Under Construction - Birmingham UK

[jim smith-wright]

Hi Chris

This is 8ft of a 62 ft long layout

HTH

Jim

 

[ianacole]

Wow! Just ... wow!! Amazingly beautiful work!


I know you already answered, but I retract my retrospectively inane question

 

[sparkyftw]

Someone have a mop I can borrow, I seemed to have drooled all over the place.

Amazing work.

 

[vato loco]

Hi Chris

This is 8ft of a 62 ft long layout

HTH

Jim

I can't wait to see the whole thing together working!

 

[LATX]

Hi Miles

Since you like 08's you might like this. Just finished a model of 08601 for the layout - this is not a normal livery for the era but harks back to the London Midland Scottish railway. My local depot (Tysley) had quite a reputation in the late 1980's for doing specials like this. More pics on my site.

Jim

Is that the engine that was based off Thomas "the tank engine" show for the Diesel caracter

 

[Chris Roy]

Great modeling, Jim. The care you've put into detailing the track is quite impressive, and your structures are just amazing. This module really illustrates how much realism is enhanced by focusing on a stretch of a prototype and modeling it with very little compression - the long buildings, wide roads, and flowing trackwork are absolutely splendid.

 

[jim smith-wright]

Is that the engine that was based off Thomas "the tank engine" show for the Diesel caracter

It was indeed. Funny you mention Thomas as I used to work as an illustrator and worked on quite a few thomas books - Heres one from the Diesel book

Regards

Jim

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

Recently I did a test etch for a welded rod OLE portal, I was not happy with it so after literally returning to the drawing board I have now arrived at something I am much happier with.

Cheers

Jim

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

Also under development is my design for a heavyweight portal - A flat etch just wont do so this ones a bit more complicated. The following picture shows construction in progress and gives an idea to how its put together.

And here is the finished leg.

Cheers

Jim

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

The cross span for my heavyweight portal - this is a model of BB 00 81 which is just in front of the tunnel mouth at the Wolves end of New Street. For a single span its absolutely huge!

A glimpse of the real thing

The 3 main parts of the large portal assembled - told you it was a monster!

Cheers

Jim

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

Turning to simple masts for a moment. I have done a little etch for a bracket to hold the cantalevers to the post.

This is VERY close up - to give you an idea the pole is 0.6mm wide and the H section post 2mm across

following is my registration arm mounted in position

and finally an overall shot of the finished cantalever assembly

The insulators are Colin Craig's excellent castings

This brings me to the unusual point of thinking that there is probably no way to take this any further forward from here! Hmmm...

Cheers

Jim

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

At the London end of the station, off the end of platform 1 is a largish hut. As per usual what its for I have no idea I just copy what I see. Its a lot newer than the retaining walls behind it so I used Slaters plasticard for this one. The picture shows the model at the end of the construction phase.

The vent above the door makes use of the louvres from a Hornby class 50 (see never throw anything away) while the phone next to the door is from MSE. The rest of the detail is just bits, bobs and wire from the scrap box!

Cheers

Jim

 

[eTraxx]

I love Google. Did a search for "Slater's Plasticard" .. tracked down the source .. Slater's Plasticard. I see the embossed card is 4mm and 7mm .. but lots and lots of choices. Even found their flyer with illustrations. Here, we are luck to find a brick sheet in two colors. :/

Good job as usual on the building.

 

[UP2CSX]

I've been away for a bit, Jim, but you've done some fine work, as usual. It almost seems a shame to paint that huge portal when it looks so nice in brass.

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi All

Been getting busy with paint - first up the Relay Room

Needs a bit more weathering yet as do my walls!

The Billboard helps set the date of the layout.

Cheers

Jim

 

[eTraxx]

Ha. See you went from "what its for I have no idea" to "Relay Room"

 

[jim smith-wright]

Indeed so

(I have been educated by some guys on a UK forum)

Jim

 

[Andy LNWR]

Crikey Jim,
That billboard is really excellent work, and it captures the moment perfectly! I can even remember taking the train to go and see that film at the ABC in Walsall at some point in the past. If my memory serves me right, New Street was quite a smelly, smokey dingy place. Perhaps you could capture the real spirit of New Street back then by adding plenty of smoke units.
Andy

 

[Mike_Arnold]

All I can say is WOW! Amazing work thru all 40 pages I must say. And if you're only this far in 40 pages I don't even know how many more there will be until the finished product!

Mike

 

[jim smith-wright]

Hi Andy

Indeed so - I just need something to pump out clouds and clouds of blue smoke.

Thanks for the comments Mike and welcome to the thread.

Jim