Chris Nevard

nevard_110817_BQ_IMG_0835_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. A spare hour yesterday afternoon produced this scratch-built art deco era electric street light based on ones seen in Weybridge Surrey. The underside of reflector on the real lamp would have a mosaic of mirror glass like on a glitter ball - obviously too small to model. Looking at old photographs in the Weybridge and Walton on Thames, area they appear all over the place in 1955 Francis Frith photographs, and I remember seeing the tungsten versions as modelled here within the last 10 years locally. Now they have modern SOX sodium units in place, but thankfully still have the swan neck and are painted mid-green. I'm guessing that before electric conversion (in the 1920/30's?) they could have been gas, and would have probably featured the familiar cross bar for the lighting up man to rest his ladder on. The problem now is that I want to make some more, a simple enough job, the base is carved plastic rod, the neck brass wire, the reflector aluminium from a beer can, and the bulb a little piece of clear styrene from the sprue of some window glazing.

Thanks - I like weathered green! I need to add an RSJ as pointed out by the Fat Controller to support the pipes - I have some plastruct that will do. The high built in backdrop (Halfords spray paints misted together) is a real bonus and not Photoshop for all the sceptics.

Look at some real mortar on a real wall, then pop into your local model shop and choose a colour to match. Most people make mortar far too bright. If you have a tub of gousehol magnolia lurking try using a thinned down wash of that then wipe 90% of it off leaving a hint in the groves.

nevard_110817_BQ_IMG_0830_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. Brewhouse Quay Update 17 Aug 2011 A new building has finally appeared at the rear just in front of the backscene on Brewhouse Quay. It is half low-relief and is constructed with a foam board inner clad is various textured plastics for Evergreen and Slaters. Breweries are all about turning water, hops and malt into alcoholic liquor, and to achieve this much is the way of water is pumped all around the place courtesy of a Pike Stuff (I think) piping kit which features different pipe gauges, taps, bends and brackets.

This is really lovely! If ever you overdo weathering, a very light dry brush with Humbrol Metalcote (Black 27004) brings everything back in place with the slight resulting sheen giving the effect of an oily working engine rather than Barry scrapper. Like it!

I'm not sure what surface throws you'll be using, but if they're the robust Caboose Hobbies ones, choose the N gauge ones rather than the HO ones that I used if you want a less chunky effect. All credit though to Nigel Burkin's in Model Rail last year who highlighted the use of these useful little devices. They're a doddle to fit too. http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/5583993904/in/set-72157625418433737

Brute force or tractor maybe?

I never knew the Skaledale one was so well detailed inside...... Only kidding of course - it's lovely!

Lisa - that's just showing off Good idea Paul - but the chain would have to be just under 2 ft long and it would be pain trying to get down between the buildings to loop the darn thing around. I aim to simply grab it with a rod from the rear when going for wagon-rear-exit (through the doors there's an imaginery bottling plant with a winch) called Chris.

Private sidings can leave the BR network from all sorts of most unlikely spots - just look at old track plans - I wouldn't worry too much if it works you in the space you have, there will always be a prototype! For example Stothert and Pitt the crane manufacturer and a timber yard had access via the S&D shed lines at Bath Green Park.

Nice one Jan! I'd not seen this one until now, thanks for sharing.

nevard_110731_BQ_IMG_0662_WEB, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. With Model Rail Live pending 17 & 18 September 2011, attention has gone back to Brewhouse Quay to get it ready with a little extra detail and such, and for once I'm not in a dreadful rush to complete this project in time. The shot above which has a big nod to the late great micro layout genius Carl Arendt illustrates the bedding in of the base and capstan for rope shunting using a smudge of Das modelling clay and a spot of Super Glue. The capstan manufactured from turned brass, was purchased from the very useful Cornwall Model Boats and is lurking here in primer with a plastic card base. It of course will be painted before some clever dick who has a mother with 'lovely hands' tells me it's the wrong colour. The capstan is to aid rope shunting, which was one of the various ways that wagons were moved around in small yards like this - see this old post for more info on rope shunting and wagon turntables. You'll be able to read more about Brewhouse Quay with a plethora of unpublished photos in Model Rail very shortly.

Nah - then I'd have to mess about with brass and I really don't have the time or the skills (or interest). Midford is only speculative and will probably not happen for years at the current rate...

A cracking layout! Good duck egg blue walls (every railway room should have pale blue walls) simplify photography of which there will be a few revisits to record progress from time to time. The signals are wonderful - I spent several hours in fear and dread of knocking one flying, but luckily didn't (or if I did Gilbert was too gentlemanly to say anything!). I also know just a little more about the ER/LNER and can now tell the difference between an A4 and a K2 - just. Pix coming soon to the popular press!

That's just showing off Paul! Interesting idea - going around bend could be problematic unless one added some guides inside the tractor wheels that dropped down 0.5mm just inside the rails?

Thanks for posting these Richard! I'm guessing that these are also available via the SDRT along with buildings maybe?

nevard_110719_MinkD_DSC_2976, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr. Extract from my blog at www.nevardmedia.blogspot.com From a Parkside Dundas kit; a GWR Mink D used for stores and local movements around Bath seen here on Brewhouse Quay being pulled along the wharf road with a tractor. The driver has probably gone for a jar by the way... Rather than go for 1950's carmine which was rather pushing history, I decided to turn it into the local stores runabout in grey (Halfords primer). Numbering still needs to be toned down a little and I need to replace the rods between the brake levers at either end with some brass as I have already have between the V hanger wotsits in the middle - the supplied styrene rod is not really tough enough even for normal handling. Note the Sentinel in the background - that is a modified Model Rail/Dapol Sentinel and this is a tease for a forthcoming article 'wot oi wrote' for the printed page. Now you've got to the bottom of today's drivel, be sure to check out George Dent's blog - and by pure chance he has made up a cracking selection of stores van including a Minkypoos... http://georgedentmod...tores-vans.html Bigger version: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/5951905761/sizes/l/in/photostream/

I guess there's nothing stopping anyone from adding it (I probably would do). These plans are only to stimulate ideas, not the definitive answer. I don't think I've ever see a photo of anything actually in it. I gather through, when a down goods wanted to place a wagon in it, the loco of a down goods at Midford yard would uncouple, take refuge in Midford goods yard, the stock required would then be released from the main train to run down past the good yard entrance by gravity. The loco would then recouple and propel the wagon(s) down through the station into the siding. Does anyone know what it might have been used for? Coal, PW vehicles?

Thanks for this Tingleytim- this will be good news for modellers. I guess lack of any photographic evidence is how this came about - mists of time and ll that - cheers! Chris

I want to sit down and watch 40 wagon coal trains rumbling through like at Pendon - sadly I fear it's a long way off with all my other goings on! One day though, and it's certainly with chucking some ideas about. Maybe it's about time there was a SDJR rival to that known museum in Oxfordshire - spare warehouse anyone? Don't take anything I say too literally though!

This started on the Model Rail 159 SDJR Special Issue - but though it wise to move the Midford Masterplan to its own section This is a project I'd love to do, but until I convert the garage nothing too much will happen, and then there are all the other existing projects that need a home Here is a more achievable shelf idea, but the fiddle yards could be a bit scary when handling the Pines, so it might suit a 1963-66 scenario when passenger trains where generally just 3 carriages. How would others approach it? Don't worry, this is just a bit of armchair pontificating and it won't end up in print!

Mr CK - Chocolate factory livery?