Vintage Thursday - Lutton Branch

Time does fly,  the last Vintage Thursday for 2019 is one that has always interested me,  but not for the trains so much as they way they're operated !   Frank Roomes' O gauge layout is operated with block signalling,  bell codes,  and followed a proper timetable.  Seeing articles on his fine layout explaining the proper procedures of railway operation introduced me to all this and I've always found it a fascinating subject ever since.  I do plan on operating my Boxer Bay Railway to a timetable sequence, with signals, and some form of block instruments,  but that is all in the future.  The Lutton branch layout was 12' x 12' end to end design, stud contact.  No continuous running,  no super fine detailed scenery,  but loads of atmosphere and all operated just like the real thing.  I sure wish I could've visited, just once.

Merry Christmas

It's Christmas eve,  and snow is beginning to fall.  Under the watchful eye of Colonel Stephens himself, BBR # 3 "Josie"  shunts the last few wagons into the goods sidings before retiring off to the shed at Windrush Junction.  I wonder if that's Ivo's Bentley ?  He sure gets around :)

From all the staff of the Boxer Bay Railway,  wishing everyone following this story of my fictional model railway a Merry Christmas. May you spend quality time with the family,  eat lots of good food,  and maybe get a chance to run the occasional train :)  Cheers !

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Delivery at Windrush

Playing around with the camera.  It's difficult to get a decent photo if your railway has only 4% basic scenery completed.  Here is a nice angle of Manning Wardle #1, still awaiting nameplate and numbers, shunting a Midland Railway equipment wagon into the goods sidings for unloading.  Constable Jeffries keeps an eye on proceedings.  For interest I reproduced the same image in b&w below.

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End Loading Ramp

 Not too much to report on the BBR,  slow going due to lack of time.  I did manage to equip Windrush Junction goods yard with an end loading ramp.  Perfect for unloading equipment for the local farmers.  Very quick and like most of my modelling efforts,  basic and cheap.   Waste Not,  Want Not.   I'm always trying to reuse items that might easily be tossed in the bin.  The handrails were saved from an old Peco HO turntable kit.  The hobby can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be.

Catch Point & Constable Jeffries

One evening while operating the railway I realized I omitted something in my track design at Windrush Junction.  The exit from the goods yard onto the main wasn't protected from loose wagons by means of a catch point.  In our ever condensed O scale world I doubt that it is really accurate but I think it adds rather then detracts from the scene.  I've added a "Detail Matters" ground signal, non operating.  Someday I'll get around to point rodding & signal cables.  I'm sure I've broken dozens of "rules of the prototype",  but for me it's all about creating an impression, not total accuracy.

Oh,  and speaking of WJ,  the village of Windrush now has a Constable to deal with law breakers and keep the peace.  Constable Jeffries is now on the job.

Bridge swap

After reviewing my bridge over the creek,  I decided it wasn't quite right,  not substantial enough for a railway bridge.  So while attending O scale West this year,  I came across some nice plaster castings for an arch bridge, purchased for the princely sum of $5 USD,  amazing what you can find sometimes.  Not wishing to discard the lovely stone bridge casting,  I've found a more suitable location for it,  as a small road bridge.  I think the change has improved the scene overall.  Now to get on with ballasting and the creek itself.

  

Vintage Thursday ~ Madder Valley

 The nice thing about the hobby of model railways is the ability to be creative,  and do as one likes with ones little world.  You can be into historical research and attempt to be as accurate as possible with the chosen subject.  Or you can make it as you want it, and be completely fictional, whimsical, humorous, original.  Everyone who takes up the hobby does so for different reasons.  I personally enjoy the hobby as an escape.  A break from the world of problems, politics, wars,  and everything else nasty.  That is why I chose to keep my railway totally fictional,  light hearted.

 One of the inspirations for this approach came from John Ahern and his legendary Madder Valley Railway.  Started in 1937, a fictitious railway in an imaginary setting.  He chose to draw widely from Dorset to the Isle of Man, Hampshire to West Wales, and even a slight American influence due to a holiday in Canada.  Picking what he liked,  making it his own to enjoy.

Remember this hobby is for enjoyment,  no matter where your interest lie.

Afternoon Departure

I had a few minutes to play trains this afternoon so decided to get the camera out.

BBR #3  Josie  is seen departing Windrush Junction  for  Boxer Bay,  while newly acquired Manning Wardle is awaiting her lettering,  number and nameplates,  to officially join the BBR roster.

Some Scenic Progress

 Another long gap between updates.   It's been a busy Summer with many things happening.  I've been finding little pockets of time here and there,  and now have a little progress to show.  I've been adding the landscaping around the overbridge area,  using the traditional old technique of glueshell.  It's simple,  cheap,  lightweight,  and fun to do.   Hoping I can get this area of the layout scenically complete by the end of the year,  so I have one nice scene on the railway.   With Autumn coming I should get some more time to work on the layout, so updates should (hopefully) be more often.

Overbridge

 Scenery is slowly but surely taking shape.  I've been concentrating all efforts on Windrush Junction in hopes of getting at least one area of the railway presentable,  even if there is still years of detailing, weathering etc... to do.  Here is a preview of a new scene taking shape,  the overbridge East of the station.  I've discovered that when building a model railway in O,  you are far more likely to run out of time then things to do.  It was definitely quicker to complete basic scenery on my TT layout,  but not as satisfying  :)  

GWR  7711  Shunts the goods sidings at Windrush Junction  on a Summer afternoon.

Quiet Departure

Just playing around with the camera and the digital darkroom.   
BBR Terrier "Josie"  Departs  Windrush Junction  with the afternoon local for Boxer Bay.

Vintage Thursday

For this look back into the past,  we find a very nice collection of hand built locomotives by a Mr. Frank G. Roomes,  location Cyprus !    Published in  Model Railway News  October 1964.  

These models look superbly built with fine detail and scale fidelity.  I wonder if they are still around and if so,  where are they ?  The  Kirtley / Johnson 0-6-0 is my favorite of the group.  It must've taken a resourceful and talented modeller to build these fine models back in this era of scarce supplies and limited tools.

A Proper Workbench

After spending several years working on a nice homemade but rather small workbench,  I decided it was time for an upgrade.  Thankfully I didn't have to buy anything, as my Mom saved a real quality desk,  and I mean quality.  It comes from an era when they knew how to build a proper piece of furniture !   An estimated guess puts it in the 1940s, but could be even older.  It features a HUGE tabletop compared to the previous bench,  perfect for working in O scale.  Plenty of drawer space, and pull out shelves for extra work area,  always a plus. Only change to it was painting it a light colour, which makes it perfect for finding those small details that fly away from the tweezers.  It was a tight fit getting it through the doorway I'll tell you :)    You can't beat real solid wood.

June Update

 Long Time No See !    It has been a long time with no postings.  Work, life getting in the way and a trip to the O scale show in California has delayed any postings,  but progress is being made.   Hopefully normal service has been resumed :)

 Not easy to show progress as most of it is little stuff that barely merits a photo.  Ballasting through Windrush Junction is progressing foot by foot,  or is that inch by inch.   The Goods sidings have been extended a good amount,  which I think really helps spread things out a bit and not seem too compressed.  Also the road level crossing has been paved and painted a basic color.  One of the best things about this hobby is you're never finished,  always something to do or improve upon.  During the last 6 months the BBR has taken delivery of one of those nice Manning Wardle locos from Minerva.     All for now

 ( Freshly paved road )

( The extended Goods Sidings @ Windrush Junction )

Minerva GWR Pannier Tank 7711

 I finally got around to finishing my Minerva 57xx Pannier Tank.  Details added per instructions, number & builders plates are from Narrow Planet.   As this is the riveted tank version,  I decided on number 7711,  which was built by Kerr Stuart in 1930.   This will be the most "modern" loco I have for the layout.  It's really too late for my era,  but how can you not have at least one Pannier on a railway in Somerset !  After all in my fantasy world the GWR runs into Windrush Junction to connect with the Boxer Bay Railway.

 Weathering is my usual easy way of acrylic washes and chalk powders.  Not too bad,  however I might revisit the weathering again on this loco in the near future.  Fireman / Driver  figures are by AC Stadden and very nice too !