New projects and builds
The next train arriving at ...
Thanks to John, we've had a lot of fun working on and exhibiting "ELLESMERE" at shows over the last few years; however we don't want to be known as a "one trick pony" club, exhibiting a layout we have inherited.
The club members have wanted to build our own layout for some time, but funds and a lack of premises have hindered us somewhat... until now.
Due to the generosity of a well wisher whose husband had passed away, we have been given a large amount of Hornby 00 gauge track and various other items.
We are constructing a 6 foot x 4 foot shunting layout that young and old alike can use at our open days and shows and learn about the intricacies of model railways. It would be a good introduction to the hobby and might inspire and encourage some youngsters to take up new membership.
The next train arriving at ...
Thanks to John, we've had a lot of fun working on and exhibiting "ELLESMERE" at shows over the last few years; however we don't want to be known as a "one trick pony" club, exhibiting a layout we have inherited.
The club members have wanted to build our own layout for some time, but funds and a lack of premises have hindered us somewhat... until now.
Due to the generosity of a well wisher whose husband had passed away, we have been given a large amount of Hornby 00 gauge track and various other items.
We are constructing a 6 foot x 4 foot shunting layout that young and old alike can use at our open days and shows and learn about the intricacies of model railways. It would be a good introduction to the hobby and might inspire and encourage some youngsters to take up new membership.
Another new project that we needed, especially now that we have new layout boards, is that of safe storage of the boards. Frank has acquired some Dexion shelving uprights and has made a stacking system on wheels which can be wheeled out of our storage cupboard.
We have also been working on another small project that John had left us. Originally a 35.5 foot long single track layout (yes, that's right, you read it correctly...35.5 feet long) that was purpose built for the old Dapol model railway exhibition at Llangollen in North Wales, 5 of the 7 sections of board had been stored in his leaking shed and had been damaged by damp. We've salvaged what we could and now have a 16 foot long 3 section layout which we have named the Meres & Mosses Light Railway which is still undergoing some work.
Loosely based upon the surrounding areas of Ellesmere Wharf, the Mere with an Iron Age Crannog (a defensible wooden encampment built up from the bed of the Mere near the shore) and Whixall Moss with its peat workings, the 3 areas are linked by a 009 narrow gauge line for the purpose of workers commuting to the peat works and the return of cut, dried and bagged peat to the wharf for transportation by canal barge.
There is a lightweight narrow gauge railway at the peat works which the peat workers can lift and move around the works area, which is linked to a disused track across a corner of the Mere towards the wharf and a disused quarry area.
Loosely based upon the surrounding areas of Ellesmere Wharf, the Mere with an Iron Age Crannog (a defensible wooden encampment built up from the bed of the Mere near the shore) and Whixall Moss with its peat workings, the 3 areas are linked by a 009 narrow gauge line for the purpose of workers commuting to the peat works and the return of cut, dried and bagged peat to the wharf for transportation by canal barge.
There is a lightweight narrow gauge railway at the peat works which the peat workers can lift and move around the works area, which is linked to a disused track across a corner of the Mere towards the wharf and a disused quarry area.
New members have brought new skills with them.
Pamela is a talented artist and for our Meres & Mosses layout has been able to blend in the chosen Gaugemaster photographic backgrounds with each other and painted two end boards as well. She has also created beautiful trees using various dried flowers from garden plants and shrubs.
Malcolm is an electronics engineer and has taken on the task of overseeing the rewiring of the layouts. He is seen here with Pam, both hard at work on one project or another.
We had decided to remove the Iron Age Crannog as a whole unit, which could be put back at any time when required. Meanwhile we decided to create a replica of Moscow Island with grey herons nesting in the trees. Les has made a superb job of the island with some trees from Pam, David having the dreadful task of painting the birds by hand without the help of a powerful magnifying glass or safety net!
Pamela is a talented artist and for our Meres & Mosses layout has been able to blend in the chosen Gaugemaster photographic backgrounds with each other and painted two end boards as well. She has also created beautiful trees using various dried flowers from garden plants and shrubs.
Malcolm is an electronics engineer and has taken on the task of overseeing the rewiring of the layouts. He is seen here with Pam, both hard at work on one project or another.
We had decided to remove the Iron Age Crannog as a whole unit, which could be put back at any time when required. Meanwhile we decided to create a replica of Moscow Island with grey herons nesting in the trees. Les has made a superb job of the island with some trees from Pam, David having the dreadful task of painting the birds by hand without the help of a powerful magnifying glass or safety net!
Jim and grandson Jacob have recently joined and have a couple of small layouts that Jacob is working on. Pam has just painted a new background for one of them (she is working on it in the photo above). This is a 009 narrow gauge layout.
... Truro
22nd September 2015
At long last we have moved on from our provisional planning work on our new 00 gauge project. Loosely based on Truro Station during the 1940's/60's period the track plans changed dramatically from the original prototype over time. We have also taken some modelling licence to fit the area onto what is a sectional 20 foot x 2 foot 8 inch track board with eventual oval run around and rear fiddle yard. These photos show the "drawing out" stage on lining paper prior to being transferred to the boards using tracing paper. Downloaded Peco turnout plans were printed at 100% size and used to place the track work more accurately.
21st & 26th January 2016
Progress has been made with the new layout. After fine tuning the layout drawings, they have been transferred to the boards. Using Peco point turnout plans downloaded from their website and printed to scale, the layout has been fine tuned even more to fit in the engine shed, turntable and coal stage area to the right of the station (viewed from the front). To the left is the goods yard, which has been moved to fit the board area. The platforms have also been slightly shortened to fit everything on, otherwise we would have needed to extend the run by at least another board.
Pam has made a cardboard scale representation of the coal stage and ramp to help make decisions about the track planning and positioning of the turntable and shed. We may still have to shorten the ramp though.
Cork underlay has been cut and laid, and track and points have just been purchased from Trident Trains.
Pete has already scratch built the 2 Truro East & West signal boxes and showed them to the members on the 21st for their approval. Then he went away and scratch built the interiors too for this week!
Just have a look at what roughly 2 weeks of enthusiastic building can do. Now we only have to match the rest of the build to this standard... watch out Pete, you may get lumbered with it all!
Certainly something to celebrate when the club has its Christmas bash next week at The Greyhound in St Martins.
Click on a photo for an enlarged view.
Progress has been made with the new layout. After fine tuning the layout drawings, they have been transferred to the boards. Using Peco point turnout plans downloaded from their website and printed to scale, the layout has been fine tuned even more to fit in the engine shed, turntable and coal stage area to the right of the station (viewed from the front). To the left is the goods yard, which has been moved to fit the board area. The platforms have also been slightly shortened to fit everything on, otherwise we would have needed to extend the run by at least another board.
Pam has made a cardboard scale representation of the coal stage and ramp to help make decisions about the track planning and positioning of the turntable and shed. We may still have to shorten the ramp though.
Cork underlay has been cut and laid, and track and points have just been purchased from Trident Trains.
Pete has already scratch built the 2 Truro East & West signal boxes and showed them to the members on the 21st for their approval. Then he went away and scratch built the interiors too for this week!
Just have a look at what roughly 2 weeks of enthusiastic building can do. Now we only have to match the rest of the build to this standard... watch out Pete, you may get lumbered with it all!
Certainly something to celebrate when the club has its Christmas bash next week at The Greyhound in St Martins.
Click on a photo for an enlarged view.
Not to be outdone, Pete brought in his latest 'work in progress'; his unfinished model of the engine shed.
This is a very shortened and narrowed version of the prototype, but we had to restrict the size of the boards otherwise the layout would be another 15 feet longer and about 10 feet wider!
February 23rd 2016
Pete finished the model this week when I took these photos on our test track. At the same time I was taking these, David A, Malcolm and Les were laying the first pieces of track on the boards. Small brass screws were screwed into the boards at the edge of the track bed where they would split apart, then the track laid down and pinned, with the track ends soldered onto the screws, making sure that the track butted up very accurately to the next boards track in the process. Dropper wires will be added to connect all track work later.
Tuesday 12th April
Pete surprised us all yet again with his latest model for the Truro layout. The very distinctive old Council building near the turntable & coaling stage end of the yards was something we wanted to represent, and Pete has made a superb low relief rendition of the building.
As we had to shorten the station platforms a little to fit the layout into the 20 foot length, some compression is inevitable so the council building model is also compressed by a window & room width on each side of the central entrance. Eagle eyed viewers will also notice the gap under the entrance steps and the lack of ground floor windows on one side of the model; this is because the prototype building is built on a slope with a large drive in front, so has to be set into a yet to be built scenic area... compare with the original building photo.
Pam also surprised us this week as she showed us how she paints her windows for the low relief buildings she has made by producing new ones from scratch for the main station building.
As a former draughts-person she uses professional drawing pens and ink. First very fine accurate drawings in black ink of the windows on acetate are made and allowed to dry, then Pam hand paints the window frames in with white ink, again allowing to dry before cutting out and fitting to the buildings.
Using these same skills, she is now painting the filigree wrought ironwork that surrounds the top of both towers of the station building. The initial trial piece is shown at the bottom left of the photo shown. The finished pieces will be sandwiched with another sheet of acetate to protect the inked areas, cut out and joined together to the roof areas once the building is done.
Pete surprised us all yet again with his latest model for the Truro layout. The very distinctive old Council building near the turntable & coaling stage end of the yards was something we wanted to represent, and Pete has made a superb low relief rendition of the building.
As we had to shorten the station platforms a little to fit the layout into the 20 foot length, some compression is inevitable so the council building model is also compressed by a window & room width on each side of the central entrance. Eagle eyed viewers will also notice the gap under the entrance steps and the lack of ground floor windows on one side of the model; this is because the prototype building is built on a slope with a large drive in front, so has to be set into a yet to be built scenic area... compare with the original building photo.
Pam also surprised us this week as she showed us how she paints her windows for the low relief buildings she has made by producing new ones from scratch for the main station building.
As a former draughts-person she uses professional drawing pens and ink. First very fine accurate drawings in black ink of the windows on acetate are made and allowed to dry, then Pam hand paints the window frames in with white ink, again allowing to dry before cutting out and fitting to the buildings.
Using these same skills, she is now painting the filigree wrought ironwork that surrounds the top of both towers of the station building. The initial trial piece is shown at the bottom left of the photo shown. The finished pieces will be sandwiched with another sheet of acetate to protect the inked areas, cut out and joined together to the roof areas once the building is done.
Joy has been learning figure painting techniques and has put them to good use.
She has been using normal watercolour paints (not acrylics) and has achieved some excellent results after first painting each figure a uniform matte black. This helps to bring out detailing in the faces, creases in clothing etc.
Now only another few hundred more to go including a couple of hundred seated passengers for the coaches...