KNP

Just received this afternoon my much waited for 4825. I have been reading the topics on this blog with interest and must say that I don't care what is not quite right this model is leagues ahead of my old Airfix 14xx.... To show what a smart model it is I have literally taken it straight out of the box, plonked in various settings on my Little Muddle layout and taken a series of pictures, here are what I think are the best. It will end up altered with the couplings removed and changed for S&W hooks, weathered and DCC module added. I suspect I will add some loco irons and crew as well but very little else needs to be done Highly recommend especially if you are into the GWR as it is such an iconic loco (then I am biased of course). Well done Hatton's and DJModels for this great addition to the GWR range. Kevin

Funny how a building evolves as this picture shows taken before the alteration works. Originally it was meant to be a stone building using a stone paper but I was never overly happy with it as there was very little if any relief. So I overpainted it the other day using an enamel sand colour paint with some talcum powder sprinked on to give a slight texture, then just dry brushed some Lifecolor roof dirt and when dry some very weak wash stains of the same colour in isolated areas. The cladding looked wrong as well so I used my trusted white postcards (sorry correspondence cards!!!!) cut to form cladding strips and washed on numerous coats of dirt black. Added a front door porch and window, re did the roof and a new building emerged that I'm much happier with. Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.

Small industrial building by the main entrance gates to Little Muddle station. Sort of built it in the corner to fill a gap so designed a shape and style etc. but then thought, what is it's function. Still not sure but no doubt something will come to mind hence no signs or anything like that at present. Anybody else done that or is just me!!!! Not sure if the tall chimney will stay as I bought it a while ago from Unit Models, painted it and then where it was originally planned for it didn't look right so it became surplus, I just stood it there for this photo to add height.

Phil The trick is to glue a thin piece of micro strip to the underside makes fixing/lining up easy. I also fixed a packer to the underside of the stools so I could adjust the depth of the ballast easier. Kevin

George This how I did it retrospectively on my layout Little Muddle and attach a few pictures for your information. I have written an annotated article on how I did this but its on another website I belong to - railwaymodellers.com The rods going under the track are run off a low crank which gives you the room to go under the track and yes there are a lot of height differences to take into account. My advise - plan well ahead before starting Hope this is of use. Kevin

Thanks, but it didn't feel like that when trying to fix the curved roof in place and hold it in line whilst the super glue went off......why does it seem to take ages to go off even though it says instant on the tube? I now use an accelerator activator spray to make instant super glue really instant!!! and boy does that work. Kevin

Thanks for the comments. I have posted a lot of pictures in the galleries section under Little Muddle. Kevin

Many thanks Kevin

Been a while since I posted last but I have been building a 1:1 scale conservatory for my son. Job done so back to real work - the railway. At last I have completed the Goods Shed at Little Muddle. It, like the track work and station, is loosely based on the one found at Shipton-on-Stour. Basically mainly of grey card construction, plinth brick paper, windows L Cut adapted using the centre glazing bars set in a plastic section frame and mullions.(the odd one on the rear is because I ran out so used what ever I had left in the scrap box?) The walls from plastic corrugated sheeting glued to card and lined internally with paper sheeting depicting the same. The roof was whole different ball game and it ended up nearly in the waste bin and me taking up knitting!!! Built over formers I constructed laminated layers of four thin sheets of card glued together which when dry gave a really strong, self supporting curved roof. The slow and fiddly bit was gluing strips of corrugated sheeting across and over it, starting at the ridge I glued each scale width of 6ft sections, let it dry and then bent each piece over the curve and left it to set. This what took the time and getting it line around the roof, I had already drawn a series on lines as guide but each section had a mind of its own and lining it all up would test anyone's patience. I had to remind myself this was a hobby for enjoyment and not some form of endurance test!!! I know there are gaps around the base but I did just plonk the building down last night to take some pictures. Once I'm happy that I have actually finished it, it will be bedded down.

What was the timeline?

You can buy half round plastic rod of various widths (its what I use sometimes) or I have seen brass channel used but it's not easy to work with as plastic so that is my preferred option. I have found it is best to build the tiled roof on the work bench direct onto a sub base then move it to the model. This how I did most of mine, if you are interested I can post some pictures of how I did it? Looking at the pictures the platform curve is going to be interesting to cover, will this be tiled or do you plan another type of covering - lead with rolls, wriggly tin for example. Kevin

Are they going to be laid as one sheet or cut to give the impression of overlapping tiles? Kevin

Looking good even at this stage and can't wait to see the finished result. I always feel a multi floored station building looks so much more complex and interesting than the standard platform ones. Kevin

Well Allan I had a go this evening to see what would happen if I added some acrylic brick paint to the UV varnish, as this was also acrylic I reasoned the two would mix OK (which they did) and apply to the faded chimney stack. Well I was pleasantly surprised that painting it on as a wash, a couple of coats to build it up slowly I was able to make it look a bit redder and more brick like, I know the brick courses have discoloured as well but if you compare the two it definitely looks better. Will leave to dry thoroughly overnight and see if I can further tweak it tomorrow. Thanks for providing the comment that sparked the old brain box into gear. I also painted over all the walls of the engine shed with the same brick varnish wash!!! and it brought the colour out so I would say the whole process was a success so I might have a go on the pub/shop row that has slightly faded as well. Hope this will helps others suffering with the same problem or in fact just need to liven up some tried old card building but remember to only apply as a thin wash and build up coat be coat checking each time. Kevin

Another thought, had the brick paper been recently added and was it completely dry when you sprayed the hair lacquer as this looks like this could be some kind of reaction going on between the two. Kevin

I'll certainly look into these varnishes, in fact I have an old tin of International clear yacht varnish in the garage so I dig this out and have a ago. The other option your comments has sparked is to put a selected paint colour (which one I'll experiment with) into the UV varnish and see if that will have the same result of darkening and bringing back some colour. In fact the chimney stack seems the best place to work on as it's a lost cause anyway so I might have a play later to see if I can do anything. If works, or even if it doesn't, I'll pass on the results to help others. Anyway thanks for the thought and comments. Luckily the building isn't fixed down so it'll be easy to work on. Kevin

A walkway roof, if I have read the writing correctly, to a building or underpass! Kevin

Personally I would use the UV varnish shown in my earlier post. Main reason is it's brush applied, the brushes can be cleaned with water, it dries very matt and is nigh on odourless. The beauty of a brush is that it will go only where you put the brush, is primarily designed for artists/photographers to protect their works from UV and to date hasn't affected any of the models I have put it on. That also includes my loco's and rolling stock if carefully applied.. It can also be used to give a paint effect as well and by that I mean I mixed a little Lifecolor track grime to it, applied to some roof windows on the creamery building and hey presto gave a dirty weathered effect with very little effort plus a protective coat to boot.

A dark corner, with hindsight, would have been the best place for this model, though I must confess I rarely open the blinds to the room but then UV rays can still penetrate though most things and metal venetian blinds obviously offers little in the way of protection. What to do, well I shall park it for now and then worry what to do with it later. The only obvious main issue is that the single stack seems to have been effected the most (see picture) with the walls being only lighter when comparing front to back. As I said earlier about 4 coats of the UV varnish was applied over Christmas and there seems to be little if any noticeable worsening of the colour fade. I think I might just redo this stack in new brick paper and see what happens to the rest of the building over time. Never gave it a thought when I built it, I know photographs can and do fade but it wasn't until I noticed some pictures taken of the canal at Lower Heyford fading in the conservatory that I looked further a field at items printed at the same time. Since then, about 3 years ago, I have stuck faithfully to HP inks and quality paper regardless of the costs. Kevin

Now for a cautionary note. The attached picture is of the engine shed at Little Muddle which was the first card and brick paper building I had a go at which I would say was about 5 years ago. At that time I was using an HP printer but with a compatable continuous ink system which said it was colour fast. Well it isn't and if you look carefully the chimney stack has faded almost white and the main walls are definitely lighter when a current brick print is held up against it.. The same is happening to a row of shops and pub I built but I appear to have caught that early enough with the varnish to prevent further degradation. The moral of this tale is only use manufacture ink designed for your printer plus some good quality print paper as well to help stop this happening. One day I will have to bite the bullet and recover the walls, the rear of the building is fine it's just where it catches the light. I have treated the walls with many coats of my favorite UV artists matt varnish from Windsor and Newton (see picture) and it seems to arrested the decline plus I keep the blinds closed as well. Every building now gets numerous coats of this varnish as I don't want it happening again!!! Hope this helps Kevin

For a moment there I thought how did this picture get here........? Thanks very much for the kind comments and one day the other half of the layout (the original part) will get posted - when it's updated to match the new half of the layout of course, whenever that is. So here's me relaxing working out how I'm going to build that old barn I was on about

Looking good, have you thought about doing some smoke damage around say one the first floor window and roof area as if part of it has been subject to an arson action? Just a thought. I find building a derelict building more time consuming than a normal one but saying that I'm planning to start on the remains of an old barn in the near future. Kevin

Thanks Well it is called Gods Wonderful Railway for a reason.......!!!!!! Kevin

Thanks Alan, comments much appreciated. Though I refer to this as my 'new' layout I have been working on for over 5 years now and there is still with no end in sight as I keep on tweaking and altering it........ My real passion is scenery/buildings and I sometimes think the trains are just an excuse to allow me to indulge in this. A typical fact that raises many an eyebrow and that was at last count I had made over 350 trees with more on the way, especially of the what I call the prime trees that take around 4 hours each to build. Still it's a hobby and keeps us of the streets! Kevin

Many thanks, I have more pictures in the Gallery section under the handle of Little Muddle......