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Mikkel

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Blog Entries posted by Mikkel

  1. Mikkel

    Hand-me-down coaches

    By Mikkel,


    Coaches & Browns
    Supposed to be cleaning the basement today, but ended up sorting through a box full of half-forgotten rolling stock that I've picked up second-hand over the years. Obviously I had to give them a spin on the layout. (“Just to see if they’re still working, dear"). The above trio of Victorian coaches were originally scratchbuilt by Chris Edge. I couldn’t resist them when they were up for sale a few years back, even if they are a bit early for my 1900s timeframe. If I’m not mistaken, the models represent coaches introduced in 1854 (photos in Russell's GWR Coaches, page 11) although the underframe suggests that they are modelled in their later period. I’m not sure when they were actually withdrawn, so any info would be much appreciated...
     
     
    .
     
    According to Russell, this First Class coach was originally built by Wrights for the Chester & Birkenhead Rwy, before being taken over by the GWR. The origins in stage coach design are very obvious, including luggage rack on the roof. For an artistic interpretation of what the compartments would have looked like inside, have a look at this painting. Victorian elegance in full flourish – but only for some!
     
     

     
    By contrast, the “Thirds” look cramped and boxy. Apparently, many of these were built for branchline service. The photo in Russell - on which I suspect this one is modelled - appears to show an example from the Culm Valley. Provision of Third class coaches became mandatory for the railways in the 1844 Railway Act. Incidentally, the Act is available for download here.
     
     

     
    Here’s another rather unusual rake of coaches! I bought them on ebay some years ago - there was no photo, just a brief description of a set of “kitbuilt GWR coaches” in etched brass. It turned out to be NER branchline stock from the 1880s, built from Connoisseur kits, but painted in GWR 1930s livery! Perhaps the previous owner used them as examples of GWR Workmen's coaches?
     
     

     
    My initial disappointment soon turned to interest, when I discovered that the NER sold many of these coaches off to light railways prior to WW1. I'm currently pondering whether to backdate them and employ them on "The bay" as absorbed coaching stock, acquired with the take-over of the Overbourne line - as per the Lambourn Valley Railway coaches.
     
     

     
    The NER introduced the coaches in the 1880s. This Brake Third was to Diagram X. I have always liked "Birdcage" look-outs, a pity the GWR didn't employ them!
     
     

     
    Just to round things off, this little loco was also out for a spin today. It is one of the Sharp, Stewart & Co. 2-4-0s, originally built for the Cambrian in 1866 but seen here in its Swindonized form. It's another ebay purchase and has been built (I believe) from the GEM / Mainly Trains kit. Not sure whether I'll ever get around to finishing it, as it is out of my period, but it trundles along nicely enough.
     
     
  2. Mikkel

    A parcel for Mr Ahern

    By Mikkel,


    Stories
    Our story begins inside a parcels van on the Westbury to Farthing stopping train. The parcel in the middle is of particular interest to us. It is addressed to a Mr Ahern at No. 7, Memory Lane, Farthing.
     
     
     

     
    Safely arrived in the bay at Farthing, the parcels are handled by Porter P.W. Saunders. The one for Mr Ahern is under his hand. The flat package in front contains a scientific manuscript, in which a certain A. Einstein proposes that space and time are not constant. The parcels van is to Diagram W1 and was kit-bashed from Ratio sides (described here).
     
     
     

     
    On his way to the parcels office, porter P.W. Saunders passes the train's engine and is intercepted by a customer who enquires about departure times, apparently oblivious of the timetable behind him. The steam effect is out-of-focus cotton wool, a trick stolen directly from the cover of the latest MRJ (no other comparison intended!). The MRJ cover can be seen in this RMweb thread - but better still, buy it!
     
     
     

     
    After sorting in the parcels office, our package continues its journey. It is now carried by porter C. Walker on a kit-built barrow from P&D Marsh. Walker himself consists of one part worker and two parts signal man from the Monty's range. His once youngish face has been heavily re-sculpted, and the cap filed down to represent a GWR type. Despite all this, Walker sleeps well at night, and is seen here having a brief exchange with shunter George Mullins. Meanwhile one of the old pre-diagram brake vans of the 1882 design awaits its turn on the evening "mixed" to Overbourne. The van was scratch-built by Chris Edge many moons ago, and is next on my list of restoration jobs.
     
     
     

     
    The parcel for Mr Ahern awaits loading in front of the horse drawn delivery van. One of the other packages contains a painting by a young Spanish artist by the name of Picasso. It is not clear why the painting is headed for Farthing, and to this day it remains hidden and unknown in an attic in Wiltshire! The lettering on the van was based on photos from the period (including the use of different fonts), and drawn up in MS Word with a brown background to match the van colour. It was then printed on thin paper and stuck to the van side. This shot is ruthless but from a normal viewing distance it looks OK. The poster is an original GWR example from 1907, reduced to scale size and printed.
     
     

     
    The parcel has been delivered at No 7 Memory Lane, and the contents have been presented by Mr Ahern to his son John.
     
     
    Postscript:
    The boy is of course John Ahern, who was four years old at this time (1907), and who went on to pioneer the scenic aspect of railway modeling. This included building the revolutionary Madder Valley Railway, now at Pendon. I am aware that at this point in time the tin-plate loco would most likely have been from Maerklin or similar, but I couldn't resist the temptation to use a photo of my own Meccano/Hornby M2 for the scene. My grandfather gave it to my father, who passed it on to me.
     
     
    Merry Christmas everyone!
  4. Mikkel

    Comparing track

    By Mikkel,

    A follow-up here to the track experiments in the previous entry.
     

    A batch of Peco Code 75 has arrived, enabling a comparison of the four types of track seen above. Everything is OO, ie 16.5 mm gauge. The Timber Tracks panel is the GWR 44' 6" version for P4/EM, and it's interesting to note theslight narrow gauge look this track has when viewed directly above. This isn't C+L's fault of course, but a result of the slightly incorrect gauge.
     
     

    But we don't often view layouts directly from above. As soon as even a slight sideways angle is introduced, the wider sleepers and spacing really starts coming into it's own, I think. The Timber Tracks panel has the later 8' 6" sleepers used after WW1, whereas the 1900s saw use of 9' sleepers on the GWR. But since the gauge is OO, I am hoping that the visual result is right. I have not actually cut the timbers from the panel yet, so the side supports have been edited out in these photos.
     
     

    C+L Flexitrack vs Peco Streamline. In both cases the rail is Code 75, but the different sleeper height makes quite a difference. Nevertheless, I've heard from other modellers that the two can be combined with no major problems. Unless anyone knows differently? The plan is for "The depot" to have C+L Timbertracks track on-scene, and Peco track off-scene. The height difference will in this case be accommodated by building the fiddle yard a tad lower than the scenic section.
     
     

    Just for good measure, here is Peco Code 100 vs Peco Code 75. I have happily used Code 100 on "The bay" as I had large quantities of it. With attention to weathering and blending in, I think it can be made to look reasonable from a distance (see eg this post), but it doesn't do well on closer scrutiny (see eg fourth picture in this post).
     
     

    I hadn't previously noticed that the chairs are different on Peco Code 100 and Code 75. Not sure what prototype the Code 75 chairs represent. Of the two, the generic Code 100 chairs look a bit more GWR'ish. For close-ups of the C+L chairs, see this post.
     
    Edit: The photos below compare the different sleeper lenghts (and sleeper spacing) of C+L and Peco track. See the dicussion on this issue in the comments below.
     


     
     


     
     

  5. Mikkel

    Painting coach panels

    By Mikkel,

    My coaches are brush-painted, and I have sometimes been asked how I paint the panels. This video shows it. Be warned though that this is one of those bodged (hopefully not botched!) techniques I seem to often end up using - there are definitely more "correct" ways of doing it!
     
     
     
    Edit: A bit more info as a supplement to the video:
     
    In my experience, there are four key factors that effect results of this technique:
     
    (1) Using the right paint. The Vallejo paint is very richly pigmented and dries quickly and evenly. It can therefore take the dilution while still needing only one application. Having said that, it is possible to repeat the process with a second layer if necessary, though I rarely do it. But everything must be completely dry first!
     
    2) Getting the mix right. It has to be just "runny" enough to flow easily to the edges, but not so much that it dries up thinly. As mentioned in the video, something close to a milky substance - although perhaps a little thicker than that.
     
    3) Good sharp edges on the moulds of the coach, which will hold and "guide" the flow of the paint. Etched brass is particularly good, but plastic like the Ratio sides has also worked well for me.
     
    4) Good brushes - as always. The two black ones below (3/0 and 1) are the type I use in applying the paint in the video. The yellow one in the middle is a cheapo thing used for mixing the paint and water thoroughly. The blue ones are quality broad brushes (8 and 12), used for brushpainting the brown sides in several thin layers, to get smooth sides with no visible brush strokes.
     

  6. Mikkel
    A few more examples here of prototype-inspired short trains for Farthing. These are all a bit unorthodox, as opposed to the more standard formations shown in an earlier entry.
     
     

    PBV - Composite - All Third.
     
    Above: The above formation, for instance, illustrates that not all short trains were pulled by tank locos! This train was inspired by a photo on the Warwickshire Railways website, which shows a 2-4-0 3226 class pulling a 4-wheel PBV to dia V5 (or V11?), a 6-wheel compo to dia U16 and a 6-wheel All Third to dia S3 (many thanks to RMwebber "Penrhos 1920" for help with the coach identification). My interpretation also has the V5 and U16, while the S3 has been replaced with an S9. A 3232 class is standing in for the 3226. I have just finished restoring and repainting the U16, which was originally built by Colin Edge.
     

    "Toad" - Composite - Brake Third.
     
    Above: This formation was inspired by photos on page 69-70 of "GW branchlines: A pictorial survey" by C.W. Judge, which include a 517 class loco hauling a "Toad" goods brakevan and two 4-wheelers (Composite and Brake Third) on the Presteign branch in 1906. It seems to have been a regular sight on that line for several years. Some photos also show the train without the "Toad", giving an even shorter train. Other similar examples are mentioned in this thread (thanks gents!). The Toad seen here is from an old K's kit for the AA3 type. I'm not sure if the metal end and cab sheathing are appropriate for the 1900s, or if they were added later?
     
     

    Autotrailer and PBV.
     
    Above: I've always found GWR autotrains a bit boring, but the trailers were sometimes used in interesting combinations. This little train was inspired by a photo on page 31 of "The Lambourn Branch" by Kevin Roberts and Roger Simmonds, which shows an 850 class loco hauling an Autotrailer and a 4-wheel PBV to diagram V2 in the 1900s. Both of the model coaches seen here are second-hand: The trailer is a scratchbuilt oddity picked up some years ago (featuring real glass windows!), depicting one of the gangwayed diagram D types that worked behind railmotors in the Plymouth area. The V2 is another Colin Edge scratch-build, which I have restored and repainted.
     
    Although these trains are not exactly mainstream, they all feature that ungodly mix of stock that was quite typical of the GWR around the turn of the century. Good fun to replicate in model form!
     
    Note: The GWR would have called a Passenger Brake a "Van". I use the former term here as it seems more intuitive.
  7. Mikkel

    Sketches of "The depot"

    By Mikkel,


    Layout design
    Here's a first attempt to visualize "The depot", drawn with the Sketchup programme. As mentioned earlier, it will be constructed within an Ikea "Snackbox". The scenic part will be raised to allow ample room for electrics etc in the space underneath. I've used the same principle as on "The bay", where the viewing side is opposite of what you'd normally do. The idea is to increase the sense of being "inside" the scene, rather than viewing it from a distance.
     
     

     
    So we're standing inside the shed and looking at the last couple of platforms ("decks"), with an opening to the cartage platform and yard in the background. Hopefully the wagons moving back and forth on the reception siding in the yard will help add to the sense of depth.
     
     

     
    Sadly there won't be any horseboxes on the real thing - these are just to give an impression as I couldn't find any vans and wagons. Thanks to ngauge kid and wild goose for posting some GWR stock on the Sketchup site.
     
     

     
    It will be important to ensure that plenty of light enters the depot, or it may appear a bit dark and dull. These skylights are just an example, I'll want to look closer at prototype examples.
     
     

     
    If things work out I'm hoping for some interesting play of light, with light coming in from above but also from the opening to the yard. The windows in the side are wishful thinking at this point, but I might cut a hole in the side of the Snackbox to allow light to enter this way also.
     
     

     
    A view of the small section of the yard at the back, with reception siding and horse drawn carriages etc. This could become cramped if I don't take care - but a light ground cover and the "less is more" approach can hopefully help avoid that.
     
     

     
    A view from the yard side with the backscene removed. The backscene can easily be dismantled, so I'm considering making the layout viewable from this side also on occasion. That would require an alternative backscene which shows the rest of the depot behind the viewable platforms. Perhaps a photo of a depot scene, or even the old mirror trick (although how to do away with the duplication when shunting stock?).
     
  8. Mikkel
    This 4 minute video spans the period 1867-1947 on The Farthing Layouts. These 4mm layouts are normally set in 1907, but occasional forays into earlier and later time periods has allowed for a bit of pragmatic "out of period" modelling and operation.
     
  9. Mikkel

    GWR Outside Framed 8 Ton Van

    By Mikkel,


    Wagons
    Been working on this little van - an Outside Framed 8 Ton Van from the David Geen whitemetal range. Still need to add rainstrips, I completely forgot about them! According to the instructions, these lovely O/F wagons were introduced in 1879 - although the Atkins et al bible seems to have different dates?
     
     

    I tried out Vallejo acrylic primer this time, brush-painted on. Doesn't look so neat at first sight, but once the van was fully painted I couldn't tell the difference between that and those of my wagons done with spray-painted primer.
     
     

    A nice feature of the kit is the inclusion of both grease and oil axleboxes (top lef and right respectively). The vans were built with grease axleboxes, but many later received oil boxes. The kit also provides for both non-reversible and reversible brake shoes.
     
     

    I went for the grease boxes, but used the reduced 8 Ton classification to suggest the 1900s. I haven't been able to find any record of when the reversible shoes were introduced?
     
     

    Posed in front of "The depot". The wagon will form part of the shunting puzzle together with other wagons currently being built. My stock weathering techniques are still rather crude, so any suggestions for improvement are much appreciated!
  10. Mikkel

    Ready-to-plonk freight

    By Mikkel,

    A parcel arrived today with a small selection of ready-to-plonk freight items.
     
     

    There's still something magical about opening parcels. With a cheerful Hornby logo peering out at me, I even longed briefly for the Christmases of my childhood. Then I remembered the two months of hysteria we have ahead of us, and good old cynicism returned .
     
     
     

    The depot is going to need a lot of goods. I already have some of the white-metal offerings from various sources, but thought I’d see what the ready-painted items from Harburn Hamlet are like.
     
     
     

    Wooden crates from Harburn. These come as a single casting, but as evident here there is plenty of relief detail.
     
     
     

    The castings have been designed to fit as loads in wagons. Here is an example in a seven-plank wagon - it seems to me a five-planker would be too low. In any event, I assume the real deal would be carefully stacked and roped (and sheeted?), so this particular casting is perhaps better used outside of a wagon.
     
     
     

    A cruel close-up of the whisky barrels from Harburn. As I understand it the material is a mix of synthetic resin and stone. I'll see how it responds to a little cleaning up and some further weathering/painting.
     
     
     

    Also in the parcel was this Mechanical Horse from the new Hornby/Oxford Diecast "SkaleAuto" range. Hornby's own website images seem to show a CAD representation and has white sides instead of cream, so here are some detail shots of the actual model.
     
     
     

    Delightful as it is, I am not entirely confident that the GWR actually employed this particular type, with the 3-wheel rigid wheelbase. Perhaps anyone can help? Incidentally, all the photos I can find have the roundel positioned nearer the front, eg as seen here. The Mechanical Horse Club has a nice little website here.
     
     
     

    You may be wondering why I need a vehicle like this on an Edwardian layout. I plan to do a little video about Farthing through the ages, so am collecting a few 'period identifiers'. 
     
  11. Mikkel

    Fitted fish and piles (1947)

    By Mikkel,


    Stories
    More "forward-dating" of Farthing here, this time to 1947, with some of my ageing RTR stock brought into play.
     

     
    No. 9319 of the 93xx Class serving as station pilot at Farthing. At this point in time Hawksworth is in office at Paddington, but the loco carries the hallmarks of his predecessors Churchward and Collett. This is the Bachmann model with just a bit of light weathering. Not too sure about the chimney and other details, but I do like the GWR 2-6-0s.
     
     
     

     
    No. 9319 shunts a fish van to Diagram S2 in the sidings. Given the Shirtbutton monogram, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was the 1930s, but the "Fish" code on the van wasn't applied until 1943. The model was built by Richard Spratt from a converted Coopercraft Mink kit, and I bought it off him for a (now abandoned) collection of GWR browns. I haven't fitted S&W couplings to this "out of period" stock, but simply run it with screw/3-link couplings and an uncoupling hook. The Mechanical Horse is a weathered Hornby item.
     
     
     

     
    The S2 Fish Vans were originally Diagram V13, and went through a number of changes of the bracing, louvres and vents. The model shows an example in latter-day condition, based on the photo on page 344 of "GWR Goods Wagons" (Atkins, Beard & Tourret). A few general notes on converting the Coopercraft kits can be found here. Since taking this photo last week I have applied some light weathering (as seen in the other photos), but am uncertain whether it needs more. 
     
     
     

     
    No. 9319 introduces a Vent Van on the scene, with the post-1936 small 5 inch letters. This is a Bachmann article straight from the back of my drawer, with just a bit of weathering powder and some 3-links. I believe it is based on the unfitted Diagram V24. The underframe is below even my standards, and if I'm serious about these occasional changes of period I had better get some kits going!
     
     
     

     
    Driver J. Drover is no bundle of joy today. Quite apart from his piles, he is rather disgruntled with all these compromises: Here he is, a qualified Top Link man, relegated to knocking about some lowly wagons in a siding that hasn't been upgraded since 1907. Also, why is all the detail in the cab so chunky, why are there no lamps on his loco, and what is an unfitted Vent Van doing in the company of a fitted Fish Van? Come to think of it, he doesn't even like fish.
     
     
  12. Mikkel

    The trials of Mr Bull

    By Mikkel,


    Stories
    Here are some progress shots from "The bay", the first of the Farthing layouts. They mainly show the platform as I still need to detail the yard behind it.
     

     
    Mr Bull waits impatiently for his train on platform 2 at Farthing station. Behind him, 517 class No. 835 rests quietly in the bay with a newly arrived stopping train. The loco is an Alan Gibson kit that I bought secondhand in a rather unusual condition, sporting NER fittings and numbering! I returned it to running order and gave it a repaint, and it now serves as a regular engine on "The bay". The first two coaches are six-wheelers built from Blacksmith kits, namely an R2 First and a T38 Center Brake Third.
     
     
     

     
    A further view of No. 835. In a somewhat hazardous gamble, the Management has decided to delay securing of the roof on the R2 until passengers are onboard. Perhaps sensing the impending disaster, the crew is nowhere to be seen.
     
     
     

     
    Throughout his life, Charles R. Dixon categorically denied being shortsighted.
     
     
     

     
    The luggage belonging to the party of Mr and Mrs Longbottom, with whom regular readers (if there are any!) will be familiar. It is a little known fact that some Edwardian women were able to hover a few inches above the ground. Must fix that!
     
     
     

     
    Sometimes I think a cameo can be more effective without people in it. This one needs a bit more work though, and I seem to have gone over the top with the highlighting on the barrow. The lamp is a standard GWR type from the old Mike's Models range. They look ok from a distance, although close-ups like this show the thickness. The working lamps from DCC concepts provide an alluring alternative for future layouts, although I have not yet checked whether they resemble true GWR types. Does anyone know?
     
     
     

     
    The branch train has taken its place in the bay, ready for its return trip to Overbourne. The 850 class No. 1961 is again from an Alan Gibson kit, and yet another restoration job. The dome and chimney are not actually sliding down the boiler side, it must be the angle of the photo! The clerestory behind it is a chopped up Triang coach now running as an all Third to Diagram C10.
     
     
     

     
    Mr Bull is still waiting. His day has been bad enough already. When he discovers what he has stepped in, it will get worse.
     
     
  13. Mikkel

    4mm slate roofing

    By Mikkel,

    I've been looking at options for modelling the slate roof on the goods depot at Farthing. For what it's worth, here's a quick overview of the options considered. Above is one way of doing it: Lengths of thin card strips scribed vertically, and overlaid. I think this can give good results - in 4mm at least.
     
     
     

     
    But thin card also has its drawbacks! I recently noticed that the roof on the parcels office at Farthing has buckled. Either the glue has simply let go, or it was caused by a repaint I did a while back. Using the same method but with plasticard might have been better, as convincingly demonstrated in this blog entry by 45584 (albeit in Gauge 1!).
     
     
     

     
    An alternative to scribing things yourself are these "ready-scribed" slate sheets from Slaters (ref no. 0427). The idea (I think!) is that you cut out each length and overlay them.
     
     
     

     
    I may have failed to grasp the concept here, but my experiments with the Slater's sheets suggest a significant overscale thickness of the slates (according to the Slaters catalogue, the plasticard thickness is 0.015'). Or have I misunderstood something? Until someone tells me differently, I've decided not to continue down this road.
     
     
     

     
    A third main option is of course the ready-to-fit embossed sheets, available in various guises. There seems to be two main types here: Those that are printed "flat", and those where the slates actually appear to "overlap". The flat-printed ones can sometimes work well: This roof on a (rather careworn) Coopercraft platelayer's hut gives a reasonable representation, I think.
     
     
     

     
    However, the Wills slate sheets seem to me the best of the ready-embossed solutions I've seen yet. The shingles actually give the impression of overlapping....
     
     
     

     
     ...and they have an ever so slight irregularity that can be further accentuated during painting and weathering, as on the right.
     
     
     

     
    But of course, nothing is perfect. One well-known issue with the Wills sheets is their limited size, which means several have to be joined for larger rooves...
     
     
     

     
    ....and another issue is their thickness. I don't think the individual shingles look overly thick, but at the edges it becomes more of a problem, as seen on this canopy on the goods depot. Nevertheless, so far I think I'll go ahead with the Wills sheets as the preferred choice. 
     
    Update Feb. 2019: 
    Since this post was written I have experimented with:
    Pre-cut slate sheets from York Modelmaking (more on that here) Slate strips cut from vinyl (more on that here).  
  14. Mikkel
    Been doing some further experiments with the Timbertrack panels from C+L. This is mundane stuff for experienced track builders (especially as there is no pointwork involved), but for me it's all new and part of an exercise to see if this whole track-building lark is something I want to get seriously into. 'The depot' is a good test-bed for this, because most of the track won't really be seen anyway J Above: The C+L GWR panels are essentially intended for EM/P4. In the comments to an earlier post, we discussed that my attempt to use OO 16.5 mm gauge on them gave a narrow gauge impression. Nick kindly did some maths and found that 31.5 mm sleepers would give the best proportional appearance of GWR 9ft sleepers with 16.5 mm gauge. So I cut down the timbers to that length, as seen above.
     
     

    Above: I then conducted some highly scientific experiments to determine the correct colouring of the timbers.
     
     

    Above: After much testing, I finally arrived at the exact formula: Slosh on some sleeper stain and see how it goes!.
     
     

    Above: Next, the timbers were weathered with powders. Again, clinical testing in a whisky-free environment led to a clear conclusion: Add some light stuff, then add some darker stuff. (Note the flying sandpaper. Dunno how that came about, but anyway it was useful for distressing the sleepers a bit.)
     
     

    Above: So it ended up looking like this. Those are thin timbers!
     
     

    Above: Just a test here with rail loosely in place. I think the proportions are better now?
     
     

    Above: Finally I did a test with Carr's ash ballast. I wanted to see if I needed to remove the webbing between the timbers. The C+L website says it's up to you, as it won't necessarily be visible. It is in my case though, as you can see above. So that will have to go.
     
    So what did I learn from this?
     
    1. Trimming the timbers does make the OO solution look less narrow gauge (I think). However, it also makes the timbers exactly as long as the C+L ready built flexitrack, which makes it tempting to just use that instead.
     
    2. I might as well have purchased a bag of individual timbers instead of panels, since I'll be cutting away the webbing anyway once the panels are in place.
     
    3. Bread crumbs make for lousy ballasting.
  15. Mikkel
    Some years ago I picked up a number of secondhand GWR four and six-wheel coaches, originally scratchbuilt by Colin Edge. They were lovely models but had been worn by time.
     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    I have since been gradually restoring the coaches - not to finescale standards but to general working order. This and  the following blog entries is a lighthearted illustration of the work done.
     
     

     
    First job was to inspect the damage (with apologies to Chris Nevard!). The example seen here is a diagram R1 All First 4-wheeler in the lake livery.
     
     
     

    There must be a thousand coaches out there with broken or warped stepboards!
     
     
     

    Springs gone too. And the paintwork is looking a bit sad. Anyone aged 40 upwards will recognize the symptoms
     
     
     

     
    The roof has buckled, and the glazing isn’t so pretty anymore.
     
     
     

    So to summarize, this little R1 exhibits some very typical signs of wear and tear on kitbuilt coaches. But as long as the basic model is sound it is well worth the restoration effort, I think. More on this to follow...
     
    Go to part 2.
  16. Mikkel

    First bite: The bay

    By Mikkel,


    Layout design
    "The bay" was the first of the Farthing layouts. The layout portrays the bay platform for the GWR Overbourne line at Farthing. It is inspired by the bay platforms at Newbury and Didcot, and combines selected features from these.
     
     
     

     
    The trackplan is very simple, but allows reasonable scope for operation. The bay platform and its canopy is positioned at the very front of the layout, in order to provide a viewblock which forces the onlooker to look beneath the canopy, thereby also avoiding the "birds eye view".
     
     
     

     
    The photos seen here are rather out of date by now. "The bay" is nearing completion, with just a few details remaining. I'll begin taking photos of the finished layout shortly, once we get a clear day. Meanwhile, there's a more detailed account of how "The bay" was built here, although this has not been updated for quite some time.
     
     
  17. Mikkel

    Backdated Monty's figures

    By Mikkel,


    Figures
    Off with their heads! Farthing is set in Edwardian times, but good figures from this period are not easy to come by. I've therefore been doing a bit of backdating to the excellent Monty's range of 1930s-50s figures from Dart Castings. The photo above shows a rather gruesome selection of body parts left behind from butchering and modifying the Monty's figures.
     
     

     
    This lunar landscape shows my preference for blu-tacking the figures to inverted cups, so I don't have to handle them during painting. The cups give a good grip and you can turn them any way you want to get the right angle for painting. Paint and varnish is Vallejo acrylics, which are superb and work fine for me on whitemetal as long as its primed and varnished.
     
     

     
    Mr and Mrs Longbottom in trial position on the bay platform. They will shortly be joined by Mrs Longbottom's niece, who is slightly delayed due to her currently having no head.
     
     

     
    Mrs Longbottom is the result of a bit of fun figure-bashing (terrible word!). The face and upper body is from a Monty's figure (this one), with a bit of DAS modeling clay added to the hat and body to suit the style of the period. The lower body is from the Langley range of Edwardian figures, whose dresses are rather good, but whose upper bodies are a bit too stick-like for my tastes.
     
     

     
    Adding various types of beards to the figures (well the male ones at least!) helps to backdate them. This ganger is remodelled from a Monty's figure, adding a moustache made from Miliput, and with a modified hat. The latter was inspired by a similar hat worn by a ganger in a photo I have. None of your fancy bowlers here!
     
     

     
    This is the station master of Farthing. He is in fact a skipper from the Monty's range (one of the more recent additions), with the cap cut to look GWR-ish. The cutting of the coat isn't quite right, but life is short...
     
     

     
    This was originally a 1930s porter that I've attempted to backdate by filing off his pockets, modifying his cap and adding a moustache. His arm has been repositioned as he will be standing by a cart.
     
     

     
    This gentleman has had his original hat replaced with a bowler made from bits found in the spares box.
     
     

     
    This seems to be one of the more popular figures from Monty's. I've filed down his hat to represent the boaters of the period, and modified his nose just a little to make him look different from all the other ones out there.
     
     

     
    This worker is entirely unmodified, with the moustache painted on. I go for relaxed poses when I select figures, as I'm no great fan of the "frozen movement".
     
     

     
    Hmmmm, went a bit too far on the backdating there! Jokes aside, this is one of my son's plastic Warhammer figures that I painted. Now I know they're a bit larger than 4mm figures (I don't believe there's an exact scale for Warhammer - for good reason!), but they're not that much larger, and look at all that crisp detail. Imagine those production techniques applied to 4mm model railway figures! But I suppose the cost would be too high and the market too small?
     
  19. Mikkel

    Soft body, hard shell

    By Mikkel,


    Layout construction
    No, this is not a description of the average RMwebber, but a reference to the baseboards for my 2010 challenge layout "The depot". As Kenton keeps reminding us, the clock is ticking so I thought I'd best move ahead with this. The scenic section of this GWR micro- layout is to be housed within an Ikea "Snackbox". This plywood shell now houses a "soft" self-contained baseboard, made from 10mm foamboard and measuring 35.2 x 54.1 cms (13.9 x 21.3 in). This serves to raise the scenic section, and provides room for electrics etc underneath. I'll add a thin fascia to the front in due course.
     
     
     

     
    The foamboard structure slides in and out of the Snackbox. This should make it simple to work on from all sides during construction, and will make it easier to take photos from tricky angles when the layout is complete.
     
     
     

     
    The simple bracing, which strictly speaking I could probably have done without, given the thickness and small dimensions. The entire foamboard structure weighs in at 250 grams.
     
     
     

     
    The 10mm board seen next to a 5mm example and showing the sandwich structure of this material. The idea of using foamboard for lightweight baseboard construction is of course quite well tested by now, eg on Chris Nevard's superb Catcott Burtle. There was also Keith Harcourt's Kappaboard layout (see e.g. Railway Modeller January 2000) which even made do without the plywood shell.
     
     
     

     
    So far I have used my X-acto knife as the main means of cutting the foamboard, although I hear that a scalpel may be better. With the thickness used here I do occasionally have problems keeping the end profiles exactly at 90 degrees. Checking the web I found these specialist foamboard cutting tools that look tempting but also rather expensive, so I think I'll keep at it and learn it the old-fashioned way.
     
  20. Mikkel

    Platform trolleys and barrows

    By Mikkel,


    Scenery
    I've been enjoying myself assembling a variety of 4mm trolleys and barrows for "The bay".
     

     
    Platform trolleys from Coopercraft, with loads from the Monty's range. The one with the milk churns is a bit of a cliché I'm afraid, but I can't help liking it and it was a very common sight it seems. The heavy load of luggage on the other trolley belongs to the party of Mr and Mrs Longbottom. They have yet to discover that the maid has forgotten to pack their pajamas.
     
     
     

     
    These are from the Monty's/Dart Castings range and were a simple and pleasant build. I've always liked the barrow type in particular, which has such a rustic look to it. I initially thought the luggage trucks looked a bit too modern for Edwardian times, but they do seem to appear in photos from the period. Since I bought these kits I've discovered that Langley have a pack of etched brass kits for what appears to be the same prototypes (kit # F129, packed with some station seats, see it here). However I decided to stick with the whitemetal ones, in order to maintain consistency of thickness with the other platform fittings and vehicles.
     
     
     

     
    The handcart on the left is of an early GPO type, but will play the part of a GWR cart until I come across a model of a specific GWR prototype (if anyone knows of a kit, please do get in touch). My version of the kit came from Monmouth models, but I believe it is now available from PD Marsh. Looks like I still need to clear off some flash! The wheelbarrow also came from Monmouth.
     
    Here are some of the finished items in situ at Farthing:
     

     

     

     

     
    I have yet to find a detailed study of the trolleys and barrow used by the GWR, although photos of platforms usually show some interesting examples. There's also a nice little assembly of photos of trolleys and barrows in Vol 2 of Stephen Williams' "Great Western Branchline Modelling", although these appear to be taken in the latter years of the company.
     
  21. Mikkel

    Playing with mirrors

    By Mikkel,

    Been experimenting with back-scene effects for The Depot. Basically it's a mirror, thereby doubling the size of the interior in visual terms. The idea is to take a photo similar to these once the building is finished, and blow it up in size for use as a moveable backscene when viewing the layout from the alternative side. In the photo above, the mirror begins between the twin pillars behind the wagon. Everything beyond that is a reflection. The lack of buffers at one of the wagon is not part of the trick!
     


    Here, the mirror is more clearly visible, ie the dividing line in the middle-ground. In a way I wish I had built the depot this big in real terms - but then again, the mirror method is quicker .
     
     
     

    Hopefully this drawing explains things. The normal viewing side is from the front, but I want to be able to view the layout from the opposite side on occasion. This requires a moveable backscene that goes on the side that is normally the viewing side. Hence these experiments.
     


    Naturally, all this only works for still photos, as it looks rather silly when the wagons begin to move. Unless, of course, there was such a thing as "synchronized shunting" back in 1907!
     


    Looking in through one of the cartage bays. These photos are angled to avoid the camera reflecting in the mirror. When I take the actual photo for the backscene it will have to be directly from the side, with the camera subsequently edited out.
     


    Meanwhile, the depot is now finally fully clad in English bond brick sheets. It may not look like much progress, but it's been one of those sticky patches that unexpectedly took ages to get through (all my own doing, I hasten to add), so it's nice to have it done.
     


    Overview shot of the main building. Still experimenting with the number of pillars - just three of them here, but that wouldn't be realistic I think.
     


    I do like the GWR goods livery. The wagons need some weathering though. That front wall looks odd in this photo, must be the pixelation effect. Forget English bond: "Pixel bond" is here!
  22. Mikkel

    The Remains of the Day

    By Mikkel,


    Stories
    While researching a book on the real Farthing station, I recently acquired a set of photos from the 1900-1910 period that I thought I would share here. My sources in Farthing have been able to provide a bit of background on some of the staff featured in the photos. Above, we see the bay platform at Farthing, with station staff in attendance. The stationmaster Mr A. Woodcourt is seen second from the left. The stock presents something of a mystery. While it has been known for some time that loco No. 34 was occasionally seen at Farthing, it appears here to be heading a 70 ft Autotrailer to Diagram A12. These coaches were built with gangways to run behind railmotors in the Plymouth area, and it seems highly irregular that it should turn up at Farthing on its own. Perhaps readers can offer an explanation?
     
     
     

     
    "Buffalo" No. 1234 in the bay area at Farthing. The fireman was known as "Mad Charlie" due to his rather spectacular style of shoveling, which included various risky balancing acts on top of the bunker. Sadly this practice eventually led to his demise, as one day during a particularly tricky move he fell off the loco at full speed. His reputation lived on, however, and for many years afterwards firemen in the area would acknowledge a particularly deft move as "a Mad Charlie".
     
     
     

     
    The bay in a lull between trains. The picture carries the date "May 5th, 1907" on the back. The photographer must have been standing on what was then Platform 3, looking across the Up Main. Today, of course, everything seen in this photo has been converted to a parking lot.
     
     
     

     
    The gentleman in this photo has been identified as Mr Tom Gradgrind, a worker for the local cartage company Smith & Sons. Always known as a bit of a dreamer, he eventually became obsessed with the notion that the entire population of Farthing were merely toys in the hands of a giant. Although he was later cured and settled down for a normal family life, his wife would occasionally notice him casting fleeting glances at the sky, as if trying to catch a glimpse of another world beyond the clouds.
     
     
     

     
    William K. Honeythunder with his parcels van and horse. Although much admired by the women of Farthing, Mr Honeythunder's true love were the horses he worked with. Some 15 years after this photo was taken he became a superintendent in the GWR's cartage department at Paddington, where he fought long and hard against the phasing out of horse power on the Great Western.
     
     
     

     
    Stationmaster A.Woodcourt served the GWR for 27 years. Farthing was his last post. Throughout his career with the company he was known as a disciplined, meticulous but also somewhat cautious man. It therefore came as a surprise to many when, the day after his retirement, he withdrew his entire savings from the bank, boarded a ship for Brazil and disappeared into the Amazon jungle.
     
     
  23. Mikkel

    Six Lessons Learnt

    By Mikkel,


    Musings
    Well they say we have to learn as we go along, so here are six "lessons learnt" that I'll be taking with me from the scenic work on "The bay". Some of it is basic stuff I suppose, but perhaps there are one or two things of interest to others.
     
     

    Wiltshire or Arizona?
     
    1. Kill your darlings
    I tend to have these little pet features on the layout that I really like when viewed on their own, but which somehow don't fit into the bigger picture. After much agonizing I've decided that it's best to be tough in such situations and apply the writer's principle of "kill your darlings". I was, for instance, quite taken by these tufts of Silflor grass around the buffer stop, but it suggested a rural or unkempt location, not a large urban station in Edwardian times. So it had to go. I did add a bit of grass elsewhere in the yard, but not much.
     
     
     

    Surplus to requirements on "The bay"
     
    2. Less is indeed more
    This photo shows items I had planned / built for the layout, but which were ousted after a ruthless "clean-up" exercise. Inspired by a suggestion over on MREmag (can't find the posters name, sorry!), I sat back and removed each and every individual item on the layout in turn, to see if it actually added to the impression I wanted, or just cluttered things up. It was quite an eye-opener, and helped give a far more spacious feel to the layout. I realize this is a subjective thing, and certainly agree that the "cluttered" approach can add a lot of atmosphere too, if done well. Each to his own!
     
     
     

    Attitude problems
     
    3. Poses matter
    Before building this layout I hadn't given much thought to just how much the poses of figures contribute to the sense of period. So I had planned to feature this assembly of figures in a central position on the layout. [Clarkson mode on] However, there was a problem [Clarkson mode off]. While the out-of-period clothing could have been modified, their rather lax poses just didn't befit the formal and slightly pompous atmosphere of an Edwardian station. We even had an interesting little discussion over on RMweb3 on whether it was realistic for a porter to be reading a newspaper at work during this period! In the end, none of these gentlemen made in onto the layout. One or two other similar figures did, but their poses suggested a momentary pause rather than this kind of loafing about!
     
     
     

    Too blue?
     
    4. Consistency of colours
    Mrs Longbottom's niece in the blue dress has been annoying me as one of those irritating little features on a layout that just isn't quite right. It's taken me a while to realize that she is the only blue item on the layout, and therefore clashes with the remaining colours, which are mostly subdued shades of red/brown/orange and white/grey/black. It doesn't help much that she is slightly shiny, maybe I used satin varnish by mistake. I fear that my usual little trick of adding baby talc to tone down the finish won't be enough here. Repaint needed. Edit: Or not? See dicussion in the comments below.
     
     
     

    Over-weathered
     
    5. Easy on the weathering
    This is more like a lesson not learnt. I really should know better, but too often I tend to go overboard on the weathering. This stuff should be built up gradually and with restraint, not sploshed on indiscriminately. By way of example, this Tiny Signs poster offered a perfect clue to the date of the layout, as it advertises the new Fishguard route opened in 1906. I gave it a prime location at the front of the layout, and then proceeded directly to over-weather both the poster and the wooden paneling. I did manage to remove some of the stuff on the poster, but the edges reveal just how far I'd gone.
     
     
     

    D'oh!
     
    6. Think
    I have it from reliable sources that thinking always helps. This sign was supposed to hang suspended from the canopy. But working from the other side, I fitted it upside down. As a result, it would have pointed directly to the sky. I know we all have to go out that way some day, but I'm not sure the passengers at Farthing would like to be reminded of it!
     
     
  24. Mikkel

    Low-tech pre-grouping stock

    By Mikkel,


    Coaches & Browns
    My ability to build brass kits is limited, but I've decided that I won't let it keep me from modelling the pre-grouping world that I find so fascinating. Instead I try to make the best of whatever skills and means I have available. Here's a few examples of what I like to call "calculated bodging"!
     
     

     
    1. Simple kits. Above is a Toplight Composite Slip to diagram F15, built from an ex-PC Wheeltappers kit. These feature pre-printed sides, which gives a quickly finished coach but also means the sides have no relief when viewed close-up. For today's spoiled modeller the latter can be hard to accept, but it gave me confidence to continue with kit building, and a rake of these does look rather good when moving by. Sadly, I hear that Wheeltappers are no longer renewing their stocks. Fortunately there are other simple kits available for the pre-grouping modeller. This includes the Ratio 4-wheelers, and I've written up a brief introduction to these over on the GWR Modelling site.
     
     

     
    2. Kit-bashing. The standard features of many GWR coaches allows some possibility for hacking up sides in order to join them in new ways. This W1 Parcels Van was composed of two Ratio brake thirds, following an idea from J. Russell. I've done some notes on the build here. I don't really like pristine white rooves any more, so they are due for a repaint. Edit: For some excellent additional examples, have a look at buffalo's blog.
     
     

     
    3. Conversion kits. This is a Siphon C built using the Shirescenes etched brass body kit fitted on a modified Ratio 4-wheeler chassis. The body is brass, but has been treated so that it can be assembled with superglue. You can read how it was built here. The Shirescenes kits offer a number of good conversions of the Ratio 4-wheelers. There are more examples here.
     
     

     
    4. RTR bashing. There's something strangely satisfying about sawing up RTR coaches to produce different diagrams. This is a V5 passenger brake van, built from the ends of two old Triang clerestories. Again, there's a write-up of the job on gwr.org.uk. While on the topic of RTR coach bashing, have a look at the current work being done by rovex, which although not pre-grouping shows nicely what can be achieved.
     
     

     
    5. Restoration. Bringing old second-hand stock back to former glory is a favourite pastime of mine. This 6-wheel Compo to diagram U21 is a current example. She looks a little sad right now, but there's a warm heart beating in there! The model was originally built by Chris Edge, using what I believe was a very limited production run of kits that he made largely for his own use. My restoration has so far included new step boards (always a weak point) fashioned from strengthened Plastikard, as well as simplified Comet brake shoes, Romford pin-point bearings, Alan Gibson wheels, and gas lamp tops from IKB. I'll also add a new interior, new glazing and give the coach a complete repaint.
     
    At this point you may be wondering what I do for locos. Here again I tend to resort to restoration of secondhand locos. I'll feature these separately later on, but meanwhile there is also the option of converting selected RTR locos to the pre-grouping period. There are nice examples here.
     
  25. Mikkel

    Simple structures for "The bay"

    By Mikkel,


    Structures
    In keeping with my happy-go-lucky approach, the buildings and structures for "The bay" were kit-bashed, scratch-built or otherwise put together using whatever materials, kits and parts I came across (you realize of course that this so-called "approach" is really just an excuse for my limited modelling skills). The parcels & cloak room seen above is loosely based on the wonderful wooden building style so typical of Didcot station. This was done by scoring the cut-to-shape plasticard sides and ends of the building to emulate the plankings, and then adding strips of further plasticard to give the panel effect. The roof is made from card strips. These simple techniques were copied from a similar old second-hand building I picked up a while back, from which some of the parts have been recycled.
     
     
     

     
    The canopy uses heavily modified parts from a number of Ratio Platform Canopy kits, purchased cheaply on E-bay. The valances are etched brass examples from Muswell Models, replacing the rather crude versions that come with the Ratio kits. By the way, the loco is my Armstrong Goods built by Chris Phillips from the old Nu-Cast kit. It has that revealing white-metal thickness, but it's a good old friend!
     
     
     

     
    The kit-bashed canopy included cutting up the Ratio roof parts to form one long continuous skylight as seen on many GWR canopys (illustrated above with original parts on top and modified below), and adding extra layers to the roof to widen the canopy and making the roof level with the skylights.
     
     
     

     
    The Ratio canopy supports are a fair representation of a widespread design that was also used at Newbury, so these were built as supplied, but with a rod-in-tube system built into the base which allows the canopy to be removed from the platform if necessary.
     
     
     

     
    The rough-and-ready water tower, less final details (laddder etc). It is based on a rough and simple design that was widespread on the GWR, including in the early years at Newbury (although that was a six-legged variant). The model was put together in an evening from bits and pieces from my scrap-box, including Ratio parts for the tank itself. I rather like these simple little projects, which contribute nicely to my objective of using as many existing or leftover parts as possible, while still drawing on prototypical features.
     
     
     

     
    The main platform was built using adapted Peco platform sides and edging, faced with brick-pattern Plastikard from Slaters. The surfacing is Wills Victorian stone paving, cut to shape and mounted between the Peco sides. I have always rather liked this kind of paving, which was used on the Newbury platforms and, of course, many other locations.
     
     
     

     
    As for the brick embankment walling, I thought I'd experiment with some new options and used the vacuum formed plastic walling available from Langley. This is preformed and comes with four bays in each section. It is very lightweight and can be mounted with quick results. However the brickwork lacks the sharp crisp edges of plastic kits, which can be dissatisfying when viewed close up. On this particular layout I think it works out OK, but it may not be the best choice for embankments that are more visible at the front of a layout.
     
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