Railway Modelling Hall of Fame

[Pacific231G]

We'll probably never know for sure of course but I think you're right about the top photo being York in which case we're effectively seeing the whole of that station in the first  two photos and the block plan does include all the pointwork though not to scale. The first photo captioned "The G.N.R. model leaving King's Cross" is therefore in reality its arrriving at York from KX.

 

 

It might be quite fun to figure out just how much operation you could get out of this layout. 

 

 

 

Just for completeness here are a couple of photos of the second version of the East Coast layout which was exhibited in its U configuraton at the Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry in Glasgow in 1911. Whether the straight version ever surfaced I've no idea.

From the plan I think the upper photo is "York" and the lower one "King's Cross". What I can't figure out is the trackplan as the 6ft 9inch length  of both terminus boards simply wouldn't allow enough length for even a fairly sharp croosover with room behind it for a loco plus even three coaches.. 2" gauge is roughly three times larger in scale than 00 whiich would make the terminus boards equivalent to about two foot three inches in 4mm/ft scale. This simply isn't long enough for even the shorter main line bogie coaches of the pre Great War era so, unless either the model was operated with a lot of wrong line working which seems very unlikely or there was another crossover, the mystery continues. 

. 

By the way, the LNWR model with a train turntable each end from the same period was also 2" gauge and was also built by Bassett-Lowke in 1908. .

 

I'm very intrigued by these early working model railways but there may simply be no more information to be had.  

[ian@stenochs]

Of course there are also good modellers, who have no interest in writing about their layouts. Many articles have been written by 3rd parties, on behalf of the owner/builder.

 

Very true Kevin. Having been a modeller for more years than I care to count I know that many of the ‘big names’ are/we’re very good at absorbing innovations, ideas and techniques from others and passing them off as their own. Bit like the honour system where the M.D. gets the knighthood while the ones who did the real work go unrecognised!

 

Ian

[kevinlms]

Very true Kevin. Having been a modeller for more years than I care to count I know that many of the ‘big names’ are/we’re very good at absorbing innovations, ideas and techniques from others and passing them off as their own. Bit like the honour system where the M.D. gets the knighthood while the ones who did the real work go unrecognised!

 

Ian

I'm a member of club here and for our first exhibition, we held a modelling competition. One entrant submitted in his own name, by the then secretary, was of a trestle bridge.

 

The problem was one of the guest judges, confided with me later, to advise that this trestle bridge had actually been built by him!

 

So that was the last modelling competition we had, while the secretary was a club member. By the time he left, we just didn't bother again.

[Pacific231G]

Of course there are also good modellers, who have no interest in writing about their layouts. Many articles have been written by 3rd parties, on behalf of the owner/builder.

Hi Kevin

That's certainly true and the one long description of Maybank in MRN in 1934 was by someone else and based on a visit to it at Bill Banwell's home. Banwell and Applegate did though exhibit Maybank regularly so that was probably where it had its main influence. Equally Roye England may not have written much but it was his creation of Pendon that gave his and other's work such influence.

 

What I do find missing in magazines like Loco-Revue is that almost every layout featured is written up by a staff writer rather than by the builder. That may save authoring fees but i know from reading several modellers own accounts of their work on the equivalent forums to this one how much that policy misses out. I understand that one of the British magazines may be tending towards that approach and if so it is most regrettable. It was what people like Peter Denny, John Ahern and John Charman wrote about their work as much as their layouts themselves that inspired and influenced a generaton of modellers.

[PatB]

That LNWR layout is interesting. It explains a similar block diagram in The Model Railway Encyclopedia, which I always thought looked rather unlikely. Goes to show what I know .

[Pacific231G]

That LNWR layout is interesting. It explains a similar block diagram in The Model Railway Encyclopedia, which I always thought looked rather unlikely. Goes to show what I know .

Hi Pat

I'm not surprised you thought it unlikely. E.F.Carter's block plan (fig 8 in my edition) is as clear as mud with absurdly small turntables for the purpose. and no explanation of the track running along the back of the layout.

 

He also suggested this

 

but it seems that the turntables and traversers respectively were seen as ways of moving or reversing trains not to hold them as hidden sidings. It's interesting that in 1950 Carter, who in 1934 was the founder and until 1938 the editor of Model Railway Constructor, seemed to have never heard of hidden sidings or fiddle yards. Although The Model Railway Encyclopedia was published in 1950, has the odd reference to British Railways and acknoledges the existence of EM gauge, its contents do seem decidedly dated.  

[Nearholmer]

Most of EFC’s writings are excellent, but the odd item gives the impression that ‘churning them out’ was of higher priority than quality, but then, I’ve read that he suffered a lot of pain as a result of his war injuries, which can’t have aided concentration.

[kevinlms]

Hi Pat

I'm not surprised you thought it unlikely. E.F.Carter's block plan (fig 8 in my edition) is as clear as mud with absurdly small turntables for the purpose. and no explanation of the track running along the back of the layout.

EF Carter fig 8.JPG

 

He also suggested this

EF Carter fig 9.JPG

 

but it seems that the turntables and traversers respectively were seen as ways of moving or reversing trains not to hold them as hidden sidings. It's interesting that in 1950 Carter, who in 1934 was the founder and until 1938 the editor of Model Railway Constructor, seemed to have never heard of hidden sidings or fiddle yards. Although The Model Railway Encyclopedia was published in 1950, has the odd reference to British Railways and acknoledges the existence of EM gauge, its contents do seem decidedly dated.  

Yet Ernest F. Carter in another book, 'The Boys Book of Model Railways' (first published in 1958 - my edition was reprinted in July 1963) has very credible track plans, which are based on generic prototypical track plans (Figs 3 - 18), non of which would look out of place (except for Fig 17) on a model. More diagrams appear for signals later in the book. Some excellent diagrams on cuttings & embankments.

 

EM doesn't get a mention, but Tri-ang's TT does.

 

Much of the book holds true today, except for the Hornby Dublo 3 rail photos and the section on using batteries for controllers. But of course it is 60 years since first published.

[t-b-g]

Yet Ernest F. Carter in another book, 'The Boys Book of Model Railways' (first published in 1958 - my edition was reprinted in July 1963) has very credible track plans, which are based on generic prototypical track plans (Figs 3 - 18), non of which would look out of place (except for Fig 17) on a model. More diagrams appear for signals later in the book. Some excellent diagrams on cuttings & embankments.

 

EM doesn't get a mention, but Tri-ang's TT does.

 

Much of the book holds true today, except for the Hornby Dublo 3 rail photos and the section on using batteries for controllers. But of course it is 60 years since first published.

 

I recall reading, fairly recently, of one modeller who still runs his layout using big rechargeable batteries to provide the power. They give out lovely smooth DC, which is what most of our motors run best on.

[kevinlms]

I recall reading, fairly recently, of one modeller who still runs his layout using big rechargeable batteries to provide the power. They give out lovely smooth DC, which is what most of our motors run best on.

Well it would work, no idea how much superior - not much I suspect with modern electronics.

The question with batteries, is the safety aspect. A traditional lead acid battery, is a menace to have around & if I were an exhibition manager, I'd insist on its removal!

Other types of rechargeable batteries won't give up easily either, in the event of a short - something that model railways are prone to, unlike say a cordless drill. I'm not saying don't use them, but you do have to take precautions.

[micknich2003]

Most of EFC’s writings are excellent, but the odd item gives the impression that ‘churning them out’ was of higher priority than quality, but then, I’ve read that he suffered a lot of pain as a result of his war injuries, which can’t have aided concentration.

I believe he only had one arm.

[kevinlms]

I believe he only had one arm.

Yes, I remember reading that the first edition of the magazine (Model Railway Constructor?), almost never made it. Apparently he spent hours compiling the letterpress? and it almost slide off the bench and only just caught it. If he'd missed, he would have missed the printing deadline and that would have been the end,