Roath - Backstreet Cardiff in 1971

[Pixie]

Greetings all,

After a long time of lurking within the bowels of the website I’ve finally decided to join up and post up! My names Steve Nicholls although I usually go under the pseudonym of Pixie on most modelling forums (the reasons are so deep rooted in time I’ve forgotten them myself). I’m 21 and I’m currently in the last year of my degree down here in sunny Cardiff. I’ve been dabbling with modelling now since I got my original trainset back in the Winter of ‘93 and since then I’ve been hooked.

If any of you have read my ramblings on RMweb or the DEMU forum then you’ll of probably heard about my current layout – Roath, Cardiff. Based on a slight alternate version of the yard located upon the TVR-built Roath goods branch between Cardiff Docks and Llandaff, the line acts as an interchange between the Valleys and the capital. Traffic is based upon real flows and is largely general merchandise although flows of coal, steel and ‘green-carded’ wagons heading for repair at Radyr can also be seen. Date is the June/July ‘71 - I like setting it quite precisely as it makes it easier to build up an image of that moment in time.

I won’t bore you too much with construction details as with things like the baseboards and track there’s nothing really ground breaking - although a big thumbs up to the Exactoscale point kits is certainly in order. This is my first serious attempt in P4 and to date I'm pleased with how it's coming along, although there is a still a long way to go before it's exhibition debut.

Anyway, some photos. Please let me know if you have any feedback/comments/questions/grumbles – I always look forward to hearing them.


Above: Where it all began - Summer '08


Above: The progress a year later


Above: The left hand end of the layout where the running line dissappears into the fiddle yard.


Above: A slightly different angle showing the signature Cardiff Brains Bridge - soon to be revisited for some additional work on the weathering

Below are a trio of views from the other end of the layout. The CDs and black boxes represent what will be a large warehouse which is next on the hit list of jobs! Excuse the white paper in the second photo - it was an experiment with curved backscenes.







The location called for a huge amount of terraced houes (anyone whose ever visted Cathays/Roath in Cardiff will know what it’s like around there) which I would of never been able to build without loosing my marbles. After a bit of musing, it seemed like resin was the obvious way to go and the results can be seen below. I’m dead pleased with the results although I wan’t happy with the repition of the stonework patterns so I’ve now built a ‘B’ and ‘C’ version to get a bit of variety in. I’ve recently had my first laser-cut roof tiles back which I’m also very pleased with – no more cutting out hundreds of piece of paper any more!







All the best,

Pix/Steve

[Will L]

I’ve recently had my first laser-cut roof tiles back which I’m also very pleased with – no more cutting out hundreds of piece of paper any more!

That sounds/looks like a good idea, tell us more.

Will

[Paul Willis]

Greetings all,

After a long time of lurking within the bowels of the website I’ve finally decided to join up and post up!

Welcome Pixie! Very pleased to see you over here...

You'll be very welcome on the Forum, and you'll have seen a few familiar names around here already so you should feel right at home

I'm looking forward to hearing more tales of Roath, and particularly how you realise the sense of time and place. It's been looking superb so far.

Cheers
Flymo

[Brinkly]

Hello Steve!

Great to see you on here at last and even better to see Roath. How is it progressing?

Regards,
Nick

[ClikC]

I've been following your progress on RM web, I'm really looking forward to seeing this layout progress.

Regards

[iak]

Well hallo wee person....
Nice to see you here

[Mark Tatlow]

Good to see you here on the rather more civilised forum than the other one (and its server works too!).

It would be good to see some recent progress photos of Roath.............you have the makings of a class layout there.

[chrisf]

I have been following the progress of this layout in Another Place. I like it very much because it has atmosphere and is well observed in terms of the scenic treatment, especially the buildings. Oh, and because it is set in my beloved South Wales.

Chris

[smyles]

An excellent layout and good photograhs. I look forward to more details in forthcoming postings.
Mike

[Pixie]

Thanks for all the replies gents - it's very flattering, especially on a forum of this calibre.

That sounds/looks like a good idea, tell us more.

They're from York Model Making, who I belive were at Scaleforum (or are going to be!). Measurements were taken from the prototype, a quick sketch drawn up in CAD created and emailed to them, then a couple of weeks later they dropped through the front door. They're supplied on self coloured, self adhesive paper which is useful for locationg them although I tend to cover mine in very thin ZAP adhesive onces they've been postitioned to make sure they come off. A little bit of weathering helps add some variety and life to them too. I have got some jottings about how I plan to use them and get them all straight, maybe they'd be of interested on here or in the magazine?

Here's a sheet as supplied:



And a few 'in action'! They're intentionally a little wonky to help it look thrown together, honest!

Welcome Pixie! Very pleased to see you over here...

Thanks! It seems a great resource and a perfect dissertation distraction...

Great to see you on here at last and even better to see Roath. How is it progressing?

Hey Nick - long time, no speak! How's things?

Roath's getting there slowly, although very little happens whilst I'm at Uni. There's only six months until it's first potential show so I should really get cracking!

Over Christmas I focused on the warehouse end which can seen above - the state of player when I started is seen below. I really need to get cracking on the warehouse itself, finish the terraced houses and also finish off the fiddle yard.



The allotment scene on the whole is now almost finished and I'm pretty pleased with the results. A couple of pieces of stock that were worked on over Christmas can be glimpsed too - a couple of Lion emulsions tankers and D7054. The latter is a bit of a pheonix - it was the first loco for my old layout but a bout of neglect left it with broken glazing and bufferbeams and the weathering was knackered. However, an evenings work has been it come back to life and now just awaiting weathering and a few little detail bits. It's always satisfying to put fresh life into something



Oh, and I made a start on the fiddle yard fascia board - although I'm going to remove most of is, scan it in, and have it displayed on a screen that's mounted into the fascia panel.



Perhaps the biggest area for work is getting some locos finished off. I've currently got 12 Bachmann 37's on the bench undergoing a system of stripping, binning the Bachmann chassis, sawing off the ends, new cast ends, new Shawplan bits, new PHD etched steps, new Vitrains chassis, set of Black Beetle wheels, repaint, numbering and weathering! Couple of progress shots below of 6982, bought from a second hand shop as a wreck and slowly being restored.





A close up of the new ends, although fitted to another example:

It would be good to see some recent progress photos of Roath.............you have the makings of a class layout there

Thanks Mark! We still need to meet up at somepoint. I'm not sure what happened over Christmas, although I've recently changed email servers as I was getting all kinds of issues before. I'll be in touch by PM at somepoint - at least it's a good stable basis.

All the best,

Steve

[iak]

oH yes...
Those 37's look fabbo Pix.......
I wonder if anybody else has used those ends of yours - errrrrrmmm
There sounds a heck of a project going on here, dinnae let the Snews editor find out or you'll be getting grabbed

When is this beastie making its debut again?

[Pixie]

oH yes...
Those 37's look fabbo Pix.......

Ta! I was going to ask how yours are getting on - I take it they're unchanged!

There sounds a heck of a project going on here, dinnae let the Snews editor find out or you'll be getting grabbed

Roath only really needs about 3 or 4 locos to operate it so 12, let alone of one type, is way OTT. However, after Roath there maybe something more mainline...

When is this beastie making its debut again

The honest answer is - not sure! I'd originally been lined up for a Bracknell debut (October 2010) but with the show now cancelled it's a little up in the air. I was told to contact the organiser of the Maidenhead show for Jan 2011 and awaiting a responce so it may be then. However, a couple of us locally are now thinking of organising a little show at the end of the Summer which Roath will be at, venue is opposite our favourite pub in beautiful Berkshire. Once things are concrete I'll spill the proverbial beans. In terms of later shows, I've also had interest from the Cardiff show and Scaleforum. If anyone is interested in Roath then feel free to drop me a PM!

Pix

[iak]

Hmmm - be interesting when it does appear.
And as for the 37? Ahem, too much going on etc etc.
I do wonder if any other wagon projects will come to fruition for this eventually, now that will make a change from the usual stuff believe me.

Sláinte
IAK

[Penrhos1920]

However, a couple of us locally are now thinking of organising a little show at the end of the Summer which Roath will be at, venue is opposite our favourite pub in beautiful Berkshire. Pix

Does Skull Attack make it to Berkshire?

Perhaps the biggest area for work is getting some locos finished off. I've currently got 12 Bachmann 37's on the bench undergoing a system of stripping, binning the Bachmann chassis, sawing off the ends, new cast ends, new Shawplan bits, new PHD etched steps, new Vitrains chassis, set of Black Beetle wheels, repaint, numbering and weathering! Couple of progress shots below of 6982, bought from a second hand shop as a wreck and slowly being restored.

Wow, that sounds more like scratch building!! I can follow your logic for most of the mods., but why are you ditching the Bachmann chassis for a Vitrains chassis?

Penrhos

[Brinkly]

Perhaps the biggest area for work is getting some locos finished off. I've currently got 12 Bachmann 37's on the bench undergoing a system of stripping, binning the Bachmann chassis, sawing off the ends, new cast ends, new Shawplan bits, new PHD etched steps, new Vitrains chassis, set of Black Beetle wheels, repaint, numbering and weathering! Couple of progress shots below of 6982, bought from a second hand shop as a wreck and slowly being restored.

Wow, that sounds more like scratch building!! I can follow your logic for most of the mods., but why are you ditching the Bachmann chassis for a Vitrains chassis?

Penrhos

I was wondering why! I've not got a Bachmann 37, but my Warship runs rather nicely!

Regards,
Nick

[Pixie]

I do wonder if any other wagon projects will come to fruition for this eventually, now that will make a change from the usual stuff believe me.

I think eventually is the key word here - once Uni is out the way and I've got the base fleet of standard wagons for Roath done then I can devote some serious time on bigger rolling stock projects. The Coil K/T should be first (currently looking into getting the base 3D printer using Finelines (http://www.finelineprototyping.com/ - Nothing to do with Chivers Finelines) and the Izal Pallet following quickly after. I've had the basic master for the latter for an age and although it's not really Roath fodder, it's a nice basic van to cast.

Wow, that sounds more like scratch building!! I can follow your logic for most of the mods., but why are you ditching the Bachmann chassis for a Vitrains chassis?

Although the Bachmann chassis runs fine, their Co-Co and Bo-1 1-Bo chassis have a tendancy for the centre axle to be slightly lower down than the outer two. As a result the bogie tends to rock using the centre axle as a pivot - there's quite a good demonstration here viewtopic.php?f=21&t=211#p1099. People have resolved the issue using smaller centre wheels or elongated holes for the axle, but I decided to take the easy route and stick the ViTrains chassis underneath.

I perfer the handling of the ViTrains chassis' too - I've always found Bachmann Co-Cos (and the Bo-1 1-Bo 37 chassis) to be a little light on their feet and feel almost 'tippy-toey'. Whilst the Italian alternative are simple to P4 and seem very sure footed on the track so they get a big nod from me, although the Heljan design under their 47's and Falcon are my personal favourite.

Does Skull Attack make it to Berkshire?

I'm fairly certain you can in Weatherspoons and the like, but if the mention show goes ahead we're looking into supplis form the West Berkshire Brewery and Marlow!

Steve

[Penrhos1920]

Wow, that sounds more like scratch building!! I can follow your logic for most of the mods., but why are you ditching the Bachmann chassis for a Vitrains chassis?

Although the Bachmann chassis runs fine, their Co-Co and Bo-1 1-Bo chassis have a tendancy for the centre axle to be slightly lower down than the outer two. As a result the bogie tends to rock using the centre axle as a pivot - there's quite a good demonstration here viewtopic.php?f=21&t=211#p1099. People have resolved the issue using smaller centre wheels or elongated holes for the axle, but I decided to take the easy route and stick the ViTrains chassis underneath.

I perfer the handling of the ViTrains chassis' too - I've always found Bachmann Co-Cos (and the Bo-1 1-Bo 37 chassis) to be a little light on their feet and feel almost 'tippy-toey'. Whilst the Italian alternative are simple to P4 and seem very sure footed on the track so they get a big nod from me, although the Heljan design under their 47's and Falcon are my personal favourite.

Ah now I understand. So far I've done 2 Bachmann conversions, both destined to run on Penrhos when it runs in modern image mode. The first was a Bo-1 1-Bo as you call it, it was a doddle. For the second I ended up swapping its Co-Co bogies on Rmweb for Bo-1 1-Bo bogies having failed to make the Co-Co work. I have a fleet waiting for Pendleton style fully sprung bogies from whoever brings them out.

Richard

[newport_rod]

Good to see you here Pixie - having followed Roath's development elsewhere. Don't forget that there's a S4 Soc area group that meets barely 10 miles from Roath (See http://www.freewebs.com/nagnag/nagnagmembers.htm - or http://www.newportmrs.com/ for our S4 layout plans).

[Pixie]

I ended up swapping its Co-Co bogies on Rmweb for Bo-1 1-Bo bogies having failed to make the Co-Co work.

Well, if you want anymore Bo-1 1-Bo chassis then drop me a PM. I've got a big stack of the things on the disposals pile

Don't forget that there's a S4 Soc area group that meets barely 10 miles from Roath

Thanks for the heads up Rod, maybe I'll pop down at somepoint once the dissertation is out the way.

It's quite a funny story really about Roath and it's setting. I first started planning the layout when I was in year 10 at school and living in sunny (Ha!) Bracknell with the intention of building a small yard somewhere in South Wales. After a little research and looking at maps, I decided that the TVR branch would be perfect and the name Roath was chosen despite having never heard of it nor set foot there before. Through the twists and turns that followed over the next 6 years I've actually ended up living more or less where Roath would have been if it were a real place, a massive boon for research and soaking up the atmosphere of the location. It's funny how life works at times! Even stranger, my parents have started talking about moving to the Forest of Dean. Putting myself scarily close to Parkend which is the next project in the pipeline...

Pix

[Pixie]

A little progress, although more of what's been seen before really - weeds, grime and junk lying about. Some areas are starting to look a little more finished whilst others are still quite raw, but hopefully a few photos below should so the current state. Some semi exciting news is the first show is now confirmed for the 7th August however there will be some more on that once the show details are finalised.



Above: This is the middle section of the layout that was largely left bare until recently. The weeds are buiding up and everything slowly being toned in. Note the Bachmann Scencraft cabin in use as a staff 'doss - they're not too bad once they've been toned down a bit. The TK is an EFE item, bought on a tip off that they were found in South Wales.



Above: An attempt at this realistic photography thing...

I've also been giving a bit of attention to the locos that I need to get finished for it's first showing. The 25/3 cab end masters are getting nearer to casting and the fruits of my labour can be seen below. They're not perfect but should be an improvement on the Bachmann attempt.



Another pheonix 37 has come out of the scrap box and being bought back to life. This model was an original Waltham machine that was written off after taking a plunge from the edge of the layout. In the smash, one cab end was a complete wreck and the mounting points within the Bachmann chassis were also damaged. After a couple of years in the scrap bin it saw the other nose being removed to form the basis of the masters for the corrected ends. However, with the increasing rarity of the Bachmann 37/0 shells, I decided to resurrect it. It's had two new cabs from a coal sector machine (originally expelled from the renosing project due to lack of bodyside boiler detail), a ViTrains chassis and is currently awaiting a set of Shawplan bits. It's quite nice to restore this old friend - even if very little of the original still exists!



OMS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bW6USsmR70&feature=fvst

Pix

[dave_long]

Hi Pix
That 25 cab looks very pleasing. Was there much fiddling involved getting the bachmann 37 body to fit the Vi chassis?

Dave