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mikeandnel

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  1. mikeandnel
    Midhurst LBSCR Station 1866
    As a member of the Brighton Circle, and a life-long railway enthusiast, I have always read anything about railways that I could get hold of, and the South of England railway companies were what attracted me to modelling .I started as a fan of the LSWR, transferred to the SECR and it’s components, and finally decided to stick with the Brighton from it’s inception up to the end of the Stroudley era. I have a few later ‘brown’ locos, but most are IEG or various green colours.
    I have found the Brighton Circle magazine and forum to be a very good source of information and advice. The Circle has Stewards for every aspect of railway operation and someone has always been able to answer any question I had. I have also been through the records at the NRM and National Archive at Kew and learnt a lot more.
    My concept for the layout is not strictly proto-typical, so there may be times when rolling stock may appear which would not have happened in reality, and this gives me the option to run trains from lines that were proposed to run to and through Midhurst but the lines were never built.
    Trackwork
    The track layout has naturally had to be somewhat truncated due to the room available but still gives a good representation of the original
    The layout is being built to EM gauge, as that is the gauge of all the stock I have built over the past forty years. Plain track is SMP and turnouts are mostly custom built by me using copper-clad sleepers, but with two or three ready made turnouts from Marcway Operation of the turnouts (at the moment) is by Tortoise motors on the approach and exit to the platform road, and on the runround. All other turnouts are operated by Mercontrol using slide switches to change polarity, but the possibility of changing some of these to servo operation is being investigated.
    Track is laid on a 3mm cork base and Ian has ballasted it to my instructions to represent shingle ballast, using a mixture (in equal parts) of Woodland Scenics brown and buff ‘N’ gauge ballast held together with Cascomite powder glue. This makes for a quite realistic ballast as can be seen from the following photo.

    Operation of the layout is by DC Analogue as I don’t understand or have the budget to change forty locos to DCC, and takes place from where the scenic section ends and is done with two banks of switches, one bank for the track section power and the other using slide switches for the turnouts. The system incorporates a potentiometer to control the turntable speed
    Turntable
    This is from a London Road Models kit and was built for me by Simon. When it was installed I had a problem with being not able to see when the tracks were aligned, as it is ten feet from where I sit. Having joined MERG last year, I asked for advice on their forum and had a fantastic response from various members. A lot of advice and then Dave began asking me about various measurements etc., and the next thing I knew was that he had constructed a jig to replacate my set-up, had worked out an electronic indexing system and posted it to me from Rome. Then Tim got in touch and arranged to come and install it for me. Now I can run a loco on to the turntable from where I sit, press a couple of switches and the turntable rotates slowly until it is in line and then stops, so I don’t even have to be anywhere near it.

    Wagon turntables
    These were built and installed by Ian but do not rotate. (life is too short!). These are located on the LSWR headshunt, the entrance to the cattle dock and the back siding as per the map in Part 1. I subsequently constructed a walkway to join the three wagon turntables which allows the horse to negotiate the intervening track without tripping over.

    More follows later
  2. mikeandnel
    Midhurst LBSCR Station 1866
    Well it has been three years since I last posted an entry in my blog and this one will probably be my last project. I have reached the age of 84 and am now suffering from Parkinson's Disease, which means that I am now unable to hold things still while soldering or detailing or lining. Other than that, I am fine, but had posted a request for help in completing some of the my kits which were still not completed and have had a good response offering help,
    As a result I have been able to commence work on the one layout I have always wanted to build, which is Midhurst LBSCR Station as it was when constructed in 1866.
    The early first map below shows the station and platform from the end of the line as far as the wagon turntables. The second map shows the other part of the yard and sidings .


    The map above has north on the lower side and shows that the station was built on a partially artificial embankment, as the original land sloped towards the south. The track at the top of the map was connected to the LSWR line by a bridge over the Bepton Road, although I have not been able to learn why the head shunt on this line was so long, as it stretched as far as the LBSCR signal box, a distance of several hundred yards. Immediately adjacent to the Bepton Road was a 42’ turntable at the end of the platform road, and locos coming off the turntable were straightaway on to a turnout which served the platform road and the run-round lines. A crossover connected the line from the LSWR to the run-round track just after the turntable area.
    At the eastern end of the platform were three wagon turntables serving the goods yard, which consisted of three sidings, a cattle dock with end-on loading facilities, a goods shed and coal staithes on the single long siding. This siding also incorporated a turnout which could be used either to access the loco shed or for trains using the goods yard. The loco shed line ran through the shed, past a coal loading dock and connected with the main running line.
    The baseboard has been constructed on top of a line of cabinets along two walls of the room, and this gives me a 10’ Scenic section and an 8’ fiddle yard.
    The baseboard is 10mm MDF on a rigid frame and was originally fixed down to the cupboards, which was a bad mistake. A lot of time and discomfort was expended trying to work and wire under a fixed top, and after a year of doing this, I decided to remove the whole top with the help of a friend. A batten was fixed along the wall at the required height, and then the baseboard was laid back in place and fixed to the batten by a series of hinges. This meant that the baseboard could be lifted from the front and fixed in a vertical position so that we could work of the underside with it at face level. So I was able to completely rewire the layout in a sitting position
    I have Ian of Perfection in Miniature to help me with laying the track, most buildings and scenery, many of my unfinished kits have been finished of by Simon Howard of S.H. Modelling and I have received a great deal of help and advice from members of MERG since I joined, especially from Dave in Rome, Rodney Hill, and Tim Pullan, and I am deeply indepted to all the above for their help, work and patience.
    More follows later.
  3. mikeandnel

    Fifth attempt

    By mikeandnel,

    Well, it has been a long time since my last blog entry, mainly due to the onset of Parkinson's Disease, which has curtailled my modelmaking somewhat, and old age (82 and counting!).
    Also my wife decided that it would be better if my layout was moved downstairs so that she could turn my room into a guest bedroom. Obviously no sense of priorities.!
    Anyway the move has been made and I now have an 'L' shaped area 15' x 8' in which to start building Midhurst LBSCR station and environs as it would have been in 1866 when first opened In this I was able to obtain a track and building plan from the NRM and this is extremely well detailed, even to the thickness of the tarmac on the station approach and yard..
    Due to my own partial incapacity I am being helped by two gentlemen by the names of Ian and Simon. Others have helped with locos in the past, especially Gareth.
    Simon is helping with locos and rolling stock and the turntable, and Ian is, at the moment, starting to lay the track. Loco shed is built out of real wood and ready for use, station is assembled but still needs detailing and a canopy, for which the canopy colums are already in house (courtesy of 5 and 9 Models, and the canopy brackets are from Scalelink). Ian is intending to build the goods shed based on Baynards. and the Saxby & Farmer type 1 signal box which had an unusual verandah..
    Track plan will not need to be compressed too much, and will include the connection with the LSWR line on the bridge over the Bepton Road, as well as the pedestrian footbridge which joined the two Midhurst stations together to protect transferring passengers from inclement weather. exit from the station track area will lead in a curve to a 'fiddle yard' working on the cassette system, using acrylic bases and aluminium angle. All running lines are being done in 4mm EM Gauge.Track is Scaleway and turnouts are a mixture of scratckbuilt and Marcway. Ian is scratchbuilding the 'ladder' of track at the station 'throat'
    Going back to model this period means that many of the locos and much of the rolling stock that I have built over the last 40 years will become surplus to requirements so I will have to find new homes for much of it.. There is nothing worth while taking photos of at the moment but as the build progresses I hope to be able to keep you updated and will post photos as and when there is something to show.
  4. mikeandnel

    Fourth Attempt

    By mikeandnel,

    Well I haven't had much to report this last few weeks as I have been at our other home in Turkey. Unfortunately being there does not lend itself to modelling due to the sense of lethargy that the high temperatures bring. Anyway it is nice to lay in a hammock and read a book now and then.
    However back to modelling. Projects completed since returning to England are as follows:
     

     
    I have finally been able to find the fault with my L.S.W.R. Railmotor which has been 'bugging' me for some time.
    The Railmotor is a Jidenco etched brass kit and is painted in LSWR colours with lining done with a bow pen. The problem that I had was that the motor would run and the driving wheels turn but the vehicle just had no grip and would only move sporadically. It took me ages to work out that the motor bogie mounting angle was wrong. This has now been modified and the railmotor now flies round the track (or tries to!) Motor is a DS10 with open gearing.
     

     

     
    Second build has been a SEF Crane Tank kit as supplied to the South Eastern Railway in 1885, number 409, and has been left in ex Nielsen Works grey because my 80 year old hands will no longer let me do lining of such precision. Looking at the photo of 409 in 'Locomotives of the S.E.R. by D.L. Bradley the lining would appear to be very fine and my white transfer lining is much too thick.
    Some modifications to the kit have been made to make the loco more like the works photo, The power is provided by a Mashima 1015 motor working through a High Level gearbox and it runs very nicely.
    Only thing left to do is to put coal on the tops of the side tanks.
     

     
    Third build has been an open wagon of the East & West Yorkshire Union Railway, built in my preferred way with actual wood, but this time I have taken on board the advice from 'Burgundy' and others, and I have scribed the inside planking as well as the outside planking, which I think can be clearly seen in the photo.
    Since taking the photo, I notice that I seem to have lost a door stop so that will have to be replaced.
     
    Next project already under way is a Brighton 'Atlantic', also from a Jidenco kit but modified to bring it somewhat nearer to the many photos. It will probbly end up as an 'H!' Wheels and gearbox, again Mashima and High Level arrived yeaterday.
    After that, 'Inspector' is next due in the build shop as the wheels etc arrived yeaterday from Alan Gibson Wheels. Hope to get a lot done over the winter. We will see!
  5. mikeandnel

    First attempt

    By mikeandnel,

    My interests are wide and varied, from the railways around Midhurst to all aspects of pre-group Southern companies and I enjoy building stock more than having a layout with scenery, probably because I have the artistic and creative ability of a brick!
     
    Having said that, many years ago, with two friends, we did build three layouts for exhibition, Hythe, Warlingham, and Hurst Green Junction, and Hythe actually won ‘Best in Show’ at EXPO EM South.
    Since then, there has been a period of many years of no modelling, and only recently have I commenced modelling and research again, with the intention of eventually building a small layout based on one of the proposed stations on the never-built Midhurst to Haslemere extension of the Chichester to Midhurst LBSCR line.
     
    At the moment the only track I have is a double EM gauge line around my 10’ square den with a fiddle yard one level down, accessed by a curved turnout and a single slip from the running lines. However this does allow me to test run stock as building stock is my main interest at the moment.
    All is wired and operated in analogue, using Tortoise point motors and a dual controller with brake simulation, because I do not understand DCC!
     
    I have just finished construction an 1840’s LBSCR Open Third from a 5 & 9 kit which is awaiting painting, and now I am working on a LBSCR Craven Family/Luggage Carriage from the same supplier.
    The kits are supplied as a set of castings in white metal, some with etched ‘W’ irons and some without, but both of these kits are supplied with etched safety chain mounts and hooks and the Craven carriage has also etched door handles included.
     
    The Open Third went together very well and now the sides and ends of the Craven Carriage have had the flash removed and are awaiting assembly with solder.

     
    The vehicle on the left is the LBSCR kit from 5 & 9 Models, and the one on the right is a scratch built Bodmin & Wadebridge carriage
     
    My already- built stock consists of twelve LSWR locos, eleven LBSCR locos, ten SECR/SER/LCDR locos in various pre-group liveries, and for some reason a GWR ‘Dukedog’, about thirty carriages of various of the above companies and approximately 150 wagons of all kinds including a D & S breakdown crane in full Wainwright livery.
    Construction has been from loco kits from Keyser, Jidenco/Falcon Brass, Will/SEF,Nucast and scratch built, Coaching stock from P & C, Blacksmith, Branchlines, Keyser , Roxey and others as well as scratch-built and the wagons from Just about every maker as well as a lot of scratch-built.,
    In the unmade box are several SECR locos a couple of LBSCR part finished locos and 2 or 3 LSWR locos, as well as quite a few D & S , 5 & 9 and Woodham Wagon Kits still to be made.
     
    This is my first attempt at a ‘blog’ and my idea is to update it from time to time with details of progress (or otherwise) of my modelling. If I am doing it wrong, please tell me and advise any way in which my ‘blog’ could be improved or more useful.
     
    As you can see from the above, being 80 years of age at the moment, I had better get a move on.
    Will keep you posted!
     
     
    August 2nd 2013
     
    I have been a busy little boy this week due to the wet weather
     

     
    Have been messing about with a 5 & 9 kit of a LBSCR Craven Family/Luggage Carriage and that is now body completed with partitions in place,

     
    I have also been building a Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway 10’6” sliding door van and that is now assembled and up on it’s wheels. I still have to construct the roof which is quite intricate due to the mid-roof openings which have a canvas cover. The version being modelled is with manual brakes.
     

    I have also part-built two of John Arkell’s South Eastern Railway break (brake?) vans. These are resin castings of which John supplies the two sides and two ends, and the rest is up to you. The quality of the resin castings is very sharp but finding drawings was difficult so John very kindly supplied me with two similar drawings and so the end result should look something like!

     
    Apart from that I have finished the 1840s Horsebox, scratch built from a drawing in the Illustrated London News about 160 years ago
     

     
    Only other achievement is getting the Brighton H2 tender up on its wheels and given its top coat of paint. This is part of an OO gauge Jidenco Kit which I obtained from Ebay some months ago A gentleman had obtained this ‘thing’ and stripped the paint from it, only to find that whoever built it originally had probably taken on something that was beyond his ability. Having stripped the paint from it, the person who I bought it from realised that it needed a lot of work and it ended up with me. The whole thing has to be taken apart and rebuilt from the separate pieces and so far I have managed the tender which is now sitting nicely on EM gauge wheels and a rebuilt chassis.
    I am always one to attempt a basket case!
  6. mikeandnel

    Second attempt

    By mikeandnel,

    Well, not much has been achieved since my last upload to this blog. Got involved in a bit of a controversy about clean rolling stock and, what with that and grandchildren needing to be accommodated, modelling time has been at a premium.
    This week I have only managed to complete the Lancashire & Yorkshire 10 ton van and the scratchbuilt S.E.R. Sledge Brake van, also managed to spray the two LBSCR Open & Passenger/Luggage carriages with their ‘teak’ topcoat, and also sprayed the ‘Cavell’ SECR PBV.
     

     
    Photo of Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway 10 ton van with canvas roof opening.
    The van is a modified MAJ kit and the canvas has been replicated by pieces of black tissue paper in order to give that crumpled effect. The roof opening components were not included as part of the kit, so were created from a drawing.
    Sorry about the branch on the track but there was a slight slope on the table, and the wagon is so free running that it had to be 'chocked'!
     

     
    Photo of scratchbuilt South Eastern Railway Sledge Brake Van
    For those of you who may not know, these sledge brake vans were built by Brown, Marshall & Co of Birmingham. The idea was that when the van brake was applied, then a ‘shoe’ was forced down against the rail and the resultant friction would retard the movement of the train. Needless to say, it did not catch on!
     

     
    I have also attached a photo of a recently finished LBSCR ‘Balloon’ Brake Third. The reason for showing this is really so that I can describe the method of painting, just in case nobody has thought of doing it the way I do.
     
    The coach, when ready, is first sprayed with the LBSCR Coach Brown and allowed to dry. When perfectly dry I mix up a solution of the correct colour emulsion and float it into each etched panel with either an eye dropper of a small brush. If the consistency is right (and it takes a few tries to get it right), then the emulsion will flow to the edges of the recessed panel area and not flow over the raised part of the etch, thus retaining the colour where you want it.. One side at a time, let it dry, then do the other side
    I estimate one coach side like this takes about 20 minutes with the emulsion.
    I have also done a rake of four LBSCR 4-wheel coaches the same way, together with a Luggage Brake.
     

     
    Concerning my work area, a photo of this is above and you can see how small it is. The mirror for me is very important because my stock is built on this in order to ensure that everything is flat and level
    And the use of a square in conjunction with this mirror does mean that most things that I build are not rhomboidal!
    Soldering irons range from 40 watt to 12 watt and I also have a resistance soldering table if the particular job needs that kind of soldering.
     
    I will produce the other photos as soon as the items are finished.
     
    Now let the brickbats fly!
     
    Michael
  7. mikeandnel

    Third attempt

    By mikeandnel,

    This week has been absolutely frantic with the Head of the house making unreasonable demands and therefore modelling time has been very limited.
    However, attached are photos of three vehicles finished this week.
     

     

     
    [They are a LBSCR Craven Family/Luggage carriage from the late 1850s and a LBSCR Open
    Third of the 1840s. Both are kits from 5 and 9 Models and following my way of doing things, both the 1840s Open and 1850s Family carriage have been fitted with real mahogany steps and running boards, which I weathered to show how that wood fades when exposed to the weather. These mahogany strips can be obtained from any supplier of veneers
     

     
    The third is a model of the ‘Cavell’ PBV number 132 as used to return the body of Nurse Edith Cavell to London after the First World War.
     
    Transfers on the two early vehicles are from the Brighton Circle, and those on the PBV are from Fox transfers, although I think the white shading on the figure 1 on the PBV is a bit too thick.
    I have also put up three photos of SECR Carriages under the following topic
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/75781-secr-non-corridor-third/?p=1152580
    That has been all I have achieved this week. Doesn’t it make your heart bleed!
     
    Michael
  8. mikeandnel

    Fifth Attempt

    By mikeandnel,

    Well it has been seven months since I posted the last entry in my blog and this will probably be the last one. I have reached the age of 81 and am now suffering from Parkinson's Disease, which means that I am now unable to hold things still while soldering or detailing or lining. Other than that, I am fine!. I have posted a request for help in completing some of the kits which are still not completed and have had one gentleman offer to help, but could do with more help as there are quite a lot to finish.
    I am still able to run my stock as I can place it on the track without too much difficulty and will continue to enjoy my trains until circumstances dictate otherwise.
    I have met a lot of nice and helpful people while being part of RM web and will continue to ask questions and make comments whenever the opportunity arises. The comments that I have received in response to my previous blog entries have been very encouraging, and I certainly don't want to give up the hobby which I have enjoyed for more than 40 years.
    May I wish you all much pleasure in the hobby for the future
     
    Michael dJS
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