Marshcastle

[Simon]

Given the arrival of Jim S-W's masterwork on these shores, here follows an insouciant little snap of Rowley New Street showing how cardboard can be made to look a bit less like, er, cardboard.



I need to vary my grays a bit more, but it has quite a pleasing multi-storeyness to it as you glance across the room

Simon

 

[Simon]

A bit more work in the cardboard city....

Harry got busy with the paints on Rowley New Street station:



While I ballasted the line around the level crossing at Marshcastle:



Mrs Miggins' house was temporarily removed during this operation

Simon



Work has

 

[Jordan]

... here follows an insouciant little snap of Rowley New Street ...

Where's me Dictionary?...

"I - N - S - O - U - C - I - A - N - T"........
Flip me these lessons are getting hard - even on the Back row...

 

[Simon]

Another busy day in BluePeterland

Concrete surfaces made a bit more subtle, all white board surfaces painted using up dodgy old acrylics, Station tower finished, more or less, station throat part ballasted and another des res made from butchering an old Faller kit that I acquired from goodness knows where.



I think the car park is full! We got out the modern trains today:



I don't think the new signalbox is going to win any design awards



Beeee - Baarp!

Simon

 

[Captain Kernow]

I don't think the new signalbox is going to win any design awards

Indeed, but the Wehrmacht would have been proud!

 

[Simon]

Indeed, but the Wehrmacht would have been proud!

Ah yes, confused conversations in model - land

"Up Marshcastle standing at UM 15"

"For you Tommy, ze war is over"

"Bandits at 5 o'clock"

"Div!e Dive! Dive!"

Sorry, too much of Mrs Miggins' nettle and parsnip wine - roulade anyone?

 

[iploffy]

The SB looks like a receipt hole from a speed bank, can I have some money plesssze, vos did you say nein, crap!!!!!!

 

[Simon]

The SB looks like a receipt hole from a speed bank, can I have some money plesssze, vos did you say nein, crap!!!!!!

You could have a point there, hopefully the window frame and some painting will releved the "slotyness", on the other hand maybe I'll try another style - its only cardboard....

Mind you, the mark 1 version was even more "stalag luft" than this one

 

[Old Buffer]

And here's me thinking it was a letter box waiting for some red paint.
Keep up the really good bodging
Alan

 

[Jordan]

I don't think the new signalbox is going to win any design awards

Maybe not now, but it did when it was built in the 1960's....
Anyway as I think Jim S-W will confirm, the Signal Box at B'ham New St doesn't even have any windows, so you could copy that idea....

 

[Simon]

Well I'm afraid I'm still completely distracted by "cardboardmania" here's a quick tour of the latest developments around the local network

First off is a pasengers' eye view along platform 3 - mind the gap!



Next is a view of the more or less completed factory/office that sits above the western approach, cobbled together from a Faller "terminus hotel". I think my conceit is that the building pre-dates the railway which has had to cut through in front of it. It needs a suitably old fashioned business name, currently favouring "Josia Cringe", not sure what they're doing up there though!



The car park is already in operation, no shortage of customers, probably all shopping in the nearby Rotunda shopping centre.



Down in the depths of the station the redevelopment has created some interesting light and shade effects for photographers...



At the "sunny end" of the station there's no shortage of action for the local trainspotters as the new order takes hold in the brave new post BR era



Next we'll catch a local train and see what's going on at Marshcastle.

Simon

 

[Simon]

Don't worry, not much more to put up with

The level crossing has now been properly grouted in and painted, and looks quite satisfyingly "complicated" with all the check rails in place.



Finally we have decided what is going to be to the right of the level crossing, it is a pair of plaster cast buildings as produced by Michael Rayner some years ago, quite "approximate" but charming I think, apparently based upon buildings on his native Isle of Wight. They need a bit more painting work but already look the part when plonked in position with a bit of temporary lichen - I love the smell of this stuff!



That's all folks!

 

[Steve Cook]

Top bodgery that man

I like the 'new order' shot from above, a proper trainset.

 

[40126]

Looking really good Simon.

Steve

 

[Simon]

Thanks for the comments.

Later on I did quite a bit of ballasting, which is all now hopefully drying out. Doesn't half make all the cardboard structures soggy



All stock has been shunted to the other end of the station, which is a bit of a mess at the moment...



Harry and I have a cunning plan for a scenic feature to the right of the coal wagons, the piles of old vehicles are a clue

Simon

Must get back to some "proper" modelling

 

[Jordan]

... I did quite a bit of ballasting, which is all now hopefully drying out. Doesn't half make all the cardboard structures soggy

Must admit I was quite surprised to see the card platforms in place before the ballast....

 

[iploffy]

excellent, very land locked typical of the 1960's. This is supposed to be a train set and it's beginning to look like a maser piece.

 

[Captain Kernow]

I like the way this whole thing is going.

Keep it up, Simon, get the 7F out, and run a few 1960s steam freights through 'New Street'...!

 

[Simon]

What 7F?

Still recovering from doing Shepton Mallet show yesterday, but here's a view from the "other end" of the station taken a week or so ago that I quite like.

Although b*gger all work has taken place, you will be pleased to hear that we have at least been running a regular service for commuters from Marshcastle to Rowley New Street and return

Simon

 

[Jordan]

Although b*gger all work has taken place, you will be pleased to hear that we have at least been running a regular service....

I'm having the same problem with my HO loft layout - now the track is down there have been some regular freight workings to the Industrial Park, and with my guidance my lad and his mate even managed a genuine "Helper" (UK = "Banker") turn last week at the third attempt! ........ but not much done scenically at all.....