Andrew Cockburn

Looks like its progressing well, the weathering is very effective, and gives it that typical coal yard/drops "flavour". Nice job so far, I look forward to seeing more.

Right, here we go then with another update. I’ve managed to complete a reasonable amount of work on “Into the tunnel”, and below are the first pics, which show progress made to date. First of all, the base was “primed” by giving it a coat of matt black paint (not Humbrol I hasten to add, but the general “household” type, while the tracks have also been laid. I’ve also put in place some scenic substructures, ie for what will eventually be (part) of a road/an embankment, the loading dock, while the model’s main feature, ie the tunnel, has also started to take shape. The piece of white card at the rear will eventually help form a small backscene. So the next immediate tasks will be to paint the tunnel appropraite “murky” colours, which would be typical of such a feature, some more scenic work, followed by one of my least favourite railway modellings tasks (but one which has to be done nevertheless), ie ballasting the track. Another update then in due course.

Looks interesting so far, the positioning and varying angles of the tracks/buildings/embankment/bridge maximises the space and help add to the effect,I look forward to seeing how it progresses.

Looks good so far, it will be interesting to see it's subsequent progress. Those Peco inspection pits are quite versatile! However, I'd go along with 009 micro modeller's view re a specific title for the model, and for a rather witty suggestion or two, how about "Coaley Lane Yard/Drops", or "dropping" by for a sack or two?

@ 009 micro modeller I look forward to seeing how your rather interesting concept works out, while I hope to start work on "Into the tunnel" this week sometime. So watch this space for further developments!

@ 009 micro modeller The actual powered DMU car which went with the "dummy" packed up a few years back, though I kept both cars, for I reckoned they may just have a use as static exhibits one day (it was a similar tale with the shunter on "Down the old shed"). So what exactly are you going to use the 101 for, or is this a secret for the moment?

@ 009 micro modeller That's a good suggestion, and as a matter of fact, I have an old, redundant Farish dummy DMU power car which could be ideal, "poking it's nose" out of the tunnel mouth.

@ APOLLO That's a good suggestion, however, the real tunnel on which this model is based, actually starts off at an angle (to the left), but then curves round to the right after a short distance, therefore looking at it from this particular entrance, you wouldn't be able to see any light coming in via the other entrance. However, I guess I employ a bit of modellers license here, and pretend that the track actually runs in a straight line through the tunnel, and thus have some light showing at the "other end".

I have to admit that landscaping using "paper mash", and track ballasting (the actual gluing part) are my least favourite railway modelling activities, not least for the fact that the respective processes can take what seems like an eternity to dry/go off, especially if done in the winter time, as I once discovered. Therein lies a valuable lesson, always try and do these tasks in the summer, or at least in mild (ish) weather! Still a bit of a way to go then, but I look forward to seeing the model progress further.

@ 009 micro modeller Thanks for the comment/feedback, and re the line to the right, on the real-life location this was actually a siding, which came to a halt a little further up. However, due to the constraints of the model, ie that it's base has to be no bigger than 8" x 8", I'm only able to model part of the siding, for if I were to model the siding in it's entirety, it would be at the expense of other features, ie the tunnel itself. Therefore a bit of compromise has been necessary, but still, I feel it will be an interesting model once completed.

INTO THE TUNNEL So having completed my most recent cakebox challenge project, “Down the old shed”, and having a had a brief break/breather from “all things cakebox”, I’ve had a bit of a think about what I wanted to do for my fifth and final cakebox challenge offering. The result is simply entitled “into the tunnel”, which I suppose in effect combines elements of previous cakebox models of mine, ie "Cutting the cake" and "In the dock". However, this is intended as a slightly simpler offering than some of my previous cakebox ventures, and is based on the entrance to Sunderland South Tunnel, through which the South-bound line from Sunderland Central Station passes, on which trains travel to such local destinations as Seaham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, and also more distant venues i.e. Kings Cross (Grand Central). A rough plan and sketch are shown below of how the model will (hopefully) pan out, and as well as the tunnel entrance, part of a small loading dock will also be included, for this was an actual feature in real life, although it ceased to be used quite a few years back. Unfortunately, I myself do not have any photos to hand of the real-life location, however, I am aware that a model based on the same location was featured on RMweb a few years back, this was entitled “Sunderland South Stabling Point”. And the article on this layout featured one or two photo’s of the real-life tunnel etc., and be found can be found via the following link: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89192-sunderland-south-stabling-point-1985-95-00/ I’ve recently obtained some of the features I’ll need for the project i.e. Peco tunnel mouth & van body (see photo below) from Cheltenham Model Centre, and I hope to start work this week sometime. Watch this space then for future developments ….

Humble beginnings! But no seriously, this does remind me a bit of my third cakebox offering, "Cutting the cake" when I first started work on it, and re "Whales coal depot", the description looks interesting, and I look forward to seeing how the diorama develops.

A bit of a cryptic description! However, it will be interesting to see just what it is and how it pans out.

Nice work, enhanced by the working gravel chute!

@ 009 micro modeller Thanks for the comment, and yes, I may just add a bit more foliage/weeds around the 08's wheels/frame/chassis, although I wouldn't want to obscure these completely, as it may spoil the intended effect.

Ooopppsss, almost forgot this pic!

Down the old shed - the grand finale I can now reveal “Down the old shed” in it’s final finished form. Its taken roughly two months to complete the model, but I have to say that I feel it was time well spent, and that I’m happy with the end result, which can be seen in the photos below. The intention was to portray in model form a decrepit steam-turned diesel shed, and to this end I’ve tried to incorporate a fair degree of detail, weathering etc., without overdoing things i.e. trying to achieve just the right balance. And to this end a fair range of materials have been used, including Noch rust paint, Peco Scene static grass tufts, Deluxe Materials scenic water, & Woodland Scenics foliage/scatter material, all of which I feel have combined to help create in miniature, a typical run-down railway scene. The two van bodies which form the makeshift fuel point and storage, were, as far as I recall, a couple of Peco “cast-offs” suitably modified/weathered, while other “fixtures and fittings” are from contemporary manufacturers. The engine shed itself as I may have mentioned earlier, is in need of repairs to the windows and roof (hence the ladder going up the to latter), while there is also now a “drooping” gutter in need of attention! Notice also the “clapped-out” 08 shunter in the siding, gradually detoriating! This is is an old Farish model which really did “give up the ghost” a fair while back, but rather than chuck it out, I kept it, for I thought it may well be useful as a possible static model sometime in the future. And it eventually found use on a previous N Gauge layout of mine, also as a “wreck”, and when the layout was eventually scrapped, one or two bits and pieces were salvaged, including the shunter, again with possible future use as “a static” in mind. So thats “cakebox mark 4” completed, I intend to take a short break now from “all things cake box/general modelling”, after which I’ll hopefully have come up with a suitable idea for what will probably be my fifth and final cakebox offering, more details then in due course.

Very nice! And heres a little suggestion, how about one or two stray cows or sheep on the top of either/both embankments?

Work on “the old shed” is progressing nicely, this has included the recent addition of some interior details as can be seen in one of the photos below, i.e. a small workbench, tool cabinet (that’s the green object), electrical cables, a length of fuel pipe, also a small electrical junction/switch box (the grey object). I’m a firm believer in adding detail, as this what can make or break a model/diorama/layout and help bring it to life, the trick is of course to achieve a fine balance, i.e. not too much, and not too little. And unfortunately, in addition to more “handywork” by the resident “graffiti artists“, I’ve also had a “vandal attack” on the shed, hence the broken windows and hole in the roof which can be seen in the other picture - perhaps a task then for the British Transport Police ie to track down the culprits! But joking aside, this was done to help add to the realism, i.e. to create the impression of an old, decrepit engine shed which is deteriorating, and is in need of one or two repairs here and there. So still a bit more work to be done, but I’m enjoying it, another progress update will appear in due course ….

So step by step, stage by stage, bit by bit, the engine shed is taking shape. The attached photo shows three sides of the shed now erected, while these have also been weathered to achieved the grimy sort of appearance typical of such structures, and I dare say I’ll add a bit more weathering once the structure is finally complete. Re the randomly placed sleepers. In addition to those which form the crossing, and which were "laid" a short while back, those on the extreme left of the siding in front of the shed represent a makeshift buffer stop, a remnant of the original buffer stop, which it is to be assumed “disintegrated”, rotted away or whatever, can be seen lying on the ground for effect. The sleepers immediately behind the track leading into the shed are supports for a wagon body, which will form another “makeshift” object, i.e. a fuelling point, while those sleepers in the foreground are also supports, this time for a grounded van body/store. Next task will be the completion of the shed, I hope to have this done by the end of this week, the whole model itself possibly by the early-mid part of next week. Heres then looking forward to more enjoyable modelling, another progress report in due course ….

"The Bunny Mine", a bit of an unusual name! Is called this because it will be staffed/worked by long-eared creatures perhaps!?!? But joking aside, it looks a rather interesting and ambitious project, and I look forward to seeing how it develops.

Some very neat modelling, it will be interesting to see how the model progresses.

Nice modelling so far, would I be correct to assume that you're going to add some more detail to the scene, ie figures etc.?

Very realistic and neatly modelled

Since my last update, I’ve managed to complete one or two more tasks this week. I’ve completed the scenicing of the rear embankment, with the addition of some graffiti on the stone wall (those graffiti artists seem to get everywhere), also Woodland Scenics foliage to represent bushes, hedges and just general overgrowth. I’ve also gone over the trackwork again, picking out random sleepers in various shades of black, brown, grey, etc. just to remove the previously uniform appearance. I’ve also erected one of the engine shed walls (the rear wall). As the inner side of the wall was originally a plain, “plasticy” appearance as opposed to the brick pattern on the external side, I enhanced this by the addition of a piece of brick sheet, specially cut to size, including of course to make allowance for the windows. As I didn’t have any plastic brick sheet to hand I had to use some from the Metcalfe card range which I had to hand, which originally didn't quite look exactly right. However, now that it has since been weathered, I think that it’s a bit hard to tell that its card as opposed to plastic, this will probably be even more so once the shed is completed. I hope to do a bit more work on the shed this weekend, while theres still also a fair bit more to do generally. But “Rome wasn’t built in a day” as the saying goes, thus I always like to take my time over matters (within reason), while I always think in terms of quality when it comes to model making, even if it means doing something several times over in order to get it right/achieve the right effect. Another update then in due course ….