Ross34

My layout needs a small amount of work for an exhibition in 2021...New lighting, transport cradle, the odd signal making...but to be honest I have zero motivation at the moment. I hope it will return but for now it's just sitting there collecting dust.

When I switched from OO to HO I envisaged being able to utilise alot of my 4mm bits n bobs...I was surprised how much I actually couldn't..and being equally surprised how half a mm made such a difference. But if nothing else, I could buy scale track off the shelf. ...till I started looking at P87!!

5' 3" gauge in HO scale.

Thanks Ben. The track is laid on thin cork so I built up the yard (the grey foreground) with layers of thin cork sheet and tile grout. I sanded the tile grout smooth and painted with emulsion paint to represent compact earth or faded, very worn sun bleached tarmac. I finished off with a "very light" dudting of weathering powder. The ballast is fine sand. Placed and packed in fairly tight then sprayed with surgical spirit and maybe 10% water mix. Then place dilute pva with a dropper. The surgical spirit mix stops the sand floating away when you add the glue. I then airbrush a dark rust on the railsides and then light dust colours over the track - finish with a very light weathering powder application. The powders need to be applied very sparingly. Hope that helps.

I built an exhibition only layout and it went to the grand total of 1 show. As I'm effectively a one man band the storing, setting up, carting to & from shows plus storing it at home (in bits) put me off "touring" the circuit with it. So I recluctantly scrapped it and built a much smaller layout I can use at home and its not too big a burden to take to a show...well it wont be once I've built a travelling cradle for it. If I'm honest I do miss the "long train going round in circles" thing but it would have happened maybe two or three times a year...a maximum of 6 days playing trains wasn't enough to justify the sacrifices

I don't see posting of model railway items as necessary either. I had three auctions that were "live" during the movement restriction announcement. Quite low value so I let them run. I then emailed the buyers with 3 options.. A full refund. Keep till hopefully the restrictions get lifted and I'll post later. Refund then complete by private Paypal transaction later. (if they don't want the item then well, thems the breaks..) 2 buyers opted for the second option - one hasn't responded. (which would normally irk me but who knows what situation the buyer is in?)

Well as we're all housebound & I have an exhbition deadline (Sept 2021) I though I'd have a go at some weathering. Working from photos, I wanted these GMs (Trainorama) to look like they have been worked hard in the hot, dry, dusty environment of central Australia. I used Vallejo Model Air paint in a Iwata Neo to impart a dusty abraded kind of appearance. But first I experimented with the "dot technique" using grey, white & yellow oil paint to give a slightly faded look. Its subtle but its a technique I quite like.

Hmm.. theres been forward planning with this blag, has there not?

Of course the vast majority in the hobby aren't thieving scumbags and I suppose rather naively "we" find it hard to accept such people are "one of us". Just recently I had somebody very well "known" in railway circles not pay me for an item won on an auction site - it happens, but it still disappoints.

To be honest I find exhibiting is actually getting more stressful the older I get (which stands to reason I suppose?) The thought of dismantling the layout - getting it out of the shed - loading it into the car - unloading and setting up - operating for two days straight - then the prospect of dismantling on a Sunday at 4.00 or 5.00pm - loading into the car - then back into the shed ...etc etc.. I can't say with hand on heart I find that enjoyable. At least not at the moment. Then there is the pot luck of the hall or venue - too hot, too cold - too near the Thomas the Tank layout (never again!!!) - no barriers ( a real bug-bear with me) - parking issues.. etc Hats off to those who enjoy putting their layout on show but after a commitment I've made to show my layout in 2021 (its actually a new local model show) I'm not sure I'll do many more...we'll see.

Just remembered "Camp four on Three Chop Ridge" & Runswick Bay .... crackers!.. the latter is my wifes all time favourite.

Has anybody mentioned Petherick by Barry Norman?

I probably "garden" more than I build model railways - and within the gardening world is a group of people (mostly very pleasant ones) who grow giant veg & and show plates of perfect pea pods and onions at shows - it makes "trainspotting" look the coolest hobby in the world!

LOL!! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-OO-GAUGE-32-676Z-BR-BLUE-CLASS-45-048-ROYAL-MARINES-LOCO-11N/193015050127?hash=item2cf097ef8f:g:su8AAOSw-xhdOvWb

The salt method requires that you paint the model a rust colour first before adding salt and then the topcoat. I use Humbrol 62 (matt leather) + Humbrol matt black in varioud hues to simulate rust. Also try using artists oils - burnt sienna / black - is good for rust spots or scratches.

Not a railway modelling show as such but might be worth a visit? I have no connection other than its local to me.

They do indeed - my shop of choice when buying Australian models. Lucky enough to have been a couple of times too - well worth it.

Some great non UK based layouts on show...shame I can't make it.

I wonder what the average age of the respondents is & whether this influences choices?

Railway modelling in the UK is unique in that its split into so many "factions" or "specialist interest groups" - 00, 00FS(?), P4, EM, N, 2mmFS, TT, 009, 7mm, Scaleseven etc.. - which has the effect of diluting the "talent pool" This is where the Americans IMHO have done it right, most (not all but most) of the hobby in the US is geared towards HO and as a result the standard of modelling, the trade support (inc magazines, forums etc) and the ready availability of quality models reflects that. Then there is the free-mo concept that I honestly think would work in the UK given a chance but its almost a crying certainty it will never happen because IMO the hobby in this country isn't receptive to radical change. As to the notion that the hobby is dying - I don't think it is but its certainly nowhere near as big as it once was - not if the number of exhibition visitors are a yardstick. I used to go to almost all the major shows in the northwest and have noticed the crowds have become a lot smaller in recent years.

I buy print versions of various mags very rarely nowadays - almost exclusively for an article or item I'm interested in - and with the price of magazines in general, even then I sometimes think twice. Especially, and I have to be honest, if its (primarily) available free on the internet, whether that be facebook, youtube, blogs, forums or even the TV. Alot of the time, I'll buy secondhand mags at shows - often at only 20 or 50p a pop. Manchester MRS used to have a great secondhand magazine stall at its Xmas show (I haven't been for while so it may still have..). Another reason I don't buy mags very often is they repeat themselves and this doesn't just apply to railway mags. I get Gardeners World occasionally and the same subjects crop up at regular intervals at certain times of the year - as you'd expect - so a sub for me would be a waste of money. One pleasure I do enjoy is sitting in my whirlpool bath with nice glass of red, reading a magazine - ya can't really do that with a Kindle.

First of all I want to say I really like this layout - in fact I'm a big fan of non-UK (or overseas) layouts & would really like to see more at exhibitions. To go one step further I would actually like to see an exhibition with no UK based layouts - but thats a topic for another day. With regard to your layout Paul I'm going to be honest in where I personally think you could make it even better. The layout needs more lighting - a lot more. I know you want to show a dull day in a polluted environment but the models need to be seen - just making the layout dark doesn't evoke a dull day IMHO. How you do that isn't going to be easy but what about using diffrent coloured lights to replicate sunsets/sunrise?..give it a bit of theatre. The models need weathering & sound - again, just my opionion but I think it would make a big difference. The backscene doesn't work. I'd be very temepted to find somebody who could maybe paint a typical Chinese landscape (or cityscape)....and the current one is also too low. The foreground needs a bit more - a few cameos - not quite sure what but there isn't enough to look at when there is no trains running. Having said all that I'm certainly going to seek the layout out when it appears at shows near me and I hope you view my criticisms as constructive - which they're intended to be. Finally, where & how do you buy the stock? - I ask because I buy Australian stock from (surprisingly enough) Australia and know it can be a bit of a headache - not to mention expensive at times.

I'd agree with that but if somebody doesn't like my layout or walks on by I'm certainly not going to lose any sleep. In fact I've no problem at all with constructive criticism ..not so constructive?.. well, if you're willing to put yourself in the firing line you've gotta take the odd "honest" opinion on the chin IMHO.

Thanks guys... Nigel.. to be honest I had to Google "RaspberryPI" but it sure looks interesting.

There is a stretch on the Wigan - Manchester line between Atherton and Walkden where the track has suffered quite a lot of mining subsidence. You'd know when you'd hit it when these damn things would start their typical "bouncing" motion.. but this was bad enough to throw you out of your seat! .. plus the banging of the wheels on the rail joints was enough to give you a headache. Then if that wasn't enough the squeal as it rode the curves into Salford Crescent was ear splitting. Even the Iranians & the Vietnamese kicked 'em into the long grass..... http://www.themarpleleaf.co.uk/2017/01/left-to-rot-on-siding-in-iran-where.html