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Friday 21 August 2020

 A change in pace.

I trust fellow modellers are surviving the current pandemic and maybe using some of the restrictions to catch up on some hobby things. Since the last post I have been working on the milk factory, installing concrete aprons around the building, started the awning and boiler house as well as working on the cooling towers. The awning is a very flimsy structure built with evergreen channel and right angle section. I am being challenged to build it square and straight. Once the corrugated iron is in place it will probably be OK.

As mentioned in the previous post there is a great Facebook page dedicated to the Camden branch and there has been the odd glimpse of the boiler house at the milk factory in various posted photos, to allow construction. Some progress shots below.





Have also been experimenting with weathering wagons using a combination of airbrushing, water soluble pencils and dry brushing. Weathering is a very subjective thing and still have a way to go. I use acrylic paint mainly Tamiya and Gunze. For the grime a very light dusting is applied of a mixture of Tamiya flat black XF-1, Buff XF-57 and flat clear XF-86. Dry brushing is done with various shade of grey and white. Some examples below including an weathered and unweathered HG.

 

I have also been sorting out intermodule wiring. A  standard colour scheme is used and 4 pin DIN plugs and sockets for connectivity.  I can plug any module into module 1 and things should work which makes it easy for testing when modules are pulled apart which is a common thing at present while doing scenery and detailing.

All wiring is documented in a spreadsheet and diagrams done in CAD - can't rely too much on memory anymore. It does help with trouble shooting and if the layout gets sold one day the new owner will have an idea how it all goes together





Work is also progressing on rebuilding the Bachmann shunter into an early 79 class - those very long buffers on the 79 may cause a problem with buffer lock even though I have very long couplers installed. Should have some 79 pics next update.

Cheers for now


14 comments:

  1. Great post. And couldn't agree more on documenting your wiring. I used an A4 display book to store all the wiring diagrams for an earlier exhibition layout I was involved with, but I also kept in the book, notes on paints used for structures, and other information that might be useful when the memory forgets.

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  2. Thanks Rob - your comment on paint is a great point , I have been doing mixes for Indian red amongst other colours and noting the ingredients both colour and ratio. A bit of a log of other things is also helpful woodland scenics, Noch grass etc, typically one throws the packet out when empty and forgets the colour.

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  3. Hi Kim,
    Dairy Farmers building is sensational. Your layout is coming along nicely.

    Kind Regards
    Peter B

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    1. Thanks Pete, trust all is well in Sydney
      regards
      Kim

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  4. Hi Kim,
    Just discovered your model and wanted to say what fantastic work you are doing. I've lived in Camden since 1971 and so unfortunately have no knowledge of the railway to share with you but its amazing to see the milk depot (as its always been known here as) in model form, and the surrounding scenic treatment is superb - hard to pick it as a model.

    I have no space to run a model railway but do love modelling buildings as stand alone structures, I've done a couple of Camden ones such as the AH and I hall down the other end of Argyle St in 4mm/ft scale.

    Anyway, just wanted to say that I love your work!

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    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. Thanks Chris, theres a bit of magic making old buildings would love to see your work - I have been doing some English railway and town buildings in card which is a great medium to work in. You have some great buildings to model around the Camden area the Art Deco real estate or some of the churches if you are keen on big projects or Studley Park House.
      All the best thanks again
      Kim

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  5. Kim

    Impressive work on the milk depot and love the BW photos from the previous post.
    I won't talk about my wiring documentation as it doesn't exist. :-)
    I do have a list of the scenery products I have used on Bylong but paints, well that is another story, memory mostly works.
    Ray P

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  6. Hi Kim,
    I just stumbled across your blog this morning. I am very impressed with your modelling. My family moved to the Camden area in 1967 and I was a Camden High School boy in the 70's. The milk depot was still used as a milk depot back then, but with road tankers rather than the train. I now live in the Southern Highlands but travel through Camden each day to work. I have seen the evolution of the depot from Milk Depot to car wash over the years. I used to play around with N scale trains and dreamed of making Camden to Elderslie in N scale "one day", so I will enjoy watching your journey. Maybe we might see it at a show one day?
    Cheers
    Ian

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    1. Hi Ian and Ray thank you both for the kind words apologies for the lengthy delay in acknowledging have been having break for a while
      regards
      Kim

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  7. Kim, lost contact. Can you send me a blank email so I can get you email address. Jim.

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  8. Hi Kim.
    With regards t your backscene if I may offer you a suggestion. I found that sealing the ply both sides with a white plastic paint then giving it a light sand making sure that all the dust is removed using a short micro fibre roller apply a coat of Gesso (available at good art supply stores) let dry and then lightly sand, repeating the process three or four times this will give the top coat something to key to. I hope this may help you with getting a nice finish to your backscene.
    I have been following your exploits closely. A few years ago I switched to NCE DCC using Tsunami and ESU decoders and found the Tsunami easier to use as the ESU came complete with a loud hum which is very annoying. Anyway all the best with your layout.

    Regards Peter

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  9. Hi, I am enjoying following your progress and the excellent modelling being done. Could you tell me whether you made the vents on the milk factory or where you obtained them please. They are very effective.
    Phil

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  10. The Milk depot buildings are fantastic, but those BD open wagon bogies.....

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