GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

[user=2057]TeaselBay[/user] wrote:

A stunning set of photos there. Is picture of the month still a thing?….

Thanks Chris. Sadly I think December will be the last one

I will comment John - soon !!

I'm still lapping up the detail and still seeing new things, each of which wakes up a long dormant grey cell as I remember little things you've modelled and wonder why in heavens name, your grey cells aren't also dormant !!

I wander from photo to photo then back again, each time noticing some other little gem you've included in there. 

The hotel staff chatting in their yard, the perfect poses of the guys unloading the sacks from the truck, the postal workers - is one giving an undelivered letter to his mate or is he watching ready to wave the van out of the blind parking spot ?  The way the whole scene snuggles up against the railway or in fact, the way the railway found a route around the buildings utilising the slightest hint of a gap.

All so very realistic !! Apart from the livery, those scenes could be witnessed in almost any northern industrial town - certainly they remind me of parts of Leeds in the 1950's before "modernity" wiped everything clean of atmosphere.

Hi Peter

Thank you so much for your kind comments.

I do get a lot of pleasure out of creating these little cameos. I tend to use them to create a sense of activity or to underline the function of the building. Its not really apparent that the building to the left of the Hotel is actually a General Post Office until one adds a GPO vehicles and attendant figures. Similarly I wanted to create a sense of purpose to the rear of the hotel…..I guess the fire escape is the most obvious  focal point (certainly the most expensive) but I also opened out the rear to suggest a kitchen…….if you are tall and stand on tippy toe you can just see the tiled floory………the two sous chefs having a smoke break emphasize its function but also complements the addition of a kitchen porter with a swill bin.

I find you have to be quite careful placing figures from different manufacturers. I guess my favourite brand is Modelu (the chefs). Mikes Models (GPO staff) are a close second and probably better value. They can appear noticeably bulkier than Modelu so its best to have a bit of distance between the two makes. The crew around the lorry are from Langley…..matching the figures in the adjacent canal warehouse. Langley figures are great at suggesting activity but the modelling, particularly the faces, is rather crude. Hence their placement in the, intentionally secondary, lorry scene.

I am afraid that is probably too much detail about the little people but I am a bit of an addict!

Best wishes 

                                   The Last Wall

With the exception of the unfinished Brewery (dont ask) and perhaps a Castle around the pillar, this is the only major construction remaining

54" in length it will form the layout edge from the canal warehouse in the foreground to the green bus above the red throttle



The first section will contain a tunnel mouth for the branch line



I have built plenty of walls on Granby over the  last 14 years. I think the most successful have actually been Scalescene prints  but I dont believe they will work here. So close to the viewer they will  look too flat and have durability problems.

Lots of Wills sheets to paint:



The absolute master at modelling with Wills sheets was undoubtedly the late Alan Downes. Here is an example of his work with Wills Random Stone:

 


This example is perhaps a bit too "Cotswoldy" for dark satanic Granby but is a superb example of his painting technique.
He claimed to use Wills sheets by the lorry load……check this link if you dont believe me:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70935-anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-better-robinson-and-downes

He developed a very effective weathering technique:

"All the stonework used here was WILLS RANDOM STONE SHEETS (SMP  200)  where I first brushed them over with COLRON LIGHT OAK WOOD DYE  which  acts both as a primer and the base colour to the plastic sheets.
  
  Working a sheet at a time, lay it flat then aim a  very light dust coat  of ACRYLIC MATT BLACK up and under the stone  courses but don't over do  it.
  
  When this has dried, rub talcum powder well into the joints then scrape off the surplus.
  
  Using the COLRON ENGLISH LIGHT OAK again DAB, NOT  BRUSH, this over the  stonework with a large FLAT modelling brush where  it will soak into the  talcum powder and because the dye is corrosive,  it will adhere the talc  between the courses permanantly.
  
  However, you can use different shades of wood dye  if you wish but it  MUST be COLRON as this is spirit based and not water  based which will  just run off the plastic. - oh, and the matt black  MUST be acrylic as  the dye will not attack it."
  
  
My plan to follow these instructions to the letter fell at the first hurdle. Colron Spirit based dye is unavailable in Canada! Furthermore the few examples of spirit based dye I could find were in unsuitable shades…..too dark

So here after much experimenting is the Dew Compromise (how very Canadian)




At the bottom a virgin sheet.  Next dirty white weathering powder rubbed vigorously into all the mortar courses. Surplus powder removed by a sharp tap with the sheet held vertically
Light dusting of matt black acrylic from rattle can held at an angle to sheet

Here is a close up



Not a patch on Alans but I am not too unhappy as a start point. Once the various sub units are made I will apply some dilute washes.  I may brush highlights to individual stones…..not sure about that right now

So with the trials complete it was time for some mass painting in the garage :




To be continued………..

In other news Ben Jones the Heljan Rep was able to find a spare buffer spring for the Diesel Railcar and mailed it to me……thats what I call service.

I often finish with a comment on the weather…….we have had the most horrendous non stop rain for almost a week. In just 2 days the rainfall exceeded the total for a normal November. Merrit (pop 17,000), a town threatened by forest fires in August, has been completely evacuated because all essential services have been cut by flooding. Sections of both the highway and railway connecting Vancouver with the rest of the province (and Canada!) have been completely washed away.

It kind of puts the absence of Colron Dye in perspective!

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

                                   The Last Wall

With the exception of the unfinished Brewery (dont ask) and perhaps a Castle around the pillar, this is the only major construction remaining

54" in length it will form the layout edge from the canal warehouse in the foreground to the green bus above the red throttle

Hi John,

It just looks so wonderfully 'chaotic'!

Brilliant! I have to wonder how you even get to most of that to work wonders with the scenes.

Hoping your weather and that for the people of Merrit, improves soon.

"and perhaps a Castle around the pillar,"


Driver ran off the rails by any chance? Only asking!


Colin

The stonework looks very good John.

I thought my little North West town got rain but I shall never complain ever again!!

Barry

  Hi John,
 
So sorry for my tardy reply as I’m just getting up and about after gastric flu and feel more human and cheerful now.





I enjoyed your photographs of the service side of the hotel and parcels handling at the goods depot very much indeed. The complex builds of both buildings deserves all the accolades, which I also give, as does the skilled selection, painting and well observed placement of the figures to these areas, which truly brings the human effort in these scenes to life. This is great modelling, it being an essential component of realistic storytelling in miniature. Thank you John and double elephant stamps to you. Have you seen the recently introduced Modelu creamery workers?   https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product-category/finescale-figures/industry/1948-1968-ind/creamery-workers/
 
Whilst on figures and knowing we both like railcars  https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product/1691/
 
I’ll be getting a set, probably several to feed my railcar addiction, which also usefully include a GWR driver. How absolutely spiffing!
 
As for your latest stonewalling effort, well, I’m going to have to have a stone retaining wall or a viaduct on the way to my junction station, as weathered stone gives so much character to the landscape.
 
Very best,
 
Bill

[user=2172]Claus Ellef[/user] wrote:

Hi John,

It just looks so wonderfully 'chaotic'!

Thanks Claus

It just grew like Topsy. There was a shopping list   Canal, Brewery, Coal Mine (never happened) but no master plan………but thats what would have happened in real life.

There isnt a backstory but the name Granby suggests it was a viking settlement so its over a thousand years old. It would have grown organically with the passage of time. The changes in the Industrial Revolution would have been dramatic. Imagine the upheaval caused first by the canal and then the railway

I think most mill towns (Granby is more Oldham than Wrexham!) looked pretty chaotic before the advent of Motorways and Shopping Precincts

I rather like "wonderfully chaotic" :lol:

Best wishes

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

Brilliant! I have to wonder how you even get to most of that to work wonders with the scenes.

Hoping your weather and that for the people of Merrit, improves soon.

Thanks Pete……hope you are well

Given hindsight the baseboards were built too deep…….reaching to the back is indeed becoming increasingly challenging. I really want to re develop the far corner by the storage yard but I am not sure if I can!

Still raining I am afraid. Its not too bad here we live about 600' up on the North Shore Mountains. 40 miles to the east, Abbotsford (150,00) is completely surrounded by floodwater………its the centre of a big farming community. Its heart-rending watching the poor farmers trying to save their livestock by trying to tow them to safety with a rowboat- only the cows head above water- hundreds of animals have died. The economic impact will be long lasting I think

Best wishes

[user=2170]Colin W[/user] wrote:

"and perhaps a Castle around the pillar,"


Driver ran off the rails by any chance? Only asking!


Colin

     Nice one Colin…….I should have thought of tha!

Yes, reaching over to the back of a 3' board has become a struggle for me too.

I've watched dead animals in floods over here and as you say, it's heart wrenching. Here's hoping things improve soon.

[user=2006]Barry Miltenburg[/user] wrote:

The stonework looks very good John.

I thought my little North West town got rain but I shall never complain ever again!!

Barry

Thanks Barry so glad you like the walls…..I guess it will be a while before to have to worry about them!

My memory of Formby is the rain coming down diagonally or horizontal in a Westerly…….here its vertical and seemingly non stop at this time of the year……but then we do live in the rain forest :lol:

[user=1814]Longchap[/user] wrote:

 Hi John,
 
So sorry for my tardy reply as I’m just getting up and about after gastric flu and feel more human and cheerful now.

I enjoyed your photographs of the service side of the hotel and parcels handling at the goods depot very much indeed. The complex builds of both buildings deserves all the accolades, which I also give, as does the skilled selection, painting and well observed placement of the figures to these areas, which truly brings the human effort in these scenes to life. This is great modelling, it being an essential component of realistic storytelling in miniature. Thank you John and double elephant stamps to you. Have you seen the recently introduced Modelu creamery workers?   https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product-category/finescale-figures/industry/1948-1968-ind/creamery-workers/
 
Whilst on figures and knowing we both like railcars  https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product/1691/
 
I’ll be getting a set, probably several to feed my railcar addiction, which also usefully include a GWR driver. How absolutely spiffing!
 
As for your latest stonewalling effort, well, I’m going to have to have a stone retaining wall or a viaduct on the way to my junction station, as weathered stone gives so much character to the landscape.
 
Very best,
 
Bill

Hi Bill

I do hope you are feeling better.

Having admired your painting skills I am so glad you like the figures.

I was very tempted by the Modelu creamery workers but I wanted to focus on the street scene outside the hotel……….I am still struggling to finish William a rather tall handsome surveyor :lol:……..so I got some more workmen and the mother and child plus drivers for both the Railcar and Autotrain

To populate the railcar I ordered the bulk pack of seated figures from Dart….. bearing in mind the limited visibility.
Modelu are getting quite expensive now although they are head and shoulders (sorry!) above the competition.

Glad you like the stone work. I have never been entirely happy with a lot of the hand painted walls on Granby so I am rather pleased with the way this bulk process has turned out

All the best

John re the back corner, would it be possible to do it as a drop in ( or on) module ? I know this means you still have to clear the area, but at least you could do the reconstruction more comfortably. Granby has so many different height perspectives I'm sure you could somehow incorperate a slightly higher scenic corner board  :thumbs
Cheers

Matt

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

John re the back corner, would it be possible to do it as a drop in ( or on) module ? I know this means you still have to clear the area, but at least you could do the reconstruction more comfortably. Granby has so many different height perspectives I'm sure you could somehow incorperate a slightly higher scenic corner board  :thumbs
Cheers

Matt

Thanks Matt

I am thinking of doing something like a drop in module for the second window sill which is currently occupied, but rarely shown, with a collection of very tired and somewhat mediocre buildings……….but I have to build the Castle first!

The plan for the corner, I am talking about, involves removing some terraced houses and extending the storage sidings……bit tricky to drop them in! :lol: The only way is to temporarily clear the branch corner and remove the computor desk……much upheaval…..hence the hesitation!


Cheers

Seems as though a sky hook is needed.  ;-)

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

Seems as though a sky hook is needed.  ;-)

I can sell you one of those John :)

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

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

Seems as though a sky hook is needed.  ;-)

I can sell you one of those John :)

Are you paying for the freight?