;-)

Wow Ian, I think the term model engineering applies here. That rivet press in itself is a beautiful piece of work. And as you say, the rivets mean a lot on a GWR saddle tank. I also like the formers, another critical aspect. Is there some kind of non-visible former in the middle as well?

Mikkel, Thank you for the kind comment.  There are only the two formers (one at each end of the saddle), despite being only 0.005" brass the saddle is remarkably robust - probably because it is only 37mm long.  I suspect that rolling the profile into the brass has also work hardened it a little too (although I purposely didn't try to anneal it to make the rolling easier because I was worried that it might crush to easily once formed!)

A... riveting... yarn Ian.

 

Somebody had to say it.

Yes Andy, and that someone had to be you :-)  See you tomorrow.

Looking very nice Richard, I really must progress the Richard Brummitt versions that I have part built!  

Are you coming over to the Midland Area Group meeting tomorrow?

Ian

Dave,

I've just looked in my old copy of "Great Western Way" (1978 version), and under the platform surfaces section gives the size of the blue diamond pattern bricks as 1'4"x5" with a bull nose radius of about 2" at the end for platform edging.  Similar bricks for the platform surface (without the bull nose) are given as 10"x5".

I knew I had seen the sizes somewhere, and finally remembered where!!  (Oh to be young again) :-)

Ian

Dave,

I remember the in the MRC articles on Bodmin in the 1980's that the diamond pattern was scribed with a piece of hacksaw or piercing saw (can't remember which) using an adjustable square thing to get the angles right.

Ian

Dave,

Really nice to see the goods shed again in an almost complete guise (although from the outside it looks complete to me!)  Love the advertising hoardings, the whole thing really does say Edwardian GWR without the need to put any stock on it.

I agree with the idea of having paving only around the station building - it's exactly what I intend to do (although I was considering the hard standing area on my model being those engineers brick pavers with the diamond pattern on - but when it comes down to it that might be a stretch to far in 2mm!!)  Sorry I can't help with the dimensions of typical slabs.

Ian

Great views Ian, espceially the last one along the embankment. What will the scene be like in front of it? Fields? 

Mikkel,

There will be a field along the front of the embankment.  Not sure what to put in it though - torn between simple pasture (with Devon Red cattle in it), corn field, or mown hay with stooks drying and waiting for collection.  Beyond the embankment will be another field with woodland rising up on the hillside behind it.

I agree with Mikkel - the last shot looking up is very compelling. Lovely stuff Ian...

Pete,

Thank you.  I took some other shots looking up at the train on the embankment which unfortunately came out too dark but otherwise looked quite atmospheric.

Very good Ian. The mixture looks good to me the addition of the beige makes a lot of difference and with the darker green clumps looks quite believeable for Devon to me. I think that at the turn of the century cheaper labour would have meant the sides of the bank would not be allowed to become overgrown. Any trees or bushes would be along the fence at the bottom of the bank.

 

Don

Don,

Thank you.  I don't intend to do much else to the embankment side itself, certainly no trees at this point.   Although at the foot I was going to put in some Rosebay Willowherb (just for a bit of local colour).  I need to do a bit of research to see what the fencing would be - I am thinking post and wire but don't know yet what spacing the posts would be at, I believe that there would have been 7 wires (more closely spaced nearer the ground) but I may simplify that to 4 or 5 wires!

Ian

That looks really good Ian, Will you be bringing Modbury to Chelford?

R

Richard,

Thank you.  Yes I am at Chelford with Modbury.  Trying to get more track work on the other baseboard in time for it between various experiments :-)

 Bit of a long description but I hope you find it useful.  We are at the DEMU exhibition at Burton on Trent on 30 May in a non steam format if you fancy a trip to the Brewery Heritage Centre so you can always see the results there and decide for yourself.

 

Alan,

Thank you for the concise description of your work.  I ought to re-read the MRJ article you penned!!  Don't think I will make it to Burton unfortunately - I think a couple of members of the Midland Area Group will be going along to help chairman Jim with his layout though.

Looks great Ian, I particularly like the colour contrast between the green grass and the red rodding :-) There's a good article in last months MRJ about static grass application that I found very inspiring. The Metro looks very at home trundling along the embankment. Dave

Dave,

Thank you.  It is a bit of an experiment really, I really need to read up a bit more about the techniques (and makes and colours people are using).

Ian

Very impressive Ian, it all adds up to a very distinctive look. You don't really need to operate any stock on this, there is enough interest in the track and point rodding alone!

Thank you Mikkel.  One of the main reasons for my wanting to model Baulk Road was for the "ooh, this is different" viewpoint.  Because you don't see it modelled very often (extremely rare in 2mm!!) I think it will generate some interest, and as you say hopefully enough interest not to have to maintain an unrealistic traffic pattern (particularly important when you've only got 2 engines, 4 coaches and about a dozen wagons).  :-)

Very fine work Ian. I think you are right about trying to add the top rollers. Does the expansion problems mean it would be wise to add all the  rodding wires to each stool in turn working away from the box.

When I first joined the 2mm SA thirty years ago the idea of adding all the rodding was never mooted it shows how far some have come.

Don

Don,

In this short experiment, I added the run to the switch first (as it was further away from me), then went back and added the FPL run.  Although I managed to get away without the first run becoming looking like a piece of chewed string, I think in future that I will try to do all of the rods on each stool in one go (the most I will have though is 4 rods).  I'm also only doing the rodding in lengths of a few inches - this experiment is about a foot long all told.  (I'm hoping to arrange the butt joints at the stools (but staggering them so that no more than one joint will be at any one stool)).

I might try aluminium hair grips as heat sinks either side of the stool being soldered to see if that helps if I have to go back and add a bit more solder to any joints.

Ian

Looking great Ian! Good to hear your going for the red rodding, I'll be interested to see your interpretation of "Torbay Bright" :-) For what it's worth I think I'd be inclined to leave off the top rollers. It would be a real shame to risk damaging what you've achieved so far. Dave

Dave,

Glad you like it!!  I must admit that I really have no idea what shade of red "Torbay Bright" was, I'm probably going for a weathered Vermillion - I'll be adding a dirty thinners type of wash to each of the rollers and hinge points on each crank anyway to represent the greasing thereof.

Having looked at the rodding in the cold light of day, I've convinced myself that trying to add the top rollers will be a step too far in 2mm - mainly because of the risk of damage to the existing rods.  I did find that I had to work from one end when soldering them to the stands as if I went back to one in the middle of already secured ones that the thin wire buckled as it expanded despite a very light touch of the iron.

Ian

Richard,

I look forward to seeing this progress.  I'll have to have a rummage to see if my old Lima horse box is anywhere about in the loft (although I think it got dumped years ago).  I was going to draw up a couple of early versions with a view to getting them 3D printed.

I really enjoyed seeing Lambourn at Aldershot/Farnham, have you got any other shows booked?

Ian

Very impressive Mikkel.  I had been thinking about tea chests for my own layout, I suspect that even the thinest veneer would be too thick in 2mm though.  Perhaps I could produce some artwork and print it on matt photo paper (just because I would expect to get a better resolution than on plain paper - I can feel a little experiment coming on) :-)

Ian

I too can only see one image (in Safari and Google Chrome).  Look forward to seeing the other 12 sometime :-)

Pete,

Very nice.  I agree that putting together wagon chassis does take a bit of time - I've almost finished 3 more for some badly needed open wagons, just got to solder on the door bangers (and mine only have brakes on one side and no vacuum stuff to contend with).  I generally don't measure the amount of time it takes me to do anything (I think it would be too depressing :-) ), I know these 3 have taken a bit of time over 3 evenings.

Ian