Tricky

Hi Brian, good spot. I reduced it partly because as you say it dominated, partly because the platform edging it would go on which is already built is part brick and part wood so they wouldn't have built it over a wooden foundation and partly because I didn't fancy building something that big! It would go on for ever! I also fancied a tall chimney by way of a visual 'full stop' and also give the footbridge somewhere to terminate.

Realised I posted the wrong photo-here's one with some indication of what the toy-town buildings are supposed to be...!!

A slight revision to the far end composition of building with the card mock ups, still mulling it over and refining it. Your comments would be really very welcome...! Ned has made a brief appearance, and groundworks under way.

Yes, could do; or someone's bike...?!

Thought I'd post an update of latest progress. The goods office is finished and planted, a little lean-to has been built next to it of unknown use at yet! Gate post with lamp, just needs glass. Next step ground work, cobbles and infiltrate between tracks. The ground frame has also been christened!

Ha!! Just got it to work!!

That is very helpful, just still struggling to know how to copy a link to my thread? Something blindingly obvious I'm missing...Sorry.

Quite a busy day at 'Monks Gate'. Goods office largely complete, just need lead flashing once it's 'planted'. I have also been mocking up with mountboard how the buildings at the other end of the railway will look. Maybe not quite happy but it's easier to visualise once something of volume is there to look at from all angles.

Thanks Brian, fantastic photos there and yes, the yellow brick is very reminiscent of my time in SE London back in the 70s and 80s (my formative years!). Pretty sure I can incorporate some yellow brick buildings, especially non-Railway ones. Just can't justify Yorkshire looking stone still...Hum. I desperately need to see a precident then I will rest easy...!!

I was hoping the brickwork would look a bit more like London than Birmingham (see earlier posts for the explanation...!) according to an earlier poster it was looking a bit more like Yorkshire than London docks- a fair point as the bridge is a prototype from up that way! Still juggling to justify location in London (my preferred) in my mind. Help from anyone please!!!

Great! Have a go! Two bits of advice; first get Gordon Gravett's books on 7mm modelling if you haven't and second start small!!All the best, Richard

Natural daylight works wonders with my iPhone photography!

Hi Brian, I use humbrol enamels with a light off white wash first, then dry brush quite an orange followed by picking out various brick reds, blues, and infinite variations in between. It all looks a bit garish until I then tone down the mortar with careful application of a dirty thinned colour immediately dabbed off and smudged around with a cotton bud. Less is more or it ends up all over drab before you know it. Hope that helps, Richard

Just thought I'd post a couple of pics of the goods office progress so far before the roof goes on, plus a random shot of the culvert. Richard

Hi all, I am a recent convert to RMWeb, and you will find my thread 'Midland in London' over in the 7mm section of the forum. It's Midland Railway c1907, set in either Poplar Docks or Birmingham (long story!). It's minimal size and nowhere near finished. Hope you like it. Richard

The door knob is a scrap of 1mm brass rod 'turned' in the drill with needle files.

Hi Rich, The short answer is, is that it isn't as difficult as it looks (in 7mm that is, not tried it in 4mm!). This is as described by Gordon Gravett in his series on 7mm modelling but basically once the Das surface is sanded flat I use a scrap of Slaters English bond plasticard to mark off the horizontal courses and scribe them across carefully making sure they stay parallel. Then using the plasticard again, mark off with pencil verticals of the stretchers (length-wise bricks), and scribe them in. All the headers (end-on bricks) are scribed in by eye. Easier to do than explain but hope that helps. Richard

So, the fruits of my labours over the past couple of days: the main structure of the goods office is ready for painting of the brickwork and stone. Once that is complete, it will be 'planted' and then roof slates and lead-work fixed up to the existing walls. The window and door are also finished ready to fix.

Hi Compound2632, I agree about the Essery interpretation which I find too garish. Having re-read Midland Style I see you are quite correct about the use of Venetian red not crimson lake for the framing, but it's too late to change it now....! Oh well.

I reckon I could dirty the ground frame down a bit. Here's a clearer photo of the ED ballast wagons...

Hi muir, you are too kind, I really appreciate it.

Thank you, both. Much appreciated...!Richard

Thanks so much Edwardian, glad you like it. I presume 1907 is very much your era...?!

Brickwork all scribed, next step to add brick detailing to the base of the walls where it steps out, window sill, door step and corbelling to the top of the stack. A start on the window as well. Plasticard spot-glued to CD case material.