Grahame's N/2mm bashes

[grahame]

At the other end of the layout, from where the recent photos have been taken, is where I've been able to shoehorn in my gas holder station scene that I'd made a while back. It's formerly a gas works, until the introduction of natural gas in the late 60s, and is based on the South Metropolitan Gas Company one that used to be in the Old Kent Road, although much of it is now razed to the ground and built upon.

The holder is an adapted American Cornerstone gas tank kit, heavily bashed to represent a more British style holder with below ground water tank and three storage ‘lifts’. The real site extended behind the side back-scene and included vehicle workshops, laboratories, test houses, an appliance warehouse, a training school, three other holders and where the retort houses used to be before being converted in to a staff car park. The buildings in the view - the security gate house, the pre-fabricated medical centre, appliance showroom, distribution control room, and district offices - are all scratch-built and based on those at the site in the late 1970s. It's another incomplete scene.

 

[Joe's Garage]

Hi Grahame, looking back through the recent posts it is so evident that you have achieved a remarkable amount on this project. I have to say it is certainly coming on and you must be spending a lot of time working on this despite personal health issues.
Remarkable and I will say this, it is potentially a sole modeller's Copenhagen Fields......(Sorry Tim but this is one man). You build buildings quicker than Bellway Homes!!!
I really hope it comes to fruition.
All the best
Julian

 

[Tim Watson]

Remarkable and I will say this, it is potentially a sole modeller's Copenhagen Fields......(Sorry Tim but this is one man).

Fully agree, Julian. Amazing work.

Tim

 

[grahame]

Another rooftop pic that I don't think I've already posted (apologies if I have):

 

[grahame]

I'm still not able to do much in the way of modelling but here's another, unfortunately samey, pic to show that I've not forgotten or abandoned the layout:

 

[Tim Watson]

Was Sarsons written on the railway side of the middle distance building complex? I seem to recollect seeing it.

Tim

 

[grahame]

In the 60s the wording on the warehouse building was 'David Lloyd Pigott and Co' who were established in 1760 and became one of the UK’s premier tea and coffee merchants for around 200 years. On their demise the offices and warehouse became occupied in the 1970s by 'Clark and Taylor' who were an advertising agency and their name was on the building. They too have moved on and more recently the building has been further modernised and presumably converted to apartments. I don't recall seeing 'Sarsons' but I could be wrong.

 

[grahame]

Here's a pic of my model of the London Bridge Area Signalling Centre (the white and brown brutalist style structure on top of the viaduct). It was built in the early 70s, opening in 1975 and taking over the work of 16 earlier signal boxes making it one of the busiest on the British Rail network. The model is significantly compressed to fit the layout and is about half the correct scale length, but is still a long structure. In the 21stC the signalling work was gradually transferred to the Three Bridges Regional Operating Centre and it finally closed in 2020. The viaduct wall along St Thomas Street (although not quite completed) is made from acrylic resin panels cast in RTV rubber silicon moulds formed around scratch-built masters.

 

[grahame]

Plenty of buses in this drone shot looking north up Borough High Street. All the other vehicles are 3D prints:

 

[Mike W]

That's really very good. That must be No.1 London Bridge in the background. I worked for ten years just off scene to the left, behind The Globe pub. No, not IN the pub, though it was a regular lunchtime haunt.

Mike

 

[grahame]

The last two weeks has seen a big reduction in the pain I've been suffering (as a result of a broken elbow and a psoriatic arthritis attack) meaning I'm able to do more, although not yet 100%. Anyway a little photography out in the shed today resulted in this snap. Enjoy.



The view is northward up Bermondsey Street and under the viaduct at what will be the station throat. The road along the viaduct arches to the left at the crossroads is St Thomas Street and to the right is Crucifix Lane.

 

[Tim Watson]

You’ll be able to be super busy in 2025, Grahame. Look forward to more updates.
Tim

 

[grahame]

Thanks.

I'm hoping my next modelling efforts will be to progress the platforms and the track through them. The station platform buildings are partially built but the canopies will need making and they'll probably have to wait - I've plenty of other things to be getting on with, as well as the layout.

Here's a quick pic of the current state of play of the area taken through the shed side window with a 75mm lens giving a telephoto effect. It's obvious that I'll need to sort out the lighting when ready to properly photograph it. But for this afternoon I'll be visiting the local for a few pints stopping on the way to pick up a newspaper and a few provisions.

 

[grahame]

Today I've completed the through platform ends at the west end (except the slopes down) which also involved cutting and laying the track alongside and wiring it up. Next to consider and make is the brick built passenger entry/exit ramp structures. They are quite complex and both are subtly different. It's going to need some fiddly designing and building, especially bearing in mind the necessary compression and that they are integrated with the canopy - not an easy, straightforward and quick operation I fear. A job for next year.



All the best for 2025 for all the followers of this thread.

 

[timbowales]

Today I've completed the through platform ends at the west end (except the slopes down) which also involved cutting and laying the track alongside and wiring it up. Next to consider and make is the brick built passenger entry/exit ramp structures. They are quite complex and both are subtly different. It's going to need some fiddly designing and building, especially bearing in mind the necessary compression and that they are integrated with the canopy - not an easy, straightforward and quick operation I fear. A job for next year.

View attachment 230263

All the best for 2025 for all the followers of this thread.

Definitely a task not to be attempted whilst under the celebratory influence

 

[grahame]

Well, I've made a start on attempting them. The carcases are mountboard which are then covered with brick embossed plasticard. I've also added the track alongside and the platform end ramps. This pic is taken from the side that won't be able to be viewed when on the layout (being at the back) so I'm not concerned about the mixed platform sides. Next to consider and undertake is making the roofs for the 'steps' which have angled/bevelled tiled edges and a slightly recessed flat centre - I'll need to think about the best way to make them.

 

[Tim Watson]

Those ramps really were quite depressing to walk up and down, but typical of BR on-the-cheap architecture. The new station is so much better, but at what cost!

Really atmospheric modelling Grahame.

Tim

 

[Grahame Hedges]

Thanks Tim.

The design of them is almost brutalist, with plain slab brickwork and no openings or embellishments. I'm hoping that painting and weathering (when I get around to it) will make them look more realistic and at home.

The pic a few posts back is very much urban decay with more vegetation on the platforms and track bed than in my garden.

 

[Joe's Garage]

Looking forward to the track laying as so far it is looking excellent Grahame.
Best wishes for 2025
Julian

 

[grahame]

A quick snap to show how the entrance/exits fit in place. Still not quite worked out how to make the roofs.