Poles apart

I spent the weekend finishing off the telegraph poles, I wasn't sure how far they should be spaced apart so I dug out my copy of 'Rail Model Digest No.6' for within its pages there is an excellent article on telegraph poles by Graham Warburton who certainly knows a thing or two about them as he is a retired S&T engineer. The article gives the pole spacings for heavy, medium and light cable runs, the poles that I have modelled are light duty for which a 65 yard spacing is quoted, apart from on curves and in exposed areas where the spacing is reduced to between 50 and 60 yards, well Llangunllo is certainly in an exposed area and on a curve so I settled on the shorter spacing.

Had I read the article earlier I could have saved myself some work because I modified twice the number of posts that I needed but at least I have a stock of spares.  In this view 1455 is passing through Llangunllo with the morning pick up goods.

A few other small jobs have been completed since the last update such as finally finishing the disused corrugated iron hut behind the signal.  I painted it in a mix of dark earth and dirty black enamels then gave it a dusting with rust weathering powder whilst the paint was still on the tacky side.  The powders helped create a few nicely textured areas of rust, in other places I've cut the rust and grime away with a fibreglass brush to reveal the original faded cream paintwork underneath.

Here are the other posts, the first two appear to be miles apart but are actually a scale 65 yards at this point or 59.44 metres if you have gone metric.  Its still in the late fifties at Llangunllo and imperial measurements are still very much in use, well that's my excuse.  The sun appears to be shining on the fields behind the bridge even though its overcast on this side of it.  Notice how the siding drops away below the level of the branch line.

More detail has also been added around the station building which has gained a water stand pipe and though you can't see them in this view some grids have been let into the platform surface below the downpipes, fire buckets and luggage trolleys should appear later this week.  I wasn't aware of the milk tanks on the sector plate when I took this photo, I think they look rather good and give the impression of a siding further along the line.

Another view of 1455 as she leaves Llangunllo with the goods, at some point I expect 7416 will make an appearance, the question is will she be a kit build or a converted Bachmann 64xx ?  One of the latter in ex works condition turned up at Llangunllo earlier in the week and although I've ordered a pair of Alan Jones excellent etched number plates I'm wondering if its going to be worth converting it to EM ?

In no way am I a rivet counter but I do feel those large splashers let the Bachmann model down and somehow the chimney doesn't look right to me ?

The afternoon passenger train with 1455 in charge rumbles over the river bridge and crossing on the approach to Llangunllo.