Progress (or otherwise) on Jeff's new layout

I think you are doing great Jeff, keep up the good work!

Wayne

Thanks Ron and Wayne.

Absolutely nothing wrong with a blow by blow account for me either Jeff. :thumbs

As Sol said, that's how we learn.  The more detail (and pics), the more we like it and, up to now, it's looking great. :cheers

Thanks Peter. I was a little worried it might be too boring if I go into the nitty gritty too far.  :cheers

Back to the old Hornby Dublo signal box I started playing with a week ago: I have now glazed it. I found some printed glazing from Downes Glaze (I think) which had some windows well suited to the apertures on the ground floor locking room. The upper floor windows are done with plain glazing, to which I will add some microstrip bars in the next installment for this item.

The first two pics show the railway side of the cabin while the other two are of the side that normally faces away from the trains.









There are still a few spots that need the paint retouched (particularly the staircases and landings, also the door architraves).

After the glazing has been properly completed, I will need to make up an interior which can be inserted from below, together with a track diagram to be pasted to the interior wall.

Jeff,
I'm curious how your going to insert the interior in the second story from the bottom?

Wayne

It's open from the bottom right through to the roof. Conversely, that means that looking into the thing one can see all the way to the ground level!

It looks very swish, Jeff.  Is it the right era?

The Southern Railway and London Transport both went for rather modernistic styles from the 1930s onwards. The Hornby Dublo box really suits a Southern type but is not too outlandish to pass for an LT style.

It seems to fit in OK, Jeff.  What did they keep in the bottom part?  I'm guessing staff amenities?

Mostly the interlocking and operating gear - probably electro-mechanical in this case - plus the staff facilities / amenities, as you said  !

What's that bandstand, gazebo thingy in the middle of the green hedged area Jeff. Is it a kit or one of your own models?

Robert, the gazebo thingy is a recent Hornby Skaledale model - straight out of the box as seen here!

Thanks Jeff. I think it's the first time I have seen that model but I'm sure it won't be the last.

Showing off the effect of the textured paint I purchased from Brunel Hobbies recently: this is the asphalt texture. It still needs a little more done to it to complete the platform surfaces but I quite like the effect. I intend to make a little skrawking tool to scrape some lines parallel to the platform edges, which will also facilitate painting the white edging (actually intended to be a light grey).

The retaining walls are from International Models and will be cut to fit the locations properly - they are only propped there for effect at the moment.





These shots also show off the latest arrival on my layout, a limited edition Dapol weathered class 22 from Kernow Models and my Silver Fox version on Bachmann class 20 chassis, which I have now started to weather to match the Kernow model.

I like that weathering Jeff. :thumbs

On the building front - what make are the terraced houses ?  I was particularly taken by the drain pipes (so often missed) - if you made them, how did you do it ?

Hi Peter. Those buildings are from the Pocketbond Scenix range. They came as full buildings in groups of three or as low-relief ones, fronts and backs.

They are relatively inexpensive but don't have glazed windows. I have repainted a few of the doors and drainpipes/gutters.

Thanks Jeff :thumbs

I'll have to investigate - they look good.

Things have been a little quiet of late, due to minor illness - I get home from work and don't want to do anything else because of a cold hanging on.

I have achieved a little more today though. I countersunk the fourth rail a little further on the first experimental bit I laid and it is now level with the tops of the running rails so is no longer causing any problems.

I have now cut down and glued the retaining walls behind the station. They still need some work to blend in the joints between sections and then a bit of weathering and some top wall capping to complete them.

I have also loose laid some more ballast. It is still a little light in colour but will look better once glued down and weathered a bit. It still looks a lot better than having no ballast at all!

In the first two pics you can see how the retaining walls are before and after my mods; that to the right is in original condition. The top parapets that I have created are attached to the lifting section on the upper level and are not glued to the lower sections.

Note also that I have now cleared some of the stock off the front temporary lines that still show the approximate alignment of the upper level tracks to come.














Below, the overbridge and its supports are temporary place-holders only so these parts are still to be done in their final forms.











As can be seen in the next photo, the shorter length of LT stock lends itself to models with sharper curves!

The phoenix has well and truly risen, Jeff.  :thumbs  It looks a lot different from when I saw it, what was it 15 months ago?

I hope you're feeling better soon.  I trust the lovely Agnes is keeping well?

Cheers