Jump to content
 
  • entries
    40
  • comments
    201
  • views
    27,311

Tweedale Lite


awoodford

849 views

One problem with having an exhibition organizer among your circle of friends seems to be that you are constantly subjected to thinly veiled hints and an underlying pressure to provide something for a show. I used to exhibit some 20 years ago, but in the end I found that the stress involved outweighed the enjoyment, so gave it up. I have no great urge to get drawn back into all that again. So far I've managed to fend off enticements to show Tweedale, by pointing out that it was designed very much as a home layout with no intentions of it ever being exhibited, and is in many ways unsuitable anyhow. I would then go on about its unwieldy shape, the onlooker's view being blocked by the operator, the slapdash construction, the lack of transport, and anything else I could think of to get out of it.

 

Well, I guess you know where this is going... Yes, in a moment of weakness I finally crumbled under the pressure and agreed to bring Tweedale to a show. Anything for a quiet life. Its a one-off I hasten to add, and not the whole of Tweedale either, just the extension I've been working on lately, which is more manageable and built to a slightly better standard than the earlier section. It will be set up as a stand-alone shunting layout, shuffling wagons between Tweemoor Yard, Castleport and the new industrial zone. In this guise it has been labelled Tweedale Lite, in acknowledgment that it doesn't possess the full functionality of the complete system. 

 

The show itself is a small local one day event in aid of church funds at Filey (North Yorkshire) on 20th July. I helped out there  last year and it was a very pleasant and friendly relaxed affair, which is all to the good.

 

Now that the official forms have been filled in, signed, and I'm fully committed, the enormity of my folly is beginning to sink in. 

 

Tweedale27-1.jpg.aac24021907c1b9a45cf7b59163a09ed.jpg


The image above shows the whole four feet of what constitutes Tweedale Lite in its current state. Not a pretty sight. It has been severed from the rest of the system up in the attic room and dragged down to the chaos of the storeroom/workshop/shed to make it easier to work on. I've made a list of all the jobs that need doing, and a long and daunting one it is too. The right hand third needs finishing scenically, followed by the addition of a frontage with nice picture frames. If it was purely for my own use at home, that is as far as I would have taken it and called it finished.

 

For the exhibition though, extra modifications will also be required. For example, all those the controls spread along the front need reconfiguring so that the layout can be operated from the back, and short trestles made (plus drapes) so that it will stand on a table at a reasonable height. There are still more than 4 months to go, but Speedy Gonzales I'm not, and every time I look at the list I know its going to be a hard slog to get it all completed on time. So much for the quiet life.

 

Filey is a bit off the beaten track, but if you happen to find yourself in the area at the time, do pop along to the show and have a chat. I'll give it another plug with more details nearer the date.

 

Cheers, Alan.
 

Edited by awoodford
Restored lost image

  • Like 10
  • Friendly/supportive 3

5 Comments


Recommended Comments

Only been back into railway modelling for  a year, Alan, and just noticed this post. I love unusual layouts like yours - this one looks great. I hope you do enjoy the exhibition? As someone who would prefer to avoid commitments to giving talks and producing models for display, I sympathise. I occasionally weaken and am not happy with the pressure of deadlines, having lived with them throughout my working life. But I do switch off more now and take time to enjoy the process of creating scale miniatures!

 

All the best, Marlyn 

Link to comment

Hi Marlyn, thanks for your comment. I think the biggest mistake was agreeing to exhibit before the layout was actually finished. I know some people do this deliberately to provide the motivation to get on, but for me I suspect the pressure is just going to make the modelling process a chore rather than a pleasure. I'm sure it'll all work out OK in the end though.

Link to comment
  • RMweb Gold

I wish Filey was a bit closer to Cardiff, I’d love to come and see the layout!  Have a great show, I’m sure the layout will be very well received :-)

Link to comment

Thanks Marlyn.

 

Thank you Wenlock. If Filey was a bit closer to Cardiff I'd get to see Sherton Abbas!

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...