Edwards Farm - sometimes known as 'Operation King Edward.'

[Dave F.]

The Baltic conditions here have driven me inside so projects that can be undertaken in the warm are the order of the day.

OKE needs some farm vehicles so a couple have been sourced to reflect the time the layout is set. During the late 40s early 50s farms were still transitioning to new methods including tractors with hydraulic lift. This, video shows pre war tractors including those with iron wheels and horse drawn wagons still in use. It shows a very harsh life, especially during the horrendous weather of the late 1940s when the Fens were extensively flooded.

My late father talked about tractors having to be used to tow other tractors off the fields on the Essex farm where he worked at the time. I have also talked through Essex farm life at the time with my mother. Use was made of tracked vehicles to pull implements so I have modeled an 8 tine cultivator that can be trailed by such a vehicle. This is a Langley kit and will be parked in a suitable spot unless I do build a suitable tractor. The wagon and horse is a Dart Castings kit, the horse is a shire, a horse used in Norfolk.

View attachment 254945

The cultivator kit was quite complex with poor instructions and it was difficult to source good photos of this particular model so this is a good approximation. The wagon has been assembled so the shafts can turn for better positioning. Priming and painting next.

Warmer at the weekend so some work on the layout might be possible.

Strange as it seems, but I've just done the same 8 tine cultivator from Springside, kit number FM8 in 4mm. It just fits on a wooden Lowfit. The colours shown on the label were blue frame with red wheels, I couldn't find an exact match on various websites of preserved machinery but some were these colours. I've also done a Massey Harris muck spreader and a Davy Brown Cropmaster tractor. The David Brown brought back memories for me as I had restored a 1943 David Brown VAC1 tractor in the 70s which was the forerunner to the Cropmaster. I missed getting the original spadelug wheels for it and the farmer reckoned he needed more money for them as he had 'stored them carefully' in the barn when he put pheumatic tyres on but when I tried to contact him later in the year he had passed away and the farm sold and cleared....
These items are for the pickup goods on 'Wharfeside' but will probably just be passing though.
Dave F

 

[Mullie]

I decided to go with the photo I found online. I'm aware some were the colours suggested by Springside but preferred the colours in the photo and it gave me a chance to experiment with AK markers and water colour pencils.

Modelling farm equipment is sort of a return to childhood. Dad was a cowman so the farm was our playground. A barn similar to the one on the layout was part of the view from my bedroom window. Potatoes were an important autumn crop.

 

[David Hall]

OKE continues to be tweaked ahead of the RM Web exhibition in April. I wasn't happy with the back scene in the left hand corner caused by an issue with the lighting rig.

Over the weekend this corner was rebuilt and a new piece of back scene put in, a big improvement to my eyes.

View attachment 260175

The layout will be exhibited as a work in progress, still much to do.

Good to see progress is being made.
As always, the colours, weathering, and overall picture are second to none. Simply superb!

 

[Mullie]

Some tired looking potato boxes have appeared on Edward's Farm. These ones will go back out to the field if they are empty.



Once the barn is in place these will not be easily seen, there are more to build. They are a Scale Model Scenery product.

 

[Mullie]

Rush hour at Edward's Farm.



The 4f is on test checking everything is working OK. Details still to be added and it needs weathering.

 

[Mullie]

Some stock on test for the layouts exhibition debut at the RM Web event in Taunton on Sunday.





The layout is still very much a work in progress. Having our house up for sale has taken up a lot of time I would normally use for exhibition prep.

 

[Mullie]

OKE made its exhibition debut at the RM Web event in Taunton recently, the first time the layout had been set up properly. Photos by Jamie Warner who always thoroughly flatters my modelling.









The narrow gauge part is now back on the workbench as many lessons were learnt and there are some quite big changes in the offing. More soon.

 

[Mullie]

After the RM Web exhibition OKE was separated, the standard gauge part was put in storage so I could concentrate on the 009 section. Swag showed some issues with operation so a radical rethink was called for not least to try and hide the entrance to the fiddle yard. This is what I have come up with. The layout is currently lit by a single angle poise.



The barn has been moved to the right, the shorter middle siding is shown with a couple of open wagons present. The longer front siding can now be shunted much easier, the front of the baseboards need tidying up as they are currently quite scruffy.



At the left hand end are some buildings based on a Scale Model Scenery kit though I replaced the coverings. The walls are artists watercolour paper reflecting a more East Anglian wall covering, corrugated roofs are Scalescenes, not so brightly coloured and a Wills slate roof. Still needs finishing and bedding in. The rust needs developing on the corrugated roof and the building on the right definitely has a lean that needs dealing with.



To try and disguise the exit to the fiddle yard the fiddle sidings have been scenically treated and the traverser painted black.



Wagons can be shunted right along the front of the buildings.



The locals prefer internal combustion to run through the barn, a bit less fumy than steam though the staff don't always listen.

I really like the layout in this format, it works well and is easy to operate. There is a possibility that it will stay like this and be further developed though not sure what will happen to the standard gauge, maybe they can still be combined for exhibitions?

Scenic treatment is very basic so much to do.