MRJ 262

[2ManySpams]

As an aside I think Richard's modelling is very inspiring. It has a sense of place and time, a soul and heart, and is full of everyday life.

 

I've seen St Merryn in the flesh and also have the book. By contrast with Richard's work I found St Merryn a little clinical and sterile. I love the railways of North Cornwall but if you remove St Merryn's typical NCR station building and signal box you'd find it difficult to place the layout in North Cornwall IMO.

[Craigw]

As an aside I think Richard's modelling is very inspiring. It has a sense of place and time, a soul and heart, and is full of everyday life.

 

I've seen St Merryn in the flesh and also have the book. By contrast with Richard's work I found St Merryn a little clinical and sterile. I love the railways of North Cornwall but if you remove St Merryn's typical NCR station building and signal box you'd find it difficult to place the layout in North Cornwall IMO.

 

So, apparently it is bad for MRJ to publish a letter that makes comment about the accuracy of something published in MRJ, yet at the same time as you complain about that you think it is fine to criticise the layout built by the group the letter writer is part of.

 

Doesnt that seem just a little inconsistent ?

 

Craig W

[LBRJ]

So, apparently it is bad for MRJ to publish a letter that makes comment about the accuracy of something published in MRJ, yet at the same time as you complain about that you think it is fine to criticise the layout built by the group the letter writer is part of.

 

Doesnt that seem just a little inconsistent ?

 

Craig W

 

I don't see any inconsistency whatsoever...

Now you mention it, I think the St Merryn layout is not really a lot like anywhere in North Cornwall, and I am very familiar with the locale, though some depth of scenery beyond the railway fence would no doubt help set the scene geographically somewhat better. I do recall that the rather lovely Wanborough Camp from the same group had a particularly fine hedgehog in the lane though

[2ManySpams]

So, apparently it is bad for MRJ to publish a letter that makes comment about the accuracy of something published in MRJ, yet at the same time as you complain about that you think it is fine to criticise the layout built by the group the letter writer is part of.

 

Doesnt that seem just a little inconsistent ?

 

Craig W

Where did I complain about the MRJ letter or say it was bad for it to be published? With regard to St Merryn I made it clear that I was expressing a personal opinion. Technically as a modelling exercise St Merryn is great, I just don't think it does the 'sense of place' thing particularly well. Other opinions are available and equally valid if that's what the viewer believes.

 

There's a whole lengthy thread on here which discusses technical excellence vs 'soul'. Primarily about D&E layouts but I think the base argument is equally valid about steam too. I'm surprised it hasn't been locked yet but I think the main gist is that there are some very fine, very accurate layouts which, in concentrating too much on technical detail (particularly of locos), miss the human touch. Obviously nobody can agree on a single point of view, that's to be expected as we're all different.

[Compound2632]

On another tack, most of the advertising space is taken up with full-pagers for Railex, ExpoEM and Scalefour North, so the by now customary advert for a certain forthcoming wagon book is conspicuous by its absence.

[Tricky]

I always knew there was something dodgy about flashing.

[Osgood]

.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Osgood

[Worsdell forever]

On another tack, most of the advertising space is taken up with full-pagers for Railex, ExpoEM and Scalefour North, so the by now customary advert for a certain forthcoming wagon book is conspicuous by its absence.

 

It also means 'Tina gets another showing...

[2ManySpams]

It also means 'Tina gets another showing...

She's such a tart! ;-p

[autocoach]

And here my 261 just arrived today on these far flung former Spanish Colony's shores.....(I live in the Contra Costa of San Francisco bay.)

 

I have had them come in as little as 3 days from Nigel Bird but of late the international post is far slower. Checking it for subversive material from the UK?

[Andrew Young]

Picked up a copy yesterday. Another good one!

 

Orford is a delight, the sort of layout that gets you thinking about what you can fit in the space you’ve got... the fact that there isn’t a plan helps with the illusion, a case of leaving the reader wanting more. Though from the photosand writing, it’s fairly easy to work out the layout, and reminds me a bit of the 7mm scale version of ‘Darenth’ that appeared in MRJ many moons ago.

 

How to articles by Messers Gravett & Welch are always a must read for me too. Shall see what the other pages have to offer shortly...

 

Andrew

[2ManySpams]

Finally had chance to read 262 - cracking edition IMO, best for ages. Lots of informative practical articles.

 

Orford looks great. Gordon's road surfaces article and Martyn's wood painting are interesting and will be useful.

 

Very interested in the Flockbox Fusion, looking at static grass from an alternative direction. Good to see MRJ embracing new technology with the 3D printing article.

 

I thought Barry Norman did a great job as editor last time too.

[johnarcher]

Finally had chance to read 262 - cracking edition IMO, best for ages. Lots of informative practical articles.

 

Orford looks great. Gordon's road surfaces article and Martyn's wood painting are interesting and will be useful.

 

Very interested in the Flockbox Fusion, looking at static grass from an alternative direction. Good to see MRJ embracing new technology with the 3D printing article.

 

I thought Barry Norman did a great job as editor last time too.

I agree, it's a very good issue andtThose are mostly the highlights for me too (though I doubt that I'll get my ageing and Luddite head around the 3D article). I'm just about to get on and read it, but I have had an admiring look at Orford - a reminder of how good 7mm can look even in a smallish space, tempting.

(To cover the other aspect of MRJ threads - bought today, Smiths in Hereford, ther's several left).

[Siberian Snooper]

Finally got me mits on a copy yesterday, just need too sit down and read it, but a quick flick through, proved it will be an interested read.

[Horsetan]

The lathe work on the wheels of the WD 2-8-0 is what interested me....

[John_Hughes]

The lathe work on the wheels of the WD 2-8-0 is what interested me....

 

 ...especially the confession of where it all went pear-shaped before coming out beautifully right in the end. How often such foul-ups happen to all of us!

[Andrew Young]

Have found myself going back to look at Orford two or three times. Wonder whether MRJ 263 will include a letter pointing out the derailment on pages 82/83...? Doesn’t detract from an otherwise stunning model and an inspiration of what can be achieved in such a small space.

 

Andrew

[Jol Wilkinson]

Have found myself going back to look at Orford two or three times. Wonder whether MRJ 263 will include a letter pointing out the derailment on pages 82/83...? Doesn’t detract from an otherwise stunning model and an inspiration of what can be achieved in such a small space.

 

Andrew

 

Possibly because the scene was staged and the stock had been pushed/placed by hand. The usual "the camera sees what the eye doesn't notice".

[2ManySpams]

Possibly because the scene was staged and the stock had been pushed/placed by hand. The usual "the camera sees what the eye doesn't notice".

I thought exactly the same. Having had several layouts photographed for mags you don't actually run the layout. It's normally more a case of placing stock where the photographer wants it. Moving things around by hand can end up with some continuity issues such as the middle axle of the coach being off.

 

Amazing though how you spot in photos what you don't see first hand on the day. On seeing the results of one of our shoots in print I noticed straight away that two wagons had no lettering on them - Doh!

[Robin2]

I guess JMW Turner would never have had his masterpieces published in MRJ as they would not have had the right number of rivets. 

 

There is more to life than fine detail.

 

...R

[Bernard Lamb]

I guess JMW Turner would never have had his masterpieces published in MRJ as they would not have had the right number of rivets. 

 

There is more to life than fine detail.

 

...R

 

Turner however was a master with a pencil and his drawings of buildings in Venice for example depict every brick.

If you ever get a chance to see some of his notebooks rather than the more usual finished paintings then take it.

I am sure they would get the nod from any MRJ editor if he were still around to submit them.

Bernard

[NHY 581]

A good issue. As others have said, Orford is lovely whilst the weathering and doing articles are very good. Mr Gravett's article is very timely indeed as I was londering this very subject for my next project.

 

 

Rob.

[Jol Wilkinson]

 

There is more to life than fine detail.

 

...R

That is the remit of the RTR frother, who knows the finest details of every prototype loco, carriage, etc. because they don't waste their time making anything.

[LBRJ]

That is the remit of the RTR frother, who knows the finest details of every prototype loco, carriage, etc. because they don't waste their time making anything.

 

I never understand this attitude.

There is far more to creating a convincing model of a railway in its environment that making a few items of rolling stock to run on it - Especially when the quality of so many current diesels is so high to start with.

Creating the surrounding woods, fields,waterways and built environment (Those being the things that are essential to get right to set the scene correctly) to the same standard as an out of the box SLW class 24 is a pretty large exercise in creativity by anyone's standards.

[Horsetan]

....Creating the surrounding woods, fields,waterways and built environment ..... to the same standard as an out of the box SLW class 24 is a pretty large exercise in creativity by anyone's standards.

 

By that token, you need to find RTP scenery to match the RTR stock, no?