Greetings from Burford

Burford

Member
I have just joined Western Thunder, as I am still finding continuing problems with the functionality of RMWeb. I never started a thread on that site, but did occasionally comment on one or two GWR topics.



My moniker here is the name of my layout, as I have been building ‘the Burford Branch’ in 4 mm scale for many years. The track gauge of the layout is nominally P4, but (as some of you who are already familiar with my writings elsewhere will know) I am guilty of the dreadful heresy of using EM wheels re-gauged to the minimum P4 back-to-back setting (17.7 mm approx.) Don’t worry; I have no intention here of reopening the controversy I caused by this appalling apostasy!



I won’t post here on my layout, as there is a well-established thread on the Scalefour Society’s webforum (The Burford Branch - Scalefour Forum), which can also be accessed on the “GWR Modelling” website.



I will attempt to post a few photos of the layout here, but as a tyro on this site, I do not yet know whether this will work.IMG_7048.jpgIMG_7055.jpgIMG_7505.JPGIMG_7256.JPGIMG_7262.JPG
 

NewportRod

Western Thunderer
Welcome Martin, I happened to be in Burford on Saturday (what on earth happened to the sewerage system?). Your layout really captures the look and feel of the place.
 

Burford

Member
Confession time: There are quite a few buildings on my layout that don't actually come from the real Burford, although the old malt kiln seen in one of the photos I posted is part of the former Garne's Brewery, and can still be seen in Priory Lane.

Other buildings have been copied from various locations around the Cotswolds. A large part of the brewery complex on the layout (not seen in my post above, but extensively illustrated on my S4 webforum thread) is based on buildings from Donnington Brewery, Lower Swell, a short distance from Stow-on-the-Wold. That brewery featured in a BBC 'Father Brown' episode - "The Brewer's Daughter", which gave me some useful extra details to supplement my own photos of Donnington Brewery taken many years earlier.
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Well impressed by the station. Can we see more photos of your layout as I for one am intrigued. As for using EM wheels on P4 track, I don't see a problem. It's your choice and I would like to see how things look via this thread.
 

Osgood

Western Thunderer
Try the link in Martin's post to the S4 forum Larry - works for me, the problem is going to be finding the time to work through all those pages!
 

Burford

Member
Thanks for your kind remarks, Gents.

There's only one problem (from which I imagine we all suffer to a greater or lesser extent) - the time it takes.
 

Joe's Garage

Western Thunderer
Welcome on board Martin, another inspirational model to the fold!
I remember your Crichel Down layout...first with Peco track then relaid in P4?
Any photos?
Thanks for posting
Julian
 

Burford

Member
Thanks, Julian.

As you say, Crichel Down started out with Peco Streamline track, but by the time it first appeared in public in 1982 it was under conversion to P4 (using the same geometry as the old Peco track). The layout last appeared in public almost a quarter of a century ago, in 1998 (!)

The layout still exists (but has been slowly falling to pieces now for almost 25 years). One day I may revive it, which is why I haven't scrapped it long ago. Here are a couple of photos, taken by Dave Cross several years ago.
 

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Joe's Garage

Western Thunderer
Thanks for sharing Martin, lovely compact layout. Be a very nice project to restore. I remember it well as being one of the early micro layouts. If I may be cheeky in saying if you did think about scraping it ( highly unlikely) I would be willing to be that scrapyard (custodian or safe home) Sorry just had to mention it.
I also would like to say the photos of Burford are very atmospheric....I felt they were very Peter Denny and others of that genre....lovely, especially in the train shed.
Fellow WTs love to see lots of photos but I am sure you know many of them.
Best wishes
Julian
 

Lyndhurstman

Western Thunderer
Welcome, Martin.
WT being a broad (non-Norfolk) church means the congregation are very supportive. Even to heretics!

One thing we all like is fine modelling, and Burford certainly ticks that box.

Cheers

Jan
 

Burford

Member
I assure you I am not in the least offended. I have had flattering offers for the layout in the past.

But I don't think I really want to part with Crichel Down. I do want to revive it one day.

The alternative would be a new ("Mark 2") version of the layout, but I would probably want to re-use various components of the current layout in that event.

Frankly, the only thing that has been stopping me from getting back to Crichel Down is my determination to make further progress on the Burford Branch.

As I observed in a recent post above, the only problem is the time all this takes.
 

James Spooner

Western Thunderer
Welcome to WT and I really love your modelling of buildings. They really capture the atmosphere of a former GW branchline and the interior detail of the train shed is wonderful! I can’t wait to see more.
 

Burford

Member
Many thanks for these kind remarks. All the buildings on the Burford Branch were constructed from various types of styrene - plain sheet, Evergreen strip, Evergreen planking and 'siding' sheets and, for the other buildings, various Wills scenic sheets. The details are given on my 'Burford Branch' thread on the S4 webforum (to which I provided a link in my first post above).

I very quickly got used to handling these materials, although I admit that the actual assembly of some of the buildings (especially the Station Building & Train Shed) was extremely time consuming. Even where I thought some items, such as the timber supporting brackets under the train shed roof, might prove to be tricky, I found in practice that even these turned out to be straightforward.

I think the key to the ultimate appearance of models is in the painting. I believe very strongly in keeping colours light and also in applying appropriate weathering. [Quite a lot of real soot was applied inside the train shed, and I need to add more to the roof trusses.]. I always try to achieve a dead matt finish, even on locos and other rolling stock.

Most of the vernacular and industrial buildings around the station are based (rather loosely in some cases) on photos I have taken, in Burford and elsewhere in the Cotswolds. I rarely, if ever, bother to measure buildings. If I am ever challenged about the dimensional inaccuracy of my models, my excuse is that they are only meant to be "an artist's impression".

The fundamental purpose of all this is to have fun. I confess that I do not take myself or my hobby at all seriously.
 

Joe's Garage

Western Thunderer
I like your philosophy Martin, which translates into a very convincing models. Would be a very nice signature. I will watch this space for developments on CD Mk 2
All the best
Julian
 
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