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Mikkel

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Blog Entries posted by Mikkel

  1. Mikkel
    The whitemetal wagon kits from David Geen have tempted me for many years, so I thought it was time I gave them a go.
     

     
    I began with this round-ended 3-planker of 1881 vintage, for use in my “out of period” running sessions.
     
     

     
    The good stuff! Nothing like a bit of research to start off a new kit. The round ends were not long-lived on the 3-plankers. From 1883 the GWR introduced square ends, and many of the existing round-ended wagons appear to have been cut down to square ends within a short period. Perhaps to allow for extended loads? Or possibly an early EU regulation .
     
     

     
    The parts are nice and reasonably crisp. Some had flash but it was easily removed.
     
     

     
    The kit was built using Araldite. All very old school but I find it less stressful than soldering when it comes to whitemetal. Which says more about my soldering skills than anything else! I added wheels from Alan Gibson, running in Romford pinpoint bearings.
     
     

     
    I rarely regret being an OO modeller, but this is one of those occasions when the gauge issue raises it’s ugly head. That's no fault of the kit, though, but of the gauge! No doubt I will soon have forgotten all about it and go back into the usual state of denial .
     
     

     
    I went for a slightly worn look. We tend to imagine Victorian liveries as completely spotless, but I can't bring myself to believe that it was really like that at all times and in every case. The 3-plankers were originally 9-ton wagons, although those that retained grease axleboxes were downgraded to 8 tons by the 1900s.
     
     

     
    The wagon on "The bay". There is still some debate over the exact period of the red wagon livery. 
     
     

     
    This was a straightforward and enjoyable build. A square-ended version has also been purchased, for future use on "The depot" within my more normal 1900s timeframe.
  2. Mikkel

    Downsizing

    By Mikkel,

    The Farthing layouts have seen some major rebuilding in the past months.
     

     
     In the early autumn, we sold the house and moved to a flat. Having made sure that the layouts survived the move without damage…
     
     

     
     … I immediately cut them to pieces. It was clear from the outset that downsizing was needed, as the only place to store the layouts is in a small attic room reached by a narrow flight of stairs.
     
     

     
     The Down Bay was the first to suffer. The sky backscene was dismantled and the integrated fiddle yard was cut away, leaving a 92 cm scenic board. 
     
     


    The Old Yard was given a similar treatment. A third of the scenic section was cut away. It’s built on foamboard, so I was able to make a good clean cut with nothing but a craft knife.
     
     

     
    That left a 100 cm board (left). The off-cut went into storage, maybe it will return as a diorama some day.
     
     

     
    A bit of work was needed on both layouts to adapt the track to the new formats. 
     
     

     
    An attempt at repairs. Looks a bit like Texas! The Down Bay still uses code 100 track, whilst the other layouts use hand laid C+L.  I don't really mind the difference.
     
     
     

    My third layout, the Goods Depot, didn’t need shortening. It’s a micro built in an Ikea box, which fits neatly in a large old closet. I’m still negotiating for access to the lower part of the closet!
     
     

     
    In order to operate the now truncated layouts, my trusty “Bumblebee traverser" was adapted with extra tracks and sturdier height adjustment legs. It continues to work well against all odds, and is now able to feed all three layouts.
     
     

     
    So trains are now running again at Farthing   Here is the Old Yard set up on the dining table. The small size of the layouts means that I am able to enjoy some relaxing “shunting puzzle” operation in our living room during weekends, without too much bother.
     
     

     
    Here is the Goods Depot, which is small enough to operate on my new desk/workbench, also in the living room. I have an agreement with my wife that when seated here,  I'm invisible. She gets the point but says my activities are not exactly "invisible" 
     
     

     
    And finally the Down Bay, taking up a tiny bit of space on the dining table .  The retaining walls need to be realigned and proper sky backscenes are on the cards.
     
    So that's the current status. Ironically, there is room for further layouts as long as I keep them small enough. Plans are afoot for a modular approach, but more on that later. 
     
     
     
  3. Mikkel
    I’ve been making my own crates and tea chests from printable veneer. Today I installed them in the goods depot at Farthing.
     
     
     

     
    The mezzanine floor at Farthing was used as a storage facility. Traders could have their wares stored while awaiting dispatch and distribution.
     
     
     

     
    Space was literally at a premium, and this floor was always tidier and more well organised than the busy decks below.
     
     
     

     
    Farthing wasn’t far from Britain’s first Nestlé factory, built at Chippenham in 1873 for the manufacture of condensed milk.
     
     
     

     
    This part of the goods depot was inspired by the balcony floor at Hockley Goods, which seems to have been used for similar purposes.
     
     
    The following is a description of how the crates were made, summarized from the workbench thread:
     

    I like the smallish wooden crates that could be seen in goods depots before cardbox boxes became common. So I began by designing a few of these. The top one above is photoshopped from a pic of an original Nestlé crate. The rest are tongue in cheek
     
     

     
    I wanted to capture that light wooden look of a new crate, and wasn’t quite happy with the texture of ordinary paper. After searching the web I came across these veneer sheets intended for creative photo printing. I bought mine from Crafty Computer Paper (no connection).
     
     
     

     
    It’s important to note that these sheets only work with top loaded ink-jet printers. They will jam if you use a printer where the paper bends over on itself. I have a cheap top loaded Canon IP2850 printer, which cost about 30£ a year ago (colour cartridge included). It does take the sheets, although each sheet needs to be pressed down gently when the rollers try to “grab” it. I would be weary to do this on a high-end printer!
     
     
     

     
    Test prints suggest that the wood effect is pretty much as I had hoped. The lettering comes out OK I think, although I’m sure a more expensive printer could give an even better result.
     
     
     

     
    The veneer sheets can be cut fairly easily with a normal scalpel.
     
     
     

     
    I've experimented with two different ways of building the crates. The first and most laborious method is to cut out each side separately, and glue them on a block of laminated plastic rod as seen above.
     
     
     

     
    This method gives a fairly neat final appearance, as seen above. This pic also shows the texture of the veneer, and how the different shades of the sheets can be used to add subtle variety: The ones on the left are from one sheet, the ones on the right from another.
     
     
     

     
    A quicker method is to cut each crate out in one piece, and lightly scribe the rear of the veneer at the corners with the back of a thick scalpel blade (a sharp scalpel or deep cut will break the veneer). The crate can then be folded and glued with a good quality card glue or similar. You inevitably get a light tear at the corners though - so this method is best for crates that aren't seen close up.
     
     
     

     
    I've made rows of stacked crates by glueing individual sides to the front of a long block of laminated styrene strips, as seen above. Saves time, and can't be seen once completed.
     
     
     

     
    The fake rows can then be stacked and glued or just blu-tacked together.
     
     
     

    The tea chests are based on real ones but photoshopped to fit my setting and period.
     
     
     

     
    The metal edges on the "East India" one didn't really come across as I hoped in the printing...
     
     
     

     
    ... so thanks to Dave and other RMwebbers I tried using the dull side of foil for the metal edges. I cut the foil in strips and then fixed it with card glue to one side first. It can then be bent around the edge and stuck to the other side.
     
     
     

     
    It’s worth the effort to spend some time cleaning up the edges afterwards. With a ruler and sharp scalpel, edges can be trimmed straighter and narrower as required. The superfluous foil can be scraped off leaving no visible mark. Small problem areas can be fixed with a quick lick of metallic paint. The veneer is very forgiving, so paint can also be scraped off if necessary.
     
     
     

     
    The crates are strenghtened inside like this.
     
     
     

     
    The tea chests represent different types and sizes, some with metal sides and some without. Judging by photos I have seen, the metal edges don't seem to have been common until the 1920s or so.
     
     
     

     
    As mentioned earlier, the sheet itself is quite forgiving and glue and paint can be scraped off without leaving much trace. The lettering is another matter. The print on the right has been treated to a light coat of Vallejo matt varnish!
     
     
     

     
    Finally a comparison between a veneer crate, an earlier paper-printed effort (right) and a parcel made from Manilla envelope paper. The crate has that nice and square look.
     
    Thanks to all who have helped and contributed to this little project, see the discussion in the workbench thread for more ideas and suggestions.
  4. Mikkel

    Signs, posters and adverts

    By Mikkel,


    Misc.
    Here's a selection of the signs, posters and adverts that I've used on "The bay" to help enhance the ambience.
     
     

     
    The station sign for Farthing, summarizing the fictional geography of the old N&SR line. The sign is printed, a temporary measure that may become permanent now that the RMweb competition is tempting me to move on quickly to the next layout in the series. I intended to use Smiths 4mm and 2mm etched letters for the job, although testing suggested that it would be very time consuming as there is so much text here. The sign was printed using fonts stored in the files section of the always excellent GWR e-list.
     
     
     

     
    The Smiths etched letters are good though, and for a simpler station sign the job would quickly have been done. These are 4mm and 2mm scale respectively. This type of letters appears to have been introduced on the GWR around 1906, replacing an earlier more elaborate style.
     
     
     

     
    The screen for the Gentlemen's lavatory. The posterboard is a modified card item from Tiny Signs. I built up a frame from thin strips of Plastikard to bring out the relief. The posters are reduced and printed from examples found on the web. I've since noticed that many GWR posterboards from the period had a darkish frame. I assume it is the brown colour discussed in this thread? In that case I'll need to send in the painters.
     
     
     
     

     
    The posterboards from Tiny Signs as they come. An alternative set is available from Smiths.
     
     
     

     
    Enamel adverts, mostly from Tiny Signs. I tone them down slightly with satin varnish and weather them with eg a little rust at the edges. I've also made a few adverts myself, based on real prototypes that I've reproduced on the PC. Unfortunately my printer can't match the sharply printed commercial offerings. New insights from David Bigcheeseplant here on RMweb indicates that when the painters are done with the posterboards, they can move on to the window frames and apply the same brown colour.
     
     
     

     
    A sheet of adverts from Tiny Signs. It can be quite hard to tell what period the different adverts are from, as appearances can be deceitful and a check of old photos doesn't always help. I seem to remember there was a series of articles about enamel ads in Model Rail some years ago. Does anyone remember what issues they were?
     
     
     

     
    Etched station signs from Scalelink. These were painted all-over black while still on the etch, after which the paint was wiped off the raised letters. The letters were then painted white by carefully dragging a broad flat brush across them.
     
  5. Mikkel
    Greetings everyone – Pickle S. Finkerbury here, railway historian and time traveller. As previously explained, I have a knack for being in the right place at the right time, which has provided me with unique insights into certain unknown aspects of GWR matters. Here is another extract from my files: 
     
     


    Farthing, early 1900s. It is well known that the GWR treated the workers at Swindon to an annual excursion by rail. What is less known is that the top management at Swindon Works also undertook an annual excursion, although that was of a much more exclusive nature. This year, the distinguished group are visiting the ever expanding Farthing station.
     
     
     


    Their special train has been propelled into the sidings of the Old Yard, and the members of the prominent party are investigating the facilities. The First class coaches show early experiments with the garter crest livery, soon to become standard. The roofs won't stay white for long.
     
     
     


    The official purpose of the excursion is to obtain a first hand experience of practical engineering matters. But - as the local staff are quick to note - the participants seem more interested in socialising.
     
     
     

     
    This includes L.R. Thomas, manager of the Carriage & Wagon Department at Swindon Works. He has brought along the young and rather lovely Miss Estella Havisham, whom he has been courting since they met at a ball in Swindon a few weeks ago. 
     
     
     


    Being of a somewhat awkward and old fashioned disposition, Mr Thomas is struggling to keep the conversation going - until he spots a couple of wagons in the sidings. Sensing an opportunity to impress the young lady, Thomas decides to discuss the evolution of the GWR wagon brake. 
     
     
     


    Since he is talking to a woman, Thomas keeps it very simple: 'You see, Miss Havisham, this wagon uses our old brake design. You will note the large lever.'
     
     
     

     
    Thomas continues: 'We have been using this brake design for a long time, but it can only be operated from one side, and is really a rather primitive arrangement.'
     
     
     

     
    Moving on to the next wagon, Thomas becomes visibly excited:  'Now this wagon, by contrast, uses a much more modern and ingenious brake design!'
     

     


    'In fact this brake is my own design, which I patented a few years ago. It is known, I might add, as the Thomas Brake'. 
     
     
     

     
    'As you can see, Miss Havisham, my design has handles on both sides, rather than a single lever. By winding the handle the brakes are applied. Do you understand?'
     
     
     


    Miss Havisham does seem to understand. 'Oh Mr Thomas, what an ingenious mechanism!', she exclaims, 'And such an interesting topic. I must confess that all this talk of handles and levers excites me somewhat!'. 
     
     


    Now rapidly warming to the topic, Mr Thomas is about to go into further detail – but then Miss Havisham interrupts him:
     
     


    'But I wonder, Mr Thomas, if a more convenient single-action arrangement could be developed? One might perhaps exchange the handle for a side lever with the end set downwards and connected via an adjustable link to a toothed quadrant which could be loosely mounted on a transverse shaft. Short hand levers could be fitted at either end of the shaft, with which the rack could be actuated via a projecting arm, thus engaging with a lug on the quadrant. A pawl could be used to retain the toothed rack when the hand lever is pressed down. When on, the side lever would lift and reverse the brakeblock shafts on the rocking shaft at the V-hanger. Would that work, do you think, Mr Thomas?'
     



    Speechless and bewildered, Thomas just stands there.  What Miss Havisham has just described is not only highly ingenious, it is also a design very similar to one currently being developed by William Dean himself, with much input from Churchward. How on earth would a layman - and a woman at that! – be able to come up with something so advanced?
     
     
      
     
    Just as Thomas is about to regain composure, an elegantly dressed man approaches them. Thomas’ heart sinks further. He knows exactly what is going to happen. What had seemed such a promising day is rapidly becoming a nightmare.

    Who is the elegant man in the grey suit? Why does Miss Havisham know so much about wagon brakes? And what will it all mean for Thomas’ efforts to court her?  Find out in Part 2, which is here.
     
     
  6. Mikkel
    Yesterday I went to get some things in the attic of the old apartment block where we now live. Each flat has a tiny storage room, and as I entered the attic I noticed that one door was ajar.
     
     


    Feeling curious, I had a look inside. The room was empty,  but someone had left an old filing cabinet in the corner.
     
     


    Imagine my surprise when, inside the cabinet, I found a number of files marked “Farthing”. With trembling hands I opened the first file, and…
     
     


    Pleased to meet you Ladies and Gentlemen! I am Pickle S. Finkerbury, autodidact railway historian and time traveler. My works include “A Complete and Exhausting Survey of Farthing Station” and “Abandoned Occupational Crossings of Wiltshire, Vol. 1-3”. 
     
     

     
    My specialty, however, is to document the more, shall we say, unusual aspects of everyday railway operation. I have a certain knack for being in the right place at the right time, and have collected a number of files with previously unpublished information. 
     
     

     
    Today I should like to share an interesting finding that I came across in the bay platform at Farthing station, one fine day in the summer of 1907.
     



    The branch passenger train from Overburne was just arriving, exactly on time. 
     
     


    The train pulled into the bay platform…
     
     


    …and came to a halt at the stops, where Station Master A. Woodcourt  was waiting.
     
     


    It was then that I overheard a most interesting conversation between the Station Master and the newly arrived loco crew.
     
     


    - 'Gentlemen, can I have a word?'
    - 'Yes, Sir?'
     
     


    - 'I’ve been reading in the papers about all these dogs that have been disappearing.'
    - 'Dogs, Sir?'
     
     


    - 'Yes, it seems a lot of people have lost their dogs. The police are without a clue, but I’ve noticed….'
    - 'Noticed, Sir?'
     
     

     
    - 'I’ve noticed that the missing dogs all came from houses situated along the Overbourne line. You work that route together a lot.  And it got me thinking…'
    - 'Thinking, Sir?'
     
     


    - 'The two of you, you’re our best men on the footplate. Very eager, aren’t you, about optimising performance. Always experimenting with the firing and the fuel.'
    - 'Fuel, Sir?'
     
     


    - 'All right Perkins, that’s enough! I’m not an idiot. We’ll keep this to ourselves, but there will be no more firing with people's pets! It was bad enough with the cats last year. We certainly want a good fuel economy, but not at the expense of our four-legged friends. Understood?
     
     


    After a long silence both men gave an almost imperceptible nod, and got back to work on the footplate. 

     


    They set the train back… 
     
     


    …did the run round…
     
     

     
    …and eventually pulled away with the train. As we watched them go, I heard the Station Master reminding himself to inspect the ash pit that evening. I shudder to think what he found.

     

     
    So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. You are now privy to one of the best kept trade secrets of Great Western footplate men. And you know why GWR engines had such a lovely bark.

    Till next time!

     
  7. Mikkel
    This is the third and final part of a story based on a real incident on the Great Western at the turn of the century. It draws on the transcripts of a court case at Old Bailey. The story is narrated by Dennis Watts, a slipper boy in the employment of the GWR. The story began here.
     


     
    Having produced their damning evidence, Detective Benton and constable Walmsley rounded up the four thieves and took them to court. I was the star witness at the trial, and made sure to tell the story well. Based on my testimony, Woods and Lawson were convicted and put away.
     


     
    Unfortunately Fraser and Marsh - the two other slipper boys - got off free. I hadn’t counted on that. After the trial they returned to work and cornered me.
     
     
     

     
    I ran off, but they chased me…
     
     
     

     
    …all over…
     
     
     

     
    …the goods depot.
     


     
    In the end I had to call for help…
     
     
     

     
    …and soon we were four against two.
     
     
     

     
    We quickly overcame the two villains, tied them up, and…
     
     
     

     
    …packed them in a couple of tea crates. They were forwarded that night on the 2AM goods, labelled for Thurso.
     


     
    Because you see, dear reader, I haven’t been quite honest with you…
     
     
     

     
    I’ve got a gang of my own, and we didn’t want those amateurs intruding on our turf. Not that they were any competition, really. We’re a pretty organised bunch. My uncle the goods checker is on board, and Watts the GWR copper. Handy people, if you’re into goods scams. You see, we don’t deal in petty theft. We aim much higher than that: We have ways…
     
     
     

     
    …of making whole trucks…
     
     
     

    ….disappear.
     
     
     
    *****************************************
     

    Editor’s notes:
     
    You may be wondering how much of this actually happened. The story roughly follows the real events recorded in the proceedings from Old Bailey up to the point of the trial (albeit in a simplified form, and with the names altered). The original theft of the satins and silks, and the clever detective work of matching the pieces of wrapping did thus in fact happen. The appearance of our “hero” the slipper boy as the star witness at the trial is also true, as is the fact that two of the thieves were released after the trial.
     
    From there on, the story is fiction. Or is it? A closer reading of the court proceedings leave certain questions unanswered, and it is these “loose ends” that inspired the rest of the story. As for making whole wagons disappear, I refer to “GWR Goods Wagons” by Atkins, Beard and Tourret (1998 edition) which in the preface states that 3 wagons were added to the condemned list in 1908 because “they had not been heard of for 10 years” (sic).
     
    PS: I’m using the term “truck” rather than “van” or "wagon", as that is the word used by all the staff in the testimonies of the court case at Old Bailey. I’ve always thought the words van and wagon were used at the time – perhaps that was the official terminology, and "trucks" was everyday slang?
  8. Mikkel
    These past weeks I have had some pleasant early morning modelling sessions, building a GWR covered float for my early 1900s setting. 
     

     
    The model was built using  two drawings in Great Western Horse Power by Janet Russel (figs 180 and 182) and a photo in Great Western Way p.163 (original edition). I was a bit slow to discover that there are variations between the drawings and the photo. The prototype is not in the GWR diagram book for horse-drawn carriages, but is arguably a variant of  the E5 diagram (see GWR Goods Cartage Vol 1 by Tony Atkins).

     

     
    I say 'scratchbuilt', but the wheels are from an Arch Laser kit for another wagon (see discussion here). They conveniently represent the correct 4'6" diameter 14 spoke pattern used by the GWR in earlier days.
     
     

     
    Although just a lowly float, the prototype had a certain Victorian elegance in the design. Like all floats, they had cranked axels to allow for a low floor and thereby easier loading of goods.
     
     

     
    The hoop sticks for the tilt were formed over a jig, stuck on with duct tape and dunked in boiling water.
     
     

     
    The drawings show the tilt with vertical sides and a curved top. The wagon in the reference photo suggests a rounder shape. I initially concluded that this was an optical illusion. In retrospect I am not so sure.
     
     

     
    The shafts were also nicked from the Arch Laser kit. They are flat as they come, but on my prototype they have a curve so I rolled them with a round scalpel, and modifed them to allow proper fixing to the body.
     
     

     
    The shafts had extended mounting plates/irons along the side of the wagon. Mine are a bit over scale.
     
     

     
    The springs were cut on my Silhouette. A rough outline was enough as the wheels obscure the details. 
     
     

     
    The brake design seems to have varied on these vehicles. The reference photo shows a somewhat crude external design, operated by a lever from the front, so I imitated this.
     
     

     
    For the painting, I followed Tony Atkins who in GWR Goods Cartage Vol 1 states: "According to the Railway Magazine, at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries GW horse lorries for delivering goods had red wheels, shafts and framing, while horse-drawn  vans used for collecting and delivering passenger train parcels were painted chocolate all over [...] In 1909 horse vans were also given the same red shafts and wheels as lorries."  Although floats sometimes doubled as parcels vans at rural stations, they were first and foremost intended for goods cartage, so I opted for red wheels, springs and shafts for my early 1900s period. As an aside, I'm never entirely confident about livery references in the Railway Magazine of the 1900s, but that is another story.
     
     

     
    Then along came Charlie, new to the GWR stables. Young and hopeful, he dreamt of a career in tap dancing and an endless supply of Cheese & Cucumber sandwiches.
     
     

     
    We quickly put an end to that! Here he is being modified with extra harness.
     
     

     
    I modelled the harness so that it loosely indicates the method used to pull fixed-shaft wagons, while also allowing the wagon to rest on the back of the now disillusioned Charlie. This solved the problem of balancing a one-axle vehicle. 
     
     

     
    The tilt was made from plain paper, with the lettering copied from the reference photo. Period photos show that tilts of this type were very taut, with the impression of the hoop sticks sometimes showing through. To indicate this I wetted the paper and formed it around the hoop sticks.
     
     

     
    The tarp was then varnished several times, and holes punched in the sides to emulate how it was fixed in place. I wish I had used the number of a wagon that hadn't been photographed, as that would have solved the problem of inconsistencies between the drawings and the reference photo!
     
     

     
    The reference photo shows two thin and rather unsightly boards along the sides of the tilt, presumably to pin it down further and stabilise it. I made them from masking tape.
     
     

     
    The lettering in the reference photo shows a style used during the 1890s (sometimes with, sometimes without the "Co."). I pieced it together from a couple of photos using this style.
     
     
     

     
    The tilt had separate protective tarps fitted on the inside of the hoops at the front and rear. Again, these were simply made from paper. Photos suggest that in daily practice the rear "flap" on horsedrawn vehicles was often secured in half-open or fully open position.
     
     

     
    Lastly the wheels hubs were fitted, made from a styrene tube and filled with putty.
     
     

     
    So that's it. I won’t be fitting reins at this point, as I have to set up my layouts every time I want to run trains, so reins are just not practical. In this view you can see that the wheels are Lasercut, but it's OK from normal viewing distance.
     
     

     
    There are photos of fixed-shaft vehicles resting like this in GWR yards. Smaller carts without a tilt were sometimes, er, tilted the other way.
     
     

     
    By and large, Charlie appears to have accepted his fate. Though sometimes, out of the corner of my eye, I can see him doing a secret little tap dance.
     
     

     
    Lastly a view of the horsedrawn GWR fleet at Farthing as it currently appears. So much for corporate identity! 
     
     
  9. Mikkel
    My model of the GWR stable block at Park Royal is now almost done. Here's an overview of the build and some pics of the finished item.
     

     
    The stables at Park Royal followed the classic outlines of what I call the “Style B” of GWR stable blocks. Above is a sketch. The model itself was built using the GWR drawing that is reproduced in "Great Western Horsepower" by Janet Russell and in Adrian Vaughan's "Pictorial Record of Great Western Architecture".
     


     
    I used my Silhouette cutter extensively for the build. The GWR drawings were imported into Inkscape, on top of which I then drew up my own drawings for the cutting file. Getting the hang of this was a learning process in itself, and I’m grateful to Jason and Mike for their excellent threads on using the Silhouette and Inkscape.
     

     
    The digital drawings were used to print the main sections on my Silhouette Portrait cutter. The cutting mat for the Portrait is shorter than the length of the stable block, but I eventually discovered that two mats can be used in extension of each other, with the styrene sheet bridging them, as seen here.
     

     
    The Silhouette can't cut 20 thou, which is a problem if you’re using embossed sheets, since most of these seem to be of that thickness, including the SE Finecast sheets that I favour. So I used the Cutter to score the rear side of the sheet, and then cut through manually with a scalpel.
     

     
    The cut sections were laminated onto further layers to create depth. I ended up with five layers in total. The front of the building was done before I discovered that I could cut the full length of the building in one go.
     

     
    The vents, lintels and sills were also cut on the Silhouette. This is where it started feeling like making your own kit.
     

     
    I initially struggled a bit to get the windows cut well. The silhouette isn’t really designed for this sort of detail work. The best I could manage was 0.3mm glazing bars. The hit and miss vents aren’t perfect, but once painted I think they came out OK.
     

     
    The doors were built up like this. They were quite tall and wide, which initially puzzled me until I realized that some rather big beasts had to pass through them!
     

     
    The windows and doors were fitted as the middle layer in the 5 layer sandwich.
     

     
    I modelled a couple of the windows in open position, to add signs of life.
     

     
    The rear wall was easy work. It was very plain on the prototype, as per most GWR stable blocks. I assume to give the horses a bit of peace and quiet (windows were sometimes retro-fitted when the stables were converted to garages).
     

     
    The slates for the roof were cut from vinyl, a tip I got from Lee’s blog.
     

     
    Once cut, the vinyl strips can easily be pulled off the backing and are not as fragile as paper or card strip, which allows repositioning.
     

     
    Right, I thought, nearly done! But then came the roof vents…
     
    The roof vents – aka cupolas - turned out to be a whole project in themselves. I needed six, which eventually amounted to some 220 individual pieces. The photos below show how I made them. I hope they are more or less self explanatory:
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    There followed a discussion in the workbench thread as to whether slate was actually used on the cupolas. Some photos *seem* to show it, but it remains an open question. The safe bet for anyone else would be to use metal sheeting instead, as several photos and one drawing shows this - although whether this was zinc, copper or lead sheeting is not clear to me.
     

     
    After painting, I realized that the individual slats in the roof vents had come out with slightly different angles. So my method for making them could be improved on. The camera is cruel though, and it's not that noticeable in real life.
     

    A view from above. The roof vents were not evenly spaced on the prototype.
     

     

     

     

    I have done a bit of light weathering, but it probably needs more. There is also the question of a manure pit, which I haven't built yet. I need to make some planning decisions first, more on that later.
  10. Mikkel

    A roof for "The depot"

    By Mikkel,

    I’ve been working on the alternative side of the goods depot recently. The sides and roof are now more or less done and I'm preparing to lay the ground and track in front of it. The roof has caused much muttering and swearing. Some time ago I dropped the whole thing on the floor, and had to rebuild much of it. Because of the accident, the roof is now slightly out of true in some places. That's not really visible, but it meant I had to give up on flush-glazing it. Certainly a compromise, but I was getting close to abandoning the whole thing, so decided that I had better just accept it and move on.
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
    I like looking down through the glazing to the scene below. Not really what the layout was designed for, but a nice extra bonus.
     
     

     
    The roof structure gives a nice play of light and shadow inside the depot, which varies greatly with the lighting and time of day.
     
     

     
    I prefer it when the shadows appear naturally...
     
     

     
    ...but they can of course be further enhanced by "staged" articifical lighting as above.
     
     

     
    My struggles with the roof have been a mental barrier, so it's nice to be past that point. I can now get down to things I enjoy more, such as weathering these walls further, and getting the details in place.
  11. Mikkel

    Trees for Farthing - Mark One

    By Mikkel,


    Scenery
    Projects over the summer have included trees. The original inspiration came from the tree-lined perimeters of Reading’s Vastern Road and King’s Meadow goods yards.
     
     
    Vastern Road yard, Reading, 1948. Source: Britain from above.
     
     
    The trees here were quite close to the track along some sections. Earlier photos from the 1900s show larger trees, so they must have been a feature from at least the 1880s.
     

    Vastern Road yard, Reading, 1948. Source: Britain from above.
     
     
    Apart from a bit of dabbling ages ago, this was my first real attempt at trees. It does show! But for what it's worth, here's a summary of how I did them. The basic armature was made from Treemendus 0.5 mm wire, cut to 150 mm lengths of which I used 45 per tree for my purposes. Similar wire can be obtained from florists.
     

     
     
    To form the trees, I used the method suggested by Treemendus, whereby one wire is twisted around others (rather than twisting all wires). This is certainly a quick method, but the outer wire does show.
     

     
     
    Treemendus recommend using masking tape in order to smooth out the trunk and main branches. This helps, but also adds to the thickness. Accordingly, I may use fewer wires per tree for the next batch.
     

     
     
    Once done, the armatures were coated in Treemendus bark powder. This can be sanded for a smoother look.
     

     
     
    For the crown and foliage I diverted from the Treemendus approach and instead used Heki sea foam, each piece glued to the armature with superglue. The pods can be removed, but I didn’t bother as the foliage I used conceals it.
     

     
     
    The crown was sprayed with a few quick coats of light brown/grey. I used Liquitex, these are low-toxic water based spraypaint for artists.
     

     
     
    Foliage was added using “coarse turf” from Woodlands scenic. This is the “burnt grass” shade.
     

     
     
    The foliage was attached using Hob-e-Tac- glue, non-toxic and very sticky.
     

     
     
    The foliage sticks to the outer reaches of the seafoam, leaving a nice natural branch structure behind it. 
     

     
     
    A coat of Woodlands “scenic cement” was sprayed on to further stick things down. This darkens the foliage somewhat, so I only did one coat. 
     

     
     
    As these are planted urban trees, they needed to be fairly uniform yet individually different. It helped to build them alongside each other. 
     

     
     
    I found that it was possible to make up individual bits of sea-foam twigs and retro-fit them to the trees. That way, any areas that I was unhappy with could be improved.
     

     
     
    The species is nominally London Plane-ish, although I admittedly concentrated more on just learning the techniques. I did try to indicate the mottled/patchy look of the bark with a paintbrush, but it doesn't show up well and needs more work.
     

     
     
    The original plan was to have 3-4 trees at the front of the layout.
     

     
     
    I liked the views beneath the canopy.
     

     
     
    And the shadow effect when the sun came in through our windows.
     

      
     
    But from a distance the layout seemed too “front loaded” and forbidding. Trying out various configurations I was struck by how the different positioning of trees can give very different impressions. E.g., compare these two photos:
     

     

     
     
    In the end I opted for the arrangement seen below. This gives me street trees but also an open view. It requires an extension of the layout at the back, featuring another road and - you'll be relieved to hear - a backscene. This is currently being built.
     

     
     
    It's all been an interesting exercise. I will probably keep this first batch of trees for the time being, but have started experimenting with alternative methods, including natural plants. More on that later.
     
     
  12. Mikkel

    Chinchilla sand and terrain paste

    By Mikkel,


    Scenery
    Been doing some scenic work on The Stables. I wish I could settle on a fixed set of approaches for the surface textures, but I seem to be trying out different methods on every new layout!
     
     

     
    The yards at Farthing tend to feature a cinders/ash/dirt mix for ballast, as seen in period photos. In the past I’ve used Polyfilla (handbuilt track) or DAS (RTR track). But I wanted a more textured look, so tried Chinchilla sand this time.
     
     

     
    I say Chinchilla “sand” because that’s what was available here in Denmark. Not sure it’s the same as “dust”? Anyway, the fine grain meant that extra careful cleaning of the sleepers was needed, and even then I missed some. 
     
     

     
    Hmm. Once wetted and stuck down with a PVA mix it set nicely - but close-ups revealed an unsightly shine from the quartz.
     
     
     
     
    So I applied a couple of fairly thick coloured washes, dispensed as drops from a brush. The sleepers did need touching up afterwards. 
     
     

     
    Well, I got my texture and can live with the result, but I'm not completely happy. Next time I may try mixing in some grout or real ash.
     
     

     
    For the yard's ground texture I have previously used Polyfilla, but wanted more control so tried a base of DAS, rolled and cut to size. Bacon sandwich, anyone?
     
     

     
    DAS on a PVA base, smoothed with a wet finger. 
     
     

     
    Antarctic railway. The grey DAS I use dries up white. OK as a base, but a bit too smooth for what I wanted.
     
     


    So I experimented with terrain paste as used by the diorama and wargaming communities. Got some for my birthday.  I ended up using mostly the AK Terrains Light Earth. Although coarser than Vallejo Sand Paste, I found it takes paint better and dries up dead matt.
     
     

     
    I think it's supposed to go on neat, but I found it could be thinned with water to control how coarse I wanted it. My best sable brush, not!
     
     


    Experiments showed it can be sanded down for more smoothness. Adds a bit of variation.
     
     


    In other areas I tried thinning the paste a lot, then stippling it on to add a slight gravel effect. The pastes would be an expensive solution if applied neat over large areas, but with thinning I think their potential increases.
     
     


    The whole thing was lightly coloured with thin washes of Vallejo acrylics.
     
     


    The layout has a slight embankment that separates the yards. This was treated to static grass.
     
     


    I haven't tried static grass before, what a superb mess you can make! I don't have much hair left, so I wonder…
     
     

     
    Although it’s summer I wanted a subdued colour, so used Mini Natur 2mm and 4mm "Late Fall", and a bit of Woodland Scenics 4mm straw. The phone camera exaggerates the yellow, it’s a bit greener in reality.
     
     
     

     
    Edwardian photos suggests that grass was fairly carefully controlled in yards back then, so I resisted the urge to apply it in patches everywhere.
     
     


    Lastly I tried working over the whole area with pigments. It helped blend things together. Note to self: This is MIG Light European Earth (P415), now rebranded as Abteilung 502 Light European Earth (2260). Also a bit of Vallejo Pigments Light Yellow Ochre (73.102).
     
     

     
    I suppose there’s an un-intended seaside look to it. Shades of Neil’s Shell Island layout. I wish!
     
     


    Where it’s at. Now onward with the trees.
     
     
  13. Mikkel

    The four phases of modeller's recovery

    By Mikkel,


    Musings
    I had a setback with my Dean Goods. I was spraying on some varnish in preparation for lining, when this happened:
     

     
    Orange peel - or something similar!
     
    There followed the usual process, so well described in Dr Mindbender’s insightful ”Coping with Failure in Railway Modelling: The Four Phases of Modeller’s Recovery” (Wild Swan, 2019):
     
    Phase 1:  Despair (”Why me, Lord?”) 

     
     
    Phase 2:  Resentment (”Stupid model!”)

     
     
    Phase 3: Detachment (”It's only a model.”)

     
     
    Phase 4: Comeback (”Bring it on, orange peel!”)

     
     
    Moving from phase 1 to 4 can take hours or years, depending on circumstances. I have projects in the cupboard that seem permanently stuck at phase 2 (resentment)! 
     
    In this case it went a bit faster. I was at stage 3 (detachment) and about to reach for a wagon kit when a sudden surge of inner strength (a.k.a whisky) prompted a search for "how to strip paint off a glued model".  The results suggested that a bath in IPA might do the trick. It did, with a little help from a tooth brush.
     
     

     

    Things are now more or less back on track. Due to the 'toothbrushing' and rubbing with Wet & Dry, the edges seem to have lost a little crispness in the process (this is styrene after all, not brass) but it's not too bad, and I'm just happy that the whole thing didn't fall apart. Re-painting is now underway. Phew!
     

     
     
     
  14. Mikkel

    Barrels, baskets, bales

    By Mikkel,


    Goods
    I’m still working on the goods items for my goods depot. Here’s a selection of various items I've been working on recently. Apologies for getting a bit long-winded with this, but I enjoy learning a bit about goods items as I go along – it’s all part of the scene, after all.
     
     

     
    H0 and 0 casks from Frenchman River Works. Great texture and six hoops, which is rare on model casks despite being very common in reality.
     
     
     

     
    The FRW barrels again, now painted. At first I thought they were too rickety for an Edwardian goods depot, but then realized that they represent “dry slack” casks with wooden hoops as used for fruit, tobacco, nails etc - as opposed to “dry tight” casks for eg flour and salted products, and “wet tight” casks for beer, wine etc. Slack casks were typically of inferior materials and workmanship, and were often only used once. An interesting topic in itself, see eg this website.
     
     
     

     
    White metal beer casks from Dart castings. They are reasonable mouldings, but do require some work on the mould lines and flash. This particular type represents Firkins. The whole topic of unit sizes is fascinating but bewildering. For example, a wine and beer Hogshead were not quite the same, and a particular cask unit could be either fat or tall.
     
     
     

     
    The Dart casks after painting. Pins on the extreme left, the rest are Firkins. The light ones are work in progress. There’s a slight “Warhammer” look to these casks, but then these close-ups are very cruel.
     
     

     
    Prost! Large beer casks from German Kotol. I’m a bit ambivalent about turned wood barrels: The wood grain is often too large for 4mm. Translated to 4mm I would say these are roughly equal to a Butt (a word of advice: don’t try to Google butt and beer in the same sentence!).
     
     

     
    These lightly modified casks from Bachmann have a nice feel to them, and unlike many other model casks they actually have a bung hole (don’t Google that either). (update Feb 2021: Latest versions don't have the bung hole). I’m thinking they are Hogsheads. Hoops can be hard to paint neatly, so I painted some masking tape in a rust colour, and wrapped it around the existing moulded hoops. Oxidization of the hoops seemed to happen very quickly on new barrels.
     
     
     

     
    The Bachmann casks in place. Most 4mm casks only have four hoops, and at first I thought this was wrong for the larger types of casks. But photos from GWR goods sheds reveal several examples of casks with just four hoops, apparently irrespective of size and date. See GWR Goods Services Part 2A pages 6, 55, 59, 63, 92, 102, 163. On the other hand, there were clearly also many six-hooped barrels in Edwardian days, see eg the wonderful photo on p. 68 of the same volume. So both types would be appropriate, it seems.
     
     
     

     
    On to baskets. These wicker baskets are also from Hornby, now sadly discontinued. There are long debates about Hornby on here, but some of their goods items are fairly good - design clever, in fact!
     
     
     

     
    Gem whitemetal pigeon baskets (ebay seller’s image). At first I thought they were missing the external louvres for light and air that are evident on latter-day types. However, a bit of research suggested that some early types were in fact quite similar to the Gem offerings. See for example this drawing.
     
     

     
    It seems this type of pigeon basket was closed with straps, so out came the masking tape again, painted and folded to look like straps. Incidentally, for 7mm modellers Skytrex have some pigeon baskets in their large range of goods items.
     
     

     
    Hen’s teeth. After much searching I managed to track down this discontinued Preiser H0 “kit” for produce baskets.
     
     
     

     
    Painted hen's teeth. Photos from the 1900s show baskets of various sizes in goods sheds – both full and empty, and not just in large quantities but also individually or two or three together. The cabbages are a loose fit so far, would they have been covered with something during transport?
     
     

     
    Unsung hero. The humble goods sack, illustrated by a rather good whitemetal example from Dart Castings.
     
     
     

     
    More white-metal sacks from Dart Castings, now painted. I might make some more of the flat, stacked ones to my own design. When I was boy playing with toy soldiers, I made sandbags from clay and loo paper.
     
     

     
    I wanted some wool bales and decided to make them myself. I began with this type. Finding the right fabric is tricky. Hessian and similar materials looks overscale in 4mm. I ended up with a thin, soft and fairly tightly woven material for making sheets. It was wrapped around a length of plastic rod (several rods laminated to get the right shape), and fixed in place using Loctite Powerflex. The ends are individual cut-outs of fabric, soaked in glue and smoothed tightly to the rest of the bale, giving the impression of a seam.
     
     

     
    The rope was simulated by sewing thread. The thread was sewn to the bottom of the bale, wrapped around, sewn again to the bottom, etc. My wife watched with a strained smile, I suppose she would have preferred me to take up sky-diving.
     
     

     
    Despite pulling the thread tight, I wasn’t too successful in achieving the bulge between the “roping”. Experiments with a soft “core” of cotton wool didn’t seem to help. This is the best I could do for now.
     
     
     

     
    Next up was a different type of bale, the pressed ones illustrated here.I used the same fabric, but dyed it using an age-old technique: Dunk it in Carr’s sleeper stain and weather with baby powder. Apparently, manual bale presses were in use well before the turn of the century.
     
     
     

     
    To get that bulging look, I wrapped the fabric around H section plastic rod and stuffed it with cotton wool. More manly pursuits!
     
     
     

     
    The bales in place on the mezzanine floor. I'm not entirely satisfied. Even this fabric looks overscale in the texture. But I'm tired of fiddling with them, so apart from a bit of weathering this will have to do.
     
     
     

     
    Inspired by Nick’s cider boxes and Job’s whisky crates (many thanks gents!), I’ve experimented with making small crates from folded paper. I found some photos of this attractive Coleman’s crate on the web, allegedly correct for the period. The photos were scaled down, edited, and printed. As this is supposed to be a wooden crate, I glued the prints to sections of plastic rod in order to avoid the folds and sagging that would haved suggested a cardboard box. As far as I understand, cardboard boxes where only just coming into use as transport containers around this time, and I can’t recall seeing any in photos of 1900s goods sheds (but please do correct me if I’m mistaken).
     
     
     

     
    The Coleman’s crates came out OK, but most small crates of the period had an unpainted natural wood look which I find difficult to create in paper. So I’ve now ordered some paper-thin wood veneer that can be used in inkjet printers. Should make for an interesting little experiment.
     
    Edited Feb 2021: The barrels that I originally referred to as Hornby seem to have actually been from Bachmann. Note that I have since purchased some more of these, and the bung hole is no longer modelled. Oh, the woes of this world.
  15. Mikkel

    Dry Run

    By Mikkel,


    Structures
    Following concerns over the slipping time schedule, an inspector was recently despatched from Paddington to review progress of the new goods depot at Farthing station.
     
     

     
    The inspector in conversation with the responsible engineer and builder's foreman. Despite the delays it would appear that some progress has been made on the main structure. That said, this is really just a dry run - little of what is seen here is actually fixed in place.
     
     

     
    I had originally planned for a single large aperture in the rear wall, but a helpful comment by Miss P. made me think again. The three smaller apertures now featured are inspired by the old depots at Reading and Slough, among others. Another suggestion by Miss P. will be implemented later, namely a mezzanine floor for use as a storage area.
     
     

     
    A key design feature on the Farthing layouts is to employ lots of view-blocks and 'peek-a-boo' views that can help add depth to these micro-layouts. The apertures for the cartage bays are intended to contribute to this, and the pillars are particularly effective in adding a sense of depth, I think. Many thanks to Pinkmouse for that idea. (EDIT: See comments below on the positioning of the front pillars.) And as for that giant fold in the foam board - don't ask!
     
     

     
    The pillars are modified items from the old Hornby footbridge kit. The ones at the front can be detached from the roof structure, thereby allowing easier access for the camera and my ten thumbs.
     
     

     
    Peek-a-boo! A view through the windows in one of the end walls.
     
     

     
    A perusal of prototype photos showed that, contrary to what I imagined, decks were not entirely level with van and wagon floors. The slight difference in height illustrated here seems to have been common, although some decks appear even lower.
     
     

     
    The decks are made from 10+5 mm laminated foamboard, topped by ready-scribed balsa planking as used by ship modellers. I'm hoping to weather the balsa to an effect similar to that achieved by johnteal on several of his projects. In order to avoid warping of the foamboard (as discussed in this thread) I braced the bottom of the decks with Evergreen plastic strips to counter the 'pull' of the balsa. So far all is straight, although I watch with a certain trepidation!
     
     

     
    So far the hoped-for play of light seems to be working out. Not sure about the window height above ground though. Prototype photos indicate that windows in many depots were set quite high, and I think I may have set this too low...
     
     
     

     
    The etched windows from Scalelink are excellent. But modelling a building from the inside out poses certain unexpected problems. The etches are only intended to be viewed from one side, so I'll have to purchase a second set to add to the other side.
     
     

     
    This is the alternate side of the layout, showing the goods shed from the outside. The underlay is from C+L, as described in an earlier blog entry. Slating will be added to the roof. I've decided to expand a bit on the principle that the layout should be viewable from two sides, but more of this later.
     
     
  16. Mikkel
    Yard lamps have appeared at Farthing, using a mix of scratchbuilt bits, modified parts from old whitemetal lamps, and modified Andrew Stadden figures.





    This is an early GWR platform type, based on old photos I have found. There was also a later, more sturdy variant. Thomas Grig, GWR Yard Porter and lamplighter, is looking a trifle worried. He never did like heights.





    Above is a standard 13ft column lamp. Most GWR yard lamps had hexagonal lamp housing, but the style and decoration of the chimney varied greatly. This one is based on a photo in Vaughan’s "GWR Architecture".





    On some of the taller lamp types, a ladder was fixed permanently at the center. I assume this was safer than using the cross bars.





    The Old Yard at Farthing was formerly a station on the erstwhile N&SJR line. A few of the original lamps survived the GWR takeover, as seen here front left. These are modified from the old Mike' Models range.





    GWR porter Herbert Pocket prepares to clean a lamp. Thanks to Richard whose suggestion inspired this little scene.





    Herbert discovers that the chimney glass is broken. It's a proper mystery how that happened.





    The lamps were cobbled together from various parts in my spares box. Here the post from an old Dart Castings lamp is being modified with cross bars and curly bits from brass wire.





    The glazing on all the lamps was drawn up in Inkscape, then cut and scored on my Silhouette cutter. I used 0,25mm (i.e. 10 thou) PVC glazing from the German “Aeronaut Modellbau” range (ref #7858/32).





    The glazing is simply folded into shape.





    Here is a hexagonal example being folded for the GWR lamps.





    To represent glazing bars, I filled the folding lines with paint and removed the excess. After taking these photos I discovered that it pays to use a darker shade than for the rest of the lamp for this purpose.





    Frosting was initially a problem, as I used Superglue to fix the glazing in place. However, leaving one "window" open helped the fumes escape. The last bit was then fixed with glazing glue. On future lamps, I will see if a more appropriate glue can be used.





    The tops on the GWR lamps were built up using prototype photos, bits from the spares box and some plastic rod. In retrospect it would be better to fashion the lamp top cover from styrene as well, using the cut and fold technique.





    I tried different ways of making the glass chimneys, all with mixed success. I think the most promising way was to use bits cut from "fine glue applicators".





    The glass chimney in evidence. Looks like I didn't fit it straight. Never mind, time to get on with life :-)





    Speaking of life: The lamp attendants were made from Andrew Stadden figures. Their limbs bend fairly easily, another advantage of these great figures. Thomas Grig had his arms and legs bent for a suitable pose.





    Looks like Thomas has made use of a fireman's jacket for the grubby work of tending the lamps.





    Herbert Pocket was made from one of Andrew Stadden's loco crews, which come with separate arms and heads. The photos show how:













    I have enjoyed making these lamps. With further experiments they could probably be refined further, but for now I'm happy with them.





    A final look at Thomas Grig as he surveys the scene. He is in dire need of some equipment for tending that lamp - currently on the workbench.
  17. Mikkel

    A flexible layout

    By Mikkel,


    Layout design
    I have been thinking about an idea for a "flexible" layout. This is still very much developing, and what you see here is not an actual trackplan, but an illustration of the concept. The basic idea is a layout where selected drop-in modules can be removed and replaced with other modules. So a particular cameo, building or siding can be exchanged with another cameo, building or siding – thereby changing the look of the layout. This in turn allows for variation in rolling stock and operation.
     
     
     
     

    Ultimately, such a concept gives endless possibilities of varying a layout from one operating session to another.
     
     
     

     
    In my case, though, the aim would be to have a layout that can capture a little of the way in which a railway scene changes over time. In real life, sidings also frequently changed their length and purpose over the years, as stations were rebuilt, trackplans changed etc
     
     
     

     
    I also like the idea of having the layout change over the course of a single day. Exchanging one lineside diorama for another could be used to indicate that we have now passed from morning to afternoon.
     
     
     

     
    Buildings and their immediate environments could also be prepared as individual dioramas and then used on the layout as appropriate. It would be interesting to buy a couple of ready-to-plonk buildings and then have one in pristine state while distressing the other one, in order to show the passage of time.
     
     
     

     
    The layout could be designed to be viewed from all sides. That would add to the feel of an "interactive" scenery.
     
    Anyway, it would be interesting to hear if people think it is actually feasible? Joins will clearly be the big issue. But I'm sure something similar has been tried before, so if there are any thoughts or experiences out there I'd be happy to hear them.
     
  18. Mikkel
    "Francis, what on earth is that?"
    "I don't know, dear"
    "It says 'Monster' on the side. How terribly silly. Why on earth would they call a railway carriage something like that?"
    "I don't know, dear."
    "Perhaps it's for third class passengers? I don't suppose the working classes need much light."
    "I don't know, dear."
    "Francis, I do wish you were more knowledgeable."
    "I know, dear."
     
    As the Longbottoms fell silent, the Monster rolled past them in all its might. This was no. 484 of the P18 diagram, built to carry scenery and props for travelling theater companies. These carriages were recent introductions, and there were only six on the entire system at this time. No. 484 was the first of its kind to visit Farthing.
     
     
     

     
    Station Master A. Woodcourt was watching the approaching carriage with concern. It had arrived a day late, and the main yard was busy. So he had ordered it unloaded in the down bay. But he was worried about the loading gauge. In principle there shouldn't be any problems, but these new carriages were big, and they didn't normally use the bay for carriages of this size...
     
     
     

     
    In the cab of No. 835, the crew were also keeping a sharp eye on clearances. They had both worked this bay since it was built by the independent N&S many years ago, and they knew that the standards laid down by that company had sometimes been a bit, well, "optimistic". It would be close!
     
     
     

     
    Shunter George Mullins, ever the pessimist, was watching the scene with a sceptical eye.
    "Well the drawing boys at Swindon have done it again."
    "What's that then?"
    "Drawn something too big and impractical! It may look fine on their fancy desks, but out here in real life it only leads to problems."
    "It seems to be going well enough, though."
    "Well they've been lucky this time. But with everything getting bigger and bigger, there'll be no work left for us shunters in the end.You wait and see, in a few years a whole train will just be one long carriage!"
     
     
     

     
    Much to everyone's relief, the Monster slid neatly into the loading dock, with just a few centimeters to spare.
     
     
     

     
    As unloading of the carriage began, Woodcourt was confronted by the director of the travelling theater company, Mr Crummles (Junior). Clearly of a choleric disposition, he launched directly into an assault: "Do hurry up! This delay is totally unacceptable! Are you at all aware that we have our opening night this evening? We shall be needing our scenery and props in just a few hours. This is not some petty local act, you know, this is Shakespeare!"
     
     
     

     
    Ganger P. Quince had seen it all, and was not impressed by the fury of the theater director. With the sarcasm for which he was well known, he muttered under his breath: "Shakespeare, eh? Well, I reckon Shakespeare will have to wait for the Great Western just like everyone else."
     
     
     

     
    It was at this point that a shout of alarm was heard across the loading dock. As everyone looked up, carter Tom Gradgind stared blankly ahead of him and exclaimed: "A murder, I think there's been a murder!"
     
     
     

     
    A murder? As he took a minute to gather his thoughts, Woodcourt couldn't help but consider who might possibly commit such a foul act. The Longbottoms? Or one of his staff? Or carter Gradgrind himself? Surely not! And yet....
     
    Go to part 4
  19. Mikkel

    GWR stables (1): Towards an overview

    By Mikkel,


    Structures
    The following are my notes on GWR stable blocks – a subject that does not seem to have received much attention. I am about to build one for Farthing, and have noticed various style differences that may be of interest to others.
     

    Chipping Norton stables in 1983. Built 1904. Rebuilt with end doors to serve as a garage, but otherwise it features the main elements of the "archetype" standard design, ie "hit and miss" vents in windows and above doors, and those characteristic boxy roof vents. Image copyright and courtesy Alan Lewis.
     
    I first became interested in GWR stables some years ago, and received some very helpful advice and material from several RMwebbers on here. Many thanks gents! However, I wanted to obtain an overview of the designs of stables built by the GWR, and this proved tricky. While there are a number of drawings and photos in various books and line histories, I couldn’t find an actual overview anywhere (or have I missed it?). Janet Russell's wonderful "Great Western Horse Power" comes closest with a handful of selected GWR plans and descriptions, but no attempt to provide an overview of the different styles. Vaughan’s "Great Western Architecture" and Stephen Williams’ "GWR Branchline Modelling vol 2" have a few pictures and drawings each.
     
     

    The stable block at Uxbridge Vine Street, illustrating how stables were sometimes located well away from the center of stations, although usually they would be found near the yard entry/exit. Source: Britain from above. Embedding permitted.
     
    So I have tried to make my own overview. Please note that this isn't based on extensive archival research or a systematic review of the various line histories. I have used a few key books and what others have shared.
     
    I first divided the stable blocks into three overall types:
    * The standard design, with 3 major permutations
    * The small "ad hoc" designs, sometimes inherited
    * The very large designs for major goods depots
     
    In the following I focus especially on the standard designs.
     
    The standard designs
     
    Various books refer to the emergence of a "standard" design of stable blocks around the turn of the century. However, looking at drawings and photos I realized that there were detail differences in this design, which could be divided into 3 main “styles”. Two immediate caveats:
    Most of what I have found seems to have been built from approximately the 1890s to grouping. I have not found evidence of standard designs before this time, but that may just be my lack of information. Little seems to have been built after grouping as horses were disappearing, but many stables remained in use for other purposes long after that. Although I identify 3 main styles, there also seem to have been hybrids and possibly also “retro-fitting”. So rather than seeing the three styles as entirely different designs, it is probably better to see them as different expressions of a standard design that evolved over time.
    The standard designs were single-story and followed classic GWR style features, i.e. red brick structures with blue engineering bricks around doors and at corners. The main style differences were in the ventilation, windows and doors.
     
    Sizes differed widely across the same style, from a few stalls to 20+. The footprint was simply stretched in length to accommodate the necessary no. of stalls (thanks for pointing that out, Ian). They were mostly rectangular, although there are one or two examples with a V or U shaped footprint to fit in the surroundings. In the following I have used sketches of quite large stable blocks to illustrate the styles, as they are of particular interest to me at the moment - but the same styles could be found across different sizes.
     
    STYLE A “Simple”
    Plain stable doors and sash windows with 3x4 panes. Limited ventilation. No roof-mounted louvred vents, no vents in doors and windows. Examples: Uxbridge Vine Street, Castle Cary. I’m having trouble dating this style, but my theory is that it is the earliest expression of the standard designs, because it pays so little attention to ventilation.
     
     

    My reproduction of the GWR drawing of Uxbridge Vine Street, illustrating Style A. An attractive option for the modeller who doesn't want to model the complicated ventilation seen on other types. Based on the original GWR drawing in Russel's "GWR Horse Power", which also has a drawing of the smaller stable block at Castle Cary to the same design.
     
    STYLE B “Archetype”
    Classic boxy louvred roof vents. Stable doors have “hit and miss” vents above, while windows have the same vents below a 3x3 glazing pattern. Examples: Abingdon, Chipping Norton (see header photo), Westbury, Hayes (original), Hayle, Park Royal, Thame, Little Somerford. Again there are dating difficulties. Chipping Norton’s stable was built in 1904. Westbury was totally rebuilt in 1901, so maybe the stable is from that date? Park Royal doesn’t seem to have been developed until the late 1900s.
     
     

    Park Royal, illustrating the archetypical features of Type B.
     
    STYLE C “Later”
    Stable doors have 2 rows of small windows/lights above doors, main windows are 4x5 panes. No vents in doors and windows, but large roof vents that are flatter and longer than the classic style. Examples: Weston-Super-Mare, extension block at Hayes, and the unidentified large new stable block in Russel's Great Western Horsepower p. 209-210. I’m calling this the “later” style because (i) the roof vent design seems more modern and functional and (ii) the original block at Hayes was style B design, but when it was extended (no date) the new blocks were to style C.
     
     

    Weston-Super-Mare, illustrating what I call Type C. Twenty stalls is a lot, there weren't many stables this big.
     
     

    A much smaller version of Type C. This 5-stall block was erected to extend the existing Type B block at Hayes & Harlington. A comparison with Weston-Super-Mare shows that the style is the same, and was simply shortened or stretched according to need.
     
    HYBRIDS/REBUILDS
    One or two stables I have seen could be hybrids between the main permutations. However, this is confused by the fact that (i) stables may have been retrofitted with new ventilation by the GWR, and (ii) stables were often rebuilt when no longer used for horses, and so latter day photos may confuse. For example, the latter day photos of Witney (built 1905) show windows like a Style A, but with the boxy roof vents of a Style B. However, the stable block was rebuilt to house motor lorries, and a closer look at the photos suggests to me that the windows and doors did originally have vents, but were replaced/modified (ie it is a rebuilt style B). The stable block at Minehead is more tricky, as described in the caption below.
     

     
    The preserved stable block at Minehead. As seen here it would seem like a Style A, but an earlier hand-drawing (not GWR) shows it with hit-and-miss vents in the windows, suggesting a Style B - except that the drawing does not show vents above the door or on the roof. Were they removed before the drawing was made (when the end doors were installed, for example), or was Minehead a hybrid? Shared under Creative Commons license. Attribution: Chris Osment/West Somerset Railway.
     
    Non-standard designs
     
    This included "all the rest", worthy of a whole study in themselves, but broadly speaking:
     
    Ad Hoc small designs
    A number of usually small, non-standard ad hoc stables, typically built during the early years, and often by independent companies. In some locations, the GWR simply hired space in a building for the local shunting horse with private individuals. Examples: Henley-in Arden, Princetown (built ca 1910), or how about Camborne!
     
    Very large and unique designs
    Very large stables for the major goods depots, including (i) single-story designs such as Hockley, (ii) two-story designs, rare but see Handsworth & Smethwick (and Paddington originally) and (iii) in a league of its own, Paddington Mint.
     

    The stables at Paddington Mint. Copyright Getty Images, embedding permitted.
     
    So those are my notes for now. Many thanks to all who have provided info and allowed use of photos so far. I am hoping that this will also bring new insights to light from others, as I have probably only scratched the surface.
     
    Edit: For further notes, see this blog entry.
     
     
  20. Mikkel

    SDJR Road Van

    By Mikkel,

    Last year we had a discussion about SDJR Road Vans here on RMweb, which revealed that – contrary to what one might think – these vehicles travelled well beyond the SDJR on a regular basis, including foreign destinations right up to London. For details, please see Buckjumper’s notes in the thread.
     
    I thought I might justify one of these vans making an occasional appearance at Farthing, perhaps carrying small consignments of cheddar, cider and other Somerset delicacies to satisfy the palets of Wiltshire’s gentry.
     
     

     
    The SDJR had at least two designs of road van, one of which was based on the Midland Railway diagram D363 vans. Slater’s do a kit for the latter MR van, so I thought this would be a good basis for a kit bash. As it transpired, the project came to involve a lot more scratch building than kit building!
     
     
     

     
    I began with the chassis. As can be seen here, the kit comes with oil axleboxes but my photos of the SDJR vans show Ellis grease axle boxes. So I removed the axleboxes and W irons, and also filed off some of the solebar fittings, to be replaced later.
     
     
     

     
    I bought in some MJT compensation units and and Ellis grease axleboxes from Dart castings.
     
     
     

     
    To make space for the MJT units, parts of the underframe from the kit was cut away, using what I call the “salami method”.
     
     
     

     
    Plastikard packing under the MJT units to get the right ride height.
     
     
     

     
    Then came the time-consuming part. As can be seen above, the Slaters kit has a sliding door type which is wrong for the SDJR vans. To make matters worse, the door is off-set to one side, meaning the Vs of the framing aren’t actually symmetrical. So I decided to scratch build new sides.
     
     
     

     
    For the new sides I used plain Evergreen 0.5 styrene, and did the planking with my new scribing tool. This makes a neat V-groove, whereas other methods – eg the back of a scalpel blade – tends to make an unsightly ridge along the groove.
     
     
     

     
    The framing was a bit tricky. The joins with the van ends are mitred, and the bottom framing is sloping in order to let rainwater run off. It helped to fit the ends to the chassis, so that I could offer up the sides to the van and check that everything fitted as I went along. I trust my fettling more than my measuring!
     
     
     

     
    The framing all done.
     
     
     

     
    For the strapping I used a general etch from Mainly Trains. Having done a full side, I realized that the strapping should have rounded ends. I decided to leave it, but next time I’ll use plastic strip instead as this can be fashioned as required. Door hinges and locking mechanism were made from plastic rod, wire and chain.
     
     

     
    Bolt heads were added using rivet transfers. The lower framing “dips” where each bolt is mounted. This was replicated with plastic putty filed to shape.
     
     
     

     
    Sides checked against drawing. The perspective makes the side look a little too long here, but it fits in reality (honest, guv!).
     
     
     

     
    My glorious reward for scratchbuilding the sides was that the ends now looked a bit coarse by comparison! I decided to leave them as they were, except for a bit of modification to the strapping (lower left is as it comes, lower right is modified as per the prototype photo).
     
     
     

     
    Ready for primer with brakes and various other fittings now added. The headstocks were extended a little to be flush with the lower framing, as per the photo in Southern Goods Wagons. The roof seemed a little short to me – even for the original kit – so I extended it by 0.5 mm at each end.
     
     
     

     
    The paint job did not go well. Unfamiliar with the livery, I first sprayed on a light grey, then tried a darker one, then the light one again, etc. As a result, the grooves in the sides started filling in and revealed that I hadn’t cut them all to equal depth. Lesson learnt, the hard way! I couldn’t find any available SDJR lettering, so used individual letters from various HMRS sheets (the SR pre-grouping sheet is particularly useful). Number plates are a print from the original photo, with the perspective changed in Paintshop. The split spoke wagon wheels are temporary till I get some new plain ones.
     
     
     

     
    Thankfully, the slightly heavy paintjob is not really noticeable in a layout context. One thing puzzles me though: Most SDJR wagons seem to have had distinctive black ironwork, but the 1896 photo I was working from shows no. 1038 in all-over grey, with only the number/works plates picked out in black. It’s an official photo taken at Derby works, so perhaps not to be trusted? For the time being I’ve left the strapping in plain grey but if anyone has further info I’d be interested.
     
    Thanks to all involved for helping out with the info used in this build, very much appreciated!
  21. Mikkel
    For the past year or so I’ve been adding to my fleet of early 1900s GWR wagons. The idea is to make each wagon a little different. Here’s a summary of some of the detail differences so far. First up is this gang of Iron Minks.
     

     
    The Iron Minks were built from ABS kits, with replacement roofs from MRD. The grease axleboxes on 57605 were scrounged from another kit, and the deep vents on 11258 were made from styrene. The unusual hybrid livery of the latter van is based on my interpretation of a photo in Atkins, Beard & Tourret. See this post for details.
     
     
     

     
    Next is a brace of three-plankers, seen here at rest in the still rather bare sidings at Farthing.
     
     
     

     
    David Geen does whitemetal kits for both the round- and square end 3-plank wagons. The 5 inch "G.W.R" insignia was moved from left to right in 1894, but wagons still carrying left-hand "G.W.R" occasionally appear in photos as late as 1905.
     
     
     

     
    No. 1897 of the 1854ST class shunts a pride of 4-plankers in the sidings.
     

     
    The 4-plankers are Coopercraft kits, with modified floors and running gear. The rarely modelled Thomas brake gear on 71508 was fashioned from handrail knobs and wire, while the DC1 brakes on 781 is from a Bill Bedford etch. The irregular font of the Tare numbes on 64493 are based on a prototype photo, as with most of the wagons.
     
     
     

     
    All good fun. Having said that, I've had enough of building little red wagons for the time being, so now it's on with the layout.
  22. Mikkel
    I’ve been building some “foreign” stock for the goods depot at Farthing. It’s a real pleasure, but also humbling to realize just how little I know about other companies, and how difficult it can be to obtain kit parts for other pre-grouping companies. We GWR modellers are a spoilt lot!
     
    My 1900s period is before the “common user” arrangement, so most of the goods stock at Farthing would have been the GWR’s own - but there should be room for a handful of foreign vehicles, especially from the companies close by. This included the MSJWR, which crossed the GWR's Berks & Hants line at Savernake, not far from Farthing.
     

     
    So first up was a MSWJR 3-plank dropside wagon. Over on gwr.org.uk I had seen a note by Paul Absalom that this could be made by modifying a Slater’s kit for the Midland Railway dia 305 (thanks Paul!). The MR design was used as the basis for 20 wagons ordered by the MSWJR from Oldbury works in 1899.The sides and ends of the Slater’s kit (above) are virtually identical to the MSWJR versions, so these were used directly.
     
     

     
    The running gear is a less straightforward matter. There is very limited documentation available on these wagons, and the only known photo has the underframe in shadow. A drawing has been made, but there is doubt about whether the running gear is portrayed correctly. So an informed guess is the best we can do. This led to an interesting discussion involving several RM Webbers – especially wagonman – as well as Neil Lover of the “Swindon’s other Railway” site and MSWJR historian Mike Barnsley (see this thread for details). Many thanks, gentlemen!
     
     
     

     
    To cut a long story short, we concluded that the MSWJR probably wouldn’t have gone for the fairly sophisticated and expensive Ellis axleboxes provided in the Slaters kit. So these had to go. An alternative option would have been to modify the existing axleboxes.
     
     
     

     
    Instead I fitted MJT units/W-irons (non-rocking). This required some of the framing to be carved away, but was otherwise straightforward. Packing was added underneath the units.
     
     
     

     
    The exact type of axleboxes used by the MSWJR isn’t known, except that they were most likely of the grease type. In photos of other MSWJR wagons I noticed a simple type not unlike the standard GWR grease box. So I fitted some of the latter (also from MJT) and modified/filed them to suit. The only other modification was to file away the MR build plate on the solebar.
     
     

     
    I couldn’t find any ready-made MSWJR lettering, so opted instead for the “white shaded black” letters from one of the HMRS P.O. sheets. These are slightly overscale but close enough, I think. The sheet is rather costly, but I wanted it anyway for lettering some Farthing based P.O. wagons at some point.
     
     
     

     
    The finished model. I suddenly realized that a dropside wagon might not often be seen inside a goods depot, as they tended to carry loose material, stone etc. But I’m thinking that a couple of large crates might justify a dropside, to facilitate unloading?
     
     

     
    Shunter George “Bulldog” Mullins studiously ignores the new wagon. A GWR man to the core, Mullins treated vehicles from the competition with poorly disguised contempt. In particular, he refused point blank to shunt vehicles from the MSWJR. The origin of this particular grudge was always a bit of a mystery, although some said it had to do with an unfortunate incident in his youth. The details were unclear, but apparently it involved his pet donkey, a sleepy MSWJR driver and a poorly guarded level crossing.
  23. Mikkel
    I’ve slowly started work on the next layout in the Farthing series. “The sidings” are inspired by an interesting arrangement at the back of Gloucester Old Yard, where a headshunt served a series of kickback sidings that gave access to a variety of facilities: One siding served a private “biscuit” depot, another served the local waterworks, and finally there was a backroad to the loco depot’s ash sidings and coaling stage.
     
     
     
     

     
    Above left is the overall layout at Gloucester (see this post for details). The headshunt is in red. On the right is the rudely simplified and manipulated trackplan that I have extracted from this to suit my available space and personal tastes.
     
     
     

     
    Trackplan
    Here is the plan again, as it will appear on the layout. The scenic part of the layout will focus on the “neck” of the headshunt (what I think the GWR would have called a shunting spur), as well as the biscuit- and waterworks sidings - all turned through 180 degrees compared to Gloucester. Also featured on the layout is the lowermost siding of the main yard, where Loco Coal and ash wagons are stored, as per Gloucester. The "backroad" siding leading to the loco depot is mostly off-scene, but still plays an important part in operating the layout. The rest of the station is represented by a simple fiddle yard. The headshunt and sidings can accommodate a minimum of 3 “standard” four-wheel wagons and a tank loco. The very short shunting spur emulates that at Gloucester.
     
     
     

     
    Operation
    The table above shows the main "moves" I can make on the layout. An interesting operational feature at Gloucester was the exchange of Loco Coal and ash wagons: These were stored in the main yard, and when needed they were picked up by the yard shunter, moved to the headshunt and turned over to the shed pilot, which then propelled them to the loco depot. The yard shunter also worked wagons into the “biscuit siding” and the waterworks. These features are carried over to my layout - although I'm taking some liberties: In reality the biscuit siding was partly operated by gravity shunting, but I’m not doing that! As for the waterworks, I don’t know exactly what the traffic was, but a bit of research and photos suggests coal in for the pumping engines, and waste ash out. As salt was sometimes used for water softening I also saw an opportunity to also run a salt wagon or two, until someone corrects me!
     
     

     
    Buildings
    I want to use this layout as a way to improve my skills at constructing prototype buildings. So I've been looking around for various prototypes that were either standard GWR or that I found interesting. Some will be replicated directly, others will be adapted.
     
    Biscuit shed. The actual shed at Gloucester wasn’t very inspiring, so I will base mine on a downsized version of the rather nice "beer shed" at Stratford on Avon. This is open at the front and thereby gives a view across the loading dock into the shed, as indicated above. It is closed at the back and thereby hides the small radius point and entry to the fiddle yard behind it.
     
    Stable block. Can’t have a Farthing layout without horses! And I’ve always wanted a stable block. It will be fairly large with 8-9 stalls, reflecting that Farthing is a medium-sized mainline junction. Similar to the one at Witney.
     
    Mess room. This was inspired by the lovely GWR building in Truro yard that CK has kindly shared some photos of here.
     
    Water works. Not sure how I will do this yet, and I may chose only to have the works lightly indicated. In any case I'm thinking something low, like these at Low Bradfield - althought it would be nice if I could find a prototype in GWR territory.
     
    Replaceable cameo. I’m pondering whether I can try out the idea of replaceable cameos in the waterworks siding, similar to the idea sketched out previously in this post.
     
     

     
    Above is an updated attempt at showing the overall scheme of things at Farthing so far. I don’t intend to actually join up the layouts in practice, but it’s nice to have a general storyline behind it all. Sadly I haven’t given much serious thought to this as I went along, which means it’s now a bit of a challenge to make it all fit into an overall plan that makes reasonable sense. Anyway, essentially we’re talking about a medium-sized junction station in a cutting, with some creative earthworks to accommodate the growing town around it. Shades of Newbury, a touch of Kings Meadow, and delusions of Gloucester!
     
    That's about it for now. My original idea was to set the layout in the 1940s, but after mulling it over I’ve decided to stick with my normal Edwardian timeframe. That won’t stop me from doing the odd “out of period” running session though!
  24. Mikkel
    Here's a little scratch-building project that I'm working on in-between the coach painting. The prototypes were used extensively at Paddington Goods in the 1900s. A similar but more austere type was used at Hockley. I couldn't find any drawings, so the dimensions are guesstimates based on photos. The build was a real pleasure, especially sourcing the parts. I'll let the pictures explain the rest - gradually!
     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
     

     
    In other words, a shed crane. I still need to model the operating lever which was situated next to the crane, and which (as far as I understand) connected to a mechanism beneath the deck. I plan to build at least one more of these - although possibly a more heavy duty type.
     
    There are a couple of things I might do differently on the next one. I think the counter-weight is a little underscale. I will also do the pulley wheels different next time. We live and learn!
     
    PS: Thanks to Missy for the tip about the watchmaker's parts, available on ebay.
  25. Mikkel
    I’ve built a new ‘one-size-fits-all’ traverser for my Farthing layouts. 
     
     
     

     
    My latest layout - The Stables - has two levels, so I needed a traverser which could accommodate that. After I had proposed various harebrained schemes, Stu suggested the principle that I have sketched above. This was clearly the way to go. But how?
     
     

     
    After mulling it over I looked at my old traverser (above) and realised that I could kill two birds with one stone. I prefer to have just one traverser for all my layouts, and the old one has served this purpose well. I called the old traverser “The Bumblebee” because it defied all sorts of basic engineering principles – yet still worked. 
     
     

     
    The old Bumblebee was nevertheless beginning to show signs of wear and tear, so I decided to build a new one that could serve all of my layouts, including the new two-level one. For this version I used wood instead of foamboard. With woodwork I just sort of bumble along, so the 'Bumblebee' moniker is also appropriate for Mk2.
     
     

     
    On Mk1 I used tubes to guide the traverser. It worked but was noisy, which led to certain domestic tensions when my wife wanted to watch TV and I wanted to shunt! So I found these “linear sliding guides” on ebay instead.
     
     


    While not as silent as I had hoped (woe is me!) they do slide nicely. The angle braces are from various strata of my “can’t be bothered to sort all this” drawer. Masonite from a broken Ikea frame.
     
     


    Adjustable legs from a Danish timber merchant. I have now standardized on them for my layouts. The rubber pads are a heavy duty type from 3M, essential as they prevent the legs from sliding on the tabletop.
     
     

     
    The cassette was re-used from Mk1. One end of it serves my three single-level layouts (track 1-5). The other end serves the new two- level layout (track 6).
     
     

     
    In order to serve all the layouts, I had to come up with a simple way of shifting between regular single-level operation on my existing layouts, and two-level operation on the new layout. To accommodate this, I made the cassette hinged. When shifting to two-level mode, it is tipped to one side, a strip of cork is placed on the wooden blocks, and the cassette is tipped back in place. The adjustable legs are then raised on one side of the traverser only. Looks more complicated than it is!
     
     

     
    With this, Stu’s original principle has been achieved: Rising gradient, level track.
     
     
     

     
    For operation, traverser and layout are simply pushed together. The 3M rubber pads prevent any sliding. The adjustable legs make vertical alignment easy.
     
     

     
    At the bottom level, a simple stop block is used to ensure that the cassette stops in the right place. This can be rotated down when the traverser is used on my other layouts. 
     
     


    At the upper level, the traverser is stopped automatically as it reaches its outer limit. To avoid the cassette sliding down from this position, I have tentatively fitted some slightly tapered wooden blocks beneath the cassette deck. When they engage the angle braces there is a slight resistance, enough to hold the cassette in place. I'm wondering whether this particular solution will last, but let's see.
     
     

     
    I have tested the traverser on all the four Farthing layouts, and so far I’m pleased with the operation. Here it is working the Down Bay on the (extendable) dining table. The stop block is a recycled kitchen sponge, which squeezes into place. As you can see I am not one to worry about scenic breaks!
     
     
    With the traverser done I can now run trains on the new layout .  Below is a 1-minute video to celebrate.
     
     
     
     
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