Lapford station in N gauge.

[Cowley]

Part 1

@Ash Bridge, @Peter C and @Andy R. A. have all had a part in making me pluck up the courage to share what I’ve been tinkering about with recently.
It all started with a few ideas and also this thread...
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/lapford-station-yard.178017/

My best friend Paul and his son George (other Beatles are available) got me into N gauge a couple of years ago (it was George’s Dapol 33 that finally tipped me over the edge) and I started to formulate a plan to model Seaton Junction set sometime around 1988 when it still had a few sidings left and plenty of loco hauled trains flying non stop through the derelict station.
Mrs C and I did a site visit, took some photos, and I did lots of research on the place while I formulated a plan...

I realised (mainly due to Pauls advice) that it was going to be quite a large undertaking due to the sheer size of the place. So it was time for a bit of a rethink.
I thought that maybe I could try a practice project of a smaller location to hone my skills (having never modelled in N gauge before), and the choice for me was between Whimple or Lapford set in the very late 1980s when both stations had remarkably retained their (although much rationalised) goods yards...

Lapford won out in the end and the more research I did the more I found it fascinating.
I’d driven over that skew bridge on the A377 next to the station hundreds of times over the years and glanced down at the remaining sidings which in the early 90s often had a couple of log wagons, a Cargowaggon, or maybe a Polybulk sitting there waiting to be picked up.

I’ll have to apologise now for not being able to credit the original photographers who’s photos I’ll be using for comparison here, because I’ve gathered so many in my Lapford file over the last couple of years that I haven’t got a clue who took what or where they came from (other than online).
Anyway that’s enough rambling let’s talk Mid Devon forgotten railway backwaters circa 1990...

A few photos that inspired me (none of which are mine):


What an interesting place eh?
A bit reminiscent of somewhere in the Scottish Highlands in a way.

I started this off by realising that to do it justice I’d have to build pretty much everything from scratch, so after another couple of site visits by Mrs C and me I decided to have a go at building the distinctive skew bridge at the end of the platform first using balsa wood and plasticard. Here’s a couple of photos of it:



It was a lot of work, but enjoyable.

Then I tackled the charismatic station building:
It’s actually two cheap Kestrel kits bodged together and hacked about to make something vaguely resembling the original. I might redo this at some point because it’s not perfect, but then again I might just stick with it because I can’t be bothered to do it again and it’s not too bad really.


It’s a bit of a short one tonight but I’ll post a bit more tomorrow as this has mainly been background stuff rather than progress and I’ve run out of my photo allowance on this post.
I decided a while back that I wasn’t actually going to post anything until I’d got somewhere with it, but over this last couple of weeks things have really started to move on so I’ll dig some more photos out tomorrow and show you where I’ve got to and hopefully you’ll find it interesting.
Thanks for reading folks.

 

[Peter C]

That bridge and station building look really cool - good job! How did you manage to add the little brick details to the bridge? Was it a form of brick paper or something else? I find it amazing that people can make such brilliant models in N gauge (I wouldn't know where to start - I'm far too clumsy, even for 00!)
Glad to have played a part in getting you to share your progress. It's always interesting following other peoples' layouts and hopefully, as this is a real location, it will give me an idea on ways to model real practices on my own layout, and hopefully it will be interesting to many others.

Thanks,

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

That bridge and station building look really cool - good job! How did you manage to add the little brick details to the bridge? Was it a form of brick paper or something else? I find it amazing that people can make such brilliant models in N gauge (I wouldn't know where to start - I'm far too clumsy, even for 00!)
Glad to have played a part in getting you to share your progress. It's always interesting following other peoples' layouts and hopefully, as this is a real location, it will give me an idea on ways to model real practices on my own layout, and hopefully it will be interesting to many others.

Thanks,

-Peter

Thanks Peter. To be honest I felt the same about making stuff in that scale at first but as I’ve gone on I’ve enjoyed the challenge of it.
The bridge detail was cut out of Slaters plasticard sheets. I just used a sharp blade to cut the two brick thickness strips out that are above the arches. Trial and error really.

 

[Cowley]

Part 2

I was trying to work out how to make the (very distinctive) old Ambrosia Dairy building and warehouses, and in the end I drew up a sketch with some guessed measurements of them and texted it to my stepbrother who had a go at printing the frontages out for me. The first couple of goes looked a little bit too ‘South Park’ but eventually he sent them down and I made the rest of the buildings up again out of balsa wood and plasticard:
Here’s a brief look at the process:



It was quite a lot of work but enjoyable as I could sit and listen to something on the radio while I tinkered around with it.

After that there were a couple more bridges to make and also the little ground frame shed which were all done over the next few weeks and painted ready to be plonked on the board when I built it:


Oh and it’s not in Lapford (although it will be on the layout) but I also built our house:


As you can see I got quite into making the buildings in the end...

Here’s a photo of me having laid everything out on a bit of board to work out what size I needed I very much wanted it to look ‘right’ and not squashed up - although there would have to be few compromises here and there obviously.


I worked out that I could do it justice with a board that was 200cm long by 75cm deep and so I made one up with a 9mm ply top and 6mm deep cork on top of that.
I got to work laying the track (Peco code 55 finescale and electrofrog points - I’d never used any of it before), wired up the point motors and everything needed for DCC. The underneath looks like a bowl of multi coloured noodles now but I’ve made a couple of busbars out of old bits of track to keep things working and any faults easy to trace (hopefully):

 

[Ash Bridge]

Think I also mentioned the bridge to you previously Mr C, but I have to agree entirely with @Peter C comments above. I honestly don't think there's much to complain about regarding the station buildings; and I wish I possessed your modelling talents I'd be totally happy with your achievements to date, well done and keep up the good work!

 

[Cowley]

Think I also mentioned the bridge to you previously Mr C, but I have to agree entirely with @Peter C comments above. I honestly don't think there's much to complain about regarding the station buildings; and I wish I possessed your modelling talents I'd be totally happy with your achievements to date, well done and keep up the good work!

Thanks for that. As you know from our chats - this is just an overview of it all really. There’s so much I could write but it would become mind numbingly boring!

 

[Ash Bridge]

Thanks for that. As you know from our chats - this is just an overview of it all really. There’s so much I could write but it would become mind numbingly boring!

Was just wondering when I saw the model of your cottages, would it be possible just for a bit of authenticity to recreate a N scale chimney stack fire perhaps digitally these days?

 

[Cowley]

Was just wondering when I saw the model of your cottages, would it be possible just for a bit of authenticity to recreate a N scale chimney stack fire perhaps digitally these days?

That’s not a bad idea! It would give an excuse for the traffic not to be moving because of the fire engine...

 

[Peter C]

Thanks Peter. To be honest I felt the same about making stuff in that scale at first but as I’ve gone on I’ve enjoyed the challenge of it.
The bridge detail was cut out of Slaters plasticard sheets. I just used a sharp blade to cut the two brick thickness strips out that are above the arches. Trial and error really.

I can see that - often I find making kits in 00 gauge challenging but fun - trying to add my own spin to them can sometimes make the challenge even more interesting!
That's a very clever way of making the arches for the bridge slightly thicker - I'm thinking of adding a bridge to my layout so I'll be stealing that idea!

-Peter

 

[Ash Bridge]

That’s not a bad idea! It would give an excuse for the traffic not to be moving because of the fire engine...

Never thought at first though but might be a bit difficult modelling the little guy hanging out the bedroom window with a hose directed at the chimney pot?

 

[Cowley]

Never thought at first though but might be a bit difficult modelling the little guy hanging out the bedroom window with a hose directed at the chimney pot?

That might be difficult. I think I might have to model it summer then when there’s no danger of fire.

 

[Cowley]

I can see that - often I find making kits in 00 gauge challenging but fun - trying to add my own spin to them can sometimes make the challenge even more interesting!
That's a very clever way of making the arches for the bridge slightly thicker - I'm thinking of adding a bridge to my layout so I'll be stealing that idea!

-Peter

I forgot to say, for the actual arches here:


I made the outer shape with masking tape and then used a really thin layer of polyfiller. I then pulled the tape off, let the filler dry and very gently sanded it down before using a knife to cut the lines back into it.
You have to be very patient with it though.

 

[Peter C]

I forgot to say, for the actual arches here:
View attachment 74485

I made the outer shape with masking tape and then used a really thin layer of polyfiller. I then pulled the tape off, let the filler dry and very gently sanded it down before using a knife to cut the lines back into it.
You have to be very patient with it though.

OK - that's very clever! I'll try that out when I come to make my own bridge.

Also - is this layout an end-to-end or full loop? In the photos it looks like end-to-end but I was wondering if there was a secret loop planned, maybe behind the backscenes?

Thanks,

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

OK - that's very clever! I'll try that out when I come to make my own bridge.

Also - is this layout an end-to-end or full loop? In the photos it looks like end-to-end but I was wondering if there was a secret loop planned, maybe behind the backscenes?

Thanks,

-Peter

Well the plan is that it’ll be incorporated into a great big loop with a fiddle yard in a large shed/cabin that we’re going to be building in the garden this year.
I’m hoping to model Eggesford station and passing loop as well eventually which will be on the opposite wall.
So for now it’s just in the corner of a room in the house where I can get on with it if I’ve got a bit of spare time.

 

[Peter C]

Well the plan is that it’ll be incorporated into a great big loop with a fiddle yard in a large shed/cabin that we’re going to be building in the garden this year.
I’m hoping to model Eggesford station and passing loop as well eventually which will be on the opposite wall.
So for now it’s just in the corner of a room in the house where I can get on with it if I’ve got a bit of spare time.

Cool - that sounds like a really good idea. I've thought of adding a fiddle yard to my layout behind a scenic wall for a while - is that what you're thinking of doing (as in hiding the fiddle yard and running trains in front of it) or are you going to run trains through the fiddle yard?

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Cool - that sounds like a really good idea. I've thought of adding a fiddle yard to my layout behind a scenic wall for a while - is that what you're thinking of doing (as in hiding the fiddle yard and running trains in front of it) or are you going to run trains through the fiddle yard?

-Peter

Here you go Peter. It’s a bit of a rough sketch but hopefully you’ll get the idea.



I’ll have to fit a drop in section for the door to the shed somewhere.

 

[Cowley]

Part 3

And there’s more...
Board built, track laid and sprayed with brown weathering paint, point motors all working and everything tested it was time to start thinking about scenery.

There’s a few views that I really wanted to capture from certain angles and I kept referring to all of the photos I had of the place. I also had another walk around to get a feel of the place again and managed to have a look around the warehouses with permission from one of the guys that worked there.
Here’s a couple of photos:



The buffers at the end of the main siding are still there! I assume that the track is under the grass too:


I managed to get an off-cut of blue foam insulation board from the site I’m working on (it’s a bit like Celotex), and I’ve used it to create the various hills and banks around the layout like this:



Working out where the roads and buildings are going:



Making the platform (Peco platform edging trimmed down and fitted to some ply that I planed off for the ramps):



Run out of photo space again. This has become a bit of an epic.

 

[Peter C]

Here you go Peter. It’s a bit of a rough sketch but hopefully you’ll get the idea.

View attachment 74491

I’ll have to fit a drop in section for the door to the shed somewhere.

Oh OK - looks good! I'd love to have that sort of space but at the moment the conservatory will have to do.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

Part 4

Now we’re getting somewhere...
After doing a final profiling of the foam board (with a cheese grater ) I bought some plaster of paris bandage and a sack load of polyfiller and set to work on the scenery.



I also bought some thick card to make the roads out of:



And even made a start on ballasting:



Here’s another overview:




And this is what I was doing last night - It’s the ground frame at the north end of the station:



So that’s where I’ve got to so far. Thanks for wading through all of this, it’s been interesting looking back to the first few things that I did and seeing the progression over this last year.
At some point I’ll do a write up of the loco and rolling stock fleet when I get a minute.
Thanks!

 

[Peter C]

That's really interesting. I keep thinking the layout looks as though it's covered in snow with that white Pollyfilla/plaster of Paris! Is that bit just before the bridge where the one line becomes two a bridge over a river? If so, jolly good work! The wood detail looks very realistic.

-Peter

 

[Cowley]

That's really interesting. I keep thinking the layout looks as though it's covered in snow with that white Pollyfilla/plaster of Paris! Is that bit just before the bridge where the one line becomes two a bridge over a river? If so, jolly good work! The wood detail looks very realistic.

-Peter

Thanks Peter yes I’m definitely looking forward to getting some grass down as it’ll stop it from looking like the Antarctic!

That is indeed a bridge. It’s this one in the foreground:

 

[Peter C]

Thanks Peter yes I’m definitely looking forward to getting some grass down as it’ll stop it from looking like the Antarctic!

That is indeed a bridge. It’s this one in the foreground:
View attachment 74514 View attachment 74516

I like how you've even removed the sleepers from the track on the bridge every so often, like the real thing - attention to detail here is very good!

-Peter

 

[Ash Bridge]

Great progress made, really looking good now!

 

[Cowley]

Great progress made, really looking good now!

Thanks Mr Bridge. Still waiting for those cab ride photos that you took though...

 

[cossie4i]

Absolutely brilliant.
I know the area well as my parents used to own Lapford Mill (Exeter end) The grounds backed onto the line.

 

[Cowley]

Absolutely brilliant.
I know the area well as my parents used to own Lapford Mill (Exeter end) The grounds backed onto the line.

Thanks for that Cossie, Lapford Mill looks beautiful. When did they own it?

Tonight I’ve been making tiny trees out of jewellery wire. My eyes are aching now...

 

[cossie4i]

Thanks for that Cossie, Lapford Mill looks beautiful. When did they own it

From around 1994 to around 2001.

 

[Cowley]

I did a little bit more this last week. I’ve sprayed the roads and painted the scenery brown (it’s still wet in the photos which is why it’s a bit shiny).
I’ve also more or less finished the ballasting and also getting the scenery the correct shape behind the newer looking warehouse.
Here’s a couple of photos from each direction:


I’ve bought some road markings (£17! ) which I’ll put on it before lightening the road surface up with some kind of wash I guess because it’s a bit dark at the moment.
At least it doesn’t look like a snow scene now though...

It still feels like I’m a long way from putting some grass down, but I want to get it right before I start doing that.

 

[Ash Bridge]

Great work Mr C! I've been zooming into various sections of the last shot to crop out the yet to be completed bits and detail and accuracy are top notch. Can't wait to see the eventual fully completed project

 

[Cowley]

Great work Mr C! I've been zooming into various sections of the last shot to crop out the yet to be completed bits and detail and accuracy are top notch. Can't wait to see the eventually fully completed project

Thanks for that Mr Bridge. Still lots of stuff to do on it as I say, but it’s nice to have something to tinker with when you’ve got a couple of hours.
I bought myself a cheap little spray gun the other day so that I can start weathering the track etc.