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The Osney Story: 0 Gauge Cameos and Dioramas


rcf
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Cracking modelling all round..........I have just read through the whole thread this evening. I sympathise with your desire to 'automate' coupling and uncoupling, as it is something that I eventually sorted in 4mm scale and was considering it for 7mm. But father Christmas has already told me he is not delivering the Dapol wagons if i am going to fit 0 gauge Kadee couplings!  :(

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Cracking modelling all round..........I have just read through the whole thread this evening. I sympathise with your desire to 'automate' coupling and uncoupling, as it is something that I eventually sorted in 4mm scale and was considering it for 7mm. But father Christmas has already told me he is not delivering the Dapol wagons if i am going to fit 0 gauge Kadee couplings!  :(

 

Thanks for your comments, greatly appreciated. I am an avid follower of your threads, always 'a must go to' moment when I log in to see the latest developments. My shunting pole has arrived, which I hope will solve my problems, as I do prefer the look of the three links. Haven't tried it yet as I have just spent 4 days on the road, travelling from one end of the country to the other and back, and trying to avoid the snow. Back safely now, so I can start to experiment. Watch this space.

 

Regards Rob

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  • 2 months later...

There has been little to report since my last post as I have been waiting for my new baseboards to arrive. There has, however, been much mental planning, principally regarding a back scene. In the past I have relied on a plain painted back scene to represent the sky but I have been considering other options, either painting a more elaborate scene or using a photographic background. Some of the available photographic options are very effective and look good when the foreground is well blended and the layout is viewed from one position but I do have a problem with these when seen from an angle. I haven't made any decisions yet but will need to reach a decision soon.

 

The baseboards have now arrived after a little wait, but I knew there would be a delay when ordering. They are certainly a great deal better than my own carpentry efforts could have made and I am pleased that I went down the professional route.

 

What I have are two 450x750 mm boards comprising the scenic section and a traverser also 450x750mm. These are quite small boards but as I get older I find that carrying anything larger up stairs and through doorways gets increasingly more of a pain and as I like to be able to carry the boards myself and not have to rely on someone else to assist I have opted for this size which will give me an overall scenic section of 18inches x 5 feet, in old money, or almost that . I also have to consider what will go in the car when travelling to exhibitions.

 

This size will concentrate the mind when building the layout and decisions will have to be made on what to put in and what to leave out but I am really looking forward to the build.

 

In my last post I said the shunting pole had arrived and I would be testing it out in due course. Well it really works well and has persuaded me that shunting might be possible, although whether that would apply to exhibition conditions with an audience, I don't know! I think one needs to perfect the right technique. At the moment with only limited trials it is difficult to carry out the coupling and uncoupling without the wagons moving slightly which is annoying, but hopefully I can develop a way of keeping everything still, perhaps more weight in the wagons might help.

 

Well that's it for now but will report on progress in due course.

 

Rob

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello Rob

I also purchased one of the shunting poles and I like it as well, but found that the new Dapol wagons use a brass chain. So I am searching for pre-blacked steel chain that matches the Dapol one so I can change out the last link. so the shunting pole will work with them. :scratchhead:

Michael

From Canada

 

PS. Like your modeling, very inspirational  

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Hello Rob

I also purchased one of the shunting poles and I like it as well, but found that the new Dapol wagons use a brass chain. So I am searching for pre-blacked steel chain that matches the Dapol one so I can change out the last link. so the shunting pole will work with them. :scratchhead:

Michael

From Canada

 

PS. Like your modeling, very inspirational  

 

Hi Michael,

 

Thanks for your comments. I have a mixture of rolling stock and I have the same problem with some, including my Lionheart wagons, so I will be doing the same as you in due course and looking to replace them with steel. Just another little job for the future. At the moment I seem to be having trouble finding time for any serious modelling which is frustrating.

 

Regards Rob

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Hi Rob

If you come across any steel blacked chain that matches, the Dapol, Lionheart chain, could you please let me know as it is hard to find 7mm items here in Canada.

finding time for the hobby can be difficult at times. I hope you find time soon as I like to see what your next project will be.

The attached photo is my 7mm layout Gwendraeth.

Cheers

Michael

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  • 3 weeks later...

At last some positive progress and photos to illustrate the fact. The boards are basically ready apart from painting at some point and the curved backscenes are in place. Curved because I think many layouts are spoilt by that 'corner' in the sky and it seems a simple thing to correct. Rant over ,so back to business. I have taken the plunge and bought a photographic backscene of the Llanberris area which will give an impression of  height and depth  to the scene. It will be well obscured by other features in front of it so I think my earlier reservations about its flatness when seen from the side will hopefully be overcome. The station building is just parked there at the moment to give me ideas as it is far too small for this layout and a relic from an earlier incarnation of Osney. That's all for now and there might be a pause before I can report further progress as the school holidays are coming up soon and there is much travelling to do , including a visit to north Wales with all those lovely steam railways to visit!!

 

Rob

 

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Looking good Rob. I like the idea of the curve on the back scene. I tried it on Yard Shunter and a small curve on Feltham Road.

 

Hi Ray. I think it works because there is no distraction to the eye as with a 'corner' in the sky. I think its worth the effort but it does sometimes use what could be valuable space on a small layout.

 

Regards Rob 

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Hello Alan, what you could use is Flexible MDF see here >>>  http://www.bendymdf.co.uk/stockists.htm  most DIY outlets supply it.

 

Basically the MDF is cut half way through on one side in 1/2 inch stripes allowing the board to curve..

 

Best

 

EDIT: better picture off ebay >>> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-MDF-Sheets-Flexi-MDF-Bendy-MDF-Flexi-Board-Curved-MDF-6mm-/182543296032

Edited by Barnaby
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Hi Rob,

 

a promising start. I am just starting an O Gauge micro. What have you used for the curved backscene?

 

Alan.

 

Hi Alan, Barnaby is right about the bendy mdf but I have not used any. Originally I used 2mm mdf which was easier to get hold of, and scored the rear of it every half an inch or so which enabled me to bend it but this time I have used mounting card, from a local craft shop. It probably wouldn't work if I had to get it wet using , for instance, watercolour paint but as I am using a vinyl photo backscene it should be ok, hopefully.

 

Rob

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Rob very nice build so far, I will watch the further developments with interest.

 

I notice you have metal trestles for your layout build support, are they going to be permanent?

Where did you obtain them from as I'm looking for something similar as I want to be able to vary the layout height and yours look like they can be extended.

 

 

Best

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Rob very nice build so far, I will watch the further developments with interest.

 

I notice you have metal trestles for your layout build support, are they going to be permanent?

Where did you obtain them from as I'm looking for something similar as I want to be able to vary the layout height and yours look like they can be extended.

 

 

Best

 

Hi Barnaby,

 

I have used some wooden trestles for years but they were too narrow for the new boards so bought these extendable trestles from Screwfix, thinking they will be useful at home as well as for the layout. The only disadvantage I have found is that they don't fold completely flat which could be a problem with transport to exhibitions. Toolstation do something very similar and about the same price.

 

Rob

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Rob very nice build so far, I will watch the further developments with interest.

 

I notice you have metal trestles for your layout build support, are they going to be permanent?

Where did you obtain them from as I'm looking for something similar as I want to be able to vary the layout height and yours look like they can be extended.

 

 

Best

Hi Barnaby,

 

Im using those trestles too on DA, there are cheaper sources on Ebay etc., make sure that you select the HD ones.

 

I wrote an article on baseboards, trestles, paste-tables and such like for RMM, published back last September (2017) IIRC.

 

Hope that helps.

 

ATVB

 

CME

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Hello Alan, what you could use is Flexible MDF see here >>> http://www.bendymdf.co.uk/stockists.htm most DIY outlets supply it.

 

Basically the MDF is cut half way through on one side in 1/2 inch stripes allowing the board to curve..

 

Best

 

EDIT: better picture off ebay >>> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Flexible-MDF-Sheets-Flexi-MDF-Bendy-MDF-Flexi-Board-Curved-MDF-6mm-/182543296032

Thanks Barnaby. I have seen this stuff but concerned about the weight.

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Hi Alan, Barnaby is right about the bendy mdf but I have not used any. Originally I used 2mm mdf which was easier to get hold of, and scored the rear of it every half an inch or so which enabled me to bend it but this time I have used mounting card, from a local craft shop. It probably wouldn't work if I had to get it wet using , for instance, watercolour paint but as I am using a vinyl photo backscene it should be ok, hopefully.

 

Rob

Hi Rob, I have been looking at 2mm mdf but can only find small sheets locally. I will keep looking.

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Hi Rob, I have been looking at 2mm mdf but can only find small sheets locally. I will keep looking.

 

Hi Alan,  

 

I had the same problem. When I used the 2mm originally I got it from a local firm that did picture framing and it was in 4ft x 2ft sheets. They have now closed and I could only find smaller sheets after doing a quick search. Hence the move to alternatives. I also thought that the bendy mdf looked far too thick and heavy, not ideal for light weight boards.

 

Rob

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Hi Rob, I have been looking at 2mm mdf but can only find small sheets locally. I will keep looking.

Hi Alan  I got my 2mm mdf from Wickes they sell it in 4ft x 2ft or 8ft x 4ft sheets

Steve

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  • 4 weeks later...

Following the school holidays I once again have occupation of the railway room, or what others might call the spare bedroom. We have also had a few days in North Wales and managed to get a look at Dinas Mawddy which gave me a few ideas for the new Osney, although most of the buildings have now gone since I was last there, with the notable exception of the station house, which enabled me to see that my mock-up needs another gable end on the central section to give a more balanced building. Something I should have spotted from photos I already had but not checked in my rush to get something to play with.

 

Some photos then of the current state of play with the mock-ups of the proposed buildings, of which there will just be the three, the station house, goods shed and the engine shed. In real life the engine shed was serviced from the platform end, but I have no room for that ,so I have envisaged the shed facing the other way which means you will only see the back end on the layout. I am thinking about using some forced perspective on the layout  and the mock-ups of the station house and engine shed are actually built at 6mm to the foot, rather than 7mm. Iain Rice discusses this aspect in his book on Cameo Layouts and it may be a way of providing the appearance of greater depth to a narrow board. I don't know whether anyone has tried this or has any views on the subject, I know Gordan Gravett used it on Ditchling Green.

 

While some people lay their track on cork tiles you may wonder why I appear to lay cork tiles everywhere accept under the track but this is merely to raise the ground level around the track, to emphasise the age and run down appearance of the track generally. It also makes it so much easier when it comes to ballasting the track as it helps to contain the ballast.

 

Well that's progress so far,

 

regards Rob

 

 

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Nice progress! Forced perspective is easier with industrial buildings and cottages as it is often hard to judge their size (and size varies) with the MK1 eyeball...hope that helps?

 

Kindest regards,

 

CME

 

Thanks CME, I must admit I am unsure at the moment. I like the theory but these will be the only buildings on the layout and they obviously will be the focus of the whole layout. A little more thought is required and more cereal boxes cut up maybe!

 

Regards Rob

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Osney Station mark 2.  This time constructed to 7mm. I'm thinking that this will be better but it does create another problem as insufficient platform is available, so I think reduce the overall size of the building but build it in 7mm to get the balance right, which is probably what I should have done in the first place. Proves the value of card mock-ups though.

 

Rob

 

 

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Edited by rcf
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