Bagshot station build

Thank you so much John and Mark. I'm sorry it's taken me a while to reply, but I had escaped for a few days! It wasn't all sun, sand and sea though, indeed the nearest I got was Burnham-on-Crouch, where incidentally there happens to be a splendid museum known as the Mangapps Railway! The proprietor is one Mr. John Jolly, ace collector of all things Great Eastern and more. He lives up to his name and was clearly amused to discover that there was someone else who knew almost as much as him about Southern Railway waste paper baskets!

Anyway, now furnished with a load of measurements and photographs for essential Bagshot and Love Lane detailing, I'm back on the case, or at least until my little apprentice comes round later and demands more intensive training on the workbench...



Earlier today I finally got down to running off some drawer handles for the Ticket Office.

Now I will have to admit that I do not possess a lathe, so the proper engineers amongst you would be well advised to skip the next couple of pics, or be reduced to tears at witnessing the terrible abuse of a drill press!



Having shortened the life of my drill bearings and my eyesight, the tiny brass rivet shaped knobs needed flats filing to make them into those D profile handles.

Hard experience of fettling very small bits of metal has dictated this next device, designed to defeat the dreaded Carpet Monster:



I also apologise for the readily apparent abuse of my vice jaws as well!



The end of all this is four drawer pulls and some door knobs fitted!

Marvellous!

Pete

You are welcome to use the lathe when you're over on Love Lane duty. It might make life a bit easier.

John

I'll add a second vote for Mangapps too. Well worth a visit!

(And for those of us of a certain age, well worth finding Mr Jolly and asking to see the 3 rail Hornby Dublo layout too)

Best
Simon

Thanks guys, and to you John for the kind offer of use of a lathe! Problem is I didn't mention that I have never driven one of those things before, which is why I have not got one. As the holder of a full "Artist's Licence" I never thought that one day I might need to learn!

I cannot now remember why I purchased the drill seen above in the first place, but it has turned out to have been an absolute boon. It has been used for just about anything other than drilling holes!

Incidentally, when Chris and Sandra Tolhurst (TME) were up to their eyes in 16mm scale Vale of Rheidol loco production, I volunteered to measure up, produce accurate drawings and then make the casting patterns for their signal kit (see Derek's Thirtysecond post). Insanely, the lamp and finial were both turned using the drill and needle file method shown. All the other complicated parts were shaped up in that wrecked vice too!



That was many years ago now, long before the washing-up bowl trick was thought of. I suspect that there may even now be some parts of those signals lurking somewhere in a shady corner or the shagpile?!

Pete.

Whew, what a week?! Painting Love Lane station was interesting in the heatwave. The Humbrols were drying on the brush twixt tin and model!

Progress on Bagshot has been a bit slow and not particularly photogenic as well. I have never been able to cope too well in hot weather and worry that when tired I become impatient and even more clumsy than usual!

So instead of just crashing on regardless, with the prospect of possibly having to undo and redo several days worth of work, I opted instead to do some research and prepare drawings for one or two detailing parts that will be required sometime soon. After all that procrastination with the Porter's room furnishings, the chimney piece must finally be built up and the walls need plastering too, so here goes...



It took me a while to work out the best way to make all the internal walls and corner chimney of this tiny (10 feet by 9 feet) room fit snugly, yet be easily removable, whilst also ensuring that every visible joint is overlapped in such a way that they are least noticeable at two viewing angles!

As if it were not challenging enough in theory?

The next problem is the chosen material. As previously described, I like the textured effect and softness of mount board to represent lime render, but admit that it is a bit fragile and prone to damage, especially at the top and bottom edges. Not such an issue if it were all glued solid and sealed up, but I particularly want the model interiors to be fully accessible!

In the main building the lofty ceilings have a moulded plaster frieze all round, thus allowing me to hide a strengthening wood strip along the vulnerable top edge, while at the floor the walls are easily protected by deep, sturdy skirting boards. Naturally, the staff messing facilities were completely unadorned with such frippery! Ironically, this means somewhat more work for me as I have to be extra careful when cutting and joining!



One really nice thing about mount board is how it is relatively easily delaminated. The most important bit is ensuring that the lengthwise cut is made at an even pressure and at as constant a depth as possible. Get it roughly right, and the stuff should just peel away, layer by layer.

Except of coarse when you have promised someone a demonstration, and they are watching attentively!



The down side of this board is that it does not take at all kindly to sanding, so the joint has to be as tight and flush as possible. I have found that a good coat or two of rattle can primer works wonders though. The first coat sometimes lifts the "grain" a bit, but when dry becomes strong enough to tolerate a very gentle rub down. A subsequent light coat makes it tough enough to withstand a bit more punishment, thus providing a little wriggle and recovery room!



Now for a suitable hob grate and stuff to stick on the walls before painting: A sink... ...some lockers... ...cupboards... ...hat and coat hooks... ...a cuddly toy... ...erm... ...no, no, wait a minute?!

Hi Peter this is an amazing piece of modeling its lovely to watch it coming together
Regards
John

Thank you John, I'm glad you are enjoying it.

After spending far too much time searching the web for reference I have finally decided upon the porter's room furnishings. A neighbour friend has a couple of splendid old Belfast sinks serving as planters that provided inspiration, so set about making one up.

I am fairly confident that the now disused hopper just to the outside right of the doorway betrays the original location of the waste water pipe and plug 'ole, so I am arranging everything else in the room around that!



First, the beastie itself plus a couple of wall brackets. I am hoping that flooding the inside corner and bottom joints of the basin with paint might provide just sufficient radii for the right effect?



I have assumed that the brackets probably extended up some way behind the sink, and as many old pics reveal what appears to be a fillet along the top edge I thought it would look a bit more convincing than simply butting it hard onto a plain plastered wall.

Painting on some degree of splash damage is going to be fun later?



There will be no modern plastic plumbing here says I, only proper old lead and cast iron stuff is good enough.

Except it happens to be made in plastic!

I am most impressed at how you have managed to bend that plastic rod without it breaking. Could you describe how you acheived it?

"Like" doesn't get close, Peter, your thread, your workmanship is an inspiration.

Best
Simon

Rob Pulham said:

I am most impressed at how you have managed to bend that plastic rod without it breaking

Click to expand...

I thought the same and wondered how Peter managed it so neatly, but then given his previous work I thought it's not made from rod but probably just carved from a solid piece of plasticard!

Peter Insole said:

Belfast sinks

Click to expand...

I have one in my kitchen and one outside. Being heavy they are blighters to move.

Peter Insole said:

I have assumed that the brackets probably extended up some way behind the sink, and as many old pics reveal what appears to be a fillet along the top edge I thought it would look a bit more convincing than simply butting it hard onto a plain plastered wall.

Click to expand...

I assume the holes at the end of the brackets are for legs to support the weight.

Thanks to you Rob and Simon.

In answer to your question Rob, lots of tries, burnt fingers and a bit of madness!!

I know I am a daft old fool, but I don't like mixing media if at all possible. If the main part is plastic then anything attached to it in the same material can be joined with one type of adhesive.

Looking back at yesterday's work I realise how much easier it would have been to simply bend a bit of brass rod for the sink trap instead of falling back on an old habit?

At risk of going somewhat off topic and including a bit of a gripe to boot, I have dug out some pics of yet another stalled project to demonstrate my method:

A certain major model manufacturer released a new "state of the art", 1/24th scale "must have" kit recently of a Routemaster bus. It was a touch pricey for me, so I was utterly delighted and even a bit embarrassed when my son and daughter in law generously bought me one for Christmas. The former emotion was sadly rather short lived after opening the huge glossy box, and the latter increased tenfold. Determination to rescue this kit turned to increasing desperation!

Here is a completely scratch built, all Plasticard replacement engine...



The air intake is an awkwardly cranked, round to rectangular affair that sits snugly over the front valve rocker cover and down to a manifold on the back of the cylinder head.

What I used was some of this stuff: (there is an awful lot of it in the box!)



As I have already mentioned my wife's dislike of plastic scraping sounds and spreading debris, now the job gets smelly too!

I use a paraffin burner from a railway lamp to stretch and shape "sprue" as it can be adjusted to burn clean and low, thus allowing bare digits to get really close to the naked flame!

When I eventually achieved a reasonably satisfying wriggly one it was fettled with scalpel, needle files and sanded into submission.





The trick when holding the plastic over the wick is to withdraw it mighty quick as soon as the slightest movement and softening is detected. It remains pliable for just long enough to stretch, twist and twiddle into the desired shape

At least, it does eventually after loads and loads of failures, scorched fingers and lots and lots of expletives!!

Unlike those clever glass blowing folks, I've never mastered the art of re applying heat to the work without the whole thing suddenly reducing to a glob or unexpectedly combusting, so one shot success and/or a load of scrap was all I could hope for!



Not quite right and lacking fine detail, but close enough to get the overall effect I hope?

Now please forgive me, but here is my GRIPE:

On other forums I read all the usual frothing eulogies over that bus model, finding only one person admitting that it suffered "A few minor accuracy issues" Take a look at this next pic, and wonder how something like this could possibly be regarded as remotely acceptable these days?



Sorry to end on this bitter and twisted note.

Oh well, back to the Bagshot kitchen sink I suppose.

My wife has once again commented that it is a pity that it is not the real thing and I've not got the Marigolds on!

"But I haven't made the draining board yet!" I replied.

Ouch!

Thanks too Adrian and Dave.

Yep, those ol' sinks are monstrously heavy. I was offered one of them but didn't fancy trying to shift it more than a few inches!

As I am not too sure about what the Bagshot walls are actually made of, and being aware that if the bricks are anywhere near as soft as our Suffolk Reds, that thing wouldn't have stayed bolted to it for very long! I fancied a nice pair of legs would be essential!

Thing is, they're going to have to be made from BRASS ROD!

Which just goes to show that I am a fool indeed!!

Pete.

That engine proves I have a long way to go..!

JB.

Oh dear JB, you didn't fall for one of those kits as well?

Care to share? It might help?!!!

Pete.

Hi Pete, no bus kits here, I was just referring to the general level of modelling skill.

I thought I was quite good, now I'm not so sure..

JB.

No, no, no JB! You are supposed to be encouraged!!

Pete.

Just a quick post before getting ready for work!

I was quite happy doing a plastic gas oven this morning. Then a neighbour came rushing round crying that she was getting flooded. Have now spent the rest of the afternoon struggling with completely furred up plumbing in what I imagine could be the hottest loft in the kingdom! I must now be several pounds lighter and am thoroughly acupunctured with absolutely millions of tiny glass needles.

Think I'll stick to 1/32nd miniatures thank you!



Still a bit fluffy! I will fettle it while I work out how on earth to make the burners, taps and the top grille (and the grill!)



Now it needs a great big old iron kettle on top, but do I make a wood draining board or an enamel one like Grandma's?

Pete.

This little gas stove has kept me rather busier than I thought it would, but it has got bags of period character, so I have accepted that it deserved the effort. It will look nice sitting in the corner with slightly blackened and blistered paint around it.

I have an idea how I am going to make the grid-iron, but it is going to be really delicate and desperately fiddly, so may take a while to pluck up the courage to tackle it!



I have finished the enamelling in a rather grubby state - assuming that the only folks to use it were old fashioned blokes!!



I was a bit disappointed that the tap fixing holes have not filled as well as I would like and left little dimples. It's no good, but will sort that when I fit the grid-iron!