Jim Connor

I liked the new scoring system too. There was very little between the teams at the end. They all put up a good show and I certainly enjoyed watching it. 

Just finished watching the show. I agree with comments about the quality of 'The Train Set's' resin "water" and their coastal scene. The team also came over as being very enthusiastic, which was good to see.

Yes, very sad news. I received a letter from one of his family this morning, confirming it was cancer.

Frank was an excellent bloke and I reckon he'll be sorely missed at the shows. His models were superb and second to none. I think about 90% of road vehicles on Harford Street are from RTI. They look good and are a joy to put together.

...And a few more...

I think the Johnson 3F 0-6-0T looks more at home on a layout based around 1952 than NLR No 88 does!

A few more phots...

I appreciate that the NLR 4-4-0T is a bit out of period to say the least, but I think they were lovely locos and so typical of the old North London. It's built from one of Charlie's 3D prints.

BEL No 1 is self explanatory. I drew up the artwork on Adobe Illustrator and had her etched. I saw the prototype in a scrapyard near Prestons Road in 1965, but sadly don't remember her working.

The large derelict building is Trafalgar School. The prototype closed (I believe) in 1941 and it then became a temporary fire station for the AFS. It got in this state after a doodlebug landed nearby towards the end of the Second World War.

The building to the right of Barratts Stores is Copley Street goods depot. It's based on the old GNR offices at Royal Mint Street and appears to have been designed by Tite, who handled all the architectural work for the London & Blackwall in its early days. The prototype looked very much like a passenger station and its tempting to think that it may have once been part of the old Minories terminus, but unfortunately it wasn't quite in the right position! Still, I'd love to build a layout based on Minories during the transition from cable haulage to locomotives in 1849, so maybe I'll use a bit of artist's licence!

I use brickwork, which is drawn up in Adobe Illustrator and printed on card.

Once the building is complete I airbrush it with Humbrol matt black enamel, diluted with white spirit. The brush needs to be kept on the move whilst working, because any concentration in one spot would ruin the affect.

I used styrene sheet for many years, but after some experimentation, changed to printed card, as I much prefer the results.

Hello Andrew,

Reading that you once lived in Stepney, did you see the Sidney Street & Redmans Road exhibition that was on the circuit a few years back?

Charlie and I built it in double quick time to take to a "layout party" in east London suburbia. It wasn't our best work, but we enjoyed doing it and it appeared at various shows including Ally Pally.

At one of the exhibitions a man told us that he had childhood memories of climbing through a broken window at Sidney Street station so he could smoke a fag without being seen by adults. Goodness knows which station he remembered as Sidney Street was of course fictitious!

Hello all. Thank you for your kind comments. Unfortunately Harford Street is a home layout and not portable, so it can't be exhibited.

Here are a few more photos in case they're of interest.

When building Limehouse Fields we decided to have an earlier station on the opposite side of the street, as there had been at Bow Road. I've never seen any views of the first Bow Road, so based our version on Limehouse, where substantial street level remains still survive. I used the down side staircase building, but laterally reversed it so that it suited the site.

The market scene, which has since been enlarged, includes a stall and various crates, again all 3D prints from Charlie. The chap looking through the box of 78s, may well be hoping to find the unspeakably rare Scandinavian Tigern / Tidkulan by the Queens Dance Orchestra, but doubtlessly the best he's found is yet another copy of 'Swanee Smiles' by the Savoy Havana Band and a couple of Ambrose HMVs!

Here are a few more of Limehouse Fields station.

It's based on the 1892 GER station at Bow Road, which closed in November 1949. I first knew it in the mid-1960s and have modelled it in the condition I remember. The prototype was on a sharp curve, which would have taken up too much space so, as you can see, the platforms are straight.

Those characteristic 1940s concrete lamp posts, which remained on the prototype until the platform buildings were demolished in October 1967, are 3D prints by Charlie.

The latest edition is this model of Stepney Green Dwellings. The prototype was designed by the architectural partnership of Joseph & Smithem for the 4% Industrial Dwellings Co and was completed in 1896. The actual estate comprises three parallel blocks, but layout space has only permitted one of these to be included, and even this has been reduced in length.

The ironwork on the landings had to be been etched, as has that around the entrance stairs, although this is not visible on the two photos which only show the building's rear.

The lining on the loco was drawn-up in Adobe Illustrator then printed out to create waterslide transfers. Details were taken from the coloured frontispiece in the August 1902 edition of the Railway Magazine, but was slightly simplified around the cab, as the fine outer edge of the top section would have been difficult to create satisfactorily with this type of printing.

The outer section of lining on the tanks and bunker was pale yellow/blue/pale yellow as per the colour plate. However, when placed on the loco, the different colours were inclined to merge, so, in the photos particularly, it does look as if I used BR mixed traffic lining!

The NLR loco lining of course varied over the years. According to E.F. Carter, 4-4-0T No 101 was the first to appear in lined black when she was outshopped from Bow in 1883. In this case the tanks had light blue with a fine white line inside, followed by another light blue line and a white line on either side, whilst inside all this was a red line.

Carter records that in 1901 Nos 104, 111, 115, 116, 119, 121 and 122, were painted with fine double lining in vermillion round the tanks, bunkers, boiler, bogie frames and tool boxes. Otherwise the standard lining, introduced in 1889, comprised a broad outside band formed of pale blue and yellow lines, with a narrow vermillion line inside. 

Another variation came in 1902, when lining became a wide white line and a thin red line inside. Coupling rods were red and cab interiors were in 'stone'.

Of course, we only have Mr Carter's word for all this, but one of the variants certainly seems to tally with the RM colour plate.

Incidentally, I had the number plates etched when I was drawing-up the 'South Bromley' and 'Old Ford' canopy valances for the latest incarnation of Harford Street. The awning behind the loco in one of the photos is formed from one of these.

I agree, but in 1952 they might have been fairly fresh out of the paintshops. That's my excuse anyway!

Greetings!

As promised, here are some views of the recently completed station at Mile End Gate.

This view looks towards the stopblocks and shows both platforms. The buildings have been based partly on those at Shadwell & St Georges East and partly on Leman Street, although to be fair, both stations in their final forms seem to have been very similar in appearance.

67211 comes from a Nu-Cast kit, with the body built by me and the chassis by Charlie. The prototype was chosen as it was the lifelong favourite loco of a late friend of ours, who was born in a house adjoining Palace Gates station and remembered her from an early age.

69733 has a modified South Eastern Finecast body on a proprietary 56xx chassis. I know this is not strictly accurate, but it runs a lot better than if I'd built the chassis! I was told many years back that 69733 worked the last passenger train to call at the ex-GER Bow Road station in 1949, but I've no idea if that's true. A well-known photo of her, taken by H.C. Casserley at Bow Road has appeared in various publications over the years, starting with Mr Casserley's own 'Services Suspended', published not long after the station closed. Did the existence of this photo give rise to the idea that she worked the last train. Sadly, the chap who gave me this information has long-since died, so I've no way of checking. Has anyone out there got a photograph of the last train I wonder?

Back to one of my usual street scenes I'm afraid. This time showing the arch leading from Stepney Green to Mile End Gate station. The big nameboard is based on that above the street at Burdett Road, whilst the tiny cafe was taken from a prototype in Commercial Street. Mr Benjamin's bakers van is a modified plastic kit.

Another street level view, this time showing rather more of the station, although the entrance door is hidden behind the return in the wall. The Hayfield Tavern is just visible at the right and still stands, although its no longer used as a pub.

67211 again, but this time viewed from street level. I know the Gresley suburbans are too clean, but I haven't had the heart to dirty them!

I should have left Mile End Gate looking like that... How many times did I go to phot a station in the '60s or '70s and all that was left were the canopy supports or a pile of bricks?

   The station's finished now and the track ballasted etc so I'll get some more shots of it up soon.

A truly excellent piece of work. The shops are exquisite and a joy to behold. 

I look forward to that broadcast of dance music from the Mayfair Hotel. Who is on tonight?... Presumably it'll be Ambrose & His Orchestra with Elsie Carlisle and Sam Browne.

Good to see she's carrying the 'Metropolitan Heritage Train' headboard! I bet she runs better than some of the proprietary stuff which we tried last night!

Thanks Jonte, much appreciated.

Yes, Mile End Gate was designed on the computer, but I use Adobe Illustrator not Photoshop.

I was once an advocate of using plastic sheet, but was never really happy with brickwork so, after many years, I changed to card. I know that some modellers like the relief of plastic brickwork, but to be quite honest, would the indentations of mortar courses actually be visible when scaled down to 4mm, unless of course a considerable amount of mortar had dropped out and the wall was about to fall down?

I used the same programme for the various etches. I only wish such technology was available when I started back in the 1970s!

Best wishes

Jim

Thank you for all your kind comments.

With regard to weathering my buildings, I have tried various paints including gouache and acrylics, but have always returned to Humbrol.

As BD stated, I invariably use Humbroil Matt Black (No 33), diluted to approx 40/60 with white spirit.

After completion I will spray the models with an aerograph airbrush, using a mix that is generally around 40% paint and 60% white spirit. The mix is important because too much paint can result in a degree of "splattering" which could ruin the finished job, particularly if the building has been constructed from printed card. Sometimes I will make the diltion slightly weaker, particularly if I am working on a more 'modern' building, such as one constructed in the 1930s, as this would not be as grimy as one dating from Victoria times, even in an area such as east London, which, until the Clear Air Act, suffered from dreadful polution and smogs.

I use card these days as I feel this gives the best brick effect, although I was once a complete devotee of styrene sheet!

I start spraying from the top and work downwards, therefore the roof (if there is one!) is the 'dirtiest' part of the building. I know that everybody have their own techniques, but this seems to work best for me.

I know it's stating the obvious, but take care when using an airbrush. Always use a spraying mask and, if possible put your model in one of those sp[ray booths that can be found at various exhibitions. They're not cheap, but they certainly seem to keep the room free of paint odours. I also think it's best to spray a piece of scrap card before starting on the actual model, so if the airbrush is going to spit, it'll do it there and then, so any problems with the mix can be rectified. It's also worth investing in a decent airbrush. A friend of mine was once tempted to buy one at a knocked-down price and was horrified to see the 'pebble-dash' effect, when he tried to weather a building.

I hope these few brief notes are of interest. I apologise for not replying earlier, but have been busy working on the layout and have only just found the time to sit down at the computer!

You're right about the rubble. In the past I've tried various means of producing something which looks authentic, and even tried breaking a real brick into small fragments, but the stuff we found at the Colchester Show is the best yet. I think it is intended to be ballast, although if that is so I have no idea of the scale, as the chippings are decidedly large. Still, I can definitely recommend it for anyone who wants to give an impression of broken bricks and, if I remember correctly, it was very reasonably priced.

At long last, I've just finished the huge, but derelict Coliseum Cinema, which used to stand on the south side of Mile End Road, just west of its junction with Harford Street. It wasn't the easiest job and its rear elevation is the most uninspiring thing I've ever modelled but hopefully I'll grow to like it eventually! All being well I'll gets some phots of it up early next week.