7mm Bleddfa Road

[Brian T]

Looking back through the picures i see your dilema as to the crossing gates.
And whilst you`ll have a proper metaled road across your lines,the road at upper soudley turn`s into a track once it`s crossed the railway.

Look forward to seeing your solution...well after you`ve finished playing trains that is!

Brian.

 

[Geoff]

Looking back through the picures i see your dilema as to the crossing gates.
And whilst you`ll have a proper metaled road across your lines,the road at upper soudley turn`s into a track once it`s crossed the railway.

Look forward to seeing your solution...well after you`ve finished playing trains that is!

Brian.

That metalled road surface is only a starting point Brian, by the time I've sanded areas down, added different textures and dug a few potholes it will look more like a cart track Well it will if my 4mm scale methods work in the larger scale, as for the crossing gates and fencing, I have a cunning plan .

Geoff

 

[Alan]

I didn't realise you were Baltric!!!!

 

[Geoff]

I didn't realise you were Baldrick!!!!

The only thing I have in common with him is stupid ideas Alan

Geoff

 

[MartinWales]

Not very cunning then?

 

[Geoff]

Not very cunning then?

Come back and take a look in a week or two Martin, at the worst you will be able to have a laugh at my expense

Geoff

 

[MartinWales]

Awww.....don't think so! Don't be soooo hard on yourself!!

 

[Geoff]

Evening,
Earlier today I completed the last of the track work and started to install a lever frame, I should have seen the job through but wanted to try a few ideas out. So taking a break from the serious stuff I mocked up the crossing scene, and this is what I came up with..........


I thought it might be worth experimenting with Slater's line side gates with the idea of using them as a starting point for modelling something like those in the photos of Soudley crossing, the fencing is also from the same stable. The next photo shows how I see the crossing in my minds eye.....



As mentioned previously the road surface will eventually be somewhat distressed and I hope to create the illusion of it dropping down to the village beyond the crossing gates. It is early days yet and I have a few more tricks up my sleeve but no doubt you will get the idea. Whilst I was in a planning and pondering mode I experimented with a water tower at the other end of the layout.........



The rough mock up is currently sitting on my three point track gauge whilst I juggle around with its height. The idea behind this move is to disguise the truncated line beyond Bleddfa Rd. The 16t mineral is standing on the goods yard siding which is awaiting a Ragstone models buffer stop.

Back to the lever frame and wiring tomorrow unless I'm dragged out to do the last of the Christmas shopping, yeah I know but my better half likes to get it done early!!

Geoff

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

As mentioned previously the road surface will eventually be somewhat distressed and I hope to create the illusion of it dropping down to the village beyond the crossing gates.

I tried this with an O scale shunting plank (albeit 2400 x 300 mm). I dropped the road gently from the crossing towards the backscene then sharply over the last centimetre so when viewed there was no obvious join with the backscene.

 

[NHY 581]

I tried this with an O scale shunting plank (albeit 2400 x 300 mm). I dropped the road gently from the crossing towards the backscene then sharply over the last centimetre so when viewed there was no obvious join with the backscene.

View attachment 113484

Nice photo, YD.

Bike needs onions though....

Rob

 

[Geoff]

I tried this with an O scale shunting plank (albeit 2400 x 300 mm). I dropped the road gently from the crossing towards the backscene then sharply over the last centimetre so when viewed there was no obvious join with the backscene.

View attachment 113484

That lovely scene works ever so well Dave and has given me more food for thought, so thanks for sharing the image here.

Geoff

 

[Brian T]

That lovely scene works ever so well Dave and has given me more food for thought, so thanks for sharing the image here.

Geoff

I`m not sure if i read this right ,but you still prefer the 'open' crossing look as in Dave`s picture. And to be honest so do i,as the crossing gates and fencing tend to 'hem' the railway in too much.

So then i got to thinking (which is dangerous at the best of times!) about various open crossing,and a quick look through my Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors light railway book,yeided what i think would be more to your style/taste?.Obviously i can`t post the pictures here,but i can link to the Shropshire History site which has quite a few pictures of said railway and this one in particular;Shropshire's History Advanced Search | Shropshire's History Advanced Search
I particularly like the rustic cattles grids either side of the crossing....

Brian.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I particularly like the rustic cattles grids either side of the crossing....

This is also something I tried to replicate. There are more photos of my micro layout Iden Road in this thread.

 

[simond]

Iden? It’s reputed that there’s an Indian enclave there. You may have heard of them, the Iden Sikhs...

 

[Geoff]

I`m not sure if i read this right ,but you still prefer the 'open' crossing look as in Dave`s picture. And to be honest so do i,as the crossing gates and fencing tend to 'hem' the railway in too much.

So then i got to thinking (which is dangerous at the best of times!) about various open crossing,and a quick look through my Cleobury Mortimer and Ditton Priors light railway book,yeided what i think would be more to your style/taste?.

Brian.

Oh you read things right Brian When I mocked the scene up it immediately screamed train set at me, then I thought hang, on once the gates and fencing are painted and toned down to replicate weathered wood they might not 'hem' the railway in? But to be brutally honest the scene just isn't working for me so its a none starter.

Though I don't have the book that you mention I do have several photos of the Cleobury - Ditton Priors railway and share, your and Dave's liking for those rustic cattle grids. I fact it was a similar scene ie) open crossing and slatted cattle grids at Llansilin Rd. on the Tanat Valley that kick started the whole project. So it is back to the basic simple idea of an open crossing, the gates will end up being used for the goods yard entrance and the fencing will end up on the platform. All of which just goes to show the value of mocking things up.

This is also something I tried to replicate. There are more photos of my micro layout Iden Road in this thread.

Thanks for the link Dave, I really like what you have created there and, also share your taste in backscenes.

Geoff

 

[Jordan]

I`m not sure if i read this right ,but you still prefer the 'open' crossing look as in Dave`s picture. And to be honest so do i,as the crossing gates and fencing tend to 'hem' the railway in too much

Looks like a bit of a Catch 22 to me.
The fence does 'hem the railway in', but to my eye it does in the prototype photo too. Maybe as noted the perception would change with the fence painted dark colours.
The 'open look' sans fencing & gates does look nicer, but the rear gates help disguise the road-to-backscene join, & assists the illusion of the road dropping to the town. So do you keep the gates & have an easier job of meeting the backscene, or remove the gates & devise a more intricate (read "difficult") way of joining the two. By the way, I think the backscene itself looks great & fits well.
To justify the 'open' unfenced look you could always take prototype inspiration from the nearby Sling Branch, from Milkwall on the Coleford line. This was originally a Tramway route, and was left unfenced even when converted to standard gauge, with at least one open crossing, albeit over a little-used lane. See various Forest of Dean and Ben Ashworth books for details.

Edit: I have to keep reminding myself this is NOT a Forest of Dean-based layout the Soudley Crossing inspiration is confusing me!!
But I bet the'old Tramway' storyline could be applied to some of the Welsh lines..?

 

[Geoff]

Thanks for your opinions Jordan which mirror my own thoughts, I tried something else yesterday and came up with this....



The rearmost gate would be sandwiched between wire and post fencing, I think single gates work better but they would have to be slightly wider. As for the backscene, well I'm attempting to paint my own this time, so any suggestion of a village would be rather hazy and muted. In best 'Blue Peter' style here's one that I created earlier, well a couple of months ago actually.



Finally here's a current view of Bleddfa Rd, the lever frame has since been installed.......



Geoff

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I agree, the single gate is better and as you say needs to be slightly wider.

The painted hazy backscene will work well as it will not detract the eye. It leaves the viewer to use their imagination to fill the scene and as to what lies beyond the gate.

 

[Brian T]

Edit: I have to keep reminding myself this is NOT a Forest of Dean-based layout the Soudley Crossing inspiration is confusing me!!

I think i`m having difficulty too trying to see past the Soudley connection,as all i keep seeing/expecting is a teddy bear on a string of tin`uns to come rumbling by!.

The rearmost gate would be sandwiched between wire and post fencing, I think single gates work better but they would have to be slightly wider. As for the backscene, well I'm attempting to paint my own this time, so any suggestion of a village would be rather hazy and muted. In best 'Blue Peter' style here's one that I created earlier, well a couple of months ago actually.

Geoff

The mix of fencing would break things up and possibly explain the difference between the two lines;ie the quarry branch was a later addition.

I did also have one thought though,but it`s slighty irrelevant given your track plan;and that was if the quarry branch was the front line then you could have had a gated 'main line' to the rear,and an open crossing for the quarry line,where trains would have to stop before crossing....

Anyhow, i like your backscene,should work really well.

Brian.

 

[Geoff]

Edit: I have to keep reminding myself this is NOT a Forest of Dean-based layout the Soudley Crossing inspiration is confusing me!!
But I bet the'old Tramway' storyline could be applied to some of the Welsh lines..?

I think i`m having difficulty too trying to see past the Soudley connection,as all i keep seeing/expecting is a teddy bear on a string of tin`uns to come rumbling by!.

Brian.

To add to your confusion chaps, I am now going to further complicate things by including a model of Watlington signal cabin



For those who aren't familiar with this building, sorry shed, it sits on a brick base and features vertical tongue and groove planking. It will house an MSE ground frame, I have changed the ends around so the door face the platform.



So to set the record straight location is Mid Wales / Marches in the Lugg Valley, track plan inspired by Blodwell Junction and Llansilin Rd on the Tanat Valley Light Railway. Station building and goods shed from Llanrhaiadr Mochnant which is also in the Tanat Valley. water tower inspired by the one that once stood at Abbotsbury...................



..........and a level crossing keepers cottage inspired by the one at Soudley No.2, which when combined look like this.......




Well I have just had a delivery of parts to construct the point rodding so I will sign off

Geoff