PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

[PeterH]

From these people on ebay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/graingeandhodder-online?_trksid=p2047675.l2559. It is on a portable laptop tray with wheels.

[End2end]

Thank you
End2end

[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.

[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!

[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).











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.

[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

[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

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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.



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.

[Flashbang]

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

[PeterH]

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.

[Bigmet]

...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...

[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.