OO gauge layout - 1930's LMS based in North West England

The last few months have seen me busy with signalling the layout, replacing incorrectly facing point work, installing point rodding and re-ballasting.

Pointrodding is a combination of DCC Concepts and Comet. Signals are brass kits from MSE and modified Ratio signals using MSE components. 

Latest project is construction of some old Parkside and Airfix wagon kits. First two picks show them painted and weathered. The third is 3 of 4 cattle vans awaiting painting etc.

Nice  :thumbs


Ed

That is an excellent finish!  I have a few wagons to paint,unpainted Dapol ones I got cheap on Ebay.  Any chance of a walk through, or any tips, as I've never done it before.
Michael

I'm really glad I decided to sit down and spend a bit of time on here. Marvellous modelling skills you have there. I particularly like the trees on the steep embankment, they really look the part. Thanks for all the pic's.

Lovely picture Ian, very atmospheric!

Hi Ian,

Just a quick thank you for sharing your love of railways and modelling. Your layout and stock modelling is fabulous, yet sensitive to the prototype and the forced perspective is right up my street. 

I've been dipping in and out of your thread over the last couple of days and had a pleasant complete read through yesterday, which helped refocus my mind as I recover from the loss of a dear departed pet and I've set up a trusty old modelling table in a cosy nook, with tools and materials, ready for my winter return to modelling.

There are so many well executed cameos on Jencaster and I particularly admire the horse shunting.

Great stuff and I'm following with great interest.

Best,

Bill


PS. Well deserved 'Picture of the Week'.

S’mae Ian


I agree, a well deserved Pic of the Week – point rodding, working signals, impressive scenery - one day my layout may look like that, one day….


Keith

:cool wink

Excellent Phil, you are a gentleman  :thumbs

I couldn't resist, Ian. Please will yo u tell me about the horse, it's nice to see a reasonably authentic harness, etc.

Douglas

What about the baseboard on the left then Douglas  

Erm, er, I thought it was an early dual carriageway overbridge…… :oops:

D

Wow - thank you all so much, 1, for the very kind comments and 2, for the Pic of the Week! I wish now I had taken the photo with the lift out field back in its rightful place! You can see the field in its place just to the right of the pic below.

Chubber - I really liked the pic of the edited backscene! Definitely something to think about for the future!
Bill - losing a loved one is never easy. I have lost several pets over the years and its heartbreaking. Its always the railway or other hobbies that have really helped me through those difficult times though. 








Painting the wagons starts with a good clean using soda crystals and a toothbrush followed by a blow dry using a hair-dryer.

I then prime using standard rattle cans from either Citadel, Carplan or Humbrol. Depending on the finish colour, I try to match the primer. ie - if its Bauxite or LMS Crimson finish, I use Citadel Red primer. If its grey/black finish I use Citadel or Humbrol grey primer. If its a brass model, I use Carplan or Phoenix Precision Paints etching primer.

Finish coats are generally Phoenix Precision Paints for Bauxite/LMS Crimson via an airbush, but can be painted by brush if suitably thinned. Transfers are from Model Master and/or HMRS, covered over using brush on Vallejo matt varnish.



Weathering is something I am still learning and trying out. The very worn wagon started off Citadel Grey. I then brush painted each plank individually using Lifecolor Rail Weathering and Lifecolor Stone paints. They will only go on a matt surface so the matt varnish is definitely needed if you paint using Satin or Gloss. 



I mix and vary the shades simply by putting blobs of different colours and blending them as I go. I then finished off with an overall wash of Sleeper grime (a dirty brown/grey) just to tone everything down a bit.



Underfame etc uses a wash of Track Dirt, followed by application of a mix of orange/brown pastels from "Wilko's which I scrape to create a powder. At £3 a pack for around 10 different colours, it is good value.



Final step is to lightly airbrush a mist of Frame dirt over the underframe and slightly up the sides/ends of the wagons. 



The horse is a White Metal one from Dart Castings and comes already cast with harness etc moulded in - I think it is called a Suffolk Punch and painted using Citadel Chaos Black/Humbrol Matt Black. The harness etc is picked out using Humbrol Tan Leather. I googled "shunting horses" and several images came up for inspiration and guidance. I used beige thread for ropes, suitably dirtied with mucky fingers!



 Hope this helps and thank you all once again for your lovely comments!



Ian

Just a couple of pics from around the layout I though you might enjoy, some of which may have already been posted either her on in other topics.

Scalescenes garage with Scale-link garage detailing pack, Wills workshop pack, Severn Models workshop and shed tools and an Oxford Autsin 7 


Dapol footbridge suitably modified to fit the space - I reduced the width by removing one section and reduced the height by removing a section of steps and support brackets. 


A local gentleman, not long after the leaving the local waiting for his friend to alight the local passenger train due in shortly. The patch on his knee was not intentional, but is probably accurate for the period i'm modelling - repair everything was the order of the day, not like the throw away society we live in!

:thumbs


Ed

Yes, a backscene is needed :)

"The horse is a White Metal one from Dart Castings and comes already cast with harness etc moulded in…"


Thank you, duly noted. My experience was with Shires and Clydesdales with tip-carts and a brewery dray, sadly not with beer thereon!

Douglas aka Chubber

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

Yes, a backscene is needed :)

That looks so good!!!! Now i need to get one printed!!!