'Cameo Callaton'

Callaton

Simpas

Western Thunderer
"been doon the garden the day....."

We've been in the allotment today, well, the model one that is and here's the result so far. There is a bit of tidying up to do and the raised beds need the stakes that stop them from falling over. The hut is from Severn Models and looks alright for a first go with etchings - my trouble is I like the look and feel of card in addition to which it's very easy to work and paint. I have some more Severn etches in the box; for instance the chap on the right should have a spade in his hand. If the figures look remotely familiar to anyone who knows us they are in fact minitures of "me n wor lass...." my good lady wife Yvonne and I. I think there could be a discussion ongoing regarding "weez gaffa..." Who's the boss? I'm not normally so apparently vain but I thought it would be a nice touch and, bearing in mind the chosen scale is 2mm, these Alan Buttler 3D prints of us are challenging to paint but if you're wanting figures I think these are pretty good. I have some more to place around this vast piece of English countryside, mostly workmen.

The rain water barrels and 50 gallon drum were machined from 4mm copper tube. I was going to use the Ratio ones but - well you know how it is. Doing it this way means they can be seen to be hollow and the butts do have water in them (well not real water of course) but from this angle that can't be seen. Modelling allotments can be very enjoyable and like most things to do with this hobby very theraputic. This is just the first garden of course and there's still a bit to do, one way and another.


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That's not all that's been going on today either; I've had the 'lid' off this afternoon and introduced a public footpath complete with stile; just one of those things I wanted to do. Also I thought I'd best make some real progress with the scenics because April's looming and I'm the best one in the world for saying 'plenty time yet...' The double deckers are missing in the below picture, otherwise you might not have seen the path or the fences. Threading the fuse wire through the holes in the posts was, interesting......

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Apart from sorting the aforementioned remaining gardens, some more workmen and a bit of street furniture I think I'm about there. Oh, I haven't made the access gate into the explosives siding work yet. It'll be manual operation I fancy and I can probably do that after the scenic work is done - if I have time.

Mick S
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
There you go - I'm not sure if I'm going for double yellow lines yet or not...! 8am - 6pm restriction should be adequate don't you think?

I think it would only be a double yellow if it was a busy thoroughfare.

Nice effect with the yellow lines as often on layouts they are too perfect unlike the real thing where they can be quite uneven, worn and chipped.

I suspect there's still plenty of detailing to do (apologies if you you have already thought of these) such as gravel and weeds in the non-used section of the road, bus yard lights/security lights and perhaps a solitary street lamp on the inside corner of the road. A good effect would be to paint the drain covers (including the inside of the grating) with black then drybrush with a mix of dark brown and gunmetal which will give the drain some depth. In the bus depot area you could always add a few more oil patches where the buses have stood and even have an oil spill with a load of sand/sawdust thrown over it.
 
Callaton

Simpas

Western Thunderer
Dave,

Thanks for your interest and the suggestions, as you guessed some are in the pipeline and a couple already done (solitary street lamp already made together with no waiting plates on poles and yet to paint) but I will bear in mind the drain grates colouring and depot security lights though. Single yellows it has to be because it's not a busy thoroughfare just an access and only then during the day.

Road grime and grit may come as I ponder the level of crud that needs to be spread about the place. The bus depot yard will take a little while - I like to do a bit and study it before going further using the 'less is more' principal. At the moment I'm wondering whether or not the bus drivers will get any space to park their own private cars....... also looking at sound effects from within the depot itself.

Mick S.
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
At the moment I'm wondering whether or not the bus drivers will get any space to park their own private cars.......

They may well do if it's a new 'out of town' garage. My local bus garage is still the original building in the town centre and parking is very limited. Due to the number of buses in the fleet some have to be parked in a compound across the road.

also looking at sound effects from within the depot itself.

.... and the occasional cloud of black smoke appearing whilst the mechanics are revving an engine?
 
Callaton

Simpas

Western Thunderer
Tony,

Thank you. I am tickled to be there but under no illusions - I'll have to up my game because I'm in with the 'big lads' now...!

I do have thoughts for those who have suffered disappointment and urge them all to finish what they started. I'd like to see all the Cameo layouts under one roof - now that would be a show....!

Mick S.
 

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
I was thinking the same thing, I said on my thread about us starting a 'cameo club' perhaps the judges could have a word with the 'Warley' guys about organising a show for late next year. Just imagine, 95 Cameo layouts at one show. Just an idea of course.
Colin
 

Tim Watson

Western Thunderer
I was thinking the same thing, I said on my thread about us starting a 'cameo club' perhaps the judges could have a word with the 'Warley' guys about organising a show for late next year. Just imagine, 95 Cameo layouts at one show. Just an idea of course.
Colin
Think of the hotel bill!

Tim
 
Callaton

Simpas

Western Thunderer
Off to the SECC tomorrow with a layout making its final appearance but in advance of that I thought a couple of pictures to let you see where the scenics are - well the bit I'm showing is finished apart from maybe a delicate (but hopefully easily replaced) fruit tree of some description which I am thinking about placing in front of the figures in the garden in a bid to prevent the sometimes finger poking public. 'Wor lass', she's the one on the left in usual pose of "Now you listen to me..." is stuck to the paving slabs using two tiny drops of cyanoacrylate (no, I know what you're thinking. I don't even go there either..!). If inadvertently knocked she will easily be dislodged if some form of protective barrier isn't present, so the tree idea might just work.

The 5p piece is there purely for effect and shows just how small my wife is in 2mil.....but don't let her diminuitive size fool you - the 12" to the foot version can keep me right "a dairsn't say owt me...!" (I have to mind my Ps and Qs, I do...!)


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The last picture was taken at Railwells last year and 2mm Scale Association members may have seen the shot before but for the benefit of those who haven't, I was doing a bit of shunting and looked down to see this little blighter cadging a lift, sat there for what seemed like an age and certainly long enough to have its picture takena few times; it must have been warm...!

Who says you can't fly shunt air braked stock in 2mil....!

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Mick S.
 
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Callaton

Simpas

Western Thunderer
"Wisht laads haad ya gobs al tellyeraal an aaful story......"

(Shhhh....gents, what a tale of woe I have to tell.....)

Well not really............. but it gives me a chance to recite the first line of that wearside poem, 'The Lambton Worm'.

I was really getting on to the finishing stages of the gardens. I've even had a go at a polytunnel, of which more anon, when I took the littlun to a local show at very short notice as a fill in for someone who couldn't make it. During the course of the very relaxed event I became aware that all was not well in the coupling and uncoupling department.

I use Electra Couplings designed in 1979 by John Whitehead and like most couplings, if made and mounted correctly they work extremely well. But, if you try and perform party tricks on curves that's asking for trouble; it doesn't take much of a curve either. What was happening was the couplings, made and mounted on my standard little bit of track, worked fine and mostly worked fine on the layout. However the combination of a curve, a badly placed electro magnet and exhibition operating meant that in order to see the coupling operate its delaying action I had to virtually stand in front of the layout obstructing the view of this enormous exhibit, something of which I was aware, resulting in me standing more to one side to afford a view to anyone minded to look. Because of the limited vision alluded to above the couplings were not doing what they're supposed to 100% of the time.

The result has been to install a second electro magnet but this time on the moving part of the sector plate. Even then, because the sector plate curves very slightly just prior to affording the stock access to the layout scenic section I took no chances and fixed it on a straight section. Result - satisfactory uncoupling and delay.

The bonus here is when people invariably ask about the couplings I can show exactly how they work. Don't know why I didn't think of this before. I always think it funny how we arrive at these solutions, but that's part of the pleasure of being a naff planner...! I said it because I knew you were thinking it.......

The first picture below shows the sector plate as it now appears. The operating switch for the elctro magnet is now alongside the section switch that cuts off power to fiddle at this end. In truth the other magnet is still in place and when I'm happy it'll never be used again I'll pull it out and assign the switch to some other function. The white painted band indicates the magnet location and black and white 'scrunchy' gets used when the sector plate framing is secreted beneath the baseboard for transit.

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Here is the underside view showing the elctro magnet which is half of an old H&M point motor (SM3 I think - could be wrong), point motors of any hue aren't things I have ever really got into. The metal rod is drilled and tapped 10BA and is a force fit in the hole in the sector plate with coil being retained by a piece of brass sheet to which a 10BA bolt is soldered. If it ever fails (unlikely) it will be easy to remove, especially since as you can see the business part of the plate is detachable, the red connector is the feed to the track and the white one the feed to the magnet.

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A better view of the sector plate track in which the magnet is easily seen where the white band is. Also, you will see to the right I extended the fiddle by about 2" (50mm) because as planned I intended to use the locomotives that ran up to the real Callerton when I had my cab ride viz Classes 31 and 37s and they with the little train fit - then Farish brought out the new tooled Class 40 I couldn't resist it but it meant an extension..! The black plastic sheet is a very handy 'railer' especially useful where the class 40 is concerned. I also had to cut out a piece of the sector plate framing on the far side so the electro magnet coil didn't foul it when the plate was aligned to the hidden rear siding.

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There have been a few other things going on which I may get a chance to write up before not too long,

"but divn't be mifft if aa divn't deeit sharpish cos av gorra woman at yeam aaways wantin iz te dee jobs"

(don't be too upset if I take a little while because my good lady at home always seems to have something for me to do...!)

Mick S.
 

adrian

Flying Squad
I use Electra Couplings designed in 1979 by John Whitehead and like most couplings, if made and mounted correctly they work extremely well.

The result has been to install a second electro magnet but this time on the moving part of the sector plate. Even then, because the sector plate curves very slightly just prior to affording the stock access to the layout scenic section I took no chances and fixed it on a straight section. Result - satisfactory uncoupling and delay.

Thanks for posting - it's a useful reminder for me - your comments have been noted and will do like wise . I bought a jig for the couplings from yourself a couple of years ago but I've never got round to making any yet. However I've finished painting a few more wagons, so I now have enough stock to form a rake now so I've got to the point where I have to make the decision on the coupling system to use. The Electra coupling is still the favourite for me, if I chemically blacken the wire it should be more discrete (IMHO) than DG, it's seems to be a self contained unit for fitting post build and not quite as sensitive as AJ's for setup. I've tried a couple of times with DG in 7mm and 2mm and always had trouble with the delay latch sticking.

ps. Love the local dialect comments. I can usually work them out before the translation. One of my favourite novels is Brian Callison's Trapp's War in which there is a character called Gorbals Wullie. It's a hilarious book and I'd thoroughly recommend it and a lot of the written word is in collequial Glaswegian. Whilst I appreciate it is different to Geordie from an outsider's point of view there are a few similarities, although you may vehemently disagree. I have worked for a number of years with a Sunderland lad, it's always entertaining to wind him up by calling him a Geordie. :p Perhaps I have the wrong impression but it always seems to me that there is more internicine warfare over dialects in the north east than anywhere else, it can all change in a couple of miles. It's all grist to the mill as far as I'm concerned because I think we should all retain our local heritage so please keep posting. :thumbs:
 

Chris Veitch

Western Thunderer
ps. Love the local dialect comments. I can usually work them out before the translation. One of my favourite novels is Brian Callison's Trapp's War in which there is a character called Gorbals Wullie. It's a hilarious book and I'd thoroughly recommend it and a lot of the written word is in collequial Glaswegian. Whilst I appreciate it is different to Geordie from an outsider's point of view there are a few similarities, although you may vehemently disagree. I have worked for a number of years with a Sunderland lad, it's always entertaining to wind him up by calling him a Geordie. :p Perhaps I have the wrong impression but it always seems to me that there is more internicine warfare over dialects in the north east than anywhere else, it can all change in a couple of miles. It's all grist to the mill as far as I'm concerned because I think we should all retain our local heritage so please keep posting. :thumbs:

Hear hear. Coming from Sunderland and working in Newcastle and South Shields makes it particularly difficult, especially when one's accent is "a bit posh" and folk tend to assume I'm "not from around here"...
 
Callaton

Simpas

Western Thunderer
The Electra coupling is still the favourite for me, if I chemically blacken the wire it should be more discrete (IMHO)

Adrian,

If you're going to paint them I have successfully used cellulose satin black (from a local motor factor) and if thinned and sprayed on with an airbrush a really smooth finish is the result. Using chemical blackening can sometimes leave a slightly rough surface. One of the qualities of the Electra is that it is possible to couple up to a vehicle without moving it so try and keep the hooks, painted or not, as smooth as possible. Before you insert the hooks into any tubing 'plant' them into a piece of balsa wood for spraying (right up to where the soldered dropper is fixed) and give them a couple of light coats. Because cellulose is foul stuff I generally do this outside, but it does dry in minutes. The nett result of planting in balsa is the part of the wire hook that needs to rotate freely inside the tube doesn't get painted which would tend to prevent free rotation.

ps. Love the local dialect comments.

Without being over the top, I am fiercely proud of my northern roots and I'm sure people around the country generally are of theirs, like you I applaud and encourage this. For my part it always amuses me somewhat when people refer to me as a Geordie. The mistake is easily made and it makes for some interesting enjoyable conversations with those I meet not only on the exhibition circuit but generally. For the record I was born a 'Mackam' (the area of the river Wear) moved to a colliery village when I was five, (and learned pitmatic, as it's popularly known) married a lass from Walker in the East end of Newcastle and spent 23 years living in the 'toon', Wallsend, Walker and North Shields so my accent is a peculiar mix and occasionally someone says to me "you aren't a geordie", which of course is exactly right. It would be wrong to deride any accent, but I do have favourites that I try to imitate which is in itself a form of flattery.


I think we should all retain our local heritage so please keep posting.
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Al dee me best, an divn't forgit tae giz a shout if ye want a bit help wi ya cuplins....az on the phone.

Mick S
 
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Callaton

Simpas

Western Thunderer
"Wey it's geet ages since a posted owt on 'ere so as sorry, burraz ye kin see av ben a bit bizzie"

Many apologies for the apparent tardiness in posting, but I have been a little industrious and got the job finished.

There are a few 'along the way' pictures to post too but regrettably we this will now have to wait until we return from Railex. Below is a shot of the completed Cameo Callaton without any of the vehicles because I'd packed them away by this time.

Good luck to all of my fellow competitors - I'm really looking forward to seeing the cameos in the flesh. Do stop by and chat...

Mick S.

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