Gloster
Established Member
Sorry, I never stopped there. I tended to travel whole lines, rather than visiting places (except signalboxes).
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Lapford station in N gauge.
- Thread starter Cowley
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Not to worry, it’s always worth asking. I’m currently knocking up a version of it just from photos and bits in my spares box.
It’ll be good to get that little area looking more like the real thing but I can’t find much information about the pub anywhere. I’m going to assume it was open in the late eighties though.
That building looks quite interesting @Cowley - it's got some different bits to break up the monotony of a basic box hasn't it? Using a bit of wood to get the front bit right is a cool idea!
-Peter
Yeah. I’m using my normal method of building it with plasticard and balsa wood. I can’t remember if I posted it already but here’s how the building looks now:
And in the 1890s before the warehouses were built:
I was going to ask you something actually. Do you remember who it was that made signs up for stations? I think you gave me a link but I don’t know which post it was in?
Ah super - both interesting photos. Especially the 1890s one with the family stood outside, looking petrified, as in all good Victorian photos
I can't remember unfortunately. I've just done some quick searching and I can only find a handful of mentions of the word "sign". I'll keep looking!
-Peter
Iskra
Established Member
I'm very much enjoying that recreation, great work!
You might be able to, but I just stare at all the buttons on the controller before finding something easier to do.
Haha, I did get it working back when I had a pair of green class 20's but even though they were mechanically the same they didn't run well together so I got rid of one of them and now just keep the other to run singly. So yeah, not exactly the most worthwhile bit of faffing around that I've done...
I’ve just passed through Lapford and Eggesford Northbound. I can confirm your modelling is brilliant and it really captures the feel of the area very well with the tractors, transits in fields and the odd scruffy caravan. Just needs more trees...
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I'm very much enjoying that recreation, great work!
Haha, I did get it working back when I had a pair of green class 20's but even though they were mechanically the same they didn't run well together so I got rid of one of them and now just keep the other to run singly. So yeah, not exactly the most worthwhile bit of faffing around that I've done...
I’ve just passed through Lapford and Eggesford Northbound. I can confirm your modelling is brilliant and it really captures the feel of the area very well with the tractors, transits in fields and the odd scruffy caravan. Just needs more trees...
Good lord.
Have you had a nice trip on the line? It’s changed a bit from the era I’m modelling but not everywhere. Eggesford hasn’t changed too much at all.
Anyway I’ve finished the pub. It’s a bit rough here and there but it’s not going to matter too much as it’s in the background. I’ve got quite a bit of work to do yet before I can fit it into the scene, but at least it’s done.
Iskra
Established Member
Yeah it’s a really pleasant line although Barnstaple was different to what I was expecting. Eggesford looks very similar, I got a good look at it while we awaited the service in the opposite direction.
The pub is looking good, great work!
The pub is looking good, great work!
That looks really nice - the colour is just right for what you'd expect on one of those kind of buildings.
I'll never cease to be amazed at how you manage to make anything in N gauge - that's tiny!
-Peter
Ashley Hill
Established Member
Is that the Old Malt Scoop you are modelling? The Fox & Hounds at Eggesford appears to have had a private siding at one time. There's a clip of some shunting there on a B&R video in the early 60s.
No not that one. It’s what was the Taw Vale Hotel right near the station:
I can’t find any information about it anywhere though so I’m just having to guess about it.
That looks really nice - the colour is just right for what you'd expect on one of those kind of buildings.
I'll never cease to be amazed at how you manage to make anything in N gauge - that's tiny!
-Peter
Thanks Peter. It’s surprising what you can do in N gauge really, although I’m building two Ratio signals at the moment for Eggishford and they really are fiddly!
I’m setting one ‘off’ and one ‘on’ so that I can have them free standing and swap them around for photos etc.
They’re not quite correct for the station but Dapol are bringing out the correct working ones at some point so these will do as a temporary solution as it doesn’t look right having a signal box and no signals!
Those do look quite fiddly - I expect it would be very difficult indeed to motorise them, so Dapol making pre-working ones is probably a massive help!
Being able to swap them around sounds like a good idea
-Peter
Those do look quite fiddly - I expect it would be very difficult indeed to motorise them, so Dapol making pre-working ones is probably a massive help!
Being able to swap them around sounds like a good idea
-Peter
My friend has a couple on his railway and they’re pretty awesome.
He’s also got an 0 gauge one and the arm actually bounces when it comes down!
Now that is nice. Semaphore signals are always a good addition to a layout. I seem to remember seeing a semaphore signal with that bouncing feature in Railway Modeller or another of those magazines; I wonder if you could get a sound decoder for it to play the little "bang" sound they make
-Peter
Now that is nice. Semaphore signals are always a good addition to a layout. I seem to remember seeing a semaphore signal with that bouncing feature in Railway Modeller or another of those magazines; I wonder if you could get a sound decoder for it to play the little "bang" sound they make
-Peter
That would be pretty cool!
I finished my signals!
Much patience was required to paint them but I think they turned out alright considering how cheap they were.
A couple of photos of the finished articles here:
And here:
(The little grey bits are so that I can pick them up without bending the ladders)
And this is them in situ:
I know that they’re a bit generic but they’ve made a surprising difference to the scene I think.
Much patience was required to paint them but I think they turned out alright considering how cheap they were.
A couple of photos of the finished articles here:
And here:
(The little grey bits are so that I can pick them up without bending the ladders)
And this is them in situ:
I know that they’re a bit generic but they’ve made a surprising difference to the scene I think.
Iskra
Established Member
They look really excellent.
You can’t have much left to do now?
You can’t have much left to do now?
Those look really lovely @Cowley - they do add to the scene.I finished my signals!
Much patience was required to paint them but I think they turned out alright considering how cheap they were.
A couple of photos of the finished articles here:
View attachment 100754
And here:
View attachment 100755
(The little grey bits are so that I can pick them up without bending the ladders)
And this is them in situ:
View attachment 100756
I know that they’re a bit generic but they’ve made a surprising difference to the scene I think.
(And on an unrelated point, seeing your green 33 again has made me wonder whether I want to paint mine to match 33108 or one in green like yours! Quite the Countdown conundrum...)
-Peter
Do you know what? I am starting to run out of things to do a bit. I’ve got a list that’s shrinking so what do I do after this?
I think I need to just enjoy for a few years probably and maybe I’ll keep adding bits of detail if I think of something.
Thanks Peter. Yes so my green class 33 (33008 Eastleigh) was a celebrity repaint by Eastleigh depot where it was allocated. It really stood out in a sea of blue Locos when it was first done in the 1980s.
I guess blue is the easiest to paint though…
You're very welcome
Ah cool - that name rings a bell so I think I've seen it somewhere online. That kind of special repaint is really interesting; you don't really get that sort of thing now.
-Peter
You're very welcome
Ah cool - that name rings a bell so I think I've seen it somewhere online. That kind of special repaint is really interesting; you don't really get that sort of thing now.
-Peter
Here’s a couple of photos of the wee beast at Barnstaple back then.
God I’d love to do Barnstaple station. It had a great little freight yard in those days and some lovely signals. Mmm….
Barnstaple 18/07/1987
33008 Eastleigh & 31450 plus 8 Coaches wait to depart with the 1726 service to Exeter St Davids.This cavalcade was the result of an earlier failure.
www.flickr.com
Barnstaple 18/07/1987
33008 Eastleigh arriving with 1548 Service from Exeter St Davids.
www.flickr.com
Those are lovely photos - thanksHere’s a couple of photos of the wee beast at Barnstaple back then.
God I’d love to do Barnstaple station. It had a great little freight yard in those days and some lovely signals. Mmm….
Barnstaple 18/07/1987
33008 Eastleigh & 31450 plus 8 Coaches wait to depart with the 1726 service to Exeter St Davids.This cavalcade was the result of an earlier failure.Barnstaple 18/07/1987
33008 Eastleigh arriving with 1548 Service from Exeter St Davids.
Barnstaple does sound like an interesting concept for a layout. I believe Charlie from Chadwick Model Railway is doing something based on it?
-Peter
Those are lovely photos - thanks
Barnstaple does sound like an interesting concept for a layout. I believe Charlie from Chadwick Model Railway is doing something based on it?
-Peter
Oh I didn’t know that. I’ll have a look later.
My original plan was to do the two stations I’ve got and then do some kind of scenic break (which would have avoided doing about fifteen or so miles of the line plus stations etc!) and then modelling Barnstaple station which has a perfect scenic break (a bridge) just past the station. That would have led to the fiddle yard, but I’m going to have to put the whole thing in a very large shed if I ever want to do that…
I’m not saying I’ll never do it though.
Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you @Cowley - I must have meant to respond earlier but them forgot!Oh I didn’t know that. I’ll have a look later.
My original plan was to do the two stations I’ve got and then do some kind of scenic break (which would have avoided doing about fifteen or so miles of the line plus stations etc!) and then modelling Barnstaple station which has a perfect scenic break (a bridge) just past the station. That would have led to the fiddle yard, but I’m going to have to put the whole thing in a very large shed if I ever want to do that…
I’m not saying I’ll never do it though.
That does sound like a nice idea. One of those layout plans for if you win the lottery maybe?
-Peter
Gloster
Established Member
You could always fit a system that replicates the sounds of a signal box, sometimes the only sound to be heard in quiet areas. Bells ringing, levers banging across, telephones buzzing, signalmen discussing last week’s match, kettles boiling, teaspoons stirring in sugar, signalmen muttering: “Four across must be an anagram”, etc.
That would be a nice thing to have actually. Probably only a matter of time before someone produces something like that. Have you seen the slightly bonkers water tower that Dapol have bought out..?
Well then, over the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying to get all the last bits done on the railway. They say that a model is never finished and maybe that’s true? But when I wrote a list of what remained to be done there wasn’t actually that much really.
One of the main things was getting some more signage around the place for the stations and I’d like to thank Allan at Sankey Scenics:
Model Railway Signs Sankey Scenics
Model Railway Signs covering in all scales & periods. OO, N & O gauge signs, customised station & platform signs. Lots of signs for your model railway in stock with over 1,000 different products. The Number 1 for Model Railway Signs printed in high definition.
www.sankeyscenics.com
I would thoroughly recommend him.
He even made me some signs up for the pub which is now in place so that Wayne can have his lunchtime pint…
Here’s a few photos of the various tiny signs around the place:
Rather pleased with the road signs too…
I’ve also finished lots of other bits this week and I’m pretty pleased with everything now. I’d like to make some new platform shelters at some point but I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here now!
It's really cool and a bit sad that you've come to pretty much the end of building Lapford - I assume you won't do what some people do and deconstruct it ASAP, but it's been good fun watching it develop. I hope we get to see it for some time to come!Well then, over the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying to get all the last bits done on the railway. They say that a model is never finished and maybe that’s true? But when I wrote a list of what remained to be done there wasn’t actually that much really.
One of the main things was getting some more signage around the place for the stations and I’d like to thank Allan at Sankey Scenics:
Who after I sent him an email actually took the time to ring me back and design everything that I needed for an incredibly good price (£8.20 including postage).Model Railway Signs Sankey Scenics
Model Railway Signs covering in all scales & periods. OO, N & O gauge signs, customised station & platform signs. Lots of signs for your model railway in stock with over 1,000 different products. The Number 1 for Model Railway Signs printed in high definition.
I would thoroughly recommend him.
That is an amazing price for such a quality-sounding service. Did you have to print the signs out, or did they come in the post pre-printed?
Wow - that is a lovely scene! All the trees behind and then the bits of greenery in front blend it into the rest of the area really well.
Those signs are really small but they add loads to the scene. I suppose they're the same as greenery and trees; everywhere in real life but they can go uncommented-on or overlooked (unless you're driving I suppose
) purely because they're so common. They look just the right size as well, which can often be a problem where signs are too big or too small or just 'off' somehow.-Peter
It's really cool and a bit sad that you've come to pretty much the end of building Lapford - I assume you won't do what some people do and deconstruct it ASAP, but it's been good fun watching it develop. I hope we get to see it for some time to come!
That is an amazing price for such a quality-sounding service. Did you have to print the signs out, or did they come in the post pre-printed?
Wow - that is a lovely scene! All the trees behind and then the bits of greenery in front blend it into the rest of the area really well.
Those signs are really small but they add loads to the scene. I suppose they're the same as greenery and trees; everywhere in real life but they can go uncommented-on or overlooked (unless you're driving I suppose
-Peter
Haha. No plans to dismantle it Peter.
I might make a start on putting some lights in my coaching stock next. All the buildings have lights and it would be good to have at least a couple of trains fully lit to compliment it.
I guess I just need to enjoy running it for a while now.
Re the signs - They came like this:
Very handy indeed but some of them are really tiny!
I agree with what you say though, there’s so much stuff all around us that we don’t always notice.
I’ve also added these Whistle Boards and speed limit signs thinking about it:
I had to repair a couple of trees today after the cat sat on them too…
Iskra
Established Member
Those signs look really good, and excellent value too!