7mm Stroudley Park

[SouthernFan Ian]

Just for a change, a couple of appropriate Southern based PO wagons have been constructed from Slater's/ Powsides kits. All my open wagons are fitted with removable loads and the Woods & Co wagon is loaded with coke and the Martells wagon has graded coal.
When the warmer weather finally arrives, they will receive a coat of weathering, as have all the other wagons on my layout My preference is to paint outdoors to keep the 'aromas' out of the house.
There's two more Private Owner wagons on the workbench to keep me busy for the next few days, after that it's probably going to be finishing off a loco or two.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

By way of a change and in an effort to finish many outstanding projects, I've reserected a shelf queen bought a while ago at GOG Kettering from the Bring and Buy stand. The origin is an old MSC kit with brass frames the thickness I've never seen before.
That said, the kit frames were the inspiration for my first forray into scratch built compensated frames and to my suprise the whole ensemble run like a sewing machine. The kit is of an age and is pretty basic, particularly the backhead so I set about scratch building that too with the help of a drawing supplied by John Minnis. Spurred on by the backhead, I was tempted to build working cab doors which is another first for me.
The smokebox door was suprisingly daunting, only a turned brass disc was included, all the other door furniture had to be scratch built and in total there's eight components in the door and it took all afternoon to make. I never planned to have a D3, but the price and scarcity of the kit was something I couldn't refuse and I'm really looking forward to seeing it painted in Maunsell lined green hauling a Balloon trailer or the twelve wheeled ex LBSCR directors saloon.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Activity on Stroudley Park has recently been quiet to say the least. The arrival of a battered secondhand Dapol Private Owner wagon has fired up the enthusiasm again. The Bognor Regis wagon started out as a Rose Smith wagon but a repaint, some Powsides lettering and the fitting of decent buffers and coupling transformed it into a reasonable ex-works wagon.
I can assure you, fellow Western Thunderers, it will not stay pristine for very long. That inspiring chap, Sheep Bloke has tempted me into the world of weathering powders. The De-Vilbis airbrush and the Floquil weathering paint has been put to one side for now pending the weathering powder experiment.
Because the Dapol brakes are so embarrasingly far from the wheels they are intended brake, this wagon will reside behind the coal staith, hopefully looking suitably scruffy with some vestiges of the coal load left on the wagon floor.
Watch this space......and thank you, Sheep Bloke!



Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Here's a mint condition PO wagon in glorious technicolour waiting for 'the treatment'!



The Vallejo and Humbrol weathering powders arrived today and I couldn't wait to get stuck in. The process is very different to using paint but using powder does mean I can weather my models in the comfort of my model room indoors. Anyway, here's what the finished wagon looks like suitably grubby.....

 

[John Rich]

Very nicely dulled down, did you varnish over the finished wagon ?

 

[Joe's Garage]

This is a very nice layout, lovely photos. It reminds me of Ian Hopkins St George layout, just about the right size.
What about a little pre-grouping?!!
Thanks for sharing
Julian

 

[NHY 581]

Here's a mint condition PO wagon in glorious technicolour waiting for 'the treatment'!

View attachment 146018

The Vallejo and Humbrol weathering powders arrived today and I couldn't wait to get stuck in. The process is very different to using paint but using powder does mean I can weather my models in the comfort of my model room indoors. Anyway, here's what the finished wagon looks like suitably grubby.....

View attachment 146019

Lovely job Ian.

Nicely done.

Rob.

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Very nicely dulled down, did you varnish over the finished wagon ?

Yes, it is varnished John. There's two coats of varnish, one to seal the Powsides lettering and one to seal the weathering powder. I used Halford's matt laquer and am very pleased with the result.

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

This is a very nice layout, lovely photos. It reminds me of Ian Hopkins St George layout, just about the right size.
What about a little pre-grouping?!!
Thanks for sharing
Julian

Well Julian, I really fancy pre-grouping and have considered it often but Willian Stroudley's LBSCR loco livery is exquisite, I don't really fancy painting the lining. Not only that, to be really authentic, the buildings should be painted maroon where the green is and the cream should be much paler.
Tempting yes but modelling early central section Southern gives me the best of both worlds. Watch this space, on the books is to model a totally fictitious Terrier. Inspired by the BR, LBSCR liveried Brighton Works terrier, mine will be named Stoudley Park. Meanwhile, I'm pschycing myself up to overpaint Dapol's Improved Engine Green with the correct shade.


Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Lovely job Ian.

Nicely done.

Rob.

Thank you Rob, I really like the suble effects using powders and found Humbrol 'Smoke' a very useful shade. What I didn't allow for was the mess I made with powder everywhere!
At least I can weather indoors now as opposed to the garage. I will still spray the varnish outside though.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

When banana imports were changed from Hull to Southampton, the Southern Railway found itself short of suitable vans to convey the goods. As LNER vans were standing idle, the SR hired them. The LNER vans were from a variety of LNER constituant companies and these exGE vans carried both SR and NE branding which is a real conversation piece.
They are Connoisseur kits with some extra details from ABS parts ( how I miss them). The lettering came from a variety sources.


These vans will form part of a fitted head on a van train. At last, the back-log of unfinished kits has now gone.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

More progress.
I built up the courage to install some excellent scratchbuilt LBSCR signals made by my friend and fellow, Kings Lynn 0 Gauge Group member, Tony Sparks. Tony built four signals for me and included operating servos. Some of the signals look like upper quadrant signals, that's because there's no electrical connection yet. That job is for another day.



Tony's signals make a huge contribution to creating a 'railway-like' atmosphere and are examples of Tony's excellent modelmaking skills.

Next up will be tackling the outside third rail. I've never been really pleased with it, so it is time to redress the balance and make a better job of it before I tackle track painting and ballasting.

Regards,
Ian

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Next up will be tackling the outside third rail.

At least it's only third rail...

When I get my layout built it will be third and fourth rail... (this is a display track using Roxey insulator pots and Kalgarin conductor rail)

 

[Dave Bowden]

More progress.
I built up the courage to install some excellent scratchbuilt LBSCR signals made by my friend and fellow, Kings Lynn 0 Gauge Group member, Tony Sparks. Tony built four signals for me and included operating servos. Some of the signals look like upper quadrant signals, that's because there's no electrical connection yet. That job is for another day.

View attachment 146534

Tony's signals make a huge contribution to creating a 'railway-like' atmosphere and are examples of Tony's excellent modelmaking skills.

Next up will be tackling the outside third rail. I've never been really pleased with it, so it is time to redress the balance and make a better job of it before I tackle track painting and ballasting.

Regards,
Ian

Hi Ian
I do like the Fire Buckets and the board there on. Tony’s Signals not bad either
ATB
Dave

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

At least it's only third rail...

When I get my layout built it will be third and fourth rail... (this is a display track using Roxey insulator pots and Kalgarin conductor rail)

View attachment 146552

Hello Dave,
I've used Karlgarin conductor rail, it looks great but not the way I've installed it. Note to self - must do better!
I used cast whitemetal insulator pots but had second thoughts as this is not a permanent layout and didn't want to risk breakages, so I've ordered some Peter Clark lost wax brass insulators.
Hopefully, the outside third will look better than it does now when it is rebuilt.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Hi Ian
I do like the Fire Buckets and the board there on. Tony’s Signals not bad either
ATB
Dave

Thanks Dave, the sign above the fire buckets is also legible!
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Just recently, because of my signal installing sessions, I decided to try my hand at building some working ground signals. The LBSCR used rotating type signals and these are available from the MSE range.
I must admit, I struggled to fit the servo and operating linkage to get the signal to rotate from red to green. Thinking outside the (signal) box, the 2mm brass tube supplied in the kit is a perfect fit into the Heathcote servo. By mounting the servo directly under the signal, it operated perfectly and reduced the mounting footprint.
Six ground signals have been made but only one has been finished in order to test and satisfy myself it will work as I wish, this signal is shown below.
I'm not impressed with my painting of the white lines on the green aspect but as this signal is only 28mm high, it looks fine from normal viewing distance although it may get repainted.
Regards,
Ian

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

The signalling saga continues.....
I spent some time today cutting a rectangular apperture in the location of one of the ground signals, just to see what a fully finished ground signal looked like in situ. This is the only one that is equipped with a servo and tested to work as intended. The remaining five ground signals have been painted over the last week and I'm waiting on a delivery of servos to finish them off.
The effect both the tall LBSC signals and the ground signals installed at Stroudley Park is very pleasing and I am sure that as they are all designed to work, operating the layout will be all the more enjoyable......I hope!
Regards,
Ian

 

[Dave Bowden]

Very nice Ian especially as I have seen it in motion.

Dave

 

[SouthernFan Ian]

Thank you Dave, it is suprising what a small item contributes to the overall visual effectiveness. I have never been much of an operator but I'm looking forward to seeing working signals in action.......one day!
Regards,
Ian