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Just a quick reminder that Osney Town will be appearing 'for one day' only at the SWAG meeting at Taunton on Sunday. Rob

Just a quick thanks for the comments so far, all very valid and thought provoking. Andy's comments are very relevant and follow my own thought process but brings me no nearer to a decision 😉 regards Rob

Over the years I have made most of the buildings on my various layouts from scratch but, as mentioned in an earlier post, I was greatly taken by an engine shed kit from Intentio. As the shed would play a central role in the new diorama I decided that the kit would probably be better than my own efforts, so to cut a long story short the kit has arrived accompanied by a couple of lamp huts and some assorted windows and doors. I must say this is my first foray into laser cut kits and I am extremely impressed with what has arrived and hopefully I can do justice to the kit with its construction and painting. The kit does raise an issue with the diorama itself. Included as part of the kit is an inspection pit for inside the shed. The kit is based on Shipton on Stour which did not have an external pit but I was intending to construct one outside as well, as was the case with Wallingford where the idea for this layout came from. However, the pit is larger than I anticipated and will not fit between the cross members on the base board so will have to be reduced in length, even if used as proposed in the shed. Now my question is do I bother with the pit in the shed which actually will hardly be seen from the viewing angle and just use a cut down version outside or do I bite the bullet and construct two pits which would probably be more accurate in terms of the real thing, but one of which would be largely unseen. Decisions decisions. I think I am likely to give some thought to this and test various alternatives before anything is actually cut, especially as I need to ensure everything is ready with Osney Town which is scheduled to appear at the SWAG meeting in Taunton on the 28th. Any ideas and comments, especially regarding the need for two pits, or one and if so which, inside or outside, are wecome. Rob

My last post suggested that two feature trees on the backscene might be modelled in winter mode. So, how did that work out, well I am quite pleased with the result, but as yet nothing is fixed down, which means there is still time to make alterations if I change my mind. Apologies for the poor angle of the second photo, taken in haste late at night! and the greenery on the first is again just there to test the overall picture. Rob

A quick update on progress so far with the new Osney diorama. I have been concentrating on the backscene and now have the main elements in place, although not actually fixed down yet. There is still a lot of detailing to do, including work on the trees. I am intending to models these in winter mode. I can see them in my head but whether the execution will match the image is another matter. You may wonder why there has been no work carried out on the track yet. This is down to the fact that I am waiting for an inspection pit kit and until it arrives I can't cut out a slot in the board or safely fix any of the backscene in case it gets damaged when I attack the baseboard! That's it for the moment apart from the attached photos, regards Rob.

Following on from my last post I have made a start by building the industrial units for the backscene. In the end I opted for foamboard for the main structures. They now need painting and the addition of small details such as guttering and down pipes. In the course of construction I made a couple of adjustments to the overall scene, the first was the 'bit' of station building which was designed to screen the access points to the fiddle yard, which I decided was too long and obscured to much of the picture, so a couple of inches removed, easily done on a card mock-up and why I find it so useful to test the 'picture' before building. The second was a slight re-positioning of the water column which was too central and also, I think, awkwardly placed for locos to take on coal and water at the same time. I'm pleased with the build so far and anxious to get on but am held up slightly waiting for delivery of an online order. I was advised there would be a delay so no complaints, but I just want to get on 😁, Rob

It's about a week since I finished the mock-ups for the latest diorama and I have been doing my usual thing of leaving everything alone and having a long look at it every day and I must say that I am still very happy with the overall concept. I have attached my 'universal' fiddle yard to it to check that that will work, if needed. so everything is good to go. I have ordered a few things online, which unfortunately will be a little delayed on delivery but there is plenty I can do in the meantime. I just need to decide on the construction method for the new buildings, in the past I used ply sheeting over a pine strip frame but then moved to foamboard for the last two builds which worked well but for some reason I am being pulled back to ply construction! As this is only a diorama the buildings are going to be the key to bringing it all together so I need to get it right but in all honesty I don't really think it matters what framing I use, I just need to make a decision 😁 Rob

Hi Steve, many thanks for your comments. You say that you are laid up in bed , hopefully this is not too serious and you will be up and about soon. When I logged in just now I couldn't believe the number of notifications showing, you have certainly been busy. It is difficult to know how to respond to your kind words, other than to say thank you. We are all in this hobby for our own enjoyment but it is always good to hear that your work is appreciated by others and when I started this thread, many years ago now, I never thought that it would still be going so many years later and would be followed by other modelers for so long. There have been many ups and downs along the way but I still get great pleasure out of my modelling, so, as they say, onward and upward. kind regards Rob

Hi All, I thought it might be useful to show you what a 3ft diorama looks like in O gauge. I have spent a bit of time on the board and put a quick coat of paint on the frame to get rid of the bare wood which was distracting from the board itself. I have also added an LED strip light so that any work I do will be under the lighting that will be on when operating. I have also used mounting card to get the curved backscene. This is a fairly neutral light blue and I think looks ok under the lighting. So I will leave that as it is. The frame looks rather dark but this is only in contrast with the lit area. I have also made a mock-up of some other buildings and these together with some bits and pieces I made earlier give a pretty good indication of how the model might look. Although it is very small I am quite excited by the whole concept and am looking forward to the coming build. For now a few close ups of the diorama:

Hi Andy, thanks for your interest and that suggestion. My preferred backscene is a painted one, just a plain 'sky' colour, and that is what concerned me most. Would the mounting card absorb the paint and warp. From Martyn's experience and my own tests it does look as though my concerns were unfounded, which doesn't really explain why I had a problem on an earlier build. The difference then was the photographic backscene which I hadn't used before so perhaps it was the vinyl on that which caused the problem. Perhaps I should have used photomount or something similar as you suggest rather than the pva glue. Whatever it was I'm now thinking that I will either paint the card with a simple wash or find a card that has a neutral colour ,as Martyn has done and shown so well on the photos he attached. Decisions, decisions, I must be a sad case as I really enjoy this planning stage 😁 Reading this back tells me that I seem to have made a decision to go for a curved backscene using card rather than using buildings to disguise the corners! So one decision made. regards Rob

Many thanks for that information Martyn, it was just what I hoped to hear and my own trial seems to suggest I was probably worrying about nothing. Anyway I think it has pointed the way forward and towards curved corners, really my preferred option! regards Rob

Thanks for that idea, I might try that. I was thinking perhaps of a matt varnish but the sample I did earlier, just painting on the card and gluing it to the board seems to be drying ok, so it's possible that I'm seeing problems that don't exist. Not an unusual situation 😁

Hi Martyn, I have been thinking again about the use of mounting card as I have some pieces to hand and I can get quite a tight curve which won't take up too much space. My concern remains as to whether the card can take paint and glue without it soaking in and causing lifting of the card. When you have used it, do you paint on it, if so with what type of paint, and do you seal the card with anything before and after gluing it to the wood backscene? Your help and advice would be appreciated, in the meantime I have prepared a small test piece using wood glue and emulsion paint, so hopefully that will work ok. regards Rob

Thanks to everyone for their ideas on curved backscenes. I thought I had made up my mind as to how to proceed but now I'm not so sure 😀

Hi Martyn, I used mounting card on New Osney, of short lived fame, and discovered that it had come away from the backboard when I dismantled the layout. The problem, I think was that I had glued a photographic back scene to it and the glue from that had soaked into the card and into the glue on the mounting card, result a mess! Should have sealed the card but the experience did put me off somewhat. Rob

Hi All, The baseboard is now nearly complete, only the back board on the left hand end is clamped as I don't want to fix it until I have decided where the exit (s) to the fiddle yard will be located. Having now had time to absorb the size of the board I realized that my normal preference for a curved backscene would eat up valuable space, plus the fact that bendy mdf is in short supply down this way. I know, I could get it online but just another issue to slow things down. An alternative solution and one I used on The Shed quite successfully is to use buildings to screen the corners. That was because space was at a premium as well as now. This idea does need quite big buildings which brings me to the subject of the next build and an option such as an industrial complex. This would involve some form of shunting, if this is going to be a working diorama, and being based in the far west the china clay industry does spring to mind. However most of their rail related buildings are huge and would not really work in the space available, plus others have used this subject before and I don't think I could add anything new to the subject. I also thought about using the new board as an extension to one of the existing layouts or as a link between them but decided that either solution would be frustrating as I would not really be able to use it in that way without more space and that it would be better to build something self contained as a stand alone project. Which brings me to the present state of play. The other user of a limited space is one I have done before, the shed! But how big a shed, single road or double road. Initially I had looked at double roads and came up with some possibilities but eventually decided that a double would be too dominant, even if you only used the front part of the shed. As you will be aware my purpose with all my builds has been to produce a balanced 'picture' that works as a railway scene, so after extensive research a photograph in a book triggered that magic moment. The subject was Wallingford, the end of a branch line In Berkshire (?). The station had a single road shed opposite the platform and the photo in question was of this immediate area. I know there are other stations with a similar arrangement but this one just shouted out to be built as a diorama, at least it did in my head. So looking at the practical aspects and how to adapt the subject to my board there will obviously be a need to site the station next to some industrial buildings to screen the corners and to move the station building slightly to help screen the exit to the fiddle yard. This is beginning to look a lot like The Shed Mk II and nothing like Wallingford but then that was only the spark to get me going. I have been testing the idea with the use of some buildings from The Shed and some card mock-ups of the main buildings and the photos attached illustrate the current position. While my enjoyment of this hobby has always been the scenic work and constructing the buildings myself I have been somewhat seduced by the Intentio web site and some of their lovely laser cut engine shed kits. I have resisted so far but I can feel myself weakening. So there it is, any thoughts always welcome, regards Rob

Progress, of a sort, At the moment the backscene is only clamped on, it still needs to be cut to size, similarly with the end panels. It is actually straight, it's just the angle of the photo that makes it look slightly drunk. It does give an appreciation of the space that is available to me which is helpful. After a lot of thought since my last post an idea has begun to swirl around in the little grey cells but more thought is still needed before committing myself to public inspection, as it may not be particularly new. I will leave it at that for the moment! regards Rob

Have you both been talking to my wife as she has this dream of linking all the boards in one long layout. Trouble is there is no where at home that I could set it up, maybe in an exhibition setting but sadly I could not get it in the car and I believe I am too ancient to hire a van. But the new board could be linked, possibly, with one of the other shorter boards to give a variation on a theme . Thoughts for the Christmas period. Actually, this is what I enjoy, all the planning for a new layout, the ideas and then discarding them before settling on an idea. This is probably a good opportunity to wish all those who follow this saga a good Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Regards to everyone Rob

In my last post I mentioned that plans were afoot and guess what has recently arrived, Yes, that's right it is a new baseboard but what to do with it as it is on the small side. As I have said before, I build small cameo layouts because of a lack of space and looking around my railway room I already have the two layouts, Osney Town Wharf and Osney Town, which doesn't leave a lot of space for much else. Both layouts are new and I am happy with both, so they definitely stay, no moving one to the garage! Looking around the railway room I have identified a corner which could accommodate a small board. However, with all my recent boards I have standardised on a size, 2ft 6in x 1ft 6in. This is a size, which with my increasing years, I can manage on my own and get through doors and down stairs and load the car, so I do not have to depend on help. Looking at the space that is available one board that size would fit well, but even I can't think what I can do with that little space in O gauge. So, with a bit of juggling, and leaving a small working area I have decided that one board of 3ftx 1ft 6in could be built. This takes me into the world of dioramas, but a working diorama, by using the existing fiddle yard when required. So that's the state of play. I have an idea as to what I could do with it but the first thing to do is to get the board made up so that I can better assess what the space looks like. This will not now happen, probably until after Christmas, as we are off for a pre-Christmas break and then with the usual festivities after that I can't see much being done before then, so it's a situation of watch this space. Rob

Hi Martyn, yes indeed, I have just had a look at Rob's announcement of Swag 24 and there is certainly plenty there to appreciate including several layouts I have wanted to see for a long time. It has the makings of a great day out. The mojo is definitely returning and plans are afoot! When I have a moment I will do an update but I have had a busy weekend dealing with life's little problems. Yesterday the washing machine packed up and the other half was panicking that she would be unable to do any washing until after Christmas, but after swift action a new washing machine has been delivered this afternoon and installed and the first wash has been completed to her great satisfaction. Not bad service bearing in mind it is the weekend. Rob

Hi Mark, Sorry to hear about your loss of mojo but it sounds as though you have a plan B in the form of model aircraft. When I consign layouts to the garage it usually means that they are only one step away from being 'recycled' so I hope that's not the situation with you. Your comment re an Osney Mineral Railway are interesting as I have the Middleton Press books on the East Cornwall and West Cornwall Mineral Railways which I have recently been looking through and are part of ideas slowly going through my head. You will gather from this that the old brain cells are beginning to surface and were certainly given an uplift with my visit to the model shop. So I think things are now moving in the right direction and hopefully there will be news of some sort of idea forming to get me back into modelling. Regards Rob

As well as visiting a good show to boost the mojo, a visit to the local model shop can be good as well as I found out yesterday. Spent far to long and mentally spent a lot of money drooling over the Lionheart 55xx Class prairie tank and also the Manning and Wardle narrow gauge tanks, the latter giving me much pause for thought! Rob

I did say I would post some pictures of the new, slightly, de-forested Osney Town, so here are a couple to see if you can spot the difference! Rob

Thanks for that, you are absolutely right, in the past after a dip in mojo I have visited a show and it only takes one good layout to give you that lift and the wish to get home and start something yourself. The health is also improving on a daily basis so fingers crossed. Regards Rob

Thank you Ray and Martyn, good to hear from you and thanks to all those who have offered support. I have been in this position before but this is the longest it has lasted, possibly made worse by the health issues. Once I am fully recovered the old instincts should kick back in. In the meantime I will post some pics of the alterations so you can try and spot the differences 😁 Regards Rob