Tricky

And here’s a couple of shots of said office, less door, window, gutters, roof. Just the walls in fact...little bit of additional colour to the bricks I think.

I’ve done a bit more work on the wall forming the entrance to the goods yard. It has to be quite detailed as it’s right at the front of the layout. I’ve got lamps to add to the pillars and some black gate posts next as well, then groundworks. I’m also working on the office which will sit directly behind this wall.

I thought I’d post a few updates of various bit and bobs I’ve been working on recently. First up is the loco, which is actually on hold pending arrival of milled and jointed rods from Premier Components and a gear box from ABC. However, the tender is finished. It glides along beautifully and makes a very satisfying ‘clickety-clack’ through pointwork thanks to fully sprung frames. I used Slaters cast brass horn guides but removed the pips that locate the springs, and made up some stiffer springs from guitar wire. The idea being that the axle boxes don’t bottom out on the guides. It took a bit of trial and error but I think is successful. Next up, some progress on the water tower, the frame is finished and ready to be fixed in place. Ive also made some beams which will span the tracks to take the tank. On to the tank itself, the detailing of the tank panels is coming on, I’ve started the ever so slightly bonkers task of sticking about 480 triangles onto the panels, one down, 19 to go, then ive got 480 bolts to stick on...! I keep telling myself it will be worth it... Happy days!

Has anyone made a black and white model....?!

That's better...normal service resumed.

On Monk's Gate I used the 'mirror-under-the-road-bridge' trick. It fools the casual observer for about 3 seconds.

Thanks Chris, the little bricks with crosses in them are Queen Closers; you can see them on the engineering blue brick bridge pier in post 311. To me it makes all the difference in creating convincing architecture.

Quite a bit of progress lately on various building and and structures, more photos to follow. In the meantime, the bridge forming some of the view-blocker has been fitted, along with a representation of the backs of hoardings to further distract the eye. I’m debating whether the backscene needs some more distant buildings etc painted on it as it looks a bit bare. I’m just concerned about achieving the same tonal range as the misty chimneys. This next shot shows the dock wall quite nicely caught in early morning sun. Lastly, a fairly rubbish shot of progress on the water tank, glueing the sides to a laminated block of MDF. The top surface of this wil get painted and varnished to represent water. I’ve made some more progress on the wooden lattice frame and beams to carry the tank across the tracks, better pics to follow...!

Morning sun at the Bristol docks. The rays just catching the dock wall...

Superb post Rob, fantastic pictures. Long may your contributions continue.

Maybe not exactly humour, but the street names on Monk's Gate are all places I used to live at, all the bridge numbers are old house numbers and even my PIN features hidden in a wagon number...don't ask me why. The one-and-only shop on the layout is named after yours truly and the currently limited staff and livestock all have names. A bit silly and quaint but who cares?! It's a good idea not to take one's self too seriously...!

How realistic are yours?

Yes, I've got as far as thinking about them, but never seen them in the flesh. An interesting concept and would no doubt produce an excellent result. I recall a fairly recent MRJ where Gordon Gravett used them (or something similar) on an oil tanker wagon to great effect.

Ive also made a start on a water tower that will straddle the tracks at the back of the layout. The timber frame is based on the one at Barnoldswick, although that one didn’t straddle the tracks. The frame is made from maple sections, glued up and sanded flat. Work will commence shortly on the tank panels. Just debating with myself as to how much detail I need to do on the panels to represent the million bolts that Helen them together...

Thanks Gary!

You all realise by now how bonkers I am, so here goes...I wasn’t too happy with the bridge so took it off having stuck it down. I re-painted the brick work as it looked a bit too scruffy. I think it now has a more uniform engineering look. I also wasn’t happy with the steel-work colour scheme as it didn’t have enough brown, so I painted a bit more. I’m happier now with the end result. There comes a point where you just have to leave it alone and move on...! Or maybe just a bit more weathering....

As busy scene by the docks at Monk’s Gate.

That's nice!

Thanks Rob.

They’re the standard offering from Slaters - the sheets that you cut into strips. I find the sheet a bit thick but there you go.

In between the continuing saga of the loco build (more to follow at some point...) I’ve been doing a bit of work on the scenic-break bridges at the right hand end. I got inspiration for the large pillar in engineering blues from looking at Google street view of the bridges around the site of the old docks as they look today. This one in real life takes the GWR over the Midland docks to Temple Meads, so quite a bit of modeller’s licence involved to nick it for this but I think I’ve managed to Midland-ise it... These first two shots show it under construction. Basically a wooden block with carved Das bricks. The bridge is mdf with plasticard laminated to it and built up details. These next few shots show it in position. Some more details to add and a bit more weathering to the bridge plus of course ground works.

Giles, I remember you saying this when I met you at Uckfield last October. I still consider that to be a stroke of pure genius and a notion that still buzzes round my head as an option for Midland in Bristol.

Could I ask where the water tank panels came from? Quite a bit more advanced than my entry, but looking very good indeed. Richard

That’s a very tantalising glimpse of Crimson Lake...! Love it.

More please...!