A small country halt somewhere west of Middlesex

[michael mott]

A bitterly cold morning here on the flat lands of the parkland area of Alberta -28c when I woke up! I see that the layout is generating that visceral want in all of us to see things we like. when i woke up this morningI was ruminating on how i was going to deal with the back scene in the south corner. I am a reasonably competent watercolourist


And thinking about how to blend in a dense mass of foliage so thinking more about that issue I am looking at making the corner back into a steep road I have driven on a few steep ones Porlock Hill at 1 in 4 was quite an eye opener when I was a kid.


And the side of the road for some of the top end is shored up with a stone wall then has a more gentle curve at the bottom I will be able to blend the road into the background a little easier than the forest I think. I like the Idea of some old stone buttressing along the side of the hill and it will keep the vehicles safe.

I am thinking that the short footpath up to the road from the engine shed can be one of those steep paths with the cross timbers spaced evry so often to act at a small step and to retain the gravel, the view looking out the engine shed door. toward the path.



Thank you to everyone for the input and ideas, they do help in the same way as looking through the old Bylines mags. If this were an actual depiction of a real place it would be much more challenging than my fictitious location combining my memories of growing up in Middlesex and the holidays back to England to visit my sister in Devon and parents in Hertfordshire back in the 80,s and 90's.

Michael

 

[michael mott]

Micheal, do you expect to use your 2P thereon, as and when?

Hi Roger I will probably have it visit the halt at some time in the future it being the end of the line basically perhaps on an enthusiasts special.

michael

 

[Dog Star]

And thinking about how to blend in a dense mass of foliage so thinking more about that issue I am looking at making the corner back into a steep road I have driven on a few steep ones Porlock Hill at 1 in 4 was quite an eye opener when I was a kid.

And the side of the road for some of the top end is shored up with a stone wall then has a more gentle curve at the bottom I will be able to blend the road into the background a little easier than the forest I think. I like the Idea of some old stone buttressing along the side of the hill and it will keep the vehicles safe.

Talk about pictures and text transporting one to another place... the idea of a view opening out, the road supported by a stone wall, the steepness, the curve.... I was thinking Panorama, skyline, forest elbow, conrod...


thank you and regards, Graham

 

[D6356]

As the "trouble maker" from a few pages back I must say that this has developed wonderfully and the way the way disappears is a great visual trick and the card mock ups certainly gave opportunity to test the visuals, thanks for sharing and like Simon I look forward to progress. In 2mm fine scale there is a wonder evocation of the area and latterly a vertical version of just a small part of the viaduct over Coombe/ Moorswater. 2mmfs Coombe Junction - Moorswater (an Extract) It is a amazing that such a small dot on the globe can give life to so much modelling thought.
Robert

 

[michael mott]

In 2mm fine scale there is a wonder evocation of the area and latterly a vertical version of just a small part of the viaduct over Coombe/ Moorswater. 2mmfs Coombe Junction - Moorswater (an Extract) It is a amazing that such a small dot on the globe can give life to so much modelling thought.

Robert thank you for this, I enjoyed reading the thread especially the discipline involved in the planning of the layout in the first few posts.
I am going to get the rest of the track laid now and let the landscape sit for a bit to settle so to speak. Thanks for your interest in the ongoing development of the layout. I see that Michaels carries Sculptamold That Pete used I will check it out.
Once the track is completed I will be able to tackle the curved back-sheet in the corner, I have some very flexible aircraft ply that has been patiently waiting for the right project. There is no doubt about the old tracks being lifted with those trees where they are! Yes I did cut a hole in the baseboard for a pit in the engine shed.


Did a little drawing last night for the shed so stuck a print in to get a sense of the doors. The shed is small only 25 feet wide by 40 feet long. but big enough for this layout, I will add the water tower though.



Michael

 

[Pencarrow]

Robert thank you for this, I enjoyed reading the thread especially the discipline involved in the planning of the layout in the first few posts.
I am going to get the rest of the track laid now and let the landscape sit for a bit to settle so to speak. Thanks for your interest in the ongoing development of the layout. I see that Michaels carries Sculptamold That Pete used I will check it out.
Once the track is completed I will be able to tackle the curved back-sheet in the corner, I have some very flexible aircraft ply that has been patiently waiting for the right project. There is no doubt about the old tracks being lifted with those trees where they are! Yes I did cut a hole in the baseboard for a pit in the engine shed.
View attachment 181129
View attachment 181128
Did a little drawing last night for the shed so stuck a print in to get a sense of the doors. The shed is small only 25 feet wide by 40 feet long. but big enough for this layout, I will add the water tower though.

View attachment 181130

Michael

Coming along nicely Michael. The only reservation I have is the size of the trees in the yard. The site would have been cleared, excavated and levelled prior to the track and buildings going in. Would that size of tree have had time to grow from afresh to the period you're modelling? For instance do you have a 100 year old tree growing on a 30 year old embankment/cutting?

 

[michael mott]

An interesting question Chris. I shall need to measure the height and diameter of the various trees when I get to the proper planting. I also need to consider the time that I am going to determine is the right time.

 

[michael mott]

Finishing up the track laying, spent the morning at the kitchen Table making spikes and roughing out the point rails. Then a couple hours spiking this afternoon.




Need to file the switch rails tomorrow.

Michael

 

[BCN-Pete]

Thanks Robert and Michael for the shout out! Sculpamuld is lovely stuff!

Lovely layout - watching with interest!

 

[michael mott]

Feeling like I have been trampled by a bunch of people rushing out of charring cross at early morning rush hour, no real sleep since Monday when I came down with Covid. Utterly exhausted.
Michael

 

[D6356]

Easy does it, take care and let time and "nature" take its course. One of my fellow controllers has had 3 versions of Covid and once office joker has aged somewhat - but despite having no taste and can smell cigarette smoke even now is much improved. He was for a while a person of medical interest.
Hopefully you can plan away while taking it gently and look forward to future works knowing planning out pitfalls has been worked on.
kind regards and looking forward to more branch line wonders when the time is right.
Robert

 

[Tim Watson]

Do take care.

Tim

 

[michael mott]

Thanks

 

[michael mott]

Got out of the house and into the workshop for an hour or so yesterday and did about 18 inches worth of track spikes
Michael

 

[D6356]

Michael, Good to read and hopefully it is the start along a short road of recovery,
regards
Robert

 

[michael mott]

Thanks Robert, Even though it is still winter here Judy and I sat in the garden out of the wind in our parkas and had a cup of coffee this morning before lunch. it is good to be feeling stronger with a bit more energy. Hopefully by this time next month all the snow will be gone.

Michael

 

[paulc]

Talk about pictures and text transporting one to another place... the idea of a view opening out, the road supported by a stone wall, the steepness, the curve.... I was thinking Panorama, skyline, forest elbow, conrod...


thank you and regards, Graham

Hi Graham , i also saw a 'blue meany' drfting through . That'll get a few people scratching their heads .

 

[Gismorail]

Amazing modelling going on here

 

[Roger Pound]

Hope you are continuing to improve in health. Take care and I look forward to further news on your threads.

Roger.

 

[michael mott]

Placed the P2 at the engine shed and noticed that the wheels were a bit coarse for the layout. So spent some time today re profiling the main drivers, fiddly work but worth the effort.


The wheels were originally for a live steam Dee, but as that was abandoned and then they were used to begin the card P2, they are almost 7feet in diameter off by less than 1/2 inch they were also a bit thick so I skimmed as much as I could off the backs and turned up some proper steel axles.


Yup you guessed it A new frame is in order (brass) also a new footplate (more Brass)




The wagons traverse the points well being pushed or pulled so I'm also pleased about that. I might not worry about powering the P2 because the loco will really only be a visitor on a special and I won't be taking videos of the loco moving and remembering the Q1 on another thread it really doesn't need a motor for a photograph.

Michael