FiftyFourA
Western Thunderer
As I mentioned in my thread on my 54E layout, since my accident I have been unable to do much in the way of serious modelling and that lead to some 'chaffing at the bit'. I had already bought a couple of Heljan diesels to run on friends layouts when a chance conversation at an exhibition about the lack of 'modern image' layouts set me thinking. I had my test track in my workroom that way lying idle so why not convert it to a layout? All I needed to do was improve the points, put down some ballast and a few buildings and hey presto! What could go wrong? Mmmm!
Well, the first thing was that it needed an extension board for the fiddle yard end; luckily a friend of mine, Steven Foxton (an excellent wood worker both in 12" to the foot and 7mm to the foot), built it for me.
Next the buildings. It did not take me long to realise that the accident had severely restricted movement in my right hand and the buildings were rubbish. Then up stepped another friend, Gavin Thirkell of Stoneybridge Structures, who is also a fellow volunteer at Locomotion. He laser cut me the shed and bridge and all I have had to do is stick them together. I tell you, without friends you get nowhere.
Anyway, now for the geography. Like all my modelling it is set in the Wearside area. The shed building itself is based on Sunderland South Dock, cut in half. This was originally a steam shed which was used for keeping bland blue boxes out of the cold North Sea air at night until the late 90s, so is fine for my period in the late 70s when the place was simply a fueling point/signing on point ... what used to be called a sub-shed in steam days. The road bridge is based on the one at Villette Road over the Durham coast line to Hartlepool. The rest ... no idea yet.
Progress is slow but at least there is some. Hopefully you will enjoy the photos and I will update as the layout gets more 'bits' added ready for its first outing in October ... hopefully
Peter
Well, the first thing was that it needed an extension board for the fiddle yard end; luckily a friend of mine, Steven Foxton (an excellent wood worker both in 12" to the foot and 7mm to the foot), built it for me.
Next the buildings. It did not take me long to realise that the accident had severely restricted movement in my right hand and the buildings were rubbish. Then up stepped another friend, Gavin Thirkell of Stoneybridge Structures, who is also a fellow volunteer at Locomotion. He laser cut me the shed and bridge and all I have had to do is stick them together. I tell you, without friends you get nowhere.
Anyway, now for the geography. Like all my modelling it is set in the Wearside area. The shed building itself is based on Sunderland South Dock, cut in half. This was originally a steam shed which was used for keeping bland blue boxes out of the cold North Sea air at night until the late 90s, so is fine for my period in the late 70s when the place was simply a fueling point/signing on point ... what used to be called a sub-shed in steam days. The road bridge is based on the one at Villette Road over the Durham coast line to Hartlepool. The rest ... no idea yet.
Progress is slow but at least there is some. Hopefully you will enjoy the photos and I will update as the layout gets more 'bits' added ready for its first outing in October ... hopefully
Peter
.
, all 6ft of it (excluding the fiddle yard).
oh dear, yet another modeller finds out the hard way the folly of using kitty-litter for ballast 
