Bethesda Sidings

Captain Kernow

Western Thunderer
Ballasting continues and the layout is now about 80% ballasted. I have also started to fix some of the scenic features in place, including all the buffer stops.

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Brian T

Western Thunderer
I do like the first couple of picies with the cobbles and buffer stops,simple but effective.
As to the cobbles;was using tile grout more of a 'i`ve got it too hand' or was that a delibrate choice, because it`s easy to work ,say over using modeling clay?. (ie: DAS)

Cheers,
Brian.
 

Captain Kernow

Western Thunderer
I do like the first couple of picies with the cobbles and buffer stops,simple but effective.
As to the cobbles;was using tile grout more of a 'i`ve got it too hand' or was that a delibrate choice, because it`s easy to work ,say over using modeling clay?. (ie: DAS)

Cheers,
Brian.
Hi Brian,

I deliberately chose the tile grout, as I've seen it used to great effect by Brian Harrap on his layouts. I also did most of the cobbles on Callow Lane this way as well.
 

Captain Kernow

Western Thunderer
I trial-fitted the backscene to the layout today. The backscene is from a panorama of my own photos, which Andy York very kindly 'stitched together' using photoshop, adjusted the height to suit the planned layout topography and then muted the colours. He even provided me with two options, a sunny Welsh day and an overcast Welsh day, so today I fitted the overcast day in Radnorshire, which I think will probably suit the layout better.

Here are a few views of the layout with the backscene and all the buildings in position. Please bear in mind that the final lighting arrangements for the layout are not yet in place and the photos were taken with what light I had available indoors.

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Focalplane

Western Thunderer
I have been wondering about cobbles for Moor Street for some time and have made up Giles' kit for pressing cobbles in a suitable clay medium. Tile grout is something I can buy easily here in France (tiles or carrelage are everywhere)! But what sort of consistency do you mix the grout to? I presume it is stiffer than what would be used on tiling? You mention scribing so that means you probably wait for the clay to set? Giles' tool works on pliable, but not too wet, clay.

When I see 1458 I automatically think of Oswestry, it was often seen on the Gobowen Rattler. My own 14XX, though, is 1459 which was stored at Oswestry Works for a year or two before being scrapped.
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
What a fantastic job Andy has done with your superb photos Tim, the backscene simply screams New Radnor and the Radnorshire Forrest.

My favourite shots are those looking towards the goods shed, to me the lighting captures the end of a fine summers day with a hint of storm clouds gathering. I also like the view through the bridge, the track is superb, as are the buildings and the composition of the whole scene, in short a marvellous piece of modelling.

Geoff
 

Captain Kernow

Western Thunderer
I have been wondering about cobbles for Moor Street for some time and have made up Giles' kit for pressing cobbles in a suitable clay medium. Tile grout is something I can buy easily here in France (tiles or carrelage are everywhere)! But what sort of consistency do you mix the grout to? I presume it is stiffer than what would be used on tiling? You mention scribing so that means you probably wait for the clay to set? Giles' tool works on pliable, but not too wet, clay.
Hi Paul,

I simply used the tile grout as it came out of the tub, ready-mixed. It's a fairly stiff consistency, but it allows you to shape it. Once it's thoroughly dried off, I do then hand-sand it a bit flatter.

The scribing is, therefore, done when the tile grout is completely dry and hardened off, using a steel pin in a pin vice. You do need to change the pin from time to time.
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
"Oswestry's 2538 simmers in the headshunt at Bethesda Sidings, after working a short goods in from Leominster:"

And there I was thinking that she was safely stored away in my attic following my defection to 7mm scale. :eek:

Another lovely photo Tim.

Geoff
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Just an idle non-railway observation really..... and a bit of useless information. :)

I noticed the backscene contains coniferous plantations which I had initially thought were a relatively modern phenomena. However a little bit of research reveals coniferous plantations started appearing after WWI for creating a strategic timber reserve.

Interestingly the area around Knighton, Prestiegne, Kington and New Radnor was acquired by the Forestry Commission during the 1924-51 period. In 1926 the Forestry Commission began planting (with a cessation during WWII) the area with the with Norway spruce, Scots pine, Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, and Larches among others.

The 1951 Radnor Forest history is in the Forestry Commission archives and I assume planting continued after this date.


Nice simple layout :thumbs:. Though I would have been inclined to have a pile of weed strewn sleepers rather than half a buffer stop at the end of the headshunt.
 

AJC

Western Thunderer
Just an idle non-railway observation really..... and a bit of useless information. :)

I noticed the backscene contains coniferous plantations which I had initially thought were a relatively modern phenomena. However a little bit of research reveals coniferous plantations started appearing after WWI for creating a strategic timber reserve.

Interestingly the area around Knighton, Prestiegne, Kington and New Radnor was acquired by the Forestry Commission during the 1924-51 period. In 1926 the Forestry Commission began planting (with a cessation during WWII) the area with the with Norway spruce, Scots pine, Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, and Larches among others.

The 1951 Radnor Forest history is in the Forestry Commission archives and I assume planting continued after this date.


Nice simple layout :thumbs:. Though I would have been inclined to have a pile of weed strewn sleepers rather than half a buffer stop at the end of the headshunt.

The process is very easily observable on historic OS maps though large conifer plantations were also a feature of many 19th century estate management policies, too. I've been working on the Dunster and Longleat estates, for example, and in the 1840s, neither estate had much in the way of woodland (the tithe maps and awards show thousands of acres of upland grazing) but by the point of the first edition of the large scale OS maps in the 1880s much of this was covered in various types of pine, partly for sport, of course - particularly in the case of Longleat - but also serving the demand for pit props in south Wales in the case of Dunster.

You can make direct comparisons (for the SW) via the excellent 'Know Your Place' project: Know Your Place

The NLS resource is well-known, but there's a bit of a boom at the minute in the digitisation of tithe maps (made in conjunction with the Tithe Commutation Act of 1836) from the 1830s and 1840s - dragging this back on topic, the Welsh ones are here: Welsh Tithe Maps - Home There aren't many of us modelling railways that early, but the maps are extremely useful and the associated lists of field names are a boon for anyone looking for layout names...

Adam
 
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