MARSHFIELD WITH ELY BRIDGE: **final update**

[GROTLAND]

Nice to still see this layout around Dave. The boiler house looks great! Is it Ratio that do an industrial vent and chimney pack? always worth considering for those extra details for other buildings.
The period road vehicles add a lot. I like the red oxide wing and repairs on the Anglebox : something sadly missing from today's motoring scene.

[retroman]

Thanks chaps,

Yes I stand corrected, the boiler house is actually a RATIO kit .........

I grew up in the era when cars rotted before your eyes. I need some period Datsuns, plus crappy Austins like the Princess and Allegro, too!

I do intend to break the back of work on this layout this year, I will finish it!! Only taken 5 years so far!!!!

[DonB]

Where do I begin?!

The 2 cars and burger van - I can (just) recall the Ford Anglia... Yours is exactly how I recall one example!
Is the other car a Cortina? (I'm not too hot on ID-ing cars!)

From the exquisite weathering, to the various cameos (love the roadworks scene, I might "borrow" that one! ), to the overall atmosphere, this is a fantastic layout, and one that I shall be watching for a long time to come!

...I will finish it!! Only taken 5 years so far!!!!

That is my New Year's resolution.
I'm only 3 years into my own project, and I've got nowhere near as far as you have!

[RubyRubyRuby]

Nice layout keep up the good work . Love the rusty Nellie and Anglia.

[StevieDay]

A compelling thread had to read from start to finish. Fantastic work Retroman. I love the atmospheric grimy 70's industrial feel & the attention to detail is outstanding.

It also proves the old adage that a layout is never finished & rebuilding a large section of what was already a good layout & the improvements made. Only goes to show how skills continually learnt can be applied to turn a good layout into a great one.

I'll definitely will be bookmarking this thread & follow the progress of Ely Bridge...... Inspirational stuff

Regards,
Steve

[retroman]

Thank you for the very kind comments.

One thing I've tried to avoid is blowing my budget on locos - there are so many great models about its hard not to.

I had to get this Hornby Railroad 40 - a bargain at £35. Its very basic but runs beautifully: to my eye it actually looks more like a 40 than the Bachmann model.

[Infrontcat]

Hi Dave

Good to see you are still pushing the boundaries of excellence on your layout mate

The cameo of the roadworks is top drawer and I'm glad to see your eye for a good road vehicle has remained decidedly keen Any chance of a video of that lovely looking 40?

Cheers mate, hope Xmas and New Year were cool

Tim

[retroman]

Hi Tim, and everyone else

Time for an update ... there have been big changes at MARSHFIELD. I've eliminated a lot of unnecessary and troublesome point work which has improved running no end. I've also decided to swap the locations of the steelworks and the depot ... the steelworks buidings will occupy the existing depot site without too many alterations to the track work.

The revised trackwork on the new depot side ... site cleared in preparartion.



Close ups of the signal gantry - I hope to make this fully functional one day.





The main reason for the new depot - a HELJAN Traverser. Not functional or properly bedded in until I finish the scenic work on the main lines at the rear.

[Triumph]

Hi there,
Gotta say these latest shots look great, the 40 in front of the bridge is brilliant. And the traverser looks like a serious piece of kit, you'll have a full blown Crewe works next... I like the weathering effects on the road vehicles, I've just picked up a couple of BR yellow vans, so I'll have a go myself.
Cheers, Tony

[Infrontcat]

Hi Dave

Nice addition mate. A valid reason for 'doing a lofty' if ever I saw one

Cheers

Tim

[matt1471]

Hi Retro,

I'm sure I've said it before, but this is a FANTASTIC layout!! I love the era, and your attention to detail and modelling skills are incredible and something for me to aspire to!!

I'm in the progress of ballasting mine, and so far have not been happy with the choice of ballast I'm using. What ballasts are you using and how do you go about 'weathering' and detailing yours??

Many thanks
Matt

[auricom]

Your old layout looked pretty great to me (I had a look through the old thread), pretty brave to make changes of this magnitude, but im liking the new stuff so far

[matt1471]

Close ups of the signal gantry - I hope to make this fully functional one day.

Beat you to it Retroman!

[retroman]

Matt, the ballast is GAUGEMASTER OO/HO mixed with N.

I have now installed the revised yard lighting and a small signal box controlling access to the steelworks. All electrical work is complete and the foundations are in place for the final installation of the Coke Oven and conveyors.

These pics show the revised trackwork.



I have kept the small coal yard to the right of the picture as I think it complements the industrial setting.



The MGR discharge shed - MGR trains run continously around the layout on an inner freight line.



The Quencher. The idea being that hot coke from the Coke Oven is shunted to the tower in a special wagon - once inside, cold water is cascaded onto the coke from overhead to cool it.



The steelworks buidings temporarily in place. The camera lens has distorted the chimneys, they are actually dead vertical! Class 37s wait with coal trains in the Exchange Sidings.

[retroman]

After many hours of work, ELY BRIDGE STEELWORKS (BRITISH STEEL CORPORATION) is now operational.



Distortion of uprights due to wide-angle lens on camera. Still a fair bit to do on the exchange sidings in the foreground.



A 25 has arrived in the headshunt with a short train of coal wagons. It will reverse back alongside the staithes for unloading.



Close up of the conveyors and lattice supports.