Mike

Hi Barnaby, the photo/happy snap was taken well above the veiwing height so maybe the effect I'm after is somewhat lost. I have to be careful with the height as the road way needs to decend to track level in a realative short distance and can't be too steep. I have, as you do, beee thinking, wow! that's a first, about my phillosophy of modelling, so here goes:- I cannot claim to be a railway modeller as I do not really model railways. I have scratch-built locomotives, made my own trackwork, built baseboards and scratch- built structures all of which are just part of a process. I start with a place, a period in history, a community. I follow the seven W’s system. What, where, when, which, who, why and not forgetting how. The W is at the end of how. So, the railway is coincidental as it arrived last and is Just a part of the whole. Deep and meaningful for a Monday morning

Hookton: Just trying what will be the raised section. The buidings in the background are a scale 2 metres higher but, maybe the height will be increased by another metre.

Just trying what will be the raised section buidings in the background are a scale 2 metres higher but, maybe the height will be increased by another metre.

Heavy Metal, ex Leek & Manifold 2-6-4 arrives in Hookton

Heavy Metal, ex Leek & Manifold 2-6-4 arrives in Hookton.

A selction of Hooktons motive power a real mixed bag but at least I can ring the changes and there are another 5 available. You can never have too many engines.

Bostin.

Today I have mostly been playing trains. Here is a few of the locomotive stock ( there is another 5). If I feel like it tomorrow I will start on the raised area and complete the road way over the next week.

Messing about with a few bits and bobs nothing too stressful. Everything works as it should first time, which is an absolute first for me. Although I did waste 90 minutes trying to sort out a perceived track problem only to find that the loco I was using to test that all was well had oversized flanges, rewheel or new chassis coming up. photos showing just plonked buildings etc.

Thanks Guys. Andy the brick paper is 1mm thick and is printed on Italian embossed wallpaper. It is shipped recorded from Greece. I got mine via ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/393035485924. Hope that helps. Cheers Mike

Thank you all for your best wishes and support. My problem is a combination of the lung scaring and ticker trouble which leaves me breathless and tired, but I'm sure they will sort me out. ECG Thursday , hospital on 22nd March. cheers

Some times life throws a curved ball. In my case it was the result of my CT scan. Ok. not unexpected was the Idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis. What was a suprise was that scan threw up a heart condition so I'm now under the care of the cardiology consultant. Modelling will now take a back seat just for while, but in the words from the film" I'll be back,so watch this space. Never say never again. Just playing around with colours.

The name Hookton and the Lipp have been lifted from Halequin the first book of the Grail series by Benard Cornwell who has kindly given his permission for me to use the names. History. Hookton is a small village on the South Coast of England in the County of Dorset. The Lipp is a stream that is almost a river which enters the sea across a shingle beach creating a hook shaped shingle bar from which the village gets its name. During the Great Plague of 1665, Hookton could easily have become one of what we now call Plague Villages, just grass covered mounds where once there was life, but Hookton was lucky and refused to die. There were limited opportunities for the folk of Hookton, you were either a fisherman, worked in the salt pits or if you were lucky worked on the Lords Estate. (*The Gasquet family came just after the Norman invasion of 1066 and where granted lands by William of which included Hookton ). After the Hurricane and storm surge of 1824, when the sea roared over the hook destroying several small boats, the need for a safe harbour became a priority, although in typical Hookton fashion it was a long time coming. Hookton has, and I am sure that most will express surprise, a railway albeit a narrow gauge one. Started in 1875 and completed in 1877 by Sir Thomas Gasquet* who financed and promoted the line to put Hookton on the map and of course to turn a profit. The line follows the Lipp stream along its shallow valley, so construction was relatively easy with no major obstacles to overcome other than the need for a bridge over the Lipp. From the harbour, a small collection of inshore boats fish for mackerel, crab, lobster, and shellfish and all is right with the world. The model. The village consists of perhaps that should read will consist of, the Harbour Office, The Anchor Inn (Palmers of Bridport), Saint Andrews Church, Post Office, Watkins*and Potts Chandlery, Legg’s boats, Crumplers General Stores, and dwellings of the locals, namely John Higgins, Harry Bugler, Peter Wellman, and Francis Blake. As usual I have moved things about such as The Anchor Inn is from Seatown (Bridport) and is in fact owned by Palmers brewing in Dorset since 1794. (Note the names are Dorset Surnames with the exception of Watkins and Potts) In my usual style I have created the story first before commencing the modelling in 0-16.5. I have constructed the baseboard all 4ft x 3ft of it by mainly recycling the materials from my old layout New Level Mill and I have built and laid the trackwork to a simple inglenook design. All the track is code 100 rail soldered to copper clad sleepers, the two points are operated by Cobalt point motors and control is analogue. (So, the only chips will be with a nice steak, a piece of fish or maybe a pie. No fancy electrickery required.) * Watkins is the surname of my dear friend Barrie affectionately known as Chisel Chin. Both he and Dick Potts are ex Railwaymen so it seemed right to use their names. I have placed the village of Hookton about where Bradstock is and the Lipp replaces the River Bride. see https://www.burtonbradstock.org.uk/History/Dorset County Museum/3.3.htm which shows a hook shaped mouth crossing the shingle beach. Welcome to fake Britain. ps note to self. Must finish detailing and weathering all the structures and get on with completing the actual railway.

A bit more tweeking, half relief now 360, single small cottage now semi detached cottages. Shown plonked on my under contruction " Hookton" note to self: really must finish the detailing and weathering of the buildings let alone progressing the actual railway.

That’s not the same piece of track I dug out of the workshop is it?

Almost but not quite gettig there, St Andrew's Chapel. Bellcote with bell, roof with tiles and west end with circlular window and buttress.

Just a bit more wiork on the chapel

Hi Steve, thank you for your kind comments. First of the stained glass windows trial fitted and the quoins now a little bit better.

Buildings update. The Chapel (Little Acorns School) has moved on, lots to do like improving the corner quoins. New East window cut and ready for the new frame and stained glass, round window still to be fitted in the West end but, I'm getting there.

Thanks Barnaby, Happy New Year. Lets hope for better things to come in 2021. My good lady gave me a Little Acorns School kit by Petite Models as one of my Christmas presents which I am now in the process of converting into St Andrews Church (Chapel). Gone is the toilet block and a doorway in the end wall which now has a new east window inserted. I had hoped just to swop the ends round but decided against it as the design meant fiddling about with the base etc. I'll post some progress photos by the weekend along with the Harbour Masters office. Once my Liteply arrives I can add the higher level roadway and finish the ground work. For a change it's not a race to get it all finished for an exhibition deadline, so I really am taking my time. Mike completely chilled in the chilly workshop.

Modified Petite Properties half relief building to 360 model for the chandlery which still needs finishing.

Hooray for pinking shears! From the depths of her sewing basket my good lady kindly allowed me to use them. So why would I need them? Flashing strips on chimney stacks, simples. Now to detail the ridges and paint, I might even finish the building.

Thought I should detail Hooktons location. I have placed the village of Hookton about where Bradstock is and the Lipp replaces the River Bride. see https://www.burtonbradstock.org.uk/History/Dorset County Museum/3.3.htm which shows a hook shaped mouth crossing the shingle beach. Welcome to fake Britain.

Thank you ThomasG, a bit more of the background to the layout: The village consists of perhaps that should read will consist of, the Harbour Office, The Anchor Inn (Palmers of Bridport), Saint Andrews Church, Post Office, Watkins*and Potts Chandlery, Legg’s boats, Crumplers General Stores, and dwellings of the locals, namely John Higgins, Harry Bugler, Peter Wellman, and Francis Blake. As usual I have moved thing about such as The Anchor Inn is from Seatown (Bridport) and is in fact owned by Palmers brewing in Dorset since 1794. (Note the names are Dorset Surnames with the exception of Watkins and Potts) In my usual style I have created the story first before commencing the modelling in 0-16.5. I have constructed the baseboard all 4ft x 3ft of it by mainly recycling the materials from my old layout New Level Mill and I have built and laid the trackwork to a simple inglenook design. All the track is code 100 rail soldered to copper clad sleepers, the two points are operated by Cobalt point motors and control is analogue. (So, the only chips will be with a nice steak, a piece of fish or maybe a pie. No fancy electrickery required.) Oh. and you can never have to many locomotives (see photos) * Watkins is the surname of my dear friend Barrie affectionately known as Chisel Chin. Both he and Dick Potts are ex Railwaymen so it seemed right to use their names.

I now have received permission from Bernard Cornwell to use the name Hookton and the Lipp. I thought that as it is in his novels that it was the correct thing to do. I have had trains running albeit with a jury rig wiring arrangement but at least I know it works as it should. I'll post some photos and video soon. I'm also thinking about scene 2 on the nxt board which will be the Lipp and a small station but, that's for the new year