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| overall view of the backdrop around the station area |
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| 3034 hauls 2 x BMTs and an MLV to the milk siding while 3013 waits in the loop |
Monday 22 April 2019
Sunday 14 April 2019
Surrounding the station part 1 - 2 Dimensional Modelling.
A backdrop can create additional realism to a layout. It sets a boundary that forces the eye to look at the things in front of it and tends to block distractions around the train room. They can add a sense of depth and perspective.
With current digital cameras and many phones it is easy enough to take panoramic shots of the landscape stitch them together and banner print the scene yourself or through many photo or print shops.
The Camden railway closed 57 years ago and many of the structures have gone or changed, not to mention changes in vegetation so the above method of creating a backdrop was not an option.
I had delusions of painting the backdrop but my painting skills won't cut it. The Camden station was on the eastern end of the township and streets ran parallel to the platform on both sides of the yard.Edward St was on the milk factory side and Elizabeth St on the town side with a small street aptly named Station street leading to the rear of the station. There are a number of Edwardian style houses along Elizabeth St many probably built by the same builder - as the styles and sizes appear identical other than materials and some mirror reversed. There was also the Paramount Picture Theatre now a tyre outlet that dominated the skyline to the south of the station. Behind the station running towards the buffer stops was a long unpainted timber building which was a motor repair shop, glimpses can be seen in the photo below courtesy the Weston Langford Collection
Google Maps and Google Earth are invaluable references for researching buildings and between these sites and some of the Real Estate sites I was able to get pictures of many of the houses that backed onto the line as well as along Elizabeth St. The Camden Library and Camden Historical Society have an excellent online photo collection that include photos of the Station Masters house and the Paramount Picture Theatre.
After estimating the sizes of the buildings on the far side of Elizabeth St, I drew them up in CAD then coloured them in, reduced the size by 10% and printed on heavy matt paper. These were then cut out and glued to the backdrop in the appropriate location. Where there were trees I painted these with acrylic paints.
The buildings immediately adjoining the line were built in low relief, some only 1mm thick others up to about 6 mm thick. Typically built on laminated balsa glued so the grain on each layer was at 90 degrees to the grain of the previous layer to minimise warping. I used combinations of Metcalfe brick paper, some home printed materials, strips of styrene, thick paper, HO scale corrugated Iron (Bergs product) and Grandtline windows and doors on some models. Shading and weathering was done with water soluble pencils and acrylic paints. These were then glued to the backdrop or in the case of the motor repair shop this was bolted with small machine bolts to the backdrop to prevent it being damaged during backdrop removal or installation. Between the railway yard and these buildings are paling fences, trees and shrubs and in some backyards garages and sheds. The backyards will get additional detail such as patios, clothes lines maybe even some veggie patches, chook pens - time will tell.
While still a work in progress, with a few more houses to draw and make, I am happy with the effect. When I have completed all the houses along the back of the rail yard I will add more photos.
Part 2 of this title will cover what I call "Clintons corner" with
These models are all very much 3D although part of the house and Clintons could also be partially low relief. The other landmark that really stuck out when looking south through the goods shed was the tall Chimney from Thompson's mill.
Happy modelling till next time
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| A shot of Camden in 1939 source unknown, image via Anthony Veness This has been a major reference source for the Camden terminus |
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The Station Masters house - a plan is available from Greg Edwards Data Sheets.Image reproduced by kind permission of Camden Historical Society |
A backdrop can create additional realism to a layout. It sets a boundary that forces the eye to look at the things in front of it and tends to block distractions around the train room. They can add a sense of depth and perspective.
With current digital cameras and many phones it is easy enough to take panoramic shots of the landscape stitch them together and banner print the scene yourself or through many photo or print shops.
The Camden railway closed 57 years ago and many of the structures have gone or changed, not to mention changes in vegetation so the above method of creating a backdrop was not an option.
I had delusions of painting the backdrop but my painting skills won't cut it. The Camden station was on the eastern end of the township and streets ran parallel to the platform on both sides of the yard.Edward St was on the milk factory side and Elizabeth St on the town side with a small street aptly named Station street leading to the rear of the station. There are a number of Edwardian style houses along Elizabeth St many probably built by the same builder - as the styles and sizes appear identical other than materials and some mirror reversed. There was also the Paramount Picture Theatre now a tyre outlet that dominated the skyline to the south of the station. Behind the station running towards the buffer stops was a long unpainted timber building which was a motor repair shop, glimpses can be seen in the photo below courtesy the Weston Langford Collection
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Camden Last Train about to depart 2029 2010 and 2016 at rear photo taken by Weston Langford link to his remarkable collection appears on my links list - note the houses along the line and the motor workshop to the front right |
After estimating the sizes of the buildings on the far side of Elizabeth St, I drew them up in CAD then coloured them in, reduced the size by 10% and printed on heavy matt paper. These were then cut out and glued to the backdrop in the appropriate location. Where there were trees I painted these with acrylic paints.
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| drawing the house in CAD |
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| A photo of one of the Edwardian homes in Elizabeth St |
The buildings immediately adjoining the line were built in low relief, some only 1mm thick others up to about 6 mm thick. Typically built on laminated balsa glued so the grain on each layer was at 90 degrees to the grain of the previous layer to minimise warping. I used combinations of Metcalfe brick paper, some home printed materials, strips of styrene, thick paper, HO scale corrugated Iron (Bergs product) and Grandtline windows and doors on some models. Shading and weathering was done with water soluble pencils and acrylic paints. These were then glued to the backdrop or in the case of the motor repair shop this was bolted with small machine bolts to the backdrop to prevent it being damaged during backdrop removal or installation. Between the railway yard and these buildings are paling fences, trees and shrubs and in some backyards garages and sheds. The backyards will get additional detail such as patios, clothes lines maybe even some veggie patches, chook pens - time will tell.
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| The buildings in the immediate vicinity of the station which partly obscures the Edwardian house with yellow gable area and part of the motor repair shop. The Paramount theatre was quite a significant building |
While still a work in progress, with a few more houses to draw and make, I am happy with the effect. When I have completed all the houses along the back of the rail yard I will add more photos.
Part 2 of this title will cover what I call "Clintons corner" with
- the Art Deco Holden dealer building
- the former Atlantic service station which along with the house beside it which became the Dunlop Tyre shop
- the Esso service station.
These models are all very much 3D although part of the house and Clintons could also be partially low relief. The other landmark that really stuck out when looking south through the goods shed was the tall Chimney from Thompson's mill.
Happy modelling till next time
Sunday 7 April 2019
What ran there ?
The railway photographers going back seven decades have done an amazing job on capturing trains and operations - the focus (no pun intended) was for the most part on the loco or train consist . The infrastructure was not as well covered however many of the photos had stations or sheds etc in the background which as a modeller have been invaluable to me in building this layout.
There are many superb books covering the railway operations around Australia, my main source of reference has been Byways of Steam volume 21 and Pansy the Camden tram edited by Ian Dunn and Robert Merchant. Brian Rowlings DVD on the Camden Line, the Weston Langford photo collection and many of Ron Prestons works have also provided a lot of detail.
David Cooke in his book railmotors and XPTs on page 30 in the chapter on the CPH says " Other areas served by these vehicles include the former Camden branch ..."
I have not been able to find any documentary proof of CPH operations to Camden, although a couple of railway history buffs suggested they ran during the second world war. I would be very keen to hear from anyone who can shed some light on any CPH operations to Camden - in the meantime I have taken some photos of railmotor 26 visiting Camden.
The railway photographers going back seven decades have done an amazing job on capturing trains and operations - the focus (no pun intended) was for the most part on the loco or train consist . The infrastructure was not as well covered however many of the photos had stations or sheds etc in the background which as a modeller have been invaluable to me in building this layout.
There are many superb books covering the railway operations around Australia, my main source of reference has been Byways of Steam volume 21 and Pansy the Camden tram edited by Ian Dunn and Robert Merchant. Brian Rowlings DVD on the Camden Line, the Weston Langford photo collection and many of Ron Prestons works have also provided a lot of detail.
David Cooke in his book railmotors and XPTs on page 30 in the chapter on the CPH says " Other areas served by these vehicles include the former Camden branch ..."
I have not been able to find any documentary proof of CPH operations to Camden, although a couple of railway history buffs suggested they ran during the second world war. I would be very keen to hear from anyone who can shed some light on any CPH operations to Camden - in the meantime I have taken some photos of railmotor 26 visiting Camden.
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| Railmotor No 26 departs Camden. |
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| Railmotor 26 and trailer at Camden - note work has started on the backdrop the subject of the next blog |
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