richard i

The three plank now has its load

Clay pipes to sort out the sewers in an expanding industrial town. Pipes are the clips that turn narrow glow sticks into circles. If you turn the made in China to the bottom you are left with a number stamp on top. Different for each pipe. The straw is old shaving brush hair. Recycling at its finest.

The batch build progresses, I might clear the wagons by doing their transfers and couplings and come back to the coach glazing which I find very tedious.

Richard

That photo has shown up how much there is to do to the cars to bring them up to standard.

Traction engines being transported from Ransomes' :

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/imt_image_archive/24206337434/in/album-72157663756160010/

 

Another load, they look like horse wagons on railway wagons:

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/imt_image_archive/24716658692/in/album-72157663756160010/

 

All on the Great Eastern at Ipswich

The chaining is close, but now do I rig a tarpaulin ? It would need the company logo on and would cover up the paint job, I am tempted to weather it slightly and have it on a transfer between two owners who did not cover it.

Richard

Peoples' front of Judea.

A fuller update to follow, with some pictures of my version of the Ostrich.

 

In the meantime, I have laid the village out on the dining room floor to finalise the dispositions and work out the size of the village board.

 

The board will be exactly 5' long.  At the far, castle, end, it will be 3' in width.  At the nearer end, it will be 2' deep. 

 

There will be a second 5' long rear, and purely scenic, board, which is to contain fields, woods and the parish church, a large feature, though to be built smaller than 4mm scale in order to aid perspective.  The idea is that the church and mature trees at the opposite end of the layout to the castle mound will balance the background visually to an extent.  So much for theory.  This is purely mind's eye, and test and adjust modelling.  Nothing on paper, let alone models of models or mock-ups.  That is why I have to set up the village components together every so often, to see where I'm going! 

 

Honestly, I spend 17 years in an armchair reading up on how to do this properly and then the fit comes on me and off I go doing everything the wrong way.

 

In front of the village board will then be the first of two railway boards.   The idea is to fit the two together in a very simplified version of Iain Rice's jigsaw baseboard concept.

 

Anyway, the reason for covering the dining room carpet this morning was to arrange for the rear, High Street, module to be set at an angle from the backscene.  If you look at the plank in the picture below, this represents the course of the backscene and you will see how the rearmost row of buildings is now angled away from it. 

 

Looking at the village, there are really no parallel lines in its layout now, which I hope will give it a natural look.

 

The essence of an old English village is that it seems be an organic thing, to have grown and not been planned or, even, built.  Hopefully that sense will come across when CA is eventually finished.  I will certainly have built the village, but will certainly not have planned it!

Loving the organic feel this has. I have hoped to copy some of the elements like the angles and step in the road to go round a building for Dettingen's town board which is yet to be built.

Richard

My own experience was Airfix kits then once into railways I began making buildings because I could use card which worked well on my limited budget. Since coming back into the hobby properly it has been a process I would describe as evolving and developing. I have gone from set track to building my own track using SMP parts via the usual Peco route using DCC for loco control but conventional electric point control.

 

I have built Parkside Dundas wagon kits.

 

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Ratio carriage kits.

 

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Detailed and weathered rtr.

 

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This summer I stripped an old K's J70 I had built using glue so I could rebuild it and practice whitemetal soldering.

 

DSC_0009.JPG

 

I've also finished one silver fox J70 on a Bullant bogie and will finish a second next week hopefully.

 

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Next development? I've ordered the Lochgorm kits starter fret to build a couple of etched wagons to build on my experience with MJT and Mainly Trains etched parts I've used on other wagons. Hopefully within the next 6-9 months I will try building a loco kit or chassis. This is one persons modelling journey and it has worked for me. I have improved my skills enormously though it has taken a very long time because of a hectic work and family schedule. Our hobby is a very broad church and there must always be room for all abilities and tastes. I would describe myself as both an average and broad brush modeller.

 

Martyn

I can relate to that journey and like most skills that they need to be worked on and improved over time. Will those brought up on educational computer games which are set to reward you every 15seconds have the persistence to keep going with something which slowly rewards you over time?

Richard

The steam tractor is a scale link one, they are still trading if you want to pick one up. However, I found mine at a swap meet here in the USA. Who would have thought. It was the only 4mm stuff for sale in the whole show. My lomac will be done as an LDECR one . I may have to second guess the lettering from images of one of their 5 planks which came into GCR stock.

Richard

Progress has been slower still. I have been teaching my six year old to solder and paint, here is the result.

He did the joins and started the cleaning up. I finished that. He did the primer and main colour. I did the painting detail. I then chained it to the wagon.

The roof is in the foreground and I can not decide if that should be another wagon load.

Just the pipe load for the 2 plank and then it is on to the transfers for the nine pieces of stock. Anyone would think I was putting off that part of the process.

Richard

This thread is for displaying things that have been built. Here is a steam tractor built as a load for my lomac. Not exciting in its self, but it was built from a scale link white metal kit by my son who did the soldering, I would clean up the joints, he painted the base colour and I did the brass painting. He is six. his twin brother wants to build a compound. I mentioned he could get one r-t-r and he said he wanted to build it. Now I just need to find a compound kit for him to work on.

Modeling future

Richard

Carrying on with the subject of RTR locos, I'm happy to report that those who've bought the ones I've modified are extremely happy with them. Modifications have included replacement deflectors (where appropriate), close-coupling of loco to tender, replacement bogie/pony wheels, lamps fitted, a crew added, tenders coaled, renumbering/renaming, the addition of wiggly pipes and weathering. Several have appeared in the model press already and a couple are due to feature. 

 

The main point (as I've stressed in my articles) is that nothing I've done is beyond the determined beginner or less-experienced modeller. I honestly get tired of some of the excuses given why folk won't attempt to do things for themselves. I understand the reluctance to potentially spoil something costing well over £100.00, and I also understand how some can be time poor, cash rich, and so commission items. On a personal level, I cannot see the satisfaction in the latter (unless a large part of a project is your own work), though I have been part of that business in the past. 

 

Now, with reference to part of the above, it is my intention in the coming time to build a whole layout virtually by myself. Having banged the drum over and over again about personal modelling, what better way to 'put my money where my mouth is' by doing it. Little Bytham is really nearing completion and building it has been a wonderful journey involving many friends. Having many friends round to operate it is a splendid experience and great fun. However, I do miss exhibiting layouts. Yes, I'm a tiny, tiny cog in Grantham's forthcoming exhibition life, but (other than painting the backscene and making some locos for it) it's the work of others; work to a very high standard, as will be seen at Woking and Warley in the coming months.

 

Lugging big layouts around like Stoke Summit and Charwelton is now well in the past, and LB (though capable of being dismantled on my demise) goes nowhere. So, something smaller, though not too small. A prototype ECML location is definitely out because I'm looking at something no more than 25' x 10' - way, way too much compression of any kind to be believable. Thus, a secondary ER main line, but based on a prototype. As a boy, if the pocket money didn't stretch as far as a day-return to Retford, I'd spend the day at Kiveton Park, on the old MS&LR main line between Sheffield Victoria and Retford/Gainsborough/Lincoln and beyond. It's there that I saw CLUMBER and GAYTON HALL on the boat train, and latterly the ER Brits. Not only that, but the D11s in the last years (the same ones I'd previously seen at Chester Northgate), all the various 2-8-0s, B1s, the EE Type 4s on 'The Master Cutler', plus loads of 0-6-0s and (dare I say it?) a variety of DMUs. All the stuff I've already got! Passenger and freight stock I have plenty of, so it's just a case of making the boards, making the track, making the buildings, doing the scenery, representing a canal, making the civil engineering bits and the signals (including a banner repeater). Wiring should present no problems, and that's that. I've written that LB is a project for the rest of my life, but I'm living longer than expected!

 

If anyone has any information regarding Kiveton Park, I'd be delighted to receive it. I'll be writing about the project, so all will be credited.

 

Many thanks in anticipation.  

Tony

I have searched my GCR books and it is going to need a decent dig around. Even the Dow trilogy only has one mention on p55 of book two on Kiveton park

I will continue to look though.

Richard

One of my Fathers A3's was mistaken for a Hornby product, he was insulted.

But how many years ago? Newer Hornby would not be a slight but the older stuff with the thick valve gear would be insulting to a finely done kit or scratchbuilt model with its nearer scale valve gear, better lining and detailing.

Richard

Always liked what you achieve here, it all goes together realistically

Richard

In fact didn't the Herr Reichmarshal own a model railway?

  If so I  suspect that he would attract Mr. Wright's ire by being more of a cheque-book modeler.

 

       

And for trying to blow up his parents house by sending bombing raids over Chester.

Richard

image.jpeg

They did have a long smoke box

Never doubted its accuracy, the builder would not allow an inaccuracy to creep in, just an observation that it's length was highlighted by the brass picture.

Richard

The 48xx smoke box looks very long in its bare picture .

Richard

Hi Tony,

 

Yes, the cab was altered, a pig of a job, looking back at the time it seemed like proper modeling. Today If I wanted a top of the range A1 with my own personalizations I would go for the DJH kit every time. In fact, I acquired one as a retirement project  just in case they became unavailable in the future. The milky bar boiler was always a bit controversial but looking back I think imposing your will on a problematic, but basically sound kit was always part of the challenge of making things for yourself. There was also many good points, the tender was excellent and I think that even the DJH kit would have benefited from the etched running board. I seem to recall, that as excellent as the DJH kit is it still requires a little modification to the cab, am I correct? I would have thought that the DJH A2/3 would be of similar quality as the A1. I really must get hold of one of these before they become extinct, purely as a piece of pure modelling indulgence.

 

Given my predilection towards the GC you would have thought that my interest in Thompson / Peppercorn Pacifics would be somewhat redundant beyond the East Coast Mainline. It may be of interest to people that the Starlight specials that operated out of Marylebone from 1953 onwards would often  see eight trains depart from the terminus per night. Neasden would often borrow locomotives from what was on Top Shed at the time. As a result, A1's and even the odd A4 would be sent as far North as  Sheffield in the early hours. In the opposite direction, the Thompson A2's would also be rostered to the fitted freights working from York to Woodford. These were usually the providence  of York  B16's but spotters logs that I have  been given access to also recorded all of Yorks A2/3's  as well as A2/2's  Cock 'o' the North and Lord President on these workings.

Which A1s and A4s do you know of?

Hi Richard

 

The bogie wagon does look better loaded.

 

 

 

 

 

Cor I wish I had the guts to say "Told you so"!!!!!!

It was the lack of internal detail which made the eye tell you something was missing. Next time I will have to do the doors properly, inside and out

Enjoying the continued progress, and I really like the biplane, a great feature and very convincingly done.

That is kind, the rest is on a flatrol it will run in the WW1 train. That now has just the carriage for the troops to be built up from a 3d print

Richard

The WD is high up, top left, top plank, and it looks like a little arrow between the letters, but it's quite small and the print not sharp.

 

I was sort of amused at such casual painting but then again, when I think about it, at around this time the GC was sending out (some) locos with no lettering on the tenders, and with sundry other anomalies, because it was more important to get the engine on the road than do a perfect paint job.

And in grey primer which I should really model to ring the changes

Thank you for the livery description

Richard

Coal wagon loaded

It looks better as the interior did not look right without the back of the door detail.

It did have a slight lean to port as the sailors might say, I have in a very Heath Robinson sort of way tried to rectify it by putting the weight in it with a bias to the starboard side. I can not see why it wanted to lean over but after some strong words and the extra burden glued under it, it is now starting to behave.

Now got to build the load of a steam traction engine for the other lomac and then all the 9 carriages and wagons will go into the works for transfers. I seem to build in 9s as that is the length of train my "temporary" fiddle yard will take. I say temporary, it has now been in place for ten years, but the aim is....

Like every one there is the bigger master plan

Richard

Just reminded me. Came across a picture of a WD brake in Met livery. The thing is, it still has WD markings as well as MET. Looks as if it wasn't repainted, just had MET and the new number added.

 

Not that this greatly helps in this case unless you fancy a MET van. The photo is in Southern Wagons Pictorial by Mike King, page 46. The same page has one in LNER livery, but it is ex-GE, said to have gone there in 1922,

That would be a fun style of paint job, where were all the markings place, the W and the D, did it have the arrow? Etc. I am trying to remember what Andy's looked like when he did a WD version for his layout.

Richard

Progress report

The Cambrian wagon has had the ropes fitted to the tarpaulin and dusted over with powders to mute and blend in the colours.

The ex LDEC weltrol has had the bi plane fitted as a load. I decided to sheet over the cockpit. It looks effective to me, it was loo paper with washes of brown and black.

The road van is bringing up the back of this ensemble it is up to transfers, but those will be done in a mammoth session once I have cleared my desk of all the building and painting.

Richard

Definately looking forward to fury breaking cover.

Richard

Great idea.  Unfortunately, my old shaving brush is my current shaving brush.

You obviously buy better shaving brushes than me, as mine fall apart after only 10 years of useful service

A useful defence in court, I reckon...

It is definitely creepy unless your back story is very convincing.

I have found a solution to replicating straw as packing for wagon loads. My old shaving brush. No longer will I need to ask blonde maidens for a lock of their hair.

The results will be seen as a load in the 2 plank wagon which is still in the system.

Richard