GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

John I would like to echo the sentiments of others, a really nice layout. I particularly like your treatment of the stone work, especially your retaining wall. What make is it? You must have spent hours painting all the individual stones. I also like the low relief buildings in the backscene. I assume they are card - what make are they?

Bob(K)

John, as all the others have said, A Super Layout! I like the mix you have with the detail, looks great.

Wayne

:thumbs Just love the effects of all the terracing, Inspiring stuff! :doublethumb

Guys……thank you very much for you kind comments……I am so sorry I took so long to acknowledge them…..I normally try and respond the next day

I really appreciate the feedback…..its very encouraging when modelling alone……I particularly appreciated the comments about atmosphere because that is what I strive to achieve…..as I said at the outset of this thread I think I know, at least to some extent, my limitations as a modeller,…………….so it has to be coarse gauge and broad brush. I try to make sure that the broad brush strokes are complementary and I try to make sure that all the scenes hang together which is why, despite your kind comments, I continue to whine to myself about the town centre……..I will weather it…..I promise.

To answer your questions……the absolute back against the wall back scene are cut out and mounted from Townscene Sheets…..the Mid Scene between the storage yards and the branch is composed of Metcalfe half relief Terraced Houses and shops……at the Brewery end I have temporarily put some Bilteezi Tenements

With the exception of the Engine Shed where the walls are from Wills all the rest are from Langley…..Three different vintages 1996, 2002 and 2009……and sadly it shows……I have tried to separate the years with bridges and conceal wear and tear with ivy……but you cant replicate 13 years of natural weathering.

As I wrotr in my welcome thread I do a lot of this repetitive painting during the summer, on the boat. Very relaxing, at anchor, glass of rose in one hand ,paint brush in the other. Problem is if I get too relaxed I dip the brush in the wrong glass and the wine gets a bit murky:twisted:

Regards from Vancouver

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

……….As I wrotr in my welcome thread I do a lot of this repetitive painting during the summer, on the boat. Very relaxing, at anchor, glass of rose in one hand ,paint brush in the other. Problem is if I get too relaxed I dip the brush in the wrong glass and the wine gets a bit murky:twisted:

Regards from Vancouver

It can also mean the painting could smell a bit alcoholic 

That just helps with the elusive atmosphere

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

That just helps with the elusive atmosphere

Elusive or Exclusive  :twisted:

Broad brush, alcoholic or not, the overall effect and atmosphere is very pleasing.

Just show's me how far I have to go…

Nice work, please keep the story going. Love the idea of painting in the boat.

cheers

:cheers Been there with both wine and coffee which add dimension to watercolour! Layout looks great!

Cheers,

John

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

…………………………………………………………………………………………Very relaxing, at anchor, glass of rose in one hand ,paint brush in the other. Problem is if I get too relaxed I dip the brush in the wrong glass and the wine gets a bit murky:twisted:

Regards from Vancouver

As long as you only do that late in the day John - it won't matter !!  Rose has a habit of looking murky after the first few !!!!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about your thinking behind the layout and believe me, it really does work. :cheers:cheers:cheers

Thanks again for the encouraging comments…….this is being typed with a glass of Pinot Gris but there the resemblance ends…..its pitch black outside and pouring with rain and I am watching Hockey (Ice Hockey to the non Canadians)

So I want to start on the station…..I am still 4 weeks behind real time and I would like to catch up because I am getting to the construction stage when I suspect I need some input…..anyway back to last November




This is a very old model of the Ratio Kit …you can see after 2 house moves Ive lost the finials. The painting scheme was done before I got my head around when to use chocolate brown…..I promised locos in my last post…..well at least here are the carriages of the branch B Set

Here is the same shot in Black and White




It seems to me you get quite a different atmosphere…..I keep meaning to take more of these

Moving down towards the platform this is a Mikes Models GWR Water Crane




The white under the carriage is a bit of plasticard, since painted out, to adjust the position of the Kaydee. Its amazing what you learn about your layout posting threads like this …….oh and I have re positioned the rear light!

The track in the foreground is the bay……and I guess this is as near as the branch gets to a throat with the branch line connecting to the bay and then to the relief loop with the loop running on to the Engine Shed Siding….behind the crane you can see the point lever for the Engine Shed Coal Siding

 

 



Apparently there was a board of trade regulation that insisted on ramps at the end of platforms….not steps…..sadly I found this out after I installed the platform……too late now.

 

 

Here is a long shot of the station from the Road Bridge looking towards the goods yard




I see to my chagrin that yet again not a loco in sight……anyway this shows the B Set at the platform and the loco has run round the train and detached the siphon and shunted it into the bay…….all automatically…….. honestly…..blatant plug for my RR&Co Computor control thread……read all about it!!!

This end of the platform is deliberately left uncluttered…..there will be about 10 trips a day with the B Set to the terminus and maybe 8 with the autotrain connection from the secondary branch. All the activity, that there is, will be at the station end

 


 

This is a close up of the Siphon…..Shirescene Sides on a Ratio 4 wheel chassis. I am somewhat proud of it and therefore havent yet plucked up the courage to weather it…….but a pristine Siphon in 1947…..I dont think so…..its got to be done!




For once I got the depth of field almost acceptable…..hope you are reading this Alan.

Bearing in mind the layout is called Granby you may be confused by this station sign……………Granby, which is quite fictional….think Wrexham/Chester, is the, as yet, unbuilt terminus……..Cynwyd is the name of the branch

Cynwyd is a real location, it had a station about two miles from Corwen on the old GWR line to Barmouth.  I remember it as a small boy over 60 years ago. I googled it recently and it didnt seem to have changed much……its certainly much smaller than the small town I have created.

I ran into a bit of a problem while I was finishing the station. If you look at the base of the lamp post and the sign posts, you will see they are somewhat different. I ran out of Rail Match Dark and Light Stone. The Royal Mail were on strike so rather than wait I decided to mix my own. The sign posts and bench are my mix. The interesting thing is that, to my eyes, the shade is much closer to the photos I have of Didcot than the lamp post base….go figure. My original excuse would be that they mixed the paint on site with white lead and other realy healthy ingredients but I now understand from the thirties on they bought in bulk from paint suppliers…..so that wont wash…….I guess they just weathered differently.

Vancouver are tying with Calgary 2-2 (think Liverpool Everton, Portsmouth Southampton, Rangers Celtic) so I had better focus on the TV…………..to be continued   

 

 

 

 

 

Thats a heck of a size platform John and a splendid looking layout. Like the signal box pic as well, plenty of detail to look at. Thanks.

Phill

Never mind about 'broad brush' John, this is fine work.

If the platform steps bother you, just put a sign up 'Staff Access Only'.
This railway is run in accordance with YOUR rules and regs.

Your hockey just seems to the untrained eye an excuse for a punch-up.

It is always possible to get a derogation from the rules.  Redruth station has no ramps at one end, just steps down just like you have there.  Looking very proper.

:thumbs The more I look at your photos the more I appreciate the thought gone into the workmanship. Congratulations, John.

John

Thats a very atmospheric station.

I do like the weathering and generally decrepit look of the corrugated hut by the station building - you have got that spot on.

What is the hut - scratch built or kit ?

Superb photos John,  plenty of inspiration.  Thanks for sharing them.

Some great pictures,John…reeking of GWR atmosphere!Looks the business.

Cheers,John.B.:thumbs
 

 

 Looks really good to me John, i wouldn't worry about the signal box, it looks 'Lived in' :thumbs

Keep it coming John,
Enjoying the story very much.
cheers