Under Construction - Birmingham UK

[Steve B]

Brilliant looking so far Jim, just short of a few flying rats perched on the ledge and it is New Street.

 

[Hathaway Browne]

Simply amazing! Perfectly captures the..um.. "charm" of that part of New St.

And now they're going to replace it with another swirly tinfoil edifice..

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

Walls are finished! For the moment anyway (no cheering at the back!) But you dont get away without a parting shot (or 2!)

Theres a surprising amount of greenery sprouting from the walls and even a tuft of grass growing out of the platform! And there I was thinking I wouldn't have to do the green stuff!

A trick i first tried on the plank was to use a loose mask and spray a heavy shadow under the bridges. Seemed to work fine there so I have repeated it here. The verigirder still needs a bit more paintwork yet.

Thing is, by posting the pics here is the only way the public will see it as you (probably) cant see these when the layout is finished.

Cheers

Jim

 

[UP2CSX]

Nice job, Jim. The walls have very realistic aged look. It is amazing what little soil it takes for a weed to get a foothole and grow, even on a vertical surface like a wall.

 

[Steve B]

Thats fantastic work Jim, well done.

 

[JazzDad]

I am amazed at the quality of your work, Jim!
Tell me; will this section have any of the concrete ducting along the ground (which I assume carries signal cabling)? Odd how some of it is missing covers, skewed about, etc.

 

[jim smith-wright]

Thanks for the kind words JazzDad (and welcome to the thread!)

You assume correctly the concrete ducting is for carrying signalling cables. There are a couple of options open to me un the UK market but none really convince so with prototype info from a good friend in the modelling world we have produced 2 types of etches for the c1/8 type signalling trough.

the first type can be used on layouts but are intended as wagon loads. They consist of 6 'boxes' and 6 lids.

the second type is for layout use and is 2 runs of 10 sections as a single piece fold up etch. These can be curved (gently).

They are sprayed with roughcote from games workshhop then a good covering of dark concrete colour followed by a light dusting of a lighter colour to give the texture. They are very small being a shade over 2mm high.

Regards

Jim

 

[JazzDad]

The second set are quite nice, indeed. You will probably confirm that (with your broad turns) the amount this etching will bend will conform. As I'm sure you will do, make sure to have some covers laying aside and the cables inside visible.

I only spent a short time in London, but your scenes really brought back some wonderful memories. Other than the HSTs and the daily tube excursions, we took a local out to Slough.

The US is lacking terribly in electrified lines, and passenger services in general. My family laments that we are so dependent on our autos here.

 

[V&AL]

Europe has a large population concentration in a much smaller area than we do. Unfortunately we have the distances going against us...

Although I do think we should go back to Juice Jacks (hence my electrified freelance road...)

Jim, your work is amazing. You are one of many I hope to someday be considered an equal.

 

[jim smith-wright]

The second set are quite nice, indeed. You will probably confirm that (with your broad turns) the amount this etching will bend will conform. As I'm sure you will do, make sure to have some covers laying aside and the cables inside visible.

Hi JazzDad

Only 1 wall is solid the top and the other wall just fold over and are not joined to each other. So as long as the solid wall is on the inside of a bend you can bend it as tightly as you like - even 180 degrees between sections if you wanted - yes it would look rubbish so I don't know why you would want to. When I am next home (monday) I will curve a run and take a picture for you.

I only spent a short time in London, but your scenes really brought back some wonderful memories. Other than the HSTs and the daily tube excursions, we took a local out to Slough.

Regards

Jim

 

[jim smith-wright]

Jim, your work is amazing. You are one of many I hope to someday be considered an equal.

Thanks but I dont consider myself any more or less capable than the next guy. As long as we are having fun and pushing our own boundaries (if thats what constitutes fun for us) then we are all equal. If you produce work that is less than YOU can do then what is the point in that?

What you see here is just the result of lots of practice, asking lots of questions, and listenening to the experiences of those who have done it before. In the case of no real experience base to draw on then its just copying what the prototype does.

I guess what I am saying is what you see here is achievable for anyone, it just takes practice and time. Should the day come when I stop learning or improving it will be time to find a new hobby.

Regards

Jim

 

[Cjcrescent]

Thanks but I dont consider myself any more or less capable than the next guy. As long as we are having fun and pushing our own boundaries (if thats what constitutes fun for us) then we are all equal. If you produce work that is less than YOU can do then what is the point in that?

Jim;
That's where my fun comes from as well. You gotta push the boundaries, how else can you learn?

Should the day come when I stop learning or improving it will be time to find a new hobby.

Regards

Jim

True words, Jim, true words! I have learned many, many techniques and how tos over the many years in the hobby.

I've also taught many techniques, both one to one, and in various NMRA clinics. People who "refuse" to listen to or learn a new technique, or method from someone because the "teacher" didn't use it on his own layout, is in my mind, extremely narrow minded!

Over on this side of the pond, one of the greatest teachers of prototype practice and incorporation of it into a trackplan, John Armstrong, publicly admitted that he used less than one tenth of what he taught on his own layout, the Canandaigua Southern. Said he didn't have the room. Just because he didn't use some of what he taught, did this make him any less the teacher? I don't think so.

Sorry for the rant. I got carried away. Excellent work! Excellent indeed!

 

[jim smith-wright]

Jim;

John Armstrong, publicly admitted that he used less than one tenth of what he taught on his own layout, the Canandaigua Southern. Said he didn't have the room. Just because he didn't use some of what he taught, did this make him any less the teacher? I don't think so.

If you ask me (which you did) it makes him more of a teacher. Anybody who has a passion for something will look further than the bear minimum they need to know. That passion cannot be learned.

Thanks for the kind comments

Jim

PS - what rant?

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi JazzDad

Only 1 wall is solid the top and the other wall just fold over and are not joined to each other. So as long as the solid wall is on the inside of a bend you can bend it as tightly as you like - even 180 degrees between sections if you wanted - yes it would look rubbish so I don't know why you would want to. When I am next home (monday) I will curve a run and take a picture for you.

Hiya

Picture as promised

Jim

 

[JazzDad]

I see no point of reference, other than the scale of the ducts. That looks to be much sharper than your track will turn; am I correct?

Question, oh Guru Jim: how are the individual prototype units attached, or do they just abut each other?

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi

Yes - it is horrendously tight - my track will never get anywhere near this sort of radius.

The real thing is just butted up to each other - the lids are then just rested on top thus you often see the lids misplaced or missing all together.

The shape of the bases provides some sort of alignment.

Regards

Jim

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

A bit more progress my staff building. Need to draw up the arches and window frames for an etch

Regards

Jim

 

[UP2CSX]

Nice start, Jim. I like that I beam detail under the overhang.

 

[Hathaway Browne]

Jim that staff building is superb!! It looks like the plastic is placed on card (unless I'm mistaken). I've never scratch built a building before, but I'd love to convert the Metcalfe station to plastic.

 

[peter.lieber]

Jim,

I am an avid Swiss train fan. I am looking into ways to make my own catenary system. Where do you purchase the insulators and other hardware that you use on your layout? Also, is there resources out there to help me with making the overhead wire? I have tried a couple different things, but they always turn out too frail or ugly.