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Mikkel

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Blog Entries posted by Mikkel

  1. Mikkel
    Here’s an update on the sidings at Farthing, or "Old Yard" as I have now dubbed this part of the station.
     

     
    I have reached the point where detailing can begin. I'm going for the uncluttered look, although a few weeds etc will be added at some point.
     
     
     

     
    Inside the "biscuit shed" we find an old timber built buffer stop. Like the shed itself, it is a survivor from N&SJR days, before the GWR gobbled up the proud little station and turned it into a goods yard. Being a modest lot, the N&SJR built their stops from coffee stirrers.
     
     
     

     
    Elsewhere, standard GWR stops rule the day. These were made from the rather nice offerings from Lanarkshire Models.
     
     
     

     
    I've modified the kits slightly by removing the left hand section of plain whitemetal rail, as I needed to have proper rail as far in as possible.
     
     
     

     
    The finished kits have a nice chunky appearance. They look like they could, er, stop a train.
     
     
     

     
    Close-ups can be so cruel. Someone will be having a word with the PW gang about those chairs, not least the missing one!
     
     
     

     
    Mind you, the real thing wasn't perfect either. This was cropped from a larger photo, to illustrate that it’s OK if you bend the stay bar...
     
     
     

     
    I've also made some point levers, originally from the Southwark Models range, now available from Roxey Mouldings. They appeared around 1900 and can be seen in some sidings, yards and sheds of the period. There were two types and the kit allows for both. I chose the simplest type.
     
     
     

     
    I chickened out on the soldering. Gel type superglue worked fine though.
     
     
     

     
    The only issue I had was with the weights, which are built up from layers. They do need opening out, and the handles need slimming down to accept them properly. As you can see, I struggled a bit with this.
     
     
     

     
    This cropped detail from a larger photo shows how the levers tended to be fitted on extended timbers, with the rodding often - but not always - boarded over. The boards were arranged in various ways, sometimes parallel to the track, sometimes perpendicular to it.
     
     
     

     
    I wanted to suggest something rudimentary so went for this arrangement, although these low shots suggest that I should perhaps add some boards at the side. I wonder how shunting horses navigated the levers?
     
     
     

     
    Another crop here, showing what seems to have been the standard painting scheme, ie weight and main lever was white, the rest was black (including the tip!).
     
     
     

     
    The points - so nicely built by John Jones - use a moving timber as tie bar. I laid the boards to accommodate this, so that the timber slides below the boards. I really must trim that pin!
     
     
     

     
    I've also added some fishplates. On my last layout I used the etched ones on the left, but felt that they were virtually unnoticeable. So I decided to experiment and use the plastic variant this time, which has more pronounced moulding. These are intended mainly for isolating gaps, so a slight modification of the rear side was needed.
     
     
     

     
    But alas, I hadn't thought it through. The result looks OK from a distance, but in close-up they appear quite thick. Of course it doesn't help that there is no actual rail join in this case!
     
     
     

     
    I also had problems with wheels bumping on them, so had to file them down a bit. I'm not blaming the product, it's probably due to my incorrect use of them. This is what happens when irreverent amateurs try to be clever with finescale products
     
     
     

     
    A loading gauge has also been made, using the Smiths kit of the simple, early variant.
     
     
     

     
    The light stone livery may be a little controversial, as many modellers paint them white. However...
     
     
     

     
    ...looking at photos from the period suggests light stone on this type. Above is one example cropped from a larger photo, PM me for others. Stephen Williams' Great Western Branchline Modelling is onto something similar in his livery guide (Vol 2 p71). He says dark stone for base of post and white for the rest, but adds that some may have been all over light stone. Could it be a period thing, or was there perhaps a difference between wooden and metal types?
     
     
     

     
    Finally, a note on the backscene. After much back and forth, I ended up with my usual solution: A simple embankment wall. Once again I used the vacuum formed product from Langley. It isn't particularly well detailed but I feel it works OK as an unobtrusive background that adds to the atmosphere but doesn't steal the show. Such heavy infrastructure may seem like overkill for a handful of sidings, but I wanted to avoid a rural look, and indicate that we are seeing the margins of a larger yard and station.
     

     
    The embankment wall thereby forms a recurring feature across all my 3 Farthing layouts, as seen in the medley of photos above. I’m hoping this will help emphasise that each layout shows a small part of the same overall station. So if you think it is all becoming a bit repetitive, I have achieved my goal....
  2. Mikkel
    Here’s an update on Farthing – and some new ideas.
     
     
     

     
    The “biscuit” and “jam” sheds have been painted and are ready to embed on the layout. The buildings are an attempt to hint at the past railway history of the area. They were originally built for the old N&SJR terminus at Farthing, which was alongside the Great Western station. When the GWR swallowed up the N&SJR, it kept the buildings and used them as loading and distribution facilities for the town’s booming industries.
     
     
     

     
    This backstory to the buildings is inspired by Witney and Stratford on Avon, where early passenger stations were also redeployed as goods facilities, for blankets and beer respectively.
     
     
     

     
    End view of the biscuit shed (not yet embedded).
     
     
     

     
    The track and chairs have finally been painted. I’ve tried to capture the effect of disappearing sleepers, but it hasn’t worked quite as I hoped. I’ve decided to live with it, but I won’t use this method again.
     
     
     

     
    Nothing like a cozy layout session to forget the cold light of day for a moment
     
    Then I started hearing voices:
     
     
    I was never a Reagan fan, but this particular advice seemed sensible enough, and so I took his cue....
     
     
     

     
    What you see above is two layouts positioned next to each other, with the backscenes removed. The current “sidings” layout is in the foreground, and the goods depot layout is behind it.
     
     
     

     
    The concept for Farthing has always been to build different parts of the same station on separate, self-contained layouts. But I must admit that this little experiment has whetted my appetite for joining the layouts together, in modular fashion.
     
     
     

     
    With such an approach, each layout would still be self-contained, but could then also be joined to form a larger layout. It wouldn't require much remedial work. The traverser could be moved to the right hand end of the sidings (nearest the camera), and the track extended accordingly, perhaps with an extra point or two for operational interest. A future module could fill the “gap” on the right. The whole thing would fit on my writing desk.
     
    Let’s see. For the time being I’ll finish one end of the sidings as planned, and then make some decisions.
  3. Mikkel
    The management is pleased to report some progress on the sidings. The baseboard was built some time ago. It is 10 mm foamboard topped with cork, giving a nice light baseboard which weighs in at 900 grams. So far no warping issues.
     
     

     
    The height adjusters are DIY – a simple bolt and screw, fitted with rubber pads for silencing cupboard doors. The latter are very handy, as they hold the legs firmly in place on all surfaces, and absorb vibration. There will be 8 of these in total when I’m done.
     
     

     
    The original track plan was done in Anyrail for Peco code 75, in order to get a feel for things while I pondered how far I wanted to go in terms of track accuracy. I've decided to continue with C&L track components as used on my goods depot, and will give their turnout kits a try.
     
     

     
    I’ve done mock-ups of the main buildings on the layout. This has been a very useful exercise and has led to various changes.
     
     

     
    The large building at the back will be a stable block, based on the one at Uxbridge. This had 9 stalls and a storage room. The smaller building on the right is based on Captain Kernow’s photos of the checker’s cabin at Truro. I’ve worked out the approximate dimensions of the latter, based on a count of bricks and studying Google Earth. Many thanks to Boris, Ian, Job, Chubber and Captain Kernow for help with drawings and photos of these and similar buildings.
     
     

     
    The shed in the “biscuit siding”, which will be based on the old beer shed at Stratford on Avon.
     
     
     

     
    The waterworks siding. The intention was to have a low-relief backdrop but I don’t really like the whole set-up. It looks too cramped and makes it difficult to reach the fiddle yard. I may leave this siding without scenery and consider it “off-scene”.
     
     
    As previously discussed, the idea is to use gravity shunting for the biscuit siding. The video above shows the basic concept with a 1:60 gradient and a single length of Peco track. I had hoped to achieve a slower roll (as this is not hump shunting), but it’s tricky to find the balance between the right speed and the desired length of the roll. The length of the gradient and the curve/turnout are critical factors, as is the wagon weight, wheel gauge, wheel type, bearings, rail type and the way each wagon interacts with another!
     
    I have given up trying to work out some grand formula for the gravity shunting. Instead I'll follow a simple trial-and error approach. First step is to get the actual track and C+L turnout in place. Following this, I’ll use a small selection of wagons with similar qualities to set the final gradient. I may install retarders (eg toothbrush bristles) in selected hidden places such as inside the biscuit shed.
     
    I’m thinking that, in practice, wagons would probably have been braked before they entered the biscuit shed, and then worked by other means into the shed. But on that one I’ll claim modeller’s license.
  4. Mikkel

    Design principles

    By Mikkel,


    Intro
    Here's an introduction to the main approaches and principles behind the Farthing layouts.
     
     

     
    1. One bite at a time. Each layout can be set up and operated in our living room in a short space of time. They show different parts of the same overall station, meaning that I can explore my interest in junction stations in a limited space, step by step. Some of the layouts use Peco track, others use C+L handbuilt track.
     
     
     

     
    2 . Into the scene. The layouts are designed for close-up eye-level viewing, seeking to place the viewer 'inside' the scene. 'See-through' structures (eg a canopy) at the front of layouts are used to enhance this effect.
     
     

     
     
    3. Trying for atmosphere. The layouts have a focus on atmosphere rather than high accuracy, and tend to follow a 'less is more' approach. That's not a judgement on other approaches to modelling, this one just happens to suit my interests and skills. For a related topic, see the Farthing Station Weekly Discussion Club.
     
     
     

     
    4. The human dimension. Hardware is great, but railways are also a lot about people. In my view, there is still some un-exploited potential in the way we think about the human dimension on our layouts, and we owe a lot to the railway staff and their communities. I like using human stories as a way of presenting the layouts, and creating the sense of a real place. All within reason of course: You won't catch me talking to the figures!
     
     
     

     
    5. Time warp. If you can't expand on space, expand on time. Because each layout is independent, they can be set at different times. While all the layouts are set in Edwardian days, they show different years, allowing for variation in stock and liveries from layout to layout. Just to add to the scope, I also do occasional out-of-period running sessions. This is good fun, provides variation and allows some of my back-of-the-drawer stock to stretch it's legs. This video tries to capture some of that fun.
     
    That's about it then. Best not to take it too seriously, at the end of the day it's all mostly an excuse for a bit of laid back modelling.
     
     
  5. 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.
  6. Mikkel
    "Surely you do not intend to transport my prize-winning champion in that ?!". Mr Bull looked incredulously at Woodcourt, the Station Master of Farthing.
     
     
     

     
    Woodcourt was acutely aware that the situation required all his diplomatic skills. "I'm afraid this is our only option" he replied "and we do convey horses in cattle vans quite frequently. The sheeting will keep her from panicking." He decided not to mention that the only horses ever carried in cattle vans were lowly farm animals.
     
     
     

     
    Faced with no alternative, Mr Bull finally gave in. "But make sure to tighten the tarpaulin better. Those ropes look slack and I won't have my champion go down with pneumonia!". Heaving a sigh of relief, Woodcourt made a mental note to remind the staff of the sheeting regulations. Those ropes did look rather slack!
     
     
     

     
    As No. 535 moved the van and its valuable cargo out of the loading dock, porter C. Walker realized that he now possessed some very useful inside information. After that ride, chances were that Mr Bull's champion wouldn't live up to its usual reputation at the races today. Best get some bets in.
     
     
     

     
    Meanwhile, Woodcourt was happy to see the horse move off. He congratulated himself on solving the little crisis, and wondered if perhaps the day would turn out well after all. Little did he know that his troubles had only just begun...
     
    Go to part 3
  7. Mikkel

    Rising from slumber

    By Mikkel,


    Track & Traversers
    After a quiet spring things are moving again on Farthing. The Slipper Boy story is featured in the June 2016 BRM, which seems a good way to mark the end of work on that layout. Many thanks to BRM for featuring the story. It’s all just a bit of fun of course, but while studying the court case that inspired the story, it did occur to me just how much scope there is for modelling particular historical incidents on the railways.
     
     
     

     
    Meanwhile there has been progress on “The sidings”, my third layout in the Farthing series. Track and groundcover is now in place and trains are running. It hasn’t been without birth pains though. The layout was on the backburner for quite a while and I was losing interest, so I decided to do three things:
     
     
     

     
    First, I adjusted the design to balance the layout better and “open up” the views. This involved widening the baseboard and moving the fiddle yard off the main baseboard. The trackplan remains mostly the same though, following the original inspiration from the backwaters of Gloucester Old Yard. This includes the very short headshunt and the two sidings with loading facilities that were hired out to private companies. I’ve played around with the latter and added a bit of, ahem, local lore - more on that in another post.
     
     
     

     
    Secondly, I scrapped the idea of using gravity shunting. Despite some success with initial experiments, it was becoming a major project in itself and was bogging down progress. I appreciate all the ideas offered though, maybe another time. There is still shunting to be had, thanks to the short headshunt and the exchange of wagons between two locos, as was also done at Gloucester.
     
     
     

     
    Thirdly, I cut a corner and decided to have the two points built professionally. This hurt my pride a bit, but I wanted to move on and so John Jones (aka “Hayfield") of this parish built me a couple of nice 00-SF (aka 4-SF) points at a very reasonable price.
     
     
     

     
    With momentum duly restored I set about building the plain track. Sleepers were cut using my old paper cutter…
     
     
     

     
    …and stuck onto templates of GWR 44 ft track lengths. I tried to copy the GWR’s sleeper spacing at the rail joins.
     
     
     

     
    According to Stephen Williams, the GWR employed two different ways of laying sleepers at the end of points, the “interlaced” pattern being more common. So I did that.
     
     
     

     
    For the groundcover, I used the latest supersmooth, superlight, supertasty Polyfilla formula. This was built up in layers and sanded down in-between. The groundcover was taken up to the sleeper tops, as per many photos of GWR yards in the 1900s. I’m considering raising it even further in some places, eg just over the sleeper tops like here: http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrhd692b.htm, or even higher like here: http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/gwr/gwrbsh1195.htm
     
     
     

     
    For point operation I’ve used Cobalt IP Analogs. Definitely over the top for a glorified shunting plank, but I wanted to see what slow action motors are like. They work well enough, although I find them a bit noisy – no doubt amplified by the foamboard.
     
     
     

     
    The next step is to add a few final details to the track, clean up the sleepers and paint the rails, and then I'll finally be able to start work on the buildings and structures, something I look forward to.
     
     
     
     
    Finally here's a short video clip proving that the beast is alive – warts and all. I still need to tweak things a bit, but I’m quite happy with the way my wagons (built to very simple standards) and the RTR chassis move through John's 00-SF points.
  9. Mikkel

    Porters and Barrows

    By Mikkel,


    Figures
    These days 4mm modellers have an excellent choice of figures from Model-U, Andrew Stadden and Dart Castings - but there's always room for a bit of tinkering!
     
    Here are some porters for Farthing Old Yard, modified and pieced together from various sources. The figures have all been attached to something - e.g. a barrow - as I find this helps "integrate" them once placed on the layout.
     
    Our first subject mixes a Dart Castings body with an Andrew Stadden head and arm. The barrow is a Shirescenes kit.

     
    Below is another Dart Castings/Andrew Stadden combo. The wheelbarrow is a modified Springside kit.

     
    Next is this gentleman, a modified Andrew Stadden figure that I bent forward in pursuit of a more casual pose.

     
    This chap was made from various Andrew Stadden parts, including his useful loco crew "kit". The basket is from an old Preiser kit.

     
    Next is a modified Airfix 1:72 figure with an Andrew Stadden head. The Airfix figures proved a rather difficult material to work with.

     
    This porter was built from a mix of body parts from Andrew Stadden figures. The barrow is a modified Langley kit.

     
    Lastly a few shots of the "accessories", including some equipment for my lamplighters.

     
  10. 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.
     
     
     
     
  11. 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! 
     
     
  12. Mikkel

    Ratkin & Son horse-drawn wagon

    By Mikkel,


    Horse-drawn
    Here's another contribution to the RMweb "Horse Drawn Weekly" as Dave calls it. My efforts don't even get close to his superb models, but a horse is a horse as they say in Farthing. Today's subject is a wagon from Ratkin & Son, makers of finest jams and marmalades (or so they claim).
     
     
     

     
    The build was inspired by scenes such as this one, showing the GWR sidings at Henley and Sons cyder works (sic) in Newton Abbot, October 1908. Source: Getty Images. Embedding permitted.
     
     
     

     
    The wagon is a straightforward build of a Dart Castings kit.
     
     
     

     
    As usual I modified the parts lightly to allow the front axle to rotate freely, which adds a bit of flexibility when positioning the wagon.
     
     
     

     
    I don't know whether trade/industry wagons followed the local styles of farm wagons. If so I'm in trouble, as my model isn't a Wiltshire type, where Farthing is located. An excuse could be that it was acquired secondhand from elsewhere, or built to the standard design of a large manufacturer. The example above was built by the Gloucester Wagon & Carriage works (who also made horse drawn vehicles).
     
     
     

     
    The style of the wagon didn't allow for lettering directly on the sides, so I made a sign. Whilst browsing a discussion of marmalade on CK's Bethesda Sidings thread, I realized that I had used the Danish spelling. It's the little details that reveal who we are, as Poirot would have said!

     
    Anyway, a new sign was made, and I took the opportunity to modify the name.
     
     
     

     
    If you're wondering about the point of the name, there's a clue in this photo.
     
     
     

     
    The rear flap was detailed with interior bracing and chain from Cambrian models.
     
     
     

     
    An Andrew Stadden figure was added, and some of those nice bulky sacks from Dart Castings.
     
     
     

     
    The horse is also from Dart Castings. I thought I'd have a lighthearted go at a nosebag, made from ordinary printing paper, rolled and glued. Getting a decent fit and fold was surprisingly tricky.
     
     
     

     
    As this delightful photo shows, I really ought to add a strap to hold it in place. Source: Wikipedia. Embedding permitted.
     
     
     

     
    Wagon done. It is manned by D. Woods, formerly of the GWR and His Majesty's Prisons, now happily employed at Ratkin & Son.
     
     
     

     
    So here we are in one of the mileage sidings at Farthing Old Yard. Obviously there is work going on - but, er, what exactly?
     
     
     

     
    Ah, an unloading procedure of sorts. The work seems to be all done. The loco crew must be very impatient, as they are already removing the goods wagon. Quite unusual.
     
     
     

     
    The siding has been cleared and we get a better view. A delivery of low grade oranges has been received, soon to be recycled as Ratkin's Finest Quality Marmalade.
     
  13. Mikkel

    Kit-bashed GWR light dray

    By Mikkel,


    Horse-drawn
    I've been finalising a batch of horse-drawn vehicles for Farthing. First one done is a light one-horse dray – or trolley, as the GWR called them. It's of a type that some GWR drawings refer to as the “Birmingham pattern”. There was a variety of designs of this type from the 1890s onwards, but the main distinguishing feature was the front-mounted protective tarp, and a carter’s box seat beneath it. The name shouldn't be taken too literally. Photos and drawings show that they were widely distributed around the system, including at e.g. Slough and Ilfracombe.
     
    I’ve previously scratchbuilt another Birmingham pattern vehicle, but that took ages so this time I decided to modify a generic Dart Castings kit (ref L45). I found a drawing in 'GWR Horsepower' which is a reasonable fit, give or take a mm here and there. The following photos show the main steps.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    I initially fitted bolections to the sides, but later dispensed with them (see below). Probably shouldn't have.
     

     
    The carter was composed of a Langley body and head from the Andrew Stadden range.
     

     

     
    The horse is from Dart Castings. The subtle colouring of our equine friends is hard to capture, I find. Here I tried dry brushing lighter colours on a dark base, i.e. white from below and light brown from above. Works OK in close-up, but once on the layout you can’t really tell the difference!
     

     

     
    The tarp on these vehicles could be pulled back and draped over the load in case of rain. I folded it from a spare Smiths tarp, cut to size.
     

     
    A central box seat was made for the carter. It's a bit lower than it should be, to accommodate his short legs.
     

     
    Lettering is always a problem for company vehicles. I first used coach lettering off the HMRS sheet as per my earlier model of this type, but wasn’t happy with the result - and the font isn’t right anyway.
     

     
    After much back and forth I had a "modeller's fit", ripped off the bolections, and fitted a simple printed side. It’s not ideal, next time I’ll make my own transfers. Fortunately, photos show much variety in lettering style in the 1900s. The fine chain is from Cambrian, great stuff and still available from H&A Models.
     

     
    The new trolley posed next to my earlier model on the left, which shews a different type of headboard (and no box for the driver, must get roundtuit). The scratchbuilt one has more character I think – but the kitbashed one was a lot quicker!
     
    I'll leave it there for now, these entries are becoming too long and unwieldy! More on the other vehicles shortly.
     
     
  14. Mikkel

    Life in the fast lane

    By Mikkel,


    Musings
    I've been thinking that railway modelling needs a better public image. People seem to think the hobby is a bit weird and nerdy, when really we’re a bunch of smooth adrenaline junkies. Here are some examples from my own awesome life.
     
     
     
     
    Firstly, we railway modellers have really cool gear. These DIY tamping and scribing tools were made from coffee stirrers and my wife’s discarded sock knitting needles. Max bling! The top three are for smoothing DAS between sleepers and under rails. 
     
     
     

     
    I use Latex gloves to help seal glue containers. After years of doing this, I’m now wondering if they are in fact permeable.  But never mind, it adds a bit of style. I keep the bottles on the back stairs where our neighbours can admire them.
     
     
     
     
     
    Recycled kitchen sponge, used as a stop block.  Works quite well I find.  If you’re lucky, there are old bits of food left in there.
     
     
     
     
     
    "So what do you in your spare time?”. Oh, I like to put on latex gloves and scrub things with a toothbrush.
     
     
     

     
    The stuff I use for paint stripping is some serious sh*t. Not sure what the proper English term is, it's called "brown soap" in Danish. Used for cleaning floors. Wild, man.
     
     
     

     
    At weekends, I really let my hair down. In one recent highlight, I spent an hour painting sewing thread.  
     
     
     

     
    Then there’s our risk-taking mindset. For example, I recently sorted the kitchen cupboards. 
     
     
     
     
     
    This revealed more spices than we’ll never need, so I decided to experiment:  Would spices work as weathering powders? For improved adhesion, I mixed in some baby powder. 
     
     
     
      
     
    Feeling reckless, I also tried ground ginger.
     

     

     
    The verdict? Well it works OK in a pinch, but proper weathering powders are better. The layout smells great though. Makes for a good pick-up line.

     
     

     
    Speaking of pick-up lines, I like to experiment with dung.
     
     
     
      
    These are lumps of weathering powder on PVA. I think it could work for horse droppings, though more testing is needed. 
     
     
     

     
    It also seems to work when brushed into setts. Horse dung would be trampled and distributed pretty much like that, I reckon. Ordinary people don’t reflect on such things. I guess they just lack vision.
     
    So there’s railway modelling for you: Living on the edge, every day. Anyway, I‘m off to grab a Red Bull before I tackle those couplings. Hang loose, dudes.
     
     
  15. Mikkel
    This is the second part of an account by Pickle S. Finkerbury - railway historian and time traveller - describing certain key events in the evolution of GWR wagon brakes at the turn of the last century. Part one is here. 
     
     

     
    Just as the bewildered L.R. Thomas was about to regain composure, an elegantly dressed man approached them. It was none other than...
     



    …George Jackson Churchward, at this time the Chief Assistant to William Dean at Swindon Works. 
     
     
     
     
     'Ah, Thomas’ said Churchward, ‘I see that you are entertaining yet another young lady with your brake design. Have you also informed her that it is in fact rather impractical to operate, and has never been widely applied on our railway?’
     
     


    With a sly wink at Miss Havisham, Churchward continued: 'Now if I may, Miss Havisham, I think that you had better come with me. There are certain things I would like to discuss with you in private'.
     
     


    And with that, Churchward directed Miss Havisham firmly away. 
     
     


    Thomas remained behind, alone and humiliated. How he hated Churchward! So confident, so charming, so progressive. And such a genius, an undeniable genius. And now he had gone off with Miss Havisham. It all seemed so unfair!
     
     


    Then a voice called out from the shadows. 
     

    It was the Great Man himself: William Dean, Chief Locomotive Engineer of the GWR. 
      
     

     
    Speaking softly, Dean said: 'Thomas, walk with me a little, will you?'
     
     


    As they strolled around the yard, Dean said: 'I know how you feel, Thomas. That painful realization that one has been surpassed by someone younger and brighter. It happened to me the first time I met Churchward. He was only 19, but I knew immediately that he would eclipse me one day. I have come to accept it. Indeed, I have made it my special mission to harness new talent, rather than fight it. Speaking of which…'
     
     


    Dean hesitated a moment, then went on: 'Thomas, it is time I confided in you. That young lady, Miss Havisham, she is not the first of her gender to display a talent for engineering. Yet we obviously cannot employ women as proper engineers! To do so would damage the reputation of our great company, and make it impossible to get anything approved by the Board.'
     


     
    Pausing to shudder at the thought of the Board, Dean continued: 'So Churchward and I have devised a little, ahem, working arrangement. Churchward recruits the most talented young ladies and employs them as clerks, secretaries and tracers. But in reality they spend most of their time supplying us with ideas and inspiration, which we then put to good use in our designs.' 
     
     

     
    Thomas, finding it all rather hard to believe, exclaimed: 'So Churchward is now in the process of recruiting Miss Havisham?'
     
     

     
    'Well, ah, not quite', said Dean, 'Miss Havisham has actually been working with us for some time, developing our new wagon brake design. The design that will replace your own, er, valiant effort. We have great hopes for her. So far we have mainly employed these talented women in locomotive development, but we have plans to roll out their skills in the Wagon & Carriage Department too. Assuming of course that you, as Manager of that department, agree?'
     
     

     
    Thomas hesitated. When Dean saw this, his voice became suddenly icy: 'I can assure you, Thomas, that this arrangement is proving to be very productive for the company. And we must always consider the interests of the company before our own, must we not?'
     
     
     
     
    And with that, Dean walked away.
     
     

     
    For a moment, Thomas felt utterly lost and abandoned, sensing the advent of a new world that he did not understand, and which did not seem to need him.
     
     

     
    Then the clouds parted, the saddle tank whistled, and Miss Havisham appeared in a burst of steam.  
     
     

     
    She looked straight at him, smiled, and said: ‘Thomas, we are leaving. Will you join us?’. 
     
     

     
    And he saw in her eyes a thousand ideas and all possible futures imaginable. He forgot the jealousy and the craving for recognition, and realized what could be achieved if they worked together. He saw the furnaces burning, the blacksmiths sweating and the shining steel of a million well-oiled wagon brakes. And he said :'Yes, I am coming, it is time to move on!'
     
    *****
     


    So there you have it, Ladies and Gentlemen. Thanks to my impeccable research, you now know the true story of a critical moment in the evolution of GWR wagon brakes. A few further notes are in order:
     
     

      
    In December 1902, Dean and Churchward patented a wagon brake which soon became widespread across the GWR wagon fleet. It has since become known as the DC1 brake, but the real designer was of course Estella Havisham - seen here with her creation. She remained in her clandestine position at Swindon Works for the rest of her career, and went on to develop many other innovative designs for the company.
     
     


    The fate of L.R. Thomas is less clear, but it is known that he vigorously implemented Estella Havisham’s ideas for the remaining period of his time at Swindon. Their relationship seems to have remained strictly platonic. Rumour has it that he retired early, moved to India, grew a three foot long beard and became the first European to teach the Karma yoga, a principle of selfless action.
     
     

    Meanwhile, Dean and Churchward’s scheme went from strength to strength. Over the years, dozens of women were employed as de facto engineers at Swindon, developing one innovative design after the other. Like so many of those who work in the shadows, they remained unknown - but helped change the world. 
     
     
    Mikkel’s PS: 
    For those who think this sounds too fantastic to be true, I offer the following: 
    Firstly, consider Olive Dennis, a female engineer on the Baltimore & Ohio, whose story has certain similarities with that of Estella Havisham. Secondly, there is this photo, posted on Twitter by STEAM. Officially it shows the “Mileage Office” at Swindon Works, but note the stamp…   
     
  16. Mikkel

    The honourable slipper boy - Part 2

    By Mikkel,


    Stories
    This is the second 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. Part one is here.
     
     

     
    As I stood there, surrounded by thieves in a dark corner of the goods yard, I thought my last hour had come. Luckily the moon came out, which seemed to unsettle them, and so they let me go.
     
     
     

     
    The next morning I went to find Walmsley. He is with the GWR police. His job is to prevent theft in the goods depot.
     
     

     
    I told him what had happened. Walmsley has more muscle than brains, so he sent for help.
     
     

     
    So then Detective Benton arrived. He is with the GWR Detective Department at Paddington. That’s him on the left. Walmsley showed him the scene of the crime, and they found the remains of the stolen box. The silks it had contained were gone.
     
     

     
    The Detective was very meticulous. He kept searching, until he found what he was looking for: It was a torn piece of paper wrapping from the box.
     
     

     
    Then the detective demanded to see the suspects. I watched as they confronted Woods and Lawson, two of the thieves I had seen the night before.
     
     
     

     
    As the law enforcers came upon the villains, they found them carrying a sack. The detective demanded to see what was in it.
     
     
     

     
    The sack contained thirty-five yards of silk, sixty-six yards of grenadine and a piece of paper wrapping.
     
     
     

     
    The thieves were stubborn. They claimed innocence. They had not stolen the goods, they said. They found it lying on the ground. Someone must have dropped it, they said.
     
     

     
    But Detective Benton was shrewd. He produced the fragment of paper he had found by the stolen box, and placed it next to the wrapping from the sack. We all gathered around to see...
     
     
     

     
    The two pieces of wrapping were a perfect fit. It was damning evidence.
     
     
    Well dear reader, you may think that was that. But there is more to the world than meets the eye! Watch this space for the third and final episode, where all will be revealed.
     
    Part 3 is here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/17254-the-honourable-slipper-boy-part-3/
     
     
  17. Mikkel

    GWR 2-plank and 3-plank wagons

    By Mikkel,


    Wagons
    The first 2- plank wagon has appeared at Farthing, accompanied by a round-ended 3-planker. 
     
     

     
    The 2-planker owes much to Duncan, who kindly gave me one of his surplus 3D printed wagon bodies. Thanks again Duncan! I've been wanting to do a 2-planker since I saw Richards's early Opens some years ago.
     
     
     

     
    I’ve used the Swindon drawing in Atkins et al for reference, and the photo of Worcester built 19451 as the prototype.  Apologies to Dave for doing the same number as his 7mm 2-planker, but there aren't many prototype photos to choose from.
     
     
     

     
    The chunky brake-blocks were drawn up from the drawing and cut on my Silhouette, then laminated from three layers of styrene.
     
     
     

     
    Ribbed buffers from MJT. I had to fit a new floor as the old one cracked when I applied too much pressure. Still learning the ropes with these 3D printed materials.
     
     
     

     
    “I made this model all by myself”. I don't think so.  A word of thanks to the small-scale suppliers who make this part of the hobby possible. Not to mention all the helpful modellers out there.
     
     
     

     
    Enough with the bleary-eyed stuff, let’s paint this thing black! This is brush-painted Vallejo primer, convenient when you're in a flat during the winter months. 
     
     
     

     
    Then a base of red, and some Archer’s “rivet” transfers. The latter stick best on a rough surface, I find. The Vallejo primer is slippery, so I waited till the first coat of matt paint was on. Good adhesion, might do that again. The photo makes my standards look more exacting than they are.
     
     
     

     
    Stephen - who is doing a Saltney-built 2-planker - spotted a flitch plate and other solebar details on the prototype photo, so I tried to replicate that. Thanks Stephen. Later Microsol on top, then matt varnish, then more paint.
     
     
     

     
    The finished wagon. The prototype photo shows the paintwork in a very worn state, but I decided to be more gentle, so that it doesn't stick out too much among the other wagons.
     
     
     

     
    Having said that, my phone camera doesn't capture the weathering well, I have noticed that before. It seems to just highlight the main colour scheme.
     
     
     

     
    I’ve also built a round-ended three-planker from a David Geen kit, I do like them. 
     
     
     

     
    On many of these the ends were soon cut square, but some were left alone and occasionally pop up in early 1900s photos.
     

      


    Lettering in process. The eyesight is slowly going downhill, but I swear: A glass of Jameson helps me to focus.
     
     
     

     
    I’m gradually switching from HMRS to Fox transfers. I prefer the method of the former, but the printing on recent HMRS sheets isn’t quite up to former standards. I’m told it’s hard to find a printer who can do the sheets well. I sympathize and hope the HMRS succeed. The dates are when the sheets were purchased. 
     
     
     

     
    The finished 3-planker. The wagon was started in our little forest cabin, under poor lighting. That does show in places, lesson learnt.
     
     
     

     
    The wagons together. It’s counter-intuitive, but the 2-plankers were actually an 1 inch higher than the 3-plankers.
     
     
     


    Here they are with my existing 3-plankers. I suppose that’s more than enough of these types for my 1900s yard. But I wouldn't mind a few more. Nancy Hoffman of Maine has 2000 umbrella covers, so I have some way to go. 
     
     
  19. 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.
     
     
  20. 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!
     
     
  21. 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.
     
  22. Mikkel
    Here's a summary of my latest build, an agricultural merchant’s warehouse, inspired by this prototype.





    As has become my habit I've modelled all doors open to allow for…





    ...see-through opportunities.





    That approach does mean that the interior walls and framing have to be indicated - don’t look too closely though!





    I used Will’s corrugated iron sheets for the main walls. They are rather thick so I fitted sliding doors on the outside to conceal the thickness. The windows seen here were my first attempt…





    …but I ended up using this technique instead, after good advice from Richard of this parish (thanks Richard!). The glazing material was scored and painted black, and when touch-dry the excess paint was wiped off.





    This gave a much finer result as appropriate for this type of building, seen here on the right with the original effort on the left.





    The timber staging was built from stripwood, while the main deck is from model shipbuilders' decking. Oddly it seems that the latter is not easily available in the UK, though we have it here in Denmark.





    For the lettering I used a plain alphabet sheet from Fox. The Cheeryble Brothers appear as merchants in Nicholas Nickleby.





    I browsed the web for agricultural adverts and worked on them in Paintshop Pro to change perspective etc. For the time being they have just been printed on paper and varnished, but our printer isn’t quite up to it so I’m having them printed on proper photo paper instead. Thanks for the help and tips with this from Southernboy, Ian, Rob and others. I’ve put the adverts in a Flickr album here in case anyone has use for them (not to scale).





    The roof is Slater's corrugated iron sheets, cut into individual sections and stuck onto a base sheet. Rather than overlaying the sheets, I pushed each sheet slightly up and above the edge of the adjoining one, thereby hoping to indicate an overlap but avoiding the thickness.





    I slimmed the edges of the sheets with a scalpel. The slight size variation of the sheets is deliberate.





    The trimmed Slater’s sheet next to the Will’s sheet. BTW I got several other good suggestions for corrugated roof options, including H0 aluminium sheets on ebay (thanks Pete) and some intereresting looking Redutex types. May try these later.





    So, a rather long story for a seemingly simple structure. I learnt a lot from this build though, and many thanks to the many RMwebbers who provided input!
  23. Mikkel

    The station building: Walls and gables

    By Mikkel,


    Structures
    Here’s an update on Farthing’s main station building, modelled on the 1910 prototype at Newbury (see this post for details). This post summarizes work on the walls and gables. There have been other developments, will update on those later.

     


    Although the structure at Newbury is still with us there have been numerous detail changes over the years. Above is a selection of those I have spotted. Most changes appear to have been made after the station was built, so I’m going with the original GWR drawing.
     
     

     
    The GWR drawing was imported and re-drawn in Inkscape, allowing me to cut the brick sheets in my Silhouette cutting machine.
     
     


    The Silhouette can’t cut styrene deeper than 10 thou, so it essentially scribes the outline on the back of the brick sheet (not the front, too bumpy) and I then cut through with a scalpel. 
     
     
     
    The brick sheets are SEF. They aren’t ideal for the Newbury brickwork, I had planned to use Slater’s, but the first batch of Slater’s crumbled in my hands and the next batch didn’t cut well in the Silhouette.
     
     

     
    The outer “skin” for the sides were then ready.
     
     

     
    A first inner layer was added, using 1mm Foamex from Green Stuff World. The Silhouette cuts this well but again only partly through, so more scalpel work followed.
     
     
     
    The first layer of Foamex fitted behind the brick skin. I gave up replicating the prototype’s bullnose bricks and subtle profile around the window edges.  I did try, using good advice from RMwebbers, but couldn’t achieve a convincing look. 
     
     

     
    Instead, the brick edges around the windows were simply indicated by indenting the foam with a suitable tool from a scribing set. It’s the biggest compromise on the model but I can live with it.
     
     

     
    The basic sides and ends, a DIY kit of sorts.
     
     


    I then set about adding the Bath stone embellishments.  Here, different types of styrene rod have been joined to represent the profile of the lintel bands.
     
     


    The lintels were cut on my Silhouette, with decorative parts fashioned from triangular rod and small “V’s” cut from Evergreen sheet. 3D prints would have been more accurate, but I enjoy piecing things together on my own – despite the compromises.
     
     


    The prototype stone sills had an overhanging lip, replicated with laminated strips of styrene. Try not to get too excited by these riveting photos :-)
     
     


    The parts were sprayed with Plasti-kote primer, and later painted Dark Sand (Vallejo 70.847).
     
     

     
    The walls were painted using a new approach I hadn’t tried before. Will post separately on that.
     
     


    Next the roof bands were stuck on.

     


    Then the lintel- and sill bands were fitted (or is it “string courses”, my vocabulary fails me here).
     
     

     
    The plinth, with the blue bricks that were such a distinctive feature on 20th century GWR structures.
     

     
    And finally the lintels were stuck in place. I cheated as they should be flush with the brickwork, but that would have entailed some very tricky cutting of the SEF sheets which I think wouldn't have looked neat. The vertical ornaments help conceal the dodge.
     
     

     
    I then set about decorating the gables. Won’t take long, I thought.
     
     

     
    But there followed much faffing about with bits of styrene, combining various shapes to compose the ornamentation. 
     
     

     
    The faux gables including raised brick courses above the lintels, and the ornamentation coming together.
     
     


    The decorative “pinnacles” (what's the word?) were tricky, being hexagonal yet slim. I first fitted strips of brick sheet on a hexagonal Plastruct rod, but the thickness of the SEF sheets made them overscale.
     
     

     
    So instead I just scribed the hex rod directly to indicate mortar courses, as seen here. Far from perfect, but it blends in OK. Decorative balls were made from pinheads, stolen at night from my wife’s sewing table. She knows, but pretends not to.
     
     

     
    There were two gables, so it took a while. If deconstructed each gable would consist of 101 separate bits. Probably not unusual for a scratchbuild, it’s just that normally we don’t count!
     
     
     
    An overview of all the brick sides. My camera exaggerates the colours. A few final details (downpipes etc) will be added later.

     


    The Bath stone was looking a bit plain (bottom), so was lightly weathered (top), though the camera doesn't show it well. I want the structure to look new, i.e. within a few years of construction. [Note to self: Vallejo Pigments Natural Sienna 73.105 + MIG Panzer Grey Fading P035].
     
     

     
    At 83 cms this is the longest structure I have built. After years of happily snapping small layouts, I’m struggling with the photographic challenges of such a long structure.
     
     

     
    First passengers have arrived! (click image for larger size). I had planned to divide the structure into 2-3 separate sections for easy storage but am now thinking it’s easier to just build it as one whole unit.
     
     
     
    A dry run with all sides in place. The windows are almost ready to fit, and parts are being cut for the interior carcass. More on that later.
     
  24. Mikkel

    Progress on "The depot"

    By Mikkel,

    After a less than glorious summer (too much work, too much rain) it's time to get the autumn modelling season going. The past weekend saw a bit of progress on "The depot".
     

    As some may recall, the depot can be viewed from both the inside and the outside. These are the three outside walls, now approaching completion.
     
     

    Still need to add downpipes etc once the roof is fixed on.
     
     

    I’ve used a photo of Windsor goods depot as inspiration for this side of the building. Sides still not assembled, hence the poor corners.
     
     

    The canopies were knocked up from plasticard, with some leftover Ratio bits here and there.
     
     

    The brickwork was done using the good old method of two washes of white over a reddish foundation base (left). Nothing special, but I never cease to be amazed at the transformation that takes place once the washes are added.
     
     

    The decks were washed with thinned down Carr's sleeper stain. Heavily used places were given a light rub with wet and dry paper. But overall, still a bit too dark I think?
     
     

    For the inside, I was after a whitewashed look with the bricks just showing through. Ordinary paint was too thin, so I ended up applying two layers of lightly thinned plastic putty. This was then toned down and weathered. Perhaps I should have applied a third layer.
     
     

    View from the inside (sides not yet assembled). Looking at this photo, I think the colours need a bit of "blending in".
  25. 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!
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