009 Gwartha Vellan Tramway station buildings.

I had looked at revising one of the Wills or Peco platform structures for the buildings on GVT.

However, I happened on a couple of buildings from the Bachmann Scenecraft range which will be perfect .

Although of slate origin once they are repainted to match the other buildings and structures , they will fit in nicely.  Plus it saves time making more kits.

009 Gwartha Vellan Tramway Mill and bridges.

The mill has now had the bridge assembled so that it all interlocks when the stream and mill stream have been finished .

I have not previously used plastic sheet so much but with stone finishes it is the only thing to use as even I admit that stone paper doesn't look right.

The great thing is that as it all slots together parts can be removed whilst working on specific areas- doesn't get in the way like that!

009 GVT Engine Shed- build continues.

The spares, or bits, box has really turned up all that is needed to construct the engine shed.

It really helps that the shed is being built to fit the area available rather than have to make do with something already made.

So far bits from Ratio, Wills and some from an unknown parentage have been used together with offcuts of Plastruct -fiddly but worth it I think.

Once it stops raining then the whole can be primed and then given a coat of paint.

009 Engine shed.

Like most things I get ahead of myself when building layouts. This time is no exception! The layout has had the baseboard joins and the feeds for power soldered into position but there is still much to do before running can be tested.

So what do I do? Start to build an engine shed!

Corrugated plastic forms the shell with strip poly for representing the shed frame. Bits and pieces are being used as the company is strapped for cash and beg, borrow- not steal- the materials to make the shed. The bits box has well and truly been raided for this. The roof is an old platform canopy which will be corrugated iron clad plus bits of plastruct being used for the frame.

Using the Baldwin for sizing- yes I know the front pony has derailed, the shed will have two tracks and the front of the layout will have the shed open sided.

The floor will have to be built up somewhat and an impression of a workshop built up- another first for me although I did partly detail the engine shed on Teignford my 3mm Western Region layout.

Oh-by the way the decided name is Gwethan Vellan Tramway- Cornish for Higher Mill Tramway. Someone will probably correct me but that is the literal translation in the Cornish Dictionary.

009 - more bridges .

This is one half of the bridge across the tracks which also cover a baseboard join. The top picture fits snugly alongside the mill, the lower faces the fiddle yard and engine shed.

The thing I hadn't considered is the amount of plugs I have to wire due to there being 5 baseboards each 15 inches long.

The upside is that I can work on each of them on the bench rather than sideways on a trestle!

I still have to paint the iron panels on the bridge to the engine shed which will be black.

009- rustic bridge .

The bridge to the engine shed was a later addition and so it was constructed on the cheap from ironwork aquired from a local demolition site.

In reality, I ransacked the bits box and found some left over girders and ironwork from a steel bridge and station canopy- waste not-saves pennys!

It is probably easier to build it in situ as the structure is rather flimsy at the moment.

009 Water Mill- build continues.

The shell has been undercoated and the top layer of colour has been applied.

This consisted of several shades of grey and brown with hte whole being given a Wargaming black wash.

The roof has been undercoated and then given a waft of matt varnish and will also receive some wash when fully dry- may use some weathering powders as well to try them out!

009 new layout Water Mill build.

The shell of the water mill for the new 009 layout has been made.

  Usually I build with artists mounting card but this time ,as I had several sheets, will be constructed with Wills Stone mouldings.

As I have several Peco doors and windows in the bits box they will be used.

The layout name has nearly been finalised and will, surprise , surprise, contain the title mill but not necessarily in that form!

00 Gauge Hornby Fowler 0-6-0 repaint.

This is as far as I have gotten with the SDJR Fowler 4F.

The tender has been completed and had a coat of Testors Dulcote to seal the transfers.

The loco, however, is proving a bit more problematical. Whilst the yellow Pressfix lining is great in a straight line, it doesn't like going round curves too much!

So, I need to find a source of yellow lining to complete the splashers.

The other thing also is the lack of numbering on the Pressfix sheet. There is no blue shaded numbering to match the tender lettering. The Pressfix sheet says to use gold numbering but all information seems to point to the fact that the numbers were also shaded blue! Another thing to source.

009 Egger-Bahn Railcar.

Sometimes life gets smiled on! So it was that I aquired a boxed railcar devoid of motor.

It had been converted as a dummy to run beind a motorised example.

The body on mine had been dropped and the roofs were both damaged.

So-the two were dismantled and one was made from the two and after slight touching up I have ended up with a virtually mint example!

Handy to find out that the Vallejo blue I have is an exact match for the railcars paintwork. Most you lose but this time it's win win!

Somerset and Dorset Fowler 4F 0-6-0.

The tedious part has been reached- applying the transfers!

There are no known (to me anyway) of custom S&D yellow lining.

So I am using pressfix yellow lining which comes as straight lines and corners which, for me, are the wrong radius!

The most difficult part will be the splashers but luckily there are only one and a half each side.

The tender is a bit easier but even there compromises have to be made.

OO Gauge Smokebox numberplates from Narrow Planet.

The smokebox number and shed plates have arrived.

Ordered during the pandemonium, their response after production could recommence was impressive.

Excellently etched, as usual, having previously been sent to me for proof approval.

The shed plate is legible as 73F- Weymouth.

https://shop.narrowplanet.co.uk/

009 GVT Stickers.

 A friend of mine obtained some stickers, not transfers, for me for branding some stock for the latest 009 layout.
The first so adorned are the trio of Beyer Peacock tram engines as worked the lamented Glyn Valley Tramway.
The layout is yet to be named but will be replicant of the 3 initials.

Together with the Bachmann Baldwin the four make a great motive power roster,

Just have to decide which coaches will be branded the same.

00 gauge Somerset and Dorset Fowler 4F 0-6-0.

It all began with the S&DJR 7F 2-8-0 which I bought as a special edition. There followed some Tri-ang Hornby clerestory coaches adorned with S&D blue- (actually a Rover colour from Halfords).

A few Radstock wagons followed together with a repainted ex-MR brake van and then a blue Peckett which had SDJR emblazoned on the tank sides. A reasonable Fowler 4F appeared for sale and after it arrived has been stripped and undercoated and then given a coat of Rover blue as shown.

The black has been repainted, where necessary, and once completely dry the transfers will need applying!

009- not a bus but a Manning Wardle on a bridge!

A river will pass under the bridges, one on the main line and the other leading to the Engine shed.

The plan is to have a watermill between the bridges to which end I have received a water wheel and sluice gate from Derails amongst other things.

The resin cast bridges were purchased at the Alton show earlier this year and will be mounted as shown.

At least my initial plan has worked in that Wizard and Witch will both negotiate the main line and run round loop. They won't however work the canal siding, that being the reserve of Tram loco's.

009 new layout deciding on scenics.

I have reached the point of having to decide on what scenes will be shown on the new layout.

I really want this to be Cornish based so a large portion of modellers licence will be needed.

Firstly the front drop board will have a canal loading dock. The canal barge looks huge in comparison but the other example looks far to small , probably nearer 3mm scale. (Maybe that's what I bought it for- can't remember!)

The station building which I had already built in my opinion doesn't really fit in and should be of stone construction.

 I have considered adapting the Wills Village Forge but at the time couldn't source one with an existing order.

Postage really adds to the price for an individual item!

Still, more to show next time.

009 Norfolk Heath drop front board.

This area will eventually become a loading area for canal boats.

The track has been glued down and Wills rough stone cut as the wharf reinforcing.

I am not yet decided how deep the wall will extend so I must recover the barges to measure their height from waterline to deck.

OO Gauge SDJR Brake Van.

The Midland Railway supplied a few brake vans to the SDJR which were virtually identical to their standard van.

This one is a resprayed Bachmann Midland van which was originally brown.

OK, so the lettering should be white but my excuse is that no picture is known of the prototype so who can say?

00 Gauge SDJR Peckett.

Another Peckett!

This one is:-

Port of London Authority, Peckett W4 Class, 0-4-0ST.

 The colour and lining lend it to conversion to a Somerset and Dorset engine. Transfers are Pressfix from HRMS.

Makes a lovely companion to the 7F.

009 Heljan Lynton and Barnstable twins.

This pair were originally both LEW and were from different batches of Heljan production. Wizard is from the first batch with Witch from the second. Both have run perfectly from new but they have both run on radii in excess of 14 inches. This layout has one curve at 12 inch radius leading to what will be the loco shed, this has yet to be laid but it is doubtful that either will visit 

They will eventually be joined by Warlock when the L&B Baldwin arrives.

009 New Layout, Tracklaying progress.

The new layout , whilst basically a Tramway, will have to accomodate the Lynton and Barnstable locos.

To this end I have used the PECO largest radius turnouts with live frogs.

The Heljan loco's negotiate the points precisely without the need for modification.  Extensive testing was carried out whilst laying the track to make sure the loco's ran smoothly. In fact, this is probably the longest it has taken me to lay,what is really, a simple track layout.

This shows the canal basin board and one of the fiddle yards. The great thing is that extra boards can be added as time and space allow.It is very time consuming cutting numerous copper clad paxolin for securing the track at board joints.