Sutton Dock

[t-b-g]

Our "secret weapon" in a lot of the weathering is a small plastic bottle of acrylic paint, sold as "paint on - wipe off" black. It is actually more of a dark grey and it really does just what it says on the bottle. You paint it all over and wipe it off, leaving the paint in all the nooks and crannies. Most of the brickwork is painted an overall brick red and then gets the wipe off treatment. The buildings along the backscene had a little more work on them by way of variations in brick colour. We have not gone down the route of painting individual bricks etc. We tend to work quickly and go for an overall effect, which allows us to get a project up and running quickly, then we slow down and do the more enjoyable detailing work.

 

The first few figures have been put on Sutton Dock this afternoon, after we had set up at Halifax show. There is still plenty to do, like loads of fish boxes on the platform and something in the boat department!

 

If you want to see the layout in the flesh please come along to Halifax show this weekend and say hello. We will be running some of the late Rev. Peter Denny's stock again and will have more on display.

[pete55]

Hi t-b-g,

 

no more news on progress?!

 

Pete

[t-b-g]

Well, the end is near and I must face the final deadline........

 

To sum up Sutton Dock is quite easy. I had a dream and built it, with some very good help from a good friend, Ken Hill. In terms of modelling techniques, it doesn't push back any boundaries but it has proved to be an enjoyable little sideline between bigger projects. There hasn't been much progress since the show in Halifax and there may now not be very much for a while. I now have bigger fish to fry (that is a very poor fish dock joke, so I apologise...) and am in the middle of a proper shed building project. Once again, that wouldn't have happened without help from good friends. When that is completed, there is a layout waiting to go in it that will take much of my modelling time for the foreseeable future and I am really excited about it.

 

We have exhibited "Sutton Dock" three times now and I have to say that I have thouroughly enjoyed every one. Although limited operationally, the layout works well (not a lot to go wrong!) and it has created a lot of interest at shows. It is surprising how many folk have gone away with plans to build something like it and one or two have even asked me if I would be willing to part with it. The answer is not yet but maybe one day. There has even been a bit of talk about Sutton Dock becoming attached to Geoff Kent's "Blakeney" as there is a track through the end of that one, which is known as the "dock branch" and Geoff had ideas about building a quayside one day. So further development may be on the back burner but is not out of the picture altogether.

 

What has made the project quite exciting this last two shows was the opportunity to operate locos and stock from the "Buckingham branch" built by the late Rev. Peter Denny. All of a sudden our sleepy little layout had something that really did cause a stir at shows and we always seemed to have an appreciative crowd around the layout.

 

Although there remains much detail to be added to the layout, which may still get done if I get a few quite moments, it is closing day for the layout challenge so here are some recent shots, showing the layout, complete with "Denny" locos and stock, along with the fiddle yard, which was built with a display on the front.

 

As for including the "5". well the pub is called the "Five Jolly Fishermen" and the shed is "Sutton Fisheries No 5 Wharf" so I hope that the number is there but in a fairly subtle manner.

 

It just remains for me to thank Ken and all the others who have encouraged the project along with kind words of support and helpful information.

[ladysplicer]

Hello this is a very nice little layout and looks even better in the flesh i had a chat with you about the layout at expo would look a lot better with a class 08 shunter:D

 

well done

[2996 Victor]

Hi,

 

I do realise that there's been a short while (!) since anyone posted to this thread, but I would just like to echo the many complements above. I was lucky enough to see this layout at Scalefour SouthWest at Wells in 2015, and found it absolutely fascinating - I remember it being the star of the show for me!

 

Having been inspired by Gordon and Maggie Gravett's Arun Quay to think in terms of a quayside cameo, my memories of Sutton Dock surfaced, so I was very pleased to find your build thread with its great photos. I'm now quite determined to pursue and develop my ideas, but I must apologise in advance for any plagiarism that may occur! Incidentally, did Sutton Dock ever appear in the modelling press?

 

Thank you for the inspiration!

 

Best regards,

 

Mark

 

 

[t-b-g]

1 hour ago, 2996 Victor said:

Hi,

 

I do realise that there's been a short while (!) since anyone posted to this thread, but I would just like to echo the many complements above. I was lucky enough to see this layout at Scalefour SouthWest at Wells in 2015, and found it absolutely fascinating - I remember it being the star of the show for me!

 

Having been inspired by Gordon and Maggie Gravett's Arun Quay to think in terms of a quayside cameo, my memories of Sutton Dock surfaced, so I was very pleased to find your build thread with its great photos. I'm now quite determined to pursue and develop my ideas, but I must apologise in advance for any plagiarism that may occur! Incidentally, did Sutton Dock ever appear in the modelling press?

 

Thank you for the inspiration!

 

Best regards,

 

Mark

 

 

 

Thanks for the kind words Mark. I still have Sutton Dock and did do some further detailing work including the addition of a fishing boat, which was really an HO Dutch boat but was very close to the type of vessel seen on the East Coast in the period.

 

It was exhibited quite a few times and for a very simple layout was actually quite enjoyable to operate over a two day show.

 

It didn't appear in any modelling press but if there is any further information you would like regarding the project, please ask and I will help if I can.

 

I am having a dabble in 7mm now and I have to say that an O Gauge version has crossed my mind once or twice but I think I have enough to keep me busy for now.

 

Cheers

 

Tony 

[2996 Victor]

20 hours ago, t-b-g said:

 

Thanks for the kind words Mark. I still have Sutton Dock and did do some further detailing work including the addition of a fishing boat, which was really an HO Dutch boat but was very close to the type of vessel seen on the East Coast in the period.

 

It was exhibited quite a few times and for a very simple layout was actually quite enjoyable to operate over a two day show.

 

It didn't appear in any modelling press but if there is any further information you would like regarding the project, please ask and I will help if I can.

 

I am having a dabble in 7mm now and I have to say that an O Gauge version has crossed my mind once or twice but I think I have enough to keep me busy for now.

 

Cheers

 

Tony 

 

Dear Tony,

 

thank you so much for your swift reply - I'm glad to hear Sutton Dock is alive and well, so-to-speak! I'd be interested to see any photos you may have showing the extra detailing, and of course the fishing boat.

 

For my little cameo, I'm thinking of a section of estuary/navigable river quayside in Barnstaple, Devon, served by an off-shoot of the Lynton & Barnstaple, set around 1905. Given it's geography in relation to the rivers Taw and Yeo, it would be very difficult to fit it into reality as I would prefer, so I will probably go down the route of it being an entirely fictional area of the town. Herring fishing was common in nearby Clovelly, so in part the premise may be a small herring fleet landing their catch.

 

I have always been intrigued by railways threading their way through backstreets (the Welshpool and Llanfair springs to mind), and the track sneaking off behind what I presume is Sutton Dock's dock office is just the sort of view I hope to create. I also have in my mind's eye views of the "dock branch" appearing briefly between adjacent buildings and while crossing a narrow bridge spanning tributary stream. So I've got a bit of planning to do!

 

In the meantime, I'd be interested to know what the wooden baulks facing the quayside are made from: I would guess balsa? And if I have any more "how did you do that?" questions, I'll be sure to ask! Don't worry, though, I won't bombard you as I make very slow progress.....

 

Many, many thanks again, and very best regards,

 

Mark