chris Posted September 21, 2016 Author Share Posted September 21, 2016 We popped up to Northumberland yesterday afternoon. I was looking at the landscape for ideas for my railway, Amblethorpe is loosely based on Northumberland. While looking at how the railway cuts through the topography and at the slops of hills and mounds, I cycled passed my favourite castle, Warkworth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddles Posted September 21, 2016 Share Posted September 21, 2016 I see nothing wrong in Amblethorpe being a Model Village. It's good to see a railway having a purpose, i.e. serving its surroundings. It will be interesting to see whether Faller buildings are as durable outdoors as the resin Skaledale/Scenecraft from Hornby & Bachmann after treatment with varnish for U.V. protection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted September 26, 2016 Author Share Posted September 26, 2016 Yesterday I started the process of filling and sealing my fist hill with brown acrylic window sealent. I then went on to build the Kingspan structure for the other side of the cutting. The first hill betrays it construction method, in that its has obvious flat sections at 5 cm levels. I've tried to ensure this isn't the case on the second hill. I need to do a lot of shaping and sanding, but that is an outdoor job and its raining Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQ Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Two other castles with railways close by are Corfe castle https://satnavandcider.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/swanage-railway-train-to-the-past/ And Conwy castle for which some one has come a lot of research. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/71151-north-welsh-coast-railway-welsh-dragon-rail/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted September 29, 2016 Author Share Posted September 29, 2016 I'm making steady progress with my hill scenery. Both boards have been filled, smoothed and sealed with brown acrylic window frame sealant. The first board has had a single coat of grass green acrylic. I've had a go at shaping a front board, but the old ply I was reusing fell apart when I attacked it with a jigsaw. I may go with Correx board instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted October 4, 2016 Author Share Posted October 4, 2016 Almost there with my hill. both boards are painted a basic green and the front board has been fixed in place. That front board still needs to be filled and sealed and that will need a coat of paint. After that I'll turn my mind to dressing it with flock, fences animals and buildings. In an hour or so I'm catching a train to Northumberland for an afternoon bike ride. I plan to visit Preston Tower and take lots of photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQ Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Thats a nice trip, I assume you won't be cycling down the A1, it's a lot nicer via Longhoughton or Rennington. Mind you don't get radiated if you Pass RAF Boulmer... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted October 5, 2016 Author Share Posted October 5, 2016 TheQ said: Thats a nice trip, I assume you won't be cycling down the A1, it's a lot nicer via Longhoughton or Rennington. Mind you don't get radiated if you Pass RAF Boulmer... It's my favourite ride. From Alnmouth, up through Rock and Lucker and then over to the coast at Bamburgh and Seahouses. Returning along the coast calling at Beadnel, Low Newton, Embleton, Craster, Boulmer and to The Red Lion in Alnmouth. I usually give myself all day, 7 hours, but only had the afternoon yesterday so the legs had had enough for the last 10 miles. Lovely ride all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheQ Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 I've walked most of those routes during 83-88 When I was stationed at RAF Boulmer, propped up a lot of the pubs at least once in those days. It was nice stationed up there in good weather, not so much fun on patrol at 2 in the morning in three feet of snow checking the perimeter.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 For the first time, I've mothballed Amblethorpe for Winter. Computers and DCC kit have been brought in to the house from the shed. 60% of my rolling stock has also migrated. Yesterday I erected covered over sections of my baseboard. They are simple, a clear plastic sheet stapled to the fence and the underside of the baseboard. I've done half a dozen of them and they cover all my points. I've had water ingress into my baseboard through the holes under my points. The covers are to protect from this at a time of year when I won't be using them. While looking under the boards I was concerned at the layer of mould that had grown on the underside. It doesn't appear to have affected the integrity of the boards, but it is messy. I used kitchen antibacterial wet-wipes. The mould was wiped away with easy, but I did go though half a packet of wipes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussietmrail Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 Hi Chris, that is sad you have to mothball your layout for winter complete opposite over here, coming back into the hot weather again my layout at a stand still too hot under the pergola, going to in the high 30's by the weekend probably go into the low 40's and 35 degrees under the pergola, get up early and do some work in the morning, before it starts to heat up. Not more carpentering to be done on the last front module just two boards to be cut and the legs and levelled ready to be painted completing the whole front of the layout , gee two years to get this far, about 45 feet in length have to add on the spiral and the car port. Do you lots of smaller projects to work on during the winter months. Tony from down under keeping on moving a head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted December 4, 2016 Author Share Posted December 4, 2016 aussietmrail said: Do you lots of smaller projects to work on during the winter months. I used to have a list of winter projects, which were mainly adding lights to locos and DMUs. But I now have one winter project, my tramway. It's been on hold since April and I now switching back to it. That said. I'm giving my shed some attention. I installed some twin-slot shelving this morning. That should facilitate and extension to Amblethorpe within the shed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted December 5, 2016 Author Share Posted December 5, 2016 It's a bit chilly in York this morning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddles Posted December 5, 2016 Share Posted December 5, 2016 chris said: It's a bit chilly in York this morning.... Is it worth trying to run a train? Riddles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted December 6, 2016 Author Share Posted December 6, 2016 I was going to place a DMU on the line for the photo, but the ice crystals on the railways were so large I was put off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted December 21, 2016 Author Share Posted December 21, 2016 I've been working a lot with correx recently. I've just build a baseboard for my tramway out of the stuff and I have produced a very sturdy yet lightweight base. Looking back at this forum I can see that I installed a correx back scene in August 2013. As you can see from my recent picture it still looks very good. It has lasted much better than the painted plywood it replaced. The top edge of the back board is now more brittle, but it doesn't look like it will fall apart anytime soon. After 3 years I'm still happy to recommend correx if you need a back scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
admin Posted January 18, 2017 Share Posted January 18, 2017 Chris Been through the entire thread restoring links to missing images. All images now added as attachments to posts so that in future they'll stay together. If you notice any images still not displaying let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussietmrail Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Hi Chris, that correx be perfect for using on the inside of the viaduct arches be easy to bend when constructing the arch especially in narrow arches as MBF board will crack I did have a go at building an eight inch wide arch. I think we call the stuff an different name will find out. Tony from down under keeping on moving ahead Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 I've made a lot of progress with my tramway. So much so I am planning of showing it. My wife and I own a local coffee shop and one Saturday I'll set up the tramway there and run it for the customers. This idea got me thinking, could I also show Amblethorpe? One option would be to simply have a running day on the Sunday after I've had the tramway out, and had out flyers on the Saturday. Another option could be to take Amblethorpe to the coffee shop. A lot of the scenery on Amblethorpe are dioramas that I place next to my tracks when I am having a running session. I could make and indoor version of Amblethorpe by putting some track on a baseboard or two and simply place my scenic sections next to it. I've spoken to a mate to see if he fancies taking on this project with me. I'm awaiting his response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 Chris, if I were to recommend any member of the forum up for the task of creating an exhibition layout then you'd be top of my list. I'm sure your tramway will generate a lot of interest among the viewing public. If you're keen on exhibiting then an Amblethorpe open day is a good idea too and would save you having to construct any extra boards etc. I guess it all depends on how far you would like to go but if you're seriously thinking about exhibiting then perhaps a dedicated layout on the exhibition circuit is the way forward? See how you get on with the tramway - I'm sure that will aid your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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