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Deliberately Old-Fashioned 0 Scale - Chapter 1


Nearholmer
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13 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

The BR phase will doubtless end on a whim at some point, and the southern trains will certainly come out again, but until then, I shall adopt the avatar of Misanthropic Midland Maurice, the sort of railway servant who delights in petty rules and goes out of his way to make things difficult for colleagues and customers alike.

 

 

56221940-4392-4D36-84F8-6EB23EAF57D6.jpeg

I think I worked with him once.

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4 hours ago, Metropolitan H said:

No, he is nothing like the late and lamented David Howard - who used to be the main man at Northampton Corporation Buses, before he went to Eastbourne and later the Isle of Man - where he also had the Steam Railway, the MER and Snaefell as part of his big box of toys! The new lad is definitely too portly.

 

Regards

Chris H

Wasn't he at Tyne and Wear at one time too? A top bloke.

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9 hours ago, Metropolitan H said:

No, he is nothing like the late and lamented David Howard - who used to be the main man at Northampton Corporation Buses, before he went to Eastbourne and later the Isle of Man - where he also had the Steam Railway, the MER and Snaefell as part of his big box of toys! The new lad is definitely too portly.

 

Regards

Chris H

 

No, I wasn’t thinking of the man who provided the buses, I was thinking of whoever it was who thought up that b******* bus station.

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7 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Wasn't he at Tyne and Wear at one time too? A top bloke.

 

Yes, David was at Tyne and Wear before Northampton and yes he was a top bloke.

 

But there were two David Howards at T&W at the same time - the other one was / became the Director General. The one I refer to started his career on Thames Valley buses and at one time worked in Eames of Reading - his brother has a very superior 16mm Narrow Gauge exhibition layout, who probably lurks on here somewhere.

 

Regards

Chris H

 

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Here we are at Northampton (Derngate), where the loco of the train from Buckingham is running around (like a mad thing).

 

8EF921B2-14E1-4C30-8046-5BCA777946E1.jpeg.cdac320291648a311396a1d3463859a2.jpeg

 

A bit later, some parcels stock is being ‘tripped’ to somewhere else in the rambling railway empire of the town.

 

C4536A17-3B12-4CDB-B54E-9A8E439F3109.jpeg

CDD067DB-3564-4D88-B437-D5DB5A6144E2.jpeg

Edited by Nearholmer
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11 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Here we are at Northampton (Derngate), where the loco of the train from Buckingham is running around (like a mad thing).

 

8EF921B2-14E1-4C30-8046-5BCA777946E1.jpeg.cdac320291648a311396a1d3463859a2.jpeg

 

A bit later, some parcels stock is being ‘tripped’ to somewhere else in the rambling railway empire of the town.

 

C4536A17-3B12-4CDB-B54E-9A8E439F3109.jpeg

CDD067DB-3564-4D88-B437-D5DB5A6144E2.jpeg

 

Excellent.  Now go to sleep

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16 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

In an interesting development Edwardian assumes the character and voice of my mother c1965.

My mother never told me I was excellent...

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I’ve just signed up to follow this thread - but even with lockdown I’ll struggle to read all 87 pages of backstory.  At some point has Birlstone become Derngate? Is there a page to find a track plan?  Help for a newbie.  Thanks, Keith.

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46 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

In an interesting development Edwardian assumes the character and voice of my mother c1965.

 

An interesting lack of development; evidently you haven't yet managed to profit from that maternal advice!

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Pray what is irrational about doing things our way because it pleases us the irrational bit is the scampering around for justification. 

 

Don

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Northroader has sowed a seed in my mind, which may yet germinate.

 

Besides things appropriate to the two areas/eras (1930s Southern; 1950s BR London Midland Region) that my layout can assume, I have a few random locos and bits of stock that could really do with a small layout each (pre-group GWR; LBSCR; LSWR; SECR; SNCF; WD/USATC), which would amount to rather a lot of small layouts.

 

So, I have made another set of "study book shelf" baseboards, to fit where the 1963 BLT lives (it can go in the cupboard for now, because it seems to be a winter thing for some reason).

 

The idea, stolen from Northroader, is to make these into a "vanilla" layout, to which set-dressing is added according to train-type in use. Track and points are to hand, so all I need is that rarest of commodities with two children off school and a partner working from home, time.

 

I won't go the whole hog and make separate back-scenes, because I think a generic rural treescape on plywood will suffice, but I suppose I could add specific scenes on art-board if the mood strikes later.

 

Herewith a few sketches to give the general idea - enough room to shuffle a few wagons or a short rake of coaches, and the idea of structures being "movable furniture" would work particularly well in old-style, where it is perfectly normal.


 

 

83D43F93-D1AD-473B-B53D-C83924FD4021.jpeg

70C8ACD8-64D7-4894-81C6-A300DA58C578.jpeg

1C655958-1343-4F1D-80C0-0DB356E241A1.jpeg

Edited by Nearholmer
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31 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Northroader has sowed a seed in my mind, which may yet germinate.

 

Besides things appropriate to the two areas/eras (1930s Southern; 1950s BR London Midland Region) that my layout can assume, I have a few random locos that could really do with a small layout each (LBSCR; LSWR; SECR; SNCF; WD/USATC), which would amount to rather a lot of small layouts.

 

So, I have made another set of "study book shelf" baseboards, to fit where the 1963 BLT lives (it can go in the cupboard for now, because it seems to be a winter thing for some reason).

 

The idea, stolen from Northroader, is to make these into a "vanilla" layout, to which set-dressing is added according to train-type in use. Track and points are to hand, so all I need is that rarest of commodities with two children off school and a partner working from home, time.

 

I won't go the whole hog and make separate back-scenes, because I think a generic rural treescape on plywood will suffice, but I suppose I could add specific scenes on art-board if the mood strikes later.

 

Herewith a few sketches to give the general idea - enough room to shuffle a few wagons or a short rake of coaches, and the idea of structures being "movable furniture" would work particularly well in old-style, where it is perfectly normal.


 

 

83D43F93-D1AD-473B-B53D-C83924FD4021.jpeg

70C8ACD8-64D7-4894-81C6-A300DA58C578.jpeg

1C655958-1343-4F1D-80C0-0DB356E241A1.jpeg

 

Great idea.

 

Pine forest backscene?  Could by anywhere, anytime. Plus, they are standard issue for military training grounds in my experience. 

 

443380_6e00a2c5.jpg.f0623137a51b74877bcc3880922c033d.jpg

 

That one is Holkham estate by the way.

 

I just had to google Sinister Warehouse, and well I never, whereas I tend to associate "military" and "sinister warehouse" with something a little too big for your scheme ...

 

4a2af17f72f8c850e092ae545074ff56.jpg.ec59af8e346ed69d2dfcaad95036da74.jpg

 

For some reason warehouses, especially sinister ones, put me in mind of shoot-outs.  Too much Hollywood content in my life, no doubt. 

 

download.jpeg.22c58abcf627e1e07b90948a0c779e6a.jpeg

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Yes, pine rather than deciduous might work, although our local military training ground is the latter. I've always wondered if the modern British Army might get in trouble if asked to fight in deciduous wood, small fields and clay soil, given that they seem to train entirely over sand or chalk ....... it happened shortly after D-day in the boccage, I think.

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29 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Yes, pine rather than deciduous might work, although our local military training ground is the latter. I've always wondered if the modern British Army might get in trouble if asked to fight in deciduous wood, small fields and clay soil, given that they seem to train entirely over sand or chalk ....... it happened shortly after D-day in the boccage, I think.

 

As I reflected on the umpteenth time over the Assault Course, so long as any battlefield I encounter is liberally strewn with cargo nets, I'll know exactly what to do.

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The multi-use baseboard/layout is a good idea, I've a very similar layout, although its a mirror image of yours!  It performs the following tasks;

 

  • Midsomer Brevis (7mm narrow gauge)
  • Terrier Territory (OO Gauge)
  • GWR Twiglet (OO Gauge)
  • Sur Le Continong (HO)

 

Its just a case of replacing the scenic items associated with each "look", which are set on mounting board, fitting to the track and then running the appropriate stock.

 

Lots of fun, and one at least is 7mm* scale(ish)!

 

* Desperate justification to prove I'm not entirely gatecrashing...

 

Edited by Hroth
Clarification
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Spare me blushes, someone desperate enough to lift an idea from me!  I do like the idea of a small layout which can be adapted. If you consider the time taken to construct baseboard and track, and the space needed to put it somewhere, having a layout that is changeable for different places and times will help, I’m sure, as Paltry Circus moves from the East End to Northampton.

Currently, I’ve rationalised the Washbourne line to form a base for British, American, and Continental. I like to have passenger operation, so main clash is high platform for British, (removable plug in) and rail level for the other two, then the other worry is whether the track is flatbottom or bullhead, up to you really. I’d suggest that you’d want most of the length for a passenger formation, so that one side needs to be well aligned for a platform, with room for a station building.

It takes train make ups for 42”, all well and good, but the rationalisation has left spaces for other jobs, and surprisingly, my wife is commenting that it looks bare without the other work, so her wishes being my command, I’m filling the space with a mini Washbourne, train make ups for 30” (0-4-4T + 2x 6w) just a run through and siding. Occasionally I like to show an idea with what Kevin calls a “pop up”, short train with supporting building in front of book propped open, and this layout will offer a more formal base for such goings on.

I like a scenic back, but restricting it to a neutral sky with possibly some green tree blobbery gives a satisfactory finish (see Blakeney )

My layouts are both run throughs, I did recently postulate a simple terminus with just a point for a siding, the country end being two lines disappearing behind a screen, the runround end point replaced by a sector table in a tunnel, as points are nasty expensive things which swallow up space.

544F7205-A47C-4E34-9E3E-8CFCD6EA1F05.jpeg.929b7b8d7e3d166d58c26d01a881fad5.jpeg

Edited by Northroader
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This will be terminus at home, possibly through when out visiting (using loose-lay track to make a circuit), if ever it’s safe to hold indoor gatherings again.

 

It will allow trains up to 36”, maybe 42” at a push, including loco.

 

My English station is a BL one made in the 1930s that has appeared here before, and is 34” long.

 

(Bl00dy annoying not to being able to get together with pals to play trains!!)

Edited by Nearholmer
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3 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

This will be terminus at home, possibly through when out visiting (using loose-lay track to make a circuit), if ever it’s safe to hold indoor gatherings again.

 

(Bl00dy annoying not to being able to get together with pals to play trains!!)

 

Deliberately Old-Fashioned 0 Scale Garden Railway?

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I was intrigued that on the French incarnation of your new layout, one of the buildings was marked "Station BV". DV I could understand as hoping for divine intervention to get you a nice tinplate French station building, but BV?

You could have a location for a signal box, and with suitable different inserts to hide their bases, change between Hornby and JeP ones.

I see you also have a plan for a man smoking Gauloises. If you can't find a suitable figure for that, how about one of these?

733894661_SmallDSCN0188.JPG.1d65cf1331573a5003e20d1a407ff4ae.JPG

They are Phoenix/S&D Models figures of onion sellers. The one without the bike actually has a cigarette in his mouth...

Gordon

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