Bacup - Mills in the hills

[Andrew P]

It will be a HOT WHISKEY later :locomotive: :locomotive:

 

S****t Bodgit :stinker:

[hybridangel77]

god you have lots of patience.it certainly has paid off tho as those houses look the dogs danglies as per usual!!!

[Jason T]

To tell you the truth Terry, the houses are a bit of a cop-out compared to what I was originally planning for that area, another mill with the offices fronting the road (including decorative stonework). I searched the streets of Bacup, Newchurch, Britannia, Stacksteads, Waterfoot, etc., but couldn't find one that was small enough or that fitted the scene properly. So, whilst googling in Stacksteads (Google Earth is a godsend for the scratchbuilder), I found a row of houses that looked spot on, e.g. although a terrace, most were different. 

 

It'll be a week tomorrow since I started them

[Jason T]

The new row of houses are almost finished, just needing chimney pots and the watergoods toning down slightly.

 

 

 

A pavement will be laid in front of them at some point soon.

[emt_911]

Jason

 

I like that. It looks realy convincing, especialy with the alleyway.

 

Duncan

[bluebottle]

What colour are your doorsteps going to be, Jason? When I were a lad my ma and most of the neighbours used to apply “Cardinal” brand red polish to theirs. I think it was wax based, originally meant for sealing quarry tiles, but putting it on doorsteps saved the labour of scrubbing the stone. I think it's still available, possibly used for its intended original purpose.

[Jason T]

Not given it a huge amount of thought really Gordon although probably cleaned up with a Donkey Stone. There are a lot of steps to polish now

[Jason T]

One thing that I am noticing as I progress is that as I have been learning as I have gone on, the level of detail and the standard of the houses has increased as I have moved round the layout. It isn't that the first ones are bad, but I am glad that they aren't directly next to the newer ones as then it may show up. Saying that, more time and effort went into the station and canopy than anything else, it was the first structure I built for the layout and is still my favourite to date (even though I modelled it in brick rather than stone, by mistake).

[emt_911]

One thing that I am noticing as I progress is that as I have been learning as I have gone on, the level of detail and the standard of the houses has increased as I have moved round the layout. It isn't that the first ones are bad, but I am glad that they aren't directly next to the newer ones as then it may show up. Saying that, more time and effort went into the station and canopy than anything else, it was the first structure I built for the layout and is still my favourite to date (even though I modelled it in brick rather than stone, by mistake).

Jason

 

It shows. I'm also starting to find the same myself. Although, I am taking more time to do it properly.

 

Duncan

[Andrew P]

Every little helps, hahaaaa

 

Bodgit

[Jason T]

I've been doing a couple of minor jobs this week that have taken a bit of time, not really worth showing on their own but they all go towards the overall 'picture'. You may spot a couple of them, not finished yet (need to finish the painting, etc).

 

However, for a change, I thought I would go out and about in Bacup, armed with my camera, and see what I could see. Please excuse the (real) brick chimney stack in the background, etc. What they do show is that there are a lat of areas where I need to get down to teh small and seemingly inconsequential details which, now I think about it, will probably take at least as long again as the layout has to date.

 

Anyway, I've called these 'Each a glimpse' and they are hopefully a bit different to the norm.

 

First, we walk past the entrance to the carriage sidings, where Bert is holding the gate open to allow a British Railways van to leave and deliver a couple of parcels. It looks like Bert needs to buy some new braces, as his trousers are coming down.

 

Next, we nip down the alleyway near the station and into the mill yard,, climb onto the wall and get a view across the platform. Only a handful of passengers waiting....

 

 

At the other end of the Mill Yard, we peer over the wall and down the cobbled terraced street. That flash git from no. 28 looks to have borrowed his boss's Lotus Cortina for the day.

 

We then walk down the street, cross the road and up the access road to the goods yard. Those cobbles can be a nightmare for the lorries when wet.

 

We walk through the goods yard and past the shed. The grass on the embankment appears to be very well kept so far

 

We nip up a lower part of the embankment, through a hole in the fence and begin to climb the road as it crosses the railway towards the old grain warehouse 

 

We know the people who live in no. 1 and go upstairs to get a shot looking past the old grain warehouse, down the back of the houses into the mill yard

 

Shattered after our walk around town, we jump on the Cravens DMU bound for Rawtenstall and beyond, time for one last shot out of the carriage window of the short terrace of mill workers cottages, always shrouded in darkness by the railway retaining wall and the mill opposite. Perhaps that explains the terrible parking by the driver of the Moggy Minor

[Rowsley17D]

A lovely tour of the layout Jason. A touch of paint needed here and there, an odd pavement or two, plus some of the good folk of Bacup (who must mostly be in hiding at the moment unless the Archers are on the wireless?) also haven't noticed where said good folks post their mail, but, coming along very nicely indeed. Are you thinking about what you will do where the buildings go into the backboard? A photo or two perhaps if you can find the right sort of view to take?

[Jason T]

Funnily enough, in my box of bits and bobs, I have some (so far unpainted) post boxes, as well as (unpainted) period road signs, etc. I do have a length of pavement scribed, although it is slightly too wide for the new row of cottages. There will be no pavement on the other side, just a scruffy area of grass and gravel from the road edge to the fence, although I need to work out how best to create the road surface first, incorporating it with running across the bridge (and the bridge needs painting before I do that, which means getting out the airbrush. So many things to do ).

 

The backscene....... along the back of the layout (e.g. parallel to the station), the low roof has meant that wherever possible, I have added buildings and walls but around the far back side, I am not sure yet. The problem with a photo is managing to get a suitable one, especially one that takes into account the road continuing. I might have to bite the bullet and actually paint my own!

 

Today's mission is going to be searching the Internet for some suitable street lights, which are very noticeable for their absence.

[hybridangel77]

some very nice photos.they capture the layouts atmosphere very well especially with those fantastically built houses.

 

terry  

[Removed a/c]

What a great tour of Bacup !! Such amazing work, thanks for sharing it with us. 

 

 

Regards 

Scott 

[emt_911]

Jason

 

If you're going for a tarmac effect for the road, one of the best I've seen is fine sandpaper painted and weathered.

 

Just a thought

 

Duncan

[Mythocentric]

Hi Jason

 

Cracking set of photo's. You've hit that Northern mill town atmosphere right on the nose. Seriously impressive stuff.

 

One question! Where did the figures on the platform come from. They look the bees knees!

 

Regards

 

Bill

[Jason T]

Hi Bill,

 

they are from the Monty's range of figures. They come either in white metal or painted, these being ones I painted myself a while ago.

[Andrew P]

Hi Jason, Truly inspirational set of Photos there, How you can copy a place with such accuracy is brilliant mate, well done and PLEASE P[LEASE, more pics like the last ones, and with the story that goes with them. :locomotive: :locomotive:

 

Bodgit

[Mythocentric]

Hi Bill,

 

they are from the Monty's range of figures. They come either in white metal or painted, these being ones I painted myself a while ago.

 

Thanks Jason! Just ordered half the population of West Yorkshire from Dart Casting's! (Sorry wallet!). I only hope the post office don't 'lose' them like they did with my last order.

[artizen]

Tarseal roads - Vallejo Black Lava paste. Spread it on with a small spatula. Goes around corners. Goes up hills. No joints. If it's too dark, just add acrylic paint to suit.

[Jason T]

Bill, I meant to correct my entry to Dart rather than Monty's after seeing the stand at an exhibition yesterday! Apologies, and at least you realised I was wrong.

 

Cheers Ian, I will look for some of that and give it a go.

[southern42]

What a wonderful tour of Bacup, Jason.  Many thanks for posting, and if I may repeat the great Lune, Andy, please, please (me), let's have some more episodes of life in Bacup, as people get up and go about their daily business. 

 

Have you thought about accompanying snippets of sound and conversation?  I think it may be quite an appropriate layout for it.  Just a thought.  Maybe the Lunesters could post suggestions on LL to get you started.

 

One question.  What's your method for painting your figures?  They're exquisite.  Have you got some posts on this?

 

Polly

[Jason T]

Hi Polly,

 

I painted the figures quite a while ago, well before I even contemplated Bacup. Basically though, I just took a long time over them, painting each part (skin tone, then shirts, then overcoats, etc., and then shoes and hair, etc) in stages, leaving them to dry for at least 24 hours between each. I then very carefully weathered them with the usual dirty thinners, but very sparingly.

 

Biggest thing to remember is to not paint the eyes on as if you do, they will stand out a mile and make them look like panda's.

[southern42]

Thanks, Jason.

 

You say you used thinners.  What paints did you use, then?  

 

One tip I picked up on painting eyes, was to lightly brush diluted (black or suitable other) paint over the face and wipe off straight away leaving paint in the indentations to highlight facial features.

 

This works fine if the faces are well modelled.  However, if sculpting is poor this is emphasised. So I now choose which models I do this way with care!

 

I have only used acrylic paint on a couple of repaint jobs but found them a bit too shiny so I rubbed a finger over a chalk pastel and then rubbed finger over the model.  OK on driver and fireman tucked away in the cab, anyway.   

 

Polly