OPERATE JAMES STREET -
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OPERATE JAMES STREET -
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Introduction
There are often questions asked about the nature of the ships on James St, and which kits were used to make them. Hopefully, this will provide the answers. Though the layout is named James Street, due to its proximity to Lynford station on the layout, I refer to it as ‘Lynford port’ or ‘Port of Lynford’-abbreviated to PLA-handy, as there is a real PLA, the Port of London Authority.
Most of the ships on the layout scale out at around 150-180' long, and as such represent the smaller type of ships used on coastal voyages around the UK or to the Continent, and possibly Mediterranean Sea. I have seen a kit of a typical 'deep sea' 10 000 tonne ship advertised, but this scales about as about 38” long, and about 8” high; far too big for the layout, not to mention the four-figure cost!
Most are modelled on 'real ship' photos, with the funnel colours representing former British shipping companies, but not necessarily the owner of this ship or even ship type, and one or two are named after ships I served on, but which were nothing like the model so named. The exception to this is 'Shell Welder' which was owned and operated by Shell as part of their joint operation with BP and carries the Shell livery of the period (as far as I could find out).
All the ships have been modelled as 'waterline' models, showing them to be afloat and loaded or partly loaded. This was achieved by gluing the hull sides together, allowing them to dry, then using a razor saw to cut the unwanted lower part of the hull off. This is a nerve-wracking process to keep everything straight and even. When satisfied, I then glue the very flexible sides to a plastic card sheet, cut out the shape of the hull, and sand, fill, and file to shape. This restores the rigidity of the hull and gives me the basis of a ship to work on. (The exceptions are the tug, Puffer, and small Dutch barge which are produced as waterline models) Generally, the hull is then primed and painted at this stage. I try to build each kit as a series of sub-structures, particularly as an aid to painting them separately and avoid having to mask off from other parts of the kit. Most are painted with spray 'rattle cans' from various makers, including suitable car paint colours.
Replacement metal or plastic mouldings are used if the originals are not suitable or not included in the kit. Each ship has clear polystyrene glazing behind the portholes or windows, where possible.
The original harbour scene on the layout, seen in the earlier photos, is based on Strood, in Kent. This was a small dock off the main river, and handled a variety of cargo, but later silted up and became disused. Steve built this as an early part of the layout, and the initial flurry of kit shipbuilding was to fill these berths. Steve had said he wanted an oil tanker berth, but the other ships were up to me. The dock also has several transit warehouses on it, and a nearby timber merchant's yard
The first ship is actually from a kit over twenty-five years old, and built by Steve for his previous layout 'Lynford junction'. This featured a small dock, smaller than the old dock on James St, and when I joined the operating team for Lynford, Steve said to me 'You know something about ships, so can you do something with this'.