Jump to content

Chapel Lane Yard


06/24

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

 

My first love was always railways, and over the years they have featured large in my life, both real and model.

 

As my modelling mojo had deserted me, I was casting around for something new to work on, and over the Christmas holidays got back into railway modelling. I’m now ready to share the first progress shots, be gentle with me, its early days yet!

 

32015891310_f7f0da05bf_c.jpgChapel Lane goods depot, work in progress by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

The baseboard is a cut down Ikea lack shelf, sized to fit on top of a bookcase. This is then covered in a layer of 25mm/1 inch form, to make and easy surface to add details and pin track. The track bed also has 3mm cork tiles, just because!

 

32243087502_826c08feaa_c.jpgChapel Lane goods depot, work in progress by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

31550924414_1d13aa7c92_c.jpgChapel Lane goods depot, work in progress by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

As you can see, motive power for now consists of a Bachmann Skarloey, which will not remain Thomas-like for long!

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The back story for one possible fiction for the layout is here:

EVLR

Like its contemporaries the Welshpool & Llanfair and Leek & Manifold railways, the Eden Valley Light Railway was a product of the 1896 Light Railways Act. Built to a nominal gauge of 2ft 41/4 inches, and opened in 1906, the line owed its existence to a quirk of 19th century railway planning. When the Midland Railway competed the Settle to Carlisle line in 1875, the townsfolk of Kirkby Stephen were frustrated that their new station lay even further away from the town’s heart than the earlier North Eastern station. Their frustration was nothing compared to the dismay felt by the inhabitants of the Mallerstang valley, for whom no station was provided at all.

 

The poor state of local roads meant continual agitation to “do something” and the Light Railways Act provided the impetus. Local business folk and land owners came together to form the new railway company, which took advantage of the cost savings of narrow gauge. The great narrow gauge promoter Everard Calthrop helped the organising committee establish the line.

 

The line itself ran roughly north-south, from Brough, through Kirkby Stephen to Outhgill in the upper reaches of Mallerstang. A branch climbed steeply from Kirkby Stephen, past the North Eastern station, to the Midland Railway station high above the town. The fearsome gradients of this section of line meant some muscular locomotives were required. The commercial heart of the line was Kirkby Stephen Mart, which served the surrounding area. Sheep and cattle were the lines staple cargo, although grain and animal feed stuffs, coal and quarrying all contributed to its revenue.

 

The grouping saw the line brought jointly under the control of the LMS and LNER although in truth neither company was much interested and the line continued to operate much as it had for the previous 17 years.

 

Unlike many narrow gauge lines, the local road network was such that motor buses had little impact on passenger numbers, particularly in the Mallerstang section. Even into BR days after 1948, passenger and mixed trains continued to run on market days.

 

Nonetheless, this archaic survivor could not last, and the railway was closed in 1956, and today few traces remain.

 

22667728204_1efabf6cb9_c.jpgRoute of the EVLR by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Skarloey has been subjected to all sorts of unspeakable brutality to turn him from a toy train into a halfway decent model of a real engine. Skarloey is, of course, actually a fairly accurate pastiche of Talyllyn Number 1. The real thing has lead a remarkable life, and like the gardeners spade, is almost wholly rebuilt from the days when it lay mouldering away, having been taken out of service in 1945 and left in tumbledown shed.

 

The Bachmann model comes out of the box like this:

 

23709735304_ef27c9ddbf_b.jpgBachmann 009 by dtbroometalyllyn, on Flickr

 

And with the addition of paitn stripper, primer, a 3d printed door and firebox, and brass handrails, ends up like this:

 

32415397666_83d17c76f5_c.jpgSkarloey transformed by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32334201341_3304581860_c.jpgSkarloey transformed by jongwinnett, on Flickr

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Possibly - as a proper inglenook it can be operated without one, but the main line is positioned so as to allow the layout to be extended either into a fiddle yard or onto more scenic modules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Progress today, has seen some landscape relief added along the front of the layout, and coal staithes (and an office, not pictured) built.

 

32128391810_7a930cd3fc_c.jpgChapel Lane yard by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Having had an (unusual) spraying disaster when my Halfords top coat reacted with the Halfords primer and bubbled badly, I have spent the last three days stripping two coaches back to bare plastic. A primer coat of Humbrol Dark Earth from a can, and we’re ready to experiment with a top coat – in this case Revell Purplerot to simulate faded LMS Crimson.

 

32355777202_6c4182e5b4_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, I've always liked layouts that play on the idea of looking down into the scene. I'm undecided yet on whether or not to add a backscene, or just rely on a false edge (fence, hedge, trees etc) to the modeled world at the rear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve been pottering about tonight – removed the superfluous buffers from Croglam:

 

 

32144825960_394f4b4d8f_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

 

More paint on the coaches (looking at the colour, maybe the Peco Indian Red ones wouldn’t be so far off!)

 

 

32401527811_4cff353765_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

 

And I began experimenting with converting the Peco couplings to work remotely. Uncoupling is a doddle – fix on a bent staple and hey presto:

 

 

 

 

 

However as you can see, they don’t want to stay coupled. Two thoughts occur, one, rebate the vestigial hooks (or lengthen them) or two, somehow contrive one magnetic and one ordinary loop (don’t think that will work though) The idea is to mimic Greenwich couplings but with less effort in production – not there yet!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sympathise with loss of modelling mojo, I've so far failed to complete 2 group builds and didn't even make the start line on a 3rd. But is the chapel the Wills kit? One of best models pre mojo failure. If so, I've got loads of photos of one in bury st edmunds I could pm if you don't have a prototype

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks! Yes it's the Wills kit - I'm in two minds if it's the eponymous Chapel itself, of if the wriggly tin is the railway goods office and the chapel is a more substantial older building at the Lane end (if I find a suitable low relief building)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One aspect of the Bachmann Skarloey I was unhappy with was the couplings. Although fitted in NEM sockets, I felt they were too floppy, tending to droop under their own weight, and the new pocket position the buffing face and hook too far forward to the bufferbeam. This wasn’t so much of a problem visually, but meant that, propelling wagons on reverse curves 9or even ordinary curves) through pointwork, the Skarloey hook was giving an effect of buffer locking, and forcing the wagons off the track.

I tried an assortment of replacement couplings but it continued to irk me, so tonight I removed the NEM boxes, and drilled through a Peco new style coupling hook just behind the moulded locating pips for the socket, and eased the hole out with a broach, until it was a tight push fit over the metal retaining post on the model. The result, a short, neat, rigid and non-derailing coupling, which I can always remove should it prove necessary. Simple to do (taking less time than typing this out), but surprisingly effective.

 

32161114010_b8745f2daa_c.jpgCroglam's new couplings by jongwinnett, on Flickr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another two forward, one back kind of day.

 

I added a backscene (and immediately regretted it) and the sky covering is still resisting my efforts to glue it flat.

 

32214538840_f9115e8184_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32553167706_3e3993182c_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

On a more positive note, I started adding some transfers to the repainted stock (the coal wagon still needs its interior painting) and I’m pretty pleased with the result:

 

32553166706_bd16b11e15_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

31750014344_0a6e2173ff_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

And, pending a site visit (middle of next month) I think I’ve found my chapel:

 

32217922950_7ecc0c05e8_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

However, a re-examination of the topography of Brough, suggests that a better name might be Bridge Street, since the obvious (to my eyes at least) location for the station and adjoining yard are alongside the Swindale beck, either side of the High street. I might revert to my earlier arrangement with the street parallel to the board end and wider, since that might fit the supposed locale better. When I go down in February I will walk the ground and make my mind up.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wise counsel has suggested I retain the existing arrangement, and I am sure they are right. Tonight I mocked up a better impression of the chapel, which also (I think) proves my reservations over the height of the backscene are unfounded, I just need to get the sky to stick on better!

 

31801454133_fe90055307_c.jpgPutting the Chapel in Chapel Lane by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

31770184164_f4cb317c13_c.jpgPutting the Chapel in Chapel Lane by jongwinnett, on Flickr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I decided I really couldn’t cope with the backscene and it’s gone. I immediately feel happier! I think any replacement will use flush mount brackets so that it is removable. Certainly the ID backscenes look good in use, and I hope the “premium” version will be less fragile.

 

32611303606_1ef24077bb_c.jpgChapel Lane progress by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

As the eagle eyed will note, the chapel has moved on somewhat from a two dimension mock-up. It now occupies three dimensions, stands on its own foundation, and will serve as base for either a card or plastic final skin. It’s knocked up from 5mm foamboard, and odds and ends of packaging card.

 

32498934352_0ae9cdb495_c.jpgChapel Lane progress by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32651893125_917f1a7964_c.jpgChapel Lane progress by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32529435611_b72cfb9a0d_c.jpgChapel Lane progress by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

As I’m no good at geometry, the final form was very much trial and error, but with an outer skin I think it will pass muster.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cottage first go. Realised the front to back dimension was too short and the roofline too steep for the area. However I’ve run out of Peco stonework so will need to get some more before Mk2.

 

32596487801_fd041a34f5_c.jpgCottage Mk1 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Meanwhile, pending arrival of windows and door, this is the blank face of the chapel:

 

32691018186_d8666c039e_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chapel bits are en-route, quick turnaround by York, and the Simplex arrived today too. I was also able to stock up on stone walling, so tonight I’ve made progress on Cottage Mk2

 

32599535532_22a4996ec9_c.jpgCottage Mk2 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32599535492_b55b47045b_c.jpgCottage Mk2 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

31938839323_b5c603632a_c.jpgCottage Mk2 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32753104055_efab8f367b_c.jpgCottage Mk2 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32629370271_25978e2428_c.jpgCottage Mk2 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

31938838283_45b2ecf937_c.jpgCottage Mk2 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today’s post brought a John Day Bedford WLG (photos once the paint is dry!) and the chapel door and windows from York Modelmakers. So I set to, and started hacking out the door and window openings – the chapel is square – the image is distorted as I must have held the phone at an angle.

 

32409290610_14ec2f5b01_c.jpgWesleyan Chapel - low relief model in 1/76 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Today’s progress mainly focused on the chapel:

 

32681864711_fbe5b44603_c.jpgChapel by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32424477520_42350b0bfb_c.jpgChapel by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32653909412_8edb7646a9_c.jpgChapel by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32766598936_5c9eb8e3ca_c.jpgUntitled by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

The door is rubbish! It will need replaced. Other than that I am reasonably pleased – it’s not as crisp as I would like, but for pretty much a first attempt I’m content.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A visit to take my lad to see Grandma gave me the chance to sneak in some research on the northern end of the line, where Chapel Lane yard is set.

 

The chapel was the obvious first target.

 

32020611304_cfef819871_c.jpgResearch trip by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32710060332_dd22dd51d7_c.jpgResearch trip by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32048712883_cea37aa962_c.jpgResearch trip by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32020610244_c601e5916c_c.jpgResearch trip by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

I need to work on the colouring of the stonework, there’s a red/pink hue which I haven’t captured yet. And the door has to go!

 

The terminus site can be seen at the rear of the hotel, alongside the beck, while chapel land yard would have been situated on the south side of the High Street.

 

32863639165_e22df3010a_c.jpgResearch trip by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32710056722_fb86145328_c.jpgResearch trip by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

32710054952_4f9f99ddd7_c.jpgResearch trip by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

The house with arched access to the rear is typical of the town (although this may well be a sympathetic modern build), and something similar might well make an appearance at some point.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...