bgman Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 (edited) All what they ^ said and more ! A very relaxing 7 minutes and time well spent in my humble opinion. Two of your models take me to the places where happy memories abound...... Chester my home county city and the Post Office, just a stones throw from The Arthurian Castle of Tintagel. Thank you Allan. Edited May 16, 2014 by bgman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 Right guys, restarted Moretonhampstead engine shed this afternoon - I say restarted cos I screwed up the front elevation THREE times and am just recovering from a mega sulk. Anyway, the original, which still stands minus its very unusual attached signal box, was built out of what looks like granite, dark and sombre looking, so I've put up these two early stage pictures to see what you think. To compare it, google Moretonhampstead engine shed. Thanks guys. Allan. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweven Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Hi Allan, that is looking good. I found a few photographs of the broad gauge shed on Flickr to compare against. Also thought your slideshow on YouTube was fantastic. Cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Here's the latest on the Moretonhampstead engine shed build and I think I'm going to abandon this - it just doesn't 'feel' right somehow. Maybe it's the weather, hot, clammy and not ideal for building ancient engine sheds with signal boxes nailed on one side ! Anyway... Cheers. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Sounds like those Ol' Summertime Blue's Allan. Take the Missus off to the beach or a drive in the country (insert relaxation of choice here). I usually go and sit on the beach at the end of the road for a while. In fact I do it so often I've got my own personal bum impression in one of the rocks now! Better still let the grandkid's decide where to go, but be warned, that could prove (1) expensive or (2) terrifying or (3) both! (I once finished up at a Kylie Minogue concert with them!) I'm sure you'll figure it out and end up with another top-drawer model to keep the rest of us green with envy! Regards Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Shed now in dustbin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Only-Me Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 (edited) Pull it out and post it to me please, even from the bin it'll be better than anything I can make Edited May 19, 2014 by Only-Me Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 Right guys, Moretonhampstead ES is now fermenting in the dustbin ( anyway, I've built it before and it wasn't all that inspiring then ) and today I started on another diorama and here's a small step-by-step covering the building of a cottage that will be the focal point of all else that follows so this could be a long haul but not half as long as Chester High Street !! Anyway, today's progress and now I'm off with wife to Cleethorpes to watch ships with a bag of chips ! Cheers. Allan ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The 'Plan' Major elevations cut out. Firecement layered onto a gable end placed between two leveling runners. Dusted in talc and ready for rolling. Rolled flat to a thickness of 2mm. Dusted again ready for stone press. First pressing : leave as is or apply further offset pressings to 'chop' up stones even smaller. Several offset pressings later and window lintel pressed in with strip of card. For this particular finish - dark stone/granite - a single wash of Colron Jacobean Dark Oak Wood Dye. Dye sealed in after 2minutes in the microwave to set rock hard. A slurry of firecent, water and a drop of washing up liquid fed between the stones to represent pointing - you may have to do this several times. More to follow as the build progresses. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 Sorry about the wrong order of pics, but I'm sure Y'all git the drift ! Cheers. Allan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Youse dunnit agin Mister Downes! I'm looking at building a second layout based on a proposed branch line to Drummore on the Rhins of Galloway in south-west Scotland, and that fire cement method is perfect for the buildings in the area. There's a mix of rendered, white walls and stone which is a beautiful local honey-coloured (which looks similar to the stone used for the Midland station here in Morecambe as in the photo) or red/brown sandstone. There are some cracking photos on Google Images, especially of the kirks. The question is could you recommend the best Colron dye to achieve that finish. I could probably achieve it with paint but that just wouldn't be suitable for fire cement. (There's supposed to be a couple of photos here but RMWeb is playing silly bu&&ers again and refusing to upload them!) Regards Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 Hi Bill. Try Colron Light English Oak and Georgian Medium Oak - one of them should suit. If you could put up a picture of the stonework you refer to Bill then maybe I could be a bit more positive. Cheers. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 Just found Morecambe Station Bill and I reckon English Light Oak ought to do it. Cheers. Allan. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 (edited) Did you ever measure buildings and plan or has it always been a back of an envelope job. Incredible and amazing use of fire cement. I can't wait to see the finished buildings. And you're right, there is nothing like sitting by the sea eating a great bag of fish and chips. Hope you enjoyed them. Edited May 21, 2014 by Highlandman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythocentric Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Hi Allan! That's brilliant my mate. Thank you! As I mentioned in my post I tried to upload the photos the forum didn't want to know! However, I tried again and this time, no problem! It appears the Lord and the internet both move in mysterious ways! The reddish/brown stone is similar to the steps in the shot of the Midland Hotel. Regards Bill 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Hi Allan! That's brilliant my mate. Thank you! As I mentioned in my post I tried to upload the photos the forum didn't want to know! However, I tried again and this time, no problem! It appears the Lord and the internet both move in mysterious ways! The reddish/brown stone is similar to the steps in the shot of the Midland Hotel. 00008_Sandstone Wall (Morecambe Promenade Station).jpg 007.jpg Regards Bill Bill I am on Windows 7 and sometimes I just cannot up load photos on to RMweb. May just be a coincidence but seems to coincide with times it fails to load an update Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highlandman Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I did have the same problem with uploading pictures to a reply. I could use the Choose Files button but was not able to insert them in to the text. So I tried different browsers and it worked (Firefox and Opera). It dawned on me that I had upgraded to IE 11 and that's when the problems started. All I did was uninstall it and revert to IE 10 and normal services resumed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 IE11. I was warned by my computer Mr fix it man not to install IE11 as it's a load of crap and will give you nothing but trouble - there are bloody people out there who just won't leave things alone and by trying to upgrade them, they just make things worse still - and IE11 is a classic example. And that's the problem with computers. We're in the hands of a small minority of clever working 24/7 to make our life a misery. Cheers. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 Hi Allan! That's brilliant my mate. Thank you! As I mentioned in my post I tried to upload the photos the forum didn't want to know! However, I tried again and this time, no problem! It appears the Lord and the internet both move in mysterious ways! The reddish/brown stone is similar to the steps in the shot of the Midland Hotel. 00008_Sandstone Wall (Morecambe Promenade Station).jpg 007.jpg Regards Bill Yup. now seeing it Bill, I'd go for the Georgian Medium Oak, bout as close as you'll get. Cheers. Allan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 Did you ever measure buildings and plan or has it always been a back of an envelope job. Incredible and amazing use of fire cement. I can't wait to see the finished buildings. And you're right, there is nothing like sitting by the sea eating a great bag of fish and chips. Hope you enjoyed them. I did try measuring St Pauls once ( my client, a city business man and well out of touch ) dropped me off there with a tape measure, note pad and pencil and said he'd be back in 20 minutes to pick me up. I measured one window and a door and went home. Then I set out once to measure up St Pancras, got off the bus, took one look at it, and caught the next bus home.Nope, back of a beer mat everytime and that way it looks nothing like it so no one can make comparisons ! The chips were ace, no one makes chips like they do in Cleethorpes! ( excepting my mum.....) Cheers. Allan. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Campaman Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 I have been using IE11 since it was first released and still am and have no problems with uploading pictures or anything else, problems tend not to be a single piece of software, more that an actual part of the system is not installed correctly, dotnet versions and similar can cause problems if not configured right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 (edited) This is the lot for today - told yer it would be a long haul, it's all that stopping to take the pics at every move. Anyway, here we go. PIC 1 & 2 Main window surrounds cut out of 1mm styrene and glued in place behind the window apertures. PIC 3 Outer window surrounds - 1mm strip - and cills glued to inner surrounds. PIC 4 Windows - Scalelink brass etched - and door glued in place. PIC 5. Evergreen strip, the best. If it says 40 thou on the packet, 40 thou it is ! Cheers. Allan Edited May 22, 2014 by allan downes 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 22, 2014 Author Share Posted May 22, 2014 That's the walls stoned out and coloured - all 7 of 'em - and tomorrow I'll fit the windows and have it boxed up and ready for the roofs....maybe. Cheers. Allan. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravy Train Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Hi Alan, its looking really good, its a great method with excellent results :-) cheers Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebs Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Allan. absolutely phenomenal work. How do you cut the window apertures? I take it the fire cement is rolled on as a complete "wall" and then the apertures cut out afterwards do you flip the card over and cut out from the back before it's put in the microwave? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted May 23, 2014 Author Share Posted May 23, 2014 Allan. absolutely phenomenal work. How do you cut the window apertures? I take it the fire cement is rolled on as a complete "wall" and then the apertures cut out afterwards do you flip the card over and cut out from the back before it's put in the microwave? Hi Freebs. I cut the walls and apertures out of cardboard as normal then layer and roll the firecement over the card to a depth of 2mm - this is regulated by the runners each side of the work -, turn it over, trim off the waste from around the edges, and apertures, clean it up in general then when satisfied, stick it in the microwave to harden. Then I colour it with whatever wood dye chosen for the job, seal it with a spray sealant, back in the microwave for a minute, then run in the mortar mix and that's really about it. Cheers. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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