Jump to content
 

Frankland: N gauge Southern Railway

Southernboy

By Southernboy,
in Layout topics

 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Gold
Mikkel

Mikkel

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

Just been through your thread for the third time today. Apart from the brilliant modelling it seems to me you have re-defined what a thread is. That's interesting in itself, I think. (what to call a mix between thread and a blog - a throg? :mail: ).

 

The presentation issue is always tricky, I think, because it can easily become superficial and glitzy and distract too much from the modelling (or lack of it!), but everything is just right here. That's really inspirational.

 

Oh and I know we're not supposed to think like that, but when I see the statue of Alderman Frankland and the Walkers shop and trees and spaciousness on top of the Hill, well then dammit I can't help thinking "I want one of those too!".

 

The only bit where I feel less enthusiastic is the Fulk Bros shop. I don't know what it is but there is something about the look and feel of the place that makes me wonder where they get their meat...  :mosking:

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Gold
pirouets

pirouets

Posted
  • RMweb Gold
Posted

Oh crap. Seeing the trees outside the semi is getting me thinking again about how well my home made tree's are coming together. On the other hand that is what this place is all about.

 

Love the story telling for the thread. On the buildings, just how much dry brushing was involved to get to that look? Was it a basioc was to get the mortar in, and the the bricks dry brished?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Southernboy

Southernboy

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Many thanks again for further comments - I feel quite flattered by so many responses!

 

10800

"The road puts me in mind of Dog Kennel Hill, down which my father slid backwards several times (in the top deck of a tram) in icy weather."

Scary!! I guess that's another good reason for having the tracks quadrupled and strict operating rules in place!

 

cromptonnut

"I don't know if you've ever come across Urban75... "

Thank you - I have seen that forum and found the old photos of Brixton both fascinating and inspirational. One of my favourite images are those of the area opposite the Town Hall in Edwardian times when there was an extensive ornamental garden there.

 

Will J

"It would be interesting to see how your approach to detailing enhances the graceful Union Mills T9, but you seem to have enough on your plate creating a world for it to travel though."

A very good question indeed ...

First up I have a dilemma about headcodes: If I go for recognisable headcodes then that puts my trains on an identifiable route ... but Frankland is not on an identifiable route ... so what do I do? Make up my own for an alternative reality? That is my inclination.

 

Secondly: Prioritities:

Railway modelling is one of those areas in life where the more you learn the more you realise there is yet more to learn:

Carpentry / soldering / electrics for starters

Proper signalling / train formations / correct loco head codes

Building structures (requiring research / learning painting and weathering techniques)

On another forum someone asked when I would put people on my layout: I want loads of them, a rush-hour crowd on station platforms and in the trains ...

 

But all these things take time (and like most people I work)... So where in that massive list of things I really want to get on with do I put headcodes??

 

That is not a rebuff to your very valid question ... but more about the dilemma in my head about how and when I fit in all the things I want to do in the time I have available.

 

I'm in total awe of those who's layouts seem to just fall into place day-by-day. I don't know how they do it! (but wish I was one of them!)

 

Apologies if that's a circumnavigation of your question - I'm probably rambling - it's just you touched on a question very much in my mind at the moment.

 

Mikkel

I particularly appreciate your comments as 'The Farthings Layouts' have been an inspiration to me in both quality of modelling as well as the 'story telling'. Thank You.

 

pirouets

"On the buildings, just how much dry brushing was involved to get to that look?"

Probably a good two or three hours dry-brushing in all if you include not just brick work bit all the other details too such as shop fronts and roof tiles etc.

Edited by Southernboy
  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites
Black Sheep

Black Sheep

Posted
Posted

 

A very good question indeed ...

 

Secondly: Prioritities:

Railway modelling is one of those areas in life where the more you learn the more you realise there is yet more to learn:

Carpentry / soldering / electrics for starters

Proper signalling / train formations / correct loco head codes

Building structures (requiring research / learning painting and weathering techniques)

On another forum someone asked when I would put people on my layout: I want loads of them, a rush-hour crowd on station platforms and in the trains ...

 

But all these things take time (and like most people I work)... So where in that massive list of things I really want to get on with do I put headcodes??

 

I was wondering earlier while the wife was watching tv and I was plotting my next move layout wise if you had populated the layout with figures at all, somehow Frankland does not look eery or strange without people on the layout, just looks normal but quiet as though people are busy elsewhere.

 

I guess the road vehicles do help give a bit of life to the scene.

 

Personally I would put headcodes down the list after creating the world through which the train runs, unless seeing it without drives you at some point to do something about it.

 

I have to admit, my method of working is to grubby up mineral wagons before running them, all other stock is clean, then scenic and then weathering when clean stock looks wrong. I don't get as far as headcodes!

 

Just remember rule 1: it's your layout, I for one am grateful to see glimpses of it :)

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • RMweb Premium
Claude_Dreyfus

Claude_Dreyfus

Posted
  • RMweb Premium
Posted

I have checked, but cannot see any reference to these in the Q&A...

 

"Next onto the part I was most excited about - the pilasters - they are quite exquisite. I've had them for ages and have been really looking forward to making use of them".

 

Are/were these commercially available, or are they another example of your workmanship?

Link to post
Share on other sites
cromptonnut

cromptonnut

Posted
Posted

I have checked, but cannot see any reference to these in the Q&A...

 

"Next onto the part I was most excited about - the pilasters - they are quite exquisite. I've had them for ages and have been really looking forward to making use of them".

 

Are/were these commercially available, or are they another example of your workmanship?

 

Interesting, I was just about to ask the same question as I could use a few myself...

Link to post
Share on other sites
Southernboy

Southernboy

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
The pilasters come from Scalelink.co.uk

 

£5.04 for a pack of six.

 


 

It was just one of those items you see in a catalogue, and determine that one day they will be used :)

 

 
Edited by Southernboy
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
cromptonnut

cromptonnut

Posted
Posted (edited)

Fantastic, thankyou.  I have some of the DPM building kits but things like the pilasters - where they are obviously still around - will aglicise the buildings even more, and make them different from everyone else that uses them on their layouts (unless of course they're reading this thread!).

 

Modern examples are shown here from Atlantic Road, Brixton: http://www.urban75.org/brixton/photos/atlantic-road-2008.html

 

Edit: Your link didn't work but the ref is SLC093 and this link should work: http://www.scalelink.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2escalelink%2eco%2euk%2fcgi%2dbin%2fss000001%2epl%3fpage%3dsearch%26PR%3d%2d1%26TB%3dA%26SS%3dpillaster%26ACTION%3dquick%20search&WD=pilaster&PN=Scenic___Scale_1_152__N_%2ehtml%23aSLC093#aSLC093 there's some other interesting items on there.

Edited by cromptonnut
Link to post
Share on other sites
Southernboy

Southernboy

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)
Thank you cromptonnut:

I've noticed a few times recently that URLs I post on RMWeb get messed up - it seems this website adds additional code which servers can't make sense of. At least it seems to happen to me!  

 

Thanks for your relink that works :)

 

Hmmm, and now I'm getting error messages saying that 'Your reply to this thread is empty'. Most bizarre!  I'm going to try a different browser.

 

Ok, Safari works ... Firefox is the problem.

Edited by Southernboy
Link to post
Share on other sites
Baby Deltic

Baby Deltic

Posted
Posted (edited)

Just a note about the backscene. I notice you have Battersea Power Station on there. If this layout is set in the 1930's, only Battersea 'A' existed which was half the building with a chimney at either end. The 'B' station wasn't completed until the mid 50s, meaning it had the third and fourth chimney added gradually after the war.

 

http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/bps-two-chimneys-11th-may-34.jpg

Edited by Baby Deltic
Link to post
Share on other sites
Southernboy

Southernboy

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Hello Baby Deltic,

 

I think you are referring to this picture ... (??)

 

Frankland-Zones.jpg

 

In this case the image is more of a rough draft of a backdrop to illustrate broadly what I had in mind rather than the definitive article.

But I'm reconsidering the idea of a fixed backdrop in favour of a large, movable, more generic 'screen' that can be placed behind any part of the layout - the layout is on wheels so can be viewed from all four sides - and so I'm thinking something moveable makes more sense than a fixed backdrop to two sides only.

 

As a kid I used to see Battersea Power Station from trains into Waterloo and was totally in awe of it's majesty. Later I read about it's construction and operation, so was aware of the evolution of the chimneys - but thanks for mentioning it because I may not have known! :)

Edited by Southernboy
  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites
L49

L49

Posted
Posted

I do wish your layout was exhibitable. This really is some of the best architectural work I've ever seen on a model railway, especially in 2mm scale. I absolutely love the new parade of shops. I used to go past the prototype if I was travelling into central London for work, and I always thought that they would make a gorgeous model. I love the way you have done the painted adverts and signs on the wall, and the shop interiors are absolutely exquisite. Truly inspirational!

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites
bmthtrains - David

bmthtrains - David

Posted
Posted

I'd almost forgotten about the railway itself! Now I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you do with the stations.

 

And that final shot in the video with the train on the viaduct and the tram passing in the street in the foreground - utterly superb, I think you've surpassed Copenhagen fields as the greatest n gauge layout...

 

David

Link to post
Share on other sites
Black Sheep

Black Sheep

Posted
Posted

I'd almost forgotten about the railway itself! Now I'm very much looking forward to seeing what you do with the stations.

 

And that final shot in the video with the train on the viaduct and the tram passing in the street in the foreground - utterly superb, I think you've surpassed Copenhagen fields as the greatest n gauge layout...

 

David

not meaning to be trite, but I have to agree, I'd make a special effort to see Frankland at an exhibition, more so than copenhagen fields (which I am yet to see)

 

I didn't realise that one side of the cutting and viaduct was still awaiting treatment as the eye is drawn so much to what has been done.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...