7mm Bleddfa Road

Overseer

Western Thunderer
I can see the attraction of the 14xx, but I will resist temptation. Made easier by the lack of a functioning international postal system at present. These photos from the September 1939 Railway Magazine don't help. I like the contrast of the modern styled (but archaic concept) loco with Dean era carriages.
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gw 5806 Leominster 1939.jpg
gw Leominster 1939.jpg
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Splendid progress Geoff.

The layout is really coming together very nicely.

As for the 14xx.......I really do wonder how long I can hold out....

Rob.

Thank you Rob, progress has been a little slow of late due to illness but I'm slowly catching up with things now.

I thought you might have snapped a 14XX up by now, shame on you :D

Go for it Rob you know you want to.

Of course he want's one Alan, he just needs a few nudges in the right direction;)

Geoff
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
I can see the attraction of the 14xx, but I will resist temptation. Made easier by the lack of a functioning international postal system at present. These photos from the September 1939 Railway Magazine don't help. I like the contrast of the modern styled (but archaic concept) loco with Dean era carriages.

Thank you for posting those photos, which have now been added to my collection.

Geoff
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
For the past couple of weeks I have been developing the road crossing at Bleddfa, which after much thought has been downgraded to a simple occupation crossing.

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Why the change of plan, well crossings like this are seldom modelled and are more suited to the rural scene that I'm trying to create. The gates started life as Model Scenery Supplies card kits, to which I have added working hinges made from styrene and oddments from my scrap box.

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The grass is a mix of homemade static grass tufts and individual fibres that have been applied with my trusty old puffer bottle. Wizard Models supplied the etched sign and Slater's the fencing which has yet to be weathered.

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Finally a photo of 1455 as she rumbles over the crossing with a short goods train.

Geoff
 

Muddysblues

Western Thunderer
Geoff, it just oozes more and more blissful atmosphere as it goes on ..... I could just sit there for hours with a packed lunch and a flask of tea, waiting for the sporadic burst of activity to happen every once in a while.

Fantastic and inspiring.

Craig.
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Lovely work Geoff.........and no, I haven't succumbed to a 14xx.........yet.....

Rob.

Thank you Rob, there is still plenty of time for you to give into temptation yet.

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Just imagine one of these pottering around on a new 7mm scale layout...;)

Geoff, it just oozes more and more blissful atmosphere as it goes on ..... I could just sit there for hours with a packed lunch and a flask of tea, waiting for the sporadic burst of activity to happen every once in a while.

Fantastic and inspiring.

Craig.

You are too kind Craig, thank you. During the early sixties I used to spend many a happy hour perched upon a crossing gate, just another reason why I decided to model such a scene.

Geoff
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Several months have passed since my last update, and during that time I abandoned the idea of modelling a small signal box, and opted for a simple ground frame instead.

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This is the assembled MSE etch for what is described as a Saxby and Farmer style frame...........

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.........and here it is on the layout along with the recently installed point rodding and one of two facing point locks. The FPL cover is styrene, its securing bolts being cubes of the same material. Lurking underneath the cover is a loose interpretation of the lock, linkages and cranks, all being fabricated from scraps of styrene, brass section and wire along with MSE cranks.

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I used the excellent Modelu GWR rollers, along with MSE square section rods and etched cranks etc, etc. The 2mm association handbook on point rodding was a godsend, and without it I would have made a couple of costly mistakes. It also came in handy when making the point rodding locks, there being plenty of photos and drawings within its pages.

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Once the rodding had been installed and the bases for the rollers had been painted and bedded into the ballast the layout began to look more like a railway.

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Adding the rodding was rather tedious but once I got into the swing of things and saw it all coming together I began to enjoy modelling it. Talking of tedious jobs I have at long last completed the goods sheds brick support pillars, and bedded them into the surrounding ground.

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In all I had to make and install twelve pillars, the shed itself is a separate model and its corrugated cladding will overhang the base by a couple of millimetres.

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The land to the side of the goods shed is slowly being worked up, it is my usual mixture of Silflor and Noch grass mats torn into clumps and blended together with MiniNatur static grasses. There is also some Woodland burnt grass coarse turf in the mix as well, I have also been experimenting with Greenscene fibres as recommended by Gordon Gravett to good effect. The height of the grass will slowly be built up in some areas and weeds planted, which will make a pleasant change from tearing the blighters up! The structure in the background above the covered van is a combined lamp hut and gents urinal, well I do like to be a little different:)

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Constructed from Slater's corrugated iron sheet as an experiment, this unusual structure once stood at Llanrhaiadr Mochnant, from where I found inspiration for the station building, goods shed and ground frame, so it is in good company.

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And this is how it will fit into the grand plan, the ground cover is yet to be secured in place and the trees salvaged from Llangullo are only being used for planning the backscene.

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Finally and if you haven't fallen asleep 7719 has now been fitted with etched number and shed code plates, all the extra detail that comes with these Minerva models has also been fitted.

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My sort of train and typical of those than ran between Kington and Presteign a month or so before the line closed for good.

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The End.........

Geoff
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Lovely just lovely

Thank you John :)

Just a few more snaps before I disappear for a few months............:)

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The photo in the background by Ben Ashworth can be found in 'The Great Western Branch Line Album' by Ian Krause, it was all the inspiration that I needed to start my Lugg Valley saga, first in EM and now in 7mm scale. It was taken in August 1964, a month before the line closed and passed into history. The 5 plank wagon started life as a Coopercraft, now Slater's kit, but has been modified to represent one of the wagons modified to RCH standards. So the old DC brake gear has been replaced with the RCH type, and the sheet rail has been removed. Like most of my stock it awaits painting, numbering and weathering, but for now I am concentrating on building the layout itself.

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At present I am working on the platelayers hut which now has a brick chimney stack and beading between the planking. It is a scaled up version of the old 4mm scale Coopercraft kit, the ground cover to the far right of the photo is also being worked up. Should all go to plan then both projects will take another step forward this afternoon.

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Though it is a lovely model the Autocoach will be sold off once I have completed a Westwood kit of a Diag. E148 coach.

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Another view of the point rodding.....

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And a slightly different view of the station area.

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Well that more or less brings twelve months work up to date, thanks for the likes and comments.

Geoff
 
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