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ullypug

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Blog Entries posted by ullypug

  1. ullypug
    Inbetween building the goods shed and drawing up the artwork for the station building, which has now arrived, I've been building a twin set AEC railcar set for Cheddar. This is from a set of etches from Worsley Works. To be fair, they are sold as a set of scratch aids, but I've found it all quite a challenge. Unfortunately the etches contain a number of errors which regrettably I didn’t discover until fairly late on.
    Notably, the windows in the rail car sides are set too low, with the exception of the central door. For some reason they’ve all been set about 1.5mm too low whereas they should all be at the same level. The drawings in the Judge book clearly show it though I’ll admit I didn’t notice at first. The problem became apparent when I started to paint and line the rail cars. The line between crimson and cream should be at the top of the sloping triangular fillet in the front nose, then continue at that level along the body side. I’ve had to bend the lining round to have it in the correct place at the crease in the nose front, otherwise it would have been too low. It’s one of those things that some people undoubtedly won’t notice but once you know it’s there it does kind of leap out at you.  I've let Allen know at Worsley and he says he's corrected the etch now. He has offered me a replacement should anyone else order one so I've no complaints there.
    The droplight for the front door is the right size, unfortunately the window opening is too large so the droplight isn’t very effective. I formed some new ones from painted plasticard but I can see in the photo one needs more attention.
    I deviated from the intended chassis construction arrangement as the skirt section is supposed to join to the body at top of skirt, but is too narrow resulting in an obvious join. I cut the chassis parts in half longitudinally and soldered to the body sides.
    I used Lima mouldings for the railcar bogie side frames from Peter’s Spares, coach corridor connections were from MJT and I used Kadee No 21 couplings to represent the knuckle/buck eye connectors.
    I‘ve used a Replica motorised chassis to power the railcar no 36 (the restaurant car). This is the 57ft version cut and shut to match the reduced wheelbase. I used one of their mark 1 coach interiors in the unpowered car, cut and shut to fit the seating arrangement. The unpowered car No 35 sits on MJT CCT's.
    It does look at home on the layout, though the sides issue will niggle me for a while. Just wish I'd spotted it earlier!
    Next will be the long build of the station building. I've a large box of bits to work my way through but it should be fun.







  2. ullypug
    This month, I have been mostly gardening. In a scale style obviously.
    And that's about it really.
    Road surfaces are the usual Attwood Aggregates dust, greenery is static grass undercoat and postiche top coat, horsehair hedges and an assortment of sprinkles and flocks. It's funny how I'm down at the dregs of various containers as I hit the last board.
    Another obligatory strawberry patch has appeared inside the railway fence (which is still to do).
    Still lots to do but I already like the vista of the embankment and station approaches. It'll look good with a couple of signals on it.






  3. ullypug
    I know it's only been a week since my last confession, but I've reached the point when I can transit onto the next board. Progress this weekend has seen the point rodding installed to boards 3 and 4, board 3 finished and board 5 duly dragged down ready to start.
    I still need to break up and detail the large strawberry patch as it's a little too uniform at the moment. Probably needs more scenic variation.
    This is where it gets interesting.
    I've mocked up the permanent way hut; an odd little building with a couple of lean to extensions. It may be a tad on the low side but that's why I build mock ups first. Board 5 has the goods shed and signal box, not to mention the platform ends and the station master's house. It's going to be back on the Coreldraw over the festive period between the odd mince pie to draw up the windows, bargeboards and other details I might need cutting or etching. All good practice before board 6 which is just the small matter of the train shed.

    Point rodding installed.

    Board 3 joins the first two on its runners. There'll be a few things to touch up here and there and the water works to add in the foreground obviously.

    Board 5 along side and ready to start
  4. ullypug
    After an enjoyable day at the EMGS AGM in Cardiff a couple of weeks ago, I felt suitably enthused about starting terraforming around the station building. It’s no where near finished yet but is at a state where I could form the socket it’s going to sit in. I’m using layers of 5mm craft foam (extruded polystyrene sheet) to work but the subtle changes I need. The slight compression I had to adopt in the yards makes things a little more interesting but nothing insurmountable. I’m really liking how it’s looking though there’s still a lot more to do. Couldn’t resist taking a few snaps.
    the building is coming on. The rear facing walls have had a layer of filler rubbed into the mortar courses and a few washes applied. Still need to dry brush some lighter colour back into the wall face though.








  5. ullypug
    So as 2022 draws to a close, I've been reflecting on what has been a pretty good year all in all. Cheddar has a place where it can be worked on when the mood takes me and whilst I don't have as much time as I did, I'm still managing to make progress.
    I've done a couple of shows and really enjoyed exhibiting at Warley last month. Even better as Rapido have announced a range new E140 B set. That's saved me a job. I now have a surfeit of 7 airfix B set coaches I won't be needing! I have started preparing a pair of E116 K's sides instead.
     
    Progress is limited this time, but in summary:
     
    The 6 tonne yard crane was finished off with hook and chain, painted and duly plonked on the layout. I'm quite pleased with it.
    The station masters house is presently under construction and I decided after making a few mock ups to model it at 3.25 mm/ft to give an illusion of distance. I'm using PECO 2mm embossed plastic sheet for the stone rather than my usual source of Green Stuff World.
    The stone loading point has been cut down a bit after I discovered a photo showing me I'd not quite got it right.
    There was a large permanent way hut in the up yard and I always knew I wouldn't be able to fit it all in due to its width. I toyed with the idea of building half of it but the mock up just looked wrong. I'm going to have to compromise and use a few smaller huts instead. Luckily I have one of the Springside white metal kits so will use that and cobble up some others. I've laid a couple out to gauge this. There were often red carded wagons stored here for repair so maybe there will be a cameo of some sort. 





  6. ullypug
    As another year draws to a close, modelling output has slowed a bit due to various demands on precious modelling time. But with 1 Station Road complete for now, I've been concentrating on a couple of projects that have been lurking on the depths of the modelling bench for far too long. The first is a diagram E116 B set, the origins of which were a K's plastic kit, kindly donated by Tim Venton of Clutton fame.
    I needed to do quite a bit of salvage work on the sides and the ends were a bit hit and miss. The E116 was joined by a Tommy bar and had no intermediate buffers from what I can tell, so I've done what I can to tidy things up and add the various alarm gear. The under frames are Comet kits, bogies white metal sides over a Bill Bedford sprung frame. They've been awaiting their innards and glazing but have languished on the workbench waiting for their turn in the paint shop first, which has finally started. State of play at the moment is an initial pass of carmine and cream with the lining, ends and roof still to do, along with correcting some ride height issues.
     

    Second distraction is the camping coach which was stationed at Cheddar. This was W9902W from the pictures I have, a conversion from a diagram E73 composite. The basis of this one is a set of etches from Worsley Works, sitting on a pair of Dean 10ft bogies just introduced by MJT.
    This coach will never move and consequently definitely has an 'A' side and a 'B' side, which will not be visible to the public and reflects my struggles with the forming of an acceptable joint line for the clerestory roof! It has just had a coat of primer which has revealed a few blemishes.
    It should form a nice little cameo at the back of the layout once done.
     

  7. ullypug
    Along with a few others, the end of the year seems like a good time to take stock of modelling progress over the previous 12 months.
    I set out this year to make progress with Cheddar, having previously been distracted by other projects and any excuse to avoid the wiring.
    Well I think it's safe to say 2018 was a year of ups and downs on a personal front. However, from a modelling point of view I've achieved what I wanted to; wiring was finished in March and track testing even resulted in some video clips.
    A lengthy and unexpected period off work in the summer resulted in a lot more time at home than I was anticipating and I'm pleased that I found the scenic work suitably therapeutic as part of my recuperation.
    Scenics are now well and truly onto the 5th board, the one with the goods shed and signal box. I've mocked up the station master's house based on drawings I found on the local authority planning portal. I've decided it's going to have a bit of compression eventually as it's too big presently.
    The permanent way shed beds in nicely and the yard has had coatings of Dulcote Stone scenic dust from Attwood Aggregates. I'm planning on bedding a few things down once it's all up and assembled.
    I've put a platform for the stone loading point on Bartlett's (?) siding and finished off the point rodding and returns into the mocked up signal box. Next will be to install the 2 rod point rodding for the Wells end turn out and then I can mock up the platforms.
    Board 4 is just about finished. Some additional weeds have been added to the extensive strawberry patches and I'm happier with these.
    So what's in store for 2019? Three boards to finish. Lots of buildings to make and two fiddle yards to build. Maybe even some signals. And an awful lot of detailing!
    Backscenes and lighting are a long way away yet.
    I hope you all have a great 2019 and I wish you all the very best for the new year.

  8. ullypug
    After a couple of weeks of distractions and other modelling projects, I've managed to set up the layout in the garage where I can get 6 of the 8 boards erected at any one time.
    Today was all about making a set of supports for the panel and connecting boards together.
    Pleased to report that everything towards Wells is now working, after one or two wires had to be swapped round (caused by the change in colour code scheme I mentioned in an earlier post). There'll no doubt be a few bits of track to fettle as the pannier I was using slows down and speeds up in some places (I'm assuming tight to gauge on straight track) but I've spent a good half hour driving trains backwards and forwards with a big smile on my face (and if I'm honest doing what could be vaguely described as some kind of dad dancing round the garage but I don't think anyone saw me...)!
    So I just need to swap out the two boards on the left to allow me to get all the Axbridge boards up to test those too and it'll be done.
  9. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - February 2020 update

    By ullypug,


    building
    Cor, this building lark goes on a bit doesn't it?
    So, to bring things up to speed.
    The roof has had a fair few sheets of double Roman ABS tile sheets added and the glazing added. This was a little tricky as the Rowmark framing wanted to warp all over the place. The glazing is a single layer of 1mm Prespex. Despite being saturated in Spraymount and heavily weighted down, some of the glazing bars wanted to lift up. The solution was to flood each pane with Johnson's Klear and reset. In a couple of places even that didn't work so I resorted to canopy glue. I got there in the end. I've since added a few sections of framing for the very ends and the ridge tiles etc, though I've not taken any photos of that, but it's coming together nicely. The roof itself is now being subject to a bit of fettling, filling and painting.
    This weekend's task was to paint all of the walls and keep painting, drybrushing and more dry brushing until I'd got the colours to match those of the already completed goods shed. It took ages but I'm really pleased with the result. I keep panicking I've overdone the mortar work but from 3ft it's exactly the result I wanted. Must be the EM modeller in me!
    The end shed timber work has had a base coat and will have a lighter top coat and I started on the internal footbridge. These have stone stairs and a timber bridge section. All presently demountable but will be fixed in place permanently when painted. I had to carve out some of the plinths internally as I'd forgotten the steps will be flush to the wall. The rather funky balustrades are cut from Rowmark and have had a base coat to start. I've started to paint the footbridge brackets and have also painted the self adhesive quoins I had cut to tidy up the building corners.
    A bit more filling and fettling but I feel we're on the homeward straight now. A bit of a photo overload, but I can't be ars8d to sort them out!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     








  10. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - February 2023 update

    By ullypug,


    Cheddar
    Took advantage of a sunny day to swap the boards round on Cheddar at lunchtime. Board 5 comprising the goods shed and signal box is now sufficiently complete to allow it to be put away until the final assembly, when I can add details, signalling and a level of weathering to the entire layout in one hit.
     
    Board 6 was moved up one and board 7 dropped into place. This last saw the light of day in 2016 and has survived surprisingly well given the track was originally laid in 2015. I always knew it was going to be a long term project. Quite how long I'm not so sure! The track across the board joint is going to need a tweak since there is now a level difference in rail height. Not sure what that is but it is fixable. Looks like the rail is sitting up on the rivets to me rather than a swelling of the ply, but I'll sort it out whatever.
     
    Board 7 comprises the Wells end of the platforms and station approaches. As such it shouldn't take too long to do as most of the work is scenic.
     
    The end of the mileage sidings on the down side will need to be completed and I've plans for a camping coach here in one of them, along with a coal yard in the other, all as per the prototype.
     
    As previously, much use will be made of extruded polystyrene sheet. This will form the roadways and platforms. Nice thing is it can be sanded to induce a camber.
     
    I'll start by finishing off the station building first though, adding platform details, lights and signage, then moving onto the station approach.
     
    Before I put it away, I took some photos of board 6 with the addition of clutter around the permanent way sheds. I've plans for a cameo of a wagon under repair here as the siding was used to store red carded wagons and make repairs before they were released back to traffic.
     
    For a relatively insignificant station, Cheddar certainly had a lot going on.










  11. ullypug
    Major milestones this month.
    For the first time since I started building Cheddar, some 11 years ago now, I’ve finally been able to put all of the 8 scenic boards up together. Cheddar is going to be making its exhibition debut at RailWells this August as a work in progress and with under 6 months to go I needed to take stock of just how much left there is to do before it gets there!
     
    The layout has been in various unheated garages for the last few years and it’s almost 6 years since anything last moved on it, way before ballasting and track painting started. So needless to say I wasn’t expecting a great deal especially as on retrieving the panel I noticed the din sockets were corroded and the box itself showing signs of mould!
     
    So first things first, the trestles and supporting rails were erected in the dining room, fitting with about half an inch to spare. Yes I did check when I bought the house but don’t tell anyone! After that the boards were brought out one by one and erected on top and the panel plugged in and an engine plonked on. Power applied. Nothing, nada, no sausages at all. No surprises there really.
     
    Then I tried all the turnouts. Plenty of encouraging noises from the tortoise motors but nothing moving.
    well at least the point feeds were getting to the layout.
     
    So I started cleaning the track. It had tarnished heavily and had a crust that needed serious attention from abrasive pads. No wonder nothing had moved. After a while though, I got the furthest (Wells end) board clean enough. A bit of power and the engine moved! After a hearty hurrah and a little jig of delight, I then worked my way up towards the other end (Axbridge) cleaning and testing. By the end of the week I’d got to the other end (yes it was that dirty), and confirmed that all track sections had supplied power to the rails and that both cab controllers worked to each section. DCC is a pipe dream…
     
    There’s still a long way to go though. Next step is to get each and every turnout working again, which will be a combination of cleaning out all the crud and scraping away the ballast which has welded everything solid.
     
    A couple of track joins require attention at baseboard ends as steps are now evident, I guess due to the plywood plates at the edges swelling over the years.
     
    Curiously, the scenery sections have opened up considerably across baseboard joints. These are on a mixture of extruded foam  and paper-mache so I’m going to need to redress that, or blag that Cheddar gorge is a bit closer to the station…
     
    But onwards! I can start my snagging list now and carry on knowing that power is restored. It’s a case of deciding what has to be done by August and what can be left for later. One thing I will need is the fiddle yards, so maybe that’ll be next.

    Attached photos and I even took a few videos to cheer myself up.

    In the longer term, Cheddar will be exhibited (when it’s fully ready) and I hope that it will have a permanent home in a temperature controlled room where I can avoid the problems caused by its storage.
     
    The other highlight of the week came from a very helpful chap at Bristol Water who sent me the original 1920 drawings of the Water Works that was served by a private siding. But that’s another story.
     












  12. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - January 2020 update

    By ullypug,


    building
    Morning all. After an interesting couple of weeks, I've started working on the station building again and moved on to the roof. The parts were cut when I had the rest of the building done and I can now start to assemble the parts. The distinctive ends are layers of mdf, row mark and perspex, sandwiched together and set with spray mount. The top edge is then glued into the roof slab, the underside of which I had rendered to match the diagonal planking. The colour will need lightening a bit from the rattle can I used.

    I also cut a layer of joists which increase the effective thickness. I should have a second layer of purlins, running horizontally along the roof line between the joists and the roof, but I wanted to make the roof as rigid as possible and I don't think anyone will notice. I can always add something cosmetically after (he says knowing full well he won't).

    Glad to say the roof has turned out well and fits nicely onto the station walls. Just a little bit of fettling to do to get it to sit without visible gaps. They I can turn my attention to the trussing.

    I've had to re-draw the clerestory roof as it consists of glazed panels, rather than solid as I first thought. They're on order from York Modelmaking, along with a miscellany of detailing parts; bargeboards, brackets, quoins, footbridge parts, including balustrades and the rather nice entrance gates. I've been informed they can all be cut from Rowmark so we'll see what turns up.

    Turns out the shed roof was clad with double Roman tiles rather than decorative flat tiles as per the annex buildings so that will make like easier.

    The walls have had the mortar courses filled with a ready mix filler and I need to add final stonework colouring, which will be a darker colour than at present.
     
    I've also made the former garage in the station forecourt that housed the motor buses used to connect to Burnham-on-Sea in the 1930's. I had to shorten it a bit as I wanted this building to be fixed down and it's duly been plonked onto the layout. The terraformed station forecourt area has worked well and I've trial fitted the platform surfaces from 1mm thick Palight and added a couple of Lanarkshire Model's GWR bufferstops in the up yard.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     












  13. ullypug
    Happy New Year and all that to everyone. Hope 2023 is kind to everyone.
    Now that we're halfway through January, I thought I'd update you with progress on Cheddar, which is entirely scenic at the moment.
    The station master's house has been finished, painted and planted in the garden, which has been added without going overboard. The idea is for it to be in the background after all. I did spot the mistake of having the chimney on the gable end with the windows. Doh! Still it was corrected without too much bother.
    The stone loading point is more of less done. Just some weathering down the sides as it's all a bit too clean at the moment.
    The scenics to the up side have had some layers added from postiche and scatters, fixed with spray lacquer.
    There are two permanent way sheds presently in the paint shop which will be added here.
    I've made a start on the surfaces of the down yard. These again use the excellent range of quarry dusts available from Attwood Aggregates which are laid into a PVA glue/water mix. it can be sanded down when dry. The cattle dock has been added from a modified Ratio kit and the fencing has started to go up.
    There's a protective rail to go on the edge of the mileage siding. That's a simple piece of rail and a Palight base.
    Lastly the station approach has the paving cut and ready to stick down. Again, embossed Palight and sprayed with a rattle can.
    I'm getting to the point where one of these boards can be crated back up and the next one bought out, so I can finish the station itself and finish off the platforms too.
    All very exciting!
     
     











  14. ullypug
    Gosh. Another year has arrived and the layout still isn’t finished!
    This time of year is always busy with various family birthdays but I have managed to find time to get a bit of modelling done. It doesn’t help that my progress this time isn’t really progress, rather the correction of things I didn’t get right in the first, second or even third case. Ho hum…
     
    The camping coach is all but finished, it just needs weathering down slightly and detailing added. Transfers were from Fox and I’m pretty happy with how it’s come together. The steps are made and I’ve a collection of figures to add a little cameo here when it’s all done.

    Progress with the E116 B set has been glacial at times, but both coaches have been resprayed chocolate and cream and one coach is now flush glazed. Lots of individual pieces of 0.5mm perspex cut and filed to shape before being secured with Klear.
    Now there’s just the small matter of changing the bogies, since it would appear the set had 9ft fish belly type and not the pressed steel type which I’ve modelled. I’ll have to swap them out and use them for something else.
    I’ve got some Bristol Division transfers from Railtec for the ends too yet to do.
     


    Lastly, having never ever seen a photo of the bridge on Station Road prior to its demolition, two turned up on the local Facebook history page which, yes you’ve guessed it, showed the bridge looked nothing like the first, second and third one I have built. So with suitably sized underwear on, out came the mini drill and circular saw and I did the best I could without destroying everything and bearing in mind there’s a piece of 12mm ply acting as a track base which obviously I can’t do anything about. I think we’ve got there and a little more weathering and maybe a little filler will finish it off.
     


    Tonight I’ve been sizing up the signals required for the layout and next I real want to get the whole layout up for some testing, oh and sorting out the fiddle yards. 
     
     
  15. ullypug
    With the work on the 43xx almost done and some unexpected time at home, I've been working on the layout again.
    Since the last entry, I've painted the previous landscaping along what will be the back of the layout.

    This week I've removed and turned round the 3 boards nearest Axbridge so I can make the landscape formers and apply paper mâché as previously.
    I've also added the retaining wall on the down side which supported the stone siding, along with the loading point itself. Both walls are from paper coated foam board and will eventually be painted to represent the concrete texture, mainly involving Sandtex and baby powder. More of that anon.

    With the scenery formed, I've been able to start ballasting, after first paining the rails and chairs with Valleyo acrylics (German black brown). these may need some dry brushing later.
    The cess and 6ft is chinchilla dust, sieved through nylon stockings onto a bed of black gloss, a la Gordon Gravett and the ballast is actual Dulcote Stone, sold by Attwood Aggregates. It's fixed with the new Klear replacement, Pledge Multi Surface Polish. One half is still drying in the photos hence the colour difference. I may need to apply some weathering with an airbrush if I'm not happy with the overall effect. I've put the bridge and stone loading platform at Five Ways back on to gauge the effect and so far it's looking promising.

    One thing I've observed from the photos of the prototype is just how little ballast there was between the running lines. It was probably ash or cinders. It certainly wasn't pristine ballast from shoulder to shoulder as many layouts would have you believe.
    A case of modelling what you see, rather than what you think it should be.
    I'll do an update on the mogul on the separate blog later.
  16. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - July 2019 update

    By ullypug,


    Cheddar
    The goods shed has been finished and duly plonked on the layout. It's removable as it spans a base board joint. The internal platform is stuck down because it doesn't.
    most of the area around this will be subject to some terraforming, either subtle ground levelling, goods dock or a barrow crossing.
    Quite pleased with how this has turned out so now onto the station!

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  17. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - July 2023 update

    By ullypug,


    Cheddar
    I've finally finished the station board and have swapped it out so that I can start on the last board, the one nearest Wells or board 8 if you want to be specific. It includes Station Road and its bridge. The last things on the station board were the coal bins on the down mileage sidings and fencing. I've still to do the station chimney pots but that will require a visit to the actual station to take some better photos as these will need to be 3D printed. The roof is going to be fixed down to cure the warp that has developed but that can be done on the workbench.
    Board 8 was ironically the first one to be constructed, a long time ago and in a galaxy far away. It's going to be fairly simple, mainly scenic with a very big tree, quite a few hedges, at least 4 fields, a council depot and possibly one other building (2 Station Road). This afternoon comprised me trying to interpret all the maps of the area and just how I compressed it when I started all that time back.
    The bridge was built a while ago using the usual Green Stuff World embossed ABS and is home to a tricky little point operating mechanism as it site on top of the bridge with no room underneath for a Tortoise motor. The actual motor is tucked in the corner and will be hidden behind the curved back scene, or a house, or something...
    Actual productive work today is a waft of primer for the bridge and the commencement of rail and chair painting ahead of ballasting and point rodding.
     
















  18. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - June 2019 update

    By ullypug,


    Cheddar
    Please to report the goods shed is nearing completion. A few bits to fettle and awaiting ridge tile tops from Scale Link, but it's nearly there. Goods shed detailing will be limited to a crane and a few loads on the platform. Just need to paint them up.
     

     
     
     
     
  19. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - June 2023 Update

    By ullypug,


    P4 layout
    Afternoon peeps.
    progress has slowed a bit and been limited to detailing of the station building.
    The train shed has been adorned with signs, posters and timetables and after a couple of attempts, I’ve got some representative gas lighting installed and working. These came from eBay and are of Chinese origin. They just need painting and tweaking a bit.
    The platform lamps are from Kytes Lights and are the best I could do to match the original GWR gas lamp columns and replacement heads. Telegraph poles have started to be planted too.
    I’m currently building the coal pens for the down mileage sidings but haven’t yet taken any pictures. Likewise the running in boards.
    I keep thinking I’m at the point where I can move on to the next board but still a bit to do yet!
     
    My Accurascale siphon has arrived any very nice it is too. Not to mention an easy conversion to P4. As for the K’s E116 B set… well it’s kind of getting there!
















  20. ullypug
    I'm a very happy bunny right now. Having put the remaining boards up, I've finally managed to get them wired up and working.
    There was an annoying fault with one section that took a bit of time to track down. It was an errant strand of multi-strand wire forming a short circuit in the plug for an as yet un-connected ground signal. It only shorted everything once it was attached to the adjacent board. There was a lot of head scratching and frustration until I finally found it.
    But today! Well, engines have been tested and playing has well and truly commenced. Once the wheels were cleaned on the pannier it worked even better. Ahem...
    There are some areas where a bit of fettling will be required, notably a couple of board joins where the track summits over the join. Nothing falls off, but there is a noticeable movement in the loco. It's not entirely surprising given that each board was built and wired in isolation but I don't think it will be a major exercise to correct. Some of the track alignment could use a little work to take out some of the kinks as well. Not obvious when looking from the side, but it is when viewed from two boards away. Thankfully ply and plastic track is quite adjustable. So once I've done that I can start add cosmetic chairs over the riveted ones I've used (sparingly) around the layout so far.
    The pictures give a flavour of what I'm trying to do. I'm pleased that it's all coming together. There are even a couple of videos too.




    I've also spent evenings this week working on the drawings of the station building and goods shed in Coreldraw. Just got the clerestory roof for the main station to do and it'll be ready to cut wood/mdf.
    I'll save details of that for a later blog.
  21. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - March 2019 Update

    By ullypug,


    building
    Evening all. It's been a while since I updated this blog. Still not too sure about the new software and I haven't had either the time or the inclination to go and update all the previous entries and their photos links etc.
    I've been working my way through the drawings for the goods shed, to the point where it's now ready to cut (I hope). In the meantime, the station board's been put up, ballasted and the point rodding stools added ahead of the platform sides. There's a lot to do on this board with lots of subtle changes in ground levels.
    I suspect that not much will change for a while as most of the activity will proceed off layout for now, but I've attached a couple of photos of today's progress.
     
     


  22. ullypug

    Cheddar P4 - March 2020 update

    By ullypug,


    building
    This month I have been mainly doing tiling.
    With the footbridge finished, it was time to turn to the building range roofs. At 2 feet long, that's a shed load of tiles. Add the pattern of alternate square and round tiles and I wasn't left with much of a choice but to go with York Modelmaking 2mm tiles and take my time. After a few sessions, we finally got to the stage where it was coming together. The tiles were painted with a mixture of Vallejo and Lifecolor acrylics to match the main shed tiles.
    Chimneys added from the usual Green Stuff World ABS sheet and self adhesive quoin details from York. The gates and bargeboards have turned out beautifully, amazing what can be cut in Rowmark. The bargeboards are a couple of layers, stuck together with solvent.
    Shed bargeboards have had their final painting and fitting
    Canopies are done and I'm just debating how to fix them in place. Pins through into the walls seem like a sensible idea as the glues surface offered by the brackets isn't going to hold much.
    Suddenly the list of jobs to do doesn't seem so long. Well, there's the internal shed trussing but I'm not starting that just yet, though I do have another cunning plan.
     
    I am feeling quite pleased with how this has turned out. It just screams Cheddar to me anyway!

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

  23. ullypug
    Some more videos:




    Who says P4 doesn't work?!!
    I spent an enjoyable day on the layout today, running a selection of stock to check alignments on everything. This was the stock from Wheal Elizabeth which I knew worked on that layout. So any problems would be the new layout not the stock.
    A couple of board alignment issues came to light that hadn't previously but a quick dab with soldering iron sorted that out.
    After a while I was prepared to try the propelling move from the down main into the down yard which ultimately will involve a couple of as yet unbuilt siphons. These were stored in the yard here for fruit traffic. I'm pleased that the two Hawksworths had no problems at all. They're on Masokits sprung bogies so I know at least they work.
    Somewhat amusingly, the long wheelbase Hornby Van C which is uncompensated or sprung didn't fall off anywhere either. I did find out the auto tank is wired back to front though!
    D6342 is the loco that started it all off for me on Cheddar. I found a photo on a book of it circa 1963 hauling a two coach train at the station and I thought. 'now there's an idea...'.
    So once I was happy with the layout I put the stock away and spent the rest of the afternoon terraforming embankments by five ways bridge. It'll be nice to do something that isn't wiring. Like painting rail sides and chairs. Deep joy.
    As a distraction I'll hopefully be cutting wood for the main station buildings this week.
    Oh and building a few wagons in-between. But that'll be on the other blog.
    Here are some photos of various moves. I'm going to need a lot more engines and stock yet!
  24. ullypug
    After the distractions of the Triang bogie brake, I've found time to return to the scenics of board 4. I've mocked up the market gardeners cottage based on the limited information I have. I think it's a little too large at the moment but I'll ponder that one.
    The rest is a repeat of previous boards; basic ground cover is static grass applied through a Flockit, additional cover is postiche and scatter, trees are Woodlands scenics armatures and more postiche, fencing is EZ line, strawberry patches are formed from filler and 'topsoiled' before adding the rows and rows of various plants. I need to pick up some point rodding cranks from Brassmasters at Warley and then I'll be able to finish that off.
    There was a permanent way hut on the up side, but otherwise this board is about finished.
    The road at the rear of the layout has yet to be installed. I've plans for that but that's for the future.
  25. ullypug
    So this is where I’ve got to. The main building carcass is assembled and skinned with embossed ABS. All of the plinths are in where I’m sure of the ground levels, with a couple to complete where the ground falls away and the plinths deepen accordingly. Mindful that I’m taking a couple of boards to the EM Gauge Society AGM and skills day in Cardiff on Saturday, I’ve built a transport box which the building will live in once it’s finished. I’ve built the gents WC which was located in the north west corner. I had to add a degree of internal detailing although it’ll never be visible to the public.
    if you fancy a good day out, I can recommend the skills day. Plenty of knowledgeable modellers (and me to average things out), 3 layouts and a good trade representation. Do come and say hello if you’re in the area.










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