EM Gauge Layouts, Models & Projects

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With the yard area pretty much done, attention has shifted to the ‘urban’ bit beyond the canal. As usual it’s foam board and card - here we see the main wall after the DAS has been added. The bridge abutment has been scribed, the rest is pencilled in ready for carving.

A more elevated view showing the mirror beyond the bridge. The square card structure, above the mirror, will be brick clad and represents a raised drain. It lines up perfectly with the reflection of the rear of the bridge, also finished in brick, and provides an illusion that the scene continues out of sight. The primed stone setts and the recently carved ones opposite will all match with the existing surfaces.

You can just about see the reflection - it will line up perfectly with the rear structure from normal viewing angles. A part sunken maintenance barge will disguise the line of the mirror. Stonework on the bridge is Preiser walling panels.

Further along the canal the yard lines cross by a bridge. Here we see some of last month’s mineral wagons, now painted. The ex-LMS soda ash wagon blends in well with its coal carrying cousins. The line beneath the bridge forms the headhunt of the scrap yard.

Alongside the canal the old Viva is slowly disappearing into the undergrowth!

A view of the far end of the canal where it enters the river. The rest of the river will form the next stage once the urban area is completed. The far gate takes the canal up to the level of the first scene.

The dock and the maintenance canal are drained by this watercourse that runs beneath the main yard. Not a pleasant place to spend any time unless you absolutely have to!

Before drones this would have needed a hot air balloon! A view of half of the yard looking towards the fiddle yard.

And finally a couple of recently finished yard huts near the exit to the fiddle yard, both of Wills origin.

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PETE JOHNSON

A bit of a cheat at modelling a new loco type this month…..A Class 09 had always seemed a bit too limited in its operating area to model - after my spotting days when they were all at southern sheds. But a bit of research found that originally the type had also been scattered across several sheds much further north. The last two of these were still in Liverpool when TOPS re-numbered in 1974, before making their way south to Eastleigh, via a brief spell working off Bristol Bath Road, during the mid-70s. Better yet, the pair were still green when renumbered, and lacked the high-level air pipes of the long-time SR examples. The recent completion of dual braked 08 767 made 08 918 a bit surplus to requirements, so it has now been re-worked as ‘09 025’, which remained in green until 1977. Thanks must go to Paul J for the assortment of photographs to which the livery is modelled.

A couple of main line projects are also underway. This Bachmann Class 37 is to be finished as a mid-70s South Wales example. Some detailing work has been done on the windows, nose end and roof fan grill.

Also from Bachmann, is this Class 20 for the mid to late-1960s era. The outer marker lights have been adjusted to scale spacing, and new buffers and other replacement details are in the process of being fitted.

At the recent Hazel Grove show the offer of a Bachmann 03 shell in blue proved irresistible, and provided a chance to do a dual braked example. The loco chosen for the model is 03 158, which moved from Hull to Ipswich during the long hot summer of 1976.

The excellent Bachmann model doesn’t leave much room for improvement, but the air pipes across the buffer beam and front lamp conduits have been added. The rather non-scale sprung buffers have been replaced with nicely detailed Lanarkshire Models whitemetal ones.

At the cab back the handrail has been remade in 0.31mm wire. Shawplan etched wipers and a shed plate holder have also been fitted. My special thanks must go to Robert Rogers who returned specially to Hazel Grove on the Sunday with an assortment of pre-used motor-gearbox units. These will now form the basis of a chassis for this new 03, and several other 03 & 04 ‘swop-body’ models in the fleet.

Photos of 03 158 from 1976/77 show it still with the bleached paint finish seen on many of the Hull 03 fleet. The weathering on the model tries to capture this appearance using a mix of grime-tinted matt varnish and a blend of Humbrol matt 240 (pale grey) and 34 (white).

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KARL CROWTHER

Hebble Vale Goods has now been sold and passed on to its new owner, including a fair chunk of the loco fleet and rolling stock. It’s amazing that what was intended to be a quickie project has been going on for something like 12 years!

To mark what will be my last posting for this layout, I’ve put together a few of my favourite shots taken over the years

Class 25 number 25274 shunts hopper wagons at Hebble vale Goods. This model utilises a Bachmann chassis with a much modified Hornby body.

A pair of locos that were always waiting in the wings were converted to EM and renumbered for the new owner. Both are Bachmann models converted using Black Beetle wheels – and still need weathering of course.

I’m now busy with the new layout that will see a revival of the ‘Kentside’ theme. Not only will it include the recreation of that station (much bigger!), but will also now have the quarry complex, plus the Kendal terminus as well of this fictitious scenario.

The shape of things to come... Although set in the period 1962-68, it will have at least some blue diesels! I’ve missed the steam outline. This Fowler 2-6-4T has been on the back burner while occupied with Hebble Vale, but has recently been completed. Mike Edge’s ‘Limousine cab’ etched overlays and a Hornby body shell formed the basis, with a Comet chassis underneath.

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KIER HARDY

Starting off with some goings on at the work bench this month sees a trio of Heljan Class 47s in for attention. Having acquired these locos in 'kit form' the lack of battery boxes and under tanks required some mould making and resin casting, due to the scarcity of these items.

Long in the sidings are these Lowmacs which are in the process of being loaded with plant. The dozer is a whitemetal kit of unknown origin, the bucket modelled in a raised position so will require a crate of parts to occupy the gap on the deck. The tarmacadam machine is a 1:87 scale kit by Kibri.

In addition to the pillbox featured last month at Shenston Road, another resin casting made by Jonny Duffett is being prepared for Hornsey Broadway. The stairs area has been fitted and the first coat of paint applied in readiness for planting on an embankment.

Meanwhile at the lineside, a pair of Class 20s haul a coke train in the direction of East London with 8115 & 8064 in charge. This latest pairing is by Greg Brookes for his West Midlands based Shenston Road layout.

Fast forward a few years sees 56064 hauling a rake of MGR hoppers. This is a double motored Mainline model which has recently emerged from the Eastwell workshops by Paul James.

9012 Crepello heads a line up of EE type 5 Deltics at Hornsey Road depot stabling sidings.

On another day, the stabling sidings are occupied by a variety of shunters. Nearest the stop blocks is a Yorkshire Engine Co / BR Class 02. This is a DJH whitemetal kit which was purchased many years ago during my Holmeworth days. Unnumbered, it doesn't see a lot of use in a North London based location, but is a long time favourite of mine and is captured here for the album.

Another one for the album is this snapshot of Brush 4 number 1510, a regular at Hornsey Road depot captured by Paul James on his box brownie camera.

To finish off this year the road vehicles and transport related subjects have been photographed at Hornsey, starting off with this Merit cycle shed which is located at the back of the depot.

This battery electric tug came from a air force ground crew accessory pack and has found a new home at the milk depot. Partially painted in WYPTE Metrobus Verona green it was previously in use at the bus garage at Wibdenshaw.

This Austin dropside commercial originates from the Basetoys range, reglazed and fitted with a driver.

An aerial view of Flowers car lot shows the bargains on offer. The vehicles are mostly from the Oxford Diecast range, each one given a couple of coats of matt varnish and printed labels stuck to the inside of the windscreen with PVA glue.

A view of a motorcyclist with rider stopped at the roadside chatting to a guy with his dog. This is an Airfix model which is part of an RAF recovery set as an outrider. The right hand image is a Oxford Diecast motorcycle with sidecar.

Another proprietry item by Lledo is this ERF tractor & trailer enhanced with extra detail, to include a driver, rear view mirrors and flexible hoses.

Another view of the lorry entering Fordham's yard, showing additional detail added to the trailer.

Here's a couple of whitemetal fork lift trucks, the blue one having been made from the Knightwing kit with additional detail and a replacement meshed overhead guard. The yellow model is of unknown origin and represents a large fork lift truck similar to an Allis Chalmers or Henley version from the 1960s period.

Whilst on the subject of plant, here's a track type loader hired in from the Eastwell Ironstone Company. The HO scale kit is from the Woodland Scenics range (ref D235).

Other hired in dozers working at demolition sites in the area, the green bulldozer is of unknown origin, whilst the blue bulldozer is another from the Woodland Scenics range (ref D233).

BMC badged J4 van in turquoise and tangerine livery circa 1972, registration SDE 456H (modified Oxford Diecast).

This pair of yellow vans are regular to the area, the GPO hi-roof Commer van is a whitemetal kit acquired a few years ago. The burger van is a Dinky models diecast, detailed and finished by Sara Harvey. Many of the kits featured on this page are of unknown origin, so any help with manufacturer identification would be most appreciated.

VLW 493G is on the 210 service to Finsbury Park Station via Hampstead Heath and Highgate. This is a Britbus Metro-Cammell bodied Merlin, fitted with driver and passengers and replacement printed destination blinds making it suitable for working in this North London area.

AML 5H is on the 242 to South Mimms and Potters Bar. A Britbus Marshall bodied Swift single door (SM5) with added driver, passengers and printed destination blinds.

AML 52H is on route 70 to Greenwich Church. A Park Royal bodied Swift dual door (SMS52) again with internal detail but awaiting a more suitable destination for a North London setting (Britbus model).

During the last few weeks, the emgauge70s website has been going through a refurbishment program. Some of the earlier pages relied on 3rd party hosting to reduce bandwidth, and those lost images have been recovered with most of the pages being refreshed and updated. There's still a bit more to do before the process is complete, and should make navigation of the site much easier.

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