Ground Frame Hut

One of those projects that's been knocking around on the modelling shelf for some time now, but only just getting round to writing about.

Ususal construction methods apply at this point. Another project inspired by Mr Ford, with a few tweaks from myself to make it a little different, notably the finials in the style of those seen on the station building a while back and a felt and batten roof replacing the supplied slate type.

Certainly one I'd like to have another go at, probably taking the wild decision to replace the roof with some iron sheets. Another one to add to the list...

Controls

 A quick hop back on the railcar project, making a start on the interior.

A fun little exercise in using up parts from the bits box. I decided to go for something 'tram-esque' in appearance, drawing on my memories of work experience in the depot at Crich Tramway all the way back in 2008. The large lever on the left is the throttle, the small one on the right is the directional lever, whilst the round handle is a ratchet style brake. Sanding gear and a horn would be operated by foot pedals.

The levers were made using some spare handrail knobs and wire bent to suit whilst the brake wheel comes from a Wills platform accessories kit. It started life as a wheel for a porters sack barrow! A small piece of wire drilled into the centre from underneath and another piece off centre on top completes the look.

One control panel down, now to make a duplicate!

Corri-Llyn station

I said that when I had the track down I'd get the platform in before making a start on the station building, but having the main shape and level blocked in I could get some exact measurements for the footprint it would occupy.

A quick weekends work saw the main structure assembled:

Rather than lop the station building in half and covering the back with facia boards I thought I'd have a try at making a structure to fit the space, in this case an irregular hexagon.

Surprisingly construction wasn't all that difficult, I certainly seem to be improving at mitring the edges of Will's sheets with a sanding board.

Inspiration was very much from the original Corris station, hence the platform side of the building being a wooden screen. 

Still requires a small amount of filler, and obviously painting, before I can call it done. Then there's the eventual challenge of building the canopy to go with it.

Track Painting

Nothing too elaborate here. An unseasonably bright and warm day a few weeks back resulted in getting Corri-Llyn outside to have the rail sides and sleepers painted. 

Unlike most modellers though I don't paint my rails 'rust' colours, instead going with a 'tank grey'. When fully ballasted it creates a nice effect of grease and grime on the sides of the rails, whilst also not being as overpowering or luminous as some rust colours can be. 

This is actually my first time painting rails with a rattle can too, usually it'd all be hand painted. I'm never going back now, well, aside from slight weathering and touch ups that is.

Toad-ish

I had a surprisingly productive Sunday model railway-wise. I think I might actually be starting to get my creative thought processes back, not just with tiny trains but with art in general. It's a really nice feeling after seemingly hitting a mental block back in January.

One thing that did take me very much by surprise though was the urge to finish the Toad-ish brake van project. A scratch built body running on a Peco N Gauge 15ft wagon chassis (NR-122) Some may remember the state it was left in last December, very much unloved and relegated to sit in the stock box till another time.

In the space of a day it went from that ghostly white shell to finished (Or as near as, I may add a little more soot weathering to the ends) Alongside being my first scratch built item of rolling stock there was something else I wanted to try here: I'd been painting wagons in Revell's Leather Brown but being so dark a shade it doesn't really show up the detail that well, even after weathering. Having used a 'silk matt' brown from the same range on a pair of Talyllyn Coaches I decided to try that here. It's a good deal lighter, and after a dark wash is applied it takes all the shine out whilst showing up the details nicely.

Having had the customary works photos on The Garden Railway the chance was taken to pose the new van with a couple of different locomotives. Size-wise the van is roughly the same dimensions as the Talyllyn's No.4 coach, adn there's certainly plans to paint the spare Meridian kit I have in the same scheme.

Posed with one of the 009 Society wagons painted in the darker Leather Brown, the difference is immediately notable. Seems all the brown stock will be getting a trip to the paint shop at some point!

Let's hope this new found creative streak continues.