GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

Thank you gentlemen……..glad you like it. The Copper sheeting worked out better than I expected. Its a very clever design. All the weathering and shading is printed, I havent added anything. Depending on the light and viewing angIe, its appearance can change quite noticeably.
 

Headmaster wrote:

Well  John, it just keeps getting better.  That is a very fine roof, not only  from the modelling point of view but also architecturally.  It adds  just the right touch of grandeur and the fact it isn't tiles will make a  pleasing skyline variation.  A very neat job indeed and I like the  ridge "tiles" - not sure what you call it with a copper roof! - very  neat and precise to finish the whole thing off.  
I can't wait to see the ornate Victorian glass roof covering the courtyard….. that was the plan, right?  :cool wink

Michael

    that is, indeed, the plan…..and "ornate Victorian " is the exactly effect I want to achieve. I have worked out how to fit the glass roof but I am worried that it may look too modern…….I guess I will find out shortly

 PS I would call it ridge capping

Keep safe

It's not that I'm late on parade again John, it's just that I'm rapidly running out of superlatives !!!

It really is going to be an amazing building.  I'm not sure if the "current one" takes the biscuit or if they each had their turn but I remember marvelling at the screening terrace of houses, the canal scene, the rooftop sunbathers, the station building, the engine shed and loco servicing area, the crate being hoisted into the warehouse and so on…………………..  There doesn't seem to be an atom of space without some well planned and executed cameo or building masterpiece and yet, time and again, you find another site and add yet another wonderful creation.

 I'm not altogether sure you actually need any trains John - Granby is incredible as a static model - moving trains are almost a distraction …………………… :lol:

Apart from being a wonderful building, it looks as if the hotel has resulted in a goodly supply of blunt blades - do I see triple thickness card on the rear wall facing the "palm court" ?  I'll bet one could safely stand on it.  It's grand opening will knock spots off what's been going on in Washington over the past 24 hours.

Hi Peter
As always a thoroughly charming post….thank you for your very kind remarks. Before replying forgive if I verge:

 :off topic

 :doublethumb :cheers :doublethumb        18,00 posts!

You must be, by far, the most diligent correspondent on YMR…….18,000, yes eighteen thousand, posts is a quite remarkable achievement. I am surprised and a little disappointed that this milestone has not been recognised by the management….but then I guess you are management:lol:. Rest assured your industry was recognised in this colonial outpost as Doreen and I raised our glasses of Chateau Screw cap to you.

 :cheers :cheers :cheers

I am glad you like the hotel ……although in fairness it is a little too dominant….Initially I did contemplate taking a floor or two off but decided it would be too complicated. I am hoping that when I create a bit more space in front of the station it will not look out of place.

The rear walls are straight from the kit and are actually 4 ply…..4 pieces of 2 mm card laminated…..and yes I have a large jam jar full of the blades used on this project……..its certainly not a flimsy structure and there is still more weight to come as the wings are filled in. I may have to strengthen the street extension.

I must admit that, at times, it has rather taken a life of its own to the detriment of running trains. As you will shortly see I have found time to weather the Moguls and renumber the Panniers but there has been very little progress with developing the timetable.

I guess I am not the best exponent of less is more! I seem to be always trying to fit in just one more building………..Granby Castle, that well known historic monument, is pencilled in for the summer:roll:

Keep safe

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

Hi Peter
As always a thoroughly charming post….thank you for your very kind remarks. Before replying forgive if I verge:

:off topic

:doublethumb :cheers :doublethumb        18,00 posts!

You must be, by far, the most diligent correspondent on YMR…….18,000, yes eighteen thousand, posts is a quite remarkable achievement. I am surprised and a little disappointed that this milestone has not been recognised by the management….but then I guess you are management:lol:. Rest assured your industry was recognised in this colonial outpost as Doreen and I raised our glasses of Chateau Screw cap to you.

:cheers :cheers :cheers

Many thanks John - I hadn't noticed the post numbers but you're not the first person to say I talk too much and, if Liz is anything to go by, you won't be the last !! ……………  :It's a no no


I hope your screw top did justice to the occasion.  :hmm

I can understand your comments about the hotel dominating the square but have you seen the  "Liverpool Lime Street" layout with their magnificent hotel ?  Now that really does dominate that end of the layout but it matters not one jot - yours will have a similar impact, I'm sure.

Regarding your comment about "less is more" - that's surely the key to urban layouts - the buildings really were packed in utilising every conceivable bit of ground.  "Space" is reserved for sleepy rural branch lines where, other than trains passing from time to time, very little happens.  That's why Granby is, to me, such a wonderful layout - it is so very realistic and has so much fine detail.  :thumbs

Taking a break from the hotel ……….

Here is Mogul 6346 leaving Granby Junction with the 2.10 pm Up Passenger for Shrewsbury











Meantime on the Down line a second Mogul 7305 approaches Granby Viaduct with the 12.10 pm Passenger from Barmouth Junction













Hope you enjoyed the sequence
 
The sharp eyed may wonder why 7305 has a number plate on the smokeboxdoor……particularly when it reads 7301!

The  loco was re-numbered to 7305 which was shedded at Croes Newyd  (Wrexham/Granby). A new smokebox door, sans number plate, is now on its  way from DCC Supplies. The Dapol spare parts list for this loco is  amazing

Next week…..back to the hotel

Keep safe

I for one didn't notice the wrong number and didn't know that it went without a smoke box door number anyway.

[user=1120]peterm[/user] wrote:

I for one didn't notice the wrong number and didn't know that it went without a smoke box door number anyway.

Ah well you live and learn Pete:lol: 


Smokebox door number plates were not used by the GWR instead the loco number was painted on the front and rear buffer beam in addition to the cab side engraved plates. The plate on the smokebox door ( and shed plates) were only introduced on GWR locos after nationalisation.


Keep safe

Thanks John. As you say, live and learn, but now that you mention it, I've seen so many with buffer beam numbers only, that I'm surprised I was too slow to notice. I blames me age guv'nor.

Nice shots over the viaduct John  ;-)

Back to the Hotel and a couple of setbacks.

Initially all went well:

Finished rear walll glued into place and support floors added to the wing extensions:



Added matching end walls and finished side walls






Dormers added to wings. Not sure if practice has made perfect but they are a lot better than the first batch and took far less time.

 I just need to add about 30 chimneys and the roof area is virtually complete




Lots still to do at the rear of the Hotel and this is where I have run into some problems. I am having to rethink some of my original plans

I had hoped to finish with a shot of the "Palm Court" completed. Unfortunately glazing is turning out be rather challenging …….I had intended to use printed film from the Scalescene Station roof but, after a couple of failed attempts, I think it may be too flimsy without additional support.




The ends of the two wings still have to be clad ………the plan is to have the kitchens under the Palm Court spread  over to the RH rear wall with a single storey extension topped by ventilation apparatus.

I hoped to cover the LH rear wall with a fire escape constructed from this rather delicate Langley Models Brass Etch

 

I knew when I bought the kits that, when completed, it may be 3/4" wider than the rear wall. I thought I might get away with a slight overhang, now I am not sure. This weeks project is to start stripping the fret to determine whether I can reduce the overall width……….if I cant I guess it will have to be Plan B.

Hopefully next week I will have, at least, resolved the glazing issue.

Keep Well

The hotel is going to be a fantastic addition to the layout. And there has always got to be a plan B,C,D .... or so it always appears to me. That Langley kit looks really delicate so any "modification" will be a challenge I suspect. Looking forward to the next installment.

It looks great. Who’d have thought building a model railway would include building fire escapes! Shows you how diverse it can be!
It does look a very intricate kit. Good luck with it!

Well, isn't that just a fine hotel?  It has really come together so well and having watched the progress, you can be pretty sure there will not be another like it anywhere else!  The brass etching looks like a nightmare…. I would have crooked and bent railings and wonky steps all the way up the fire escape, it is so fine. I had enough trouble with the etched brass on my fishing boat and they were pretty simple compared to that.  However, it would also be a great addition, if it will fit.
Michael

Certainly looks a finicky piece of etching but I think you'll master it, going on past achievements.

Thanks for the kind comments guys. To be honest I am not looking forward to building the kit………there is a lot of bending involved which has to be very accurate and I do not have a great history with this type of modelling. To make matters worse I think I will have to solder the components rather than use superglue…..so that will be interesting :shock:

On the other hand…..if it comes off it will be perfect at establishing the backing on to the tracks, behind the scenes look in sharp contrast to the ornate frontage.

Time will tell! :lol:

It should look the part when done, as for bending, just make sure that the etched part is lined up correctly in the vice jaws and use something like a block of wood to push over the railings.

Re the clear roof John, would it be possible to overlay a piece of clear stiff perspex with the clear film ?  Not sure how you would attatch it though  :hmm

[user=2080]Barchester[/user] wrote:

Re the clear roof John, would it be possible to overlay a piece of clear stiff perspex with the clear film ?  Not sure how you would attatch it though  :hmm

Although a trial with some spare material would be wise, may I suggest Roket 'Glue and Glaze' around the periphery? It does dry perfectly clear and takes a slight degree of flexing.
D

Good call Doug, I was thinking clear nail varnish ! I've used it ( no Peter BEFORE you ask whats my favourite shade, its never been near my nails !  :twisted:). On a 'Show and tell project for the GD to take to shool, attached an old glass negative and a film negative to a piece of perspex so she could 'safely' handle them to show how photos USED to be made  :thumbs
Don't THINK it had any adverse effect on the film negative at the time but I wasn't bothered about it coming back anyway as it had been digitally scanned so didn't really look that closely. So yes John experiment with scrap bits first  :cool wink

Cheers 
matt

[user=2080]Barchester[/user] wrote:

Good call Doug, I was thinking clear nail varnish ! I've used it ( no Peter BEFORE you ask whats my favourite shade, its never been near my nails !  :twisted:).

Why would you pre-empt people from asking your favorite shade? Clear varnish doesn't have a shade. Just what are you hiding from us?  

Palm Court is looking very splendid overall. Hopefully at least one of these glazing and fixative suggestions works out for you, and hopefully the fire escape build goes well.