Martin S-C

The idea of laying ash ballast (of which I will need a LOT), filling the spaces between the sleepers to a consistent depth, accurately and hopefully finding a relatively easy method is beyond me right now. I can't face cutting up cork sheet to slot between sleepers, then again Cris Nevard's DAS clay method looks equally laborious. Chris (and many others) build cameo layouts. My layout is huge and there's the rub.

I have a reluctance to approach hobbyists though out of a fear of intruding and causing them extra work. I also do not know many people on her very well yet. Introductions would be very welcome! Sem, another LSWR milk van customer here... all in good time of course, I've a few other things to build first.

I think constantly sniping at DCC on a thread where the layout owner is very much committed to it and is clearly demonstrating the usefulness of it is un-necessarily negative.

These are lovely models but my preference would be to use the finest grade plastic possible. If/when you get these on Shapeways and if the fine finish option is offered I would definitely be a customer. I've tried the less-smooth finishes and they do not work for me. Nothing wrong with them and I know people prefer them due to price and they can be worked smoother.

Thank you sb67, that was the blog entry I was recalling but couldn't find the link. Chris - the compacted surface was there for a reason - that being to make it less hazardous for people or animals to walk about the area and not trip over raised sleeper tops or walk on less stable loose ballast, so anywhere where people would habitually walk would be compacted. This covers areas where engines need to be serviced, where things like barrows need to be wheeled, where shunters need to get at wagon couplings, or yard horses need to haul on lines to move wagons about. That might be a better way to approach the issue. Across running lines where drainage was paramount and so looser ballast was necessary, you'd have sleepered board foot crossings more than likely.

Stoker - you are quite correct as lawns have been around a long time, at least since the 1500s if you are royalty or nobility, but we should discuss the subject in regard to the scenery Kevin is painstakingly researching for Little Muddle, which is why I commented in the way that I did. The subject is a row of house backs that are behind the railway station. As we've discussed its a matter of social class (and these cottages would more likely be the homes of working class people rather than middle, or aspiring, middle class) as well as the size of settlement - in a town more people worked for a wage and had disposable income and more access to shops, so a lesser need to grow their own produce. In small villages the reverse was more likely to be true in all cases. Little Muddle is not Metroland and my personal view is that gardens turned over to vegetable plots, chicken coops and even a pigsty would be more appropriate. Perhaps one of the plots might be lawned, owned by someone with social aspirations, or perhaps a senior clerical worker at the local bank. Of course its Kevin's decision but I feel its helpful to arm him with what we consider to be the most useful information applicable to what was the usual situation, rather the unusual. I shall now gracefully bow out of the back gardens debate!

Chris Nevard uses DAS modelling clay. When you consider the real size of the particles and the scale, an almost perfectly smooth surface is probably correct. If you look again at that photo of the larger multi-road engine shed I posted you'll see what I mean - imagine that surface in 4mm scale.

I remember that Cotswold made one in rebuilt Swindon form but I have always liked the original round firebox look of these engines. Have never seen a kit for those.

Can I ask - are these 4mm scale loco kits? I have been after a M&SWJ Dubs 2-4-0 for years but never encountered one; is that a current or expired kit? Thanks.

Today's efforts. Almost all the colliery pointwork now installed. Another box of bullhead track is arriving tomorrow so I ought to be able to finish the circuit and lay some plain track in other areas.

Yup, the surface would be very flat and at least up to the sleeper tops. Or even up to the rail tops.

Not at all. My mistake in thinking the pump was serving the canal. If its serving the railway, that's another matter entirely and what small knowledge I have ends on the subject!

Or 1790s. Brindley was prominent in canal building from the 1760s. I agree, that sadly the structure is too modern. You can still use its components as parts of other buildings however so all is not lost. Galton on the BCN, West Midlands: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ea/New_Smethwick_Pumping_Station.jpg Crofton on the Kennet & Avon: http://www.kennet-avon-canal.co.uk/Kennet-Avon/Crofton-Pumping-station.jpg Leawood on the Cromford Canal: https://assets.atlasobscura.com/media/W1siZiIsInVwbG9hZHMvcGxhY2VfaW1hZ2VzL2YwZG94eDAyaDF1amhmazQxOWE0ZDczMzNiNjkyMjMxMTNfMjY3MzI0N185ZGM4MjEwZi5qcGciXSxbInAiLCJ0aHVtYiIsIngzOTA-Il0sWyJwIiwiY29udmVydCIsIi1xdWFsaXR5IDgxIC1hdXRvLW9yaWVudCJdXQ/2673247_9dc8210f.jpg All very modellogenic structures. In our exchange of PMs, Chris, I forgot to mention that the pumping station would be below the canal and pump water up into it from the water source. My error, so apologies for that.

That was exactly what I was going to suggest. It depends on what class of person you think lives in the row of cottages behind the station, Kevin. I often reference Pendon but that represents the deepest sort of rural inter-war community where everyone had little (use for) money and lived in each others pockets. A self-help community. As The Johnster says, it would have been entirely different in Metroland. Post-war of course there was a general social trend to be upwardly mobile and one of the badges of improving your class was to get rid of the vegetable patch and lay a back lawn. In effect many had aspirations of sitting on a terrace, lord and lady of their own miniature estate.

Yes, pump houses were beside canals but usually only on the summit level so they could pump water up into the highest level of the canal. If you do model a canal, try to place the towpath on the downhill side where they were most of the time for reasons of strengthening the banks.

Wow. Amazing work. Don't stop!

Since you posted this I have been looking a lot at stone buildings with mortared joints and the result is 50/50 between light coloured mortar showing and dark recessed joints in shadow. I suppose more recent repairs or builds use light mortar. I personally would still go with darker joints than lighter but feel free to do oherwise!

Back gardens with LAWNS in the 1930s. That's bold, sir!

I have been away at the GCR model railway event all weekend operating a friends layout and came home last night totally shattered but feeling very mellow. There's something about the social and friendship aspect of these events that easily outweighs the tiredness of focusing on railway layout operations for three days. Today I spent the afternoon spent fiddling with the colliery entrance trackwork. As I suspected the curved turnout works better, so its in and the straight left-hander is out. I then plucked up the courage to attack 40 quids worth of brand new Peco double slip by chopping out some of the sleeper webbing and bending it into a curve. Its not my idea, but comes from LNER4479 of this parish. His instructions are here. He tackled a single slip with these pictures but I had a go at two double slips and I'm happy to say that you can introduce some minor curvature into the slip, enough in my case, that the colliery entry became much more reasonable looking. Curved turnout and curved slip beyond. It is only a minor distortion of the Peco mirror-image slip but it makes quite a difference in appearance. View from the other direction. The nearest slip has been "bent" as well. The lifting flap across the door is not fully seated down! The curvature of the "flexed" slips is subtle but effective, I think. You only need a 5- or 10- degree curve and you're there. Left-most track here is the gradient dropping away towards the MVR Exchange sidings. The curved turnout's left path is the main line; right accesses the colliery. After that the double slip's left path is the stabling road for empties. Its facing right hand path is the stabling road headshunt. Beyond the first slip, the next turnout forms the brake van siding. Beyond that the second slip gives access to the shunting loops, while the turnout coming off it's near-right arm will provide two tracks to access the screens.

That is very nice. It also looks quite short. Must find a use for that! Thanks. I've been away at the GCR model railway event since Friday morning (returning happy but bl**dy exhausted a while ago), but the extra points and track were delivered to me at the show. I have just got back and tomorrow will do some checking with the curved turnout. I also received another box of flexitrack and ought to be able to lay the last pieces that will complete the circuit. When I reach that milestone I have promised myself a train trundling round, a comfy seat and a cuppa.

Someone who was not there commented about parking conditions, suggesting that parking could be problematical. It isn't. I remarked about the known facts of the incident. I am at the event the whole weekend and know exactly what happened. My post contained some information that I sincerely believe would reassure others over security arrangements for the remainder of the event. However, I now appreciate the need to refrain from posting anything that might prejudice the resolution of the situation and so completely respect the admins and mods request not to discuss anything. I honestly thought I was being helpful. Clearly this is a terrible incident and my concern is for those who lost stock and for the GCR team who I'm aware are taking very positive steps to ensure the event continues successfully for its final day.

It is a flat field and it rained heavily today and no-one had any issues getting off the field that I saw. I was in a car doing that very thing and the ground was easily driveable. Wet underfoot but a corduroy road surface laid along the main exit lanes.

At the Forest of Dean Railway museum, Norchard, I saw this and thought of you.

I am not sure what effect you are going for, but my gut feeling would be to make the cracks between stones darker than the stone, not lighter because being recessed they are more likely to be in shadow.

Those parts seem to be coming out with a lovely smooth finish - contrary to what I wrote earlier those buffers look really crisp; better than I see on many Shapeways products. What's your secret?