'Seacombe': A glimpse.

[jonte]

Then there is the other terminal - New Brighton.

We - Wirral O Gauge Group, have just completed wiring up the layout and are installing the signals and associated control panel. The station building and goods shed have been scratch built using 'cameo cut' plasticard based on dimensions taken on site for the main building and drawings for the goods shed. Work is now starting on Portland Street bridge adjacent to the signal box and to the embankment that is adjacent to Victoria Road.

View attachment 87903

View attachment 87905

View attachment 87906

View attachment 87907

New Brighton is a 'branch' off of the DCC continuous run circuits of the Club's main layout.

We would welcome WTers to our next Open Day on Sunday 10th June - Club room located in Unit 7, The Odyssey Centre, Corporation Road, Birkenhead, CH41 1HB from 13.00 to 17.00

Hope that you don't mind the take over Jonte,, as I say, would be great to see you.

regards

Mike

Hi Mike

I hope and trust you’re well and glad to see that you are still enjoying the Premier scale. New Brighton is testament to that and the station is instantly recognisable. Now that’s a Wirral station I have passed through and the model captures the prototype really well. It’s a handsome building with intricate detail; I wouldn’t know where to begin if I had to model it, so well done to who ever built it.

I’m grateful and privileged that you’ve extended a warm welcome to join you in early June at the open day Mike, however, we’re currently on countdown to my daughter’s wedding amongst other commitments at present, so am unable to confirm my attendance at the moment, therefore please forgive me if I can’t make it. I’m sure you understand. It really has been a busy year so far.

Finally, please feel free to highjack any of my threads, as yours show far more modelling content than mine!

Kind regards,

Jonte

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Jonte,

Many thanks for your kind words on New Brighton, my involvement with the layout has been minimal, I drew up the track plan and designed the boards and others have been responsible for the construction and as you say, they are making an excellent job of it and there is still quite a way to go.

I hope that your daughter's wedding goes off well and that the weather is as good for her as it has been here for the past two weeks, I seem to recall that there was a thunder storm going on overhead when we were taking our vows - and that was fifty five years ago and still not a crossed word!

Our other Open days this year are: 12th August, 14th October and 16th December, hopefully we may see you at one or all of those dates.

Best wishes

Mike

 

[jonte]

It’s a while since I updated this thread and it could be some time before a I can so again due to commitments, but I’ll endeavour to find some time.

Following my disastrous attempt at my first brass kit build over the summer, I decided to return to more familiar territory in scenic form to rekindle the mojo.

The station building - especially as it was in the senior scale and therefore the parts being easier to see - provided the ideal opportunity with which to do so, bearing in mind I’d never been impressed with the corrugated iron finish.

Following a couple of false starts, I eventually managed to make some progress, the results I’d like to share to date I’d like to share with you:

The original:

The end in the first photo:

The other:

The outer side:

Perhaps a clearer one:

The hoarding from one end:

And looking through to the entrance to the building (door required x 2):

An aerial view:

As you can tell, there’s a host of things that need to be done before it can be called anything near finished - one of the bargeboards needs repairing (the paint btw on the boards is nowhere near as stark in real life, but I’m no photographer) and the weathering, including on the roof will need revisiting. Also, the bargeboards require further detailing and the windows glazing before fitting. A door needs to be formed for the entrance to the building and the hoarding supports require an awning across the top and perhaps a sliding door. And of course, the brickwork.

As I’ve stipulated elsewhere, my many hindrances dictate that this will only ever be a nod to the original, but I’ve tried my best, and yes, it’s restored my mojo.

Until the next opportunity arises, I’ll leave it here to deteriorate further.

Thanks for looking.

Jonte

 

[NHY 581]

Great stuff Jonte.

Loving the weathering thereon.


Rob.

 

[jonte]

Great stuff Jonte.

Loving the weathering thereon.


Rob.

Bless you, Rob.

It carries some weight coming from your good self.

Kindest,

Jonte

 

[Overseer]

I was going to suggest that a Peco phone box kit would be an easy way to add a splash of red at the corner but then remembered that the kit is a K6 and you need a K2 to match the photo. The building is coming together very convincingly, not surprising they built a large hoarding in front of the poor thing.

 

[jonte]

I was going to suggest that a Peco phone box kit would be an easy way to add a splash of red at the corner but then remembered that the kit is a K6 and you need a K2 to match the photo. The building is coming together very convincingly, not surprising they built a large hoarding in front of the poor thing.

Hi, Overseer, and thank you for your kind contribution as always.

I’ve considered the excellent Peco kit as you suggest, and have convinced myself that I could get away with it.

You see, the accompanying photo (a photocopy taken from an album held by Wallasey library during some research I undertook about the line several years ago now) was taken before WWII. As - in my scenario - the line somehow lingered on some four of five years after it actually closed, I reckoned that the phone box would have been exchanged for the later (Peco) version, probably some time during the fifties, despite the box being removed in reality prior to closure as borne out by second accompanying photo, taken in the late fifties (is that modellers refer to as Rule 1? ).

Many thanks once again, Overseer, for your interest and valued compliment.

Jonte

P.S. The hoarding was probably built for protection against the elements, as you could almost have cast a stone into the Mersey from the entrance. Jonte.

 

[NHY 581]

Bless you, Rob.

It carries some weight coming from your good self.

Kindest,

Jonte

Too kind Jonte.

The overall look is spot on. In particular, I really like the treatment handed out to the window frame.

This properly looks like the primer coming through a lifting and peeling top coat.

Really top stuff and something for me to try for myself.

Thanks for the inspiration.



Rob.

 

[jonte]

Too kind Jonte.

The overall look is spot on. In particular, I really like the treatment handed out to the window frame.
View attachment 131233

This properly looks like the primer coming through a lifting and peeling top coat.

Really top stuff and something for me to try for myself.

Thanks for the inspiration.



Rob.

I’m blushing here, Rob, as it’s quite straight forward, but thank you for the compliment anyway.

You’ve probably your own idea in mind with which you’ll no doubt do a better job than me, but if it’s of interest, all I did was take a piece of plain old, every day balsa to which I applied several thin washes of various concentrations of black paint - I just used Humbrol no. 33 Satin Black - to create the silvery grey effect of sun bleached wood. Once happy - I think 3 or 4 washed coats did the trick - I just sloshed on some neat Humbrol gloss varnish (I also had Matt varnish but the gloss was nearer ) - to create a barrier between the weathered wood and the top coat. Once dry, the top coat was applied neat and in a wash of 50:50 paint to spirit/thinners, so that one area of the frame was neat and the other wash in a random sort of application, if that makes sense?
This was sealed with varnish as before, after which the final top coat was applied in the same format as the previous coat.

Give it a couple of days to dry, and then borrow one of Mrs. Rob’s emery boards to rub it down until the desired effect is achieved. I found that the thinner concentration of paint when rubbed allows you to see the wood effect through the paint, while the thicker coat gives the impression that some islands of paint have done a better job of clinging on. And of course, the bare patches of paint just show the bleached wood below. If you go too far, just apply another thin wash of black to the affected parts and all is hunky dory again. Well, for me anyway.

I used a couple of methods on the bargeboards and the hoarding supports, including this one, where I added a different coloured coat between the wood effect and the top coat to indicate previous paint jobs - in this case a maroon-ey LMS type. It worked to a degree but not to the point where I was totally satisfied. Best to just try and keep it to the base and top coat with this method me thinks.

Anyway, apologies if I’m teaching m’granny etc, and good luck!

Jonte

 

[NHY 581]

That's really useful, Jonters. Thank you for taking the trouble.

I shall give that a go.

Rob.

 

[Simpas]

Jonte,

My first look here for a little while. Pleased I logged on - brilliant!

Mick S.

 

[jonte]

Jonte,

My first look here for a little while. Pleased I logged on - brilliant!

Mick S.

Hi Mick

Long time, no hear.

I’m well-chuffed that you did.

Many thanks.

Jonte

 

[Lyndhurstman]

Marvellous, Jonte
Such an eye, served well by its manipulated translation into form. Lovely colouring and fading.

Cheers

Jan

 

[jonte]

Marvellous, Jonte
Such an eye, served well by its manipulated translation into form. Lovely colouring and fading.

Cheers

Jan

Good to hear from you, Jan, and thank you for your generous words as usual.

However, in truth, I’m a mere charlatan what makes it up as it goes along, and it’s more down to luck than design. If it’s not a total disaster - like the brass kit for instance - it’ll do. I know my many limits.

Indeed, it’s probably a little too abstract in parts, but if I ever get to use it, it’ll just be cluttering up the background where I won’t see most of it

And thanks once again, Jan, for your recent very kind gift which will see use. Eventually. I hope you don’t mind my mentioning it in open forum.

Stay safe and btw, your friend looks very smart in your avatar

Jonte

 

[jonte]

Mike (@Ressaldar )

I’m attaching this here as it makes mention of Seacombe, but thought you might be interested in it’s contents in general

Jon

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Jon,

watched this a couple of weeks ago in the forlorn hope of some close ups of the Summers ore hoppers - to no avail, but I enjoyed the video all the same, especially the shots around Duke Street near the Club.

kind regards

Mike

 

[jonte]

I guessed you might have seen it, Mike.

Sorry to read that you were a little disappointed.

I’ll bear it in mind in case I occasion upon anything of interest.

Jon

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Jon,

the disappointment was only in that there was no close up of the lettering on the Summers wagons, i really enjoyed the film as a whole. I eventually got the lettering so was able to get the transfers sorted for a friend who is building a couple of ore hoppers.

kind regards

Mike

 

[simond]

A couple? I thought the standard rake was 11 with a toad at each end!

And from something I read years ago, they were the heaviest non-continuous-braked trains running in the UK at the end. Respect to the enginemen.

Perhaps doubly-so for the double-headed diesels that replaced the 9Fs, as they didn’t really have brakes…

 

[Ressaldar]

A couple? I thought the standard rake was 11 with a toad at each end!

Hi Simon,

patience, patience - big trains from little tubs grow! I think that the other nine might be on order.

will post some pictures when they are done, they are not for me.

Another example of steam 1 diesels 0

kind regards

Mike