Some nice snaps there Pete.

Out of interest whats that James Bond style brief case doing behind the Class 73?

Cheers,

Mark

Nice shots Pete.  

You ain't half managed to squeeze a load of depth out of this one and I love those brutes at the end of the platform.

What I especially like here is that you have avoided the cute or cranky factor that sometimes creep into small/micro layouts. It looks like a real bit of railway. When the back scene is in place you can take some great eye level shots, I think.

Looks good Pete. Definitely needs a backscene - a suitcase, legs of another layout and somebodies backside does it no favours!!

Jerry

Great set of pictures!

Thanks Jeremy - all credit to eastwestdivide...apart from the last pic...

Nice one Pete. Would love to say more... but 2 days left to Railex so kinda busy.

Thanks Andy - Understood - Good luck with the show...

Paddock Wood Bay sounds like it is at the seaside Looking very good!

Thanks Orinoco - Never thought of it like that...needs a few seagulls in the background perhaps?...

Some nice snaps there Pete.

 Out of interest whats that James Bond style brief case doing behind the Class 73?  

Thanks Mark - Nothing Bond like about that suitcase am afraid - a deeply unfashionable old thing lent by my parents for the weekend...although the contraption inside could have come from Q Branch

Nice shots Pete.   

You ain't half managed to squeeze a load of depth out of this one and I love those brutes at the end of the platform.

Thanks Mike - Glad someone noticed them - didn't get time to put a spotter sitting inside one though...

What I especially like here is that you have avoided the cute or cranky factor that sometimes creep into small/micro layouts. It looks like a real bit of railway. When the back scene is in place you can take some great eye level shots, I think.

Thanks Mikkel - I was trying to capture something gritty and unglamorous but also show that a bit of fun could be had even with only one turnout...

Looks really good.

Thanks JM...

Looks good Pete. Definitely needs a backscene - a suitcase, legs of another layout and somebodies backside does it no favours!!

Thanks Jerry - Completely agree with you...unless of course Elle Macpherson happened to be operating the layout behind me...

Sound effect of the 4-CEP compressors going and a few slamming doors? Just for 30 secs or so each time it pulls in to the platform.

 

Thanks for the idea Chris...

In the days before Chris's pics, there used to be a sizeable - by UK standards! - grain elevator or similar building in the background, demolished in the '80s, I think. A low-relief version might meet Jerry's idea of a backscene?

In the days before Chris's pics, there used to be a sizeable - by UK standards! - grain elevator or similar building in the background, demolished in the '80s, I think. A low-relief version might meet Jerry's idea of a backscene?

Thanks again Ian - will do a bit of research on that.

Other ideas include using a mirror to try and create the 'through stationess of it' or using a photo montage of the other side of the station.

Only just seen this blog entry and having grown up in Paddock Wood, feel qualified to comment - the grain elevator (perhaps something owned by the hop marketing board) was where the viewer would stand. the back scene would be across the width of the station to the up platform and the remains of the bay for the Hawkhurst branch (used by a shunter in the 80s). beyond that was Hall's wood merchants yard (IIRC). I think there's a Waitrose there now!

 

From my point of view, it captures the feel of the place quite well, brings back memories of getting off the train from Tonbridge on my way home from school!

Thanks for this - I think I might just put in a plain blue sky back scene - I did wonder about trying to montage some real photos of the opposing platforms but simplicity is the key here I think.

Thanks for the compliment - I usually like to try and model prototypes and if I can reach the point that someone feels it recreates the place as familiar then I am chuffed with that - thanks