Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
That's a very modern 'footpath' sign - what era are you aiming for? With shunting horses mentioned I'm guessing it's about 50 years out of synch...?

FYI - Helvetica as a typeface was designed in 1957, so this might be more suitable, but I'd suggest it's inter-war period at the earliest:
public-footpath-signs-in-the-village-of-west-yellow-hampshire-JAHB4Y.jpg


Steph
 

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
Hi Steph.

You raise a good point there. It was just a sign that i happened to have, it never occurred to me whether it would fit in with my timeline. I have been looking through a couple of books and can find no sign saying "Footpath". 1930s, probably wouldn't have even been one.
Revise rule book: take more notice of your Timeline. The sign will be removed!
However, i did find this with a date of 1933 but not of the area i am modelling


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PNFS: About our signposts
Interesting site about signs.
Colin
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
If you (or anyone else) wants images of old public signs, search on 'Royal Label Factory' and look at the images. To those of us of advanced years, they bring back many childhood memories!
Dave
 
trees

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
Trying to think of something slightly different in the scenery department for Exton Quays. Walking the dog, down by the river a couple of weeks ago i came across a rather splendid looking weeping willow. I have not seen these modelled very often, for obvious reasons. They are not the easiest of trees to get right. I thought about pipe cleaners but these are far to thick. Searching around the 'net' there's not a lot of ideas out there of how to make one. On my own with this one then.
The trunk is made up from that green wire that florists use, wrapped up with some dark brown, bark looking tape that i have know idea where it came from. To strengthen the joints i used tile grout mixed with PVA and painted. Now begs the big Question, how do you model all the hanging bits? Some are made from Woodland Scenics, those long fine dark Green fibres that they sell, the longer ones are made from lengths of cotton, dragged through Mod Podge and then dragged through some fine light green flock, has to be one of the most laborious modelling tasks i have ever undertaken. There are still a lot of these strands to add but you get the idea. I think, so far its coming on well.

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Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
I was going to post an update last night but Microsoft in its ultimate wisdom decided to go nuts on updates. Back up and running, here goes. I have resized these Photographs, The originals can be seen here

Exton Quays

Not entirely sure about the Weeping Willow ??? It took an age to make.

Exton Quays copy 1.jpg


Moving along the layout towards the Station Building.

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What you see is what you get, as they say.

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It looks like No.94 has found its home. Built from a Southeastern finecast kit. It is fitted with a Highlevel Gearbox and Mashima motor. She will creep around the layout all day long. Pick-ups were a pain to fit, there is a lot going on under this little beauty.

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Modern cameras can be cruel devices. Don't panic, i'll admit to making mistakes, well i am only human. I didn't notice it before but there is a glaring fault here. I blame the Spirit Level.

Exton Quays copy 6.jpg

The end of the layout that still needs work.

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jonte

Western Thunderer
Love the station building, Colin, and it’s minuscule proportions.

The brickwork is especially attractive and quite realistic. May I ask what colours you used?

Regards,

Jonte
 

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
Hi Jonte.
Of course you may ask, only to happy to help. After all, that's what we are all here for, Yes?

The Brickworks is South Eastern Finecast brick embossed sheet. I find this stuff very easy to work with.
Now, down to the colours. They are all Humbrol Enamels.

The Mortar is Beige Matt 148. I have a tin that i have left the lid off for a while so that it has a thick consistency. This is painted on the whole wall and wiped off with a piece of kitchen roll. You might not get it all off but that doesn't matter. Leave overnight to dry.

The rest of the colours are dry brushed on.
Red Matt 60
Brown Matt 113
Gray Matt 32
I pick out certain areas with
Black Matt 33
Blue Matt 25
Some colours are mixed on a piece of Plastikard just to get a variation. There is no right or wrong way just play around until you think it looks right.

Colin
 

jonte

Western Thunderer
Hi Jonte.
Of course you may ask, only to happy to help. After all, that's what we are all here for, Yes?

The Brickworks is South Eastern Finecast brick embossed sheet. I find this stuff very easy to work with.
Now, down to the colours. They are all Humbrol Enamels.

The Mortar is Beige Matt 148. I have a tin that i have left the lid off for a while so that it has a thick consistency. This is painted on the whole wall and wiped off with a piece of kitchen roll. You might not get it all off but that doesn't matter. Leave overnight to dry.

The rest of the colours are dry brushed on.
Red Matt 60
Brown Matt 113
Gray Matt 32
I pick out certain areas with
Black Matt 33
Blue Matt 25
Some colours are mixed on a piece of Plastikard just to get a variation. There is no right or wrong way just play around until you think it looks right.

Colin

Thanks, Colin. Most generous.

Thanks also for your prompt reply.

Jonte
 

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
I was never really happy about the control panel on Exton Quays, the fact that i had actually marked out the track plan slightly wrong also didn't help. It just looked a bit cheap and nasty, old school if you like, made from a piece of White backed hardboard. So, I made another one with a bit more thought about it.
Over the Bank Holiday i had a running session and a couple of things came to light. One problem with layouts operated from the front is, you don't want to get in the way of the general viewing public, leaning across asking them to move to change a point etc to me, is bad practice. With Exton and where you are sat to operate the layout i thought a better idea would be for route indicator lights on the panel just as a guide that have set the points for the right route. Made from a piece of Perspex, i laid out the track plan with masking tape on the back of the perspex, sprayed it black, removed the masking tape, then painted a piece of plastikard green then stuck this to the back of the perspex. job done.

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Sorry about the Finger prints will clean before next session.
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Odam's Fertiliser

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
Every railway needs a reason to exist. There use to be a Fertiliser plant near Topsham, Guano was imported from South America, unloaded into barges and brought up the estuary to be unloaded at the Quayside (ships were to big to negotiate the channel) Finished products were then forwarded by train for delivery throughout the country.
Exton Quays needs a warehouse this is my take on what might have been.

Sorry about the Hornby controller in the background its purely for testing.
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Update

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
I thought it was time for an update.

What has been happening on Exton Quays well, mainly the fitting of "Sprat and Winkles" to the rolling stock, some details have been added to the layout, still plenty of this to be carried out. I have also been working on an idea of smoke from Odams chimney using an "e cigarette" I think this is going to work and look good. I have also been building another Adams 02 kit (not the one in the photos) it was previously built by someone else and is proving to be problematic.

On the whole, the layout is coming along well. All works as it should. A proper running session is booked soon to work out what stock is needed and the best location for uncoupling magnets, Generally these are fitted during the track laying process as any self respecting modeller will tell you but i have this knack of doing it my way, experience tells me that they normally end up where you don't really need one.

I have 4 of the new Brassmasters LSWR wagon kits to build, previously designed by Martin Finney. They are superb kits but look extremely complicated, if it was easy we would all be doing it. I also have another Roxey mouldings carriage to build. Plenty to be going on with over the next few months.
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More photos and details on progress of Exton Quays are available on my blog here
CParkstone's Railway modellers Blog: Exton Quays another update.

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jonte

Western Thunderer
I thought it was time for an update.

What has been happening on Exton Quays well, mainly the fitting of "Sprat and Winkles" to the rolling stock, some details have been added to the layout, still plenty of this to be carried out. I have also been working on an idea of smoke from Odams chimney using an "e cigarette" I think this is going to work and look good. I have also been building another Adams 02 kit (not the one in the photos) it was previously built by someone else and is proving to be problematic.

On the whole, the layout is coming along well. All works as it should. A proper running session is booked soon to work out what stock is needed and the best location for uncoupling magnets, Generally these are fitted during the track laying process as any self respecting modeller will tell you but i have this knack of doing it my way, experience tells me that they normally end up where you don't really need one.

I have 4 of the new Brassmasters LSWR wagon kits to build, previously designed by Martin Finney. They are superb kits but look extremely complicated, if it was easy we would all be doing it. I also have another Roxey mouldings carriage to build. Plenty to be going on with over the next few months.
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More photos and details on progress of Exton Quays are available on my blog here
CParkstone's Railway modellers Blog: Exton Quays another update.

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If it was a painting, I’d say it was a Constable.

A restful scene indeed, Colin.

Will check out your blog too.

Jonte
 

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
Jonte, Thank you for the comment, "Constable" just the sort of feel i was trying to create, seems i may have succeeded.

All we have been doing the last few days is painting figures and finishing off an ex-LSWR 48 ft carriage. I have also fitted some more stock with Sprat and winkle couplings.

Colin.
 
Update

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
Judging by the other entries, it would look as if everyone is having a good time with the competition. I was just looking back through some of the photos i have taken of Exton Quays during its build and i came across this one.
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Its hard to believe that on the 4th August 2017 this is how Exton Quays looked, track laid but nothing else. Now, look where we are now, and there was me thinking at the time, Two years, its not happening.
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The last couple of weeks has been taken up by painting and populating the layout. All the figures are from the excellent Dart Castings range. Its very rare that you have to do much cleaning up with these and i find they fit in very well with the time period.
Eric and his dog Guss, are enjoying a days fishing. His rod is a piece of Nickel silver rod, i added the line using, funnily enough, a length of EZ line. He comes complete with a basket of worms.
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Mr and Mrs Jenkins are busy in the garden (sounding like an episode of Big Brother, this) Mrs Jenkins has just hung the washing out so it must be Thursday. I might have another go at the robin perched on top of Mr Jenkins Jacket, that pesky squirrel is back again.
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An brick arch has been added over the gates to Odams Fertilizer factory, also some pipe work was added, it looked odd looking through the gates into the sky, not a good look. The fish boxes are from Anyscale models.
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There is no goods shed at Exton Quays, Odams approached the Lswr regarding a rail head for there use so a goods shed was not provided. Generally any freight for the local community is shunted into the bay platform and unloaded there. This is of course leaving aside that fact that it would have blocked the view from the Hotel.
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One more detail and i shall leave you with be for the evening. Pipes without water.
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Exton Quays The story

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer

FACT OR FICTION?



On the 12th July 1858 an act was passed through parliament to open a line from Exeter to Topsham along with an extension to Exmouth. The Topsham to Exmouth section using the original route that was first planned by Brunel for a broad gauge line from Exminster to Exmouth the idea was never built.

Around 1866 the Odams fertilizer factory approached the LSWR for a rail head to be built serving the factory and the local community. An act was passed and a small Station was provided along with Two sidings serving the factory and the Quayside, the line opened on the 29th June 1871 under full ownership of the LSWR. (Exmouth docks did not exist at this point) Five weekday trains a day were planned although, this was soon upgraded to Seven. No access was allowed from the public to the Quayside except on Sundays when a permit could be obtained from the station master for fishing and crabbing.

Goods traffic was the main income for the line taking advantage of the Quayside at Exton built by the LSWR and the lack of navigational waters to Exeter. Odams main import was Guano from Brazil and South Africa, this was off loaded from barges at the Quayside and transported into the Factory. Finished fertilizer products were than transported by train to all points in Great Britain. Other goods traffic included fish and timber products. Two covered wagons a week arrived from Nottingham with products for the local 'Boots' Stores. Coal was another major product distributed to the local community. One cattle train a week was booked on Wednesdays to take cattle to the market at Exeter. One other special wagon a week arrived at Exton, this was a gas tanker to supply gas for the station lighting and carriages, although these were sometimes filled at Exeter.

Adams 02's were the mainstay of the line but often a spare Adams radial from Lyme Regis would stand in for some services. An Adams B4 could often be seen on the morning goods from Exeter, Two hours were allowed to shunt the yard before returning to Exeter.

Its 1936, a warm early September day, storm clouds are gathering in the distance. The sounds of Seagulls squawking, chirping and wailing. The waters lapping against the Quayside wall. Station Master 'Mathews' pulls off the signals with a clunk. Passenger waiting on the platform discussing the day ahead. The porter, Eric is busy lining up the empty milk churns ready to be loaded.

In the distance the beat of an Adams class 02 climbs the short bank towards the station, then the sounds of hissing steam as driver John shuts off the regulator, the rattle of steel wheels on steel rails, moments later the 02 bursts through the over bridge and coasts into the station. This is the 7.32 from Exeter. The start of a new day as the first train arrives. The fireman jumps out to uncouple the 02, they have Eight minutes to run round uncouple the covered van from the rear of the train shunt into the bay platform couple up to the train ready to return. Eric is fairly new to the job and still getting to grips with the job of rolling milk churns. Passengers aboard the train, Annie is off to Exeter to start a new job in town. Doors slam, “all aboard” Station Master 'Mathews' blows his whistle, Driver John opens the regulator the 02 barks into life and disappears under the road bridge. Calm is restored. Hurry hurry, No time to relax as the morning goods will be arriving in Seventeen minutes.
 

Pushpull33

Western Thunderer
I really do like a good back story.
Thanks for the comment. I was thinking the same, i feel a layout needs a believable background, a story to tell, it helps bring the layout to life, a reason for it being there. Its fiction but based on fact.
There may be more to come but i am know award winning novelist. Perhaps a few stories of the people that live near Exton, there lives, how their lives changed when the factory was built and when the railway arrived.

There is a fabulous book that is worth a read if you can get hold of a copy "The Great Days of the Country Railway" by David St John Thomas & Patrick Whitehouse, published by Guild Publishing London in 1986.

I am looking in to some sort of sound mixer with a speaker under the layout playing sounds of seagulls, people chatting, waves lapping the shore and general quayside sounds. It all sounds rather quaint and idylistic and perhaps a stage to far but i think it could add massively to the layout and create a countryside atmosphere. I have to be careful here not to overdo it or make it sound to cheeeesy. Any 'YMCA' or 'Billie Jean' tunes will definitely have to be left out of the occasion.

The smoke generator idea for Odams chimney, is working well and just needs to be installed. I have been taking photos of the build and will post on my blog in the near future how i built it. The whole thing has cost less than a Tenner.
Colin
 
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