A table-top train set.
- Thread starter jonte
- Start date
Focalplane
Western Thunderer
I have a Bachmann Earl stashed away for one day when Shipston on Stour is resurrected (in OO gauge, I have all the buildings and a lot of hand made track). It is indeed a very nice loco, runs beautifully. It was never seen at Shipston but Rule 1 applies, I managed to persuade the powers that be to build a link to the S&MJR at Ettington so that Sheepstonians could commute to Birmingham! One Dukedog (Earl) was allocated to Tyseley in the 1930s so there is a plausible back story.
jonte
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob
And thanks for dropping by.
It is indeed a fine little loco; I’m delighted with it. They’re very much in the style of the turn-of-the-century, Classic GWR loco; prior to, the only way to add one to the fleet was to delve into the black art of kit building, a la Finley or Mitchell. Sadly, those little dalliances are not for the likes of me. I know my place.
I should have bought one earlier but unfortunately, it is doesn’t fit for what I have mind with Cheapside.
As you’ve alluded to in your post, it’s already paid it’s worth in helping to resolve the running issue with the Dean, and for that, it already holds a special place
Further to the Dean, I found a contact for Oxford Rail so fired off an email last night in respect of advice/spare parts. We’ll see how that goes before I break anything!
Anyway, thanks once again, Rob, and I hope and trust the exhibition went well.
Bestest,
Jonte
LarryG
Western Thunderer
Sorry to read the Dean Goods had been derailing. I used it to test my trackwork when it was relaid last summer and as usual it was sent through all the point full-pelt hauling stock then propelling the stock. All my locos were good runners....They had to be before I would spend an additional £100+ sound equipment.
I do have a good running DJM 0-4-2T which was to have had sound fitted professionally, but it never got done in the end.
I do have a good running DJM 0-4-2T which was to have had sound fitted professionally, but it never got done in the end.
jonte
Western Thunderer
Well you’ve convinced me, Paul, and I’m sure I’ve seen a photo of one running round at Shipston in the long and distant
Reinventing history as we do occasionally, it does indeed lift one’s spirits when you hark upon a tenuous link for an item of stock on the wish list or a building or two you’ve long desired to build. Sad to many perhaps, but to me it’s a valuable and satisfying part of the hobby. To be philosophical, at the end of the day, who really cares ? But still, it’s nice to stumble across a valid excuse once in a while.
I envy you building Shipston. Apart from anything else, those outside framed (is that even in the right context
?) station buildings of the type found therein are just crying out to be modelled. The choice of materials for doing so must be endless. It would be great to see if it could even be built from odds and ends (that’s how I like to model although it rather lends itself to compromise in terms of true scale). Now that gives me an idea......Thanks for your post, Paul, and I look forward to seeing Shipston on the forum one day, preferably with the Earl in attendance
Jonte
jonte
Western Thunderer
Hi Larry
And thanks for posting.
As you can see, I’m delighted with both models. They are both wonderful performers as you described, and the customising is first class.
The track was originally built to HO standards and for N.American bogied , diesel types of the four wheeled variety; it was never intended to carry six coupled British type kettles, so I am indeed asking a lot of both loco and track. Please don’t feel guilty; my ham-fisted track work building methods flout all known engineering working practices. I’m lucky than anything goes over it!
If push comes to shove, I’m prepared to rip up the track and replace it with proprietary rather than risk damaging the Dean, although I would definitely keep the hash crossings as I’m rather taken with the idea of an old tram way.
Btw, in the interests of matrimonial bliss, please don’t imply that the 0-4-2T is for sale
Thanks once again, Larry; it was great doing business.
Jonte
Brian T
Western Thunderer
Hi Jonte,
I thought that i recgonised your 'box' & 'track work' from somewhere,but could`nt quite remember. So i re-read through your post`s only to find it was on Big Blue as your LA 'patch' layout!.
A shame you stopped working on it as it was looking good,but i do also like your change of direction too, as i like backwater western region branches also.
Look forward to seeing this develop,and the down at heel look flurish..!!
Brian.
I thought that i recgonised your 'box' & 'track work' from somewhere,but could`nt quite remember. So i re-read through your post`s only to find it was on Big Blue as your LA 'patch' layout!.
A shame you stopped working on it as it was looking good,but i do also like your change of direction too, as i like backwater western region branches also.
Look forward to seeing this develop,and the down at heel look flurish..!!
Brian.
jonte
Western Thunderer
Thanks for the recognition and kind words, Brian, they’re much appreciated.
Yep, it’s a while since the box made its inaugural appearance on The Blue where I think and hope it was well received: well, the idea anyway
I still think the Patch was a great idea for a model, but these things take so long to put together that I just got homesick, so ideas changed to Blighty and Kettles!
Deep down, I really would like to continue with my other scheme which I’m slowly bringing to fruition, however, if I hadn’t done something - anything - with the ‘box’, it was headed for landfill.
So here we are.
Thanks again for your interest, Brian, and I sincerely hope I don’t disappoint.
Kind regards,
Jonte
jonte
Western Thunderer
Hi fellow WT-ers.
Not a lot to report at present - which I will address of the next couple of weeks or so - but managed a bash at stage 1 of my proposed trial to fabricate the basis of some ‘cheapo’ grass from this stuff:
Yep, it’s that rubber-backed underlay roll I bought a couple of years back with an optimistic view of turning in to grass/scrub when the time came, and which I made mention of a couple or so posts back.
Well, I left it languishing in a bucket of bleach for a few days during the week to lighten it, and after leaving it to dry in the sun, this is what I was left with:
Yeah, I know; still nothing like grass.
Bring on stage 2: dropping it into another bucket, this time filled with green dye. I notice Hobbycraft have an offer on ‘Tropical Green’ fabric dye, and from what I’ve seen from ‘net images, it might just pass muster:
In the meantime, I’ll dig out a suede brush to see if I can comb it into something resembling - if not swathes of grass - the unkempt stuff, trackside. I think if used as a base for the electric sticky-up stuff, I could be on to something - or not.
Actually, looking at the bleached stuff in the first photo, I think that might also work as the dry grass you sometimes see intertwined with the more lush varieties found in mid to late summer, but with the sisal-looking bits removed first, of course, as they look way out of scale (although that’s never bothered me before
Jonte
PS.....the bleach helps the rubber backing to delaminate, reducing it’s height and making it more flexible.
Not a lot to report at present - which I will address of the next couple of weeks or so - but managed a bash at stage 1 of my proposed trial to fabricate the basis of some ‘cheapo’ grass from this stuff:
Yep, it’s that rubber-backed underlay roll I bought a couple of years back with an optimistic view of turning in to grass/scrub when the time came, and which I made mention of a couple or so posts back.
Well, I left it languishing in a bucket of bleach for a few days during the week to lighten it, and after leaving it to dry in the sun, this is what I was left with:
Yeah, I know; still nothing like grass.
Bring on stage 2: dropping it into another bucket, this time filled with green dye. I notice Hobbycraft have an offer on ‘Tropical Green’ fabric dye, and from what I’ve seen from ‘net images, it might just pass muster:
In the meantime, I’ll dig out a suede brush to see if I can comb it into something resembling - if not swathes of grass - the unkempt stuff, trackside. I think if used as a base for the electric sticky-up stuff, I could be on to something - or not.
Actually, looking at the bleached stuff in the first photo, I think that might also work as the dry grass you sometimes see intertwined with the more lush varieties found in mid to late summer, but with the sisal-looking bits removed first, of course, as they look way out of scale (although that’s never bothered me before
Jonte
PS.....the bleach helps the rubber backing to delaminate, reducing it’s height and making it more flexible.
jonte
Western Thunderer
Hello again fellow Westerners.
Just a brief update on my last, to prove I haven’t quite given up on the underlay experiments.
Since my last, I’ve purchased a packet of cheap fabric dye from H.C. , but the Olive-Green variety rather than the intended Tropical Green which I eventually decided looked, well, too green, which is drying as I write, and will hopefully to be able to post some pictures of in the morning.
In the meantime, here’s a trial piece I cut off from the (undyed)) bleached section shown in my previous post which I attach for your delectation.
In plan:
In elevation:
All I’ve done is take a suede brush to it and then trim it to more 4mm scale proportions.
Quite a lot is torn out in the process with loose strands continuing to fall as the section is moved around, so I’ll give it a blast of hairspray in the morning to ‘fix’ it.
Overall, not bad and a little more grass-like than last time me thinks(?)
Just to remind you, it’s not intended as a stand-alone feature, but the basis of rough, unkempt stuff growing trackside, interspersed with more suitable and green products for overall effect. I think it rather resembles the burnt/dry grass mingled amongst the more luscious variety found in late summer. Or perhaps I’m still kidding myself......
I’ll do the same with the dyed piece and then post up the results.
Regards for now,
Jonte
Just a brief update on my last, to prove I haven’t quite given up on the underlay experiments.
Since my last, I’ve purchased a packet of cheap fabric dye from H.C. , but the Olive-Green variety rather than the intended Tropical Green which I eventually decided looked, well, too green, which is drying as I write, and will hopefully to be able to post some pictures of in the morning.
In the meantime, here’s a trial piece I cut off from the (undyed)) bleached section shown in my previous post which I attach for your delectation.
In plan:
In elevation:
All I’ve done is take a suede brush to it and then trim it to more 4mm scale proportions.
Quite a lot is torn out in the process with loose strands continuing to fall as the section is moved around, so I’ll give it a blast of hairspray in the morning to ‘fix’ it.
Overall, not bad and a little more grass-like than last time me thinks(?)
Just to remind you, it’s not intended as a stand-alone feature, but the basis of rough, unkempt stuff growing trackside, interspersed with more suitable and green products for overall effect. I think it rather resembles the burnt/dry grass mingled amongst the more luscious variety found in late summer. Or perhaps I’m still kidding myself......
I’ll do the same with the dyed piece and then post up the results.
Regards for now,
Jonte
Peter Cross
Western Thunderer
I thought with this type of underlay, you dyed it glued it down, then when dry pealed off the bulk and left a grass like layer behind, to be then tarted up trimmed etc.
jonte
Western Thunderer
Hello, Peter, and thanks for your interest.
I think you might be getting confused with medical lint traditionally used byBarry Norman and co.
It tended to be used to represent grass prior to the advent of electrically charged fibres, and was laid upside down onto a bed of glue before being lifted leaving strands of grass and which is the process to which I think you refer. Then along came sound-proofing material used in the motor vehicle industry, although I’m not sure whether the same process was utilised by exponents.
More recently, I’ve noted one or two examples using teddy bear fur which I think is applied in the same way as lint(?) and, of course, hanging-basket liner which I’ve seen applied in the same way as I’m thinking of using mine: trimmed to suit when dry before being ‘dressed’ with fibres/flock/foliage/brush bristles/horse-hair et al.
Frankly, although I’ve heard of underlay being used for the purpose, I’ve not seen any examples of it in the flesh so to speak, so I’m not really that sure of how it’s applied or what it looks like. I bought this stuff for a U.S. based project a couple of years back after seeing it advertised on an Internet auction site for a reasonable price (not related to model railways) after thinking it might have potential, and it’s only now that I’ve decided to give it a try.
I think it does have potential although not as a stand alone, being ‘dressed’ as described above, although spraying with paint from an airbrush might be an option.
As I say, Peter, this is just an experiment, and might not even see the light of day.
That said, I still have a ‘slice’ of the bleached stuff left over, so I’ll give the ‘glue upside down and peel off’’ method a bash; perhaps it might even work
Thanks again for your interest.
Jonte
NHY 581
Western Thunderer
Morning Jonte,
As you know, I am a firm advocate of static grass.
In my eyes, the initial cost of the applicator and the grass itself is outweighed by the ease of application, time spent actually laying it and the final appearance.
I accept I build small layouts but I am now on my third layout using this applicator and am about to embark on a fourth.
Definately would not go back to the traditional methods now.
Rob.
As you know, I am a firm advocate of static grass.
In my eyes, the initial cost of the applicator and the grass itself is outweighed by the ease of application, time spent actually laying it and the final appearance.
I accept I build small layouts but I am now on my third layout using this applicator and am about to embark on a fourth.
Definately would not go back to the traditional methods now.
Rob.
jonte
Western Thunderer
And a very good morning to you too, Rob.
Indeed, you are an exponent of the art - and art it is - and btw, at the risk of making you blush, my wife thought that recent shot of yours showing just a brief glimpse of the crew making preparations was ‘real’! Praise indeed.
However, not only am I a bit stingey, I’m also just a mere train-set guy pushing his luck and trying not to get too far out of his depth, attempting a never-before ploughed furrow. Frankly, I wouldn’t trust myself with a static applicator without a full medical team in attendance; at best, I’d emerge from my ‘den’ sporting green eyebrows or something. So for now I’ll persevere, until I reach that impending scenic cul-de-sac
I’d like to show you the results of the green dyed stuff that I dyed yesterday, but guess who left it outside overnight to dry without checking the forecaśt?
See what I mean? Hopefully a spell in the airing cupboard might hasten things.
So, I’m not saying no Rob, just taking my time - as per usual.
Thanks for dropping by.
Jonte
Indeed, you are an exponent of the art - and art it is - and btw, at the risk of making you blush, my wife thought that recent shot of yours showing just a brief glimpse of the crew making preparations was ‘real’! Praise indeed.
However, not only am I a bit stingey, I’m also just a mere train-set guy pushing his luck and trying not to get too far out of his depth, attempting a never-before ploughed furrow. Frankly, I wouldn’t trust myself with a static applicator without a full medical team in attendance; at best, I’d emerge from my ‘den’ sporting green eyebrows or something. So for now I’ll persevere, until I reach that impending scenic cul-de-sac
I’d like to show you the results of the green dyed stuff that I dyed yesterday, but guess who left it outside overnight to dry without checking the forecaśt?
See what I mean? Hopefully a spell in the airing cupboard might hasten things.So, I’m not saying no Rob, just taking my time - as per usual.
Thanks for dropping by.
Jonte
jonte
Western Thunderer
jonte
Western Thunderer
The results of the dye-ing process:
Under fluorescent lighting:
Natural light (overcast):
Getting there.
Looks like the synthetic lighting highlights the plastic type weave which appears to have escaped the dye, while natural light seems not to.
There’s also a nuance of colours under synthetic lighting. Interesting.
Might even be worth trying the Tropical green. Hmm.
Jonte
Under fluorescent lighting:
Natural light (overcast):
Getting there.
Looks like the synthetic lighting highlights the plastic type weave which appears to have escaped the dye, while natural light seems not to.
There’s also a nuance of colours under synthetic lighting. Interesting.
Might even be worth trying the Tropical green. Hmm.
Jonte
jonte
Western Thunderer
Hello again.
Thought I’d also post these shots too, which might be of interest.
They’re of the loose strands that are victim to the process of suede brushing, some still entangled in the metal bristles of the brush.
Shown again under real and artificial light, they could have a use for hedging/overgrown areas (?).
Artificial lighting:
Natural light (overcast):
Incidentally, the colours are more vivid (still subtle but not as washed out) to the eye in natural light than is shown by the I-padcamera.
Jonte
Thought I’d also post these shots too, which might be of interest.
They’re of the loose strands that are victim to the process of suede brushing, some still entangled in the metal bristles of the brush.
Shown again under real and artificial light, they could have a use for hedging/overgrown areas (?).
Artificial lighting:
Natural light (overcast):
Incidentally, the colours are more vivid (still subtle but not as washed out) to the eye in natural light than is shown by the I-padcamera.
Jonte
jonte
Western Thunderer
Apologies for bombarding you all with this rather mundane aspect of the hobby, but as I’ve said it’s all new ground for me,so please bear with me a little longer; then I promise to post something hopefully a little more interesting......than grass.
Just a further picture which I hope shows up the colour of the dye a little better. Here, I’ve just plonked the material from the brush on top of the undyed stuff which si think provides a more accurate tone of colour (I think this I-pad washes out a lot of the colour and annoyingly accentuates the light bits):
I think it might also help if I post a picture of the sort of vegetation to which I refer (a picture I found on the web - sorry, but I can’t find the owner to ask permission, although I did contact one of our members who states it’s not one of his). It’s the rough stuff round the base of the abandoned (Porthywaen) box that I’m talking about:
Thanks for looking.
Jonte
Just a further picture which I hope shows up the colour of the dye a little better. Here, I’ve just plonked the material from the brush on top of the undyed stuff which si think provides a more accurate tone of colour (I think this I-pad washes out a lot of the colour and annoyingly accentuates the light bits):
I think it might also help if I post a picture of the sort of vegetation to which I refer (a picture I found on the web - sorry, but I can’t find the owner to ask permission, although I did contact one of our members who states it’s not one of his). It’s the rough stuff round the base of the abandoned (Porthywaen) box that I’m talking about:
Thanks for looking.
Jonte
PhilH
Western Thunderer
Jonte,
Have you seen the use of old carpet underlay on my MOVING COAL thread on RMweb ?:-
MOVING COAL - A Colliery Layout in 0 Gauge
its about halfway down the page.
The method is fairly laborious but I think it gives fairly reasonable results. Its maybe not as realistic as static grass but its probably more durable - it will stand a good strong vacuuming and if it gets flattened I just "fluff" it up again with the homemade rake illustrated.
Have you seen the use of old carpet underlay on my MOVING COAL thread on RMweb ?:-
MOVING COAL - A Colliery Layout in 0 Gauge
its about halfway down the page.
The method is fairly laborious but I think it gives fairly reasonable results. Its maybe not as realistic as static grass but its probably more durable - it will stand a good strong vacuuming and if it gets flattened I just "fluff" it up again with the homemade rake illustrated.