Jump to content
 
  • entries
    44
  • comments
    219
  • views
    59,568

Downtime and the Past

Tony Simms

Entry posted by Tony Simms

1,255 views

 Share

Little progress on Brafferton right now. :(

 

Most of the house is now boxed up with an impending move in a week or so's time. I just hope that the layout makes the move unscathed; it is all packed down into it's carrying cradles, but there is the matter of a week in storage between leaving house #1 and arriving at house #2. Fingers crossed.

 

Meanwhile, seeing Russ' blog (now thread) about his first steps into 2mm reminded me of mine, some 26 years ago. Whilst evacuating the loft I came across the album of my very first 2mm layout. Built mainly between myself and Bill Rankin, the layout was...

 

...Deadwater!

 

In the days before Easitrac and drop in wheels, we managed to get a small layout up and running. A real learning curve for all of us. Bill went on to build two substantial 2mm layouts which were widely exhibited before he defected to 7mm. :nono: Before the arrival of the rugrats, I managed to get my own layout, Masham completed and also into exhibitions.

 

Anyway, here we are at an exhibition in Doncaster, 1987 I think (!). Don't I look young? Also present are the late Peter Wright who contributed to the layout and occasional operator Trevor Spink:

 

blogentry-9631-0-82674800-1321345358_thumb.jpg

 

Using the marvels of current technology, I've scanned and knitted a couple of photos together giving an almost complete view of the layout:

 

blogentry-9631-0-07131700-1321345373_thumb.jpg

 

Things should revert to near normality by mid-December. I then need to push on with Brafferton; deadlines loom! :O

  • Like 1
 Share

10 Comments

Recommended Comments

IanLister

Layouts like this were the reason I left railway modelling so late as a hobby. I used to go to exhibitions and see 2mm layouts ( I remember yours) and want to build one. I never had the time, didn't believe I had the skill, and didn't like the look of N at the time. So I waited, and waited. Now, 60, retired, and I'm building my first railway. 2mm needless to say. What a waste of all those years!

Good luck with the house move. We did it last Jan, and I got a 15x8ft railway room out of the deal. Not all bad.......

Link to comment
Tony Simms

Ian. Good luck with the new layout!

The key thing with 2FS is perseverance. Skill will come and the end product will come, but you need to keep trying and keep pushing yourself. I can make a pigs ear along with the best of them (see some earlier blog entries for evidence of that), but by redoing and revisiting things I can eventually get something I'm happy with.

 

Oh and if you haven't already done so, get yourself to a 2mm local area group; a mine of help and assistance for the budding 2FS modeller.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
IanLister

Thanks for the advice... I intend to get to an area group, but where I live makes it difficult to do so regularly. I'm making progress and learning more than I ever thought possible!!

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
queensquare
  • RMweb Gold

Hi Tony, its a bit scary that the picture is 26 years ago!! Great to see a picture of the late and much missed Pete Wright, one of the nicest and most helpful men you could wish to meet. I used to spend hours on the phone to him when I was making my first blundering steps in 2FS as he patiently went through all my questions - he used to call me 'Wiltshire Jerry', suggesting I had a bit of a west country accent!!

I still have the letters and sketches that always accompanied orders for loco bits and pieces from Pete - including a Deadwater Jinty chassis.

 

Best of luck with the house move

cheers Jerry

Link to comment
richbrummitt

Pete is the reason I joined. He talked me into it over about 2 hours at the Barnsley exhibition in 2003. I'm really glad that he did.

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
bcnPete
  • RMweb Gold

Nice one Tony...Perhaps you can flog your sweatshirt to Russ ;)

 

I hope the moves goes well and Brafferton survives intact...as well as the rest of your belongings too of course!

Link to comment
2mm Andy

Nice photo Tony (and rather brave of you to publish that photo!). I don't think I ever met Pete Wright, but I remember ordering loco bits from him when he was Shop 3 shopkeeper. It proves that 2mm sweatshirts aren't a new invention either!

 

Good luck with the house move.

 

Andy

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold
Russ (mines a pint)
  • RMweb Gold

Nice to see another version, for some reason had quite a fascination with this station since reading the original RM article 1980's? 1986 I think?

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...