PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post pictures and information about your own personal model railway layout that is under construction. Keep members up-to-date with what you are doing and discuss problems that you are having.
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Dad-1
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout. A REAL update! P.6

Post by Dad-1 »

Hi Peter,

I thought We'd 'lost you' it's been sooo long !!
Sort of fills the room, quite extensive when seen all together.

Geoff T.
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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout. A REAL update! P.6

Post by PeterH »

I've kept an eye in here from time to time but haven't been very vocal! Not had much to say, as things are now getting momentum I should be about a bit more hopefully!
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PeterH
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PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

How has it been 4 years since I last updated this! To be honest there hasn’t been as much progress at all, I have finally got track all down and have started on the scenery. I’ve mainly been focusing on building 1980s steam railtour for our clubs DCC layout, the first train is the SLOA set which is pretty much complete. The second set is the Intercity Executive charter set. The idea being to recreate ‘The Shakespeare Limited’ and other tours from the late 80s period. The locos for it are 4468, 4498, 4472, 5305 and 46229 (with 4771 and 777 on the way).

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This last photo of the excellent Dapol 43xx shows the corner I’m currently working on. Hillside forming, tunnel building and soon ballasting and other scenery.
Last edited by PeterH on Wed Dec 30, 2020 3:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dad-1
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout. A REAL update! P.6

Post by Dad-1 »

Hi PeterH,

At least you remembered how to get back in here - 4 years, wow.
I'm tempted by the new Dapol 43XX, but really can't justify buying any more locos.
My old Bachmann split chassis version will have to soldier on.

Geoff T
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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

Doesn’t time fly! Had to create a Flickr account though as Photobucket I used originally is no longer free. The Dapol 43xx is a truly fine model, one of the best I’ve ever bought actually. I’ve got a video of it running at the club:

https://youtu.be/O5VsKWTOGcE
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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

Hi all, bit of work has been going on. I’ve been building hills and tunnels. Using up Christmas wrapping paper as filler with masking tape then a layer of plaster bandage and finally sculptamold. I’ve extended the hill 3 times as I wasn’t satisfied with its height. I kept thinking logically, ‘the engineers wouldn’t tunnel if it was that shallow, it would be a cutting’. Pretty happy with it now, just need to finish off with the sculptamold and give it some brown paint coats and then onto the greenery!

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Dad-1
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by Dad-1 »

Hi Peter,

I so strongly agree with the cutting/tunnel thinking.
Even, in fact particularly, in those far off days cost was high in any calculations.
I suppose just as now the final cost must be expected to be at least 50% more.
Sometimes 500% !!

Geoff T.
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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

So I now have a brown hill! Next job will be to scatter some sieved soil over the brown bits to give it texture then onto the grass/trees/bushes/details etc.

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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

So I’ve covered the ground in fine soil, nearly ready for the grass! I’ve also made an attempt at a tree. This was just a twig with polyfibre glued on and scatter foliage glued on top of that. Tomorrow I’ll try the twisted wire method.

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I’ve also succumbed to the Hornby Stroudley coaches, pretty nice models if you accept what they really are. I’ve got some LBSCR grab handles on order from Roxey Mouldings to make them even more Stroudley-esque. I’ve toned down the roofs with some coal dust to ‘weather’ them. Passengers required. My main criticism is the dreadful light bleed through the body. I think perhaps a dark wash on the lights to reduce their brightness.

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Flashbang
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by Flashbang »

PeterH wrote:Here is the photos of the GCR High Level Entrance - a wonderful model, and my very first resin model.

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Hi
I am considering purchasing the Bachmann Scenecraft station entrance 44-119C Maroon and cream if I can find one, but haven't been able to find out the height baseboard top to road level. Also is the wall opposite included as its not shown in any images of the model? Are able to help??
Thanks
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Broken? It was working correctly when I left it.
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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

Flashbang wrote:
PeterH wrote:Here is the photos of the GCR High Level Entrance - a wonderful model, and my very first resin model.
Hi
I am considering purchasing the Bachmann Scenecraft station entrance 44-119C Maroon and cream if I can find one, but haven't been able to find out the height baseboard top to road level. Also is the wall opposite included as its not shown in any images of the model? Are able to help??
Thanks
The bit of back wall and road it included with the stairs, I’ll measure it up when I head back upstairs.
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Bigmet
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by Bigmet »

PeterH wrote:...My main criticism is the dreadful light bleed through the body. I think perhaps a dark wash on the lights to reduce their brightness...
Our vision is remarkable in what it picks up. It can tell when something that should be opaque is actually translucent, even at relatively low light levels. If you want to run the lights consider either giving the interior a matt black coat,and then overpainting, or for truly opaque lining the interior with aluminium foil and overpainting. Personally I am too lazy to bother, and just don't have the lights on, in the DMU's with internal lighting...
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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

I will give it a try at some point, at the moment it is down the list of bits I want to do. This is one of the more important jobs, populating! Spent the evening painting up these figures to go in one of the coaches. One down, five to go! These are the cheap Chinese bulk figures which I have primed and repainted.

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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

So a few jobs done today. I’ve been developing my tree making method, still trying to find something that suits me. I do think the wire I have is a little on the thick side. 1mm steel wire. 0.5mm would probably be better.

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I’ve also been painting more passengers for coaches and replacing the grab rails on the Hornby Stroudley coaches for correct LBSCR pattern. Delicate job and it is taking a while. Easiest one done first - lots more to do!

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PeterH
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Re: PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

Post by PeterH »

And we went green overnight! This is just the under layer of ‘turf’. Once this is done I’ll static grass over is and add bushes, trees, weeds etc. Need more fencing though, the fencing in the picture is nearly and entire packet.

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"Gentlemen, pray silence for the President of the Royal Society for Putting Things on Top of Other Things."; 'Make Tea, not Love.'
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