Bisley - BR Western Region 1990(ish) EM Gauge

[dj_crisp]

I've read so many great layout build threads on this website I thought I should lower the skill level demonstrated and share mine. I have to admit i do get rather distracted with rolling stock so the layout gets left alone for long periods so I've decided to set up this thread to kind of keep me going!

The layout is set somewhere on the western region roughly in the south west. I like china clay but also have a soft spot for DMUs so the idea is to try and accomodate both.... although I'm not that good at maintaining that discipline as the photos show. When Pugsley, who i think might be a user on here, decided to sell "Bisley Junction" I jumped at the chance as it was about the size i can accomodate and it also had a nice flat bottom crossover. I've kept the name and the crossover hasn't moved but some of the other track has to form a layout plan which is a bit like St Erth so today it looks a bit like below;






The layout is actual in a functioning state and my track building skills provide a good test bed for the stock I hack about with!

I quite like layouts in the dark so hopefully this one will have some atmosphere with a few LEDs. I find looking at my models in the dark also has the added benefitof hiding my modelling mistakes and my imagination can fill in the gaps.... so here's an impression of the timbertracks signal box I built will look in the night when fitted to the layout;



As you can see there's lots to do! If it's of interest I'll describe a few of the buildings and structures I've done over the last few years and hopefully show lots of future progress from the photos above!

Anyhow I hope the thread will be of interest and please do get involved as it'll inspire me to keep going and build less obvious mistakes!

Happy Modelling!
Will

 

[AJC]

Nice - set up as a through station, presumably? I can't remember now whether that was what @Pugsley had in mind now, but it looks good in that form. The Brunel type buildings weren't part of the plan though, but they're rather nice, scratchbuilt?

Adam

 

[dj_crisp]

Nice - set up as a through station, presumably? I can't remember now whether that was what @Pugsley had in mind now, but it looks good in that form. The Brunel type buildings weren't part of the plan though, but they're rather nice, scratchbuilt?

Adam

You're right - it's a through station although at home I'm operating it as a terminus due to space in the garage. Buildings are timbertracks with a few mods... I'll post a bit more about them soon,

cheers
Will

 

[dj_crisp]

As I've mentioned the signal box it might as well describe it a little and include some in progress photos.



Before this model I’ve never really had a crack at buildings so thought I’d try the rather excellent timber tracks kits to get me going. As expected the pieces went together pretty easily although a couple of sides didn’t seem to have a good impression of the bricks so I’ve scribed most of the bricks in the end. At least I had a good guide so this wasn’t a difficult task and good to pass the time during boring online meetings…. Such a shame there was no bandwidth for cameras! I've also tried to hide the edges so scribed on some corners.



It's the first time I've had a go at painting bricks so I followed some good tuition examples on the web and copied a few photos. I painted the mortar first then picked some bricks and then sploshed on a light orangeish colour followed by humbrol brick; then railmatch brick all dry brushed on with a final mix with some brown n brick. I plan on weathering this a bit when it’s settled into the layout.



As the St Erth box is the main inspiration I’ve also added the modern junk of pipes etc to the outside all made from brass bits n pieces and some wire.

The guttering pieces supplied were a bit short and rather than use plastikard I’ve used brass U section, some resistor legs and then soldered. The end is just a dab of solder filed. Probably all grossly over scale and I bet each section is too wide but there are only so many legs I fancy soldering. When painted the guttering was then attached to the side walls as I’ve built the box to allow the roof to lift off as I thought it might be a good idea to have access to the interior and LEDs.




The interior made from two Severn models kits, some scrap brass and some 3d printed stuff found on Ebay. I was trying to create an effect similar to a box in the 1990s which is my main era. I did try to paint the levers to represent what I think should fit with the trackwork but tbh I don’t know what I’m doing and in anycase the formation has sinced changed!





The interior lights are just a few LEDs and resistors.



One interesting conversation I had was with a signalman who spotted my fully illuminated box and mentioned in horror it’ll never be that bright! I shared my photo of St Erth in the dark which surprised him and so I’ve added a second light set up to just illuminate the desk without the main lights being lit. So it’s a two function illuminated box!


The lights themselves are just LEDs with a M2 washer glued on then painted to give an impression of a light.

As with everything on my layout it's not quite finished!



The box has found a new home as I've moved it from it's original position following lifting of a siding that shouldn't really be there. So at least I now see my interior efforts! Next steps for the box is working out point rodding as I plan on fixing the more detailed stuff that leaves the box before final fitting to the layout.

Hopefully these scribbings were of interest!

Will

 

[Joe's Garage]

Certainly Will these scribbings are of much interest as are there lovely atmospheric night photos of the signal box.....love the misty effect.
Keep posting
Thanks Julian

 

[dj_crisp]

Certainly Will these scribbings are of much interest as are there lovely atmospheric night photos of the signal box.....love the misty effect.
Keep posting
Thanks Julian

Thanks Julian. The misty effect is purely accidental by my phone camera. I also quite like it so hopefully will be able to replicate it when the scene becomes more complete!

Cheers
Will

 

[Pugsley]

I am indeed a member over here and will be following with interest, it's all looking really good and the signal box is awesome! I was very pleased with that FB crossover.

Adam - the layout was initially conceived as a truncated through station turned into a terminus.

 

[dj_crisp]

I am indeed a member over here and will be following with interest, it's all looking really good and the signal box is awesome! I was very pleased with that FB crossover.

Adam - the layout was initially conceived as a truncated through station turned into a terminus.

Excellent! I'm really pleased you're on here. The FB crossover is probably my favourite part of the layout! I need to build some facing point locks and then include point rodding when I've worked out roughly what goes where!