National Festival of Railway Modelling 2016

With my shiny new DCC controller, I was looking forward to setting up Ruston Quays at Peterborough this year. For the first time ever at a show, I would be able to shunt the lower yard. With the station shuttle working, we'd have two trains moving realistically on the 6ft long layout.

As it turned out, the DCC device attracted a huge amount of favourable attention. The guys from the MERG stand wanted to see it, as did quite a lot of the visitors. I understand that several headed off to sign up with MERG afterward which makes me feel very pleased.

The other star of the show though, had to be Bachmanns Wickham Railcar. The BRM review samples had arrived a couple of days earlier and we gave them a workout on the shuttle service. While this might not be realistic for the layout, it IS entertaining and precisely the reason we have both DCC and DC on board.

Walking around time was limited, but I did manage to track down some excellent chocolate cake on the Saturday lunchtime. I certainly needed the sugar hit as by the end of day one, I was tired out.

Sunday saw me refreshed and with time to wander around a bit before the show opened. My star layout was the Faller Hit Train display for no better reason then it's utter barking mad. The fake Hornby Dublo Garratt was brilliant too, especially as they'd made both the loco and it's box.

Day 2 went well with more and more chat with visitors. The controller was fondled by many, one group even recognised the Inglenook yard design and successfully shunted a train for me - something I'd always wanted to see happen. Perhaps that means I've achieved everything with the layout and don't need to take it out again? 

Lots more photos over on Flickr.

Shunter tinkering in BRM

I can't be doing without of the box ready to run locomotives on my layouts. Once I get my paws on them, I feel the need to make them "mine". Or ruin them, as a collector might say. 

This month, in BRM, I've taken a perfectly good Bachmann 03 and Heljan 05, and customised them to suit Ruston Quays. The 03 wasn't too tough but the 05 went a bit wrong along the way and there was some hasty rectification work required. And yes, I have explained this on the page. Let's face it, not every project goes right first time does it? 

On the DVD, I'm doing something that many will consider incredibly basic - wheel and track cleaning. 

I know it's been covered before but there is a constant stream of new recruits to the hobby who ask the question, "Why do your locos run so well?" and look quizzical when I talk about cleaning the bits through which electric juice flows.

New sign for old

If you write on a door with white ink and then heavily wash it with paint to weather said door, the ink runs.

No problem, print a new sign and stick it over the old one. Then add figures from Priesler and Dapol, tools from Severn Models and an Oxford Diecast pickup.

I'm quite pleased with this.

Doncaster 2016

20 years ago last weekend, the very first Festival of British Railway Modelling took place at Doncaster Racecourse. We loaded up my campervan and headed up there with Melbridge Dock. As I recall, a good weekend was had apart from a quickly solved issue with the expenses where they wanted to pay by cheque in the post and we preferred cash in the hand (and soon in the traders tills).

With the anniversary of the show upon us, I found myself loading up a hire van with two layouts, Melbridge Dock and Ruston Quays. I know I still have the camper but it's off the road and too small for 3 operators and 2 layout. In the middle seat was Chris Mead who had also been to the first show and was part of the group explaining how expenses are paid.

Because it was an anniversary, the first thing we found on arrival was cake. Quite a nice sponge washed down with a cup of tea. We set up in the foyer and then headed for the hotel. Doncaster always seems like the proper north to me but is only 2 and a bit hours from home. Even the traffic and collecting Chris only extended this to just over 3, so long enough to feel like a proper travelling show but close enough for a pain-free journey.

One slight snag was that I'd managed to leave the RQ control board at home. This isn't the end of the world as it only holds the point levers (still no practical DCC system - told you analogue was better) but still a little embarrassing. A couple of phone calls and we'd made arrangements for it to be brought up by a fellow club member visiting the next day. Thanks Steve. 

Saturday opened with excellent crowds in front of both layouts. It might quarter of a century old but the Dock seemed to have at least ten people in front of its 6ft scenic section. My dad and Chris were kept busy all day talking about Sprat & Winkle couplings and Clyde Puffers.

Over on Ruston Quays, I left the shuttle unit to run trains and talked. Continuously.

My session in the lecture theatre was attended by around 50 people and quite a few found their way back downstairs later to ask questions.

By the end of the day we were all tired and headed back to the hotel and adjacent pub for refreshment. Main course eaten, Chris and I had to try the monster deserts on offer. Quite why a gooey cake thing 8 inches tall needs to be accompanied by two piles of cream is a mystery - almost as much as how anyone could finish a portion!

Day two was much like Day 1 except with less voice for me. I was very croaky by the end of the day and glad there wasn't a third.



Before the crowds arrived, I managed to borrow a non-working APT-E pre-production sample to pose in my station where it looks rather nice. Despite not being a production example, and lacking rivets and details, it felt well assembled and surprisingly heavy. 

Shortly after the opening, I found myself presented with a Hornby HST power car which its owner said was squeaking on curves. The back to backs looked a little narrow on the problem bogie but when I went to fix this, one of the tyres came away from the plastic hub. A little superglue sorted this out and hopefully the model is now back in service.

All this means there was very little looking around the show on my part. I did manage a couple of trips out and took some photos. The layout selection seemed varied. One visitor angrily complained that nothing was moving on any layout but I suspect he was unlucky as even at the times quiet enough for me to get out I saw plenty of movement.

My favourite stand wasn't railway related - it was a hedgehog rescue group. Andrew the hedgehog was amazingly cute. He was born blind and so can't be released back into the wild but is quite happy to sit on the stand in his bed occasionally be handled so we could stroke him.

Trade seemed good and I left having spent some money. One stand I didn't get to was the Really Useful Box Company one which had a few boxes that looked good for potential micro layouts. They seemed to good business without me though.

So, a busy weekend but a pleasant one. Loads of chat and an elegant sufficiency of cake. If you dropped by to say hello, thanks very much, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

More photos on Flickr.

Quick and dirty landrover

Trundling the layout back to the car from Warley, the one glued-down road vehicle decided to part company with the baseboard, leaving only a single wheelset. I've no idea what happened to it but wasn't inclined to go back to the NEC and find out. 

Obviously I'd like the replace the Coopercraft AEC with an identical model but can't find a kit for sale and  while I'm sure there is one in my stash, it's well buried and I didn't get around to digging it out. 

The space looked a bit empty so I needed a quick replacement in time for the Doncaster show. An Oxford Diecast Landrover was to hand so a quick coat of Testors Dullcote, applied by brush rather than spray to save masking, was followed by a wash of Lifecolor track dirt weathering paint. 

Total time required less than half an hour including drying time. 

On the layout, the model looks fine and actually attracted positive attention. One visitor was really impressed as he'd been stripping and repainting the models. Suddenly he realised that a simple coat of varnish might be all that was required.

Cast Hut - Part 3

With the hut planted on Ruston Quays, it's possible to compare the etched building from Severn Models with the stonecast version.

Not too bad but you can tell the detail of the metal version is sharper. Once bedded in on the layout, I think I'll get away with them side by side. If you look hard you'll spot the difference but most people don't do this - they see the overall scene and as long as nothing jumps out as too good or too bad, then the eye ignores the tiny differences.

In the end you pays you money and takes your choice. The two models cost about the same as each other. The etched brass version needs reasonably simple assembly whereas the cast hut can be dropped straight on to the layout. You don't have to paint it like I did but in it's original incarnation I wouldn't have been happy to use it. At least mine is unique!

Cast Hut - Part 2

If it's metal, it rusts, as this rather atmospheric iron toilet shows:

 

(From the Great Gidding website)

 

With some Lifecolor Rust Wizard paints to hand, I washed my hut's walls with various shades of rust. Starting with the Deep Rust, I ended up with the bright orange and yellow colours in patches. Using these surprised me as I'm not a fan of bright colours but they really work for fresh rust bursting from the metal.

 

 

I'll set this on the layout and see how it looks.

Cast Hut - Part 1

Looking around for a new hut to grace Ruston Quays, I found this model from the Harburn Hobbies range. Cast in stone, it's ready to plant on your layout but I really don't like the paint job and decided to have a go at improving it. I'm not a big fan of solid buildings so I fancied the challenge of making it look better to my eyes.

My first thought was that a corrugated building like this would be painted black, possibly with pitch, to waterproof it. A spray can of Halfords matt black quickly sorted this out.

 

But looking at photos, the roof might be black but the walls are a black/grey mix. Since my pure black hut looked far too dark, I heavily dry-brushed it with grey. It looks brighter than the photo suggests but never mind. At the same time, I've washed the wooden bits with track colour to represent creosote or varnish.

 

Now for some rust.

Unexciting modelling

 

I have been modelling recently, it's just not all that exciting. For Ruston Quays, I need a lot of bridge parapet for the back of the high level section. So, on Thursday I made use of the one of the L&WMRS modelling trays and sat at the "tea and chatting" table making up the parts. Assembly is easy so didn't disrupt the main activities. In fact I even manged to east a jammie dodger as well.

Rooting through the Wills arches kits, I found a few but fortunately parapets are also available separately as for some reason I don't have enough. In fact I still need to go shopping for more. 

I like Wills kits a lot but have a problem with this one. When the walls are placed back-to-back, they don't seem perfectly square. I level the top edge and if required trim the bottom but it is odd in an injection moulded part. 

Epoxy bodgery

A feature of Ruston Quays that has proved popular but troublesome is the chimney at the back of the scene.

Popular, because at the touch of a button it belches pungent smoke everywhere.

Troublesome, because the stupid thing keeps falling over. It seems that the Faller plastic kit, fitted with a smoke unit, isn't strong enough to stand being swung around while transporting the layout. The chimney to base join keeps breaking.

At shows, I've also noticed the thing isn't vertical but can be prodded to correct it.

Finally, it had fallen off again so I've determined to fix it for good.

The base is filled with balsa wood, I did this when I built the kit anticipating problems, so I've drilled 2.5mm holes in it and forced cocktail stick in these. Finally, loads and loads of pound shop epoxy has been built up to bind the lot together.

You'll be pleased to know I did remember to check the verticalness with a small spirit level on the top.

Now dry, the stack seems a lot more solid than it was before. Prodding it doesn't move anything. I've still wondering if another dollop of glue wouldn't go amiss though.

Prototype for everything: Giant Wills arch kits

 

If you look behind the arches on Ruston Quays, you can see that what we have is some fairly thin plastic parts hiding a wooden substructure. It's how we tend to build model railways, a facade hiding the ugly truth.

 

Not very realistic?

 

Well have a look at this picture of work taking place around London Bridge station shared on Twitter by Tim Dunn. Those are basically full-sized Wills plastic kits they are putting up aren't they?

 

 

New NCB loco

August 1957: Local railway enthusiast Archebald Robotham sneaks his new Kodak Brownie Starlet into his snap bag and while partaking of lunch, take a photo of newly built a NCB Hunslet loco parked up in a siding at Ruston Quays. He wonders if one day someone will invent a colour film suitable for amateur use as he'd like to have captured the lovely apple green colour. The clean engine stands out amongst the dirt and grime of the dockyard he works in a a flange wrangler.

This is a DJ Models loco lent to us for photos during Warley exhibition. It is a pretty colour.

Crowd control

All being well, I'm asleep after a busy weekend at the NEC for the Warley. Hopefully the wooden device above has made my weekend a little easier.

It might look like a shelf but in fact it's a major advance in crowd control.

One of the problems I found at Peterborough was that the tarmac area at the front of the layout is very inviting to visitors. Several used it to lean on and one chap actually plonked down a sheet of paper and prepared to write some notes until I requested he do otherwise.

Had I now stopped him, I'd have had to replace the cardboard which would have been embossed with his scribblings. Not an easy job as it goes under the arches and is well glued in place.

It's almost as though people lose the ability to think when they come in the door. Quite what posses you to think that using someones model as a desk or something to prop you up I don't know. It's not just at shows either - I've seen people merrily dump boxes on the track of our club O gauge layout. Indeed, years ago, we had one member who would come in every evening and deposit his toolbox on the layout, even when people were working on it.

Every. Single. Week.

So, £2.56 of plywood cut into strips will hopefully keep wandering hands at bay. I did think about putting a covered slope on top but that makes inserting the bolts difficult. Instead, I plan to cover it with cake to eat over the weekend.

Minic panel

Preparing Ruston Quays for its trip to the NEC this weekend I've been tidying up the control panel. One job is to remove the buttons for the electric uncoupling system as we've moved on from it.

The little panel is a bit of a classic from me - a sheet of white plasticard with lines from vinyl tape. In the past I've used go-faster-stripe from car factors but it seems this has fallen out of favour so it's harder to get. Fortunately, most model boat and aircraft supplies do rolls with loads of widths with more than enough for panels and you can have funky colours too. I'm not funky, so I stick with black.

Switches are fitted into holes drilled in the plastic, something easier to do neatly than it is in wood. The are designed to clip into a thin material, normally metal, but 2mm thick sheet seems OK.

Best of all, the plastic stays clean, or at least can be wiped clean if covered in mucky finger marks!

Behind the scenes brickwork

 

If you've watched the latest BRM DVD then in the Ruston Quays chapter, there is a little footage showing the smoking chimney looking from the back of the layout. As you can see from the screen grab above, this highlights that the smaller warehouse didn't have a back to it.

 

From normal viewing angles, this doesn't matter but if I think like this, I'd not have bothered with the point rodding or the backs of the brick parapets. I have a feeling that there are some interesting angles for photographs to be taken from back here so a bit of detail is required.

 

Which is why, before I fixed the building in position, I've added some back wall brickwork to fill in the gap. I should have done this as part of the construction originally but the bodging doesn't seem to look too bad.

 



Next time you see the layout, ask nicely and you can look around the back to see my efforts!

The Festival of British Railway Modelling 2015

Busy, busy, busy. That's what this show was. So busy that I didn't even have time to eat any cake!

Ruston Quays looked pretty good with its new lighting rig and fascia. The DMU shuttle worked well apart from a minor error in my measurements for the stopping point in the station which meant it tried to pull up about 2mm into the MDF. Even using Tony Wright's Derby lightweight, a bit shorter than the Class 101 normally in use, didn't help much. At least I know why you should fit sprung buffers to a 4mm scale model now.

The hall was busy but my layout viewing time was severely limited so the photos taken were all shot just before opening time on Sunday.

Anyway, you can see the pictures here. I didn't get any cake so I'm not writing any more.

Parked up AEC

 

While posting Ruston Quays shots, I thought I'd show the AEC lorry mentioned last week. It's finished and parked up near the baby Bantam tugboat. I need to add figures and tools and stuff for it to be the work crews transport.

 

From previous comments, I can see the issue with the windscreen horizontal bar. The cab side paneling I'm less worried about as I quite like it, so I'm assuming the owners added for decoration themselves.

Ruston Quays detailing starts

 

All being well, I'm fast asleep as this post goes live after a busy weekend at Peterborugh with Ruston Quays.

 

With the lighting rig built, all major construction is finished and I can move on to the fun stuff - adding details.

 

As you can see, a start was made before the show with some barrels and electrostatic grass behind the old carriage body. All the grass is applied using a puffer bottle rather than an electric tool - it's the best way to get fibres into corners and for the tiny area I'm working on, it takes no time.

 

Looking at the photo, I see fibres have stuck to the carriage body but a damp brush will take care of those. The barrels could do with a wash of rust colour too.

Off to Peterborough

Today, I'll be packing up Ruston Quays for it's first exhibition appearance at The National Festival of Railway Modelling at Peterborough. The layout is far from finished but I'm keen to show it this way so people can see how it goes together. We have a new lighting rig in need of paint, no DCC and Peco uncoupling ramps.

Next year, it will be done.

If you get the chance to drop in, please say hello. Hopefully, you can even have a go at operating the layout...

Big brick buildings in BRM

I'm bricking it in the November issue of BRM. It's time to make some big buildings and I really do mean big.

The main warehouse is 50cm long but is joined by a smaller one shown above and over 5 feet of arches for the retaining wall.

All these bricks need colour and so I've covered my method of doing this with pencil crayons and weathering powders. If this doesn't appeal, there are 3 other options including the Pendon one with each brick painted with watercolours - I'd be a gibbering wreck if I tried that!

Best of all, I found a use for a quarter of a Springside Morris Minor kit. Now all I need is a home for the rest!

We'll need some wagons for the shunting yard so I've taken 8 different ones and carried out some simple modifications to personalise each one. I don't like to see strings of identical wagons on a layout so hopefully this will inspire a few people to dabble in the art of ruining perfectly good RTR products and turning them into unique models.

Years ago, Hornby licensed a kit for Dunster station. I always liked the look of it, but the photos hide that the attractive stone covering was flat stickers.

You can now buy the kit again from Gaugemaster, this time part of their "Fordhampton" range. It's still a very nice model but the new stickers are still flat. Replacing them with 3D Redutex surfaces makes a huge difference and now with care, a really lovely model station can be built by anyone.

We've split the build between the pages of the magazine and the DVD. On the disk, you'll also find me showing how to use Ballast Magic to add coal to wagons. I get a bit annoyed when people pay for someone to coal a model tender - it's such a simple and satisfying job and this way there's not even any messy glue!

More details of the November BRM on RMweb.