Hawick via Grantham, Inverness and SIAM (00 gauge DC)

[Ex-Pat]

Finally got round to this job and

These

became

these

I have put a fuller account of how to work with Methfix transfers in my Workbench thread at:

https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/F ... 00#p689298

[Ex-Pat]

The southern ashpit under the coaling platform shows evidence of use (and spilt coal even though the coaling stage is not yet in place!). – The masking tape served to keep PVA etc. away from where the coaling stage will be placed.

the northern ashpit awaits emptying.

With the coaling stage now in place resident J36 65331 becomes its first customer.

Jock McSlack, on shovelling duties, has obviously only just come on shift with freshly washed overalls!

65331 moves along to the ashpit in order to allow B1 61244 “Strang Steel” access to coaling.

[Daniel]

Very nice done, Ex-Pat.
The atmosphere is really there.

Daniel

[manna]

G'Day Gents

A red letter day, but, No ribbon cutting with speeches !! Your coal stage certainly looks the part, big thumbs up.

manna

[Ex-Pat]

Thanks Daniel & Manna.

I’m now switching to the ashpits area at the loco shed itself.

This view, looking north, shows how the ground level between the tracks has become built up to rail height level.

This view, looking south, shows similar features.

And this is the first step towards achieving those results. (Whilst I will use closed cell foam (as shown) between adjacent tracks, the jury is still out as to whether I will use cork or closed cell foam for the individual tracks themselves).

Now, here’s a teaser on a different subject – this is a jig to hold these 1.75 inches long pieces in place whilst they have their edges painted (a couple fell after painting!) – but what are the pieces for?

[glencairn]

To answer your 'Quiz'.

The inner sides of the Ash Pits?


-----------------------------------------

Ex-Pat. I am sure you intend to 'blacken up' the area around and under the coaling stage once the Ash Pits are done.
Congratulations on the work done so far.

Glencairn

[Ex-Pat]

Thanks glencairn

Yes, I do intend to blacken up a bit (the flash effect has whitened it up a lot!).

However, sorry no, the pieces have nothing to do with the ash pits.

[Ex-Pat]

Although my chosen time frame is circa 1953 I just have to run “The Waverley” express even though it didn’t start running as a named train until 1957 – so Rule 1 applies.

This

Coach without name board.

became this

Coach with name board.

In case anybody fancies having their own named train I have covered the detailed board/transfer application in my Workbench thread at

https://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/F ... 98#p689698


and that should put you out of your misery glencairn!

[bootneckbob]

Hi, first time I've seen your layout and have to say after a fairly quick skim through the 20 pages your skills are impressive. Love the way you built the base boards. I feel mine's a bit of a cop out now but time will tell.

Excellent work on the scratch build too not to mention the turntable. It's not my era for modelling but certainly looks fantastic.

[glencairn]

Although my chosen time frame is circa 1953 I just have to run “The Waverley” express even though it didn’t start running as a named train until 1957 – so Rule 1 applies.

and that should put you out of your misery glencairn!

Sneaky! Ex-Pat setting a quiz and the answer is out of his timeframe.

Seriously. Looking good Ex-Pat. Are they removable?

Many years ago in the 'Railway Modeller' (I think), someone attached fine wire to the coaches and was able to slip the nameboards in and out. Minds't you it was a GWR layout and had different nameboards of trains heading to and from the west using the same coaches.


Glencairn

[Ex-Pat]

Seriously. Looking good Ex-Pat. Are they removable?

Glencairn

Thanks glencairn - only if the G-S HYPO fails! (It's never failed yet even though it's not a super glue and, in fact, Fox more or less dissuade its use by specifically pointing out that super glues can become brittle over time.) You could however always overlay with different transfers of the same size.

Thanks bootneckbob - I'm following yours with interest too (even though it's not my era either!). I used to play SIAM's 1955 Exeter simulation many years ago, and I went to Exeter several times in the 1980's and 1990's so I'm not totally out of touch with operations there.

[railwayjim]

Just had an enjoyable read Ex-Pat, catching up on the advances since I was last on here.
I always said I can't wait to see it painted
I absolutely love it.
Cheers Jim.

[Ex-Pat]

Thanks Jim - but I'd rather have MIllsend!

To bring things more up to date:

And this is the first step towards achieving those results. (Whilst I will use closed cell foam (as shown) between adjacent tracks, the jury is still out as to whether I will use cork or closed cell foam for the individual tracks themselves).

The jury returned a split verdict, so the judge decreed that cereal packet cardboard should be used on the basis that the cork was both too thick and subject to degradation, and the closed cell foam was also too thick (even though perfectly sustainable).

In the meantime I have been working further on the loco shed ashpits area, filling in some of the areas between the tracks, and then on the ashpits themselves.

Small pieces of Plastikard (36 in all) were cut to form the 4 sets of steps down into the pits. This photo shows the 24 white pieces double-layered into 12

They were then glued on top of each other to form 4 sets of steps

and after which the 12 brick face sections were added

Followed by a trial fitting

T.B.C.

[Ex-Pat]

Blimey - it's cold upstairs - however:

Work continued on building up the levels between the rails using cereal packet cardboard

One road has been painted to see how it looked

The steps were glued in and the ashpits given a coat of black

A match was cut up

to produce these strips

T.B.C.

[Ex-Pat]

They were glued in place to produce the foot crossings, and the first of the pits was given a layer of PVA

Ballast was sprinkled in to the pit to form the ash residues

The cardboard inlays were roughened up to aid transition to normal track level , and ballast which had been ground down smaller was sprinkled along the PVA covered inlay.

The foot crossings were painted brown then black-washed, as were the inlay surfaces.

White washes and white, black & brown powders were added to the ashpits (still got to treat the ash piles above the ash pit track)

Not finished yet – but getting there.