GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

A great job there John…..now where's that loco picture we spoke about!

My…thats a lot of replies….thank you guys and very much appreciated. I have often said this, but its worth repeating; when modelling alone, as I do, comments are always a tremendous encouragement. I know a lot of people read…..or at least open the thread  :lol:…..the view count keeps going up at an astonishing rate ……..but its great to hear from ones internet friends


[user=34]Ken[/user] wrote:

It looks superb John and I understand exactly what you mean about the amount of time and effort it takes in cutting all the individual tile strips etc.   It's those extra touches which add so much to the finished model and you're right, on balance it is worth it. :thumbs:thumbs:thumbs

Ken.

Thanks Ken…….if I find the strip technique mind numbing in 00 gauge I cannot imagine the skill and patience you must have to do it in N gauge


Ed wrote:

Coming on a treat, John  :thumbs
Ed

Thanks Ed…..still a lot to do…….but as I said I try to only spend a coupe of days a week on it……..I have found in the past that if I dont run trains regularly on the layout both I and the locos forget what they are supposed to do! There is no doubt that with DCC regular running is a most efficient track cleaner :lol:

 Peterm wrote:

That brewery is looking really good.

I'll probably pluck up courage to have another go at weathering, but for  now, only on something that doesn't matter too much, but, I have a  friend…

Thanks Pete……it is definitely best to start cautiously……it took me close on 8 years before I really started on the locos…….and I am beginning to think having seen Tony's work that "less is more" is a very sound motto

sparky wrote:

Brave of you to take that on John.  What an excellent job you are making of it , go to the top of the class.

Thanks Reg…..you are very kind. Over the years I have modified a number of Scalescene kits to fit into Granby but this is definitely my most ambitious departure from John Wiffen's template. There are some scale issues that I plan to discuss when the side wing is done but overall I am very happy with the results so far

Phil.c wrote:

A great job there John…..now where's that loco picture we spoke about!

Thanks Phil  :lol:…….you are a hard taskmaster! I have spent the last few hours trying to remind a pesky 14xx where it is supposed to stop over a magnet :twisted:……..and then I want to do a video of the Super D……..but I will have a go….I promise :lol:


Regards to all


John

Great stuff as usual John and it sounds as if you're having fun over there and still have plenty to keep yourself occupied and out of mischief!

We had a splendid warm day here, despite finding vestigial elements of snow in the deep shadows and it was a delight to see our two outside cats enjoying the sun and acting as if it's already spring. Oh and I've started bashing several Ratio kits to produce a two car auto set.

Best wishes,

Bill



 

Hi Bill

Good to hear from you. Glad you like the build so far. There is always lots to do on Granby…….have no idea how I once found time to go to work :lol:.

That Ratio kit bash sounds interesting…….I look forward to seeing the finished result

Best wishes from Vancouver we still have blue sky…..gorgeous day :thumbs


John

Change of pace this week.

The to do list keeps growing. A bunch of Modelu engine crew that I got in January needed painting. The black Dean Goods still hasn't got a driver  :oops:  and an unlined green Dean Goods on its way from Liverpool will need crew.

Time to set up the people painting factory




Sadly no placement fee from the Villages of Beaujolais…..just happy memories.

There are three interlopers on the right but the rest are all from Modelu. For those unfamiliar with the brand they are 3D prints using images scanned from real people.

There are some noticeable differences between these models and the more conventional products from Monty's Models or Airfix/Dapol. The poses, for obvious reasons, appear to be more natural. The heads are generally smaller but more realistic. Clothing, particularly drape and folds, looks much better. There are a myriad of little rods that support the product and they have to be cut away very very carefully……..modern flash I suppose. The definition (of a tie for example) is less crisp than a top quality white metal model.

I will mostly standardize on them for the future……they also do a nice line in loco head and tail lights (usual disclaimer)

Here ae four of my favourites:





Before railways I used to paint 7mm Napoleonic soldiers. Facial features… eyes and lips etc had to be painted. In 4mm I dont bother……I feel that with my skill level a flawed attempt is worse, in this case, than no attempt. I prefer to let the shadows of the model suggest the features

A 7mm technique I was recently reminded of, is the application of a number of heavily diluted black washes to the finished model

Not the best example but the figure on the right hasn't had this treatment yet.






Whereas now he has:



……..of course it helps that he is a footplate crew but the technique will enhance any model figure.


So at long last the Dean has a full crew







There is, of course, an issue with inanimate figures on moving objects. Its hardly likely that Gareth Edwards could spend an entire circuit of Granby with his hands in his pockets. However Dean 2409 will spend most of its time in the public view shunting in Cynwyd yard, where the pose is hopefully more acceptable




Have you any idea how long I spent painting Driver Hughes tie? Never to be seen again!

I guess its debatable how long one should spend painting the unseen side of a figure? I am quite pragmatic about buildings……the rear of the brewery will never ever be seen……fortunately :roll:………but somehow, to me, a figure isn't complete unless its properly painted

Here is a nice shot of the Oxford's backhead treatment



I will finish with a bit about photography

Phil-C of Pen Bryn fame is a brilliant photographer and he has been very patiently coaching me over the years.

I have a very rudimentary knowledge of photography and some of my most recent photos have been less than stellar……….As a result of hints from Phil I think this latest batch are a lot sharper. (apart from the fossilised labourer bottom left)




I always shoot remotely on a tripod with aperture priority at the smallest aperture f22. However I had the ISO setting at auto. I was amazed how fast the shutter was with such a small aperture. I changed the ISO to 100…….the shutter now takes forever but the results are now  so much crisper……..thank you Phil

I know I still need to add smoke though :sad:






Regards from Vancouver where I spent part of the morning shoveling snow.

John

Lovely pictures now John and great painted figures!

A nice ten minute read for me.   :thumbs

The brewery is coming along nicely.

I used to use a similar method for the slate strips as you, colouring the edges with felt tipped pen, I now just lay the strips as they are and use a watercolour wash afterwards that colours the white edges and weathers the roof at the same time.

For a more pristine roof I have also found that you if you use a small brush you can just colour the edges with watercolour with a steady hand and a piece of tissue to wipe off excess.

[user=753]Phil.c[/user] wrote:

Lovely pictures now John and great painted figures!

Thanks Phil…..much appreciated.

I know it was dumb of me but I really didnt appreciate the impact that auto ISO would have on exposure time…..another lesson learned!

Cheers

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

A nice ten minute read for me.   :thumbs

10 Minutes?

Oh dear……I guess I am getting long winded again….comes with old age I suppose!  :lol:

Cheers

[user=644]Campaman[/user] wrote:

The brewery is coming along nicely.

I used to use a similar method for the slate strips as you, colouring the edges with felt tipped pen, I now just lay the strips as they are and use a watercolour wash afterwards that colours the white edges and weathers the roof at the same time.

For a more pristine roof I have also found that you if you use a small brush you can just colour the edges with watercolour with a steady hand and a piece of tissue to wipe off excess.

Thanks Andy. Glad you like the work so far.

Thats a useful tip with the tiles. I will give it a try. Now I am using weathering powders for the locos I might try that as well

Cheers

John

[user=434]John Dew[/user] wrote:

[user=753]Phil.c[/user] wrote:

Lovely pictures now John and great painted figures!

Thanks Phil…..much appreciated.

I know it was dumb of me but I really didnt appreciate the impact that auto ISO would have on exposure time…..another lesson learned!

Cheers

Hi John,

If your camera goes higher than f22 then better still for DOF.

Phil

Hi John
Thanks for sharing your photographs with us, like the figures in particular.

Thanks Barney…..glad you like the pictures.:thumbs
Phil:  The camera, a 10 year old Pentax SLR, only goes to f22. I guess I should do some more experimenting with focus stacking…….I think my free trial with Helicon has expired so it's time to make a purchasing decision:sad:

Cheers

John

10 mins!? Must be a speed reader, mind you… I was catching up on 3 pages worth. Lasted me 2 pieces of toast and a cup of tea :lol:
All really interesting stuff John. The effort on the brewery is going to produce something unique and the varying heights of the roofs and overall height of the tower create a clear visual focus on the lower level yard.

Enjoy the snow… bathroom renovations underway here in 30 deg C :roll:

Cheers

[user=19]Marty[/user] wrote:

10 mins!? Must be a speed reader, mind you… I was catching up on 3 pages worth. Lasted me 2 pieces of toast and a cup of tea :lol:
All really interesting stuff John. The effort on the brewery is going to produce something unique and the varying heights of the roofs and overall height of the tower create a clear visual focus on the lower level yard.

Enjoy the snow… bathroom renovations underway here in 30 deg C :roll:

Cheers

Two pieces of toast for breakfast?  Thats verging on decadence :lol:  I am allowed one piece per day in Chateau Dew………except for Saturdays…..Bacon Butty day :thumbs

Glad you like the progress on the brewery. I originally used Hook Norton just as a guide as to what went where but after a while I became captivated by all the different roof elements…..apparently quite random but on closer inspection all part of a coherent design…..and so typical of the period.

More snow here……a couple of photos to prove it shortly.

Best wishes

John

  

As you know John, posts on Granby are always inspiring and I have just been doing a bit of "catch up" having tried to avoid fuelling my current "lack of layout" frustration.  Granby won !!!

Apart from the incredible attention to detail and obvious modelling skills, everything is so credible.  One really could be looking at the real thing.  Your street scenes are exactly as I remember streets around the urban sprawl of "railway territory".  The somewhat scruffy pubs tucked in here and there, the cobbled alleys down by the canal, the various industries squeezed into any available plot of spare land all suggesting that hint of damp mist because the sun never shines down there.  I can easily see the layers of soot and grime so typical of these areas during the steam era.

I've often said it before but I am more than happy to reiterate that, to me, and I'm sure to many others, this layout is an absolute masterpiece.  I could, and indeed do, spend hours studying it.  True genius !!! 

Pleased to agree with Peters comments . :thumbs

[user=31]sparky[/user] wrote:

Pleased to agree with Peters comments . :thumbs

Those engine crew figures look really great. Nice work. :)