HeatonLodge40

With the river banks just having the static grass & frost treatment I thought I’d post a few more pics of the (almost) finished last two frames before the scenic break. I scratchbuilt from brass another 5 derelict relay boxes and gave them some heavy rust treatment. The Absolute Aspects redundant colour light signal has had similar treatment and will be planted horizontally in the ballast soon enough. I know this signal should really be a semaphore post but this last frame as I’ve mentioned has a fictitious element to it. Besides I reckon any semaphore would have found it’s way into someone’s garden With just four frames to go these will feature the filter beds from the sewerage works. Once the last frames from Tim Horn are dropped off to complete the middle curves (the Huddersfield route see track diagram above) I’ll figure out how to make the backscene wrap around this bit..

Hi Jamie, Yes the Calder Valley line was 4 tracks up to Brighouse originally. Two were lifted when the area was remodelled in 1970. These two crossed the girder bridge. Part of the track plan here shows the disused girder bridge at 13. (Trackplan courtesy of Hornby Magazine & Mike Wild)

Absolutely no problem at all with constructive criticism especially when it’s balanced liked yours. I didn’t know about the fence posts. I guess because the holes are already in the model posts I just assumed! Well it’s done now so I’ll just have to live with it. Ironically threading 5 stiff wires through the posts is mind numbing and painful when they stab the end of your fingers but hey ho.. I’ll know for the next project - Dent Station to Blea Moor tunnel

Thanks for the kind comments. Not too far to go now!

This week the river has been finished, as has the last frame with the scenic break. I’m happy with the ice on the river which Ive detailed with the ice & snow wash. Having experimented with ripples I’ve decided to leave the water looking very calm. This after I was near the real HLJ the other day and noticed the river like a mill pond. I also spent a couple of days cutting back the landscaping just after the disused girder bridge as I realised that the scenery I’d constructed here overhung the old trackbed. So I constructed a plywood and clay retaining wall to join with the scenic break road bridge walls. This has created the space I need to model all the old rubbish seen on a disused track bed. This last frame is the only fictional board on the layout. The girder bridge has now acquired a bed of dirty ballast which needs detailing plus a security fence at each end. There was a short stretch of concrete track here in the ‘60’s before it was lifted hence the Dow Mac sleepers on the bridge which await weathering. Danger signs have gone up on the fencing around the old mill. Local workman Stan seen in the pics replacing one of the signs near the scrap mini with coil springs, is about to be decapitated and have a new head as hard hats were rare in the ‘80’s. He’ll also acquire a 1:43 Sherpa van which is in my paint shop having been found on eBay. Originally this was the telephone van seen in the Bond film ‘ The Spy That Loved Me’ but is acquiring a coat of yellow paint and some other mods. It’s a lovely diecast model by IXO. The figure of Jaws is still driving it and I’m minded to keep him there, I’ll see.

If you’re not careful I’ll find another use for those mini door handles

Right. I might have had I been modelling a convertible

Mega photos. The geek in me spots that the first 40 is one of very few with the water tanks removed. The last one also shows the old New Line’ track bed in the background heading towards Leeds over the viaduct. Epic. Please post all you have.. Ta

Well this mini did have the sort of glass that shatters, and coil over springs and a half a Volvo truck engine. It’s also not real it’s a model :)

Ah I see, I’ll just keep the river clean with a squirt of anti static spray and a wipe. Should be fine. Mind you everyone will want to touch it so fingerprints will be the main issue. And now for something completely different.. I’ve just finished this stolen/abandoned Mini Clubman now up on bricks. This is located outside the derelict mill and was/is a Corgi diecast 1:43 model. I began by dismantling it into its component parts. Clearly I needed to have the doors and bonnet open so set to work with the slitting disc tool. Trouble is with these diecast models the metal is very thick and in real life would probably equate to about 6’’. Good hour therefore before I was able to prise away the doors and bonnet. Given I’m not modelling Trumps armoured limousine I spent another hour with the slitting disc filing down the door, roof and bonnet thicknesses so they look acceptable. Once that’s done I butchered a Volvo F10 truck I had handy which donated half its engine and suspension bits. These I epoxied in and made the coil springs with decoder wire and thin brass rod. The original glazing is far too thick to use even in broken form. So I turned to a couple of microscope slides broken up and bits of them glued in with ‘glue & glaze’ Finally the Mini is given a light dusting of dirty black enamel & some superglue drops inside. The fumes from this frost the glass.. To finish I used some Krycell Ice and snow liquid to create the frost. This stuff is beloved of military modellers who use it for tanks at the Russian front in WW2. Bricks are individually built into piles - - again items used by the military modellers. That’s it..

Thanks for the suggestion Simon. I’ve kept it simple and covered the whole river with sheets of foam board. It’s almost dry now so should be fine tomorrow. I won’t be doing any static grass till it’s totally cured tho! Allans other mill went in today at the other side of the river. Theres a lot of work in propping up the scenery and structures from underneath. I’ve taken to using aluminium box section cut to length these days. Far lighter than 3’’x2’’ which I’ve used all the way through the layout. It’s always near the end you find easier ways of doing thingsIt’s not pretty underneath, but a hot glue gun, aluminium box section and plywood holds everything up just fine The second mill..This one the other side of the river. It’ll soon look a lot more wintry and a fence will keep out the vandals.

The old mill is almost done now, just awaiting some ‘Danger!’ Keep Out signs on the fencing. The river has had another 3 litres of resin this morning - once this is dry I’ll work on some very subtle ripples. On the next board in I’m just installing the second of Allan’s derelict mills. Once the resin is dry I’ll go back and static grass the river banks

Thanks, I can’t say I wasn’t a bit nervous. My main concern was the resin would end up on the floor. Fortunately it all seems ok so far..

Nope he’s a military modeller no interest in trains!

Two posts in one day what’s going on. While the resin is drying I’ve turned to the coal processing facility at the corner of the basement. I try and spend an hour or so every day putting the wagons through a weathering and coal filling process. Lumps of coal go into a blender (I’m on the third now the other two burnt out). Then it’s sieved and stored. The Accurascale HUO’s get a lump of lead hot glued into the base before a pre cut rectangle of foam board is also glued over the top to create the false bottom. Coal is then loaded on top and secured with ultra thin superglue. This train of 30 HUO’s will run with a brake van front and rear and a heavyweight Heljan 40 up at the front.

Well the day arrived to create the River Calder in its entirety. Ended up using 6kg of casting resin, and a full bottle of murky tint. Had a mate help me with this since a huge water pour like this really needs 2 sets of hands. Theres still much work to go into the river such as adding very light ripples, and some slush around the ice. Fortunately there’s been no leaks of resin either.. Pleased with the colour tho it looks dirty like the real thing. Luke is using a mini blowtorch to pop the air bubbles as they appear. Once set I’ll start on the ripples and other little touches. Still obviously grass to add on banks & much detail but so far so good..Mixing the resin and activator having warmed it for 20 mins in another bucket of hot water..

Your guess is as good as mine. Next year most likely now

Had to shelve pouring the casting resin for the river this week. I’m using a tint by Woodland Scenics to colour the 9kg of resin needed. However, doing the maths turns out I need a lot more tint than I thought so I’m awaiting it’s imminent delivery.. However the river bed is now prepared with frozen ice (at the sides only) and in the lee of the bridge. The old rowing boat is a kit I’ve virtually destroyed before dry brushing with Lifecolor ‘wood‘ colours. The ‘ice’ is by Krycell (ice sheet) with some added sparkle. You will notice some clutter too - not too much - this will be semi submerged by the resin. So inbetween building more ex JLTRT TTA kits, I also spent the last couple days modifying Allan (Downes) derelict mill. Now installed It’s taken on a very frosty appearance and for this I’ve used some very fine light ‘snow’ also by the aforementioned Krycell company. The old yard has a few puddles (which I’ll frost over when the resin has set) & tyre tracks through the mud. The whole mill will soon be surrounded by chain link fencing with ‘Keep Out’ signs. The road also awaits fencing - and maybe even a burnt out old mini, but I’m pleased with the results of this frame so far.

Yes I think I’ll pass on the last items -even though as you know I appreciate fine detail :) Just had the casting resin delivered so once the river bed sides are done I’ll get cracking

Seeing as I’ve finally worn my RTS Greenkeeper static grass tool out, I decided to concentrate on the river the last few days till a new one comes from the fatherland. The River Calder at this location on the prototype is anything but clear running past a sewerage works. So I’m going to be using about 8kg of casting epoxy resin for the water coloured using Woodland Scenics ‘murky’ tint. (Yes the resin & hardener alone was about £160) ouch. Given we are in winter I’ve robbed an idea off the military modellers to replicate ice which will cover a small part of the river here. Made by Krycell the ice sheets look pretty good but being large 30cm squares I’ve gone to town on them with a pair of pliers. With the casting resin surrounding the broken sheet ‘ice’ this will look either superb or pretty cr*p. I’m going to give it a bash anyway. The base of this river was originally cork over polystyrene covered in a sealer but I ended up ripping the cork up as it warped after the sealer was painted on. The base is now foam board cut to shape, the edges plugged with clay and sealed with a thick layer of PVA. After this some brown green acrylics are painted on. At each end of the river is foam board sealed again to stop the resin escaping. I’ll cut this foam board away once the resin is dry. I’ve yet to add some river ‘furniture’ inc an old leaky rowing boat, a log or two (nothing to do with the nearby sewerage plant :) and some small rocks at the edges. As I mentioned I don’t want too much of the river bed showing since it’s not some creek flowing through the rockies. It’s a filthy river flowing past a sewerage farm. Lot of work to do here the next day or so and I’ll be pouring the resin later this week..

Thanks for that. Yes the heavy diecast chassis’ of the Heljan diesels definitely help with hauling power. I might end up running the two kit built 40’s together with one brake van - this diagram was photographed passing HLJ many times. I’ve completed this weekend all the foundations and groundwork on this final frame. A lot of filling in, chopping and cutting and 1kg of clay later.. As I mentioned before this includes the fictitious road bridge which forms the very west end of the layout. I’m going to surround the derelict mill with chain link wire fence (from Buzz models) to prevent vandalism. Might even have a burnt out car round there too.

Last few days I’ve been back on the construction side building the foundations for the scenery on the very last frame - no 40. This has a (fictional) road over bridge as the final scenic break & the previously mentioned derelict sewerage works situated on it. Lots of head scratching, aluminium, plywood and foam board. Thank god for hot glue guns. The Road is partly tarmac & has holes cut ready for the grates and manhole covers. The bridge retaining walls I’ve spent days on and made a complete dogs boll**ks of. The very first identical bridge at the opposite end (Woodend lane) I made a decent job of the stonework, but since it’s been 5 years since I made it I can’t remember what watercolours I used! No matter, I’m going to hide these retaining walls with trees, bushes and earthworks. The road over the bridge will soon have chainlink fence right across it to stop the local yobs getting access to the derelict building . On a completely different subject I’ve also been adding lead to one of three absolutely beautiful JLTRT Class 40’s I have. Needless to say I didn’t build them as they are superbly put together with correct prototypical scrapes and dinks that were present on the individual locos at the time. However, their Achilles heel is they are way too light and it’s no good them just sitting there looking pretty & hardly able to pull 10 wagons. So I’m adding 1.5kg of lead to each one. This causes another issue in that the JLTRT chassis’ flexes too easily. Which is all rapidly making me come to the conclusion that kit built locos are not robust enough for HLJ given their envisaged workload. We’ll see I guess

Hi Steve, no I haven’t mentioned the control system in much detail - mainly cos it’s one of the few things I’ve not done myself and I don’t understand it yet :) However its soon to be an automated system with a manual option. It uses Digitrax & Digikeijs hardware with Rocrail software.

Ah yes right. The answer is they appear fully loaded but in fact the false foamboatd base inside each HAA is about 2cms below the top of the wagon. As the crushed coal is piled on this then they are in fact actually a third full but ‘appear’ fully loaded !

Nope you’re absolutely right Mike the coal should be humped either in one or two mounds and be even finer. I’ve two more rakes of 36 to do yet so I shall get better at it next time! Absolutely no issue with constructive criticism like that at all. I will persuade myself that this first rake was the result of a failure at the loading facility so had to be done manually by JCB :)