TomJ

A bit more work has been done on the station and now the roofs are mainly complete (a couple need glueing in place), as is the canopy. This is just loosely balanced at present on so I can still work on the concourse I also mocked up some platforms out of foam board to get a feel of how it would all fit together, where the gates should be etc. I think it’s rather got the look of a suburban terminus now Not sure if I can include the platform benches and shelter on here because they’re made of plasticard! Also considered whether I should run the headshunt past the station - a bit like the old Fort William. It’ll give an extra coach length of storage but might look a little contrived? Next job is to complete the concourse so I can attach the canopy

That's an amazing find. Clearly answers quite a few of my questions This forum never fails to astonish me. Thanks

Here's a link to the thread I started earlier about the coal traffic from Kingswear. It might be useful

I'm sure there's an obvious answer and I'm overthinking this! But I'm wondering how parcels and mail traffic was unloaded and transferred to Lorry/van at smallish stations. The ones where there wasn't a specific parcels depot. I'm considering a Minories layout, with parcels handled on the main platforms. Prob set in the 1960s Would vans and lorries come on to the platform? Would a platform cope with the weight, and what about all the platform furniture, benches etc? Or would the parcels etc be unloaded onto barrows and carts to be wheeled through to the car park/road outside? That seems easier but a lot more labour intensive. Just trying to get the little details right, because if its the first case then I need someway of vehicles getting on to the platform other than going through the booking office! Thanks

AFAIK the coal landed at Kingswear was just for Torquay gasworks. I started a thread in the Railways of Devon section about it. I believe it came from Yorkshire rather than South Wales. I guess there must have been coal trains to the other locations in the South West

The good news is that in my hospital at least whilst things are very challenging we are coping well - and my night shift wasn’t as busy as feared. So time for a little modelling For a change from the station I’ve started work on the canopy. Early in the week a package of girders and trusses arrived from York Models. These have been assembled to make the framing. It’s far from an accurate copy but I think it captures the impression. Heres a couple of pictures. It’s just loosely balanced on to give an impression Stay safe everyone!

A day off has seen some progress! Two roofs done (overlapping Scalescenes slates) and the others cut out and loosely laid on, ready for the slates Ive also added the base of the concourse and a Scalescenes newsagents kiosk. Given how small and fiddly this was I dread to think what the ticket kiosk will be like! But it’s definitely coming together. Back to work tomorrow so progress will slow a bit!

That’s brilliant! And really shows off the layout. More please!

My layout is set in Cornwall in the early 60s (last throes of steam) is milk is an obvious traffic. I’ve acquired a few of the Dapol N gauge six wheeled tanks on a variety of liveries - blue IMS, silver express Dairies and the white United Dairies. Ive no idea how these relate to my chosen period - which livery would be seen and would a train consist of identical liveried tanks, or as it picked up from different dairies would they vary? On every picture I’ve seen they’re just filthy with no discernible colour, but it would be nice to get the base colour correct! Thanks

Half an hour winding down from work last night resulted in me attempting the roof. As I said the maths got too complex so I’ve resorted to measuring plus trial and error. The end wings with their high turret roof are the most complex and the key because they attach to everything The roofs are just lightly attached with PritStick to see how it fits. Not quite there but not bad for a first attempt and i now know which ones to adjust Let’s try again....

Not sure where it comes from but we get our coal from a local coal merchant who either delivers or sells from his yard. It can’t ever have been rail connected - it’s in the middle of the village!

Trying to work out the roof angles!! I knew this would be tricky - but even harder than I imagined Partly because I’ve shortened the wings, so not an exact copy. Gave up on trying to recall my A-level geometry and gone for measuring, templates trial and error. so far it’s not too bad And a very nice rest day from work. Far better than wearing PPE all day!

Sorry - just realised you’re modelling the present era. Ignore my post!

What is now the marina was a quayside where coal was unloaded from ship to train for transfer to Torquay gasworks. Added to that the long holiday trains and the short carriage sidings I think there would be a lot of operating potential in it.

Yes - the canopy will be the focal point. It’s a bit simplified but I’ve ordered some bits from York Models for this. Not sure about the crack in the gents, but there will no doubt be some cracks and wobbles throughout the building!!

Thanks everyone. Glad you think it looks like Kidderminster. The main elevation is pretty much to scale but to save space and shortened the wings and also made them narrower to scale. The roof angles will be the most challenging bit

The King and Castle is locked down at present! Actually the layout is set in the early 60s. So it might have a refreshment room but not sure if there would be a pub. Really looking forward to visiting for a pint again in the future

I’ve now assembled all the various wings that make up the station so I can see how it’s going to look. It’s got an impressive size to it - and my 9yr said ‘that looks a bit like the Severn Valley’ which was good to hear! next job is to start on the roof - which won’t be an easy shape! I'm finding half an hour on this when I get home a very relaxing destress from work.

For a while I’ve been considering a city style N gauge Minories layout - set somewhere in the South West in the 1960s. One thing I wanted was an impressive ‘Town’ station and as I knew this would be a focal point I wanted something that was based on reality and imposing. I considered Birmingham Moor Street but the arched windows all looked a bit much, as did a lot of the intricate brickwork A visit to the SVR last year introduced me to the amazing station at Kidderminster - which I understand is based on Ross-On-Wye. This seemed to fit the bill perfectly and the canopy roof would be both a feature and a challenge. The project has taken on new significance for me as I’m a hospital doctor - working in anaesthetics and ITU! To say the last couple of weeks have been challenging is an understatement! So something to unwind in the little spare time I have - to help me reset from work when I come in is ideal. Furthermore I wanted something that will take time. Which will be finished first - Covid19 or my station? Here’s a few photos of progress so far The initial walls etc are made from Scalescenes printed brickwork - printed onto Matt photographic paper. Then I’ve overlaid the decorative brickwork and added windows and doors. I struggled to find appropriate windows and didn’t think I could scratch build them all myself to a uniform standard - so huge thanks to York Models who resized some of theirs and put them in pairs for me. One advantage if building Kidderminster is that there a huge amounts of photos and you can visit the real thing. Thanks to some amazing people on here I located the planning application for the canopy which had detailed drawings These were marked out as a kind of kit to be folded to shape to avoid too many joins. The buildings deliberately extend below the ground to take account of platforms Once the walls were complete they were folded into shape and braced with foam board. I’ve never worked with this before and it’s a revelation. So easy to cut, so strong and yet light it’s being made as a set of rooms to be attached together this shows roughly how it’ll come together - with a canopy across the middle So that’s where I’m up to so far. I’ll update it as things happen. And one day I’ll make a start on the layout and start a thread for that

It’s great that people are using this time to do some modelling - it’s a great way to destress. I’m a doctor, very much in the front line and I’ve started building a new station with some Scalescenes bits and card. If it gets anywhere I might put some pics up. I’m doing 30min or so to wind down between getting home and going to bed. However - can I issue a plea to everyone modelling or doing DIY. Please do be careful. Our nhs is stretched and we are trying so hard to keep the normal emergency services going but it’s not easy. So please don’t slice your hand with a scalpel or use power tools!

As a bit of light relief on my day off (I’m a hospital doctor gearing up for the worst.....) I’ve started planning the station building for a possible minories themed layout. I’m using Kidderminster SVR as a theme because I’ve got loads of photos, the plans are online with the council, and it’s a replica of a fairly typical GWR structure The plan is to use scale scenes brickwork printed on thin card. But the main sticking point are the windows which look like this and are approx 5mm x 12mm in N I can’t find anything commercially that matches and is the right size. Any suggestions for how I might scratch build them? It’s the thin glazing bars I struggle with. Or how standard were the windows? Could I get away with something different? There’s no shortage of etched or laser cut or printed windows but nothing that quite matches. Of course if Coronavirus really kicks off this might be just armchair modelling for quite a while Thanks