HO Eine Sekundärbahn

[Tim Hale]

Roads in 1950s Germany

When looking at German layouts, I do wonder just how much research has been done by the creator of the layout, especially those few who attempt to model any period prior to the '60s. The neat rural roads, perfectly maintained bear almost no resemblence to reality as few, unless exceptionally old, can either remember prior to the '60s or have made an attempt to simply look at images of any road except the autobahn. The reality was grim, little wonder that ground movement beyond the autobahn was mostly by train with heavy goods by barge.


Work on a water-bound gravel road in the 1950s near Wörnitz The horse-drawn wagon waters the road before the top layer is compacted with the help of the steam roller. This process, which was common until the 1970s, was replaced late from asphalt road construction.


The severe frost damage on a federal road in the 1950s in the Brand area, about 5 km north of Gunzenhausen (current federal road 466) are clearly visible. The increasing burden on roads occurred again and again, especially in the winter months, there have been road shots. Geteeren or federal roads with a tear-bearing surface protection layer still had an exceptional character in post-war Germany for a long time.



On Pottendorf, the roadway is gravel, which would have been laid using the method in the first image. As a model, it is simply backing card covered with textured limestone coloured paint.

Tim

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

When looking at German layouts, I do wonder just how much research has been done by the creator of the layout, especially those few who attempt to model any period prior to the '60s.

From my observations this afflicts many layouts irrespective of the railway and country.

Like yourself I spend a great deal of time researching the area beyond the station limits I'm modelling to ensure street furniture, road surfaces, vehicles, signs and building decor, etc are correct for the period.

 

[Tim Hale]

There has been a return of a rather elderly lady, a Fleischmann BR64 albeit their final version with nicer valve gear, it dates from the first of the 1:87 models from the company and my first ‘proper’ German loco. It had been rebuilt with the aid of ‘kit’ from Weinert except over the years bits fell off.


Despite all the effort, it is worthless except as piece of nostalgia and as such priceless, it will remain working on Pottendorf.

Dave,

Financial reform in 1963 (the Eberhard Plan) released the federal funding needed to modernise the roads at state level and both car ownership/road construction increased at a exponential rate. I do wonder if Pendon has period rural roads?

Tim

 

[Roger Pound]

A nice little Br64 indeed. I must confess that I favoured the Br86, possibly because I was trying to reflect a line in the Erzgebirge region, as operated in the days of the DR. I used the Piko model - primarily as I had ready access to them and spares were easily accessible, although in my experience rarely if ever needed.

I cheerfully confess to never having visited that part of Germany and relying heavily the excellent photographic works of Gunter Meyer. The models and layout are now long gone, but I did enjoy following that path for a number of years. As always, I built and operated for pleasure making a reasonable effort to be accurate within my skill set. I congratulate you on the garden scene - delightful!

Cheers,

Roger.

 

[Tim Hale]

I congratulate you on the garden scene - delightful!

Cheers,

Roger.

Roger,
I dare not take the credit, merely an image from the manufacturer used to provide some idea of what might happen.

Instead, the following image is the more likely outcome, sorry that I had to repeat but a picture is worth a thousand etc.

 

[Roger Pound]

Tim, thank you for your frankness. The picture is well worth repeating and is also, in an entirely different way, just as delightful and may well be a far more realistic reproduction of the real thing. You are conversant with the locale and will obviously know the subject. The one I referred to originally was very orderly, as is the German way and equally impressive but no doubt less Bavarian than you would prefer. It's all part of the fun we get from the hobby and please keep your progress coming .

All the best,

Roger

 

[Tim Hale]

The Faller ‘farmhouse’ as intended is, in reality, much too small, it was chosen because it was readily available, not really a valid choice. However Martin Mueller has sent a ‘proper’ Frankische Bauernhaus which is much larger and entirely appropriate to the location, it is a resin kit, the example below is perfect.

In the meantime, the Faller building is to be relocated with its vegetable garden etc.

 

[Tim Hale]

Hi,

The last couple of weeks has been dominated by a respiratory virus, no access to the unheated shed but now feeling much better, the layout has been cleared on construction materials, the plastering has been sanded and the entire station area ‘hoovered’ to an inch of its life. This morning’s rare outing into town will be to replace the ancient decorator’s masking tape so that the blue backscene isn’t contaminated whilst the layout is given a base coat of stone coloured emulsion.



Once that fun task is over, the track will be painted (Halfords camouflage earth brown) and after more paint, it will be ballasted. Finally and only then will the greenery begin to be applied, most the buildings are already completed and ready to be placed on their ‘plugs’ and a veritable forest of MBR trees await planting.

All this will result in an 80% completed layout but the remaining 20% of small details will occupy the next few months although I must admit that it is the task that provides the greatest sense of achievement.

Please be patient, we are doing our best (swmbo is the unwilling masker and painter of inaccessible corners)

Tim

 

[Richard Gawler]

Tim, this is a hobby not a race. When I work at my own pace I invariably find the results more satisfying; and I think we all know you will share some photos when you are ready. Enjoy your model making.

 

[Tim Hale]

Richard,

I share your concerns unfortunately since ‘18 a series of increasingly serious heart related events have slowed down progress BUT the recent further surgery has provided both a new ‘lease of life’ but also impetus to get to the top of that hill.

Tim

 

[Tim Hale]

I wish that this weekend had not happened, too much physical activity resulted in excessive BP and a brief but interesting tachycardia episode, the reward was a trip in a nee-nah, discharge to be decided but an interesting conversation about 'things that I should know by now' is due later at home.

Things do not look too good for further hobby related activities.

Tim

 

[Roger Pound]

Commiserations Tim. Health and advancing age can make uncomfortable bedfellows. I have disposed of much stock and there is more to go. Wodorf has a new home as you may have seen. I saw my consultant today and now have to undergo several tests to assess the possibility of surgery. Heigh ho !

Keep your chin up and carry on negotiating with SWMBO - I find that best ,

Roger, .

 

[Tim Hale]

Hi,

A day not spent in the shed is wasted, however, it can be spent trawling the internet for information and today was very successful.
Pottendorf’s sidings would have been used for shifting the only other* actual local product, timber, but 50years ago was pre-HIAB with ingenuity and mandraulics being the loading method.
The model crane is a ‘50s vintage Fuch 301 by Kibri.

A few choice images:-



* The other product was ceramics, a local speciality, (Pottendorf is a corruption of ‘village of pots’) but these were sent in wooden crates by van traffic attached to passenger workings.

Tomorrow is more track work to be finished, the target is test running on Christmas Day.

Tim

 

[Roger Pound]

I like the crane, Tim. I have a similar one myself that came in a kit I bought years ago (can't remember the maker but it could have been Kibri ) of a bombed-out city building. The model is fitted with a 'bucket' as opposed to a grab, for clearing the 'rubble'. The devastated building is long gone, but I still have the crane and am obliged to you for describing the origins of the prototype.

Roger .

 

[Tim Hale]

Finally,



Finished the basecoat of Halfords Camouflage brown on the track, apart from one turnout, I remembered to mask all the switch rails and tiebars. Tomorrow will be interesting when the cleaning of the rails and testing the turnout operation is complete……then painting the rails followed by more cleaning. Should be ready for the ballast, whenever it finally makes an appearance.

​

The image from the headshunt wasn’t easy, SWMBO is hanging on in order to prevent me toppling onto the layout, it was worth the faff

Now taking a long break for Christmas, back later, thank you.

Tim

 

[Tim Hale]

The roads are nominally 45mm* wide pieces of picture mounting card covered with a base layer of Heki textured concrete road paint and a second layer of a diluted coat of Johnstone's China Clay emulsion with chincilla dust as additional texture. The dust is fixed with dilute PVA or AK Gravel & Sand fixer.


China Clay and Heki concrete

The textured paint is given additional texture by stippling with a 25mm stencil brush.



The result, a mix of emulsion and acrylmasse



*federal standard for rural roads

 

[Joe's Garage]

Nice to see you are making a little progress Tim despite the health issues, this horrible weather does not help does it. We have been struck by the nastiness over the past few weeks and I am sure if the Sun shone for a few days things would be better.
Take care and remember little is better than too much overdoing it. Keep warm and there is nothing wrong with "research" is there.
All the best
Julian

 

[Tim Hale]

A leap of faith,

Based on experience with Heki’s excellent textured paints, a first coat of ‘concrete’ has been applied to both the platform and roads. There will be more chinchilla dust plus washes of both Johnstone’s China Clay and some artist’s ink, depending on the surface. The ‘leap of faith’ is to resist the temptation to remove the masking tape until the platform is finished, mostly because applying the tape was fraught with self-induced problems.

The speed at which the available real estate reduces in size is quite frightening, however, a very similar* trackplan was accommodated in exactly the space in 2007, what has changed since then?



* Similar, the plan received a horizontal ‘flip’ so that the platform faces the operator as the layout, though modular and portable, is NOT intended for exhibiting, this time around, I can see the trains arrive.

Tim

 

[Tim Hale]

Yesterday I found a sealed, unused tub of Acryl Masse, what joy!



This is the stuff that was used to make this dwelling and in an earlier post there is an image of the road made using Acryl Masse.

 

[Tim Hale]

Rather than use the sand colour Acryl Masse on everything, the already painted platform has received a test coat of their grey, it was firmly dabbed on with the stencil brush. These are the results, the close-up is a poor attempt to show the extent of the texture.







It sets rockhard, it is waterproof but the brushes are water washable, it is intended to try a very dilute wash of darker grey in order to highlight the texture.

The next task is to try out their sand gelb on the roads and station yard, it should be interesting as the Heki concrete provided a great undercoat on the platform, maybe a similar effect on the roads, they will certainly be rough.

Tim