ullypug

Freed from the shackles of getting Clevedon ready for its debut this weekend, I've dug the T9 out of the cupboard and had a play. It's amazing how long it takes to to do anything but hey, it's all progress. Working out which bits go where has been a learning experience. Knocking the box of bits over wasn't a sensible thing to do. Still managed to find everything again eventually!

Thanks for the comments folks.

Beautifully done!

I use 17.75. But we can just re-gauge the wheels on the day if you're serious! If you just want to park it on the layout then just leave it at EM

Well spotted, though it's actually an Avon Tyres 21/24 tonner, very old Mainline! Long wheel base and very useful for track testing. Just spray the clay liner white. No one will know!!

Afternoon all Greetings of the Season and all that. Hope you had a good one. Time for an update. I've been quiet on here of late, not because I haven't been doing anything but the opposite. It's been all systems go since the end of October. Not solely model railways either. SWMBO decided that the time had come for a new kitchen so we've had the house upside down. Thankfully everything went live on 22 December and the brownie points I've acquired will last me most of 2014 I hope! It had better the number of shows I'm doing... Anyhoo, back to the trains. Whisper it quietly but I think Clevedon is ready for its debut at Weston on 12 Jan. I say ready, not finished because there will be loads of detailing to add but importantly everything seems to work (may regret saying that). It'll give us a chance to give it a good shakedown. There are a few shows lined up already but I'll post details of those when everything's confirmed. If you're in Weston on 12th, come along and say hello. It's always a busy 1 day show with lots of layouts. If you can't, here are a few pix. Backscene isn't attached so excuse things like the tube of Resin W emerging from the water tanks! Fascia with snazzy lettering Terrier No4 and a MR van All quiet in the yard. Just the large railcar and Terrier seem to be on shed.

Looks very good. I like those clamps and the baseboard jig principle. Shall follow with interest!

That is breathtakingly beautiful. Well done!

The curves on Tim Venton's Clutton are about 2'6" if memory serves. It is possible, though the chassis have to have a lot of side play.

Looking very good ck!

Evening all I have been a bit preoccupied with the backscene of late. I must admit to getting really stressed doing them. SWMBO is quite a talented artist and has helped with the last two layouts but it very nearly ended in divorce last time... The plan for Clevedon has always been for a continuous backscene. This will include the town at the Portishead end, pan round including Hangstone Quarry then flatten out to reflect the levels towards Weston. Originally I envisaged a photo stitched thing but it soon became apparent that Clevedon (despite what some of my friends who live there think) has actually moved on since 1940 meaning the original aspect had been affected by more modern buildings. So one Sunday, I found myself wandering the streets taking photos of various buildings. Luckily a supermarket car park and a sports field give a pretty good vantage point. We are fortunate to have Martin Goodall in our EM area group and he has written articles about backscenes in MRJ's 221 & 222. I didn't quite want the Cotswold stone look but an evening watching him demonstrating his painting techniques convinced me I could have a go. The backing medium is 1700 grade lining paper which is sprayed with a blue and a white Halfords car aerosol (Olympic Blue and some white or other) to get the basic sky pattern. Buildings were sketched out using the principles of parallel perspective and then transferred onto the paper using tracing paper. The painting then commenced using artist's acrylics. The initial attempts were a little 'Costa del Clevedon' with too much terracotta. Once the blocks of colours had been laid down, the building details were added with watercolour graphite pencils. The applied shading softens when moistened with a paint allowing a representation of windows, cills, bargeboards etc to be laid down. I've attached some photos of the final results. I wouldn't call myself an artist at all so I'm really pleased with how it's turning out. There's still a bit to do; the green will be lightened to reflect trees and bushes and the quarry will include a bit more detailing. Still, you get the idea.

Phwrorrr!!!!!! I wants one of those... Seriously impressive stuff Adam.

That's a seriously impressive chassis. I feel an internet related purchase coming on... I've mainly used 9, 10 or 11 thou guitar wire for my sprung wagons (Bill Bedford system) though it's normally the thicker gauges.

I've got two; Weston and Clevedon both in EM. Both on here if you follow the links to my blogs in my signaure. Weston kind of retired and Clevedon debuts next year.The Nailsea club did Weston, Clevedon and Portishead in 7mm about 20 years ago. Then there's Bleadon also in 7mm and a freelance layout based on a rumoured extension to the south of Weston. I'm aware of a couple of private layouts that folks at exhibitions have said they're building. I'm sure there are others.

Just a quick update on the T9. The boiler, smoke box and firebox have all been rolled up as per the instructions. I haven't done this bit before so a lot of care was taken and I took my time. The end results are shown in the photos and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. The T9 will have to wait for a while before I make any further progress as I really need to concentrate on the new layout Clevedon over the coming months and its first show in January.

Nice.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Doesn't PHD do a ladder & walkway for the bullets and the TTA? Could that be chopped?

Southampton at the end of Jan next year. Probably about 16 weeks I reckon...If my steam engines can invade diesels in the duchy like they did at Expo North, anything is possible.

Now that is starting to look very nice indeed. Don't fancy putting some P4 wheels in it and lending it out to certain china clay layouts do you?

Evening all Gosh, it's almost 3 months since I posted anything about the WC&PR. edit can't count! Well I have been busy with the T9... Had a blast at Expo EM North last weekend and on the journey I home I was reminded that the next show I'm exhibiting at is Clevedon's debut. Eeek Nothing like the headlong descent into blind panic to get the juices going! So where was I? Oh yes, at the last local EM meeting, there were a few mutterings about which side of the layout should be the front. Well these mutterings have been developing into full blown conversations and following a visit by Gordon Gravett the other day, a decision has been made to turn the layout round. Sounds more dramatic than it actually is since everything is demountable anyway. So I've temporarily taken down the lighting rig and turned the baseboards round. This afternoon has seen the carcassing made for the backscene. Don't worry, the photos below just show it resting on the back of the layout. There won't be any gaps and having had a good look at Simon Challis' Cheddar (S&DJR) at Expo North last week convinced me to try my hand a painting on lining paper and then getting it laminated/encapsulated. That way it can be one continuous scene which will sit in front of the carcassing. Initially I thought it was going to be a view towards the Bristol Channel but it looks like it'll actually be the back of the Curzon cinema. Check out the link here for a 1930's view. Clevedon aerial photo The down side of this is I will have to tart up all the buildings that don't have a back (lesson there ahem) as well as sort out some bits of unpainted scenery and replace all the sea moss trees. The up side is that the easily breakable bits are now further from the paying public. OK so the operation will have to be from the back, but with manual point operation, I actually don't mind that much. The sheds, stock and greenery will eventually act as scenic blocks and the lower height of the layout (it's about 1.1m) lets the viewer peer over. I think this might work quite well. Oh and yes, this now means that Weston and Clevedon could theoretically be operated at the same exhibition Overall view of the layout (sorry there's so much clutter but I needed the wide angle) Portishead end Weston End Portishead end and water tower Platform with test wagon View through the original WCPR connection spur to the GWR Clevedon Station. The engine shed roof isn't fixed down by the way. View over the sheds towards Weston View over the sheds of the GWR connection Close up of the sheds So, next step is to replace the trees and do it properly, add a few hedges, paint the backscene, add tonnes of detailing etc etc!! laterz

Thanks for the opportunity guys! Good to (finally) see DitD in the flesh.

This is an excellent thread with some gorgeous modelling! Thanks for posting.Could you do mahogany using the same technique?

The results of a couple of weeks off (in between doing proper holidays of course) has seen a bit of progress on the T9. I said the splashers were complicated. They're even harder if you try and attach them upside down which I did. So the coupling rod splashers had to be taken off and re-done. The actual wheel splashers went on reasonably ok and the cab just slotted together. I had a bit of a problem when it came to trimming back the footplate. It snapped at the join with the valence jig, meaning I've had to solder in a couple of replacement pieces of footplate (both sides went the same way) but that said, I don't think the join is that noticeable. Some pipes have been added to the valence sides just below the footplate and parts of the valence jig have already been cut away. The whole things stays in place until the boiler goes on. Anyway, all in all a satisfying bit of progress. I've even managed to do this update on the ipad which is progress of a different sort. If a 7 year old can do it then why not me!