figworthy

Apologies if this has already been asked, can the cutter be set up to scribe rather than cut ?  I'm thinking in terms of "wooden" buildings, and as well as using it cut out the various panels, also use it to scribe in the planks.

Adrian

I can believe the PRS has been around since 1914. But I am sure they had nothing to do with entertainment licences in public places until recently.

I'm not on a position to confirm or deny the above, but I'm fairly sure that 30 years ago we had a PRS licence at work (we had the joy of canned music in our reception area).  If it wasn't the PRS, it would have been something similar.

Adrian

Fantastic.  I can see some useful hints there for when I get around to trying to build mine.

Is it a trick of the light, or are you using brass section under the platform and along the top of the walls on the inside ?

Adrian

Another month, and not much progress.

I had a very pleasant week away, and amongst other things, I stumbled across this rather lonely looking signal box.

Meanwhile back at the manor, I've started on making the new bridge for the approach to Nether Blagdon Station

This has been done using the Ratio parts.  The bottom section is load bearing, and only the front will be seen, so, I've put one strip onto 20 thou styrene, and on the back, it is braced with strip to stiffen it both lengthwise and vertically.  40 thou card is used between the two sides to hold it together.  It twists slightly (not a problem once installed), but shows minimal flexing.

I've also knocked up a prototype signal box, which is based on the Gloucester Carriage & Wagon works such as the one at Compton, but the proportions don't look right (it seems deeper than it is wide).

Adrian

Adrian, I've noted that 'Figworthy' took an interest in what was going on at Hintock and it's nice to see you have made a start on something for yourself.

 

I look forward to your progress. A good start.

John,

Thanks for the reply.  Hintock is one of those that I look it in awe and wonder if I can manage something half as good.  Figworthy is really a first effort, I did do a couple of scratch built buildings the thick end of 40 years ago, but they would be rather poor by the standards of today.

Adrian

I've spent part of the weekend playing around making up prototype buildings.  An office for the quay side, and a goods shed for Nether Blagdon.

I think is probably about the right size for the office building, all it should need is a desk, somewhere to put the paper work, and a fire (which would be able to boil a kettle).

The goods shed is a bit more involved

Not that clear from the picture, but the road access is at the far end, rather than along the side.  A trail run also suggests that the rail entry/exit is a bit tight.  How wide should it be ?  I think the end nearest the camera will end up with a lean to office attached to it.

Adrian

Hi Steve,

Hi Adrian,
Appreciated the backstory, makes the pictures more engaging. Do you have a trackplan? I'm tring to figure out the 'long run'

Cheers, Steve.

See below.  The right hand side is Figworthy station, the left hand side is Nether Blagdon, and the plan only shows the standard gauge part of the layout.

The outer loop is all off scene, so the part across the top would not be seen at all.  The space in front of it I'm hoping to develop into Figworthy quarry (the other end of the narrow gauge route).

The point on the outer loop (bottom right) leads off to the fiddle yard.  This arrangement allows me to run trains into either station from the fiddle yard (with a reversal for Nether Blagdon), or to run shuttles between the two stations, either directly, or after several trips around the outer loop. The section across the bottom will be hinged, so I don't have to crawl under to get into the inner area.

Ah, having previewed it, I see that I'm missing a section of track across the bottom (including the turnout to the fiddle yard).  How do I get Templot to include that ?

Adrian

It's been a while.  A combination of it being too hot to work in the loft, and a grumbling back.

So, some progress since the last post.  The rest of the quay side has been "Das'd" and scribed, and the initial paint job done.

The one of the curves on the outer loop has been lifted and relaid.  I reckoned that I'd got it in at 2nd radius, but it was noticeable that whilst 4 wheel wagons went around OK, six couple locos weren't entirely happy, so out came Templot, the largest possible radius was worked out, and printed off.  The old track was lifted, and then relaid on the new templates.

Whilst I'm not going to do much scenic work just yet, for guidance purposes, I've fitted the divider between the outer loop and Nether Blagdon station.  The outer loop is meant to be "off scene", hence the divider.

I've made a start on the platform for Nether Blagdon station.  So far all I've got is a box frame made from 2mm ply, but it is a start and gives a feel for what is going where.

Last weekend by way of a change, I started to build a NSE GWR Stop signal.  I don't think this one will find its way onto the layout as my workmanship is fairly ropey, but it is my first attempt at soldering brass work together, and I wasn't particularly expecting a good result from a first attempt.

Some pictures below.

The quay side, I think the rest of the ground will end up under foliage or "bare".  I suspect that a small office will appear at the foreground end of the paved area.

The start of the station platform.

Adrian

Work's well underway with finishing the walls and capping on the pub board with a focus last night on grim concrete.

 

Concrete_bridge_1s.jpg

 

Concrete_bridge_2s.jpg

 

I love that brick work around the lock.

Adrian

 

 

Butterfly population up the valley seemed excellent - hundreds of conspicuous large whites but also peacocks and red admirals - and unless I am very much mistaken silver washed fritillaries on the buddlias outside the engine house at Highley. They wouldn't keep still long enough for a photo so can anyone else confirm please?

 

 

I've had far more butterflies here this year than I've had in the last 13 summers, I think it must be a good year for them.

Adrian

The Hawes branch was NER I believe, with the MR having running rights as far as Hawes for occasional passenger and a daily trip freight. So, change the timelines around a bit and the J21 is a distinct possibility. Just a shame you couldn't add the Garsdale sheltered turntable in

Garsdale to Hawes was Midland, Hawes eastwards was NER, Hawes station was a joint station.

I think NER had running rights to Garsdale, I don't think Midland had rights beyond Hawes.

Adrian

Kal says if he goes first, and I don't want to keep the locos etc (not likely to happen but...) I should sell them slowly on evil bay, selling a couple a week max, and have a little income off them. Dumping them all at once not being the best way to get a good return. Perhaps husbands on here, should make little lists for their other halves, or children, pointing out just how much they paid for their stuff!!!!!! Too much history is lost, and even if it is saved by greedy people better those that value it get a chance to grab it!!!!

 

In principle a good idea.

From various comments made, I suspect (to preserve domestic harmony) that there are some on here who may wish not to mention how much the various bits cost.

Adrian

Progress is very slow as I have lost the railway modelling impetus at the moment, but, I am enjoying a complete change in building the Langley Models Clyde Puffer for the small quay.

It's a big lump of a thing in 7mm scale although only a tiny boat (ship?) in real life and, just like railway rolling stock, every one seems to be different in some way.

I purchased the reference book suggested by Langley and read it from cover to cover, very interesting, a hard life indeed for those who worked the Puffers and from the photographs contained plus plans and photos from the web have managed to gain enough information to be able to go that little bit further (sad really) than the excellent kit as supplied.

It is now ready for some very nice brass portholes to be fitted (the components available to maritime modellers is awesome, I even have a brass ships bell to fit) and I am still researching the rigging details as I have decided to have a go at a more detailed representation than the kit intended.

Langley have been great and supplied me with lots of additional bits.

 

Still lots of detail to add (handrails fitted but not straightened and fixed yet) and painting/weathering to finish, at least I don't have to worry about getting it moving.

 

Apologies to all those who know about maritime things for all the errors I have made, but I think I have a photo for the location of everything fitted, although not all from the same boat (ship) at the same time.

 

puffer1.jpg

 

puffer2.jpg

 

puffer3.jpg

 

regards

Stewart

For more detail on Puffers, BBC 2 are showing "The Maggie" at lunch time tomorrow (Monday)

Adrian

Ah, excellent, my reading of the FAQ was that it couldn't be used.

 

Try this one :

 

one_square5.jpg

 

The map is 1947, the colliery shown at the top (as far as I remember) closed in 1926.

 

 

Adrian

Sounds like it might be time for a clue.

NER branch, closed early/mid 60s

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

 

They are all here: http://www.npemap.org.uk

 

They are OS copyright-free because they are all over 50 years old (pre 1963).

 

And the scans can be used: "You can do what you like with the tiles as long as you're not making any money from them." See: http://www.npemap.org.uk/tileLicence.html

 

See also this site on which you can flip to and fro between these old maps, current OS maps, and aerial photos, of the same location: http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm

 

regards,

 

Martin.

Ah, excellent, my reading of the FAQ was that it couldn't be used.

Try this one :

The map is 1947, the colliery shown at the top (as far as I remember) closed in 1926.

Adrian

Changing to the old 1" maps would make an interesting new game -- see: http://www.npemap.org.uk

 

The difficulty is that it is very difficult to find squares without visible names, road numbers, etc. Perhaps the rules could allow such items to be blanked out? And perhaps a larger area than one square would make for some interesting posts. Where is this, for example?

 

npe1.png

 

Martin.

I like the idea, and the answer is Barnsley.  I would put up another challenge, but I'm not sure where I can get hold of copyright free bits of Seventh Series.

Adrian

Another month, another update.

 

The 6 turnouts on Blagdon Quay have been fitted with motors, and a JMRI panel built and the whole lot set up and working.

 

I've done a bit of work on the basin, and I've started on the paved area along side the quay.

 

blagdon_quay_4.JPG

 

blagdon_quay_5.JPG

 

In due course the walls around the basin will be finished with stone work, then the paved area on the quayside will be extended to the quay side.

 

scenic works needs to be done towards the back of the quay area, then a new bridge can be built and installed allowing the upper area (Nether Blagdon) to have the scenic work done.

 

 

Adrian

A bit more progress.

The quay side has been laid, scribed and I've started to paint it.

The white panel at the on the side of the quay will get covered in more DAS, and that will become a cliff face (I've almost run out of DAS, so that will have to wait).

Following on from my enquires about goods sheds http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72494-goods-shed-design/ I've extended on of the sidings at Nether Blagdon, and with the aid of some Lego, put in  a rough prototype for the building.

Well this is how to re-rail your brake van on this line http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IndustrialRailwaySociety/photos/album/371694763/pic/248667761/view?picmode=&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&count=20&dir=asc see last photo.

You appear to need to have a Yahoo account

Adrian

A few from the Gloucestershire Warwickshire railway yesterday...

 

Before a trip in the brake van of the freight train from Toddington to Cheltenham, the coal is damped down

 

P1040228.JPG

 

The photographers are photographed (I guess I will be spoiling a few pictures )

 

P1040235.JPG

 

Inside Greet tunnel (not showing any humans, but they were there!)

 

P1040238.JPG

 

Is it on or off, better check (on subsequent journeys, this signal had been attended to and was properly showing on or off)

 

P1040239.JPG

 

Waiting at Gotherington

 

P1040242.JPG

 

Cheltenham waits at Winchcombe, to go to its namesake

 

P1040265.JPG

 

Waiting to change the token

 

P1040268.JPG

 

Disposing of 2807 at the end of the day

 

P1040272.JPG

Nice pictures.

Looks like a much better day than Friday, I didn't envy those on the brake vans in the wind and rain.

Adrian

Well, I'd say it was somewhere in Derbyshire, but where, I don't know!

Cromford and High peak would be the obvious one?

Right idea, but several counties out.

Adrian

Hmm, been a week and no takers.  Another clue

 

The route featured winch worked inclines.

 

 

Adrian

We seem to be struggling with this one.  Try two squares.

Adrian

Another month, another update.

The 6 turnouts on Blagdon Quay have been fitted with motors, and a JMRI panel built and the whole lot set up and working.

I've done a bit of work on the basin, and I've started on the paved area along side the quay.

In due course the walls around the basin will be finished with stone work, then the paved area on the quayside will be extended to the quay side.

scenic works needs to be done towards the back of the quay area, then a new bridge can be built and installed allowing the upper area (Nether Blagdon) to have the scenic work done.

Adrian

Humbrol acrylics.

Thanks, I'll have a rummage at the local shop.

Adrian

Some of the pallets are made from plywood and some are cast whitemetal from Skytrex. The setts were tediously scribed into DAS clay and individually painted. I think they could do with some matt varnish to take the shine off them.

What did you use to paint them ?

Adrian

The disused lines are coming out of Seaton Junction, the in-service route is just north of Harringworth viaduct.

 

 

 

Try this one.

 

 

one_square3.jpg

 

An early build that got its engineer into trouble.

 

 

Adrian

Hmm, been a week and no takers.  Another clue

The route featured winch worked inclines.

Adrian