Black Sheep Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I've been following and mooching through a few layout topics recently and one thing that keeps cropping up is the placement of cars on some amazingly good layouts (I'm not targeting anyone here, merely trying to inform the general mass of RMweb) with the one exception of cars being used being from another period to the rest of the layout. The main interloper being the humble Morris Minor, this vehicle is one that has been around since the dawn of time, or so it would seem, and it along with other classic vehicles are, thankfully, still to be seen on our roads. Unfortunately there is not a very big time window in which a Morris Minor would be seen alongside pre-nationalisation, having been launched in 1948 (and would be the early split screen with headlights mounted just above the bumper, not up in the wings) and the Pick up, van and estate not arriving until 1952. With regards to ready to place vehicles from the likes of Oxford Diecast we've never had such detail on our vehicles, and they are great to use straight from the box, or do a little bit of detailing work on them, however, they also guide the viewer of a layout, along with the railway stock being run, into guessing the time frame in which a layout is set. Unfortunately for me, most of Oxford's N range is only suitable for post ww2, I guess that's down to private motoring not being as affordable until after the war. Thankfully, the production dates of a vehicle is something that can be easily checked up on, even if you were too busy 'bashing' sheds to pay much attention to car makes and models. Most vehicles have a listing on wikipedia (I know wikipedia isn't infalable) which will normally be acompanied by photographs of how the vehicle changed over it's production run allowing you to date the vehicle you're contemplating placing on your layout. I hope that this helps people to keep pushing the high standard of modeling that is showcased on RMweb. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Good thoughts there. It can be even more obvious with buses, not only time traveling designs, but out of period liveries and some apparently very lost drivers! The NBC leaf-green (1970s livery) 'London Country' Routemaster (1960s design) on a layout set in the 1930 being a classic example seen recently at an exhibition... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merfyn Jones Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 My pet subject the railway vehicles. Three manufacturers at least have made Morris Minor vans in two BR liveries. These can be seen on many layouts. But have you ever seen any on BR ? One layout features a 2000 style Transit in BR yellow livery ! Moan over. Merf. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfwit Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 See also the coil sprung Land Rover, introduced in 1984, but seen on many steam era layouts. Coilers are most easily recognised by the one piece windscreen and grill flush with the headlights (earlier leaf sprung Landies had split screens and the radiater grill set back). As for those soft top series 3 leafers seen on layouts in railway or Police liveries... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wamwig Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 And here is a time travelling Morris Minor, from Ice Cold in Alex http://pics.imcdb.org/0is407/cap033wd0.1342.jpg WW Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 See also the coil sprung Land Rover, introduced in 1984, but seen on many steam era layouts. Coilers are most easily recognised by the one piece windscreen and grill flush with the headlights (earlier leaf sprung Landies had split screens and the radiater grill set back). As for those soft top series 3 leafers seen on layouts in railway or Police liveries... On the same vein, Series 1 land rovers on pre nationalisation layouts.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted April 5, 2012 Author Share Posted April 5, 2012 I did think about including the Land Rover in the original post but decided to keep it to one example of a vehicle so as not to confuse people. I do find it harder to date buses and comercial vehicles as that falls outside of my usual interests. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I do find it harder to date buses and comercial vehicles You could try asking them if they would like to go for a meal or to see a movie. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Similar problem out here. At a model exhibition, there was a beautiful layout (can't recall a name) based in the 1980's, but in a garage of one of the houses sat a modern Mini Cooper! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 How about an Edwardian layout with a DeLorean crashed into a Police box? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
69843 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Technically, this could be correct, because being a Time Machine, it isn't OUTATIME (http://collider.com/wp-content/image-base/Clubhouse/B/Back_to_the_Future_Delorean/Back%20to%20the%20Future%20Delorean%20Time%20Machine%20slice.jpg)! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Are we now veering off the road and about to crash in to the Cliches thread?? (with out of era police cars featuring flashing lights, naturally? ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted April 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2012 Oh male hen! (as James May would say) I have a Lotus Elan on Summat Colliery, not introduced until at least 1962 and Summat is 1958. I'll look for the rift in the space time continuum next time the Crosti 9F gets near it .......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted April 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 5, 2012 And here is a time travelling Morris Minor, from Ice Cold in Alex http://pics.imcdb.or...033wd0.1342.jpg WW And the Land Rover to its right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I agree with the comments about vehicles out of time. It was mentioned above but the thing that really bugs me about road vehicles is that when "out of the box" they look out of place, especially on a weathered layout. Their gloss needs toning down at the very least, but some basic weathering around the wheels and chassis is also in order. Road vehicles tend to take a very distant back seat on many layouts I think. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted April 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 5, 2012 Is this ok? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Their gloss needs toning down at the very least, but some basic weathering around the wheels and chassis is also in order. Road vehicles tend to take a very distant back seat on many layouts I think. John I agree, a quick spray of matt varnish soon transforms them Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Delamar Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 road furniture should be carefully looked at too, and such things as double yellow lines and white lines. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I've posted this before http://www.cbrd.co.uk/ for loads of info on roads and street furniture Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Is this ok? Works for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I agree, a quick spray of matt varnish soon transforms them I would add this: After varnishing, airbrush some acrylic black over the vehicle. After a short while take some IPA or ammonia based window cleaner (Windex in Canada) and "wash" it using Qtips (cotton buds). Work some of the black into door crevices etc. You can wash off as much or as little black as you want consistent with vehicle condition. At the risk of getting off topic similar principles hold for those prepainted figures. A black wash will enhance facial features and creases in clothing. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 Agree about out of the box road vehicles, my list of minimum jobs to do: - Tax disc - cut part of the point of a cocktail stick, dab it in white point and tocuh the screen. For commercials, same but with green for O licence disk - Number plates - some still come without, many out of the box HGV models still don't have rear marker plates, but they have been around since the late 60's. - Weathering - as mentioned by others - Wing mirrors - Etched mirrors (Jim Smith Wright does some) or make your own. A Morris minor on Pallet Lane has a coat hanger arial added which was made from the wire stripped out of a freezer bag tag - A driver - unless the vehicle is parked Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted April 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 5, 2012 I'm having a Moggy on my modern layout, because I've got a real one......... (Although it does need making roadworthy at the mo - modelling is getting in the way................) Cheers, Mick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bedding Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 Back in history, I had two moggies. Both 1000's, a saloon was traded in for a woody. That in turn was traded up as the family enlarged. So, although I share the sentiment regarding the correct vehicle for place, purpose and period, I have a Pocketbond Traveller to sneak in somewhere on the layout to please my personal eye. That in turn raises a related thought. If I am to enjoy my own scruples regarding accuracy, I also draw breath at the inferior accuracy of some of the 4mm r-t-p castings. On this point, I think Pocketbond sometimes have a slight edge over Oxford Diecast. Pocketbond's Vauxhall 10, Ford E83W, the Moggie and others are all exemplary. A pedant's delight might be Oxford Diecast's Alvis Speed 20. As far as I can tell, the Cross and Ellis tourer body is as near correct as one could wish, so why front it with a Speed 25 radiator shell! (Google image will reveal all). But if OD should maintain the standard of their Mechanical Horse, and Srs 1 Landy, then they will be above criticism. I have been admiring the publicity images of the EFE Bedford OB in Southern Vectis colours. It too, looks perfect as a model, but as Era 4 it would be out of place on my Era 3 layout. I want one, but my reason for not buying one, though, is the price. For less than that outlay I can have a matched pair of Bedford OWBs in the correct Era 3 livery (Southern National) and correct for a west country setting. Fortunately the choice continues to improve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted April 6, 2012 Share Posted April 6, 2012 At the end of the day on a model railway, a loco, coach, wagon, station building, car, bus or lamp post are all still just one thing - models! I approach all of them the same way, same research, same attention to detail and same 'work from a photo of the real thing taken at the time the layout is set'. But then for me the modelling is everything, the 'having' is nothing. With that in mind I don't actually see a lot of difference between these... ...this... ...these... ...or these! Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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