Thomas, Bertie and the great race

[shaunthesheep277]

This is my attempt at the cake box challenge

I thought I'd do one for the kids and what better than Thomas the Tank Engine

I got a few pics of the net and set to work

Here is the pictures I've chosen

 

 

 

I started with the baseboard, added the track, the platform and placed Thomas & Bertie but realized there wasn't enough room for his coaches (Annie & Clarabel)

So I did a second board to see what it would look like

 

 

 

But the challenge is to fit in the box which is 8 by 8 so how could I add a second board and still fit in the box, well the box is 6 inches high and there's only two rules to know about why not use the lid too, problem solved

After a bit of working I got it to work so started to add the detailing

 

 

Here's where I'm up to now and pictures to prove it all fits in the box and more to finish on it yet

 

 

Here's how I did it, the wonders of Velcro

 

It's not finished yet, The two coaches are screwed in place so they don't fall off plus I use them to pull the board off the lid

Thomas isn't secured yet and there's a lot of empty space next to the coaches

Looking at the pictures there is a hill so I might add a bit of green maybe add a tree if it fits

So mine is 8 inches by 16 inches total space and fits in the box no problem

Looking at some of the topic posts is really quite unique to see this and I look forward to see who wins

Will be a very tough decision

 

 

[Boco_D1]

I do like this and great idea by securing the second board in the lid, clearly your a chap who played a lot Tetris in your youth to get this all to fit in the cake box

[shaunthesheep277]

I wen't to Warley this year and had a long good chat with Phil (at least I think it was Phil) and it feels now like a grey area having the second scene Velcro to the lid

I don't think it is cheating, I thought it is was a good idea at the time but now isn't sure

The lid does sit on the box and measures six inches but now it's unclear

I'll try and get a shot of the whole thing in the box with one side cut away or clear to see through just to show it fits

anyway whole year yet will make another one for sure

[Hroth]

As far as loopholerry goes, you could say that its two separate scenes, each in their own cakebox which, when taken out, form a harmonious whole.

 

It might work, OTOH it might not.... 

[davefromacrossthepond]

As long as you have fun with it, then you win!

[shaunthesheep277]

Well I think I'm finished so here is some more pics

I had to swap Thomas round to the lid because of weight issues but it looks like it's worked out well

 

Oh and I took a selfie of me holding the lid with the second board sticking to it

I must say it sticks very well and I've giving it a good shake to check

I don't think it's cheating just ingenuity

[Phil Parker]

I wen't to Warley this year and had a long good chat with Phil (at least I think it was Phil) and it feels now like a grey area having the second scene Velcro to the lid

I don't think it is cheating, I thought it is was a good idea at the time but now isn't sure

The lid does sit on the box and measures six inches but now it's unclear

I'll try and get a shot of the whole thing in the box with one side cut away or clear to see through just to show it fits

anyway whole year yet will make another one for sure

It was Phil. As I said, there are grey areas, or loopholery (excellent word!) and it will be up to the voters ultimately.

[shaunthesheep277]

It was Phil. As I said, there are grey areas, or loopholery (excellent word!) and it will be up to the voters ultimately.

Never any good with names, brain like a sieve

[shaunthesheep277]

I have submitted my entry but I forgot to add the link for my entry to this page hopefully they'll know and look this page up

I'm not expecting anything but it will be interesting to see who wins

[Andy McV]

Entry received with thanks, Shaun. Nice work, and I'm already singing the theme tune!

[BritishGypsum4]

I'd call it ingenuity. Ultimately I always have held the belief that model railways are a compromise with space and we all do our best to fit as much in as possible at times.

That's half the fun and challenge

[Londontram]

Sorry abuse of the rules. Every one else interpreted the rules as a model or display that would fit in the "footprint" of a cake box.

What is it they used to say?

"It's just not cricket"

[BritishGypsum4]

Depends on how you look at it.

If nothing is said about using the roof then what does it matter?

It still fits inside the box.

From my point of view (someone who views models with appreciation of time and effort put in) I like to see how people have solved puzzles and challenges.

I sometimes struggle to think "outside the box" when it comes to some solutions, so seeing the cake box challenge models is great. Same with the Ferrero Roche diorama challenge of the past.

 

Maybe the judges might stipulate next year that the lid is left untouched?

[Knuckles]

Liking what I see.

 

It fits in the box...nuff said.

[Hroth]

Imagination and ingenuity are some of the qualities that make up good modelling. For example, with folding wings (like a carrier aircraft), the same footprint could be made to "fit inside the box" as a whole.  Given that, I've no problem with putting a panel in the lid, provided it all fits within the 8x8x6 box.

[009 micro modeller]

Imagination and ingenuity are some of the qualities that make up good modelling. For example, with folding wings (like a carrier aircraft), the same footprint could be made to "fit inside the box" as a whole. Given that, I've no problem with putting a panel in the lid, provided it all fits within the 8x8x6 box.

While I agree about the ingenuity, and there’s some great modelling here, I think the problem is where to draw the line. If you made inch thick 8x8 boards you could put six in the box that unpacked to make a fairly large layout (for example).

[Dan Griffin]

I think its within the rules. Its inside the cake box which was the brief

[Hroth]

While I agree about the ingenuity, and there’s some great modelling here, I think the problem is where to draw the line. If you made inch thick 8x8 boards you could put six in the box that unpacked to make a fairly large layout (for example).

Could be interesting...  Like the GMRC, I feel there will be some tightening of the rules for "Cakebox 2" if it takes place.

 

I hope it does!

[Bergmann]

I think the vote has gone and what the future holds, we will see. If it looks good, I don't care how the result is generated, from me also a Pup Up 3D diorama. But it should already convince in terms of design and the real size should be clearly recognizable. The question is to comply with the operational diorama or the packaged diorama. I had no way at all to get a cake box others didn't even bother to show the model together with the Cake Box. The statement remains: What the viewer likes is allowed. Only I think I don't like it when all sorts of things haven't been heeded.

Edited November 3, 2018 by Bergmann

[BritishGypsum4]

While I agree about the ingenuity, and there’s some great modelling here, I think the problem is where to draw the line. If you made inch thick 8x8 boards you could put six in the box that unpacked to make a fairly large layout (for example).

Very true but there wouldn't be much in the way of buildings etc on the boards so would look a bit plain perhaps?

 

Unless someone decided upon T scale!

[shaunthesheep277]

I did ask Phil and Andy the year before about loop holes they both said there was a few which were worth exploring with that in mind I thought I'd have a go see what happens

I've put my entry in it's up to the voters to choose and at the end of the day it was fun to built and it was a change of pace

I put my vote in which was very difficult to choose just three out of 45ish and I look forward to the result

Hoping they'll have another one next year

[009 micro modeller]

Very true but there wouldn't be much in the way of buildings etc on the boards so would look a bit plain perhaps?

 

Unless someone decided upon T scale!

I was kind of thinking of this post from the original thread:

 

No, the diorama has to fit into the box with the lid on. No bits sticking out the sides (I show how I avoid this in the magazine article). We'd accept a little rule bending with a tall building that splits for the lid to fit, but only just.

 

If we allowed models that could be packed up into the box, someone could chuck the trains and track from a substantial N gauge layout in and enter, that's not the idea. Eventually, I'd like to see some of these models gathered together at a show in the future, easy if they are all the same size but impossible if people are spreading out everywhere.

 

Big scale though - certainly - I'm planning a garden scale scene in the future and have already started work on a 7mm one.