Captain Kernow

I really like these - but please tell me, did it start out life as a grey one, which has had a lot of rust added, or a bauxite one, which has had some cement grey added?

Thanks for that, Robin, I've found the Hobbycraft website, looks promising. In the meantime, I've obtained some Derwent coloured pencils from my local art shop and have done some experimentation, but this is on embossed plasticard brick, primed with Halfords grey primer. Not too sure about the results so far, so I was wondering whether you specifically went for the Faber Castell product, rather than any other type of pencil (ie. did you buy the Faber product, because that was what the shop happened to have, or did you know that this was the right product?). I'm finding the Derwent pencils a bit waxy, and I note from the Hobbycraft website, that the Faber Castell ones are not meant to be thus....

I do like these, Andrew, especially the little diesel shunter - what is the origin of that one please?

Good points there, Colin, I feel. Isn't the new building at Nantmawr also a similar replica pattern to the new structure at Pont Croesor?

A couple more images from my recent visit:

D6318 waits for the road at Engine Wood, whilst shadowing a 'Western'-hauled excursion train over the Somerset & Dorset: A few years earlier, 44422 shunts the yard at Engine Wood: The above photo and digital sky cleverness by Chris Nevard, courtesy of Hornby Magazine

I wonder if you could consider the new trackwork and rebuilt formation on the WHR like a new or re-built road - the analagy being that a new road is a bit of an eyesore in the beginning, but when it starts to weather down and 'bed in' with the surrounding landscape, it begins to look more like 'it belongs there?'... Perhaps we'll have slightly dodgier track, a few more weeds and a bit more 'careworn' atmosphere on the WHR in 20 years, which I would assume would actually add to the atmosphere? On a different note, I would assume that the Garratts were only obtained because they were felt to be the only locos capable of working the line in the modern day with planned train lengths etc. In point of fact, my train last week stood at Bedgellert for amost 20 mins 'for pathing purposes' - so I'm wondering whether (in the fullness of time) a small fleet of replica Russells might be capable of handling the traffic? Having said that, I'd never had the opportunity to see a Garratt working anywhere else in my experience so far, so I am still a fan of them!

Thanks folks, you all seem to agree with my belated prognosis that many of these freight-only lines were still kept tidy in the steam era, and as for the very good advice of following the photos is concerned, that's actually what got me thinking in the first place. The photos of Stroud Wallbridge, Dudbridge Junction, Nailsworth etc. all bear out a tidy and weed-free running line, with grot in the sidings. Accordingly, I will scale back the amount of weed growth on the running lines on Callow Lane, and have sidings with cinder/grunge/mud ballast, with actual stone ballast showing through in places (which is also what Chris Nevard did ). I am treating all the turnout areas properly with proper ballast, including the beginnings of each of the four sidings, and will blend the gunge in gradually.... I think I will allow the grass to grow freely and long on the old disused platform, however, much as per a number of photos I've seen, with a just-discernible walking route through the middle of it, where railwaymen have used it... As for Miss Prism's comment about the line being 'about to close', well, I have a special Time-Space Continuum Selection Switch - in 'Position A' the line closed in 1966, along with the rest of the S&D and the ex-Midland routes around Mangotsfield, whereas if I select 'Position B', you find coal seams that lasted longer, a chocolate factory that refused to die, and (pre-TOPS) blue era diesels trundling around.....

The locos and rolling stock may (in most cases) be more modern and less like what went before, but if you go to a remote stretch of lineside, just the track and the gorgeous scenery, there is still surely the magic of such places, as you sit with just the wind and wildlife for company, and wait to see whether a train might appear?.....

I'm not sure that he did publish a photo of it, but I have copied mine from his. It's a small piece of balsa wood, with half a cocktail stick glued into a pre-drilled hole...

In my previous blog entry, I referred to the fact that the ballast on the main running lines on Callow Lane would be 'grunged up', with mud/cinders mixed in with the ordinary ballast, plus weed growth. Since making that comment, I've been checking out some photos of goods-only lines in the area (North Bristol/Gloucestershire) in the period (1960s), in particular the former MR Stroud & Nailbridge branches (the Oakwood book by Colin Maggs), and I've noted that despite these being freight-only lines, the ballast on the running lines appears neat and devoid of weeds and grot. So, I'm thinking, that I might scale the 'grungification' of Callow Lane back a bit, and just have the 'cinders/mud' ballast on the sidings only?...

With regards to what Craig has said about the connecting pieces, I have removed virtually all of these once the track was glued down, using a 10A scalpel blade on a normal Swann Morton handle. As regards Klear v's PVA, I do plan to apply some dilute PVA to the Klear-treated ballast on an experimental section, as I sense that the latter could be a tad fragile in the event of some kind of knock, but the initial fixing will continue with Klear, as I'm cautious about the use of water so close to steel rail....

More work has been done in the last few weeks on the ballasting. It should be borne in mind that although the ballast currently looks quite pristine, this is a goods-only line in the early-mid 1960s, and there is still grot, cinder/mud effects and weed growth to add. Some of the sleepers haven't yet been weathered and most of the rail sides will need more weathering as well. Also, the actual point rodding has yet to be installed. The general method of ballasting the full-depth sleepers of the P4 Track Co/Exactoscale track is to apply the loose, dry ballast, dampen with IPA alcohol and drop Klear onto the tops of the sleepers with a pipette type thing. First of all, some views of the ballast, which has been tamped but not yet dampened or had the Klear applied: Shortly after taking the above photos, I applied the Klear. Until the Klear has dried out, the whole thing looks horrible to my eyes, as despite the IPA (which is supposed to help the Klear spread without disturbing the ballast), a fair number of ballast disturbances inevitably occur.... This is the simple tamping tool that I use to tamp the loose ballast down (thanks to Re6/6 for his suggestion with this one): Here is a bit of plain track, which has had the Klear treatment, and some of the irregularities smoothed out: Here is another section of plain line, in this case, the running line towards Coalpit Heath: I've found that I've had to be extra careful in the area around point blades when applying the Klear, in order not to gum the whole lot up solid. I've inserted thin strips of grease-proof paper (thanks to Will Vale for that suggestion) between the blades and the slide chairs, which seems to have helped. In the case of the 3-way point with it's copper-clad sleepers, the lower depth of the sleepers meant that I could use my normal 'Captain's Method' of applying the PVA neat between the sleepers with a small paintbrush and applying the ballast dry from above, vacuuming the rest off when the PVA has dried. I much prefer this method generally for the better control it gives you when ballasting, although it is very time-consuming as well (but possibly not as time-consuming or as fraught as trying to get all the loose ballast neat with a tamping tool and a small brush!). This is the 3-way point: Most of the sidings on the layout will feature a cinder/mud type of 'ballast', up to (or almost up to) the sleeper tops, with weed growth etc. Some 'mud/cinders' (in the form of Humbrol Air Clay - thanks to Chris Nevard for that one!) will also be applied on areas where there is currently 'pristine ballast', so that 'ballast effects' will be seen poking through the mud and the grot. The principle is that the main running lines would have had some ballast to start with (although it is mostly pretty grotty by now), whereas the sidings would not have. Despite appearances, there are no ballast shoulders on the layout, and more 'cinders/mud' type grot will abut the ballasted areas and merge with same.

Oh, I do agree, but for me I think I would like a portal into an alternative Kontinuum, whereby a weed-grown WHR existed and lovely locos like that ran, but then able to return to the Garratt Kontinuum to enjoy that too!

But that's like just putting valve gear on one side of your loco only - it's just not cricket!!

When up on the WHR last week, I asked a number of members of staff whether the railway would be running in November and December this year, as the timetable doesn't yet show any information. The theme of most peoples replies was that if the bypass was at a sufficiently completed stage (as regards the WHR), then some running between Porthmadog and Bedgellert might take place, with the rest of the line under maintenance. However, I was advised to ring the company offices nearer the time, which seems like good advice. No one mentioned any issues with ROGs, the flat crossing or the level crossings/signalling in the town. Interesting discussion about a bridge over the Cambrian or WHR at Porthmadog. In fact, a bridge over the Cambrian would not really be possible without also putting in a bridge over the main road and also completely rebuilding the passenger station on an elevated level or a new site. It's just too close to the flat crossing, and isn't something that Network Rail would ever contemplate with the current climate and other priorities etc. I do hope that differences between the WHHR and WHR/FR are finally resolved. I do appreciate the efforts that the WHHR have gone to, to keep the 'flame alight' over the years, and they have a very pleasant set-up in Porthmadog, but in all honesty, now that it's here, this is the kind of thing that I most want to see :

Presumably Andrew, if using staples to represent the spikes (a wholly laudable idea, by the way - I used a soft copper wire bent over to make around 1000 individual spikes for Bleakhouse Road, never again!!) - you will need to drill each copper clad sleeper four times (more on pointwork)?

Hi Robin, I'm having a bit of bother finding the Faber Castell crayons locally in Devon - is there a retail outlet in the Bristol area that I could visit for some, when I'm next up that way, please? Edit Sat 31/7/10 - I'm going to try out some alternative pencils from my local art shop in Totnes this afternoon... Also, I was pondering on the method of application - presumably it's to do with having the crayon/pencil sharp enough to colour one individual brick in one quick stroke, and to build the colour/overall effect up cumulatively, as you do each brick with whatever colour you are using in the range?

Fascinating Robin - it looks like you simply use these crayons straight on a base of sprayed-on grey primer?

Peter, just found this blog, what stunning, wonderful work, thank you for sharing this. I have one question, however, which is to ask how you achieve your mortar effects on 4mm scale brickwork, please? Thanks.

Only thing is, mine won't be re-painted in NCB livery..... But that wasn't all of it, there were a couple of other mint Heljan items there, that were obtained for someone else at very good prices.....

I had a bit of a surprise today... When I went into The Model Shop, Exeter today, he had a brand new condition Hattons/Heljan Class 14 in the second hand display cabinet. Wasn't expecting to see one so soon..... When I left the shop, it wasn't in the second hand cabinet any more....

I think that meshing vindicates my previous opinion, John, in that it doesn't need any highlighting and looks great in photographs too!

Hi Will, Well, I was recommended by someone else who has used it more than me, that I should leave it a couple of days, but I must admit that the following morning it did seem quite hard.... I'm planning to do the bit next to the previous PVA section with Klear, and it will be interesting to see whether there is a colour variation - shouldn't have thought so, and in any case, more track weathering will follow that will render that less of an issue...

I have this evening used some Klear. It will need a couple of days to dry, and in any case as it's an experimental section on a siding, the ballast will eventually get partially covered with Humbrol air clay, a la Nevard....