Popular Post 1977joey Posted April 24, 2020 Popular Post Share Posted April 24, 2020 (edited) Hi Everyone, I thought I'd start a fresh thread for my layout Shrewford which is representation based operations at Shrewsbury between 1986 to 88. My previous thread was a transition between the previous version & this version, but I just want one dedicated to the current version, so here it is! This layout I've been building since the Autumn of 2018. The baseboard is 8 feet x 2 feet 8 inches. The main feature is the station which has 7 Platforms, I have based this on the actual platform layout of Shrewsbury station, though the rest is a fictional representation of the area. Platforms 1 & 2 are disused bay platforms. Platform 3 is mainly a north bound platform mainly used by services to Chester via Wrexham. Platforms 4, 5, 6 & 7 are the large island platform. Platform 4 is the main bi directional Platform, though in practice is mainly used by north bound services to Chester, Crewe, Manchester or Liverpool. Some Cambrian line services also reverse on this Platform. Platforms 5 & 6 are the bays, for services to/from the West midlands, the cambrian lines to Aberystwyth & Pwllheli & also the heart of wales line services to swansea. Platform 7, also bi directional, but mainly used by south bound services to the West Midlands, London, Cardiff & the south of england. Being a secondary main line station, most services are Provincial operated (The old name for Regional Railways) tho there is roughly a 2 hour InterCity service to/from London Euston, with one in each direction going to/from Aberystwyth. The First Class & Buffet is detached at Shrewford for the journey to the coast & re attached in the opposite direction. Class 37/4's normally work this train forward from Shrewford. There are also extra summer saturdays loco hauled 'InterCity' services on the cambrian line including the 'Snowdonian' to Pwllheli. The Welsh Marches line (provincial operated) between Cardiff & South wales and Crewe, Manchester, Liverpool & North Wales are mainly in the hands of loco hauled stock, so these range from Class 33's (as was in 1986) to 37's, 47's & even the occasional Class 50 can put in an appearance. The layout is based pre summer 1988 timetable so before the Class 155's were introduced. There is also the stopping DMU or Class 150/2 that operates between Shrewford & Cardiff that supplements this service as well as the local DMU service to Crewe. The West midlands local services are DMU's & the 'New' Class 150 'Sprinter's, & the Cambrian line services apart from the loco hauled one's mentioned above are exclusively operated by Class 150 sprinters. I have also extended (with modellers licence) the London Paddington to Wolverhampton service through to Shrewford to run regular Class 50's & also, as an excuse to run a HST, the Liverpool to Plymouth Intercity 125 runs via Shrewford. Freightwise the regular steel coil trains between Margam/Llanwern to Shotton/Dee Marsh or Ravenscraig pass through or change train crews at Shrewford. Also the weekly Stanlow to Aberystwyth petroleum train does the same. I'm yet to get a representation of the Bescot to Penyfordd cement tanks once something ideal becomes available. There is a representation of Severn Bridge Signal box at the south end of the station, tho this is called 'Shrewford no 1' . The signalling on the station is all none working, & is of the colour light variety. Also the layout is simply DC operated, with isolated sections of track in the bay platforms & holding sidings to hold more that one loco or DMU. There is also track I can isolate in the through Platforms so as I can divide or join up units in the station. At the south end rather than the massive junction at Shrewsbury, the tracks bend round to a tunnel mouth under where 'Shrewford Abbey stands. It is imagined the other end of this tunnel is the Junction for the lines to the West Midlands & on to South Wales (Shrewford south junction) ..in reality, it's the entrance to the storage roads. So here's some pictures of it so far, still bit's to do like finishing off the main 'Railway Street' opposite the main station building.. Finally a track plan... Cheers for now, Mark Edited April 11, 2022 by 1977joey Media lost 20 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted April 25, 2020 Share Posted April 25, 2020 Well, that looks a whole lot of fun ! my dad got me into models through N gauge, I always wanted a mainline station that looked like yours - really show the benefit of N gauge . 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted April 25, 2020 Author Share Posted April 25, 2020 3 hours ago, rob D2 said: Well, that looks a whole lot of fun ! my dad got me into models through N gauge, I always wanted a mainline station that looked like yours - really show the benefit of N gauge . Many thanks Rob, Yup you can fit a lot in if your space starved. The models really are superior to what they used to be too, if not a little slow to be produced if your waiting for announced items... I'm waiting on Farish's Mark 2F's now for my InterCity rakes having sold off my old tooling one's last year. More than looking forward to these! Cheers, Mark 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted April 25, 2020 Author Share Posted April 25, 2020 Just a quick shot of this mornings 1105 stopper to Newport (Gwent) Formed of Cardiff's C814 3 car Class 101 DMU Cheers, Mark 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 (edited) Evening Everyone, Well just a quick update. I wasn't too happy with my ballasting so have hopefully remedied this by adding some finer ballast & weathering it with a mix of grey shades of emulsions I watered down (Wilko's test pots). I'm pretty pleased with the outcome & it's really improved the look of my track... I've now cleaned the track & thankfully I've tried a Class 25 over all the track & she bombs round fine tho I did have to extra clean some of the point blades... Cheers for now, Mark Edited April 29, 2020 by 1977joey 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 Evening Everyone, Well as for the latest developments at Shrewford, for a while I've been wanting to tear off the thin clear screen that edged the baseboard along the track next to Platform 7 with something more appealing to the eye. I also wanted this side of the girder bridge representing over the River Severn. So I've purchased multipacks of the Ratio retaining wall, & like I'd done with the otherside of the tracks, given this a terracotta coat of emulsion, & yet to weather it all with a soft pencil. Thinking this would look good to edge all the board with...so here goes. First up is a picture of the girder Bridge that spans the south end of the real Shrewsbury station.. you will shortly see what I had in mind for this... Next I pull off the clear plasticard edge I had before.. I then glue on bit by bit the retaining wall by Ratio I then cut out the Bridge picture in sections after ruling out the measurements to fit flush with the edge of the board. The first part is the water. then followed by the girder part, then I add my own styrene truss on top of that The final shot showing the side of the layout & the Mark 3 stock in Platform 7 on tonight's 19:21 Shrewford to Euston waiting for the road.. Cheers for now, Mark 10 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmsforever Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Good to see you back on here its looking very good the new ideas sound good keep up the good work. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 (edited) Hi everyone, The street scene in front of the station was in much need of attention, particularly road markings & the belisha beacons on the zebra crossing replacing with something a little more to scale. So my idea was I kept the cord off an old blind I had, the little beads would come in very handy for some modelling So with a couple of 25 mm nails which I clipped off the sharp point with track cutters, then super glued on the bead to this end, leaving the head of the nail as the base of the beacon.... Then with a black permanent marker, I coloured the nail, then once this was properly dry, I used a white 'Edding' pen which writes on Glass, metal, or plastic to do the white sections of the beacon... Then finally, painting very carefully with some humbrol yellow enamel paint, the bead (Beacon head).. These are then glued into place on the crossing replacing the overscale one's that stood there before. The road markings (At least the white one's) have been done using a small ruler & the excellent white Edding pen. The Yellow lines I'll do at a later date.. The other ornate lighting in the picture was also made from some spare knightwing T Platform lights I had by clipping off the lamp head & gluing on the bead instead & then painting them & installing to the station area... I also used the same technique to pop some lights outside the Odeon cinema A Birdseye view of the station frontage And along the street towards the cinema The girder bridge next to Platform 7 has received a coat of white paint, seen above it at Platform 5 is a Wolverhampton service, & behind that a 'Valley Lines' Class 108 with a Newport service Cheers for now, Mark Edited May 9, 2020 by 1977joey 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 A couple more from tonight as a Bangor (Gwynedd) to Cardiff service arrives at Platform 7 behind a 33 Cheers, Mark 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted May 15, 2020 Author Share Posted May 15, 2020 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Posted May 16, 2020 Share Posted May 16, 2020 NIce layout. It captures the feel of Shrewsbury very well. Thanks for posting (and on the NGF). This is something that is achievable by ordinary folk in N but would be difficult in larger scales for an individual. I'm glad you did that work on the ballast and track, it really makes a big difference. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted May 16, 2020 Author Share Posted May 16, 2020 4 hours ago, Chris M said: NIce layout. It captures the feel of Shrewsbury very well. Thanks for posting (and on the NGF). This is something that is achievable by ordinary folk in N but would be difficult in larger scales for an individual. I'm glad you did that work on the ballast and track, it really makes a big difference. Thanks Chris, Glad you like it, I'm really pleased with the look of the ballast now too, well worth the effort. Now just to get more practice making video's, with some background sound on the next one all being well ha!... Cheers, Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted May 17, 2020 Author Share Posted May 17, 2020 Well a couple of pics from last night, while taking a break from coats of paint drying in my box bedroom, I popped to Shrewford, and a Class 37 is on a tank train from Stanlow to Albion, A 5 car DMU has arrived at Platform 5 with a service from Birmingham New Street (Including a Network Southeast Class 101 on loan to Tyseley), and a shiny new Class 150/2 Sprinter is on the up & down goods, which will shortly shunt to Platform 4b to form a Chester service. Also a Class 50 is stabled... Cheers, Mark 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steadfast Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 Hi Mark, Lovely pictures in the updates, nice to see the progress! I'm particularly taken by the Belisha beacons, a good "old school" bit of modelling there, that's excellent. They look great too! Jo 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted June 6, 2020 Author Share Posted June 6, 2020 (edited) Hi Everyone, After an operating session, I took some pics (As you do lol!) So here they are as I thought I'd share them.. First up, It's 1987 & the bay Platforms are occupied by a brace BR's new Class 150/2 'Sprinter's', the one at Platform 5 is ticking over empty stock & the one at Platform 6 will form a service to Cardiff Central via all stations.. Over at Platform 4b is the 20:05 service to Crewe formed of a Class 101 2 car set Next a Class 31 appears on a Manchester Red Bank to Bristol Temple Meads van train After a breif stop, the 31 departs But is then held at the next signal before taking the Hereford line in the tunnel until another Sprinter Class 150 clears off the Wolverhampton line, and is seen approaching on the 20:19 service from Wolverhampton to Chester Cheers for now, Mark Edited June 7, 2020 by 1977joey 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRUNFOS Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Excellent Mark, Recognised the track and platform layout in the first picture, have some [quite a few] photos of Shrewsbury station if they are any use for reference. Good to see the football ground in its rightful place! what have you called it? The class 33 pic looks just like its been taken from the prison staff car park, spent a lot off time there, the car park not the prison. Regards Paul. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 3 hours ago, GRUNFOS said: Excellent Mark, Recognised the track and platform layout in the first picture, have some [quite a few] photos of Shrewsbury station if they are any use for reference. Good to see the football ground in its rightful place! what have you called it? The class 33 pic looks just like its been taken from the prison staff car park, spent a lot off time there, the car park not the prison. Regards Paul. Many thanks Paul, glad you like it. Always interested to see pictures of Shrewsbury back in the day Currently the layout is laying on the floor under a plastic cover while I’m waiting for a house move. The football ground I’ve just called Shrewford Town Football club. I am however going to change my representation of the floodlights to something a bit more to scale as I feel they don’t look quite right to me at the moment, the styrene truss being a too over scale. lots to do once I get it set back up, I’m hoping it’ll be before Christmas. Cheers, Mark 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRUNFOS Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Mark. will sort some pictures out, I hope Shrewford have a better season than we are! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 1 minute ago, GRUNFOS said: Mark. will sort some pictures out, I hope Shrewford have a better season than we are! Haha! Thanks Paul, they may do once I get the look of the flood lights sorted Looking forward to seeing your pictures Cheers, Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRUNFOS Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 (edited) Mark, You will need to make the reflective windows that ran across the Boards dining room, a few very nice meals in there, it will give you chance to see the back of your trains as they go past. I am standing on stabling sidings footpath just below grass bank. Edited November 18, 2020 by GRUNFOS 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 On 18/11/2020 at 12:16, GRUNFOS said: Mark, You will need to make the reflective windows that ran across the Boards dining room, a few very nice meals in there, it will give you chance to see the back of your trains as they go past. I am standing on stabling sidings footpath just below grass bank. Love it Paul! 37426 too, my favourite 37! I actually saw her named at Aberystwyth as a kid back in 1986, hence I’ve renumbered & renamed one of my large logo 37’s into her. Ill have to have a go at representing those windows once I’m set back up.. Cheers, Mark 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted December 24, 2020 Author Share Posted December 24, 2020 Hi Everyone. Well the good news is, I'm now in my rented house & am in the process of getting the spare bedroom sorted so hopefully on my next days off, I'll get the layout up & running. It just needs to be mounted onto it's supports. I can then examine the bits that need to be fixed that the removals managed to snap off. I will be sorting a whole new signal gantry at the north end as this managed to get slightly damaged, as did the flood lights on the football ground. The station canopies over the north end were removed & are packed safely away ready to be re installed, the bay platform canopies are still intact thankfully. The joys of moving!! In the meantime, I wish everyone on here a Merry Christmas Cheers, Mark 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimly Feendish Posted December 24, 2020 Share Posted December 24, 2020 HI Mark, I've just rediscovered this thread. You've captured the essence of Shrewsbury very nicely. It took me back to the many happy hours I spent spotting there as a kid in the '70s. Merry Christmas, John. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted January 13, 2021 Author Share Posted January 13, 2021 On 24/12/2020 at 21:11, Grimly Feendish said: HI Mark, I've just rediscovered this thread. You've captured the essence of Shrewsbury very nicely. It took me back to the many happy hours I spent spotting there as a kid in the '70s. Merry Christmas, John. Thankyou John, glad you like the layout. Well I have set it back up in my spare room of the new place & yet to unbox all my stock. I'm also changing the area behind the football ground & have also given the main station building a much needed makeover. I have done this by printing off pictures of the real Shrewsbury station frontage, but have had to use the same row of windows multiple times for the same measurements & for things to look consistent. I've in effect 'wrapped' it, but it has been well worth the effort & am pleased with the results ... Cheers, Mark 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1977joey Posted January 14, 2021 Author Share Posted January 14, 2021 Hi Everyone, Well today's 1987 style 1321 InterCity service from Shrewford to London Euston is seen at Platform 4, the 47 not long having run round the stock, which it will take as far as Wolverhampton in favour of electric traction. Note all the retaining wall I had along the edge of the baseboard is yet to be re done as pieces of this snapped off during the house moving... The next job I'm looking at is replacing the signal gantry at the north end of the station which also got damaged....this is currently in the process of being sorted. Cheers for now, Mark 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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