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5 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Thank you very much. The main inspiration for my depot layouts is/was the big railway. I don't think anyone can disagree with the big railway being an inspiration.

 

There has been quite a lot of discussion about which layouts have influenced the folk on here. I am slightly younger than many, I do recall steam on the big railway but I was very young and never trainspotted steam locos. The layouts that have been mentioned didn't influence my modelling, not that they were in anyway bad layouts but they were from an era I didn't know. Mike Cole's Sundown and Sprawling grabbed my attention, here was a layout with locomotives I recognised, not from books but from the lineside, diesels, and they were scratchbuilt. Something no one else appeared to be doing in the late 60s and early 70s.

 

Another layout I connected with was Derek Shore's Avondale, Waterfoot and Creswell. I think it is fair to say by today's standards it was a little crude but what appealed to me was how Derek had devised his operation. I still have a copy of the November 1970 RM when Avondale was "Railway of the Month", it also contained one of Mike Cole's articles on his lovely scratchbuilt locos.

 

I think most the influential layouts that have been mentioned where not inspired by other modellers work but by what is called the national rail network.  

Thanks Clive,

 

'I don't think anyone can disagree with the big railway being an inspiration'.

 

Try writing something like that in a model railway magazine and then see the reactions from some when it's suggested that observation of the prototype is paramount in railway modelling! 

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

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6 hours ago, Clem said:

I personally found John Sutton's Southwell Central in 3mm very inspirational. I'm not sure if it's still in existence but anyone living in or around Nottingham in the late 50's early 60's will be reminded of several well known locos that seemed at the time as though they'd be around forever. John scratch built many of these old favourites to run on his very evocative layout depicting a supposed joint Midland/GC Southwell Central which exuded atmosphere of the depicted period and railway.

 

But all these remarkable modellers including a few who appear on this thread, have paved an easier path forward for us lower mortals and anything half acceptable that I achieve I am only too aware is because I've stood on the shoulders of these giants.  A most interesting discussion...

How could I forget John Sutton, Clem?

 

Thanks for mentioning him.

 

It was a privilege to photograph his Southwell Central at his home in Cambridge all those years ago for BRM. It was shot on medium-format transparency, so the images are now in BRM's archives - somewhere. 

 

I was astonished how small it was, yet, in the pictures it looked much larger (a compliment to John's modelling rather than my photography). It was so redolent of the period.

 

We chatted for ages during the session, both of us at the time being active cricketers. Despite our mutual 'loathing' of each other in that regard (he was an opening batsman and I was an opening bowler!), we got on really well. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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A wonderful "how long is a piece of string" discussion. What influences or inspires people surely also depends on their background, experience, modelling ability, existing preferences and a host of factors. How a layout is presented presented to the public makes a difference.

 

There are many wonderfully modelled layouts of all shapes, sizes, gauges, etc. Some by individuals, some by groups , a few "professionally" built. None of that matters, although it may influence your judgement as to whether it is "worthwhile" to consider it influential or significant.

 

I consider Buckingham a significant model, but it did little to influence me. Likewise Retford or many other excellent layouts. I enjoy looking at and appreciating good modelling but don't feel inspired to model the ECML because I have seen Retford on several occassions, enjoyed Tony's photos of LB, or the other large, well modelled layouts of the railways that ran up the wrong side of England (nor the one that went to the west, either).

 

Jol

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10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

 

Surely Thompson wasn't responsible for converting COCK O' THE NORTH to Right-Hand drive (picture of the P2 to the left). 

 

 

P.S. I'll be doing some more DVD footage soon, and sending you the card. 

 

There was I, thinking I was so very clever by flipping the image, cutting the nameplate out and flipping it again to get the loco to be where I wanted it to be. Foiled by the linkage!

 

Looking forward to getting the footage, many thanks.

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Inspiration comes in many forms. The Sherwood Section, for example, by today’s standards it’s modelling was crude but remains inspirational in that it was like the real railway in running a service not just aimlessly circulating trains. It was also based on a specific place, not a somewhere in xyz wishy washy idea. 

 

Those two aims remain in my layout modelling, (a) it should be set somewhere so that scenery, however basic, matches the location and (b) have an apparent purpose to it.

 

From the smallest box file layout upwards those that are convincing to me (not necessarily the best modelled although that helps) have those two elements within the core.

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22 hours ago, uax6 said:

Going off the present topic:

 

What does the crowd generally use for the colour on coupling and con rods please? I'm modelling the early LMS days up on the Highland, and pictures show that the rods are either polished or a dark colour.

What do we use for these two colours please?

 

Andy G

 

Is this the kind of thing you mean?  My attempt at oily polished steel rods - painted with a mixture of Humbrol Gloss Tan and Metalcote Gunmetal, per Martin Welch's book on weathering:

 

P1020940.jpg.5d3705e231449a9d361d8bd57213423b.jpg

 

Layouts which have inspired me include both Buckingham and Borchester Market.  I always seem to prefer termini - more interesting to operate.  So as well as the above, Dunwich and East Beds MRS Sutton-on-Sea have also been much admired.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

A wonderful "how long is a piece of string" discussion. What influences or inspires people surely also depends on their background, experience, modelling ability, existing preferences and a host of factors. How a layout is presented presented to the public makes a difference.

 

There are many wonderfully modelled layouts of all shapes, sizes, gauges, etc. Some by individuals, some by groups , a few "professionally" built. None of that matters, although it may influence your judgement as to whether it is "worthwhile" to consider it influential or significant.

 

I consider Buckingham a significant model, but it did little to influence me. Likewise Retford or many other excellent layouts. I enjoy looking at and appreciating good modelling but don't feel inspired to model the ECML because I have seen Retford on several occassions, enjoyed Tony's photos of LB, or the other large, well modelled layouts of the railways that ran up the wrong side of England (nor the one that went to the west, either).

 

Jol

 

I would agree with that entirely. I would also add that I find London Road quite inspirational when I first saw it and I hope you can see a bit of its influence on Narrow Road! A four platform LNWR terminus with a big retaining wall behind. Sound familiar? 

 

No single layout or modeller will inspire or influence everybody.

 

My thoughts were that Peter Denny and Buckingham, largely through so many articles and books, probably influenced and inspired more modellers than any other single layout. There were nearly 200 articles in total, some in Japanese, Norwegian or American magazines and the layout was featured on TV several times. If any other layout has ever reached a wider audience I would be surprised.

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Wonderful to see so many good photos of layouts, all of which have been inspirational to many. I'd agree with Jol Wilkinson that it's a "how long is a piece of string " discussion, but great fun none the less.  With many modellers the biggest influences tend to be those of their modelling formative years, hence for me Buckingham and Borchester particularly inspired, with their focus on operation. David Jenkinson's Garsdale Road showed you could have a main line in limited space, and I always enjoyed his writing. Later Martin Brent's Rye Harbour showed you could have an interesting layout in a small space, and inspired me to model at a time when I had very little room for a layout.

Initial inspiration though came from the real railway and the environment, urban and rural, but the layouts above helped me focus on the aspects of the railway I wanted to model. These days I don't find layouts inspirational in the same way, I know what I want from a layout now, but I am inspired by the modelling standards and techniques, and am always interested in what makes other modellers tick. Having a wide range of interests, but inevitably having to limit what I can model I have always enjoyed layouts that cover prototypes I love, but don't have the skill or time to model, Adavoyle and London Road being good examples.

Hats off to those who have modelled a prototype location, Little Bytham is wonderful and Retford even unfinished is a magnificent, but I've never had the room to accomodate a real location that would satisfy me operationally. If I did though I think I'd go for Whitland in West Wales.

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3 hours ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

A wonderful "how long is a piece of string" discussion. What influences or inspires people surely also depends on their background, experience, modelling ability, existing preferences and a host of factors. How a layout is presented presented to the public makes a difference.

 

There are many wonderfully modelled layouts of all shapes, sizes, gauges, etc. Some by individuals, some by groups , a few "professionally" built. None of that matters, although it may influence your judgement as to whether it is "worthwhile" to consider it influential or significant.

 

I consider Buckingham a significant model, but it did little to influence me. Likewise Retford or many other excellent layouts. I enjoy looking at and appreciating good modelling but don't feel inspired to model the ECML because I have seen Retford on several occassions, enjoyed Tony's photos of LB, or the other large, well modelled layouts of the railways that ran up the wrong side of England (nor the one that went to the west, either).

 

Jol

I think the first paragraph is dead right Jol. Which model most influences one depends a lot on one's preferences.

I like railway in setting (the latter as important as the former) so, fine though it was, Borchester, which seemed to be nearly all railway, was less inspiring to me.

Petherick now, I really liked. (Pendon too, of course).

Also, re the ECML, excellent railway though the LNER doubtless was,  my own preference has always been more for LMER (Light, MInor and Eccentric Railways), so I look back to things like the Madder Valley, or Tregarrick, or some of Dave Rowe's things. Light status is not essential, small rural branches with at least some surroundings are fine. (Hembourne in the current Cameo thread is nice).

Inspiration from the real thing, certainly, there's the well-known image of a well tank taking water in Pencarrow woods, or my current pin-up, Carlisle having a drink from the River Onny on that most LME of railways, the Bishop's Castle. A long way, in more than miles, from a pacific and twelve coaches on the ECML. Chacun a son gout.

SLS04-028 Taking Water from Onny 1936 between Plowden and Horderley smaller.jpg

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Hello Tony

 

Can I add a couple of layouts to your list as you seem to have not included any diesel and electric layouts.

 

First is Paul Wade's Tonbridge West Yard, it has been retired for the second time this year after being on the exhibition circuit for over 25 years.

 

Second Mick Bryant's Deadman's Lane a more recent build.

 

Both are based on real locations and both have trains that are well modelled. Paul in particular is one of the few people who can make an MTK kit look like it is supposed to. If Network Rail have painted a real life conversion yellow then Mick has also done the same conversion but in 4mm. 

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When it comes to inspiring diesel layouts there are a few that come to mind, although these do mainly sit in the British Rail period, rather than the privatisation timescale for me.
 

‘Wibdnshaw’ and ‘Hornsey Broadway’ by Kier Hardy, both can be seen on the EMGauge70s website, where there are a great many inspiring layouts to be seen and a wonderful monthly update of work in progress.

http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_index.html

 

‘Hornsey Broadway’ has a thread on RMweb -

 

Also from Emaguge70s there are:

‘Canada Street’ by Pete Johnson
http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_canada.html

 

‘Shenstone Road’ by Greg Brookes
http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_shenston.html

 

On RMweb.

‘Diesels in the Duchy’ - AKA St Blazey by 2ManySpams, wonderful details of how the building are made make this thread essential for me, as well as the wonderful finished result.
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/12234-diesels-in-the-duchy-aka-st-blazey-dcc-em/

 

‘Waverley West’, by (not surprisingly) Waverley West, so much can eb achieved with OO gauge and Peco track when good modelling is added.

 

‘New Street P4’ a must for diesel and electric lovers.
http://www.p4newstreet.com/

 

And of course ‘Bradfield Gloucester Square’, which has such an amazing sense of colour and weathering.

 

 

As for steam, many have already been mentioned but there are a few that have caught my eye.

One steam layout I particularly like was ‘Midland Muck’ built by the late Michael Ryves, this covers three of my favourite things, Midland steam, a depot and ‘mucky’ work worn locos. I think this was eventually sold.
https://www.thegoodsyard.co.uk/midlandmuck.html

 

‘Leicester South’ by Shipley MRS, always a joy to see at their exhibitions, especially the section that work with good wagons moving by ropes and turntables separate from the loco driven area.
https://www.shipleymrs.co.uk/leicestersouth

 

It would also be somewhat remiss of me not the mention the wonderful ‘Herculaneum Dock’ by Mike Edge which I was fortunate see being worked on at Leeds MRS many times.

 

Obviously ‘Little Bytham’, ‘Peterborough North’ and the fabulous ‘Carlisle’ are all hugely inspiring layouts, as is a random trawl through the layout section of the forum and a wander back though that pages of this thread.

Jamie

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I agree with all of the suggestions of "inspirational" layouts put forward; especially Buckingham, Copenhagen Fields and Totnes.

 

I would like to add the original N gauge North of England Line to this list - a great example of a club layout in N gauge. I can't speak for its replacement as I've not seen it yet.

 

http://www.sdrmweb.co.uk/NoEL_photos.php

 

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1 hour ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Hello Tony

 

Can I add a couple of layouts to your list as you seem to have not included any diesel and electric layouts....

 

We’ve had the discussion elsewhere on these forums about the relative dearth of ‘magnum opus’ layouts depicting the diesel/electric era.  I hope, and continue to believe that this will change over time, as memories of everyday mainline steam recede yet further into the annals of history.  We are now 52 years on from 1967 and those approaching retirement and considering their retirement project will increasingly have childhood memories of blue diesels, rather than transition era steam.  We’ll soon learn if this impacts on modelling trends.

 

Like others in my club, I have acquired a modest but growing collection of first generation blue diesels and matching coaching stock, albeit all RTR.  At a two-day show earlier this year, we decided we had enough between us to trial a ‘blue diesel day’ on the Sunday, rolling the timescale of ‘Old Elms Road’ forward just ten years from 1960-65 to 1970-75.  Much of the layout’s infrastructure was still era-appropriate, as were many of our rakes of freight stock.  Response from the public was very complimentary, and encouraging enough to make us think seriously about doing it again.  We even had requests to run specific classes for viewers, though some were genuinely unaware of the incongruity of their request for a Deltic running on the Western region!  

 

Despite the obvious level of public interest, for now though, there are still relatively few 32 foot long exhibition quality layouts graced with the omnipresence of blue era diesels, or later: you can probably count them off on ones fingers.  For now, modern image seems to be most associated with the ubiquitous Uber-noisy diesel MPD, most shows having at least one.  I hope this does develop into something more mainstream, moving forward, it will be good to see!

 

Phil.

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52 minutes ago, Chamby said:

 

We’ve had the discussion elsewhere on these forums about the relative dearth of ‘magnum opus’ layouts depicting the diesel/electric era.  I hope, and continue to believe that this will change over time, as memories of everyday mainline steam recede yet further into the annals of history.  We are now 52 years on from 1967 and those approaching retirement and considering their retirement project will increasingly have childhood memories of blue diesels, rather than transition era steam.  We’ll soon learn if this impacts on modelling trends.

 

Like others in my club, I have acquired a modest but growing collection of first generation blue diesels and matching coaching stock, albeit all RTR.  At a two-day show earlier this year, we decided we had enough between us to trial a ‘blue diesel day’ on the Sunday, rolling the timescale of ‘Old Elms Road’ forward just ten years from 1960-65 to 1970-75.  Much of the layout’s infrastructure was still era-appropriate, as were many of our rakes of freight stock.  Response from the public was very complimentary, and encouraging enough to make us think seriously about doing it again.  We even had requests to run specific classes for viewers, though some were genuinely unaware of the incongruity of their request for a Deltic running on the Western region!  

 

Despite the obvious level of public interest, for now though, there are still relatively few 32 foot long exhibition quality layouts graced with the omnipresence of blue era diesels, or later: you can probably count them off on ones fingers.  For now, modern image seems to be most associated with the ubiquitous Uber-noisy diesel MPD, most shows having at least one.  I hope this does develop into something more mainstream, moving forward, it will be good to see!

 

Phil.

 

When we first exhibited Deepcar the intention was to change the era somewhat across a two day show. Starting with black EM1s and 2s, and a few steam locos gradually moving forward to green electrics with diesels and finally to blue class 76s.

Not sure if it qualifies for your criteria though as it's only 26 feet long, that being the length of the longest space in the clubrooms at the time, even then we had to rearrange a partition wall to fit it in.

It only took a short time to realise this wasn't really practical, as with most new layouts there were teething problems and constantly changing the stock definitely didn't help.

As a majority of the group were aligned to the blue era, due to my age and location I'm about the only one can remember regular working steam, we soon decided to concentrate on the blue era and so it has stayed pretty much. My few black and green EM1s get a run out occasionally covering for failures, mostly wheel cleaning.

Our first show was in 1991, most recent being Ruddington last weekend and Stafford earlier this year. It should be going to our spring show next year and has a couple of further enquiries, one in particular looking at 2021, the 40th anniversary of closure of the line.

As a club we also own Carstairs, which is about the same age as Deepcar, although that is undergoing major alterations including a complete rewire for DCC control and under the guidance of a younger group of members may move forward a little from its original timescale to include sectorisation liveries.

 

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1 hour ago, Chamby said:

 

We’ve had the discussion elsewhere on these forums about the relative dearth of ‘magnum opus’ layouts depicting the diesel/electric era.  

 

Mostyn is an obvious example which hasn’t yet been mentioned.

 

Back in the steam era, I can’t believe that The Gresley Beat hasn’t been mentioned. For me, it’s layouts like that, LSGC and Grantham which I can watch for hours and I regard as truly inspirational.

 

Andy

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3 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

.....................

 

And, I've had a go at one or two on LB this afternoon.

.....................

977490381_B12underbridge.jpg.0f4cbe12a0ee23feb96456e8347d5665.jpg

 

Moving on to underneath the other overbridge on the MR/M&GNR section, the 'Leicester continues westwards. What views like the ones above illustrate are the ridiculously sharp curves going on/off stage to/from the east/west section. I don't think I'll carry on with photography from these sorts of angles! 

 

......................

 

Tony, It occurs to me that even if you had modelled LB in EM gauge, the extra 1.7mm between the Rails still wouldn’t visually compensate for the overhang on curves this tight, certainly from this angle.....  taking the shot from further inside of the curve might reduce the effect?

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3 hours ago, Chamby said:

 

We even had requests to run specific classes for viewers, though some were genuinely unaware of the incongruity of their request for a Deltic running on the Western region!  

 

 

What's wrong with a 55 on the WR?

 

35834346511_dea5bfd3b1_z.jpg55003_Paddington_12-10-75 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

6355251769_253f6c3438_z.jpg55003_Tilehurst_12-10-75 by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

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30 minutes ago, Chamby said:

 

Tony, It occurs to me that even if you had modelled LB in EM gauge, the extra 1.7mm between the Rails still wouldn’t visually compensate for the overhang on curves this tight, certainly from this angle.....  taking the shot from further inside of the curve might reduce the effect?

Phil,

 

The angles in the pictures were all I could get, given the space restrictions. 

 

As I said, I'll not be taking any more shots from such viewpoints. They're awful!

 

It convinces me even more of the highly-unrealistic situation where 90 degree curves appear going on/off scenic sections on what purport to be main line depictions. It's a compromise I'm prepared to accept on the MR/M&GNR, but certainly not on the ECML.

 

Regards,

 

Tony.  

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A few months ago Tony constructed a Class A7 4-6-2 for me. Inspired by the "have-a-go, you might be surprised" encouragement I have so often seen on these pages I decided to paint and weather it myself. I also coaled it and added a ModelU 3D printed crew. I took the photograph below and showed it to Tony first. He kindly suggested I should also weather the motion, which I have now done, and post the photo here. I promised Tony I would take a video of the loco in action and, after posting it on YouTube, I would also add it here. It is just a short 3 minute video of the loco running on our club layout which is still under construction. I absolutely adore the design of the prototype and I am so pleased to have added this superbly built model to my fleet. Thank you Tony.

 

The eagle eyed amongst you may note a raging continuity error in the video. Enjoy it anyway.

 

 

IMG_1356.JPG

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10 minutes ago, Manxcat said:

A few months ago Tony constructed a Class A7 4-6-2 for me. Inspired by the "have-a-go, you might be surprised" encouragement I have so often seen on these pages I decided to paint and weather it myself. I also coaled it and added a ModelU 3D printed crew. I took the photograph below and showed it to Tony first. He kindly suggested I should also weather the motion, which I have now done, and post the photo here. I promised Tony I would take a video of the loco in action and, after posting it on YouTube, I would also add it here. It is just a short 3 minute video of the loco running on our club layout which is still under construction. I absolutely adore the design of the prototype and I am so pleased to have added this superbly built model to my fleet. Thank you Tony.

 

The eagle eyed amongst you may note a raging continuity error in the video. Enjoy it anyway.

 

 

IMG_1356.JPG

Thanks Archie,

 

She appears to run well. And, it's DCC!!!!!!!

 

You've made a lovely job of the painting and weathering.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

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I carelessly ignored Narrow Gauge in terms of inspirational layouts.  P.D. Hancock's Craig & Mertonford must have inspired many to model in OO-9.  This and the Dovey Valley Railway, I found inspirational and they encouraged me to collect a few OO-9 models (that and a holiday visiting most of the Great little Trains of Wales in a week).  Although it's definitely of the "rabbit warren" style, each little cameo on the DVR appeared quite separate from the next so created the impression of a real railway (for me) and captured the character of the Welsh narrow gauge.

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