rmwsn Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 This picture is from The Encyclopedia of Model Railways, but the text does not identify it. I wonder if anyone knows. Could it be Don Jones? 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckymucklebackit Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Yes - I can confirm that it is, there was a similar photo in the Railway Modeler article about his layout. Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmwsn Posted June 18, 2017 Author Share Posted June 18, 2017 This picture is from The Encyclopedia of Model Railways, but the text does not identify it. I wonder if anyone knows. Could it be Don Jones? Thanks - that is one busy layout ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Brit70053 Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 18, 2017 If my memory serves me at all, Birmingham New Street was the subject of this fantastic layout which featured in Railway Modeller too many moons ago. Regards, John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2017 I had that book as a kid and used to drool over that picture! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishmail Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 I too remember having that book many years ago, not sure what happened to it. I think I first saw that layout in Model Railway Constructor, was a good representation of Birmingham NS with extensive fiddle yard as shown in the pic on post 1. There was also a good bit of garden running too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 I'm another one who received that book as a youngster. In fact that was the book that persuaded me that kit building wasn't as hard as it looked due to it having a step by step build of a Keyser Kit Princess. Christmas money went on a Ks Kit 14XX Autotank. Still got both. It may be a little bit dated now, but I still think it was one of the best of the general guides to railway modelling ever published. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2017 Wasn't that book made for Marks and Spencer's? There was a few good layouts in it an American interurban one comes to mind called crooked mountain lines Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 18, 2017 Wasn't that book made for Marks and Spencer's? I think the "St Michael" rather gives it away! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
90rob Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 I bought that book on 17th May, 1980. I can be exact about the date because I spent the night reading it in the labour ward with my wife waiting for our oldest son to be born. My wife was reading the other book that I picked up at the same time - the rather appropriately titled 'Ripping Yarns'.... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2017 I think the "St Michael" rather gives it away! Keith Sorry I didn't notice the bit right at the top Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium kevinlms Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 18, 2017 If my memory serves me at all, Birmingham New Street was the subject of this fantastic layout which featured in Railway Modeller too many moons ago. Regards, John Model Railway Constructor 1978 May & June for sure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Don Jones version of BNS was built in the late 70's / early 80's. As a trainee signalling engineer I helped him in a small way with his knowledge of the prototype. Sadly, the invitation to view the layout, (which I admit I was fishing for) never materialised. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2017 ISTR he had an annual open day (or weekend?) for charity but it didn't (tend to) get publicised in the model railway press. A shame as I would have liked to have seen it. Apart from New Street on one side of a large shed there was the fiddle yard (illustrated) on the other side and open running in the garden with Rugeley power station - complete with cooling towers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Harvey Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 All in standard Peco 00 Sadly Don Jones passed away a few years ago and his second wife had the complete layout destroyed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2017 Don Jones 04-09-2004 053.jpg Don Jones 04-09-2004 035.jpg Don Jones 04-09-2004 032.jpg Don Jones 04-09-2004 038.jpg Don Jones 04-09-2004 018.jpg Don Jones 04-09-2004 051.jpg Don Jones 04-09-2004 034.jpg All in standard Peco 00 Sadly Don Jones passed away a few years ago and his second wife had the complete layout destroyed. Great layout what a shame it was destroyed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Harvey Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 These were the layouts route selection & signaling boards all prototypical opperation and ALL ANALOG DC power no digital or DCC then. I spent meny a late summer evening there in my mid teens learning and driving the layout I was 48 last week. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ian Posted June 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 18, 2017 (edited) These were the layouts route selection & signaling boards all prototypical opperation and ALL ANALOG DC power no digital or DCC then. I spent meny a late summer evening there in my mid teens learning and driving the layout I was 48 last week. Wonderful stuff. I for one would be happy to see more photos if you have them or any memories that you care to share. Edited June 18, 2017 by ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brigo Posted June 18, 2017 Share Posted June 18, 2017 Thanks Pete for putting up those pictures, particularly those of the panels. Reminds me of many Summer Sundays in the late 70's I spent with Don going around Amateur Radio Rallies. They were a wonderful resource of surplus electrical / electronic components, cable, power supplies, relays, switches, LEDs, etc, all things Don needed by the tens or hundreds. Even got my arm twisted to make his heavy duty controllers. Most of Don's early locos were made from MTK whitemetal kits and he standardized on one make of power bogie for most of them, it was a 4 wheel one made by Tri-ang Hornby with knurled wheels. All bogies were powered and the same one was even used inside the bogie frames of the Class 40 and 45's. At night from the shed you could just listen to how the trains were progressing around the garden by the growling they made. Remember once a train returning with a slug across the buffers, nothing seemed to stop them. He always said he never had a problem with cats on the track when the Relco's were on. Happy days Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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