7mm Turning resin into wood and other thingies GWR

[John TAYLOR]

The playtime layout continues. Experimenting with colour and tones to give some distance perhaps...

It is`nt going to work with black iron fencing so that will have to be changed.
The coal stage has`nt been coloured in yet but fits in well with the shed scene....

It`s always the smaller details that take up so much time... wooden station seats have been moved under the canopy for protection from inclement weather and newer 1930`s cast iron replacements have arrived replacing wooden ones that did`nt survive. Non-standard cast iron platform lamps replaced the previous wooden posted originals.



Still lots to do.....

 

[Steaming-Chris]

I have noticed that you have mounted the layout features into what looks like mount board. May I ask why you did this rather than mount to the baseboard ?
Great layout by the way.
Regards, Chris

 

[John TAYLOR]

Thanks Chris
I have a cervical and lumbar spine problem so lifting heavy objects can be very problematic. This guided my desire to build an exhibition layout in lightweight format. This has been an experiment in what you can get away with in O Gauge.



I also wanted to offer some protection to all the modelling efforts and have each unit to have it`s own integrated lighting for which I used domestic kitchen LED lighting strips which I hoped would enable me to work on any unit I chose in the confines of my kitchen , but under it`s own illumination.



As a further experiment I used two layers of 5mm foam board, the type sold by Hobbycraft as a sound deadening experiment , I then laid the trackwork on a further 5mm layer so that I can cut into the `ground` to add a little profiling here and there which as yet I hav`nt needed to as I changed the overall station project last year....



Hope that makes sense..... This of course directed my need to use point motors and underboard electricals to be low profile as the unit bases are only two inches deep.
John

 

[GrahameH]

Good to see the previous work which lead to the present offerings John.

May I ask if you have any thoughts about the support spines to the rear being covered up or being left as they are in the final presentation.

I note there are several discussions held with regard to these taking away an inch or so from the overall depth if a back scene is included over them.

G

 

[John TAYLOR]

Hi Graham ,
If I repeat these units again I will design out the spines. I shall live with them as they are because on the plus side they help keep the units robustness when joined together. The main issue is me changing tack because on the original layout they would have been part of a grassed embankment.

I`m happy to live with them as I doubt if I will exhibit it all...it will be my play thing and test track and key learning project......

The next one w................................................................................................................................................................................................... ?

.....is slowwwwwwwwwwwwwly being .



....still the one true faith naturally.....

Cheers

JOhn

 

[GrahameH]

it will be my play thing and test track and key learning project

Totally agree with you there, very similar approach to my project. I recall watching your videos for Churchill Halt and thought it spoke volumes for a GWR layout in a small space......and carrying on with one true faith here too.

I do like the engine shed John, extremely well painted, very time consuming I'm sure but well worth it !

Is it an Intentio laser kit by any chance ? The blue engineering brickwork certainly gives it an edge. Sorry to ask, what reference paint did you use ?

G

 

[John TAYLOR]

I`m still going to use my little wooden halt G , as it`s one of the few mostly scratch built platforms I`ve made.....



She is looking a little dusty and is weathering naturally on a shelf in the shed, Ive built an INTENTIO Pagoda and have been tempted to change as the shape of the modified Skytrex one looks wrong........ but it does have a fully detailed interior...

My colour reference for the INTENTIO shed was guesstimated using this photo of the weighbridge office...........



And then light grey undercoat of Halfords Primer..









then I use mostly Phoenix Precision enamel products.

Airbrush their Light Brick.



and then adding various little amounts of white paint to their Engineers Blue Brick which as you hint has to be hand applied....

Then leave to totally dry and harden for at least 3 days...

Then, doing small areas at at a time slosh on a mortar colour mix of your choice. I found Precision Southern Railway Building Stone worked for me. Then quickly wipe away with a clean tissue leaving a residue in the mortar grooves.

Which very subtly changes the tone of the two brickwork colours.....




Then Bob`s ya Doodah ! all done.......

 

[GrahameH]

Thank you John for your very comprehensive description ( and photographs ), its always useful to get another view on painting. I have mostly been using Vallejo products through the airbrush onto laser cut buildings and am reasonably happy so far, it's in an attempt to retain consistency but I do turn to enamels from time to time. I think that is where enamels tend to win out in respect of the mortar joints.

Your use of them has certainly brought the details to life. I'm pleased to see Churchill Halt is still "alive" as it was that together with Dave Stone's Sherton Abbas that was an encouragement for me to start in 7mm, especially watching your locos going through your pointwork.

Grahame

 

[John TAYLOR]

Thankyou Graham , so pleased to have given encouragement to at least one person.....

Sherton Abbas is one of my followed favourites . I stood many times to watch the locos go by last year at Telford possibly now the last Telford I shall attend. (ended my GOG membership +/- Pandemic) and will probably name my current fictitious layout ` TELFORDS END `

Here`s a little more encouragement........

 

[John TAYLOR]

I`m getting to be quite a fan of Dapol O gauge products. So, to facilitate my laziness in scratch building I`ve recently put one of their RTP GWR working signals through it`s paces prior to fitting in place on the layout.

The out of the box set up is very well thought out and the solenoid bounce is to my mind excellent for the price. Ok they are not to everyone`s taste
with scale accuracy perhaps.....incorrect ladder profile, overscale post fittings, and undernourished finial, but these things are changeable and Dapol need to cater for the ham fisted amongst us and the casual railway modellers/collectors.

But for a Ready To Plonk working signal, for a tad over £50 I think they are brilliant.

Anyhow, in true finescale enthusiasm I`ve had a look at one with regard to changing a couple of things that I think can be easily done without damaging the working mechanism.

Electrically the signal lamp is a very bright LED so, to reduce the glare I powered it at 6volt DC using one of these adapters....



....rather than the full 12volts. Lower voltage than this and nothing happens....

So, the signal itself...



There are three areas I though might make things look more realistic...changing the ladder rungs which are hoops rather than rungs and changing the finial to a more scale appearance.

For this I chose Peco plastic signal ladders which are almost the same size and Modelu GWR signal finial which has the correct ball shape and slits.

The third modification was to make the ladder support struts a more thinner profile and for this was just some very patient work with various files and abrasive pads.
The metal ladder is very easy to remove, and to replace with a Peco version require the holes in the base to be made 0.5mm close to gether to accommodate thicker plastic ladder side and a similar adjustment to the slots in the signal platform

So, having removed the Dapol ladder the support struts have been filed down but leaving their strength intact.....



Then it was `orf with it`s `ead` and replace the finial.........





...cut the Peco ladder to size and superglue into position.



Job almost done.......






I`m happy with it so that`s all that matters........

 

[GrahameH]

I`m happy with it so that`s all that matters........

Agreed.

I did wonder if anyone would do this and you have certainly made it look much better John. The icing on the cake is the Modelu finial for me.

I'd considered it too but change the signal arm itself for an etched version but, I'm not brave enough !

Nice work as usual.

Grahame

 

[John TAYLOR]

Thanks Graham,

The next one I purchase I plan to change to a shunt arm, but a real modeller would change the ladder for an etched one

John