ChrisS

I have done as much as I can prior to the deadline. I've not actually demonstrated the dimensions, so here are the obligatory photos........... And an overall shot of what you are supposed to see I took some photos earlier in the day under natural light. Here are a sample.......... My 08 in its new home A visitor from DJH on shed! Looks a bit ex works but I've owned it since DJH first produced the 03. Both shunters at rest. Hope these are of interest. I've not had the time to make the skytrex TTA presentable, so still things to keep me occupied after the competition is over! Chris

Thanks TimC. Here is an update of the shed progress. All the cladding is in place. I've noticed that the clading on the door frames does not match those on the side, but not sure this really matters! Spent the afternoon creating the guttering and down pipe. I've only done one side, as I am thinking I might not have time to do the other, but at least that side will not be on show! Chris

Only just got through a working week from hell, so I've not done as much as I would have liked. Created the shed ventilation in the apex of the roof using strips of evergreen channel. It still needs painting but this unit, just like the glazing, is removable to allow work at a later date. I've started fixing the roof and wall cladding and hopefully this should be finished later tonight. Whilst the weather was good, I thought I would take a photo of the progress made. Hopefully I might have time to include some lighting within the shed, but not much time left. Chris

Very good- lots of atmosphere in a small space! Particularly like the vegetation. Chris

Thanks for the positive comments Peter, bcnPete & Giles. The Marina seems to generate positive comments- do people have fond memories?? I always thought that O gauge was expensive, but it's not really, as I only spend my hard earned money on what I might actually need and use! So if anyone has any reservations- don't. Had a minor disaster earlier in the day. Whilst installing one of the glazing units in the shed, some super glue found its way on to the clear plastic!!! Anyone have any ideas how to remove the resulting stain, if at all, or do I just cut a bit of new plastic? Still a bit to do! Looking forward to a 2am start and a trip to Dublin tomorrow- NOT. Chris

Work has really dominated my life this last week. A work trip to Dublin next week is also going to put the pressure on, to do anything that I planned with this project! This is another small up date................. Nearly completed my storage tank (still needs a bit of further detailing). Not sure what it is storing, but they appear at numerous depots! The brick foundations are 6mm ply with embossed brickwork. The tank was constructed with evergreen sheet. The fence was also planted, but I have yet to weather it. The main aim of the fence and tank, is to be a view blocker and an aid to framing shots. Finally, I also created a lighting switch panel for the shed and painted a few Skytrex oil drums, which I've had sitting in a draw for sometime. Being a bit ignorant, but what do all the different colours mean, if anything?? I have also finally found a colour I am happy with for the shed cladding, so hopefully this can now be stuck on in the near future. Hopefully I can do some more work on this tomorrow, but I am home alone with two kids and have a few work related reports to type Happy days! Chris

A little update............. Completed 10'' of wooden fence to go along the back of the model. Its constructed of several different wooden strips, which I aquired, and will be weathered to help blend them all together. The different colours give an indication of repair I hope. I was originally going to build it out of evergreen strip, but it simply did not look right. The most expense in completing this was time!! Some of this was spent splitting square section 4x4mm lengths to get the triangle cross members! Just got to plant it on the model, but another job boxed off! Back to work tomorrow. Chris

Thanks Dave and Pete. They are wiper arcs on the car windscreen, but unfortunately I can not claim any credit for the car- It is a 'Vanguards hidden treasure' (Corgi classic). I got it from Hamleys in London once upon a time, as I liked the model. It was living in its box in a cupboard, but It now has somewhere to live! Spent last night creating a boundary fence (from real wood!) for the back of the model, and a storage tank of some sort (possible lubricating oil tank). Both are not completed, but hopefully I will get some more work done today. Chris

I've been doing little bits this week, such as the concrete path from the yard office to the shed, painting the steels of the shed, creating the glazing and ballasting the track. I'm no where near finished for the competition, but I could not help experimenting with using the model to improve my photography! Here is an example- significant room for improvement!! However, the various bits allow for the subject to be framed. I have a few targets to meet by the end of next week, otherwise it could be a bit hectic towards the 1st October! Chris

Thanks for the recent comments. Between work, kids and sleep I've been busy............................ I created the hard standing for the shed using DAS modelling clay. Never used it before, but I am pleased with the result. However, I found its not easy to lay it smooth, as the white colour makes it difficult to spot the ripples and bumps. It required a bit of sanding down after I left it for three days to dry out. Its been painted with several different colours and washes to weather it. I had already created the main steel work, so now the roof panel beams have been installed. The illusion with the mirror makes the shed look a reasonable length, along with the inspection pit. Even I got confussed by the mirror when sticking on the roof beams! Currently the whole structure is removable and is surprisingly sturdy. You will also see that I've made the fence posts and painted them, for the fence in front of the shed. I sill have to add the side support beams for the wall panels and glazing. But I am experimenting with colours for the corrugated roof panels. I've really enjoyed the challenge so far in building the shed. Part of me would like to have been an architect or structural engineer! For less than £20, building this shed seems quite reasonable in comparrison to the yard office kit from Skytrex! It's properly chucking it down with rain at the moment, so more modelling to be done this afternnon! Chris

I was not going to bother modelling an inspection pit in the shed, as I thought that not too much if any will be on show for the work involved, but it kept on playing on my mind- I would know it's not there. So retrospectively I'va added one! It was a bit of a job cutting the hole in the baseboard, but luckily the display sides are still removable, making the job a little easier. The walls, base and steps in the pit are all made from off cuts of the ply wood previously used. The walls are covered in embossed brick work. I spent a nice afternnon weathering the inside of the pit, although more detail may be added- possibly a large pool of oil! Part of the reason why I was not originally going to model the inspection pit was that it would effectively have a wall in its middle (due to the baseboard frame). So to disguise this, I've cut some removeable chequer plate panels, which make some sort of sense, as they would prevent members of staff from falling in the pit when not in use! If you were to look in the shed, there would be a reflection in the mirroe making the pit look longer. The panels still need to be weathered, but here is the idea......... With this major bit of surgery completed and with all the other bits and bobs aquired, hopefully things will move along a bit quicker in the next week or two. The track is now glued in place, so the next job will be creating the hardstanding in the shed. I have some modeling clay which should do the job. Hope everyone else had a good bank holiday! Chris

Finally taken the plunge and have started the construction of the shed from scratch. Got paid the other day so bought some evergreen strip- did not realise how expensive this stuff was. I have been dreading this, but I think it will be worth the effort. The dimensions of the shed were roughly calculated based on photos of Kings Lynn and Peterborough stabling points, the former had an 08 next to it, so I used this to calculate heights etc. My shed will probably end up being a cross between the two, but ultimately based on what I feel looks right. This was one of the design principles behind the Spitfire! I made the perimeter walls first using off cuts from the 6mm ply used to make the display. The outer walls were covered in embosed plastic brick. I am inclined to leave the inner walls plain, as after painting them white, they resemble the rough finish of block work. I made the capping sets using evergreen channel section, which was scored using a saw. The main steels have been cut and glued together, but are not currently attached to the brick base- but are temporarily held in place with blue tack. A new warehouse is being built at our local retail centre so I took a few photos of how it is constructed. I will be adding cladding support beams and roof support beams, though these probably will not be visable once the cladding is in place. As I mentioned earlier, the structure has been roughly calculated, but is ultimately based on what I think looks right. To get an idea of scale, here is my 08 sitting in its partially built new home. Still hope this is of interest- especially since this challenge seems to be dominated by some very impressive 2mm models!! Might still get a bit more done today- hopefully the kids will be going to bed early!! Chris

A litte up-date. The yard office is nearly finished, just got to add some ridge tiles and drain pipes. As mentioned before, the brick work finish was achieved by dry brushing, with 4 different enamels. Might still weather it more with a very diluted black wash, but not too sure. At the moment the kit roof has been installed, but if I have time I may alter it with a creation of my own. This is where the office will sit. Its main aim is to frame the 08 and act as a view blocker. Further detailing will take place in the form of foliage and other bits and bobs. Slowly getting on with other jobs. I've painted and weathered the section of track at the front, before I fix it in place. The mesh fence is a section of weld mesh used for car repairs from Halfords. It was bought many years ago, so I dont know if it's still available, but it will extend a bit further along to the left. Just got to create some suitable fence posts. Hopefully the weathered 08, yard office, fence and car all help to create a mood and set a period in time.................... This is the view from the other end. Having second thoughts about the fitting of the backscene experimented with earlier in the thread- any ideas what else could be achieved?? Any further comments or ideas welcomed. Chris

Time is passing me by. Did not realise how long it has been since the last up-date. Not done too much due to holidays and the usual enermy- WORK, but found some time the other day to spend an evening on this project. I wanted a building in the near left hand corner to be a view blocker, as I intend to manage what the viewer sees. So, as I can't afford too much time scratch building bits, I managed to get a yard office kit from Skytrex, which loosely resembles that found at Kings Lynn, which this whole project is loosely based on. http://www.abrail.co...ip%20Stuart.jpg It needs a little work to get the bits to fit, but here is the work in progress. It has taken me a while to realise that less is more- I've been experimenting with the painting of the brickwork and the result was achieved by practically dry brushing the humbrol enamel on. Too much paint and the variation in brick colour and motor joints are lost, and would have to be added afterwards. I've also painted the wooden floor within and weathered it. I might decide to scratch build a roof to be in a more delaptidated condition, or possibly in a state following a fire, but at this rate, I might just stick the kit roof on! Hope this is of interest, and hopefully a little more will now be achieved! Chris

How does the saying go- 'I live to work' or 'I work to live'? Either way, I enjoy my job- I audit pest control systems and companies and get to see some interesting architecture (including remains of many internal railway systems on the older food factory sites) but it does take up a lot of time travelling around London and the South East! However, I am progressing at a leisurely pace. I painted the external surfaces of the display satin black. I have decided that a frame around the front of the display will focus the viewers attention. It works best at eye level. I am not sure how dark the photos appear on your computer screens, but they appear quite dark on mine- even though there still appeared to be quite a bit of light when I took them! The internal corners of the frame were all supposed to be rounded, but three of them looked terible, so I made them square. However, I think the one curve in the bottom right draws the attention to the mirrored end of the display! I have found some mounting card which I will use to support the backscene. Here are a few additional pictures. Hope to get more work done in the near future, but a trip to Croydon, Kings Cross, East London and Southampton awaits! Chris

Thanks bcnPete. I hope it continues to be of interest. Plan falling apart for work on it today, a trip to Sainsbury's looms! Where does all the time go? Chris

Thanks for the comments Donw & Hugh. As predicted, did not get anything done today due to BBQ weather. Hopefully tomorrow might be more productive! Chris

Thanks for the link and the comments TimC. I will look into a plastic mirror, excuse the pun! I am hoping to get a bit of detail into this space and Marc Smith's Hendre Lane, although in OO, shows what can be achieved with a bit of thought. I am glad you think it reminds you of the Kings lynn fuel point from the little bit that I have created, as this was part of the inspiration, as seen in this link previously posted. http://www.abrail.co...ip%20Stuart.jpg This won't be a strict copy partly due to size constraints, but an interpretation of. Not too sure if I will get much work done this weekend, I think the weather may be too good to miss a BBQ opportunity! Chris

Thanks for the positive comment Chris 66522. The only problem with the mirror is that due to its depth, even if you butt something up to it, you can notice a 'join' between the object and the mirror. I will have to figure out a way of disguising this. I would like to force the view, but I agree with you Kris that additional lighting may be required. Although a dusk effect could be created, it would look strange with a bright blue sky and fluffy clouds on the backscene I used as an experiment. Will have to think carefully about this. Not too sure I understand the comment about putting the shed right in the middle though? Below is a link to a site for depot and service point inspirations, with the second link an example of Kings Lynn SP, which gave me the inspiration for my entry. http://www.abrail.co...nk_magazine.htm scroll down to see the photos of closed depots. http://www.abrail.co...ip%20Stuart.jpg Hope this is useful Chris

The weather was not too good today, but what else would we expect so close to summer???? Between bouts of rain I managed to prime the board. Unfortunately due to the rubbish weather, I've taken the photos indoors- which is why they are a bit darker and grainy in appearance. I spent some time cutting a cardboard mock up of the end of the inspection shed, but as yet, I have not decided on the overall length that I want displayed. As seen below, there is a risk of it dominating the board. It will be based on the one at Kings Lynn, and was roughly measured based on photos, although I think it is slightly too high at the moment. The track end in front of the shed will be used to display future wagon projects, with an old Skytrex TTA currently sitting in. With a bit of weathering this could represent a diesel delivery. Hopefully it will be replaced by a JLTRT TTA in the future. What you see below is effectively all the space available. For £4, I got a measured and cut piece of mirror from the local glass shop which fits on the right hand panel of the board. This hopefully gives the impression of a more substantial inspection shed, along with an additional TTA, as hinted in the next two photos. I am not too sure what to do in the background, but I experimented with a Gaugemaster product and I am impressed with the results, particularly in combination with the mirror, although it is not permanently fixed in place yet. Hope this is of interest, but any comments welcome. Back to reality tomorrow- real work!! Chris

Thank you Kenton. The 08 is light weight compared to the Tower models class 20 I have yet to complete. Do people have an opinion if the front of the board should be framed and the top covered, to force people into looking at what you want them to see? I don't want to make it too dark, as space for additional lighting would be limited. Chris

Hello all, I have been a reader of model rail since it was a free supplement in Rail. So when the latest copy appeared with this challenge, I thought I would give it ago, along with sharing any progress on rmweb. I have played with 00 and N, but have always apprecited the size, weight and potential detail of O. A few years ago I completed an MMP 08 (Inspired by the building of this kit in Model Rail at the time), and it has sat in a display cabinet ever since. I have a longer term O gauge layout (ambition!), which has an 8ft scenic section, but due to modern house design, kids, work, no shed and a garage in a block, it has been difficult to find the motivation to bring it out and work on it. This challenge has caught my attention, with the aim of producing something which I can ultimately display my 08 in, in a suitable setting, and possibly motivating me to finish my Tower models class 20. Here is my 08 on a rare trip out of the display cabinet. Photography is not my strong point and the Nikon Coolpix used, has not captured the whole 08 in focus- so hopefully having a back ground to photograph, will also improve my model photos. Inspiration has come from seeing photos of Peterborough depot in Model rail (#93 July 2006) and a picture of Kings Lynn stabling point (seen in 'Modelling the British Rail era' p17; Santona publication by Fleming, Flint, Gibbons and Taylor). So, my intention is to recreate a scene loosly based on these, with only part of the shed on display, probably the 'back end', which would allow the display of my 08 and any future creations/ purchases. Currently ideas in O seem limited, possibly for a reason?, so to get an idea of what I could actually fit into the space, I purchased a sheet of 6mm ply (1220X606mm), a length of timber (34x34mmx2.4m) and screws for less than £15. These were chopped up in a couple of sessions, with the off cuts potentially being used at a later date. The board is constructed to the maximum dimensions and could be considered belt and braces, but hopefully it is built to last. Hopefully, this will not be the last post !! I am determined to finish this, to give my 08 a proper home and allow experimentation, with modelling and photography! I hope this is of interest. Chris