Time to build a railway...but where?

kandnwlr · Post by **kandnwlr** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 7:51 am

Now that´s very nice. I might steal some of that. And I thought my Portmeirion rack railway station with Bridge of Sighs to the upper line was getting a little eclectic

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 9:29 pm

Sorry about the orientation of the drawing.. it showed the right way up in my file.
Anyhow, further progress on my Emett building which now has cream emulsion painted walls with green acrylic paint at the base to simulate rising damp. Also, cracks in the plaster to give reason for the stonework to be exposed.

Glazed windows with curtains are fitted all round.
At the front, the steps and columns have been marbled, and the front door with heavy door furniture and cat flap is in place.

Off to another model exhibition with my display tomorrow so no more to report until Monday!

Dr. Bond of the DVLR · Post by **Dr. Bond of the DVLR** » Sat Oct 25, 2014 11:10 pm

Wow, how is the door furniture achieved? Really like the cat flap.

kandnwlr · Post by **kandnwlr** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 8:05 am

Presumably there´s enough cat left for a second catflap

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 6:54 pm

Many thanks for the comments....
The door furniture is a genuine antique drawer handle escutcheon plate which I cut in half (I do have misgivings about such vandalism but I am not likely to use it for its intended purpose).
The cat flap is from a doll's house fittings supplier (which I personally would not recommend) but I do use their products.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 7:46 pm

Back from a pleasant day exhibiting at a local model show with my Emetts...
The house had its first outing and was well received. I have managed to finish the roof slates with individual coloured paper squares (3 colours) stuck down with PVA and finished with weathering powder and matt varnish. Also the pediment is made from plasticard and sprayed grey primer waiting for top coat to match the columns.

There is still work to be done to complete the piece. A small garden with lawn, path, fencing and gate, also a stovepipe chimney. More to come...

Big Jim · Post by **Big Jim** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:18 pm

What's next on the list Peter?
Far Twittering Station?
Wasn't there a haunted station cartoon in one of the books? That might be a seasonal one for you.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:27 pm

On the 1951 Festival of Britain passenger railway the station name had to be altered to 'Far Tottering' for legal reasons. There are several photographs available and I even have drawings of its construction.
That has to be on the list!

SpudUk · Post by **SpudUk** » Sun Oct 26, 2014 10:46 pm

What an incredible collection!

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 9:10 am

Peter
Just read through your entire thread and found it enormously interesting and full of useful stuff. I'm in envy of the quality of your modelling. I'm more of a bodgeller but have picked up some useful ideas - hope you don't mind if I pinch a few. eg I'm just in the midst of bashing some Bachmann Jackson Sharp coaches into something more closely resembling the Leek & Manifold stock. I was wondering how to improve the appearance of the balcony rails - I've now ordered some dolls house railings - thanks.

Just a quick question.

How do you fix your Cambrian bolt heads in place? Mine have a tendency to wander when I apply the solvent. Maybe I use too much solvent or maybe I'm using less effective solvent (MekPak). I see you use dichloromethane - do you think that provides a more instant grab maybe?

Thanks again for your postings and for inspiring me to (hopefully) greater things.

Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 10:58 am

Hi Rik, many thanks for your kind comments, I'm so pleased you enjoy my ramblings and find them encouraging..... always pleased to pass on my experiences, either good or bad!
The Cambrian bolt heads are so fiddly to deal with, especially as they are cone shaped and can't be picked up with tweezers. I cut a few off the sprue and place the right way up on a piece of paper. The solvent used shouldn't make much difference as they work in similar ways but my method is to put a small dab on the spot where the head is to be attached and then, with the brush still wet, lift the head with the brush and place it on the spot. You can see why they are on paper as any excess solvent would bond to plastic!
You do need to work quickly and be confident, although it is possible to slide them fractionally using additional solvent.
Good luck with your Bachmann coaches, I look forward to seeing them. If you are fitting passengers there is a site on ebay where you can get G scale, unpainted moulded plastic, seated figures direct from China. The company has the wonderful name of 'wehonest' so you just have to try don't you? There are 3 packs of 5 different figures (15) for £14.99 plus £1.99 postage and mine arrived in about a week from order. I have used them twice now and am completely satisfied. Painted in different colours and placed separately you can't tell they all have twins!

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:13 pm

Thanks Peter

Peter Butler:105202 wrote: The Cambrian bolt heads are so fiddly to deal with, especially as they are cone shaped and can't be picked up with tweezers. I cut a few off the sprue and place the right way up on a piece of paper. The solvent used shouldn't make much difference as they work in similar ways but my method is to put a small dab on the spot where the head is to be attached and then, with the brush still wet, lift the head with the brush and place it on the spot. You can see why they are on paper as any excess solvent would bond to plastic! You do need to work quickly and be confident, although it is possible to slide them fractionally using additional solvent.

That's really useful info. I usually position them and then apply solvent, which often results in them floating off. I then try pushing them back with a scalpel blade but it's then difficult to get them back into position - even half a millimetre out can be noticed. I'll try your technique next time - sounds a whole lot more successful.

Peter Butler:105202 wrote: Good luck with your Bachmann coaches, I look forward to seeing them.

Progress so far.

I've raised the height of the roof and opened out some of the windows to resemble those on the L&M coaches. These had pent roofs so have used acrylic sheet (cheaper than plasticard and more rigid). I'll start a thread when I've got a bit further and figured out some of the tricky bits (eg the toplights).

Peter Butler:105202 wrote: If you are fitting passengers there is a site on ebay where you can get G scale, unpainted moulded plastic, seated figures direct from China. The company has the wonderful name of 'wehonest' so you just have to try don't you? There are 3 packs of 5 different figures (15) for £14.99 plus £1.99 postage and mine arrived in about a week from order. I have used them twice now and am completely satisfied. Painted in different colours and placed separately you can't tell they all have twins!

Thanks for the tip. My railway is set in the 1930s but I've had some success in modifying modern figures by adding hats, scarves, longer skirts etc using GreenStuff. Might give these a try.

Rik

kandnwlr · Post by **kandnwlr** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 5:46 pm

Peter Butler:105183 wrote:Back from a pleasant day exhibiting at a local model show with my Emetts...
The house had its first outing and was well received. I have managed to finish the roof slates with individual coloured paper squares (3 colours) stuck down with PVA and finished with weathering powder and matt varnish. Also the pediment is made from plasticard and sprayed grey primer waiting for top coat to match the columns.

There is still work to be done to complete the piece. A small garden with lawn, path, fencing and gate, also a stovepipe chimney. More to come...

Magnificent

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Mon Oct 27, 2014 8:06 pm

I do like the idea of raising the roof on your Bachmann coaches Rik. I must admit I hadn't thought of that!
Equally, I am impressed by your orderly storage on the workbench. How anyone works with clutter all around them and tools misplaced is a mystery to me. Organised and tidy workspace is the way to go!

jim@NAL · Post by **jim@NAL** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 8:03 pm

what a bloody fantastic display peter

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 9:04 pm

Thanks Jim, I tried to make it in the style of Emett taking the colour scheme from his illustrations in the book...'Nellie comes home'.
It has the desired effect of jogging peoples memory (those of a certain age similar to mine!) who remember the Festival Railway of 1951.

Post by **ge_rik** » Tue Oct 28, 2014 10:32 pm

Peter Butler:105213 wrote:I do like the idea of raising the roof on your Bachmann coaches Rik. I must admit I hadn't thought of that!
Equally, I am impressed by your orderly storage on the workbench. How anyone works with clutter all around them and tools misplaced is a mystery to me. Organised and tidy workspace is the way to go!

Hi Peter
I took the dimensions from a drawing of the L&M coaches and so needed to give a bit more height to the sides.

I do try to keep things tidy but once I start working on something the workbench gets steadily more cluttered. I then force myself to de-clutter periodically - usually when I get to that stage where the file I used ten seconds ago has now mysteriously vanished off the face the earth.

Love your Emmett stuff by the way. Have you got a thread with some close-ups of your Emmett stock? One day I intend to build a Gn15 layout and am seriously tempted my some of the Smallbrook Studio stuff.

Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Nov 09, 2014 11:11 pm

Hi Rik, sorry to take so long in replying to you about Emett models but I don't have a specific thread on them but there are a few odd entries here and there!
I also post Emetts on Whymsical.com where they seem more appropriate.
There is another site you might be interested in... The Rowland Emett Society.. which is a free on-line site for Emett enthusiasts. Membership includes Michael Rayner (Smallbrook Studio)

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 2:33 pm

Peter Butler:105569 wrote:Hi Rik, sorry to take so long in replying to you about Emett models but I don't have a specific thread on them but there are a few odd entries here and there!
I also post Emetts on Whymsical.com where they seem more appropriate.
There is another site you might be interested in... The Rowland Emett Society.. which is a free on-line site for Emett enthusiasts. Membership includes Michael Rayner (Smallbrook Studio)

Thanks Peter
I'll check them out
Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat Nov 22, 2014 9:25 pm

Although other projects have been causing some delay, the Emett style house has now been completed.
It has a garden with wonky railing fence, crazy paving path, flowers and weeds (there are always weeds!) children's toys and a chair on the steps.
It is interesting to analyse this cartoon as Emett shows a large country house being demolished (financial ruin?) and the component parts being re-used by locals in the 'make do and mend' era following the shortages caused by the war. This particular house incorporates the grand entrance taken from the mansion but meagre structure at the rear. As a token to the modern age, he has drawn a 1940's style garden gate which is totally out of keeping with the rest of the building.

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Time to build a railway...but where?

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