A popular layout back on YMRC

OK.  Just what was I doing with two clothes pegs, two off-cuts of balsa and a round-profile needle file?



As shown the needle file was used to cut half-round grooves in the balsa.

The two parts then fitted around the light poles to form a mounting jig for totem-style stations nameplates.  The pegs held things tightly in place while the superglue used to stick plates to posts went off.



This ensured that all the plates along both platforms are fitted straight and at a consistent height.  They are supplied by Tracksidesigns.co.uk, are self-adhesive and are stuck to thin card which then has a tiny piece of scrap metal sprue from an etch attached to keep things rigid.  The metal is glued to the light pole requiring the super glue.



And the finished job?  Not too bad.

Rick
That's amazing what you can do with two pegs, a needle file and a block of balsa for the mould! Inspirational I'd say? I don't know about others but I never stop learning on this site!
Thanks Rick

You're welcome Barney.

I find that's one of life's pesky little jobs and getting those critters to even stick (flat surface to round surface is never easy!) is one thing let alone getting 30 or so of them all level and at the same height.

I'll hang onto those bits of balsa as well because I know some of those totems will be knocked off from time to time no matter how careful I am.

Very clever. It's something I hadn't even thought of before but getting a consistent height is important to the overall appearance of the station.

:pathead  :cheers

Love the weathering on those North British 63xx's,Rick……:thumbs

[user=563]Dock Shunter[/user] wrote:

Love the weathering on those North British 63xx's,Rick……:thumbs

Thank you.  Credit where due though as some of that weathering on some of them is factory-applied as part of the Kernow MRC commissions.

Hi Rick,

Great job of the lamppost totem. You must have patience in bucket loads. Worth it for the result.

Cheers

Toto

Here's another of those 22s creeping through a damp and deserted platform well into the evening with a parcels and milk train.  

Hi Rick,

Another great class 22 image. You are just making me jealous now. I have four of these in boxes with nowhere to run them. As I said before a firm favourite of mine.

Thanks for sharing yet again.

Cheers

Toto

The station building has been completed and is now set in position.  This was shown when under construction here http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=12819&forum_id=21&page=2#p227415

To complete the required structure kit-bashed from a Ratio station building kit required some additional valances and larger-than-supplied canopy ends.  My version is for the island platform whereas the kit is intended to be a main single-face platform building with offices and a single canopy.  As shown mine has two canopies one for each platform.

The valances were sourced from the old shelters off both platforms which are being broken up due to wear and tear and will be replaced.  I sourced the end panels by delving into the bits box and finding a sheet of Wills building material which passes muster as corrugated asbestos.  Horrible stuff!  But back in the day we didn't know that so it was used widely around the railways.

In more recent times it could equally well be ribbed cement sheeting.

There are aspects I'm less than happy about but how perfect does something have to be before being shown.  It's going to live outdoors as well; I've learned that having every little detail perfect doesn't always stand up to the environment.




After painting the walls were very lightly weathered over with grey and brown powders, the roof was brushed over with black and the canopy ends had a mix of mid-grey and black applied.  The chimney was painted a shade of red, had mortar courses inked in and black powder applied from the top down to create the effect of more smoke staining higher up.



The gap where the up platform shelter belongs is obvious; this is the next project already well under way on the workbench and is a more or less straight replacement of the previous kit but with an extension (built from parts not required out of the station kit box) to allow branch passengers to wait under cover.



The viewer seldom sees this angle as it faces away from them but this is the down main platform and features different window and door arrangements to its opposite number



The overall view showing that the two buildings blend into the scene fairly well together.

Very nice Rick.
That last overview looks spot on.

cheers

Marty

Thanks Marty

It looks a lot better than the previous structure which was the Ratio standard-width shelter with a very skinny and somewhat amateur scratch built waiting room beneath it.

It should look even better when the remaining shelters are replaced and that's well in hand with the kits all painted and the first one off the sprues and awaiting assembly.

It will be improved some more when the recently announced Kernow MRC / DJ Models class 116 DMU sets arrive as shall then be able to present a really good model of a three-car set rather than stealing the Hornby branch-line units for main line duties!

The down side has its new building and now so does the up side.

The Ratio shelter which covered part of the platform was no longer in a fit state and has been replaced by another of its kind but kit-bashed to cover the full width of the platform. This allows branch line passengers to wait under shelter for the first time. Some bits spare from the kit-bash of the down-side building have been added to create an extension canopy over the branch line waiting area.

What you see here is a "first fit" with final detailing to be completed and a little weathering to be added before the piece is finally stuck down. It should be more robust than its predecessor as it isn't balancing on a single line of supports as before but is supported by two rows of them.

The newest addition is to the right as the Western approaches and with the branch DMU already in the bay platform



From the non-viewing side looking across the station and with a goodly amount of workbench clutter unavoidably in the background



The station looks substantially more complete with this in place. There always was a shelter here but it was only the width of the pitched section and looked a little odd not covering the full width. You might care to contrast the different designs of structure on the two platforms and the differing approach to offering shelter to passengers.



While the bay platform has a prototypical cut-out to permit locomotives to access the run-round without striking the coping stones the same was luckily not needed on the canopy which would have complicated the fitting of the valance somewhat!



I have one more of these Ratio 515 kits to hand which I had intended to use for two more shelters one placed farther along each of the platforms. My first reaction to having the new larger structures shown above in position is that more platform buildings are not really needed. I'll hold off on the other kit and see how I feel after the holidays.

Christmas was fairly tame - a lot better than it might have been - with the Outlaws over.  As we were hosting it seemed to be a blur of cleaning and cooking and then they were gone!  I hope yours was good and Santa delivered a few goodies - he's paid my air fare to the UK for April which is jolly nice and generous of him!!!

It's been a couple of weeks since I visited here although Penhayle Bay has featured elsewhere.

With the needs of Christmas including extensive and heavy work in the back yard to get it tidied there hasn't been as much time for running and photographing as I'd have liked.  

As it is the peak summer holiday week here in Australia Treheligan reflects that with a 50 leading a down local given preference over the 52-hauled (and no doubt already late-running) London train in the loop; a large-logo 47 (rarely used as it's an old-style Hornby one and doesn't like my gradients) runs in with an up air-conditioned rake and the St. Agnes branch train is running at its maximum permitted 4 cars.



As the branch train leaves on its next trip an up Chartex comes through led by a GW150-liveried 47 and with all Pullman stock apart from the brake / support coach.



Through coaches from St. Agnes to London Paddington arriving behind a large-logo 50 and which will be coupled to a portion up from Penzance



That 47 again - this time out in the countryside emerging from Nansglaw Tunnel



The 52 finally got the road and storms out across Darras Viaduct well behind time



With the  tail of the Western's train still kicking up the dust a 45 came through on the up Speedlink



Finally I was forced into re-greening and cleaning at the cliff end.  Having cleaned the layout after my lengthy absence and got it running nicely in case anyone dropped in over the Christmas period the neighbour decided - for the first time ever - to pressure-wash her car port roof.  That comes to within a few inches of the layout as that is built along the boundary fence.  The next morning I went out to find the entire scene was covered in wet leaf litter and required both drying out and cleaning again :sad:    After a good vacuuming I then replaced some of the lost vegetation and refreshed the rest.  All's well again though the china clay wagons could do with a scrub!

trains, trains and more trains… always good to see a busy holiday period on Penhayle Bay Rick.

tough gig about the pressure cleaning. could you ask for some advanced notice next time to allow you to throw a cover over the layout?

Marty

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM PENHAYLE BAY

To welcome 2015, while the roster clerks and traction inspectors weren't looking, a rarity led the overnight mail train into Cornwall.

The unique class 53 loco "Falcon" was snapped at first light coming through the dunes and leaning to the curve at Penhayle Bay.

As New Year's Day is a public holiday the bus passenger might have waited a long time in vain. The chap perusing the train timetable (at least I hope that's what he's doing - but it is New Year's morning!) may have more luck ………

Great photos Rick,Those people in swimwear are a hardy bunch nippy time of the year for the beach.
Best of luck for the New Year.
Derek.

They are a very hardy bunch Derek.  They're in that water every day and for 24 hours as well.  At least they don't wrinkle from it!!!

Now that I have a few weeks between jobs I'm hoping to get on with a couple of crafty little infill tasks.

The farm scene around the open end (where you duck under for those who know the layout) was built as a lift-out.  In eight years it's only had to be lifted out once so when I had to do some track work a couple of years back I made it a fixed board.

In dire need it could still lift out simply by clipping the rails and disturbing a small amount of scenery.

To improve the photographic opportunities I plan to fit a couple of infill corners increasing the width of the land slightly and hopefully also a clip-on back scene / sky board for both inner and outer curved edges which again will improve the photographic possibilities but will only be fitted when so required.  

I can't fit them permanently as to do so would obstruct the view from Sharon's office window but I have felt a need to improve the look of this end which is just a flat board and is hard to photograph effectively without going off the edge.

I'd be interested in seeing how you do the mechanics of the clip on back scenes Rick as I'm contemplating something similar for NE.

… and this time of year the paint will dry quickly :lol:

ANNOUNCEMENT

Penhayle Bay will be open and welcome visitors on the afternoon of Saturday 17th January.  I'm not sure if there are too many of us here nearby  (Melbourne's SE suburbs for those who don't know) but you're welcome to drop in if you can.  Address / contact details supplied by PM on request.

Light refreshments available and air-con inside the house if it gets too warm outside.  Trains run in all weather conditions but it can get hot under the layout roof in summer.

I plan to run a selection of trains representing the 1960s - 1990s.