I'm quite fortunate in that I get a shutdown week from work over the festive period, and every year I always try to find a quick project to be completed in that time. Normally it's one of the projects in Mr Ford's books, but having put so many items on the 'possibly for Christmas' list this year, I decided it was probably a good idea to look at the stash and see what options I had there.
Seems I'm unintentionally going for a collection of 'Corris Themed' Christmas projects this year. Recently a replacement motor/chassis unit came my way from the 009 Society sales for a Five79 Kerr Stuart Tattoo that's sat rather unloved in its box for few years now after it's last one literally fell to bits. Fingers crossed it should be a one day job, as the old chassis is quite a helpful guide as to where to cut/file in order to get it to fit.
Alongside this is the Dundas (Ex Rodney Stenning) Corris brake van. I was planning to make this us as a box van version, but on a recent five into the internet to look at handrails positions I stumbled upon an image of the prototype in a GWR grey livery. The temptation is very strong...
And finally, the classic Wills Ground Level Signal Box kit. This is one I've had on the list/in the stash for a while, wanting to have a 2nd attempt at a Corris style kit-bash as described in Chris Ford's "Modelling Narrow Gauge Railways in Small Spaces". My first attempt was good, but there is certainly room for improvement, particularly when it comes to the roof sections.
All three also rather handily tie in with a new micro layout project that's been brewing over the last weekend...
In short: Merry Christmas, watch this space, and see you all in the new year!
Something totally different this week. Yesterday was my dad's 60th birthday and for a long time I'd been thinking about something model railway related as a gift. A search at the Statfold 009 show earlier this year had proved fruitless (Probably due to too many choices rather than too few!) but by chance picking up a copy of the November issue of Railway Modeller magazine I stumbled upon a review of Tom Marshall's 3D printed figures of Laurel & Hardy as they appeared in 'The Music Box', complete with piano. Being a big Laurel & Hardy fan as well as a railway modeller, it was the prefect gift.
If I could offer one criticism, and this really is me being picky now, I wish there was a pose of Laurel in his overalls leaning on the crate to go with the one of Hardy in that pose, or in the classic 'leaning with head in one of his hands' pose. But I really shouldn't complain with how well printed these figures are, the features on Hardy's face in particular are clearly identifiable even at this tiny scale!
In fact, once painted, I had far too much fun posing them! I might have to get myself a set for a future layout...
Figures (+ piano and packing case!) are available from Tom Marshall's 'Buggleskelly Station' site HERE.
I know I said railway modelling was limited as of late, but attaching two parts of styrene to the frames of a brakevan and calling it a day really does show how limited the time is...
For footboards I've just simply used Pastruct 3.3mm angled pieces. In all honesty slightly thinner pieces might have looked better, but at the same time this size helps to hide the majority of the N gauge chassis under frame details. I probably should have added some faux rivet detail with a pin in a pin chuck beofre attaching, but a few uprights of 20x40thou plastic strip will have to suffice instead to stop the plain look.
The Talyllyn brake handle was found amongst the spares box at last, and after trimming and fitting into a pieces of 2mm brass tubing, was fixed to the toad's deck with the aid of a piece of 1mm microrod stickout out of the base and a matching hole drilled into the chassis.
Now it really is a case of finishing off the tiny details. This mainly consists of some more styrene strip pieces to represent lamp irons, and then it'll finally be time for the undercoating, hopefully with its little friend in tow...
Whilst I am having a lot of fun putting together the brake van seen a couple of weeks back, as soon as I sat it next to the Talyllyn's 'Limping Lulu' I realised something rather important. Compared to my usual narrow gauge stock, the van was just a bit too big. I'll still get use out of it but something smaller was needed, particularly to go with the short wheelbase 009 Society wagons.
So, I had another enjoyable afternoon assembling the body for another van using the same techniques and materials as the larger variant. The only variation here is that the chassis is a Peco 10ft N gauge type instead of a 15ft. Shades of the Glyn Valley Tramway brake seem to have crept in into this shortened version. If the chance ever arises to build yet another van I'd certainly make attempt at the narrow panelling and sliding doors on the side of the GVT prototype.
I'm getting ahead of myself though, as this rate there'll be at least two brake vans to every locomotive!
I'm not quite sure what it is about deadlines, but they always seem to bring out the creative side in me, and more often than not only when it's far too late to do anything about it.
Earlier this year I posted about the Micro Model Railway Cartel's annual challenge, and a small scheme I'd jotted down for a potential layout, despite not having the time to build it. Now, with less than two weeks till the deadline, it's suddenly occurred to me what I SHOULD have gone with.
Although it's not a requirement for the challenge, with a December deadline and the results being posted in the Christmas issue of the dispatch it only seemed logical to try and use that as a theme. But for the longest time I couldn't work out how, until now.
The result:
Taking things really back to basics here with just a circle of track and no points. Heavy snowfall is something I haven't modelled before which would have made a nice change, and a nice challenge at having the sleepers buried beneath with only the rail tops/sides showing.
Location here is very much implied to be in my local area, the Peak District, though this is really only represented with the occasionally stretches of snow covered drystone walling, the stone railway bridge, and the 'Cromford & High Peak' style embankment he road climbs up over the railway on. A few pine/evergreen trees are used to add some height, plantations of such as surprisingly common in the area than you might think. They're both in front and behind the road and would be at different heights in an attempt to create some sort of forced distance, if only slightly.
The station shelter is of the 'tin shed' shed, but like GWR pagoda buildings serves mainly to house a bench for prospective passengers. Style wise I was thinking of something like those seen on the Manx Electric Railway earlier this year, though rather than green in a dark red to contrast any of the greenery that pokes through the snow. The eagle eyed will notice the use of red and green to add to the festive feel. It's an attempt anyway.
Upon leaving the station the line passes over an un-gated light railway style level crossing. It's partly to model something other than the stereotypical gated crossing, but it also allows a much better view of the bus on the road.
The Bus was the starting point for inspiration for the layout. There are many tales of buses getting stuck in the snow out here in the Peak District, and the above photo from Huddersfield shows an example of how bad it could get even outside the area. Having such a steep incline and curve coming down towards the bridge I originally considered placement should be heading towards the crossing, looking as if it had skidded on the curve. This seemed a little too dramatic so the more probably 'unable to climb the hill' pose was chosen instead, there'd have to be tire tracks in the snow suggest quite a few attempts had been made.
From this though a fun scene could be made of the bus passengers abandoning the road and reassembling on the station platform to await the more reliable, yet somewhat awkward train service. From there stems the opportunity of having them all weighed down with countless boxes and bundles, having clearly caught the last bus back from the nearest town with their Christmas shopping. The only stipulation I do have with the bus is that it'd have to be an AEC Regal with a half cab, there's something about them that just looks right to me. Perhaps it's a mixture of the stereotypical combined with the works of W. Awdry?
The actual train though, whilst being the focal moving feature is actually the part I left to deciding last. Naturally the tight radius means that a small 0-4-0 would be in order (No Heljan Manning Wardles here!) so something like a reliable GEM Varikit would work nicely. As for rolling stock a couple of items and a brake van would probably be the limit before the train would look too big. Something that I think would work nice would be having a mixed train consisting of a coach, frieght wagon and brake van.
But of course, as of now this is one of many doodlings to be relegated to the 'If and when folder'. Too many ideas, too little time and space...
Having built a set of wagons in 009, the next logical step would be to make a brake van to go with them. Not a necessity to all narrow gauge lines as history shows, but I've been meaning to have a go at a little scratch-building project from a certain book for some time now. This presents the perfect opportunity, but with adaptations to the original guide to suit my own tastes of course.
Finding myself away from home with only a cutting mat, styrene sheet and strip and a chassis unit to hand, this was the result after a relaxing evening cutting and scribing. Somewhat 'Toad' inspired, but the measurements on the veranda end are very much on the 'what looks right to me' rather than any set guide to measurements.
The whole body sits on a Peco N gauge 15ft chassis, allowing for some very smooth running. Overall size wise, it's comparable to the Meridian Models Talyllyn coach kits as seen below.
The main body is pretty much complete here (Minus footboards) Then it's onto the fine detailing stage. I'm sure I've still got a spare brake handle from the Talyllyn No.5 build somewhere in the box of bits...
By now I'm sure many have heard of Rapido Trains Titfield Thunderbolt range that is slowly starting to release piece by piece. Sadly, mainly due to operational potential for my modelling, a Thunderbolt train pack was totally out of the question. However, being a fan of the Wisbech & Upwell tramway, there wasn't a chance I was going to pass up on the Titfield train's coach.
It's a fantastic model, and I'm having great fun finding all the details. It's nice when you can keep coming back to one and finding new things you hadn't spotted before, much like exhibition layouts. Having just the coach also presents the opportunity to make a matching 14XX and a Toad brake van, both of which are planned to be bashed from ex-Airifx models over the winter period. If I've more time on my hands then the cattle truck seen during the market day train at the start of the film is also up for modelling.
I'm now stuck with a dilemma though.
Despite not having had the coach 48 hours at the time of writing, I like it probably too much. There is a strong temptation to get at least one of the British Railways brown variants to go with the lone J70 (Toby) tram I have. The urge to build a Upwell inspired micro layout is rising.
The painting process is similar to the Talyllyn coaches seen earlier in the year, the only difference here being that rather than using a leather colour to undercoat all the metal work a rust colour has been used instead. Why? Well the top coat will be a leather brown colour, using it as both a base and top coat will make it a little too bold, and I want these wagons to look like they've been working a while. Hopefully this way the rust colour should 'bleed' through the top coat in places, but not so much as to make them look like they've just been dragged from the condemned siding!
Two of the painted wagons pose on The Garden Railway as they await their loads. The wooden one of the left has had a wash of black to bring out the plank lines, whilst the steel type still awaits this, showing the difference even a slight amount of weathering gives. To add some slight differences between the planked wagons, a single plank was touched up in earth brown colours again to give the impression of a replaced plank that hadn't quite got round to being repainted yet. All the wagons will probably get a very light dry-brushing (Particularly round the frames) once all the washes have dried.
The plan here is to potentially do something Leek & Manifold style and have them all crammed with milk churns. Guess that's one of my future jobs, I'll be seeing churns in my sleep...
Modelling work has almost entirely ground to a halt as of late due to unexpected circumstances outside the world of tiny trains. Some jobs are still doable, but at the moment it's a case of tiny ones that I can have done within a few hours.
So, taking shelter from Storm Babet last Friday, I set to and added some couplings to the in progress 009 Society wagons.
My couplings of choice are the Peco NEM pocket variety. They're nice and solid, though one criticism I do have is that the 'pin' the coupling loop hooks onto is a little wide. I keep meaning to experiment with filing on thinner and seeing how it performs.
Attaching the NEM socket to the bottom of the wagons required some slight bodging. Attached as assembled, the coupling sits far too low, fouling the track work. Instead, a mm or two is shaved off of the top of the socket, and a small notch cut into the wagons buffer beam to match. This is one of those tasks that would certainly be easier if it was done BEFORE the kit was assembled!
All three wagons sat on The Garden Railway with a small diesel in charge. Next stop (Hopefully), the paint shop.
Not much time for railway modelling lately, so this week it's a throwback to the one building project that really kickstarted me back into the hobby after so long: A 'light railway style' station building kit-bash as described in Chris Ford's 'Modelling Narrow Gauge Railways in Small Spaces'.
The main body of the building utilises the Wills Corrugated Iron Chapel kit with windows replaced, extra doorways added and some additional bargeboards and finial. Deviating from the book I went and added a platform canopy from offcuts of Wills Corrugated Iron sheets, Ratio Valancing and 60thou square strip for the legs.
And just to prove that it doesn't always go right on the first try, here is the first attempt at the canopy using parts from the spares box, in this case a Dapol/Airfix station booking hall canopy and legs from a Ratio carriage shed kit:
I do like this building, but it's certainly one that's on the 'have another go' list. Maybe someday I might finally get round to building the iron chapel as intended too!
Click HERE for a link to Chris's blog. Well worth a read!
An unexpected trip out on the 1st saw me going to the annual model railway show at Wirksworth. I hadn't intended to go, and in all honesty I could have sworn it was normally held mid-October, however the social media algorithms were in my favour for once and alerted me that the show was on first thing in the morning! As always, not a complete show catalogue is presented here, mainly layouts that caught my eye.
The show is rather unusual in that it is held over three different venues, each a few minutes walk apart. This year there was a vintage bus service running from the station up the short distance to the main high street. No doubt welcomed by those wishing to avoid the intermittent downpours.
Doe Lea (N) - Derek Gelsthorpe. One I saw previously this year at Bakewell, and a nice example of what can be achieved in a small 4x1ft footprint.
Hollington Quarry (009) - Dave Jones.
Boxworks Wharf (009) - Unknown builder, the layout didn't appear in the show guide!
Knowles Hill Colliery (00) - Phil & Jack Sharpe.
Pizza Layout (00) - Again, a layout that wasn't in the show guide so another unknown builder and unknown name if any.
Knottmuch Moor (00) - Ronan's Railways.
Knottmuch Moor (009) - Ronan's Railways. I'm unsure as to whether the name duplication is deliberate or a mistake in the show guide.
Cowley Yard (O) - William Plant. Another nice micro layout example.
Lockdown Quarry (009/00) - Tim Oaks.
"N Gauge in a Suitcase" (N) - Malcom Hughes.
One thing that did become apparent walking round was that there were a few layouts advertised in the show guide that weren't there. Naturally, this does happen sometimes but it left me with the feeling that some of them might have been Saturday only exhibits. Fair play to the exhibitors though the spaces did seem to have been filled with unadvertised small layouts, the only place it really stood out was seeing a solitary 4x3ft N gauge layout on its own in a room roughly 15x10ft.
I understand the organisers were also having new fire safety rules to work with this year, necessitating some space/layout changes to the norm. Again, credit to the exhibition staff, they did hand out a comments/feedback form on entry!
Trade was also very well catered for. There were the usual off the shelf box stores but at least two sellers had large 2nd hand rummage boxes, managing to make me part with money for two lorry kits. A complete Airfix cattle wagon was also mine for the princely sum of £1.50, a steal!
Overall, a bit of a mixed experience this year, partly due to me having to leave much earlier than intended (Forgoing a ride to Duffield and back) and probably due in part to the weather. It's one that I'd definitely return to next year as I'm all for supporting local shows in my area given how few and far between they are. It just seemed to be missing something this year, and I can't quite put my finger on it...
Apparently it is the law of the internet that if you go to a model railway exhibition and buy things you have to make a 'look what I've bought' post.
At the Statfold 009 show I finally got round to purachsing some of the 009 society's wagon kits. For the more than reasonable price of £6 (At the time of writing!) you can quite easily build up a large fleet of wagons that would look at home on almost any narrow gauge railway. A plank sided Colin Ashby coach also made it into the mix. The Eggar Bahn balcony ended coach and the Worsley Works Talyllyn Refreshment Van are projects for another day...
Opening up one of the wagon kits, in this case the steel sided wagon, the parts are very neat and crisp. Slotting together almost seamlessly when offering them up for a test fit before glueing. The kit also comes with metal wheels.
Assembly is very straightforward. Two edges and one side are joined together before being wrapped round the floor piece. It's worth mentioning that due to the nature of the sprues, each kit comes with a spare wagon floor.
Two wagon bodies assembled, the wooden bodied variant on the left. After this it is simply a case of adding the sole-bars and wheels underneath. I did open out the axleboxes slightly to allow the metal wheels to rotate more freely, though this step could easily be missed out.
All three assembled wagons pose on 'The Garden Railway', along with the Colin Ashby coach. Assembly of the coach is of an incredibly similar nature, the only major additions being the inclusion of seats and after final painting, the windows panes and roof.
Next stage, adding some Peco NEM coupling pockets and then onto the paint shop.
Last week I mentioned how I was only around for the 009 50th Anniversary show for the Saturday. the reason for this was simple, a planned getaway to the Isle of Man on the Sunday. This is one of those places I've wanted to go to for years and my first trip certainly didn't disappoint.
After an unexpected short flight on the Sunday (20 minutes from Liverpool. Takes me longer to drive from my house to the nearest town!) There was just enough time to catch a tram from Douglas's Derby Castle stop to Groudle for a ride on the Groudle Glen Railway.
To say if was the railway's annual steam Gala it was surprisingly quiet. I can only assume the wet weather earlier in the day might have put many off the ten minute walk through the glen to the station. Certainly one that I really want to get back to in the future, and hopefully for a full day!
Monday saw me undertaking the challenge of walking from Douglas to Peel along the old railway line. One that many locals who I encountered told me the Manx goverment were kicking themselves that they'd closed and partly built over. I can see why, it's a great way of exploring the ever changing countryside, and there's a surprising amount of structures left along the route, in particular the many crossing keeper's cottages. This example, modelled by yours truly, on the Glen Darragh Road (Glen Vine) seems to have found a new life as part of the Manx RSPB as a shelter!
Tuesday saw a trip on the railway down to Port St. Mary. Back during my student days I'd sketched and drawn No.3 'Pender' at the science museum in Manchester more times than I can remember, but to witness one of these unique Beyer Peacock engines in steam is quite something. No.4 'Loch' has the honours of taking us out. After an explore of St. Marys and a short (Less than a mile!) walk to the other side of the island and Port Erin, there was time for an explore of the Railway Museum in the goods shed.
One thing that really did catch my eye amongst the many exhibits was this model of Douglas locomotive sheds and workshops by Robin Winter. The itch to model something 'Manx-ish' in 009 is certainly there..
Heading back to Douglas in a slight drizzle of rain, No.11 'Maitland' was the engine. Personal preference here, but out of all the colour schemes I've seen on the IoM engines, this is the livery I like the most.
Wednesday was a day allocated for the trams, starting off with an enjoyable, albeit very slow, ride along the promenade on the horse tramway. Thankfully, horse tram services are timed to meet up with those of the electric railway. From there it was a ride in a breezy but very comfortable tram trailer to Laxey to see the big wheel, the 'Lady Isabella', the largest waterwheel in the world.
Originally built to pump out water from the mines below, the wheel has now become one of the most instantly recognisable landmarks on the island. The old mine buildings still survive up the hill in a ruined state, but a very well laid out trail made for a very fun morning. Also, whilst in Laxey, it's worth checking out 'The Tram Junction Shop', naturally just next to the station along 'tramway close'. A shop literally filled with second hand railway books and memorabilla, and very friendly staff too!
From Laxey, there was just enough time for a quick return trip up Mt Snaefell before another quick return trip out to Ramsey and then straight back to Derby Castle. For someone like myself who has only ever known the likes of Crich, Sheffield Supertram, Nottingham NET and Blackpool trams, the steepness of the gradients and the sharpness of the curves on both tram railways is quite suprising!
Thursdays saw me using the Steam Railway again, but this time only going as far as Ballasalla, hauled by No.13 'Kissack'. From there it was a short twenty minute walk to Silverdale Glen, with an attraction that when I heard about it from a friend I knew I had to go and see...
A water-powered roundabout! As the instructions say, it is operated by a dead man's handle that opens a sluice into the water wheel in the cage. Apparently the wheel comes from the long closed mine at Foxdale, another location once served by the railway.
Yes. Yes I did ride the roundabout. It was surprisingly quite speedy!
From Silverdale I walked alongside the Silver Burn River to Castletown, stopping off at Rushen Abbey on the way to visit the ruins. After a very pleasant afternoon exploring Castle Rushen (And unexpectedly geeking out about Space:1999 with one of the tour guides!) It was time to catch the train back from Castletown station. Readers of a certain younger age like myself may instantly recognise it as 'Shining Time Station' from when the box office flop 'Thomas & the Magic Railroad' was filmed partly on the island in 1999.
An on the final day, there were no trains or trams, save for the tramcar on display in the Manx Museum. There was also just enough time to go and see the castled archway on Marine Drive, just on the cliffs south of Douglas.
Open top tramcars used to run through the archway on the right on the way to the beach at Port Soderick, a rather hair-raising ride by modern standards as the trams hugged the cliffs and crossed the wide coves via tall trestle viaducts, not for the faint hearted! At this point the wires used to come so close to those sat on the open top deck that there were large signs warning passengers not to stand up, a modern health and safety nightmare! Dismantled after the 2nd World War all that survives now is the road, archway, and Tramcar No.1 in the museum at Crich.
There is however a brilliant reconstruction of the route on Youtube for those wishing to follow the journey of an Edwardian traveller:
Overally, a fantastic week on the island. Highly recommended by myself if you ever get the chance to visit!
