Bagshot station build

[Peter Insole]

I have an appointment with a vampire this afternoon (quick nurse, the screens), so just a short post:

Internal partition walls are once again slotted in order to be removable. I have added timber strip to the top edges for strength, and to protect the soft mount board "plaster work". The joints will be hidden behind a decorative frieze that will be attached to the ceilings.



Mount board provides an excellent surface texture for the walls and should, hopefully, be reasonably protected from accident or weather damage?

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

It looks so inviting you'd want to shrink oneself and live it it .

 

[Osgood]

…..Mount board provides an excellent surface texture for the walls and should, hopefully, be reasonably protected from accident or weather damage?

Well - the way you're carrying on, I shouldn't be at all surprised to see a miniature working water tank appear in the loft - in which case you'd best hope for no leaks…..

 

[Peter Insole]

Thanks Dave and Os.

I know I'm making a fuss over this one, but I am somewhat driven!

Way back in 1967, our family fell on hard times. We moved in with Mum's Auntie, Cousin and "Uncle" at Wadhurst in Sussex. I was already very familiar with the place, having spent many school holidays there, but my parents found it very stressful. Dad got a job in Suffolk, and could only come home at weekends, which I think suited him as he couldn't get on with our hosts at all! He also had an aversion to dogs, but obviously felt that Auntie's Border Collie was by far the lesser of evils!
During that winter, Dad and me used to regularly take the animal for a walk down the narrow lanes to the Station, a roughly two and a half mile round trip! We always took the same route as we could pause in the wonderful old Southern Railway green and cream painted booking hall, and warm ourselves by a roaring fire in a big blackened grate. The cracking and purring sound of gaseous coal, and the steady rhythm of a ticking fusee clock would be accompanied by the occasional, barely audible ring of block bells and clatter of levers from within the signal box on the platform outside. If we timed it right, the clerk might have had a brew on, and we would be thus toasted and fortified for the march back home!

I'm sorry to say it, but not one single "preserved" station that I have visited so far gets close enough to recreating that atmosphere. These days all are perhaps too well cared for, too clean and always seem to be overwhelmed with "Period" and frequently inappropriate ornamentation.
This is not meant to be a criticism, for it is either regarded as commercial necessity, or even at times a genuine, but inevitable symptom of fading memory?

They still have spiders in the loo sometimes though!

Pete.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

This is similar to a story my dad has told me about when he as small boy in the and his parents (my grandmother and father) late 1930's were travelling from my grandfather's cousin (close to where I live now) to catch an early train from Keighley to London. They arrived at Keighley early around 4 in the morning and the station staff on duty promptly laid and lit a fire in the waiting room to enable them to warm up whilst they waited for the train.

 

[Peter Insole]

It would be tempting to think that such examples of friendliness have become somewhat rare these days! Attentive and helpful staff are still out there, but with so few in direct contact with the public we don't get to meet them very often! Mind you, fortunately that means we don't come across quite as many surly, grumpy old gits either!

Bagshot station booking office is still manned, but only during the early morning peak. For the rest of the day, a watching eye is kept over the premises by a veritable battery of CCTV cameras. Mindful of a recent, extremely unpleasant and utterly disproportionate response by an overly suspicious camera operator led me to seek the highest authorisation before visiting! I spoke on the telephone to a very nice lady at South West Trains HQ, and she promptly emailed me a splendidly colourful certificate that sternly advised; "To all NR and SW Trains staff... ...provide any assistance that Mr. Insole might require" etc.

The appointed day arrived and, suitably furnished with several copies (just in case) of that Authorisation, I set to work with tape measure and camera. Yes, I will admit that I became more than a little disappointed that I was not now going to be challenged by anyone. No strutting, arrogant Police Officers this time, nor even a "Jobsworth", no, not one single soul to interrupt me!

Finally, a white van pulled up and a chap with Network Rail high-vis, hard hat and a clipboard got out and commenced measuring the station as well. He too completely ignored me! In the end I couldn't resist, and approached him saying;

"You needn't bother mate, I've already done that bit!"

"eh?" he replied, and when I proffered my own clip board for him to inspect, he loudly exclaimed;

"That's no bleedin' good, it's in feet and inches!"

"Ah, yes" I replied, "I do everything in the old money, that's probably why I haven't got any and look like this"!

We ended up having a good conversation. It turned out that he was quite knowledgeable and enthusiastic about large and fine scale model railways!

Pete.

 

[Peter Insole]

Last week I put a bit more time into the S7 Love Lane layout. We are not in a panic yet, but a feeling of urgency is growing over there! This is one of the reasons for my short posting pause.

Anyway, here's a bit more of partition progress:



Ticket/Parcels office dividing wall and strangely wide and flat chimney breast above, Ladies Waiting room below:



Although I have found no evidence of it at Bagshot, I have included wainscoting in the main booking hall. It appears to have precedent in other similar LSWR stations, so unless anyone can advise otherwise...?

The chimneys have been battened vertically in order to permit wiring LEDs for the lit effect fires, with access from the roof space allowing easier removal of the partitions and also avoiding the need to turn the building upside down for same!



A view from the Ladies Room, all plastered up and awaiting door frames and fireplace.



I had carefully marked up the end wall for painting before remembering that, according to the official Southern Railway instructions, lavatories should be plain "Cream No. 10" from floor to ceiling!

Incidentally, I was recently handed a tin of paint "from a well known supplier" that was labelled; "Southern Railway Station Cream". It was a spot on match indeed, but for the above mentioned INTERIOR shade, and not the exterior "Stone" colour that I have mixed from genuine paint samples! I may have missed something and be completely wrong, but I fear that some modellers may have been unwittingly misled?

Having now stuck my noggin above the parapet with that last (and toned down) comment, I am nonetheless prepared to take any incoming fire!

Pete.

 

[john lewsey]

this really is a great thread

 

[Peter Insole]

Thanks John L. I'm nearly at the end of the historical bit and rapidly approaching overlap with the current work!

I'm getting all in a bother in the Ticket Office at the moment! I need to design and make the built in counter/cupboards, a ticket rack and find somewhere for a socking great Safe before I can complete the paint job! I'm confident that all the main features; door, ticket window and fireplace are in the correct positions, but I'll be blowed if I can get much else to fit in the awkward little room! I keep putting it off while searching for some other LSWR solutions, but doubt they are to be found now!

I will post the result, whatever that may be, soon!!

Pete.

 

[Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen]

It would be tempting to think that such examples of friendliness have become somewhat rare these days! Attentive and helpful staff are still out there, but with so few in direct contact with the public we don't get to meet them very often! Mind you, fortunately that means we don't come across quite as many surly, grumpy old gits either!

Bagshot station booking office is still manned, but only during the early morning peak. For the rest of the day, a watching eye is kept over the premises by a veritable battery of CCTV cameras. Mindful of a recent, extremely unpleasant and utterly disproportionate response by an overly suspicious camera operator led me to seek the highest authorisation before visiting! I spoke on the telephone to a very nice lady at South West Trains HQ, and she promptly emailed me a splendidly colourful certificate that sternly advised; "To all NR and SW Trains staff... ...provide any assistance that Mr. Insole might require" etc.

The appointed day arrived and, suitably furnished with several copies (just in case) of that Authorisation, I set to work with tape measure and camera. Yes, I will admit that I became more than a little disappointed that I was not now going to be challenged by anyone. No strutting, arrogant Police Officers this time, nor even a "Jobsworth", no, not one single soul to interrupt me!

Finally, a white van pulled up and a chap with Network Rail high-vis, hard hat and a clipboard got out and commenced measuring the station as well. He too completely ignored me! In the end I couldn't resist, and approached him saying;

"You needn't bother mate, I've already done that bit!"

"eh?" he replied, and when I proffered my own clip board for him to inspect, he loudly exclaimed;

"That's no bleedin' good, it's in feet and inches!"

"Ah, yes" I replied, "I do everything in the old money, that's probably why I haven't got any and look like this"!

We ended up having a good conversation. It turned out that he was quite knowledgeable and enthusiastic about large and fine scale model railways!

Pete.

When we planned our visit to Chigwell to measure up for Love Lane I e-mailed TFL to seek their permission. Theyimmediately agreed to the request and the visit was enormously assisted by a very helpful Station Manager. There are still loads of helpful people out there.
Tim

 

[Peter Insole]

Absolutely Tim! I know it might sound a bit corny, but are there not just a few who are lighting fires or sharing a refreshing brew amongst our fellow Thunderers too?

Pete.

 

[Peter Insole]

Staying on the subject of getting fired up has created a perfect link to the next stage!

Unfortunately, none of the original fireplaces have survived at Bagshot, so a bit more educated guesswork was required. After much trawling I found two examples at other LSWR locations. Though neither were complete, searching the Salvo website and e-bay produced some nice close representations. I needed two small, iron ones for the clerks offices and two large iron and slate jobs for the booking hall/waiting rooms.

Starting with the former, I made up a simplified version of the surround. It would have been nice to add some of the frivolous fancy detailing, but when they are all blacked up it shouldn't be too obviously absent?!



The fire-backs/grates will have to be removable for LED installation, so I had made the chimney apertures slightly larger than the surrounds, thus allowing the grates to slide out.



The shape of the fire-backs also provide a handy route for the LED wiring to run up the chimney.



I haven't added slots in the grates as they will be covered with the glowing "coals". Hopefully, when unlit, they should appear as if no-one had got round to cleaning the ashes out!



Carving plastic is quite quick and satisfying, but is an extreme annoyance for my wife. The little bits have a flea like habit of hopping aboard and then jumping ship unnoticed during the next voyage. Even when I have tried to be fastidious, which I confess is not often enough, it still manages to get deposited all around the house!

 

[Peter Insole]

Confirming my laissez-faire approach to domestic harmony, here are some more plastic scratchings:

Starting with the slate surrounds, cutting the iron insert and adding a bull nose strip around the inside of the arch:



Then more shaving of plastic to obtain an inward angle for the inner section insert.

When my wife read yesterday's post she expressed surprise that I hadn't mentioned that this scraping technique not only produces the aforementioned detritus but the procedure also makes a "squeaking" noise that puts her teeth on edge!

That she temporarily leaves the room and not me permanently is perhaps all the more remarkable?



Fortunately (and for the sake of my marriage?) the fairly plain corbels and mantelpieces only required making up, saving me from a more troublesome, let alone complex, "Ogee" shaping task!



Installed complete with grate, I could now start fitting the skirting, dado and poster frame rails

 

[Peter Insole]

Now bringing this story more or less up to date with more interior work and paint!



The Ladies lavvy was obviously a later addition in what would have originally been the First Class Waiting Room. Once again, I cannot be absolutely certain about the exact locations of the partition walls and doors, so have had to use what evidence is available plus a little bit of architectural knowledge!

Two interesting points, and ones that I have already been questioned about, is why the ladies were not provisioned for in the first place, and why did they always have to pay a penny to use it?

The answers are quite simple really. We tend to think historically that the railway companies provided such facilities at all stations for the benefit of their "customers". Not so. How many bus and coach stops have lavatories at or even nearby? Yet even the smallest wayside stations usually had a Gents urinal at the very least. They were for the staff who would have been, before and several years after the turn of the previous century working a minimum twelve hour day. They were of course all male as well! The fact that passengers could avail themselves was a bonus for the boys, and doubtless a discomfort for the girls! Looking at the layout on original plans of many stations, it becomes apparent that what in later years became "Ladies only" rooms were originally for the exclusive use of the local "Knobs" (Lord and Lady So-and-so included)! A penny charge for the privilege of private relief, in some cases belatedly provided such as here at Bagshot, would have been small change for them indeed! This precedent would also explain why generally, the Ladies WC's were only accessible from the waiting rooms.

It was also curious to note that the station was built in 1877/8, whilst the now familiar rim flush, "bog standard" bog, had yet to be invented and Patented! It may have been a few years after 1880 before the good Burghers of Bagshot could enjoy such dubious luxury instead of the dreaded "Thunderbox"?!




Paint at last! I had to mix the green colour from genuine samples, and was so pleased to have finally "nailed it" that I fancied slapping it about everywhere!

In my haste I have missed a couple of unfilled and un-fettled gaps, but there is enough of the Number 3A to come back and patch up later!



Sometimes waiting room and office floors were covered with Linoleum, and felt that this would be ideal. I have used a very thin plasticard sheet, painted on a flat surface prior to fitting with a varying mix of matt "leather" and a little dark brown and grey to dull it. Before it had fully hardened it was alternately polished vigorously with soft tissue and gently scuffed with a finest grade foam sanding block. This generated a terrific amount of static that had to be fully discharged before trimming and gluing down!

 

[Simon]

What a lovely thing to do with plastikard!

Brilliant modelling, looking at what you've done really makes me feel like I'm in the room and the "Southern-ness" of the paint finish is just terrific.

Simon

 

[mickoo]

I'm beginning to think that if you took the floor boards up you'd find olde newspapers or tickets stubs down there!

 

[Peter Insole]

Thank you Simon and Mick for your kind comments.

In our house we had a brick floor laid directly on earth in the back room and kitchen, but it was rather damp and had become a bit too uneven! When we eventually had it replaced with a concrete one (set deep enough to allow the bricks to be re-laid on top) the builders popped a couple of freshly minted coins into the mix. I believe that traditionally dead cats or other 'orrible things were entombed to ward off demons, so some pennies and a small time capsule were just fine!

I confess, that in likewise spirit I have indeed placed an appropriate and historic token in this building, but I'm not revealing what or where!

Pete.

 

[oldravendale]

That's of interest, Peter - our previous home, built in about 1830 (probably, although there are suggestions it was 18th Century) had been an ale house as part of a row of cottages. The floor in what had become the entrance hall and was previously the bar was quarry tiles laid on the mud floor showing wonderful wear wherever there had been most traffic - and not a spot of damp! One of the oldest locals remembered visiting to collect jugs of ale for her father.

We never found any time capsules, although there was a signature carved into one of the bricks of the porch. Most commonly we found broken porcelain, clay pipes and occasionally glass bottles, or parts thereof, embossed "Ivinghoe Brewery". As far as I can establish this was bought by Benskins in 1927 and closed at that time. The strangest items we dug up were some .303 cartridge cases.

Brian

 

[Peter Insole]

I think I am a frustrated archaeologist Brian! Our house is quite modern really, being built as recently as 1895. The original floor bricks that I mentioned were marked on their edges with the name of a local brickyard. When carefully lifting them I found one that had obviously been dropped as it was turned out of it's mould. Deeply impressed into either side were the finger and thumb prints of it's maker, the clay had been wet enough to perfectly preserve the finest detail. We shall never know his name or anything else about him except for three things; He was evidently a very big chap with huge hands, a compulsive nail-biter, and naturally long since passed away.

I have always been fascinated by such things. A doorstep, threshold or stair tread worn smooth by countless soles and of objects polished almost to oblivion by continuous handling. I always try to include some of that in my artwork, as well as on this model.

The porter's room door and internal decor is going to need quite a bit of wear and tear applied later!

Pete.

 

[Peter Insole]

I have been doing some fiddly-twiddly stuff in the Booking Hall this week, that is apart from exercising most of my expletive vocabulary on Wednesday while messing about with my car for it's MOT, including making a replacement part for the headlight and doing a "Ship in a bottle" job to fit it!

As I had previously mentioned, obtaining exact details for furnishing the ticket office with window, counter and cupboards has proved unsuccessful. I really want to get this part painted, so decided to adopt a generic approach. As all this work is attached to a removable partition wall it could be reasonably easy to modify or replace completely if more information comes to light!

First, the counter/cupboard front:

For some reason I decided to cut the whole panel to a snug fit and then de-laminate the drawer and doors areas, applying the drawer fronts and door framing separately. The trick for skimming off plies is to impart a slight upward twist to the scalpel blade as you slide it between the layers. It was all coming off nicely until argh! I felt the knife dig in deep. Rat bags! Right in the middle of the last door panel. It was time for a cuppa and fag break?

Aha! The answer was to cut the damaged area deeper and at an chamfered angle toward the hinge and by adding a new thin layer could represent a door left slightly ajar!



I had already decided to have one of the drawer fronts left partly open anyway, so the finished effect will look as if someone has been busy in the office!

The next bit will make painting a bit tricky, but I'd rather fit it all up than take the risk of getting glue on nice new paintwork. Problem was that the tiny wooden brackets would be extremely awkward to make, and rather too flimsy as well? So here's another trick:



Gluing the little strips onto a thin sheet of paper not only ensures geometric accuracy, but reinforces them too. It is cheating of course, I would have liked to cut proper joints, but after considering it I decided that I am insane enough already. Besides, I'm going to need several more of these blighters later!



I can give the whole thing a coat of primer, fettle it up and it will be ready for slapping on some more of that lovely number "3A" and "10"!