Our world in miniature, hobbies

I think only Lilliputians can reside there Mike59.

Hello, Embossed wallpaper comes in handy for odd angled scenes where plasticard is very inconvenient. When the PVA is thoughly dry, I shall lightly weather it.

Hello, I've been a very naughty boy. I've been to Hillmorton Locks. Our new class 31. Several still in service, originally built in 1958/60. I only bought the traditional one a month ago.

You are a Master of your craft Philip. So much detail has been considered.

Hello Dreamtime, You are very kind. I'm adding coke to a wagon. Coke being of very regular shape, I will simply colour the sponge. Once the current water colour is totally dry, I can then shape the sides, before adding a final coat of charcoal colour, then, pressing it further down into the wagon. The water paints make the sponge crisp. Hope you like. Before North Sea gas arrived, high sided trucks were often used for coke, being much lighter by volume than coal. The demise of coal gas, they were scrapped, along with steel mineral wagons, including the 21 ton wagon as here. Hoppers replacing them.

I'm not an expert on the difference in the appearance of the two fuels but the contents of the wagon does look cokey coalish.

Hi Helen, I avoid putting loose loads in. I used to put shaped card in the trucks, then top it off, but foam is so much easier. The stuff in the coal bunker is small coal, used for kindling the loco fires. The coke in the wagon is for the coke fires & heating boilers. I've looked at pictures of coke trains departing from gas works. It's what's called playing trains. Someone might remember a smokeless fuel depot in Shakespeare St, near to the junction with Coventry St. That's where my dad had his coke delivered from.

So where does 'nutty slack' come from? We had our Coke delivered from Cotes (Coats) they even dropped it into the coke shed for us. They deserved their 5 bob at Christmas. (and shut the gate behind them)

Hello Dreamtime, One meaning of Nutty slack may have come from an expression that's a bit vulgar, so will leave that there. Regards coal, maybe our members with family associated with the mining industry can add to this, but after coal was weighed into bags, what was swept up was called nutty slack. If anyone can help on this, please. Ok, "I've gone for a Burton"

According to Google Nutty Slack is coal dust and small lumps of coal. I can remember dad putting slack that has been wetted on the fire at bed time and it helped to keep the fire on longer. The thing to beware of was brick bats, lumps of stone that looked like coal as it was blackened with coal dust. If that got put on the fire by mistake it would get hot and spit out, singeing your nice hearth rug.

Good heavens Anne that took me back. I can just see my dad dampening down the fire last thing in the evening in the hope it would stay warmer longer. I can smell it now. The wonder of memories. Thank you

But wouldn't it be so cold on a winter morning that we would be so grateful if it had stayed in or at least mum had lit the fire (dad had to be out so early in the morning about 4 am to pick up his van at the bakery to get the bread to the shops before they opened) then you could put your clothes in front of it and get dressed. My bedroom would be so cold that I sometimes got dressed in bed !

Hello, Hoping that you are not eating. I've just installed a sewage pipe bridge. I've had to use an extension claw in order to install it. It helps breakup the view to the entrance to Three Spires tunnel. Sewage bridges, often located at entrances to tunnels. Just before entering Beechwood tunnel, there is one. Service bridges to give them their correct title sometimes carried mains water & land drainage, but they had to be insulated to stop them freezing. Folks living in Stoke Aldemoor, might remember one there that folks used as an unofficial short cut across the railway.

Hello Mike, Hope you are well. I'm sure it could. The windmill is a Lilliput ornament, about a third of the size in scale that it should be, being five feet away from anyone viewing, so it tries to deceive a sense of distance by being below scale. That's the enemy to model railways. Distance & deception. I've two supports to add to the bridge to complete it.