'O' Gauge Model of Heaton Lodge Junction

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williredale said:

When you do you'll have to stage the same scene and photograph it in grainy black and white to see who can tell the difference!!

Stunning work.

Funnily enough that photo is one of my all time favourites and what you suggest will be on the front cover of the book I'll hopefully get around to writing about Heaton Lodge.


Here's a pic of the electrics. One main bus wire runs the full length of the layout connected by audio plugs where each board separates.
3 latches secure the boards together when assembled and the boards locate into each other using engineers metal dowels that ensure exact fit.

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Catches here as mentioned.
best jump in the Capri and go get some proper work done now

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Once again truly humbled by all the positive comments.
It really is easier to model a real location as although imagination plays its part simply copying what you see is half the battle (or off the photos on the net given this is 1985).
If you're a bit of a detail freak like me and you have time to experiment with different materials to get that 'look' it really can be done by anyone.

Good example is dead leaves. Since Heaton Lodge is modelled in winter there were mountains of them blowing about the bottom of the embankments and next to the track.
I spent months using different off the shelf products inc God knows how many bucket loads of tea leaves. Nothing looked totally right. Then was walking the dog on a country lane and picked up a few dead dry oak leaves. Stripped the spines out of them stuck them in a coffee grinder for 30 seconds and eureka. Right colour right consistency right look since it's the real thing of course..
Capri? Learnt to drive in one and yep given this is '85 the right era of course. Missed off the graffiti saying 'Thatcher Out' though on the bridge.

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Scoobman said:

I am a railway modeler.

Fantastic Stuff
Absolutely top draw.

For those that do not railway model, these things always look better in real life. Photographs always show up every nasty blemish which the eye tends to overlook.
So the photographs posted on here speak volumes for the sheer quality of this build

I look forward to more pics


A pic of mine, which is very modest compared to your epic




Love 08' shunters. Super pic!

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P5BNij said:

Cracking models! Thought I'd post a few that I've done some work on if nobody minds, most are sold now but having found this thread I really want to get stuck into it again...

Heljan tubby Duff as 'North Star', as it was in the early '80s when I worked on it as a secondman at Old Oak, all but the yellow ends repainted, weathered, new headcode panels etc, the translucent access panels on the roof were painted blue on 47 077 for a while, it was a habit of the painters at Old Oak to do this while they were resting on the floor of the 'Factory' workshop while the fitters got on with the oily bits...


Hornby 50, again all but the yellow ends are repainted, weathered renumbered etc, plus the exhaust ports have been drilled out


Bachman Deltic repainted / backdated to early '70s pre-Tops guise...


Bachman Gronk revamped as one of St.Blazey's fleet c.1972...


Older Bachman 40 in typical mid '60s condition, new whitemetal buffers replacing the crappy Bachman plastic efforts... I'd love to do a Heljan 7mm one like this and really go to town on it...

Edited by P5BNij on Saturday 9th April 13:18

Fantastic! Would have loved to have worked on the '47's as a secondman. Old Oak Common too, brilliant.
Lovely pics, nice work. I'm not much good at painting loco's 😊

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V8Mad said:

Hi Simon,
Really enjoyed reading your build and the feature has turned out really well. It's just gone to press today - being a 7mm modeller it's eye candy!
Regards,
Howard (BRM)

Ahh great stuff Howard, always amazed how many railway buffs are petrol heads too..
They tend to keep the railway thing a bit more close to their chests though!

Simon

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What spare time?
Yep no probs

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Quick update..
I've just completed another 8ft (2x4ft boards) in the last couple weeks.
I'm now working on the scenery for boards 9,10 & 11.
Board 12 is where the first double junction begins the model points will have the point heaters/cranks and motors all replicated.
Board 45 is the last board so there's a lot to do but Heaton Lodge should be on the exhibition circuit in 2017.

I wouldn't mind some feedback on the following 'bright idea' I've come up with..
I've arranged for Michael Portillo to do a 10 minute narration of Heaton Lodge about the real location and the model. This will be played through 50 odd headphones attached to the side of the model.
In order to take people right back to the era of the model (1982) there will be, interspersed with Portillo speaking, reminders of that year such as Thatcher announcing to the Commons the sailing of 'a large task force will sail once all preparations are complete' ..as well as the odd song from the same year fading in and out between these clips.
Comments negative or otherwise would be appreciated. I'm just wanting to be different in the exhibiting of this..

Few pics of the latest 2 boards (much the same scenery as before)

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I joined the two newly completed boards to the 30ft section already completed. Just for the camera a kitbuilt '08 with a heavily weathered wagon and 2 newspaper vans came barreling through just at the right time

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