Sasquatch

The acrylics make all the difference!

Had a go at the tunnel mouth in my spare time today.

Just 4 bits of foam, filed and sanded down to shape...

...with the stone courses pressed in with a fine steel rule and a pair of wide tipped tweezers. 

It's had a generous coat of Gesso and been left to dry. Which shouldn't take long in this weather!

That was fun!

Squatch.

18 hours ago, aardvark said:

I think you're fortunate to have photos of all your signals, graininess not withstanding.

 

Agree! If I was modeling the GNR era, even more so! 

The Holmfield advance signal in front of the tunnel mouth is most interesting. I suspect It's mounted low on the post because the post is a replacement of the slotted concrete type. Simpler to leave the post long rather than risk damaging it by cutting it shorter. (Edit. That signal wasn't a replacement as studying the gantry photo proves it's absence).

Regards Shaun.

19 hours ago, ChrisN said:

That makes an interesting set of signals, almost no two the same.  At least you wil not get bored either making them or operating them afterwards.

 

Yes, I'm looking forward to it. One thing I did think of was keep the original signal numbers and not calling them 1,2,3 etc. That way as I build them I'll get to know them as well! 

Already had fun ordering the parts and digging through boxes of stuff and bits. So far there's 6 grain of sand size 12V bulbs for the lamp and 9 Ratio remote control sets!

Regards Shaun.

40 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Indeed. I'll give you another when you've made 'em (which should be a cinch after your experience with the ground discs).

Yeah! All pretty straight forward. Only difficult part is where to locate all the operating levers!!

Regards Shaun.

Talking of signals...

...and again, I'm faced with a bit of a challenge. Not that they're going to be too difficult to build and install but because getting them correct for my chosen period is a nightmare.

After a day studying, I have deduced the following.

During construction under the Great Northern all would have been the somersault type, older photographs confirm this.

A gantry was provided at the South Junction to display the junction arms which also had 2 low slung distant arms provided thus visually for drivers approaching from within Queensbury tunnel. This would make a nice model would it not have been for my choice of time period as we shall see.

There were 17 signals at the site.  (21 if you include the 4 shunting ground dolls).

8 of those 17 would be off scene as far as my model is concerned. Nos. 10,11,17,32 at the North junction. 14,19,20 &30 at the East junction.

Later day photos reveal some upper quadrant signals. Don't quote me but I suspect the changes came about in 1935 when the South and North signal boxes were removed. (Of course, any photos from the second world war period are nonexistent.)

That leaves me with 5 GNR somersault types of varying height and 4 upper quadrant types to build. 7 single arm posts and 1 junction bracket with two arms that replaced the gantry mentioned above.  

 Early photographs are of excellent quality, probably because the photographers of the period had to take their time and much care seems to be the order of the day. Later snap shots taken during the 1960s are a different story. The image of the junction bracket signal at the South junction from the mid 50s I have isn't detail enough. In one other image online, I can just make out that despite my assumptions about upper quadrant types being employed as replacements, this bracket had two somersault arms.  

These are poor quality images taken of images displayed on my old laptop.

Number 23 on the lever frame.

The Thornton starter at the northern end of the Halifax-Keighley platform. Regular height, original slotted post somersault type.

Number 18. Thornton down starter at the end of the viaduct on the Bradford-Keighley line.

Looks like a tall upper quadrant on solid wooden post. 

Number 12. Clayton starter on the up Keighley-Bradford line.

Lots of clear pictures of this one. Short somersault on a solid wooden post, interestingly erected in the wall on the Bradford-Keighley platform opposite! 

Number 12. Clayton up starting signal.

Short wooden post with upper quadrant arm adjacent to the main station building.

Holmfield Down starter Number29.  

Regular wooden post with upper quadrant arm.

Rear view of 29 and number 31 (right), Keighley-Halifax Holmfield starter.

Upper quadrant on what looks like a tall round post. (Don't quote me either).

The junction bracket at the south junction. 

Numbers 6 and 22 on Queensbury boxes lever frame. Holmfield to Clayton and Thornton somersault home signals.

Lastly number 28. 

Holmfield upper quadrant advance signal. Mounted two thirds of the way up the post with a white sighting panel painted on Queenbury tunnel portal.  Looks like slotted post.

Now I've got my work cut huh? I'm gonna do the tunnel mouth first while all the bits are in the post (no pun intended).

Hope you found that interesting for all the time it took. Gotta be worth a round of applause.

Squatch.

1 hour ago, manna said:

G'Day Folks

 

That's looking good, great overview of the station.

 

manna

Thanks. I've really been getting on with it this week so I'll have to remember to do a few overview images when it's all back together!

I'm putting an order in for MSE great Northern signal arms now that I have gotten to grips with how they work.

Regards Shaun. 

Not usually one for big words but this morning I had an epiphany. Regarding this missing staircase situation between the Bradford-Halifax platforms at Queensbury, there's a very simple explanation as to why they were never built, and a subway wasn't dug which up until now I've overlooked.

These two platforms already had a foot bridge provided at the other end! So, I doubt very much that the LNER would have gone to the expense of providing a second means of crossing from one platform to the other especially at Queensbury where trams and road transport was already making a huge dent in the revenue over this line. Thats it, settled! Later I'll brick up the subway and stop all the procrastinating. (Flippin eck, another big word).

Squatch.

6 hours ago, westerhamstation said:

Hi Shaun, good to see a craftsman at work and to provide us all with a clear explanation of how it should be done thanks. All the best Adrian.

In no way should you call that craftsmanship Adrian. It's all very cheap and simple which is something I'm a fan of. Six noisy Gaugemaster TLUs would set you back about a 100 quid, such funds when they become available are better spent on locos and stock! Apart from the time involved my system only cost about $5. I first built the system for Dunster 15 years ago,  it's never failed and I've been having fun with it ever since! Come to think of it, there might be a blog knocking around on here somewhere...

Are yes  

Regards Shaun.

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Any excuse.

Can you think of a better one?

Earlier this week I got around to doing a bit more on that church, namely adding a steeple. For this I used a section of Plastruct concrete block which I cut carefully so that the quoins lined up into 8 isosceles triangles. These were simply taped together on one big bit of blue masking tape with two different sized octagons hot glued inside. I added a lightning conductor fashioned from plastic rod and tube then gave it the usual sasquatch West Riding grimy paint job. The porch roof colour was a bit tricky to nail down but looks just the ticket in sun light.

Back to platform fencing...

Squatch.

2 hours ago, boxerbayrailway said:

Looking very nice Shaun,  I like those curved platforms,  a pleasant change from the standard dead straight variety.

Queensbury was such a neat station.   The L&Y warehouse is an awesome, impressive structure,  fine model making indeed.

Good thing you have AC,  it's going to be a hot Summer.    Felix

Hi Felix. With AC on full yesterday, work on the fencing has begun. 

The next structure on my "to do" list is the Great Northern Victoria Hotel that stood (and still in-situ) across the road from the warehouse. Bit of a challenge this one!

Forecast 105F this afternoon, I feel a run out for a cold beer coming on😁

Regards Shaun.

10 hours ago, 25kV said:

As a former regular at Keighley, the Queensbury lines were always a fascinating selection of routes, so it's great to see this model developing!  There are clearer maps of the triangle (various eras available) on the National Library of Scotland site - here's a link to the 1890 edition: https://maps.nls.uk/view/125642113  and the 1934 edition: https://maps.nls.uk/view/125642122 (both zoomable).     

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to paste links of Queensbury OS maps. The 1932 map is a little conflicting where it comes to the stairs down to the subway. It clearly shows a set of steps behind the Bradford- Halifax platform (where I'm guessing that there wasn't any due to space restrictions) but on the other hand it is missing the set of stairs on the Keighley-Halifax platform? This is the only stairway that I have seen photographic evidence. I wonder if it could be a cartographer's error.

Anyway, there's plenty more interesting things on the maps such as on the 1932 map, a weigh bridge and office at the top of the slip road. Down line crossover access to the north siding (with loop!)

And, on the 1891 map, the extensive Clayton fire clay works, 3 signal boxes and the rope worked incline down to Hole Bottom coal pit. Obviously in operation at that time. 

Later maps show further alterations to the site such as the ash siding inside the triangle which incidentally saw the removal of the subway and foot bridge with what must have been (if only for a short period) a return to crossing the tracks on foot!

I must have spent 100s of hours searching all the images on the internet and still get frustrated when I can't confirm certain details or find conflicting information!

Regards Shaun.

Looking as grand as ever Felix. I must get over to the coast and visit you soon. It's about time I saw BBR in the flesh!

As a side note, I noticed that not only do you have some Petite Properties kits on BBR but you also made a flower shop from the double fronted shop. Under no circumstances was I copying you, it's just a case of modelers thinking alike! It does make the perfect flower shop!!

Regards Shaun.

2 hours ago, manna said:

G'Day Folks

 

The 'Bradford bit' looks amazing, any chance of a wider view !!

 

manna

Sure my friend. Remember all but the L&Y Goods warehouse are only plonked there as a sort of storage thing.

They're all for the mill town!

Regards Shaun

Sorry I didn't explain that very well. It's got more to do with the layers of glue rather than the layers of material!  Alao a lot depends on which type of glue is employed.

3 hours ago, ChrisN said:

 

Shaun,

Thank you.  

 

Yes the reason that the laminates are under glass is to help alleviate warping.  In theory there are five layers and received wisdom is that it is less with an odd number of layers, but although I have cut five, there will probably be six as there are struts to hold the last layer at a distance from the other four..

 

Card on card seems interesting, maybe I could make coaches from that, if they will cut properly.  I understood that using shellac made card quite stiff as well  .I will experiment with super glue between card and plastic.  I am told a contact adhesive would work but you have to be careful about pressing on the plastic.  All my finish surfaces are embossed plastic so I probably could not go to card completely for buildings.

From my skills as a cabinetmaker I understand the fundamentals of laminating different woods. Plywood always has an odd number of layers. One of the reasons is that when the glue is applied it will cause the wood to expand and when it dries it will shrink, so if glue is applied to both sides the process balances itself out sort of thing. I would suspect that the same forces come into play with plastic. I gave up trying to make van rooves from laminating two sheets of .010 plasticard and will now form a wooden  sub roof and stick a bit of card to that!

Good luck with it, I'm interested to see how you get on.

Regards Shaun

It's always worth trying different methods, that's how discoveries are made! Placing the glued-up parts under glass is a good idea especially when laminating thin plastic card. I've run into problems with that before whereby things warped and wasn't sure why.

These mishaps led to experimentation with different glues including slow set cyanoacrylate. That led to the discovery of using ordinary card instead of plastic because when that is laminated with the super glue it forms quite a ridged structure and there's no warping.

Wonderful modeling as always Chris with in-depth explanation.

Regards Shaun.

37 minutes ago, moore43grm said:

 Don't know if you have this photo in your collection, it might help ?

 

Yes I have seen that photograph. Interestingly it must have been taken over 100 years ago, probably making  it one of the first if not the very first pictures taken of the station. Due to the lack of vegetation and the neatness of the buildings I'd hazard a guess and say it dates from the 1890s! The only things that remain from that view today are the two houses on the hill beyond and the clay works chimney (just to the right of the tree).  

The early period of the heyday of the Great Northern Railway would have seen a paint scheme of brown framework and cream paneling. There were 3 signal boxes in operation that pictured being the south junction box. The bridge over the rope hauled coal tramway connecting the Halifax-Bradford platform to the Keighley-Halifax one remains in its elevated position, what I hadn't noticed before was the hefty abutments on which it sat!

Also of interest is the number of wagons in the sidings, something that suggests a lack of motorized road transport.

Thank you for your input.

Regards Shaun.

17 hours ago, manna said:

G'Day Folks

 

No It's time to tell you all where I am, it's a small town called 'Pentland' about 250km inland from Townsville, Qld, on the main Hwy and rail line to Mount Isa, I have very large Road Trains passing in front of the house, and the rail line has very heavy Goods trains passing, there's a crossing point at Pentland so there are often two double or triple headed trains crossing, tank, ore and cattle trains make up most of the consist.

 

House is coming on, I have covered most of the outside with cement sheeting, so the walls and roof are now waterproof, but I don't think I'll be able to start the next layout until next year, still much to do. Pic 2 is the new railway room.

 

manna

Good to know that you're settled mate, even more so that you have trains passing by! We nearly put in an offer on a house in the Rouge gorge upstream from Grants pass. The Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad ran past between the bottom of the garden and the river itself. Unlike your place the railway room would not have met requirements! Interstate 5 was far too close into the bargain!

A new house is always a lot of work, just don't over do it.

Regards Shaun.