Clearwater

I was musing on this issue the other day when trying to pick a period for my planned layout. I guess there's a practical point that if you want to model the GWR and use mostly RTR locos, you're pretty much limited to post 1938 or so. If you go before the Grange, Counties, Modified Halls etc, you're taking on a huge kit building programme for saints, aberdares, bulldogs etc. I guess not dissimilar to LMS enthusiasts where there is a massive lack of pre Stanier locos David

Indeed - I'm using it as inspiration for a diorama! Some hit to land the ball in a wagon though...

Or a link to a 3-d printer from that wonderful little programme from GWS on how to design your own GWR style engine... Would transform the imaginary locos thread!

I particularly like both the colour and black and white shot showing the angle under the overall roof. Great to see the platform detail and cameos. The open angle of the roof and curve really allow the viewer to see in

I think the first question is what is the spark that makes one want to create a model railway. It's clear that a trigger is the railway of our own youth though personally i don't find the blue diesel/sectorisation era I spotted in interesting to model. To date I've resisted large logo 50s or intercity liveried 47s. I had such models at the time and sold them. For others, the railway becomes a natural show case for their modelling skills, eg landscape and building modellers. Once that spark is ignited though, it tends to create the interest in other eras. For example, I'm sure Burntisland will be a big draw at warley though no-one will have seen the prototype... Equally, there's always interest in broad gauge layouts that by definition are prior to anyone's lifetime. What would be interesting to see would be to take the show guides for say Warley, Manchester, Ally Pally and York and analyse whether since 1970 there are any discernible trends in layout eras. I suspect it will show the obvious that there is a time lag between current big railway practice and what's modelled plus a core of layouts being set several years prior. Also, I'd expect to see the range of layout era increasing with time with earlier shows being more concentrated in certain eras with recent shows having similar layouts spread over a larger time period. Where 2045 modellers will be fortunate is that there is now both a wealth of source material to be able to access that is increasingly well archived and, from fora such as this, a treasure trove of oral history to access. That will never be the same as direct primary sources but will, I suspect be a darn sight better than anything we have on the 1895 railway. David

Joking aside, I presume someone like Fox produces little disks to fix in the appropriate spot?

Ha! Hard to tell if the double red disks are visible either :-)

I agree re the 9f shot making a great layout icon although I'd replace the loco with something more Eastern like the A1. However, what I think would change it to a great shot would be to have the train spotters, assuming not past their bedtime, looking over towards the arriving loco standing In the foreground so as to be underneath the Peterborough North sign. I fully agree that's not where spotters would stand but for a posed shot to capture them, the station and loco I think it might work. To me would capture the essence of this, and other layouts, of the joy of young spotters seeing that elusive loco David

Though, ironically, picking up on comments on other threads, eg Tony Wright's in kit and scratch building, 'older' modelling skills may again come into vogue as modellers will need to become more adept at meeting their own needs and adapting products designed for other purposes to railway modelling However, the counter argument is a) the time and space required for modelling favours those who've retired b) if you'd told a scratch builder 10 never mind 40 years ago that you'd be able to design and print components directly on a computer they'd have been amazed. How this technology develops over the next twenty years could be transformational. Who knows what will happen.

Ha! So 10 didn't object....

[quote name="Tony Wright" post="2079586" timestamp="1446743307 May I cite two different examples in the last and latest issue of BRM? In the last issue there's a piece on converting a Hornby Railroad 'Hunt' into something 'better'. Something I believe to be within the range of the less-experienced (though, I admit, I should have given more information on how older parts might be sourced). In the latest issue there's my piece on building a Brassmasters 0-8-4T, in which I make clear it's way beyond the abilities of a beginner (or at least in my view). I hope nobody infers any 'snobbishness' in that regard on my part. At its most basic, all I'm trying to do is to encourage folk to have a go. That's something I've always advocated, whether it be through my writings, my tutorials, my demonstrations or my talks. If that results in some modellers being affronted, then so be it. As a, to date, non brass kit builder, I have read and enjoyed your article on the 0-8-4 tank. My take aways / observations: 1) it is clearly flagged as a non beginner kit 2) if someone with your experience struggles with aspects, it's actually ok to amend the instructions to what you can do. Perversely that gives me more confidence to tackle other things. As a beginner, nothing is more disheartening than getting stuck on a particular point and not being able to progress - showing the thought process on how to resolve is instructive in other contexts 3) it's interesting to see how something more complicated is constructed 4) probably most importantly, it introduced me to a class of locomotive I'd never heard of David

They had the maroon auto coach in Ian Allen bookshop in London today. Was in a box inside the glass case so photographing wasn't going to work. Presume other retailers will have them by now as well

To date, I've never built a complex brass etch kit or done much above basic adjustments to RTR models. One day, I will have a go but will try a coach first. I suspect that if you are competent in building the most complex kits, articles about how you do it are not necessary or interesting. Those persons needs to discuss, learn and challenge are probably fulfilled by threads such as this or perhaps MRJ. I'd guess then venn diagramme of beginners / inexperienced modellers whobuy both Hornby Magazine and MRJ is small... However, for those of us with less experience the layered articles suggested above make sense. What to someone who has build 100+ kits is basic and routine is new to someone and needs explaining. articles that go "and I just did x and Ta-DA" there's your fully built and functioning model don't really help or encourage the beginner much. Similiarly I groan when a writer says "I did it in the usual way." (btw, I apply this maxim as much to articles on baseboard construction, scenery and buildings as rolling stock). Also, sometimes, articles can be full of jargon eg "I applied a wash of x and dry brushed it". The beginner wants to know what went into the wash, what consistency, what type of bruh you used, how much came off on the paper, what to do if it goes wrong etc. FWIW, Tony's 0-8-4T article is good and interesting to read as it is very detailed. It is also clear that it is way beyond beginner level given the equipment required and the nature of the kit. I also think the "practical BRM" DVDs / weblinks are good (usual disclaimer of no connection). By way of example, my sub 4 year old boy watched Phil's article on scribing plaster walls and recited it back to me the other day. if he can follow it, it is pitched at the right level for beginners (for the avoidance of doubt I would not give him the sharp implements required!). David

Ironically, it's a point they've got correct previously. Looking at my ancient 1994 R082 King James, that has the double red on the cab side

They should also give Bachmann some tips on the differences between the Hall and Modified Hall!

The original Olton Hall is now at the Harry Potter experience just off the m25

Great alignment of comments on the screen!

I've always thought Euston is a better model for the start of Harry's journey than Kings X. If you think of her description of pushing a trolley down a slope towards a barrier, as Harry does to catch the train,, I've always thought that fits Euston much better than Kings X. Particularly how the station was a few years ago with the big metal barriers separating the ticket posts with each platform in pairs, eg 9 and 10. Wikipedia, and I have seen elsewhere, saws Rowling thought of the story on a train from Manchester to London. Likelihood is she was arriving at Euston. However, she wrote the books in edinburgh, served by Kings X and I think transposed her memory of the two stations On a serious note, if we gain / regain one railway modeller who picks it up via Harry Potter then great. Apols for OT

As an aside, the prairie in the photo I posted was withdrawn at the end of 1959 and scrapped by 31/3/60 at Swindon. Suspect photo must be summer 59 or so. http://www.railuk.info/steam/getsteam.php?row_id=2514

Photo I've found in my father's old album. Hopefully it's one he actually took rather than one of the post cards / random images that are also in there. There is a good photo of 7007 in the album about to leave Paddington in the early 60s on "The Cathedrals Express" that I've found a near identical version of on the web. Photo is labelled as Machynlleth and I suspect it is 1961 or 1962. Also a sadder photo of 9004 stored awaiting its fate. Apologies in advance for photo / scan quality. I'm no expert with photoshop! I have a slight fascination with service pictures of engines subsequently preserved. I think it is the contrast to the polished, heavily cared for image you tend to see on the preserved lines. There's quite a well known one of 5043 in filthy condition that I like. David

Thanks Chris - that's interesting. Given I'd understood from other threads that some manufacuters airfrieght review samples ahead of the main container being shipped, in order that magazine reviews coincide or precede the goods arriving in shops, if I was the manufacturer I'd make sure that samples going to magazines had been thoroughly tested before going out. Perhaps I'm just being a bit cynical Edit: I should add that I think your reviews are amongst the most balanced in the magazine market and are actual reviews, warts and all. That's a pleasant contrast to some reviews which are closer, in my view, to marketing pieces written by the manufacturer David

Reading the recent posts here, it's good to know the trade press have not received a specially selected, prime sample and have merely had the next one off the line.

Nice layout and I love seeing shots of development on stage by stage basis. Too many cut from plain baseboard to finished article with a "ta da" leaving you with little idea on how it was done! Also enjoyed link to resizing images - had no idea you could do that. Have been texting them to myself to get the mail programmes to do resizing for me or relying on iCloud to do the same!

Prescient - it's now appearing on sale in a few shops...