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Engine Wood - now sold


Captain Kernow
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Beautiful photos of a beautiful layout - wish I'd got to see this one, other than in BRM - & on screen!

 

Wouldn't it be marvellous if we could get 4mm loco's to produce 'in scale' smoke like that - especially if it smelt right too...!!

 

Keith

 

I can't agree as regards the smoke I'm afraid. It just doesn't look right to me.

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I remember seeing this at one of its first outings (the first?) - Exeter show in the mid 90s.

Hi, the first exhibition of all was the Bath Christmas show in 1994, at The Pavilion. After that, the Exeter show at the beginning of June 1995 was it's second appearance.

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I can't agree as regards the smoke I'm afraid. It just doesn't look right to me.

 

It's a bit like sound for steam engines - every time I hear the sound of cylinder draincocks being opened I look for the steam and then can't understand why there isn't any.  I got double that disappointment yesterday at the Farnham show watching a sound-equipped 0 gauge Vivian Garratt doing some shunting :O

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Steam sound at the moment............pah! Rather have background and ambiant sounds with 'atmosphere' and use my imagination. 

Diesels (sorry) is a different story and could be enhanced far more by decent sounds of the actual trains and running noise as well as the background stuff.

Sadly I doubt we will ever have decent steam FX and sounds in the smaller scales.

Phil

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Here are a couple more to jog the memory Captain, I think taken at the Bristol show (Temple Meads) undated - on film.

attachicon.gifEngine Wood.jpg

attachicon.gifEngine Wood 2.jpg

Thanks Tim. That must have been an early one, as it was before I built the 'proper' signals for the layout, and was borrowing some Ratio examples built by Simon.

 

For example, that bracket signal as you exit the tunnel wouldn't have passed muster as regards sighting by drivers. This was what I eventually built (another of Andy York's photos):

post-57-0-28865500-1508098146_thumb.jpg

 

Edited by Captain Kernow
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What an image that is.....Superb photo of beautifully modelled stock and surroundings.

 

Splendid.

 

Rob.

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Superb tree modelling Captain, even at close quarters !

I cannot claim responsibility for the large tree in the photos featuring the BR Standard Class 3 and the pannier. That is the work of John Farmer (Re6/6), who very modestly assured me that he felt he could improve upon it, but I know I couldn't match that. John has many, many trees to make over the next few months, for the Balcombe Viaduct project, on which he is one of the two main protagonists.

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Are they really small or in snow? ;)

Sorry Paul, the photos should be there now. I managed to put the same post and photos up twice again (faulty mouse or fingers or both), so I tried 'hiding' the first one, only to lose the photos from the second, but I've put the photos back in there now, or so it appears on my machine, at least!

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Hello and many thanks again to all those who have made kind comments about ‘Engine Wood’.

 

It was interesting that one or two of you were wondering whether this thread was a precursor to my taking the layout back out on the exhibition circuit.

 

Much as I wish that could be, there is currently no realistic prospect of this taking place, although I do plan to exhibit smaller layouts in due course.

 

As such, I must now share the real reason for bringing ‘Engine Wood’ to people’s attention this time, and that is that it is going to be put up for sale.

 

This was a very difficult decision for me to take, as I have been very attached to this, my first exhibition layout and it has been great fun over the years operating it at shows and, occasionally at home.

 

Due to a combination of personal and domestic reasons, however, we are making some changes here at Kernow Towers, the upside of which will eventually see me with a slightly larger railway room, and one in which I will be able to (just) put Callow Lane up, in order to complete it.

 

I also have plans to build a number of smaller, ‘cameo’ layouts including ‘Bethesda Sidings’ and others. The reality of all this is that there will not be enough room at home for all these new projects and also for ‘Engine Wood’.

 

I am not planning to dispose of ‘Bleakhouse Road’, which I hope to take back out on the exhibition circuit eventually.

 

I have discussed this with Andy York, and he is happy for me to make this thread the main, initial means of advertising the fact that ‘Engine Wood’ is for sale.

 

At this point, I would like to say that all proceeds from the sale of ‘Engine Wood’ will be donated to charity, once any expenses associated with transporting it to its new home have been taken into account. I haven’t yet finally decided which charities to donate the proceeds to, but one of them will certainly be connected with dementia research etc.

 

 

Layout information

 

‘Engine Wood’ is built to OO ‘finescale’ standards. All contemporary OO R-T-R stock should run OK on it, and many of my locos retain their original chassis, which give no problems.

 

Most of the layout-related items that you have seen in the photos on this thread, apart from all locos and rolling stock, will be included in the sale. This includes most of the trees (one or two scenic items are shared with ‘Bleakhouse Road’, so I will need to retain those items that are needed, but I can probably substitute them with similar items).

 

The scratchbuilt S&D signalbox is not included in the sale, as this belongs to Simon Castens (‘aka ‘Not Jeremy’) and is wanted for a future joint project that he and I are discussing. Bachmann do produce a similar ‘ready-to-plonk’ S&D signalbox, however, that would fit the footprint:

post-57-0-58983600-1508351038.jpg

 

There is a control panel included in the sale, but no controllers. The points and signals are operated by Seep point motors from the main control panel. It is all wired for DC and the layout is fully operational.

 

There are three scenic boards:

 

- main board (with station and tunnel) is 6’ x 1’ 6”

 

- next board (with goods yard) is 4’ x 1’6” (at station end) narrowing to 1’3” at opposite end

 

- end board (with cutting and cottages) is 4’ x 1’ 3”

 

‘Engine Wood’ has two fiddle yards. The larger one fits at right angles to the main scenic boards and goes at the end of the curved tunnel. This measures approx 5’ x 2’ and can be included in the sale. The smaller fiddle yard measures 4’ x 20” but this one is also used with ‘Bleakhouse Road’ as the main fiddle yard for that layout, and I would ideally like to keep it for now. If the new owner of ‘Engine Wood’ really would like it, though, I am happy to talk about it.

 

The layout is also fully self-supporting, using my own design of timber legs that bolt together, whereby the two outer scenic boards have their own legs, and the middle scenic board is bolted to and supported by the board each side.

 

The overall footprint of the scenic section is 14’ x 18” (narrowing to 15” at one end). The larger fiddle yard adds an additional 6” to the length, and an additional 5’ to the ‘width’ and creates an ‘L’ shape. A further fiddle yard at the other end is also necessary, which will add to the overall length.

 

All three scenic boards have their own removable dust covers, which are made of 1” x 1” timber, covered with clear polythene sheeting. With the covers bolted in place, you could stack one board on top of another, with no risk of damaging the scenery below. It was done like this to facilitate transporting the layout by car to shows. The dust covers have kept the layout pretty much free of dust and other detritus. The scenic boards have also been stored with sheets over them, to prevent light fading the scenery. All parts of the layout have been kept indoors in our house all the time since I built it. I personally don’t like the idea of keeping layouts in uninsulated/unheated garages or basic garden sheds, for example.

 

 

Details of sale

 

In an ideal scenario, I would be more than happy to deliver the layout to its new home myself and show the new owner how it is set up etc.

 

I have no idea of what the layout is worth or whether anyone will even put in an offer, but what I would like to do (and this also has Andy York’s support) is this:

 

- Anyone who is interested in buying ‘Engine Wood’ to please send me a PM, with the figure they have in mind

 

- I will then check the bids and notify the person who was successful

 

- To reiterate, all proceeds from this sale will go to charity

 

This layout has meant a lot to me over the years and I would ideally like to see it go to someone who is going to be able to look after it, use it, possibly develop it and maybe even take it back out on the exhibition circuit.

 

Many thanks.

 

 

Edited by Captain Kernow
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Good for you Tim, I look forward to the future creativity that will follow the freeing up of a bit of space both physical and mental.

 

Thank you too for remembering about the signal box - one of the relatively few models I have ever finished(!)

 

The pictures taken by Andy York and Chris Nevard (and others) show off what is a really lovely model to extremely good effect.

 

Another thought occurs to me, looking through the wonderful images on this thread, regarding the locomotives in particular.

 

I know that some of the locos featured use RTR as a basis, but (correct me if I'm wrong) the roster doesn't I think owe much if anything to the most recent "high fidelity" RTR.

 

The point of saying which is to observe that you have achieved a realism and "life" in your locomotives that even the most spiffing of RTR products somehow miss.

 

In your photos here, I particularly cite 82041, which just exudes a realistic loveliness and charm which the Bachmann version doesn't to my eyes (I do have one) Also, I don't think you have shown it here, but your Airfix/Kemilway Standard 4 2-6-0 is quite possibly my favourite ever model railway locomotive, something I potentially covet even more than Harold Morris did that ropey old 9F all those years ago….

 

I guess what I'm saying is that such a lovely layout is a great inspiration to us all, showing that effort and perseverance can and does produce results that pretty much transcend everything around it. I also agree with the "less is more" comment above, knowing that the loco stud is limited and knowing the origins of each somehow makes the whole thing come alive in my mind. More realistically for us "bodgers", chivvying old wagon kits and fiddling with details is hugely enjoyable and really can produce something that is potentially "better" than beautifully made and exquisite RTR products.

 

I'm sure Engine Wood will continue to give pleasure to whoever acquires it, it has certainly given me a lot of pleasure seeing it being featured at shows and in magazines to such great effect over the too many years that have elapsed since its origination high up above Beechen Cliff.

 

And of course it was a hoot occasionally making the odd unauthorised movement, and I can't tell you how pleased I am that John and the Baron came on to the scene to ensure that silliness and levity have maintained a decent presence ever since!

 

A truly great layout!

 

Simon

 

PS of course it's proper name really should have been Timsbury Bottom

Edited by Not Jeremy
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