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BRM - March 2014


SteveCole

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Hi all,

 

The March 2014 issue of BRM is now available to download as a Digital Edition via your 'British Railway Modelling' app for tablet users (iPad, Android and Kindle) or via www.pocketmags.com/BRM for those using a PC or Mac. The printed version will be in shops on Thursday, February 13th.

 

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Here's what to expect...

 

BRM March 2014 + FREE 32-page Supplement

 

4 Amazing Layouts

The stunning OO gauge Byworth is our ‘Editor’s Choice’ layout this month. We also have:

  • Peterborough North - OO gauge layout by Gilbert Barnatt
  • Grantham - an East Coast OO gauge layout
  • Brixworth - a modern image layout in OO gauge

 

Practical BRM

Improve your modelling with our selection of easy-to-follow Practical BRM articles:

•             Kit-build a sentinel

•             Two-Hour Challenge - create better trees

•             Make a Photo Plank

•             Model East Coat locos

 

New products

Find out what’s new in the world of railway modelling, plus in-depth reviews of Hornby’s new Sentinel (OO gauge), Duke of Gloucester (OO gauge), Flying Scotsman (OO gauge) and the Graham Farish Fairburn Tank (N gauge).

 

FREE 32-page supplement

Don’t miss ‘The BRM Guide to… Building Your First Layout!

This issue includes Part 3.

 

Plus…

Q&A

Readers’ Layouts

Win an N Gauge Layout

Prototype Inspiration - Sentinel locomotives

Letters

Diary Dates

 

 

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yet more photoshopped photos some normal ones would be nice.

 

Sometimes I'm not sure whether a comment understands what 'photoshopped' means; most images go through it for background tidying, adjustment or sharpening but there's only one layout (Peterborough North) which contains any fake smoke (which is what I'm assuming you're getting at?) so therefore the other three layouts and all the projects should be untainted in your eyes. The layout owner always has an involvement with such choices too so I do get a bit tired when comments which are not a fair reflection across an issue are made.

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We need to persuade one of the big ECML layout's owners to go pre-TOPS diesel for a cracking article. ;)

Though some of these pictures might have appeared already on Wright Writes, I hope they'll do for now.

 

I have all the appropriate diesel classes, and the prototypes, so I'll put together an article if there's enough interest, even though post the summer of 1959 Little Bytham station was no more. Modeller's licence? 

 

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As for the business of too much Photoshopping, what do some readers actually want, or expect?

 

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This?

 

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Or this?

 

 

With regard to Stoke Summit, I posted loads of pictures of diesels operating on it on a layout thread about nine months ago.

 

Perhaps Andy might repeat them.......... 

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Id love to be sitting down to read the new issue this evening after reading this thread. I've just got my ipad out to download it, but t doesn't seem to be available. How come snail mail can delver a paper copy and the electronic one isn't available?

 

I'm a real fan of getting all my regular mags on ipad, when you travel a lot it really cuts down on what you need to carry.

 

Can I please make an appeal to the producers of the electronic BRM. Can you please please make the landscape pages with track plans on render properly. I cant read sideways!

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Sometimes I'm not sure whether a comment understands what 'photoshopped' means; most images go through it for background tidying, adjustment or sharpening but there's only one layout (Peterborough North) which contains any fake smoke (which is what I'm assuming you're getting at?) so therefore the other three layouts and all the projects should be untainted in your eyes. The layout owner always has an involvement with such choices too so I do get a bit tired when comments which are not a fair reflection across an issue are made.

I never criticised the issue which is the best for a long time with excellent subject matter and content .

 

Every layout in the issue has the perfect background which simply looks what it is  false ,as too does fake smoke, in moderation fine occasionally . 

 

I too get very tired of looking at the same type of manipulated images. IMHO

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Every layout in the issue has the perfect background which simply looks what it is  false ,as too does fake smoke, in moderation fine occasionally . 

 

I too get very tired of looking at the same type of manipulated images. IMHO

 

The problem is that model railway layouts viewed from a 3/4 view don't fit the shape of a printed page. This means you have to deal with a diagonal back edge unless the model is massive or you go in very tight and only see the front bufferbeam. As the illustration Tony posted shows perfectly, the alternative to the added sky is whatever is behind the layout. That can be shed walls, clubroom grot or the bellies of the people lounging around behind it.

 

So, the question is, if not the Photoshop sky - what?

 

This isn't a criticism by the way - it's a perfectly valid point, but at the moment all we hear ,from lots of commenters over many threads, is, "I don't like the blue sky". What we need is, "Why don't you put........behind the layouts.". After all, if you want something different, I'm sure it can be arranged, we just need suggestions!

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, "I don't like the blue sky". What we need is, "Why don't you put........behind the layouts.". After all, if you want something different, I'm sure it can be arranged, we just need suggestions!

 

Keep going with the blue sky please; the way the UK weather is going photoshop might be the only way we ever see it again!

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Yes I have no problem with such pictures you dont have to do it on every close up picture. This one is untouched and is how my small layout actually looks like. Just take pictures that are framed with slight cropping of any clutter.

 

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I understand the point you're making and it's fine for a loco portrait but if I want to see more of your layout so I can build up a larger visual understanding of a bigger part of the layout how would you do it? And it needs to be in a form which can fit a printed page.

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Using Tony's example again, to crop out the background would give us something like this:

 

cropped pic.jpg

 

I suppose it would be possible to drop the camera angle down a bit to make more use of the embankment at the back to hide the background but there is no angle, apart from a serious helicopter shot, that would let the top of the signal make it into the image.

 

One solution might be for everytone to build very high backscenes on their layouts if they want to see the inside of a magazine but that's going to involve (in my case) the sky being produced from a Wiko emulsion pot rather than on the computer.

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I think the main thrust was that the dropped-in backgrounds, although they aren't exactly the same, tend to share the same look with only a smallish tonal variation in the blue range. Would it be possible perhaps to vary the skies depicted a bit more? Not an easy task I know, since the current tones can be used with a wide range of (layout) lighting conditions without looking unreal. Nothing worse than a backdrop that is patently false, so you couldn't add a dark thunderous sky, but a few subdued tonal ones, with more grey tones than blue sky might work with some images. Worth a thought?

 

Izzy

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Well, I'm very happy with the photo-shopped sky backgrounds on Tony's superb photographs of my layout. In many cases, without them, the background clutter in my room renders the model railway details virtually indecipherable. Mind you, he's been cursing me 'drawing' round all them lattice post details :mosking:

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Interesting to see BRM are inviting a team to take over an N gauge layout and build it up a la BCB...is that going to appear on here somewhere (or indeed have I already missed the announcement?!)

 

 

David

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Nothing worse than a backdrop that is patently false, so you couldn't add a dark thunderous sky, but a few subdued tonal ones, with more grey tones than blue sky might work with some images. Worth a thought?

One of the best set of pictures I've seen in any magazine was for the article published in BRM on Wansbeck Road.

 

All of the pictures had a very ominous sky added to them and with the spotlights Mick uses as his lighting rig they gave an amazing impression of a nice sunny day about to be ruined by an approaching thunderstorm.

 

I'm not too keen on the very blue backgrounds, it's such a rare sight!

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