Exebridge at the Bognor Regis MRE

Popped into the Bognor Regis Exhibition over the weekend, specifiyto see Paul Hopkins 3mm layout Exebridge, here are the photos 

More Andy Barnes Models

 Some of you may recall that I have feature Andy Barnes 3mm scratch built models before , in fact he has built a few coaches for me.

At the recent 3mm West Byfleet meeting back in November, he brought along some of his 12mm gauge models which I had the privelege to photograph - enjoy

Lovely work, im sure you will agree.

 

Blackwall Point (was Tankerton Town)

The original concept behind what I have named Tankerton Town, but should I rename it Blackwall Point? In fact I quite like the back story put together by our former 3mm Chairman Wim Harthroon. He has put a thread on RMWeb as below;

 https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/124623-imaginary-railways/page/15/#comments

"For a bit of relief from things Western I offer another imaginary railway, a short one in London's Docklands. In the nineteenth century London's docks spread along the Thames, mostly on the Essex side. Development on the Kent side was restrained a bit by the presence of Greenwich Observatory. However by the 1860s businesses were springing up along the Thames along the peninsula of Blackwall Point. These were the upcoming "new industries" of chemicals and telegraphy. So I imagine the SER, which had run its North Kent Line around Greenwich to avoid Admiralty opposition, to have built a branch out to Blackwall Point where a ferry connected it with the GER's Blackwall terminus on the London and Blackwall Railway. The map, based on an 1870s map from that well known Scottish source, shows what I mean.

The junction with the North Kent line actually existed as part of the Angerstein's Wharf goods only branch. I've given the line an intermediate station of Greenwich North as well as indicating potential private sidings.

The Blackwall Point backstory was applied to a small 50 inch by 50cm layout I started building for the 3mm Society's 50th Anniversary in 2015. Family difficulties meant I never finished it, but I include the trackplan here.

Very much a minimum space "bitsa station" design. The points were B6 geometry as at the time we were experimenting with etched brass and laser cut ply point kits and one of the purposes of this layout was to be a test bed for that. (Wayne Kinney's point kits have come along to rescue us all from that clunky kit method). However the resulting points did look good - 3mm Society cosmetic chairs needed too - and were very smooth running. I did take a picture or two

I also made a small 1:5 scale mock up, which I photographed.

Operation would have been a bit nightmarish, these micro-layouts always are, but the challenge was to have a complete layout within the confines of 50" by 50cm - the 50 being important given it was a 50th anniversary. Unusually the gauge was 13.5mm, again this was to be a test bed for suitability of that gauge. I re-gauged an SECR O class I'd built to 12mm gauge with new wheelsets and intended to do the same with an SECR railcar. I'd also widened the wheelsets on half a dozen wagons from 12mm gauge. This is not the place to go into the merits or not of 13.5mm gauge over 14.2mm gauge, just accept, dear reader, that it seemed a good idea at the time.

When regauging the O class I did build a new tender chassis, one with split frame electrical pickup. It made the loco a much better slow runner for shunting purposes".

As the now owner of the layout, I quite like the concept, so seriously thinking of going back to it.

 

 

Progress on Tankerton Town

Not a lot of posts on progress, but today ran a loco to test the layout after bringing it in from the shed. A track clean and the loco ran over part of the layout, mainly the fiddle siding and bay platform. Ran into the main platform but the point has become unsoldered so will need some attention.

Snagging list to do.

Video link here

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nzDNECUcXB9ekTpe8

Low relief for Tankerton

Brought 3 of the Greenwood TT:120 wood laser cut kits. TT:120 I hear you ask? Plan for forced perspective to hid the fiddle siding at the back of the layout on Tankerton Town.

Construction so far from rainy Essex 

Further progress 2/1/23

First stage painting 8/1/23 - Coat of red oxide primer to seal the wood and act as as base coat. Then acrylic paint, Sienna & raw umber apples by sponge. 24 hrs to dry then next stage.

Adding the mortar course - pre cleanup. Ready mixed filler is applied and wiped off straight away leaving the mortar lines, simple but effective.

Close up of the brick effect

Latest progress 

Layout update - Hiding the Sector plank

For awhile I have been trying to work out how to disguise the sector plank. By perchance at West Byfleet, I came across a row of warehouse s built by Malcolm Saker which he was disposing of with a number of other buildings, so monies changed hands.

The Warehouse row had to be reduced in length, so with a trusty saw taken to the structures, they were separated and additional bits added.

Quite pleased with the result.

The other buildings at the station end are there for storage rather than permanent fixtures.

layout progress - meet 1211

Have not posted anything for a long time, but does not mean I have been idle!

Done a bit in 3mm lately. Obtained one of Mike Davey's 3D printed wagon bodies of a South Eastern & Chatham Loco Coal Wagon. Floor added from plasticard, Society W irons, wheels and buffer head, Society wagon transfers and here we have 1211.

SER signal box update

Work progresses on the signal box. All four sides are fitted, a floor added and the staircase fixed to the box. I decided not to use the lobby and have found an example at Sandling Jct

(Photo from Brian Hart's Hythe & Sandgate branch)

The lobby I may use as a stand along privacy (even signalman have to meet the call of nature!). 

There is also a nice drawing of the box to 2mm scale in the book.

I had wondered what sort of chimney the box had and the photo/drawing has answered the question, brick plasticard and 3D chimney pot should sort that out.

For now I have test fitted the roof, as although the back of the box will face the viewing side, it cries out for interior detail! Once everything is in place I shall spray undercoat the box after washing it in iso alcohol as suggested to remove the moulding solution.