A new control panel for Grimstad

Signals are cool. Therefore, although the real Grimstad Line probably never had any, I will have signals on my 1:87 representation of the line. Norwegian manufacturer Skala Design has made correct Norwegian signals that are very nice, so I needed to have some of those. I've also made a new panel for Grimstad that's recessed into the module itself so the switches don't protrude into the aisle space. Sorry for the crappy mobile phone quality photo.

 

Scenery - step by step

Prior to my local clubs' Fremo-meeting a few weeks ago, I wanted to update my Grimstad modules a little bit. Section one, where the turntable is, has had only very basic scenery so far. About time I did something about that. Here's a couple of evenings of work (fun) step by step.

First of all I had to make some wooden extensions to the section itself. The rock formations is a ready made product from Noch.

Then I filled up the space behind the rocks with some scrap bits of styrofoam.

I used expanding foam to fill in the rest. This makes for a very strong and light base for further scenery work.

The foam has to dry for at least 24 hours. Then I shaped the basic countours with a kitchen knife.

Next step is to paint the base with a light beige color. Then I sprinkeled sand in the wet paint.

Time for the green stuff. I use various shades of Woodland Scenics Fine Turf for this. And fix it all with scenery cement from WS.

The Noch rock formations are very grey and uniform in their color, so I painted them with diluted acrylics to make them come alive.

Then I covered most of the area with various grass mats from Heki. I use Woodland Scenics burnt grass and green blend fine turf to cover the "seams" between the mats.

All the mats are in place and trees are starting to grow. Notice the sand underneath peeping through in several places.

All the trees and bushes are in place.

I finish the rocks with a light drybrushing with white paint and plant some weeds on them.

A closeup of the base scenery. Here I've used Heki 1842 for the grass, MiniNatur bushes and the white flowers to the right are from Czech manufacturer Polák Model.

Here's the finished hill put in good use as a backdrop for an incoming freight train on the Fremo-meet.

A NSB Skd202 in front of the new rocks and scenery.

One for the gallery

Here's a small passenger train on it's way to Rise station.

A small area complete

For the first time in a while, I've actually more or less completed a scene. A magazine article featuring my layout was all the inspriation I needed to get going :)

Some other pictures from this area are shown in earlier posts under here.

Old pictures

My quest for old pictures of Grimstad has evolved to a hobby within the hobby. Pictures pop up from different sources on the web. I've also bought some old postcards which are rather nice. Torskeholmen 1924.

Norsk Skipsophugnings Co. 1965

1953. Torskeholmen to the right. The boat's name is "Bjørgvin".

A picture from the narrow gauge period (pre 1937)

Club meeting

Last week some of my good friends from the local model railroad club here in Arendal (AMJK) came over to my house to have the last meeting of the year. The guys were eager to inspect the latest developments at the GFB, and we had fun running some trains without any plans or purpose.

Nils Arild (or at least the lower part of him) switching cars in Grimstad.

 Steinar and Halvor are doing something at Rise station.

 An overall view of the train room. I love having a lot of activity in my little "man cave".

 Halvor peeping through. In the front is the newly scenicked area yet to receive a proper name. The locomotive and cars are all self-built jobs by Steinar Jeppestøl.

 A brass type 21e built and constructed by Steinar Jeppestøl with a small freight train on it's way to Rykene. This is the type of locomotive that was used on the Grimstad Line, so I really hope this turns up ready-to-run on the market some time. I have no intentions of building one myself :)

 

Quite a bit of snow fell during the three hours the meeting lasted.

Are you still here?

Well. I hope you are, as I have a lot of exciting pictures to show you. Both from my own layout, and some that I shot on a recent trip to the US where I got to meet several Model Railroading "Celebrities.

On the Grimstad Line I have been busy making scenery on the left side of the peninsula, and I've built a small, white, wooden house that's very typical of the region.

Yet another rebuilt car

My freight car producing friend has built even more cars for me. Here is the latest one ready for action at the GFB. It's a Roco car of Belgian prototype (the model was very green when bought) and it now sports rebuilt ends, roof, new paint and Norwegian decals. In Norway this car was called Gp4, and had passenger car brakes and was therefore allowed for speeds up to 100 km/h. It was mostly used as an express goods car in passenger trains.

I've weathered it a little bit with my airbrush so it looks a bit scruffy.

Op session #6

Hey! What happened to op-session #5 you might say? Well, it was held, we had a good time, I took some photos, but none of them were any good so let's just skip to session #6 which was held a few weeks ago.

It's early morning down at the station in Grimstad. It's still 15 minutes until the first passenger train of the day, Pt2580, will depart so there's time for some quiet contemplation on the bench in front of the immaculately kept flower box.

Station master at Rykene, Jan Petter Kamnes, is switching some cars which will be picked up by the freight train.

Here the freight train has left Rykene and is on it's way to Rise.

At Rise, Halvor Sannæs is the station master. Here he is busy switching cars on the rather small station.

 Down in Grimstad GFB #7 has picked up a couple of cars from the harbour spur.

Three more freight cars for the layout

I am lucky enough to have a modeling friend that loves to make norwegian freight cars, but has no layout to put them all. He has now given me three cars for me to use on the GFB. All of them are cars from Roco/Fleischmann that have been modified to represent norwegian prototypes that was left here in Norway after WWII. Modification, paint and lettering is by Ole Johan Aabel, and I've given them a very quick weathering myself. Looking at the pictures I see that the wheels maybe are not up to scratch. Maybe I will change them for some Rp25's. What do you think?

A norwegian L4 made from a Fleischmann car. Diagonal bracing has been added on the sides by using thin strips of paper.

Nothing has been done to this Fleischmann car except paint, lettering and some weathering. So it's not 100% correct, but in my mind - good enough.

This car started out as a white Roco refridgerated car with a brake hut on one end. This has been replaced by a small brake platform instead.