kathymillatt

Hi Marty Whilst I do love that NY waterfront vibe, I’m doing a Welsh slate dock next. The laser cut baseboards arrived today. The High Line is one of my favourite parts of NY but I’ve done the elevated section already so probably won’t repeat. After the slate dock I like the idea of a Maine seaport if I can bring a fresh twist to it or a slate quarry with incline. I have a 16mm brass kit for that so really big! So much choice but at least I can do more than one at the new size. I’ve sadly no plans to come to the US in the near future but if I do, I will certainly let you know, thanks! Kathy

Hi I can’t keep a full loop and have my new vision sadly as there is something else planned for the other side and I am not doing hidden track ever again. I do like the way Chris Nevard has multiple small layouts too and I think I am channeling that here. I have two HH660s and they are my favourites. They run so well. They are definitely on the keep pile. It is embarrassing how many new items I have that have never been out of their boxes… Kathy

Hi Jason Sorry, I responded to this on Friday but it seems to have lost that - I do love these New York waterfront railways. Another favourite is the Jay Street railway running through the corner of a building. It's a really rich scenic area to model. Kathy

Jason I do love O scale for the size - you can see the details! I should go with the buildings etc to a meet but it will depend on what's local whilst I am clearing out. I've not been to any in a couple of years - I am out of the habit! You should rejoin - they're a great bunch! Kathy

Hi I have done ebay in the past and it takes a lot of effort and I am about to start a new full time job so I know that I will be more lacking in time than I will want to be. I think the global shipping programme seems to confuse almost everyone! I saw John Pryke's excellent Union Freight in person - awesome - but I think I am more likely to head to the East to New York and do that end instead. I would like to do street running through the waterfront. I have a car float but it's too big so it will be going too. Thanks Kathy

Brilliant thanks Patrick

Thanks on Anoraks I do have a lot of stock and US can do small if you use small switchers and 40' box cars - I have a lot in the 40'-50' range plus tank cars, hoppers, flats, gondolas etc... The switchers are my favourites so it will be great to use them in that. That is all larger than a UK 4 wheel wagon but still doable, I hope. Thanks!

Hi Richard I won't go permanent this time as I want to be able to build it in my kitchen downstairs. I will do laser cut baseboards and then just put them on a cupboard top. Works well for small layouts without limiting options. I can store them in the cupboard underneath then! I want smaller layouts and that brings limitations so these will be alot more limited I know. Tom's modelling is top notch isn't it - thanks for sharing. Kathy

Wow, so much great advice - thank you! Responding in order: Keith On the US layouts, there are definitely a lot of people who have gangs of friends helping them on their 60' basement layouts. I do know guys who manage that on their own but it is a lifetime achievement and normally does have help on key parts or with motivation. On my stock: I do have the original boxes so it's just a lengthy exercise to reunite them from their stock storage to their boxes. I feel that I don't have room so rather than have them clutter up my house, I will try and clear in one go. That makes a dealer a good option and I have had a lot of joy from them - even if some have hardly run in anger! I put something on the NMRA BR forums but haven't heard anything yet. I didn't make the recent meet but only decided this after that had just happened. It's just so much to lug there if most won't sell. I plan to get rid of the large locos and coaches that are too long for a future cameo layout. There are just a lot of them! Thanks for a great reply Kathy

Hi Everyone After much soul searching, I am downsizing my US New Haven layout. The current one is stalled and to be honest, it's too big for my attention span! I like to do smaller achievable projects. I am therefore taking out my large layout and will be doing a series of smaller more finescale cameo layouts which can fit in the same slot as each other but be put away for storage. Each will be 900mm by 400mm on laser cut baseboards. I am really inspired by layouts such as Chris Nevard's Brew Street. I would like to explore more prototypes beyond the US, such as Port Dinorwic (a North Wales slate dock), a Maine Seaport and something with canals on. I will also be doing a few small New Haven cameos too. The upshot is that I will probably sell my larger rolling stock and locomotives such as coaches or big diesels. They are all New Haven so it is very specialised for the UK. I know when I sold my On30 it was well below cost! Does anyone have suggestions on the best way to sell the stock eg good dealers etc? I also have a few buildings I will be offloading too. Thanks Kathy

I've just had the air dates for the next series of the Great Model Railway Challenge: Friday 30th August for 8 episodes in total. Can't wait! Kathy

Laurie I'm really upset to hear you were told this. The production company loved the idea of sci-fi and I like modelling sci-fi as much as model railways. I certainly thought the layout made excellent TV and showcased a different slant entirely. I want to reassure you that the sci-fi/steampunk theme had no bearing on the decision. When I look at a layout, I don't look at the theme they have chosen but at how closely they achieved it. I certainly leave any personal views on favourite types of layout or theme on one side. For example, I don't watch Eastenders or Blackadder and I'm a rabid Doctor Who fan but I judged each layout on how well it represented their stated show. As you say, the production company also okayed your theme. Theme is just one of four criteria, the others being functionality, quality and creativity. None of those are affected by the theme chosen. I hope that helps and I know I spoke to your team about why they didn't win at the time and gave them my reasons, none of which were around the theme being too extreme. Regards Kathy

I have the joy of watching them 3 times each plus I was there for all of them. I watch them with friends on the Friday, with my Mum on the Saturday and again on the catch up... You can tell if trains have been slow in getting going when Tim makes a comment asking if anything is going to run or words to that effect. It's subtle, really subtle. Kathy

Their layout had a very unfortunate computer crash at the start of judging and nothing ran for most of the judging period. The most important criteria that we have is that the layouts must run. It's a shame as it was a lovely layout otherwise. Kathy

I can see there’s been some confusion about why Fawley won this week. It was very clear when you were there but not so much when you watch the programme. Ignoring any merits of the layouts themselves, they have to run to win. That’s the number one criteria. The Diesel Dynamos were using a computer to run their layout that unfortunately crashed just as the judging started meaning that nothing ran for a long time. It was long enough to put them out of contention. Fawley’s layout ran flawlessly so that outweighed any deficits in their interpretation of the theme. Hope that clears it up. Kathy