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you have been watching...


bcnPete

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Good evening all,

 

Readers of a nervous disposition may wish to advert their eyes now...no rolling stock has been harmed in the coming update :no: but layouts have been :O

 

Since the BH 2013 exhibition I have been relatively quiet on the forum for a number of reasons: post exhibition blues (is it just me?) stupid hours at work, general loss of interest in the hobby (could be the hot weather) and oh, planning an international family relocation from BCN to LDN...

 

In a previous post I had hinted that some harsh decisions would need to be made on my various collections of model railway stuff and these have now been actioned this weekend. In summary, next weekend we will drive back to the UK and move into an apartment the following day in LDN and a massive downsize has been required due to the inevitable accumulations since we landed in BCN in 2007.

 

Firstly, many thanks to Cornish trains Jez who offered last minute to store any layouts I had should space be lacking, but I had to think both short term and long term about what I had been trying to achieve and what the future was in terms of our start over again in the UK - In short, I realised that I have no more space to store, erect and develop the layouts so the jigsaw was in action this weekend :O

 

First up, a 4mm roundy roundy made last year for my sons. They had a lot of fun with it but weighing in at 8 x 4 it was the first to get the chop. A last minute phone call to some friends who have a son who is sort of interested in trains, but the parents came around and said thanks...but no thanks...even though I was prepared to give it away for ziltch :)

 

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So the track was duly prised off with a palette knife, stored in a box and then the baseboards were hacked to bits - strike 1.

 

Secondly, Kyle, which once again someone had kindly offered to buy but I would still need to have got it back to the UK and it never worked as well as I had hoped so I would have felt uncomfortable selling it.

 

A recent post hinted that I might try and reduce it back from its shelf to the bare state and use it as a photo plank which seemed a good compromise...even my wife said that water looked nice :D

 

So, this was cut up to just leave the bones of the scenic part and as can be seen from the pic the back scene seems to have delaminated itself :( but at least I keep some of it - Strike 2.

 

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Thirdly, Coombe Junction - Moorswater. A lot of heartache over this one as it had been in my mind for 20 years to build it and the 5+ years in BCN had allowed me to realise that and get it underway. I had various ideas ranging from completely scrapping to just keeping the Moorswater board but in the end as we have no-where to store it and I had to demonstrate some ruthless decision making to my wife as we have all had to take some hits on our possessions.

 

So in the end I decided the boards had to go but I would keep some buildings, namely the viaduct and the dries buildings. I did try and remove CJ station and Lamellion bridge but they were set in pretty solid to the baseboards so I just had to let these go...they were early work so not my best models - Strike 3.

 

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But these were salvaged...

 

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The Paddock Wood layout remains partly because its all packed neatly in its boxfiles already in the UK and I also kept a small 4mm BR blue layout I started for my sons on a 1900mm Ikea shelf ;) as at least this can be stored in their room and they would like me to do more work on it.

 

So how am I feeling about all this?

 

Well obviously, mixed feelings as I had always hoped that CJM would one day make it to the exhibition circuit and I could finally see a class 25 with a long load of clay hoods or a 37 on CDA's thread its way to Moorswater dries under the shortest viaduct ever modelled (:laugh:)...but I had to be realistic to myself and my family. The modelling really came about due to the change of lifestyle and trying to have a better balance of work / home time with the family which allowed me to do some modelling perhaps one evening or two a week. But my work is now taking up a good deal of my time again and like so many of you, it becomes harder to get that enthusiasm in the evening by the time the kids are in bed and the dishes are done...a little more time will be required for the adjustment me thinks.

 

I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who has shown interest and supported my highs and lows of CJM for which I would never have been able to get this far without your help and that at present the blog has had some 95,000 + views which I am bowled over by.

 

Whilst the layout may get rebuilt in later life, I was wondering whether in the meantime I could keep those buildings retained and make them abstract slices of the layout (bit like my comp entry) to act as both photo planks and perhaps attend a few 2mmFS events as stand alone dioramas?? Will give this some more thoughts...warning: sketches may follow ;)

 

To round off, I have not parted with any of my rolling stock and I didn't even mention 7mm due to our space downsizing :D

 

Thank you all again for watching and inspiring me the last 5+ years...

 

Pete

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Oh dear!

 

Good luck with the move Pete - hope all goes well for you.

 

I would say that I hope everything arrives in one piece but that would usually need it to start the trip in one piece.

 

On the upside, perhaps we might see you at a show or two once you are fully back in Blighty.

 

Regards, Andy

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I hope the experience is cathartic, and good things come of it. CJM has been a source of huge inspiration to me and I sincerely hope the preserved buildings can form part of a new venture, whether it be photo dioramas or a layout.

 

None of the many buttons seemed appropriate, so a very sincere thank you and good luck from me.

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Good luck getting everything settled pete! The one thing we take comfort from is your 'threat' that more sketches are on the way... I suspect I'm not alone in saying that even if your models remain tucked away in a cupboard for a year or two, please stay in touch as we would happily look at an annotated sketch of what you were having for breakfast, for instance!

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Hope the move back to London goes well Pete.

 

Although it's disheartening to have to break up completed work, what you'll have gained is priceless experience.

 

When I look at what I've built, I sometimes (often!) think "well, if I had my time over again, I'd have done that differently".

 

I've not yet had the courage to break up a layout but I have passed them on to new owners.

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Shame that you have had to destroy so much great modelling, but it is only modelling and other things do have to take priority at times. 

 

I hope that the move goes well. 

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Hi Pete -  I knew a move was in the offing & the fact that we hadn't seen much from you recently made me think it must be occupying your time, but to see your hard work reduced so dramatically is rather sad.

I really hope you find your feet soon & we do get to see some more examples of your work - your sketches and thoughts on layout design & presentation have been inspirational, a quiet half hour with a sketch pad is still enjoyable in my mind even if there's little prospect of them reaching fruition (as I keep saying to myself.... ;) )

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Morning Pete,

 

Like others have said a real shock but one I imagined was on the cards.  To see CJM reduced to this is very sad.  However, as you say it never ran as you wanted it too and at least you have a chance to to revisit CJM and like a phoenix rise from the ashes having learnt from the first incarnation.

 

Like Rich says-keep the sketches coming and I imagine they'll be some inspiraration gleaned from these and after the the dust of the move has settled perhaps modelling can resume. 

 

I certainly hope so. ;)

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

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  Hello Pete,

                    very brave - but a clearing of the decks is often a good idea, new start and all that. Hope the move goes well.

 

all the best,

 

     Alex.

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That parting shot sounds too much like a 'goodbye' to me, but I sincerely hope it isn't. I have faith that all will be restored in time and a cracker of a layout will be born from the dust.

 

I will gladly make some space for you in the loft if you need it, there are no commitments or obligations attached. You can then laugh heartily at my pile of kits I have yet to build - considering I'm still on the first three vans since October last year and there are about 20 more to go...

 

Roughly where in the Metrop are you moving?

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I think that you have probably made the right decisions in the circumstances, Pete. Keeping the rolling stock is the main thing as you will always have something to run on layouts that you may build in the future. Ian Futers has always been able to turn out layouts on a regular basis because he has a core of locos and stock that he can use on the layouts.

Best thing about the move is that we may see you at more 2mil events in the future. AGM at Bolton in October?

Hope the rest of the move goes well

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The move back to London is a big step but it sounds like it is for the better of the family, and your family has to come first. On a plus note once you are permanently in the UK you will be able to embrace the social side of the hobby to the extent of completing far less :D

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The parting shot had better not be a final message... and I'm sure it won't be. You and your family have a major upheaval to get through; not least with the acclimatisation to the warmer climate in the UK now that you're leaving cooler Spain behind. It was a fantastic adventure... but now its time to move on. The modelling can wait; I'm sure (I hope, I really hope) that you'll come back to it. Maybe I'll be looking for an operator should I ever get around to building a layout and you'll be able to oblige at the BH show ... no promises, but keep your diary free for May 2018;-) I might have something by then. For now, you need to concentrate on the real aspects of life, and with that I wish you all my very best of luck... although I suppose you'll be looking for an alternative to that 35,000' G&T each week now ;-)

 

The photos above are quite sobering... but I think that we've all had to do something like this, especially when moving a distance. I did something similar and ditched a lot of my aviation stuff when I moved South... thinking we'd be down-sizing too; by a stoke of luck we up-sized... but the stuff had already been ditched. But then with the addition of two children, that additional space vanished. Time! It'll come. And next time you're in town, I'll ensure the G&T is chilled!

Jon

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It must have been a hard choice Pete. If I read correctly between the lines with a different job and a growing family hobby time may be a bit hard to find for a bit. Perhaps you should put some of your stuff to one side and make the 4mm Blue layout a way to enjoy the hobby and spend time with your sons. Before you know it they will be off out creating their own lives. Paddock wood should make a nice platform for doing bits and pieces in 2mm and I am sure would be welcome at 2mm events. It would make sense to collect models that appeal, with the way things are today you can never be sure that things missed will be available again.

I have enjoyed following your blogs.

Thanks Don

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Thank you all so much for your kind replies, likes and support.

 

I'd like to respond individually to the comments but the wi-fi connection in these digs is sporadic and over the 8 months I have been lodging here I have lost count of the comments typed...and then lost...sometimes more than once in one session.

 

Absolutely not a parting shot as I think this hobby for me always has high and low moments but until we get settled in again I can't think through how it could work. Not having a workshop, shed or garage in BCN led me to DRT modelling which at least enabled me to be in the same room as my (incredibly tolerant) wife of an evening who never once complained of the whiff of Solder, MEK-Pak and other strange products we use in the hobby. The Spanish obsession of timber floors also meant mess could be swept afterwards including all those bits of solder that run away. I'm swopping all that for an apartment with beige carpet and a separate DR area so modelling on a tray might become the new way.

 

But yes, if I get a chance to rebuild the layout it will be better from the knowledge gleamed and advice received via this forum. When I go back to my original post on the previous incarnation of RM web, I had initial comments I recall from Bryn, Missy, Sithlord, Kris, Mickey and Ramblin Rich welcoming the idea and pleased it was another 2mmFS layout on the forum...how great that there is now so many more 2mmFS layouts on here and some absolutely cracking 2mm layouts too.

 

So my postings on here may be far less than what it has been, but perhaps by compensation I may get to attend a few functions instead.

 

Many thanks again for all your kind words...

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PS - IKEA are already predicting sales losses down from the last 5 years...:lol:

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Hi Pete -

 

First - welcome back to the UK...  Second, I'm old enough to remember brilliant layouts in minimal-space accomodation (John Charman with 'Charford' - 4mm in a caravan comes immediately to mind!) so whilst family must come first (including the necessity to be able to feed & clothe them) never forget that the 'inner man' needs feeding as well. 

 

How about Mikkel's 'eating the elephant' approach?  In 2mm it's got to be a contender for the smallest space, and a convenient shelf in the DR will provide hours of conversation with the guests!  You already have that most indispensible of modelling equipment - a tolerant wife!

 

All the very best - and if you're in sunny Surrey at any time doubtless Rich & I would like to make a 'meet'.  If you're London-based , don't forget the Area Group (Rich is a member).

 

Regs

Ian

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Hi Pete.

 

Great to hear from you - although I did have to lie down for a bit after reading the above! It's a great shame but needs must when it comes to a big relocation. At least you have salvaged that brilliant viaduct amongst other things.

 

I really wish you and the family have a smooth transition, but I have a sneaky feeling that all will work out just fine. I'm sure that everyone here at Rmweb hope that'll you'll soon be posting again once life settles down.

 

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

PS - IKEA will be lucky if they don't go into receivership! :-)

 

Mike

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Ian / Mike,

 

Many thanks to you both for your kind comments and good wishes.

 

I do have a rather large gloat box of kits in both 2mmFS and 7mm scale which may be a way of working myself back in again...but until the intense period at work quietens down again I will have to keep sketching and dreaming.

 

The fact that I only parted with layouts but not rolling stock, scenic items and tools must mean the candle is still flickering...;)

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That's a relief! I'll be keeping an eye out for your return. By the way, I think you can officially change your avatar to LDN PETE from now on :-)

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Cheers Mike,

 

Until next Monday, I'm still a resident in BCN...besides BCN pete has a much nicer sound to it and the red strike through will remind me of the time there!

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Thanks Pete for all the great updates, sketches and modelling so far! Glad you've kept the dries and the viaduct, my favourites. And the idea of using them as Photo backdrops for the time being sounds just right.

 

When doors close, others open - and all that!

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