D&RGW narrow gauge: Back to scenics.

[JZ]

Managed to find another couple of Bemo RhB carriages at very reasonable prices and a matching baggage car is also on it's way.

All of them are composites, so, in deference to the original purpose of the railway, the doors are gold for first class and silver for second.

[JZ]

The basic shell of the Ophir Depot is complete.

[JZ]

The baggage car turned up this morning. A quick respray and a few decals, regauge the wheels and voila.

I have left Bemo couplers between the coaches and Kadee #705 at each end of the rake.

Slowly plodding away with Ophir depot. Wainscoting was put on this morning and the first piece of clapboarding has been put on and currently under weights.

[JZ]

Work continues. The clapboarding has been applied. The upper storey has shingles. That will be next to apply. These will be put on and trimmed before the panels are applied.

I have found a few errors in the kit. Nothing major and easy enough to work around.. It is noted on the website that this is one of his early kits and construction methods have improved.

 I wish some of the wood panels and scale stripwood were easily available over here. Much of it for Banta and several other kit makers comes from Northeastern Scale Lumber, but the postal charges are eyewatering, due to the length of the strip wood. It means it's actually cheaper to buy the kits. Maybe, just maybe, if I do visit the relations in Woodstock, I could fill my suitcase, as they are only a few miles north of Boston. Then Bar Mills, Banta, Fos Scale and Mount Blue Models are all in that vicinity. Need a bigger suitcase.

[Nick C]

On 22/06/2022 at 20:18, JZ said:

Work continues. The clapboarding has been applied. The upper storey has shingles. That will be next to apply. These will be put on and trimmed before the panels are applied.

I have found a few errors in the kit. Nothing major and easy enough to work around.. It is noted on the website that this is one of his early kits and construction methods have improved.

 I wish some of the wood panels and scale stripwood were easily available over here. Much of it for Banta and several other kit makers comes from Northeastern Scale Lumber, but the postal charges are eyewatering, due to the length of the strip wood. It means it's actually cheaper to buy the kits. Maybe, just maybe, if I do visit the relations in Woodstock, I could fill my suitcase, as they are only a few miles north of Boston. Then Bar Mills, Banta, Fos Scale and Mount Blue Models are all in that vicinity. Need a bigger suitcase.

Have a look at model boat suppliers for stripwood - here's one Google found: https://www.hobbies.co.uk/brands/hobbies-craft-and-modelling-wood

[JZ]

13 hours ago, Nick C said:

Have a look at model boat suppliers for stripwood - here's one Google found: https://www.hobbies.co.uk/brands/hobbies-craft-and-modelling-wood

It was worth looking at, but the smallest they appear to do in any wood, is 1.5x1.5mm. Antics have 1x1mm, which is fairly close to 3"x3" in HO, but it's the odd US timber sizes that are difficult to match, especially when modifying or extending an existing structure. Ah, the pitfalls of doing a different scale.

[JZ]

So, no modelling done yesterday, but I did manage to sample some Black Country ales by the canalside in Brum and in the evening went to see Alanis Morissette at the Utilita Arena. Waited a long time for this and it was worth the wait.

My video. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by JZ

[JZ]

July picture of the month

Galloping Goose 4 at Lizard Head Pass, July 1949

[JZ]

Next up with Ophir depot is to get some shingles on it. The ones covering the upper storey were easy, simply spray them yellow, I used Tamiya Camel Yellow TS-34. The 'Camel' is, I believe, a reference to the shade used by Camel cigarettes when they sponsored motor racing. To my eye, it is a close match to D&RGW yellow used on buildings. The ones for the roof however, presented a dilemma. I have never been 100% happy with the shingle rooves I had done so far. Not just because they are an absolute pain in the rear, but getting the colouring to look right was also causing me some grief.  The other evening I was browsing the Mine Mount Models site and found, by chance, that they have a tutorial on painting laser cut shingles. So this afternoon I had a go, using AK Interactive weathered wood colours. Time will tell if it works. Working over the weekend, but earlyish finishes Monday and Tuesday and rest day Wednesday should see some progress.

In other news. Finally got the invoice for my Kitwood Hills Models has been invoiced and paid, now awaiting shipping. Hopefully it will be with me by midweek. And a browse of the Hatton's site saw me find some Bar Mills, Fos Scale, JL Innovative and Builders in Scale kits, second-hand, but unopened. Most were well under the price quoted on the makers website. Although these will sit on the to-do shelf, well I must have something to do when I retire, they will replace the Kibri 'Wild West' plastic kits I am using to get the township started. Some could also find their way onto the 'A bit like Creede' layout for exhibitions.

[JZ]

If anyone is interested in the painting of shingles tutorial, it is here.

 

Another thing I have had to purchase from the US is Silkspan. Chatting to a friend that builds flying aero-models, it was easy to get hold of here until B****t, but now the sources have dried up. Why silkspan? Well, when painted, it gives a good representation of tar paper roofing. Fortunately, it is light, even the heaviest grade, and came by first class letter post, so not too expensive. What's more, amazing for USPS, it was here in under 7 days.

Edited July 2, 2022 by JZ

[rockershovel]

On 21/06/2022 at 20:00, JZ said:

The baggage car turned up this morning. A quick respray and a few decals, regauge the wheels and voila.

I have left Bemo couplers between the coaches and Kadee #705 at each end of the rake.

Slowly plodding away with Ophir depot. Wainscoting was put on this morning and the first piece of clapboarding has been put on and currently under weights.

They might not be strictly authentic but they certainly look the part 

[JZ]

4 hours ago, rockershovel said:

They might not be strictly authentic but they certainly look the part 

They do look good behind a steam loco. I also have this set.

These are made by D+R Modelbahn for Trains, Toy and Hobbies in Delaware. The baggage car is repainted Bemo. This looks much better behind a diesel, but have yet to source a suitable chassis to go with the body I have.

[JZ]

Pondering over the roof of Ophir depot. While I will definitely use shingles on the main building, I was thinking of using tar paper for the goods shed side. The canopy over the platform side is tar paper anyway. Could it be that I am daunted by laying long lines of thin shingles? Or maybe, it's not really Ophir, so what the hell? Mmmm.

[pH]

There was an article in Model Railroader on building an exact recreation of a picture of Ophir depot, down to the missing tiles on the roof. I’m well away from my magazines at the moment, but I’ll have a look for it when I get back (if I remember!).

[JZ]

Yesterday I fitted the shingles to the upper storey. Really glad now that I have decided to put tar paper over the goods shed side. Also, I am building it slightly out of sequence. Started fitting windows to platform side, as it's going to be easier than when the canopy is fitted and I want to fit this earlier, rather than later, as per instructions.

Hatton's recently had loads of HOn3 stuff for sale, but I resisted the temptation, despite very cheap prices for Blackstone stuff. I did buy a few more structures, mainly for the enjoyment of building them, though some may find there way onto the exhibition layout, others built into dioramas.

[JZ]

Some more work done on the main building, rail side.

This section of roof/canopy is 120mm long. tar paper/roofing felt comes in 34' rolls, 119mm in HO, so doing it in a single strip is a bit of a stretch. The roof of the freight side in around 145mm, so I'll be making strips a scale 34' long and having a join. Penny pinching by the RR, means that what is left from one run, will start the next, so staggered joins. The colour used is Tamiya NATO Black and when the building is complete, I'll use some powders to tone it down a bit more.

The more I look at it, the more I think it needs some interior made. It may just be that some partitions will do the trick. This side will also need some kind of platform, so I will build some decking, maybe about 5' wide at the bay window.

[JZ]

Most of the upper storey outer walls are on, the last one over the freight shed is last, once the roof of this is on. Most windows are in and the doors for the freight side are ready to install.

The platform will extend the full length of this side and a bit, as there is also a door on the end of the building.

The platform on this side will only go from the freight door to the bay window, which will also be the maximum width. on this side.

[JZ]

Slightly, actually very, off topic, but an interest of mine. I've been blown away with the latest images coming from the James Webb Space telescope. Somewhat better than I'll get from my 8".

[JZ]

This image covers a patch of sky approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground.

Picture: NASA. JWST

[pH]

On 03/07/2022 at 12:15, pH said:

There was an article in Model Railroader on building an exact recreation of a picture of Ophir depot, down to the missing tiles on the roof. I’m well away from my magazines at the moment, but I’ll have a look for it when I get back (if I remember!).

As is quite often the case, my memory of this isn’t exactly correct! What I remembered as just an article on building a model of Ophir depot is actually an article on building a model of the Ophir district of the Rio Grande Southern from Vance Junction almost to Trout Lake. There is a picture of the depot in it, with the missing roof shingles and a description of a few details of its construction. The article is titled “Dennis Ferguson’s On3 Rio Grande Southern” in the June 1999 edition of Model Railroader.

 

The whole layout is very detailed, and the article says “All the structures … are matched to period photos and Dennis won’t add anything he doesn’t have evidence for.” From the photo of the model depot, it appears to be closely based on one of the actual depot in “Silver San Juan” by Mallory Hope Ferrell.

[JZ]

18 hours ago, pH said:

From the photo of the model depot, it appears to be closely based on one of the actual depot in “Silver San Juan” by Mallory Hope Ferrell.

I have that book. Must get around to reading it sometime.

[JZ]

Roof on the freight shed. I use SilkSpan™ to represent tar paper. Painted NATO grey. Strips are cut a scale 3' wide and 34' long. All the windows are in now and the last piece of the upper walls fitted. I have partitioned the lower floor so it can't be seen through. I won't bother upstairs, as the roof shape should have the desired effect. Search through my photo's of the real depot and others on the RGS and D&RGW, curtains or blinds are almost always seen in the upper floors, but only occasionally downstair. So I have followed this.

 Next up is to do the roof. Getting the shingles straight is fairly easy, there are guidelines cut into the panels. Maybe leave this until tomorrow. Family barbecue this afternoon. Then it will be getting the platform done. Photo's of the side in the lower picture are rare and the ones of the side in the upper one are usually obscured with wagons, as there was a siding there.

 

Anyone interested in the maps on the shelf below? It's a full set of OS Seventh Series, with the pre-Beaching railways on. Did you know that every OS map has an error on it?  This is to stop plagiarism. I have around 400 OS maps in all and have found jut one of these, on a 25000 map, not far from where I used to live.

[Nile]

The same is true in the USA as well. There is the strange case of Algoe, New York  that started as a 'copyright trap' but ended up as a real place.

[JZ]

5 hours ago, Nile said:

The same is true in the USA as well. There is the strange case of Algoe, New York  that started as a 'copyright trap' but ended up as a real place.

Came across one in Macau in 1992. We had to get back to the ferry terminal. Looking at the map, we should have just followed the road we were on to the top and there was the road. Or rather wasn't. Missed our booked ferry back to Hong Kong and had to get a later one.

Edited July 16, 2022 by JZ

[JZ]

Too hot yesterday to do any serious modelling. Much of the day was spent in my hammock, under the sun shade on my deck. Early rise this morning to get the shingles on the roof before heat puts paid to that, as the glue dries too quickly and if I put the fan on, it blows the strips everywhere. Seems everyone else is trying to get their work done before the heat hits, Bins emptied at 06:30 and just over an hour later, my postie brings my Kitwood Hills turntable.