Londonderry Goods

[FiftyFourA]

Before anyone asks, no, this is NOT an Irish railway.

The name 'Londonderry' is found in many places in the East Durham area (not least my old watering hole in Sunderland where I spent many happy years) because a certain 'Lord' of this parish with that name owned many coal mines and was very rich. And he built railways - in fact the original Sunderland - Seaham railway was his, built to serve Seaham Docks ... which he built as well. The line was eventually taken over by the NER and is now part of the Durham Coast line.

Enough of the history, now to the layout. ‘Londonderry Goods’ is an ex-NER/LNER goods yard set somewhere in the south side of Sunderland around late 1950s/early 1960s.

The trackwork in front of the goods shed was originally part of a small layout belonging to the late Bill Carlson. When Bill died he left me the layout; part of it is now installed in my permanent loft layout and the rest lay dormant for years then, about 3 years ago I decided to convert it into a small shunting layout and added Tortoise point motors, converted it to DCC and extended the scenic area.

I try to operate the layout in a prototypical manner for the late 1950s/early 1960s when railways were still the main method for delivering goods. Freight trains would operate between the main towns & cities and then the various wagons would be sent out to the many smaller goods sheds around the area for transhipment to the shops, factories and homes. ‘Londonderry Goods’ represents one of these smaller goods sheds.





Locomotives are either kit built or ready to run products; all are DCC/sound fitted. Wagons are mostly kit built with one or two scratch-built ones; they all have extra weight to improve running and are weathered to represent to normally decrepit state they were at that time.



The buildings are made from plastic sheet, plywood etc., covered with embossed sheet to represent different types of stone/brick wall and are (loosely) based on local buildings.




The layout has been to about 6 local shows since it was 'finished' just over 2 years ago and has a few invites for the next couple of years - probably because it is only 9 feet long so can easily fill a spare corner (and it's cheap!).

Anyway, I enjoyed building it and operating it. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Now it's back to finishing off East Dock then back onto 54E. To think, I had not built a layout for 30 years (since before family etc.) and now thats 2 'complete', one in the build plus the loft layout - oh and a small EM gauge one as well. How on earth did I ever have time to go to work .

Peter

 

[Osgood]

Oh joy - such realistically blackened stonework!

What a delightful 6ft-and-a-bit of north east grime. The painted corrugated sheet buildings in the back scene (pic 1) work really well.
Plenty of inspiration in these pictures, thanks for sharing.

Tony

 

[Rob Pulham]

Superb Peter,

I especially like the view through the arch

 

[simond]

Peter,

It's very evocative - would you be able to give some pointers re the blackened stonework? I just had a go, and I'm not convinced by my efforts.

Cheers
Simon

 

[Locomodels]

Superb Peter,

I especially like the view through the arch

Plus one. The rail level view is just super.

 

[john lewsey]

This is superb

 

[FiftyFourA]

Thank you for all of the comments and likes, I am a bit taken aback by the reaction.

Simon, the stonework is Slaters topped off with Plastruct half round suitably scored to represent each stone. First I use Halfords plastic primer, white, then, when dry I give a base coat of pale stone enamel (read that in MRC a few issues ago by the guy who built Hebble Vale - I think).

Next, I basically dry brush (although the brush is not completely dry) with an acrylic colour that defies description - it is from the pot I clean my brushes in. I noticed that no matter what colours I used the water always ended up a dirty dark brown, so I thought ... what the hell?

I brush in vertical strokes downward with a flat brush (that has seen better days) so that most of the 'muck' goes on the top edge of the stones but, because it is not totally dry, some also 'leaks' downward. Then I pick out individual stones or groups of stones with a properly dry brush with either a very dark grey (NOT black), burnt umber or even burnt sienna to give some muted variance, with the coping stones getting the most of the darkest colour.

I think the important thing is to follow nature and brush downward almost flicking the stones.

Last I use Lifecolor 'Leaking & Stains' for the moss etc caused by damp you often find at the base of walls; its really for wood but works for walls as well.

Hope this helps - Peter

 

[simond]

Peter

Thanks for this. Our techniques are not hugely different, but your results suggest that I should persevere (or practice more!)

I'll stick at it!

Thanks again
Simon

 

[oldravendale]

Hi Peter.

Having wandered around many goods and loco yards in my yoof I have to say that the trackwork viewed through the bridge/tunnel mouth is sublime. The kink in the track, and the dipped track and joints is so true to prototype - whether by accident or design.

It's one of those things on which I wish I'd expended a few exposures when it was so freely available to photograph, but at the time I didn't know that my interest would develop in to model making.

Brian

 

[FiftyFourA]

Brian,

I would love to say it's by design but I didn't notice it until you pointed it out. On my next layout (54E of this parish) will have to try to build-in such features, although I don't think it will be that difficult for me,

Simon, that's the advice everyone gives me about airbrushes but it is true for me in this case. I tried for ages to get the finish I wanted and eventually got there. I have to admit that 'discovering' that grime colour in my brush washing pot was a great help.

Peter

 

[oldravendale]

Oops! Sorry. I wasn't trying to cast nasturtiums on a superb bit of model making.

B

 

[simond]

Call the slightly wiggly rails "a happy accident". It looks the part, anyway.

Best
Simon

 

[FiftyFourA]

Brain,

Worry not mate, your comments were not taken as a critisism. It is, as Simon says, "a happy accident" and I shall point out that wiggly bit at future exhibitions as a 'prototype feature' , so thanks for mentioning it.

I have since been to Specsavers .

No, really, I did find that the old eyes needed a check up after try to fit the crankpins to a 4mm model I was building for someone.

Peter

 

[Jordan]

Call the slightly wiggly rails "a happy accident". It looks the part, anyway.

Some around here (usually in Area51) call it "Jordan track"

Nice to see it on a British outline layout though.
The backscene factories & stacks are sublime!! Very realistic and yet quite impressionistic when you look closely.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I like the triple arch road bridge/scenic break . Much more interesting than the usual single/double track road bridge.

 

[FiftyFourA]

Thank you Dave.

It was based on a local bridge directly opposite the inspiration for the goods shed and I was really pleased at last years Newcastle show when Mick Simpson (he of 2mm fame) spotted the location straight away. Must have gotten something right. As usual, building was quicker than the painting & weathering down. Actually, I rather enjoyed that bit.

I hope the single dekker bus avoided the cliche of the double dekker bus on the bridges you mention.

I blocked off one arch because it was a bit too tight for using the traverser. My ususal 'bag of a fag packet' planning failed me this time (as it often does ).

Peter

 

[FiftyFourA]

After every exhibition you come back with a 'snagging list' of repairs or alterations and this layout is no exception. I mentioned on my East Dock thread the problems with the 08 that normally works on this layout, well add the J72 to that. Anyway, they are in my workroom, at least I think they are but if you ever see my workroom you would be suprised I ever find anything - I am .

Anyway, the layout first. The easy task is to move the buffer stops on the extension I put in before the bridge. The siding was simply too short for engine & brakevan because of the space taken up by the rail buffer stops; the track is long enough so I have replaced the Peco ones by NER style ones by Gavin Thirkell of this parish (Stoneybridge Structures).



They are laser cut in plastic & wood and, as NER buffer stops sat on the ground, they would allow me to use the full length of the existing siding.

Fixed in place with a part built Parkside Grampus for gauging.



Sorry about the poor photo, this Olympus just can't seem to focus in macro mode. Should I buy a new camera or another Dapol 08? Answers on a postcard please.

This is what it looks like painted (first coat) and the first layer of ballast.



Now is the boring bit, waiting for the stuff to dry.

I could always tidy my workroom . Think a cup of coffee and a lie down are called for after that thought.

Peter

 

[Puddlejumper]

Have to say it Peter, I've also got some of those buffers from Gavin AND he made a new name board for Jackson's Yd. very reasonable, great quality and he even showed me through the whole process from drawing to cutting. I've got a couple of other jobs for him to do now.
No other links just a very satisfied customer

 

[Gavin Thirkell]

Have to say it Peter, I've also got some of those buffers from Gavin AND he made a new name board for Jackson's Yd. very reasonable, great quality and he even showed me through the whole process from drawing to cutting. I've got a couple of other jobs for him to do now.
No other links just a very satisfied customer

Cheers Doug. You will have to post some photos when they are done