Exeter St Davids

[bootneckbob]

....and the slightly zoomed in version looking down the line. Both of these photos were taken from the small viewing area outside of the layout. Basically this is a bit like a pass in a restaurant. The mrs brings me tea and cake and leaves it on the 'pass'. She never comes under it to wander around; very few people have!

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by bootneckbob

[mallaig1983]

It’s a wonderful feeling when you’ve seen in your minds eye how you want it to look and then you look at it once you’ve done it and think wow, I’ve pulled it off.

It looks great in the photos.

[bootneckbob]

Tiny bit more done. 

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by bootneckbob
Had to upload pictures again.

[RobinofLoxley]

Im learning a lot from this thread, how to build a large layout, which I have, to similar standards to exhibition layouts, while being a self build.

[bootneckbob]

6 hours ago, RobinofLoxley said:

Im learning a lot from this thread, how to build a large layout, which I have, to similar standards to exhibition layouts, while being a self build.

Thanks. The main learning point is it will take longer than you think! Oh and it's incredibly expensive!

[RobinofLoxley]

No its neither of those. My project is designed to take years and the cost is irrelevant! What I m learning is that is still possible to go into a lot of detail on a large layout - some of them arent even ballasted from what Ive seen.

[bootneckbob]

1 hour ago, RobinofLoxley said:

No its neither of those. My project is designed to take years and the cost is irrelevant! What I m learning is that is still possible to go into a lot of detail on a large layout - some of them arent even ballasted from what I've seen.

Mine is designed to be years in the making too; it's been 11 since I first drew up plans and about 3 house moves now I think. The cost also has to be irrelevant or it wouldn't get made at all.  This is in the tens of thousands rather than single figures. I worked out the cost of the points and point motors once and felt sick. That was before I started converting the peco point motors to Cobalt DCC too! You can imagine how much the shed cost too and I built it to save some money. 

Those things aside I never intended anything but great detail in every part of it; that's the joy or at least part of it. Initially I was all about the model making. Then as my track plan developed (along with real estate) to what it is now almost full replication, the ability to run and operate the trains became a driver too. The TMD is 2 roads short I think of the real thing (at the time). Other than that I think the station area is correct albeit compressed but just enough to get away with full length HSTs and NSE services. I'm running 6 coach NSE rather than 7 because the magnetic couplings couldn't cope with 7. I had Kaydees before that but they weren't without issues. Anyway, my ultimate goal will be to have every bit of the layout super detailed. 

Anyway, great to hear you are taking some encouragement from my efforts. 

 

[bootneckbob]

Been working away this week but now I'm back and got some new supplies delivered I hope to be spending some time in the shed. Bit windy for the other hobby!

 

 

 

[bootneckbob]

Well not much done but I'm lucky to still have the shed post storm Arwen. My bungalow (and shed) are on high ground right off the sea above Westward Ho! and that storm came straight at us. My neighbors all lost fences and bits of sheds. When I say lost fences, the house behind me lost everything. My shed is 11m x 2.6m and was physically pushed back about an inch. Doesn't sound much, but the shed is no lightweight. The fact is was moved without actually damaging anything might give you an idea of the weight of it and the force of the wind. Anyway, we were lucky, others not so. Jacked it back into place today and am thinking of ways to keep it more secure for 100mph+.

 

More bits and pieces arrived this week and I've just splashed out on another rake. With the price of coaches going through the roof I bought the bullet on what I think were 'cheap' Mk3s. Not many loco mk3 services ran through there but I've seen enough video of a Manchester service on different days / times of the year to justify it. Plus I think the Oxford Rail model is very nice.

 

Right, time for bed. Back to work again. I must get in there this week! 

[bootneckbob]

Been a long time coming and it's not finished (obviously) but Cowley Bridge is taking shape. Not to bad for what was a block of foam.

So, paint wise I've gone enamel now. I'll do an acrylic wash tomorrow and then start to weather it in a bit. Bit stark at the mo but this to give a better idea of it stage by stage. I still need to bed it in properly with sculptamould, but like the other tunnels I want to be able to remove the bridge (for now) to work in the area.

 

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by bootneckbob
Had to upload pictures again.

[bootneckbob]

...and after a little white wash. This is actually the second one. Many layers always makes it look better I think. Try and take it off tomorrow but I think I'll run out of cotton buds!

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by bootneckbob

[bootneckbob]

.....and after removing the wash. Not as easy as it seems, and seems to be my trademark in that I can't get it off! Still looks ok for now.

 

I've put a quick video clip in to which is actually taken from the same real vantage point on Cowley Bridge.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/TJh3QqDF95HYZe1H9

 

Last picture added today with a bit of a paint job to the backscene behind the bridge and a bit of cement added to the pathway. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by bootneckbob
Had to upload pictures again.

[tigerburnie]

Some fine work in progress, I too am late finding this build, not an area I know that well, I think it was July 1963 the last time I was at the station......................................

[bootneckbob]

Spent the afternoon scratch building the small building situated by the bridge. Have to say it was quite enjoyable and my first attempt at a building using the method I envisage doing for the rest of the buildings. Build it in foam board first then apply plastikard etc.

 

This ones not finished yet as I need to add drainpipes and a few other little details, plus I'll do the roof in Slaters plastikard, but for now its just printed card.

 

Also included a little picture from the actual scene.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2022 by bootneckbob
Had to upload pictures again.

[5BarVT]

You’ve done that very nicely, but it just doesn’t feel right to me: it was 1981 when I was in and about Cowley Bridge Junction!

Looks just right for the ‘modern’ scene (i.e. 30 years ago).

Paul.

[bootneckbob]

@5BarVT Hi thanks, although I had to read your comment a couple of times before I was sure I understood you. Basically it looked different before the re signalling work! I was just looking at the picture myself and I deliberately decided not to raise the trackbed on this side so it would fall away to the river (as is prototypical)  but now I'm wondering if I shouldn't drop it. I did it on the other side for the river scene, which is partly why I didn't do it on this side. I wanted more of a cutting on this side to vary the scenery a bit, plus I don't want to see the trains running around the curve at the top. From my general vantage point I want to see them leave the station and disappear into the bend then reappear as a different scene almost as they come down the straight to Cowley Bridge and the scenic break.

 

The old signals and junction would look great but been so much more complex to do and in the end I went with post 85 when the signals and track changed as it was easier to model (this is my first layout) and the livery of the trains was more varied than just BR Blue which is really more appropriate to me as a young child riding on the train from Exmouth to Exeter and on to Stockport in the late 70s early 80s.

 

By the time I'm modelling this (87-88ish) I was well into airguns and not trains!

 

  

[bootneckbob]

I've had a little tweak on the upper fiddleyard today following quite a bit of time on Anyrail yesterday. Basically the exit from the fiddleyard back down the incline to Exeter had to negotiate two set track curved points back to back, or rather toe to toe! My 50s have trouble with that track and they are one of the main locos to operate over them with the NSE service.

 

Anyway, I've made it one curved point now into the yard (or back down the hidden incline to Cowley Bridge)  as it was, but the second one which moved the trains to the Up line (although its bi-directional) has gone and I've put a normal crossover in further down the line, but on the straight track which leads to the tunnel portal and scenic break back down to Exeter.

 

So that was the main reason to do the work, but this led to what to do with the sidings in the run in to the fiddle. Before (in Version 2) I made two DMU sidings with a head shunt and space for three locos to wait a turn at taking a terminated train in the main upper fiddle yard back down again.

 

What I've ended up with is now is two lines in to the upper fiddle, with Up and Down (but bi-directional too) lines. The first part of the fiddle no longer has the two DMU sidings and the head shunt, but instead had one longer siding for a three car DMU, and two single loco sidings for the return trips back down to Exeter.

 

I've attached a screen capture of the two plans in Anyrail. The upper one being the old plan, and the lower the new version. I've also included a couple of the actual layout after finishing this evening. The good news is the trains run faultlessly and the longer track length on the Up and Down lines means I can run two trains simultaneously more easily now.  

 

 

 

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by bootneckbob

[bootneckbob]

I found an unintentional by product of this change is I could now do a run around with the NSE (or other) service. The run in to the main dead end sidings is long enough to hold the train, and now due to the two lines in out out with the cross over I can run the loco around and reverse it in to the siding so it's ready to go. I can also send a Up service through Cowley Bridge at higher speed and up the hidden incline which can be stopped and reversed into the sidings, or do the same thing with a run around so its ready to make the Down journey again later.  This works on all my passenger rakes apart from the HSTs; they are about 3" too long. Basically it just means the upper fiddle has more utility than before. Which is nice.....:-)

 

[bootneckbob]

It's been a long time since I added anything or did anything to the layout to be fair. I'd be no good as a You tuber! I like doing little bits all over rather than concentrating and finishing one area or project as I'd need to for a Youtube video.

Not great for pictures but I've done a bit more scenery around the New Yard sidings and today mocked up the Exeter Signal Panel Box. It might not be the best way to scratch build but I'm finding at the moment I'm making the buildings in 3 or 5 mm foam board (depending on the building) and then add the plasticard to it. This side of the layout needs a lot more work on it. In fact I'm closing on the entrance to the North and South of the station which is good really as I should have learnt a few things by the time I get to the station!

 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2022 by bootneckbob

[bootneckbob]

Such a shame that whatever was done with this forum seems to have lost all the previous pictures; before May this year anyway. *Edit; I've been downloading them back in slowly.

 

Slow progress on the layout. I've been doing the platform sidewalls. P6, 5 and half of 4 done now. I say done, they have the brick on which was already partially weathered. I want to add trunking and other detail to them too but for now I need to just make some progress. Got a week off now so between the layout and the house I should get some work done.
I need to build some more trunking so I can ballast the remaining area to the north of Red Cow crossing. I'd like to get that done this week. After watching a DVD I bought of traction around Exeter St Davids 87-89, I've re jigged some of the more formal livery sets to replicate what was actually running. Here's one shot from a HST on its way to St Davids just past Cowley Bridge.

Edited November 6, 2022 by bootneckbob

[Cowley 47521]

1 hour ago, bootneckbob said:

Such a shame that whatever was done with this forum seems to have lost all the previous pictures; before May this year anyway.

 

Slow progress on the layout. I've been doing the platform sidewalls. P6, 5 and half of 4 done now. I say done, they have the brick on which was already partially weathered. I want to add trunking and other detail to them too but for now I need to just make some progress. Got a week off now so between the layout and the house I should get some work done.
I need to build some more trunking so I can ballast the remaining area to the north of Red Cow crossing. I'd like to get that done this week. After watching a DVD I bought of traction around Exeter St Davids 87-89, I've re jigged some of the more formal livery sets to replicate what was actually running. Here's one shot from a HST on its way to St Davids just past Cowley Bridge.

Some really familiar scenes coming together now Bob. Exeter PSB and the little hut by Cowley Bridge Junction are unmistakable.

Edited August 13, 2022 by Cowley 47521

[bootneckbob]

Same scene that gets used alot, but then it is the scenic section! 

 

[Cowley 47521]

16 minutes ago, bootneckbob said:

Same scene that gets used alot, but then it is the scenic section! 

 

Nothing wrong with that. I’ve named myself after it. 😉

[bootneckbob]

Doing some more cable trunking over the last day or two and now gonna need another 3 or 4 packs to finish off. That will be 12 packs in all which is ££**********🤪 Maybe I should have stuck to the foam board strips!

Edited August 15, 2022 by bootneckbob

[bootneckbob]

A little patching up with the sculptamold yesterday. Tunnel portals now fixed in place! Hope that wasn't too 'off the cuff'.