Hartley Hills, LNWR c1900 - buffer stops, how do you build yours?

[john lewsey]

That diamond crossing looks great doesn't it

 

[Mike Sheardown]

That diamond crossing looks great doesn't it

Hi John,

Yes it looks fabulous, and I particularly like the natural graining in the sleepers. Doesn't ballasting just bring it all alive?

The DX looks very well too - it would be nice to see some close ups of it if possible.

Best wishes

Mike

 

[john lewsey]

Hi Mike yes Graham has done a fabulous job I'll take some pictures of the SDX today if the weather holds out Looking at the photos now I wish I'd put the windows in the signal box next time hopefully it will have a bit more paint on it

 

[Dog Star]

Graham has done a fabulous job I'll take some pictures of the SDX today

My work is limited to the track... the delightful shiny black kettle was built by Laurie Griffin (I think).

 

[Dog Star]

The diamond has been built using S7 Group assembly jigs for the common and obtuse crossings with flangeways being checked using the appropriate S7 Group gauge. The assembly jigs provide positive location of the elbow and guard rails of the obtuse crossing so there is minimum scope for messing up (read "adjustment of") the clearances. However, JLTRT, the diamond demonstrates why the railway companies considered that 1:8 angles were the shallowest angle for fixed crossings... at shallower angles (1:8.5 and on) the prototype would use switched diamonds. If side pressure is applied to a wagon whilst traversing the centre of this diamond there is a chance that the wagon will change direction at the obtuse crossing - and only if approaching the diamond on two of the four roads.

We shall await a trial running of the Jubilee to see what is what here.

 

[john lewsey]

And what a great job your doing

 

[Mike Sheardown]

My work is limited to the track... the delightful shiny black kettle was built by Laurie Griffin (I think).

Hi Graham,

For me, both look really good, but each enhances the look of the other.

Nice work all round

Mike

 

[john lewsey]

Hi Mike I've put some photos on my LNWR gallery
John

 

[Mike Sheardown]

Thanks John - very nice indeed.
Cheers

Mike

 

[farnetti]

John and Graham,

I remember seeing the Templot plans on the floor at Brightwell 2 or 3 years ago. The last few photos really bring it to life, lovely stuff.

John, how do the blue diesels work with the LNWR 1900 setting. Presumably just for fun or Richards layout.

Ken

 

[john lewsey]

Hi Ken just a bit of fun really I think I happened to touch one of Richards diesels and became infected with the blue virus
I did do a thread sometime back asking if blue was contagious it seems it can be

 

[farnetti]

John,

Richard has a lot to answer for! I caught the diesel contagion from him but will be going for the green period, sometime around 1960-64. I can still have steam then as I have 46240 City of Coventry to finish.

Ken

 

[john lewsey]

Hi Ken he does but 7mm diesels sound pretty good

 

[Dog Star]

Now that the decision has been taken about the refuge sidings - that is, there is a single refuge - the spaces between the Up Refuge and Up Goods, and between the Up Goods and Up Main, have been covered (Exactoscale 3mm foam underlay stuck with carpet latex glue). See below for the areas of new stuff:-



Photos of LNWR station areas circa 1900 (Pilcher, LNWRS, to the fore) show that the ground surface in such situations is often (a) level with the top of the ballast (ie. no ballast shoulder) and (b) fairly smooth (possibly compressed earth). As a summer break from the relentless tasks of replacing rotten sleepers in the carriage sidings and oiling fishplates the PW Gang hope to do some gardening. Whilst the Station Master has been dropping hints about a vegetable garden, on the sloping ground to the west of the line, the Gang has had other ideas.

The summer activity is to provide a safe walking surface on the new foam... and the problem for Henry is what to use and how to fix - colour is likely to be part of the problem although there is a goodly spread of paints in the store.

So, suggestions please!

regards, Graham

 

[Heather Kay]

My guess would be mixed earth and cinders. I don't believe it would be uniform, and it would undoubtedly be pretty weed-free.

One wonders if study of colour photos of the 1950s might be of use?

 

[Heather Kay]

From the ever wonderful Bill Wright.

Hi-Res R0162 by BarkingBill, on Flickr

Hi-Res R0121 by BarkingBill, on Flickr

Hi-Res R0553 by BarkingBill, on Flickr

I realise these show the shabbier side of steam railways in Britain, but they are more intended to give an idea of colours and textures from which we can extrapolate.

 

[Dog Star]

The surface in "Hall at GLO" relates to the content of some of the Pilcher pictures - interesting how the ground appears to be light (ash?) rather than dark (coal dust/slag?). The edge of the ballast is slightly proud of the ground... maybe 1 to 2 inches, definitely not the 6 to 9 inches of a typical top stone ballast bed.

 

[john lewsey]

Hi Graham I wonder if the sand that we have used on the siding is close to the photos

 

[Dog Star]

I wonder if the sand that we have used on the siding is close to the photos

For the benefit of new readers, John's comment refers to an experiment that we did last year when we were trying to find a material to represent "ash/cinders/slag" as used for ballast on secondary lines in the 19th century. The essence of that experiment was written up in this post of which the following is the relevant information:-

Choosing the colour and texture has been a difficult and long drawn out affair as neither John nor I were around at the turn of the 19th century... and contemporary photos could provide an insight into texture without a lot of help as regards colour. Adrian (Buckjumper) has described some of the reasons why the B/W photos of circa 1900 ought not to be relied upon for indications of colour.

The written word has noted "old" ballast as being ash and slag, with a covering of congealed oil, coal and cinders; this description has driven our search through the Woodland Scenics range and we had almost settled upon a mix of fine cinders, medium cinders, a smattering of fine dark brown and a light dressing of fine soil. And then a member of the Basingstoke MRS offered a different route forward... with a bag of "grog" or spent foundry sand from a cast iron foundry in Witney. The colour and the texture are the closest to the pictures and description so far... sold!


The result is not quite there yet, needs to be a tad darker and possibly with a binder to help with the desired impression of ash / slag that has been down for yonks. Plenty of scope for dry-brushing.

To my mind the taste texture of the grog is a tad coarse for the dirt between tracks so we may have to think about a "blinder" to apply sparingly after laying the foundry sand.

regards, Graham

 

[Mike Sheardown]

Hi John,

I use sand for all ballast for this period (ie ash ballast). I use grey emulsion paint to colour it, mixed in a large container until the sand is almost dry, and all the paint has covered the sand. I saw Norman Solomon use this technique in one of the 'Right Track' videos.

It's quite cheap too

Cheers

Mike