Southernboy
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Posts posted by Southernboy
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This is really starting to come together now Graham and I like the pictures you are painting, especially with all that third rail...
In the first photo, I particularly like the footpath, it's nicely 'settled' into the surrounding ballast/ground - rather than sitting on top of it - if you know what I mean
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There's a certain skill to making something small and compact appear to be expansive and relaxed, and you've got that skill by the bucket-load Graham.
Quality work and I look forward to developments
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Hello Richard,
The coaches look excellent, but the picture is awfully small: Any chance of something larger or some close-up shots? I'd love to have a better appreciation of your handywork
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From The Cutting Room Floor
I found some of the original 1920s colour footage on the cutting room floor. I collated it below and hope you enjoy
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Hello Grahame,
"I have to presume members are happy with the content and style."
Defintely, I think you've done a really great job Grahame. Thank you.
Just a detail thing - but I'd like to see a track plan with every featured layout if possible.
For instance: In the most recent edition of the NGJ I was intrigued by the Castlefields layout ( PP 18 – 21) and how such an apparently busy and expansive scene could be incorporated into such a small space. I'd love to have known how that was achieved: But it was difficult to work out from the photos. A track plan would have helped.
Not a criticism, just a comment
Thanks,
Mark
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Have we crossed wires Nick?
No offence was read - maybe it's just my Monty Python sense of humour? I find the absurd and ironic quite amusing and that's how I took your comment, in a jokey way
As to exceeding your own efforts: In my books anyone that does anything in 2mm is way above me. Seriously. I read the manuals/standards and I know I will never get there. 2mm is another level altogether.
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Thank you all and thank you all very much again. I really do appreciate your kind comments
I did quite like Nick Bastable's comment 'Totally bonkers' - because funnily enough that's exactly what the men in white coats said just before they took me away
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Either way: Frankland is such a wonderful getaway for me and I really enjoy sharing it with you.
I'll have to build a hotel so that some of you can come and stay
Mark
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Frankland Update No. 10
And here is the news...
As you may be aware, Frankland has been broadcasting on a different frequency the last few years, but here's a special bulletin as there's some catching up to do!
Best make yourself a nice cup of tea and prepare a pipe before settling down.
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Books
The Frankland library continues to grow.
First-up is not so much a book as a boxed compendium, 12" x 18," entitled 'Wheels of London', which I think dates from the 1970s. It's one of a limited edition of 3,000.
It covers public transport in London from horse-drawn to the 1970s. I find liveries of the private operators pre LPTB quite eye-catching.
The box also includes reproduction cigarette cards, maps and other ephemera of that bygone age.
I love Pullmans, so no surprise at the next two acquisitions ....
I've been following the restoration of the Brighton Belle and can't wait for a trip. Apparently it should be back in public service in 2017. Does anyone have an update on this?
The following book, Southern Infrastructure, is excellent for detail and atmosphere. I can spend hours observing the minutiae both sides of the railway fence.
An obvious choice for the bookshelves was the following
Next is Gordon Weddell's LSWR Carriages, Volume 3: Non-Passenger Carriage Stock. Amongst other things it covers TPOs, which I'd like to see on Frankland one day.
An essential addition was the Middleton Press publication 'Railways Around Frankland'. I've been meaning to buy it for ages, it's full of maps, plans and historical photographs and has become an indispensible reference.
I do like foraging around in junk shops, and was lucky enough to come across an original edition London A-Z
And sure enough, on page 25, you can see the streets, stations and parks of Frankland mapped out before your eyes. It will be invaluable for my modelling.
In the same shop a few months later I discovered two old books related to transport / Frankland which I had to buy.
In the next photograph: Most rewarding was the discovery that on the cover of the Ladybird book, if you look very closely through the window on the far side of the compartment, in the lower background you can just make out the flats and shops at the bottom of Frankland Hill, with a No 4 tram trundling by.
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Traffic!
The volume of traffic in Frankland isn't quite as frightful as it should be, so I decided to do something about it.
I thought I'd have a go at a Shirescenes horse-drawn van.
An Austin 7 Ruby Saloon
A Morris Cowley 1924 Tourer
A Morris Cowley 1925 Saloon
And what I believe is a 1938 Wolseley saloon. It came with a job-lot from eBay a few years back.
The cars all had an undercoat of grey
And were then painted, glazed, and drivers added.
I made number plates (with correct registrations for time and place).
I also added a windscreen to the Morris Cowley Tourer. The Tourer is owned by the Doctor, who often takes his wife out for a little drive on a Sunday morning. You can see them on the left of the picture above.
The van was also progressed. The cars and van were hand-painted as I hadn't yet embraced the air-brush at this point.
And I reckoned a traffic policeman would be called for, so I made a (not very good) helmet to fit a standard figure of a railwayman and painted accordingly.
But what did I unleash? Look! The volume of traffic on the roads these days is quite shocking!
You really take your life in your hands just trying to cross the road! What is the world coming to?
And it's no surprise to see in the picture below the Doctor and his wife out for a drive (well, out, but just stuck in traffic!)
It didn't used to be like this in the old days!
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New Additions
Since the last update the yards at Frankland have seen the arrival of new rolling stock.
The first was this rather stylish electric Pullman.
A number of the new Maunsell carriages were allocated to Frankland.
These will duly be arranged and numbered in proper sets.
As I'm sure you know, the subject of Southern Railway set numbers is quite a complex matter, but a quick flick through my trusty Middleton Press book 'Railways Around Frankland' (shown in the 'book' section above) quickly established that these sets are in the 251 - 264 range.
A little, dinky, Terrier also came along.
But it's novelty value was soon usurped by the much more imposing N class.
For some reason I don't have a photo of the N class, just a cigarette card ...
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Cigarette Cards
Talking of cigarette cards: Back in July 2015 I posted a short story about the above N class arriving on Frankland, for which I created a few graphics of cigarette cards.
I liked them so much that I decided to go the whole-hog and design a complete set of cards, which were then properly printed. I thought they'd be an unusual stocking-filler for family and close-friends at Christmas - people who aren't really into model railways as such, but do have a broader appreciation of creativity and like something personal at Christmas that's had a bit of thought and effort put into it.
In the picture below: Top left is the little cover they came in, wrapped around with a bow of sage-green crepe ribbon (I couldn't get sage-green spectacle cord).
There are actually four series that make up the complete set of cards.
Series 1: Southern Railway Locomotives
Series 2: Southern Railway Electric Trains
Series 3: Southern Railway Rolling Stock, Including Pasenger Speed-Rated Vans
Series 4: Things To See From The Train
The only locomotive for which I don't have a card is the Schools. If anyone has one to swop I'd be quite interested.
Anyway, the cigarette cards crop up again later ...
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3-Subs
Finally we move to the subject/project that has been keeping me distracted (obsessed?) the last couple of years ...
I know some have been following progress on my workbench thread:
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/66512-n-gauge-lswr-3-sub/
But for those that haven't, here is a precis.
I've probably mentioned before that around the age of 12 or 13 I came across a postcard in a junk shop that fascinated me, here it is.
It spoke of another time and place, somewhere that wasn't a hundred miles away, yet would forever remain intangible. I had to understand more.
It sowed the roots in my young mind of what has evolved into the Frankland raison d'être.
And finally the moment came to roll up my sleeves and get on with it ...
I planned to make three sets of 3-Subs. One would be in original LSWR livery, the other two in early SR livery.
Etches from Worsley Works ...
... and numerous reference photos I'd taken of a slightly later version of the particular 3-Subs I'm modelling, from the National Railway Museum, York.
I also had drawings from the South Western Circle, and armed myself with numerous componants.
Other parts were kindly supplied by Etched Pixels, viz: door/grab handles, trusses and roof sections.
Holes were drilled and filed in the etchings ...
Plus folding and soldering happened ... I learned a lot along the way!
Various other parts I made, such as interiors ...
... and roof conduits, rainstrips and carriage-end detailing. Vents were out of a bag.
Then there was lots of filling and bits of Plastic Strip and other things stuck on ...
Colin Parks offered good advice on coupling (thank you), a squared loop that sits around a small lug on the adjacent carriage.
I learned to use an airbrush
Then production-line masking and spraying ...
And my favourite part, picking out the details ...
Precsion Decals were also very helpful
I was really pleased at how fine the decals were - even the miniscule 'st' on 1st and 'rd' on 3rd are legible. I had feared they would break up on application, but no, they worked out perfectly.
Things starting to look good ... in particular I was interested in showcasing the difference in livery between the LSWR and later SR versions of these units.
Thanks also go to Mr Chapman for valuable assistance on the motor side of things.
Anyone interested in further details please visit the workbench thread mentioned above.
The only down-side was my new trains didn't like my old third-rail, so most of it had to be ripped out.
But hey, that's where the imagination comes into play
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So now ...
Let's Party Like It's 1924!
... I have great pleasure in bringing you the new Electric Trains for Frankland.
Grouping of the Big Four has recently been enacted and electric trains have come to Frankland: What better way to find out more than to catch the latest newsreel at the cinema.
And as a special treat I've bought us all tickets in the balcony, so best behavior please!
I thank you,
Mark
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Just to add to comments above:
Exquisite modelling, you've captured the character of the buildings perfectly and done so really quite convincingly.
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Excellent news
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I'll look forward to your N gauge birds then
As always, delightful modelling Mr Simon.
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Nice to see things happening on Gresby Simon.
On the back of the garage, the little white box thing sticking out: Is it an alarm? Or motion activated exterior light?
Or maybe the inhabitats of the house are voyeurs and it's CCTV for spying on the neighbours gardens!
Just curious
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I'd paint the inset area first, using two or three washes, drawn in by osmosis.
Then I would use a dry-brush technique, drawn across the surface of letters and frame. The finish would be reasonably crisp, but not 100% perfect, which in my mind suits old signage.
Finally perhaps, a little brush with weathering powders.
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"I'll probably regret this... started paving the platforms with individual plasticard 'stones'."
Judging by the picture, I'd say well worth the effort.
Any scene is a composite of the details within; so the more convincing you make each individual element; the more realistic the overall picture. The danger of course is someone may end up thinking they're viewing the real thing, and you wouldn't want that, would you!
Either way, excellent, quality modelling throughout
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I have to say this is a really interesting project.
A proper challenge and quite idiosyncratic.
I've been keeping an eye since the start and always jump on updates, but haven't commented as I can't really contribute anything of use: Nevertheless, the point comes where one has to post some sort of appreciation over-and-above just ticking the 'like' box
So here I am: Absolutely wonderful stuff Mr Stubby.
What a fascinating subject and coming along nicely
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Thankyou Talisman,
So all but 2P-012-054 are new/different carriage numbers.
Wow, what a dilemma. To invest now for possible future outcomes (the bigger / better layout / with room for loads of stock / we all dream of in the future).
Or to dispell in advance idle dreams that have costly implications?
I guess there's a third option: In the knowledge that these are limited runs, buy them anyway, and in the event the dream layout never happens, sell them at a reasonable price as they'll be an in-demand item on the second-hand market?
... that's a stream of consciousness by the way
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Hello Talisman,
I'd broadly clocked the news elsewhere and assumed this was a re-release of the previous run of Maunsell lined-green carriages, so didn't take much notice as I already have them.
But now, from what I can see from your post, these are different Dapol references and coach numbers to the original production run, suggesting they're additional to what I already have.
So my question: Have I read this right and these are all-new coaches/numbers? (Just don't want to buy more stock and then kick myself later for mis-reading a post!
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Collected when I was a child: Somewhere in my Mother's attic are copies of some railway modelling magazines from 1926. I really must dig them out some day.
On the subject of old magazines: It set me thinking about the days before the internet, when we used to have to wait a month between injections of inspiration and instruction from monthly periodicals. If one had a query you wrote a letter, posted it, waited for it to be published in the next edition, and then waited another month to see if anyone had responded.
On the one hand I love the internet and how (in the context of railway modelling) we can now receive a variety of expert responses within minutes or hours. On the other hand I do feel instantaneity brings inherent pressures to everyday life.
But I guess we can't have the best of both worlds
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Tom: Your modelling has to be the most immaculate I have seen. And that applies across the board.
Some are good at scenics, some with trackwork, others at modelling buildings (etc), but it's rare to see such consistently high standards applied to all areas of a layout where a lone modeller is concerned (ie. not a club set up).
I take my hat off to you.
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Thank you very much Tim, and you're quite right of course.
Here's a brief interlude to keep guests entertained whilst awaiting the main feature which I hope is now only a few weeks away
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Quite delightful. I say well done that man!
In particular I note the degree of detail, it really makes for a most convincing model.
Not wishing to detract from the excellent modelling - I have just two minor questions if I may: Where does the postman deliver the letters, and how does a guest knock on the door?
My concern you see is for the inhabitant: If they can never receive callers, and letters cannot be delivered, through no fault of their own, they may feel they have been somehow ostracised by the outside world. And that would never do.
So may I suggest a letterbox and door knocker (or even a new-fangled electric bell) would make this picture-perfect
Yours faithfully (etc & etc)
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I'm afraid I don't know much about aviation, only what I've seen in the newsreels about the R101.
They were gasping for a cigarette at the end of the flight: I don't know about that! Maybe ocean liners are still the more civilised way to travel?
Please take note of the commentator's received English enunciation and adjust your settings accordingly
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An interesting subject matter.
I must confess to not having having read all 16 pages of this thread, so hope i am not repeating anything.
I grew up near the former Brookwood Cemetery Necropolis Railway (1854 - 1941) and as a child / early teen enjoyed frequently cycling the former trackbed.
Here's an overview.
Here's one of the stations.
Both of the stations had catering facilities and were fully licenced. I believe (but stand to be corrected) that they were the only licenced premises on hallowed ground.
North Bar was demolished before I knew it. South Bar however survived into the 1960s and the restaurant / bar continued to serve the odd passer by until the proprietors, Mr & Mrs Ladd died. I distinctly recall visits: It was like something from an old Disney animation - the deer, squirrels and birds would tentatively creep up to the table and take tit-bits from your hand, before gently retiring back to the undergrowth. A quite magical experience.
Here's part of the route of the former trackbed. looking toward South Bar from the line from Brookwood Station.
In the '60s it looked like this ...
But by 2011 it was much overgrown. The platform is all still there - but you have to make an effort to peer through the fence (why fence it?) to see the platform.
Further down the line was North Bar.
The platform here is still evident.
The original buildings were burnt by an arsonist in the '70s.
A religious order now occupies the space and have built on the platform
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I would heartily recommend the place for a day trip with a difference. Brookwood Cemetery is crammed full of impressive Victorian memorials as well as being home to immaculately maintained War Graves from 14–18 and 39–45.
And a couple of decent pubs are ten or so minutes walk away
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Thank you very much Dave, a most thoroughly helfpul answer!
Particularly interesting is photographying different parts of the layout at different times of year, according to light. Very interesting.
Many thanks again,
Mark
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Blueball Summit
in Layout topics
Posted
Quality modelling across the board, really most impressive.