Calidore

Superb stuff, Rob. I think you've proven here that there's often a big gap between received wisdom concerning the 'proper' way to compose a model railway scene, and the way the world actually looks... This is something completely different to the modelling norm, but it looks completely believable and (as in your little hypothetical story) it feels true to the experience of how we actually encounter the railway and feel inspired by it. ...and the trees themselves are great too! Adam

I'd been relatively confident that this was in the running as the recently-teased O gauge loco announcement. I'll take this and give myself half marks... Looks very cute.

An 07 would surely do well given the precedent of Dapol's 08 and Heljan's 02 / 03 (plus it has far better cuteness factor). If steam, it's a bit harder to guess. Obvious small GWR prototypes have been taken. Perhaps an SR G6 or P would make sense. Otherwise an NE J69 or similar, maybe.

The scenics look great Rob. And as always, the weathering and tones of the bridge / trackwork look spot on. I'm late to the debate here, but I agree about plain black rather than mirrors for the bridges.

Lovely stuff Rob, a bit of colour on the building has brought the scene to life. Good luck with the tedious stone work, I’m sure it’ll come out nicely. Adam

Great to see this back lash. Lovely cameo, very clever. Will be nice to see it weathered up and detailed — I can imagine some newspaper rubbish strewn on the ground there or something like that. I’ve finally managed to get out of the research armchair (aka the not actually doing anything chair) and started something similar-ish which might interest you. It’s a (small) southern region goods/parcels depot and carriage sidings… no fixed location but inspired by places like Blackfriars Goods, Grosvenor carriage sidings, the parcels platforms at Waterloo, etc. Will be sure to give you a nod for this inspirational layout if I get around to making a thread. Adam

After a visual prompt about the 442 produced this most interesting response, Fran, I feel obliged to throw another one in just to see what happens... All in the name of research, you understand... (Hugh Llewelyn on Flickr, Creative Commons sharealike) AP Photography on Flickr, Creative Commons Non-commercial)

Bournemouth line Bulleid set with the extended solebar panelling…

Poor photo — but ZA723 on the rear at Cambridge this morning. I’ve never seen this 66 before so it caught my eye!

John Woolley on Flickr All the excuse I needed for 50006 (yes it has the headlight but I'm blissfully unbothered). Lovely.

On the topic of Southern Region standards... I see Bachmann haven't given 73118 the additional Southern lamp irons on the smokebox door -- they might have done so given their newer standards tend to feature this detail (3MT / 76xxx 4MT). More the reason for my post -- the latest Southern-allocated 4MT mogul has arrived in the shape of 76066 and it features possibly the strangest error I've seen on a model -- namely a smokebox plate which reads '76O66' as if someone specified the number over the phone, "seven-six-oh-six-six"! Easy fix with an etched replacement but a quirky thing I couldn't help sharing. On the plus side, it does come with the extra irons! Edit -- turns out this 'O' instead of '0' was prototypical. How bizarre. Photo: https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=190819&search=76066 Well done Bachmann and a lesson for me to do my research. It's also weathered, though not listed as such with all the vendors currently stocking it -- Bachmann seem to have gone for more of a matt and soot-heavy effect on this than the feared 'mud spray' sometimes seen from the rtr manufacturers. It looks rather good though variable in different lights (compare e.g. the KMRC website photos and the Olivia's ones; other outlets available...) Tempted to pick one up subject to viewing in person.

(and @Mallard60022) There are also quite a few photos in the Mitchell & Smith Bournemouth to Weymouth volume, if memory serves.

LSWR 3-set and Bulleid 3-set in one train behind a T9 -- looks rather 'ancients and moderns': https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p118870157/hb6d452ee#hb6d452ee

A couple of interesting photos I’ve seen recently to whet the appetite. First is a mixed green/crimson & cream 5-coach set on a West of England service. The set had presumably been reduced to three, and then reconstituted with original vehicles painted out of sequence, or with vehicles which originally belonged to another set (on closer inspection, the window vents are different sizes, so I think it’s a case of two different sets being combined): https://www.instagram.com/p/CYdFOjzIMtW Second is a c&c ‘R’ set on a Wadebridge-Bodmin working behind 30200. This mightn’t be news to anyone else but I didn’t realise Bulleid sets appeared on these workings. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZt1gffNfFg Neither is directly replicable with the livery releases in Bachman’s upcoming selection of models, but hopefully of interest nonetheless.

Some of the smaller lozenge windows have rather the same prismatic effect that the Hornby Bulleids were criticised for, to my eye. The crimson and cream set look lovely though.

Hi folks Very much enjoying the photos and running videos of late, thanks for posting them. There are several photos of 7810 making forays onto SR metals at Southampton Central / Terminus, so one of these will be jumping into my shopping basket in due course. But a small thing -- the only photos I've seen of 7810 with early crest have the upper part of the tender lined as well. For example... https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=167398&search=7810 https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/Collett-Locomotives/Collett-460-designs/Collett-Manor-Class-78007829/Manor-Class-Pre-1968/78007811-Built-1938/i-JnJwQWh/A https://railway-photography.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/Collett-Locomotives/Collett-460-designs/Collett-Manor-Class-78007829/Manor-Class-Pre-1968/78007811-Built-1938/i-nMrrvgH/A I'm far from an expert on these GW things and it's no kind of deal-breaker at all, but just curious if there's evidence for the lining state shown on the sample? (With the previous discussion of tender swaps acknowledged, I realise it's very possible it had both.) Thanks in advance! Adam

Go and enjoy Christmas! ps nice Manor!

Hear hear!

Thanks all for the kind comments. To answer the question above, yes there's a short fiddle stick with a single track on one side and space to store an engine and a couple of wagons on the other. 30093 shunts some stores vans. 33009 continues shuffling them about. The Q1 runs so well; it's ideal for this layout (though for that matter the B4 is excellent too). I'll do a backscene eventually!

A few more photos:

Evening all. I was thinking a few weeks ago that like many of us I've been hitting a modelling wall with many of my recent projects because of indecision about what I'd like to build; overthinking; dreaming up plans I don't possibly have time or space to build, etc etc. So I set myself a challenge to use my time off at Christmas to attempt a layout in a week. The parameters were: -- Max size 3'x1' -- Using as many odds and ends as possible and trying some new techniques -- A rough idea of when and where but no getting bogged down in 'that-wouldn't-be-like-that-in-real-life' -- Pragmatism: using scratch built buildings where I had them in store, but also being willing to use rtp products if necessary -- Accepting that it wouldn't be perfection but that this is ok! So, I decided I'd build a small layout based on the MOD sidings which littered the Wiltshire / Hampshire borders on the Southern. Appropriate motive power is my B4, Q1, and quite possibly the Heljan 'Army' 07 when it's released. I started last Thursday. Now, what happened? Day 1 (Thurs): Track is down and tested; platform constructed; nissen huts trial posed (scratch built for a previous abandoned project). Day 2 (Fri): Concrete hard standing from 2mm grey board fitted and scribed to represent 20' concrete panels; hillside built up from layers of foam board and plaster cloth roll. Day 3 (Sat): track work and ground cover using filler, woodland scenics gravel, and a speed-ballasting method which would make better modellers scream. Day 4 (Sun): The beginnings of some greenery Day 5 (Mon): More greenery; ground cover; and painting the track / ground Day 6 (Tues): unscheduled illness break Day 7: Detailing and odds and ends. So although there are some bits left to add (a few signs, and a set of steps to the platform), I'd say that this time last week this layout didn't exist, and now it does. I'll call that a win. The modelling may not be incredible but this has been an incredibly enjoyable and liberating experience. Doing this solves all the classic 'problems' and certainly got rid of all of mine which I outlined at the top. I've built something achievable which now exists rather than annoying me as another pipe dream; it was quick; it's a convenient size; I've realised that sometimes 'good enough' is more enjoyable than 'perfect'. Best of all, with the reduced time and cost investment (a layout like this only needs one or two engines and a few bits of stock), my indecision problem is solved because I could build one of these as often as I like all on completely different themes. I'm already thinking up a tiny 1950s ex-SECR terminus, a Cambrian project; an 80s banger blue parcels project; and a 90s oil sidings / engineers yard idea with Dutch 33s and grimy grey things. Now realistically I won't build all of them, but I could build any I choose. It's been a thoroughly festive school holiday-style project and I'd encourage anyone feeling any of the feelings I described to have a go! Merry Christmas. Adam

Some in this thread may be interested in the below investigation in The Times… https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/exposed-the-hermes-delivery-staff-throwing-your-parcels-against-the-wall-rckzwbxc7

Having searched this topic and surprisingly drawn a blank -- I'd love to see Accurascale take on the 700 / 707 / 717 Desiro City family of EMUs. Very much in the same spirit of bang-up-to-date models like their MK5s with DVT (and even better looking!). Between them, they have now covered Cambridge-Brighton with Thameslink; Moorgate-Hertfordshire with Great Northern; Waterloo-Windsor/Weybridge with SWT/SWR; and Charing Cross-Kent with SouthEastern. Great looking ultra-modern units and great liveries. They'd fit the Accurascale stable well...

Glad to hear news — I’ll keep an eye on your progress! The huts were scratch built — I’ll see if I have any WIP photos I can post. Many hours spent softening corrugated plastikard in hot water and then trying to get it to stay in shape with elastic bands! In other news, after the small 7mm project I’m working on at the moment, there’s a possibility Studland may come back to life in O gauge. Still taking it (extremely) slow…

… a model of Deptford Wharf, to run end-to-end? In all seriousness the slides are a great idea. Hope you have a good show when it comes around, I’m sure the model will be very popular. Adam