Ballast Quay - a run down London dock railway

[Rustyrail]

I thought that some of you might be interested to see this rather ancient creation/archaeological relic of mine which I started long before I got into P4. I have an old partially complete OO gauge layout based on the Port of London Authority Railway. It doesn't get to see the light of day much and is currently stored in my bedroom. I had a brief burst of activity on it late last Summer, improving bits that looked weak and repairing damage (as the layout had been in store for years). The problem has always been how to finish the project off and whether to extend it and add new things to the existing set up, and I always seem to run out of steam with it for some reason. I was going to dismantle it or sell it but I don't think I'd have the courage to do that. The location is around the Greenwich area and is built on two baseboards, having a total length of 6 foot. By my current standards it is pretty rough and ready but does have a certain something that I like. I may scrap the second, half finished, board and relay the track with a fan of run down sidings and then add a run off cassette at the other end.

[Rustyrail]

A Falcon Brass J88 dock tank sitting on the part of the layout that I may redevelop.

[skyblue]

I think it looks great, it's certainly got a run down feel to it and I really like the way you've made the end of the siding blend into the vegetation. More please!

[luckymucklebackit]

Like it - Must of taken a lot of courage to scenically treat a double slip that way!! Weathering on the J88 is superb too.

Love to see more, btw how is St. Mary Hoo coming along, I don't use Facebook so I have not see the latest,

Jim

[whynot]

Tantalising glimpses - more snaps please!

[Broad Sword]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "You're too clever for your own good!" I shall watch this with bated breath.

[Rustyrail]

Many thanks skyblue, Jim, whynot and Broad Sword.

Jim, St. Mary Hoo is coming along nicely and a start has been made on the first extension with the junction point well under way. I'll post some updates soon.

All the best
Simon

[Rustyrail]

One of the numerous locos to be seen operating on the layout. The class 22 is really the largest main line diesel that can comfortably work the railway.

[Rustyrail]

Like it - Must of taken a lot of courage to scenically treat a double slip that way!! Weathering on the J88 is superb too.

Love to see more, btw how is St. Mary Hoo coming along, I don't use Facebook so I have not see the latest,

Jim

Hello again Jim,

The double slip was a secondhand Peco code 75 item; I had no fear to grass it over and make one route defunct! I wanted to disguise its origins and I think it is hard to tell what it is now.

[Rustyrail]

The railway serves an oil terminal on one of the Thames wharves; it is obviously on the point of closure and this will be reflected in any new work I do on the layout. I have in mind a new fan of semi derelict sidings serving the wharf; some will be standard bullhead track, others lightly laid industrial track. There would be the remains of fallen down dock buildings and walls close by.

[nickbrad]

That looks really good, right up my street. The fence in your second pic gives a perfect excuse to not worry about getting wires tensioned correctly

[col_kilgore]

Fantastic work on the abandoned line , what did you use for the vegetation ???

[markh]

WOW that really does look run down, looks great, love the infilled track and abandoned line, (though could do with a bit more veg in the line, maybe cover it in grass )

Love to see more of it ,


Mark

[Rustyrail]

Many thanks folks for your comments. The vegetation is a mix of hanging basket liner, to make the bushes and undergrowth (lightly covered with Noch leaf material) and static grasses which I then paint in different shades with matt enamels. I agree about the old piece of track; this will get some more grass and is still a work in progress.

One of two 03 shunters is seen on the unfinished part of the layout:-



All the best
Simon

[Lysander]

Convincing dereliction is difficult to pull off Simon: I think you've done it rather well.

Tony