Home Signal

A 'Home' signal manufactured from hardwood and metal was required for the station, so GRS were called in to provide the necessary.

As kit DG965 is not supplied with a mounting plate, a cutoff piece of composite decking was utilised. This turned out to be ideal. A hole was cut into the top section of the board for the wooden post to pass through, with a small screw screwed through the lower section and into the foot of the post.

To create a plinth as a cosmetic mounting plate, a square piece of Foamex was added.

From the instructions only a couple of minor changes were made.

The stated measurements from the raised platform to the pivot plate and lamp bracket were each reduced by 10mm.

The raised platform was 270mm from the decking board.

The link wire was bent and adjusted to provide a suitable working mechanism.

The signal post, steps, platform and lantern were all primed and coated with Humbrol acrylic Gloss black and white. 

The signal and finial were painted with Tamiya acrylic Red.

A top coat of Humbrol Gloss varnish was applied to all.

A Winter's Day.

All's quiet in the village today.

 

Sylvanian Boat conversion

I got this for Christmas as an idea to convert into a more realistic barge for a track-side wharf. Any suggestions / ideas?

Little Ryan the Diesel Engine

Starting with a P S Models chassis kit, this little engine was created. The chassis was easy to build with all the parts precisely cut and finished during manufacture. Bolt studs were added to the buffer beams. It was built and painted ready for the scratch building of the body.

The body was built from 3mm and 5mm Foamex and detailed with bits and pieces I had lying around.

The engine compartment was built using 5mm Foamex and detailed with wire mesh for the grill, a rigid plastic drinks stirrer for the exhaust and a thumb tack and bead for the vent. The compartment doors were surplus bits from an IP coach kit, 'hinged' with short pieces of copper wire.

Inside the cab, the supplied AAA battery holder was fitted and cabled through to the motor. The control panel had more miscellaneous bits fitted including a power switch, power gauge and two levers to simulate direction and power (made from brass studs). The floor was scribed to represent wooden boards.

The windows were fitted with metal washers and copper wire for the hand rails.

Primed with Humbrol primer and top coated with an airbrush using Humbrol 47 (Sea Blue) before a top coat of Vallejo Matt varnish.

The name plate was made from 2mm plastikard , gloss painted before 5mm lettering from Slaters was brass painted and applied.

Ted the driver (Modeltown) had to lose 5mm before he could be fitted into the cab, so he was cut in half and glued back together before being painted.

Little People

Fred, Gordon, Mrs.M, Nick, Nack, Stout and Porter.
by Modeltown

 

Coal Merchant

With all this coal needed to fuel the engines, N.Slack & Son moved in to the sidings of Giffers' End Station to supply the needs of HLR. The suppliers of the wooden hut were Modeltown and the builders were a local firm from the town.

Humbrol acrylics were applied by Homestyal Decorating Services, finished with a matt coating of varnish.

The staging/platform for the building was designed and built using Foamex.

After drawing the contour of the track on a piece of paper, the shape was transposed to the Foamex board.

The brick walls were created using two pieces of 5mm board stuck together and etched with the outline of bricks. Same for the under platform sections.

The coping stones slightly wider than the 10mm walls.

All platform paint used was Reeves acrylic. The platform edge was left, unpainted.

All finished off with a matt coating of varnish.

You can never have enough people

One of the railways IP Engineering coaches came into the workshop recently for some routine maintenance. As this included roof repairs, the team decided that it was a good opportunity to invite patrons of HLR to ride the refurbished coach.

So they needed their Sunday best, as well as Jane, who needed some new overalls, courtesy of Modeltown!

Katie joins the HLR fleet

Waiting for the signal at Giffers' End siding.

Pulling in to Giffers' End station.

Giffers' End.

Giffers' End.

Dramatic entrance!

After arriving from Yorkshire last week, Katie completed her service and pre-operational checks with HLR.

Low Level Signal Box

A signal box was commissioned for the operation of the high and low cross section. Modeltown was just the company to supply the building (Kit 12A).

The four walls were glued together squarely before they were primed, together with the one piece base.

Humbrol Blue Grey (79) was applied first to the slate followed by a heavy dabbing of Reeves Mars Black. The woodwork was painted with Tamiya X7 Red and Humbrol White 22.

In addition to the supplied internal bits and pieces, a shelf was fitted below the windows for Wayne the signalman, to rest his daily mug of coffee.

The name board is Plastikard with Slater's 5mm white lettering.

Two small soft white LED's were fitted to the ceiling with the wires routed to below the floor to the battery box.

A 5mm sheet of Foamex was screwed to the bottom of the model and painted Reeves Mars Black.

The whole model was then varnished gloss for paintwork and matt for stone and slate work.

Saxa Salt Wagon

Saxa Salt Wagon

HLR's latest addition to the fleet of rolling stock is this Timpdon wagon.

A really simple, yet well made kit to make.

The only deviation I made from the comprehensive instructions was to add three layers of fine tissue, individually glued with adhesive spray to the roof sections.