Pencarrow
Western Thunderer
Reminds me of my Grandma's sherry trifle... You could smell the sherry from several rooms away! HNY all.
7mm Bleddfa Road
- Thread starter Geoff
- Start date
Reminds me of my Grandma's sherry trifle... You could smell the sherry from several rooms away! HNY all.
JimG
Western Thunderer
My mother used to make sherry trifles and they were a great treat for all the family. But I remember one day she served out a trifle and my father asking her what she had done when he took his first mouthful. She had run out of cooking sherry and had used an equivalent amount of Ballantines 70 proof whisky.
We all got a bit tipsy that day. I think I was in my very early teens and my brother was over two years younger than me.Dad was chief electrician in the big distillery in the town and got a regular complimentary bottle of Ballantines so there was always a ready supply of whisky on hand.
Jim.
Geoff
Western Thunderer
Morning or afternoon as the case might be
Well I've been beaten to it as regards sherry trifles, my dear old Mums was always lethally laced with Harveys Bristol Cream! My Dad was practically teetotal so it didn't take much to send him to sleep
Larry the layout is 11ft 9" long including the scenic fiddle yard which runs from the cottage to the road bridge. The layout looks longer than it is because it is built on a curve.
Geoff
Well I've been beaten to it as regards sherry trifles, my dear old Mums was always lethally laced with Harveys Bristol Cream! My Dad was practically teetotal so it didn't take much to send him to sleep
Larry the layout is 11ft 9" long including the scenic fiddle yard which runs from the cottage to the road bridge. The layout looks longer than it is because it is built on a curve.
Geoff
LarryG
Western Thunderer
Thanks for the info Geoff. Sometimes I just don't use my noddle. After reading your post, I went to the first post to look for a layout plan and found the measurements there haha.
Because I need to contain my layout within a 14' shed, I wanted to see how much length yours required. The cassette is the key.
Because I need to contain my layout within a 14' shed, I wanted to see how much length yours required. The cassette is the key.
Geoff
Western Thunderer
No problem Larry, I'm happy to be of some use.Thanks for the info Geoff. Sometimes I just don't use my noddle. After reading your post, I went to the first post to look for a layout plan and found the measurements there haha.
Because I need to contain my layout within a 14' shed, I wanted to see how much length yours required. The cassette is the key.
Geoff
Geoff
Western Thunderer
Evening All
Well after three attempts I have finally managed to post this update, don't know if my laptop is at fault or if it is the forum software, but each time I hit post reply, or tried to edit the post the text disappeared into cyberspace! Anyway since my last update I have been faffing about with different materials and techniques in hope of creating a half decent tree or two.
Working from a photo of a small elm in Gordon Gravett's book 'Modelling Trees Part 1' this simple armature was made from paper coated wire, which is used for cake decoration amongst other things.
The whole armature was then covered in PVA before applying 'DAS' modelling clay, which is far easier to carve and smooth down than my usual PVA / Plaster bark mix. Whether it will stand the test of time remains to be seen, but I don't see why not as the layout never leaves home.
The completed tree in situ. on the layout with a couple of saplings in front of it. Foliage in this case is a mix of Woodland, and Footpath Scenic's mid green foliage mat. The tree measures a scale 25 feet high (7.6m) and is meant to hide the joint between the limekilns and the backscene, being what I call a background tree it is not very detailed.
I can't say that I enjoy tree construction in any scale, so when Barry Norman reviewed some 'Footpath Scenic's' ready made wire tree armatures in MRJ a good few years ago, I snapped one up for use on Llangunllo. However it was far too big and ended up being put in store for future use. To be honest I had forgotten all about it until last week! The tree scales out at 35 ft high in 7mm scale (10.6m), and to my eye it doesn't look to bad, anything bigger would overpower the scene.
I started off by painting the tree trunk in different shades of grey, with a little brown and sap green added to the mix. Once happy I teased out some pieces of rubberised horsehair, initially spraying them with hairspray before dunking them into a mix of 'Footpath Scenic's' coarse turf and fast foliage. The colours used being burnt grass and mid green, each piece of foliage was stuck onto the various branches with a dab of contact adhesive. Final adjustments were made and then the whole tree was sprayed with matt varnish to secure all the foliage firmly in place. Ignore the lichen around the foot of the tree, it was just being used to try a few ideas out.
Looking towards Presteign, the limekilns and quarry, which are deemed to be situated beyond the bridge in my make believe, yet might have been world.
Geoff
Well after three attempts I have finally managed to post this update, don't know if my laptop is at fault or if it is the forum software, but each time I hit post reply, or tried to edit the post the text disappeared into cyberspace! Anyway since my last update I have been faffing about with different materials and techniques in hope of creating a half decent tree or two.
Working from a photo of a small elm in Gordon Gravett's book 'Modelling Trees Part 1' this simple armature was made from paper coated wire, which is used for cake decoration amongst other things.
The whole armature was then covered in PVA before applying 'DAS' modelling clay, which is far easier to carve and smooth down than my usual PVA / Plaster bark mix. Whether it will stand the test of time remains to be seen, but I don't see why not as the layout never leaves home.
The completed tree in situ. on the layout with a couple of saplings in front of it. Foliage in this case is a mix of Woodland, and Footpath Scenic's mid green foliage mat. The tree measures a scale 25 feet high (7.6m) and is meant to hide the joint between the limekilns and the backscene, being what I call a background tree it is not very detailed.
I can't say that I enjoy tree construction in any scale, so when Barry Norman reviewed some 'Footpath Scenic's' ready made wire tree armatures in MRJ a good few years ago, I snapped one up for use on Llangunllo. However it was far too big and ended up being put in store for future use. To be honest I had forgotten all about it until last week! The tree scales out at 35 ft high in 7mm scale (10.6m), and to my eye it doesn't look to bad, anything bigger would overpower the scene.
I started off by painting the tree trunk in different shades of grey, with a little brown and sap green added to the mix. Once happy I teased out some pieces of rubberised horsehair, initially spraying them with hairspray before dunking them into a mix of 'Footpath Scenic's' coarse turf and fast foliage. The colours used being burnt grass and mid green, each piece of foliage was stuck onto the various branches with a dab of contact adhesive. Final adjustments were made and then the whole tree was sprayed with matt varnish to secure all the foliage firmly in place. Ignore the lichen around the foot of the tree, it was just being used to try a few ideas out.
Looking towards Presteign, the limekilns and quarry, which are deemed to be situated beyond the bridge in my make believe, yet might have been world.
Geoff
Attachments
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
All looking good Geoff.
Trees come in all shapes and sizes depending on the species and where they grow. As such none should really be out scale.
As a general rule from my own observation of photos from the 1930s to 1960s you wouldn't normally see large mature trees on railway property as they would have been felled to build the original railway and lineside industries. Younger trees would have sprouted up afterwards as you've depicted.
Its only recently you see mature trees on railway property where they have been allowed to grow over the last 60 years or so... until they cut them back due to the dreaded 'leaves on the line' or where they undermine foundations.
Trees come in all shapes and sizes depending on the species and where they grow. As such none should really be out scale.
As a general rule from my own observation of photos from the 1930s to 1960s you wouldn't normally see large mature trees on railway property as they would have been felled to build the original railway and lineside industries. Younger trees would have sprouted up afterwards as you've depicted.
Its only recently you see mature trees on railway property where they have been allowed to grow over the last 60 years or so... until they cut them back due to the dreaded 'leaves on the line' or where they undermine foundations.
Geoff
Western Thunderer
Thank you Dave and apologies for my tardy response to your interesting comment.
At the turn of the year I was knocked for six when I had a severe reaction to my medication, thankfully that is now under control and I have been able to catch up with a bit of modelling. Apart from making a few more wire tree armatures for a small spinney which will be planted behind the the station platform, the only other project I have been working on was my Diag. E147 coach which now awaits weathering.
The saplings once complete should help mask the 2D effect of the backscene when viewed from certain angles.
The coach was sprayed and primed with Hycote rattle cans before the body sides received a coat Ford Rosso Red. Lifecolor Roof Grey was brush painted onto the roof and and the underframe was painted in Lifecolor Frame dirt, transfers are from Railtec.........
W6827W was one of a batch of these coaches built with normal buffers and draw gear at both ends. Before I go here's a couple of B&W snaps of the coach behind 7416 and 5807....
This particular shot was inspired by a photo of an unidentified 7400 Pannier with a single coach at Presteign, by the late W.A (Cam) Camwell.
Geoff
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michael mott
Western Thunderer
Wonderful pictures Geoff, glad to hear that you are well and are back working on the layout.
Geoff
Western Thunderer
Thank you Michael, I spent the best part of January and February snoozing and flicking through 'Railway Bylines' whilst waiting for my new meds to kick in. All was going well until I came across a certain photo, and now a small part of the layout is undergoing a transformation.
Geoff
AndyB
Western Thunderer
Great to see the carriage finished - it deserved to be after sitting in that box for so many years!
Andy
Geoff
Western Thunderer
After you sold me the kit it spent close on another three years in its box, before I made a determined effort to complete it Andy. It is now back on my workbench undergoing a little more weathering along with the 'Toad' and 5-plank in this photo.
Geoff
michael mott
Western Thunderer
Made me smile Geoff “all was going well until I came across a certain photo “Thank you Michael, I spent the best part of January and February snoozing and flicking through 'Railway Bylines' whilst waiting for my new meds to kick in. All was going well until I came across a certain photo, and now a small part of the layout is undergoing a transformation.
Geoff
Oh how I understand that sentiment!
Michael
Geoff
Western Thunderer
Thank you Tony.
Fortunately the latest issue of 'Railway Bylines' has not lead me into temptation this time Michael, an old back number was guilty of that! Suffice to say that I have been taking a fresh look at the crossing and am thinking of digging up the infill between the tracks and replacing it with some old sleepers.
I might even go further and remove the near crossing gate to open up the scene, and rehang the far gate so it opens inwards. Of course if I remove, and rearrange the gates then I'm going to have to install some cattle grids. To make things worse I have just come across some lovely cottages in the 'Landscape' magazine, which are crying out to be modelled and would work really well as a group of railway or quarry cottages......
I best go and lie down before I do something that I might regret
Geoff
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Geoff
Western Thunderer
Thanks Larry, having made a rough mock up of the replacement cottages and tried them in place they just don't work. So that is the end of that, I have however dug the infill out of the crossing between the tracks and replaced it with some sleepers.
.
The only other question is do I model an ungated crossing with cattle grids, one of which can be seen being tried in place to the right of the crossing, or stick with a single gate? I think the single open gate works better myself, the eagle eyed might have noticed that the sign has been moved and fitted to a new post.
Geoff
.
The only other question is do I model an ungated crossing with cattle grids, one of which can be seen being tried in place to the right of the crossing, or stick with a single gate? I think the single open gate works better myself, the eagle eyed might have noticed that the sign has been moved and fitted to a new post.
Geoff
michael mott
Western Thunderer
Hi Geoff personally I like the sleepers between the rails, also I prefer the two gates, to my eye it has a more balanced feel to it.
Michael
Michael