Wright writes.....

[robertcwp]

31 minutes ago, Leander said:

The postwar LMS corridor stock, which immediately pre-dated the Portholes, introduced the intermediate door style.

Although the only post-war BFKs were the 15 porthole ones.

[Clive Mortimore]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Tongue in cheek, Andrew,

 

But how can Tebay compete with Retford as to 'the greatest model railway ever'?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Both wrong by a long shot. This was the bestest model railway, Pig Lane by me.

I might be a tad bias with my idea of the best ever layout, but for me I enjoyed making it, operating it, fixing it, exhibiting it and seeing my mates having fun with it.

Edited January 11, 2021 by Clive Mortimore

[woodenhead]

The big turn off for me on any layout is when it is a selection of cliches, a lot of very large layouts can fall into this category to cram as much in as possible.

 

I prefer layouts that have a semblance of prototype - so Wibdenshaw, London Road, Buckingham, Hope under Dinsmore, Bradfield Gloucester Square and such like fall into this category, or proper prototypes like Copenhagen Fields, Lime Street, Retford etc.  I also like nice and simple layouts as long as the stock matches the theme and can spend ages watching engines shunt around a small layout.  I find the ultra modern image layouts the most difficult, some do it well, but a lot fall back into BR mode with large traction collections and engine sheds crowded with locos by a terminus station - the only places I am aware of crowded with locos now are Toton (mostly out of use?), Leeds Midland, Carlisle and Crewe Gresty.  All of these are out of sight of a station, the rest of the locos are scattered to where they operate from - I might be wrong but if I took a trip from Manchester to London via Crewe the only time I would see a largish group of engines would be those awaiting their next train at Willesden yard.

 

It also applies to my own layouts, and I'll admit I've struggled for years because the layouts have really tried to be more than one thing and it doesn't work well - you pick your period, you pick your location, you build a model to fit that and try not to divert - well that is what I am attempting.  So this time I have found a station I can build from - Chester Northgate as a BR blue secondary terminus - DMUs and parcels trains and some loco hauled passenger regional services.  It doesn't have a freight depot or an odd set of sidings serving no purpose other than to shunt wagons, I will have a minimal stabling area like the old Warrington Arpley where a few locos may sit about for a short while in overgrown sidings.

[Beechnut]

20 hours ago, sandra said:

Tony,

Thanks for letting me have the V2 and the Ivatt 4MT. The V2 is fine but the 4MT has given problems but these have now been resolved and it works very well.

Here’s a photo of them passing on the GN main line just north of the station.  The V2 is on a down parcels train and the 4MT is on an up fitted goods. You can see I haven’t fitted lamps yet. The problems with the 4MT were due to the pickups. It has plunger pickups on the loco and these are useless. I’ve wired the loco and tender together so it picks up current from the tender. I will probably put it on a goods on the GC section as a number were allocated to various Lincolnshire sheds. The funny thing about this model is that it looks better in reality than it does in photographs.

The V2 runs beautifully and is a much needed locomotive on Retford, I haven’t decided what train it will run on permanently but I think possibly the  

Scotch goods.

Here’s another recent addition to Retford, it’s an A2 60539 Bronzino which I have just built from a DJH kit. It needs a few details to be added and it’s far too clean so it needs weathering, particularly the valve gear. 
 

I will make a donation to CRUK for the Ivatt 4MT.
Sandra.

Yes, the plunger pickups, way too much friction. I was hoping Tony would dispose of them.

 

Brendan

[Headstock]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Tongue in cheek, Andrew,

 

But how can Tebay compete with Retford as to 'the greatest model railway ever'?

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

Good evening Tony,

there isn't a greatest model railway, only for the individual. The first time I saw Tebay, my jaw dropped, I was staggered, it had an aura, a power, an emotional wallop that is the hardest thing to build into any model railway. How do you do that, were is the step by step guide? Now you will remember the real Retford with nostalgia, I never saw anything of Tebay, I'm far to young and I lean more towards the LNER than the LMS. Yet I come away from that layout, convinced in my heart, that I was there and I saw it all.

 

The heart is the thing, if a model railway can reach that deep then it transcends the technical, the superficial and a 30' by whatever boundaries.  It's easy to forget that Tebay was a club layout, like Leicester after  and Evercreech before it. There was no 'Avengers assemble', of the great and the good of model railways. They were just a bunch of chaps from down the road but not mere technicians, they enthused it with a bit of poetry and a bit of art and created lightning and a band of brothers. Fitting for a location that summons up eternal primordial battle of humanity against the power of nature on those Northern Fells.

Yet, before the muscles snap and all is lost on that doubtee hill, in dashes the cheeky little North Eastern, its pugnacious antics snapping at the heals of the lumbering giant. All is Shakespearian in its bold stories, its light and shade and drama.....

 

 What's more it could pick up it legs and come to a town hall or sports centre near you. 

That's why Tebay was the greatest model railway of all time, at least in my heart.
 

[Beechnut]

20 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Thanks for posting these images, Sandra.

 

I'm glad the V2 and the Ivatt 4MT work fine (after you'd sorted the latter). 

 

As I said, I was only able to test the locos on a yard of EM track, but running them on Retford will find any glitches. 

 

You need not make a donation for the Ivatt. I've already done so, and Beechnut (Brendan) must be thanked again for giving it the first place (there you are, Brendan; what better a home for your creation than the famous Retford?). As I said, I gave it to you as a subsequent gift.

 

Some readers might not know the origin of the V2. It was built/painted, originally in OO by John Houlden for use on his Gamston Bank. He made it from Comet/DJH/scratch/DMR bits.

 

After Gamston was burned, he lent it to Roy, who built EM frames for the loco/tender, and it ran on Retford until Roy's death. It was then taken back and given to me for helping John with selling his Gamston stock. I then built OO frames for it and sold the EM ones to a friend. What's that about God and plans? 

 

Seeing the need for V2s on Retford (and my having over a dozen), my friend gave me the EM frames back (asking nothing back in return - thanks Ray). I then rebuilt it using Comet motion, Markits wheels and a lovely big DJH motor/gearbox, retaining the OO chassis for when (or if)) it ever returns to LB. So, you can say it's a triple hybrid; bodywork by John Houlden and running gear by the great man and me. I'm delighted it works so well, but with its 'Jackson' pedigree, I'm not surprised. Quite what happened to John's original OO V2 chassis, nobody seems to know..................

 

BRONZINO looks good.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Yes Tony, after seeing Retford all those years ago at Expo EM North I never for one second thought that anything I’d built would be running on it, especially as I was more of an LMR fan. Anyway, great to see it in action and maybe one I’ll get to see it in the flesh.

I used enjoy talking to Roy when he was demoing at shows, we were/are both ex CEGB employees and I knew a few of his West Burton colleagues.

 

Cheers

 

Brendan

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, Beechnut said:

Yes, the plunger pickups, way too much friction. I was hoping Tony would dispose of them.

 

Brendan

Good evening Brendan,

 

I don't think the plunger pick-ups gave too much friction; their contact was (is) too intermittent. 

 

As it is now, with the leads from the tender pick-ups soldered in place (not reliant on the weeny split-pins), Sandra reports that it now works fine - a combination of both.

 

I've never had any success with plunger pick-ups (despite the sales' propaganda) and have only tried to use them once (and never again!). I've had a couple of locos through my hands (built by others) which were fitted with plungers, and I've replaced them or supplemented them. 

 

Regarding visits. The invitation to see Little Bytham is a given and I'm sure Sandra will extend an invitation for you to see Retford (and your creation running on it) when we return to a semblance of 'normality'. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Theakerr]

For those who are inspired by this thread to build locomotives, a couple of things that might be useful but i have not seen posted before.  The first, which I have been using for years, is getting the axles to turn freely in frame brass bushings.   For the most part I am able to build a chassis where I can get the opposing bushings true such that the axles goes in and turn but sometimes one or more are very stiff.  To make them free turning, I put a good quality 1/8" drill bit in my vertical drill press, turn the drill on and run the 'problem' bushings up and down the bit rotating the chassis at the same time.  It may not be for the purist I find it is more effective than my 1/8" reamer.  Just do a little bit at a time though.  The second item relates to the Nu-Cast J6 I am building.   I had noticed that the centre wheels after installation of the bushings were a bit higher than the two outer wheels (Approx 0.15 to 0.2mm)  I did not worry because a) I thought the amount was small and b) it eliminated any possibility of rocking.  Axially they were true as best I was able to measure.  However, when trying to install the coupling rods, I just could not eliminate just a little 'sticking', not much but enough to bug me.    After much frustration I decided to lower the centre wheel bushings, especially  because I could sort of visualize how a height difference could increase the effective rotational length of the crank pins.  It was a pain but it worked. 

[Tony Wright]

2 hours ago, woodenhead said:

The big turn off for me on any layout is when it is a selection of cliches, a lot of very large layouts can fall into this category to cram as much in as possible.

 

I prefer layouts that have a semblance of prototype - so Wibdenshaw, London Road, Buckingham, Hope under Dinsmore, Bradfield Gloucester Square and such like fall into this category, or proper prototypes like Copenhagen Fields, Lime Street, Retford etc.  I also like nice and simple layouts as long as the stock matches the theme and can spend ages watching engines shunt around a small layout.  I find the ultra modern image layouts the most difficult, some do it well, but a lot fall back into BR mode with large traction collections and engine sheds crowded with locos by a terminus station - the only places I am aware of crowded with locos now are Toton (mostly out of use?), Leeds Midland, Carlisle and Crewe Gresty.  All of these are out of sight of a station, the rest of the locos are scattered to where they operate from - I might be wrong but if I took a trip from Manchester to London via Crewe the only time I would see a largish group of engines would be those awaiting their next train at Willesden yard.

 

It also applies to my own layouts, and I'll admit I've struggled for years because the layouts have really tried to be more than one thing and it doesn't work well - you pick your period, you pick your location, you build a model to fit that and try not to divert - well that is what I am attempting.  So this time I have found a station I can build from - Chester Northgate as a BR blue secondary terminus - DMUs and parcels trains and some loco hauled passenger regional services.  It doesn't have a freight depot or an odd set of sidings serving no purpose other than to shunt wagons, I will have a minimal stabling area like the old Warrington Arpley where a few locos may sit about for a short while in overgrown sidings.

However, the 'cliche' type of layout seems to be popular at shows.

 

I'll explain, if I may, please? It's my privilege (or has been) to be a judge at several shows. At one in 2019, there was a large layout which featured a blazing building in a street parallel with and adjacent to the station. I thought it was absurd, even ludicrous, not least because the station was still crowded with passengers. The proximity of the conflagration would surely have resulted in the station being closed and any services suspended. Even if were not, surely waiting passengers would have been looking at the fire. Yet, the front of the layout was always packed with spectators, mostly families, with excited children pointing at what was going on. My judging colleague and I awarded it the prize for the 'most entertaining layout'. Which it was, though most 'enthusiasts' wouldn't have given it a second look; which rather asks the question 'What is the demographic at 'general' (even if large) shows?'. No such layout would be invited to a 'specialis/society' show, surely?

 

I personally cannot stand cliches on layouts. I've mentioned this before but the list might include..........

 

A church, with a wedding or a funeral taking place (or both!). 

A road traffic accident, with flashing, emergency lights.

Roads up, with even more lights.

A foxhunt in an adjacent field.

A crashed plane. 

A pub brawl.

Marching bands.

Cricket matches being played on a postage stamp.

Football matches being played on an even smaller stamp.

Revolving windmills (in post-steam days).

Buildings on fire.

 

My list is small; I'm sure others could add to it.

 

Chester Northgate? As a Cestrian, might I ask are you using it as a guide for your model? At the time the station closed and was subsequently demolished, green DMUs were still in evidence, and loco-hauled trains were a distant memory. Freight facilities were also non-existent. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

14 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

For those who are inspired by this thread to build locomotives, a couple of things that might be useful but i have not seen posted before.  The first, which I have been using for years, is getting the axles to turn freely in frame brass bushings.   For the most part I am able to build a chassis where I can get the opposing bushings true such that the axles goes in and turn but sometimes one or more are very stiff.  To make them free turning, I put a good quality 1/8" drill bit in my vertical drill press, turn the drill on and run the 'problem' bushings up and down the bit rotating the chassis at the same time.  It may not be for the purist I find it is more effective than my 1/8" reamer.  Just do a little bit at a time though.  The second item relates to the Nu-Cast J6 I am building.   I had noticed that the centre wheels after installation of the bushings were a bit higher than the two outer wheels (Approx 0.15 to 0.2mm)  I did not worry because a) I thought the amount was small and b) it eliminated any possibility of rocking.  Axially they were true as best I was able to measure.  However, when trying to install the coupling rods, I just could not eliminate just a little 'sticking', not much but enough to bug me.    After much frustration I decided to lower the centre wheel bushings, especially  because I could sort of visualize how a height difference could increase the effective rotational length of the crank pins.  It was a pain but it worked. 

In the hundreds of chassis I've made, I clear all the driving axle bearings with a one-eighth taper reamer, fixed into a tap wrench, using just my hand. The taper automatically means it's centred and a perfect working clearance is obtained. 

 

I have to say I've not encountered the latter problem you describe, and I always make the centre bearings a bit higher. Why not just extend the centre hole in the coupling rod a wee bit northwards? 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[woodenhead]

6 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

My list is small; I'm sure others could add to it.

 

Chester Northgate? As a Cestrian, might I ask are you using it as a guide for your model? At the time the station closed and was subsequently demolished, green DMUs were still in evidence, and loco-hauled trains were a distant memory. Freight facilities were also non-existent. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

You've quite a few of my cliches there too.

 

Northgate is very much in the spirit of, using the general trackplan of the station and the destinations (within reason give it is post Beeching).  I saw the plan in a CLC signalbox book and was immediately drawn to it - a small terminus in the Northwest which could send trains in several directions (Wales, Liverpool and to the east via Manchester or Stockport) and very much a real Minories without it being cliched.  I wanted a railway where DMUs, 24/25s and 40s were the main traction - what I saw mainly when a spotter in Manchester.

 

I do feel a tad guilty I've added a fourth platform face, the real station only having the three - I will see how it goes.

[micklner]

16 minutes ago, Theakerr said:

For those who are inspired by this thread to build locomotives, a couple of things that might be useful but i have not seen posted before.  The first, which I have been using for years, is getting the axles to turn freely in frame brass bushings.   For the most part I am able to build a chassis where I can get the opposing bushings true such that the axles goes in and turn but sometimes one or more are very stiff.  To make them free turning, I put a good quality 1/8" drill bit in my vertical drill press, turn the drill on and run the 'problem' bushings up and down the bit rotating the chassis at the same time.  It may not be for the purist I find it is more effective than my 1/8" reamer.  Just do a little bit at a time though.  The second item relates to the Nu-Cast J6 I am building.   I had noticed that the centre wheels after installation of the bushings were a bit higher than the two outer wheels (Approx 0.15 to 0.2mm)  I did not worry because a) I thought the amount was small and b) it eliminated any possibility of rocking.  Axially they were true as best I was able to measure.  However, when trying to install the coupling rods, I just could not eliminate just a little 'sticking', not much but enough to bug me.    After much frustration I decided to lower the centre wheel bushings, especially  because I could sort of visualize how a height difference could increase the effective rotational length of the crank pins.  It was a pain but it worked. 

I would not advise anyone to modify bushes in the way you describe.

You have zero control over the way the drill is rotating in the bush , as a result you get a oval hole, which will also not be inline with the bush oppositte. It is also very dangerous practise, the drill or bush could come  loose, the drill could also snap ,and you are looking at a potentially serious injury to yourself or anyone else nearby.

Use the reamer that is what they are designed for, smoothing and slghtly opening the bush to the correct size, and ensuring the holes remain inline.

 

Lowering the bush in the frame , good luck with your method (  whatever it is)  the chance of them again being inline with the other wheels   and level is remote at best.

[micklner]

13 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

However, the 'cliche' type of layout seems to be popular at shows.

 

I'll explain, if I may, please? It's my privilege (or has been) to be a judge at several shows. At one in 2019, there was a large layout which featured a blazing building in a street parallel with and adjacent to the station. I thought it was absurd, even ludicrous, not least because the station was still crowded with passengers. The proximity of the conflagration would surely have resulted in the station being closed and any services suspended. Even if were not, surely waiting passengers would have been looking at the fire. Yet, the front of the layout was always packed with spectators, mostly families, with excited children pointing at what was going on. My judging colleague and I awarded it the prize for the 'most entertaining layout'. Which it was, though most 'enthusiasts' wouldn't have given it a second look; which rather asks the question 'What is the demographic at 'general' (even if large) shows?'. No such layout would be invited to a 'specialis/society' show, surely?

 

I personally cannot stand cliches on layouts. I've mentioned this before but the list might include..........

 

A church, with a wedding or a funeral taking place (or both!). 

A road traffic accident, with flashing, emergency lights.

Roads up, with even more lights.

A foxhunt in an adjacent field.

A crashed plane. 

A pub brawl.

Marching bands.

Cricket matches being played on a postage stamp.

Football matches being played on an even smaller stamp.

Revolving windmills (in post-steam days).

Buildings on fire.

 

My list is small; I'm sure others could add to it.

 

Chester Northgate? As a Cestrian, might I ask are you using it as a guide for your model? At the time the station closed and was subsequently demolished, green DMUs were still in evidence, and loco-hauled trains were a distant memory. Freight facilities were also non-existent. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

The first problem for your view Tony is that is a " show"

People come to a show to be entertained and large fires et al are there because most people going to a show expect that kind of entertainment, especially people with children.

The vast majority of people going to a show have zero interest in the right scale , right colours ,working signals, timetable etc  etc , they simply want to enjoy a day out.

The people who are interested in correct scale etc  etc would normally be the ones seen at FinEscale exhibitions not shows as you describe them.

Edited January 12, 2021 by micklner

[Northmoor]

35 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

However, the 'cliche' type of layout seems to be popular at shows.

 

My list is small; I'm sure others could add to it.

 

As well as your list Tony, I get the impression a lot of layouts (including a fair few which are exhibited) are actually copies of other layouts from magazines rather than replicas of real locations - which to be fair, very few of us have space to achieve - or fictional locations using (compressed) real track layouts.

 

Clive M created one of the first really well researched (though fictional) diesel depot layouts about 25 years ago and look how many copies it's spawned.  Ian Futers' Lochside is another that has been much copied (and rarely credited), although to be fair Ian Futers built multiple versions of very similar layouts himself!  As for all the (far too small) versions of Ashburton......... At least those were all believable; I long ago lost count of the number of less-believable small termini surrounded by retaining walls and entered via a tunnel, with kick-back sidings adjacent to the tunnel.

 

RM's Plan of the Month used to have lots of good ideas to inspire people, but some of them I used to look at and wonder if the author had actually measured their own drawing.  There was definitely one where a multi-track line was curved such that the outside track would have been almost 1st radius.  Reversing loops of 18" radius seemed particularly popular.

 

Rob

[westerner]

I would disagree with your last Statement. I'll go to small village hall type shows to keep the hobby visible in places where people may not be able to go to the larger exhibitions. Occasionally  you will find a gem. Also at exhibitions such as Spalding You will see all sorts of layouts and all sorts of visitors from young families having a day out to skilled modellers looking at excellent layouts.

[Tony Teague]

Well obviously the biggest cliche of all would be to have trains running on the tracks..................

 

But what it is worth remembering, is that probably the largest & most visited model railway globally is called Miniatur Wonderland in Hamburg, and it certainly contains every cliche there ever was - but millions visit it and love it. Some of the visitors may even be enthusiast modellers:

 

 

[t-b-g]

Why do "proper modellers" have to look down their noses and come over all "superior" about people who choose a different path in the hobby?

 

I took a layout to a show once and the cup for the most popular layout voted by the members of the public went to the sort of layout being discussed. All the cliches and then some. Yet it was the most popular layout in a show that had a full range of layouts of all types, periods, areas, scales and quality levels.

 

A few "serious" modellers were downright upset. I just smiled and thought to myself that if the people behind the winning layout had enjoyed building it and the public enjoyed seeing it, then I couldn't see why anybody should have a problem with that.

  

 

 

 

[sandra]

Tony,

I have more news of the Ivatt 4MT. I tried it today on the GC. However it didn’t want to go round the bends at either end although it had been fine on the GN. It transpired that the wheels on the pony truck were fouling the guard irons. So after they were straightened she has worked very well and I have placed her on a short GC goods train.

Here she is on the GC section with this goods train.

Here she has just crossed the flat crossing heading east and is passing another goods waiting to go west.

The V2 is now hauling the 15.05 Kings Cross to Niddrie goods (Scotch Goods). I’m sure a V2 did sometimes haul this train but I suspect it was more usually a pacific but she has no trouble hauling this long train and I think she looks the part.

Here’s the same train heading under the bridge at Babworth. It’s passing the new Crossing Keepers cottage. There was a level crossing at this point but the crossing was replaced in the 1930s by the bridge shown here.
 

The Crossing Keepers cottage was recently sent to me by Chas Dougan. Some years ago Roy had persuaded Steve Turnbull to build the cottage but unfortunately Steve died before he finished it. Chas has now finished it and he has very kindly passed it to me. He has finished it very well and I’m very pleased to have it on Retford. Roy had a particularly vivid term to describe our Scottish friends which I will not repeat. It’s alright,  they knew what he called them  and they didn’t seem to mind.

Sandra

[johndon]

49 minutes ago, t-b-g said:

Why do "proper modellers" have to look down their noses and come over all "superior" about people who choose a different path in the hobby?

 

I took a layout to a show once and the cup for the most popular layout voted by the members of the public went to the sort of layout being discussed. All the cliches and then some. Yet it was the most popular layout in a show that had a full range of layouts of all types, periods, areas, scales and quality levels.

 

I've been to more than one show where the Thomas the Tank Engine or Lego layouts have won the most popular vote, kids love them, parents love them so it's no wonder they win...

 

[Clive Mortimore]

8 minutes ago, johndon said:

 

I've been to more than one show where the Thomas the Tank Engine or Lego layouts have won the most popular vote, kids love them, parents love them so it's no wonder they win...

 

I was helping a mate with his layout, it came second to the LEGO layout. He was not happy.

 

What is the term.....goes something like this...... "the will of the people" ....I think.

 

You can attend a show one year and even the Dads want to see the trains crash into each other, that is their idea of playing trains. Go back a couple of years later and you spend all day talking to boring puffer nutters whoops fellow railway modellers.  Each show is different, the paying punters all have their own expectations, their own likes and dislikes. When I go as a visitor what I want to see and what I come home having enjoyed seeing can be totally different.

[john new]

19 hours ago, westerner said:

I would disagree with your last Statement. I'll go to small village hall type shows to keep the hobby visible in places where people may not be able to go to the larger exhibitions. Occasionally  you will find a gem. Also at exhibitions such as Spalding You will see all sorts of layouts and all sorts of visitors from young families having a day out to skilled modellers looking at excellent layouts.

There are many reasons for going to those over and above seeing friends etc., just three:-

1. a badly done, but good idea, can still be interesting, perhaps even inspiring new thoughts for you.
2. Beginners layouts enable beginners to think I can do that too.
3. IF, you think you could/can do better it may send you away to have a go at trying to do better.

I hope over the years I have progressed in skills and knowledge a little bit beyond basic but at times I get boggled by the level of knowledge some people on here know about the minutiae of aspects of workings, stock dimensions, types and diagram numbers etc., etc. Plus the watchmaking skills they bring to making things. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by john new
typo ago to a go

[john new]

26 minutes ago, johndon said:

 

I've been to more than one show where the Thomas the Tank Engine or Lego layouts have won the most popular vote, kids love them, parents love them so it's no wonder they win...

 

I can’t remember the year but one year I was on the SLS stand at Warley, and when I looked back at the show in memory a few days later, of the other stands only the always impressive G1 live steam and the Lego trains had made any impression. There are a lot of extremely well made, but samey clone layouts around currently.

[Coach bogie]

6 hours ago, woodenhead said:

So this time I have found a station I can build from - Chester Northgate as a BR blue secondary terminus - DMUs and parcels trains and some loco hauled passenger regional services.  It doesn't have a freight depot or an odd set of sidings serving no purpose other than to shunt wagons, I will have a minimal stabling area like the old Warrington Arpley where a few locos may sit about for a short while in overgrown sidings.

I believe the station roof on the final version of Denny's Buckingham is based on Chester Northgate.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Woodcock29]

At the annual Adelaide Model Railway Exhibition there are two main awards:

One by popular vote by the public and

One voted by a group of judges

 

Its not very often that the one layout wins both but sometimes the winner of one is 2nd or 3rd in the other category. Last time (2019) I think the popular vote may have gone to the Lego layout - it certainly polled well if my memory serves me right but it wouldn't have got any placing by the judges!

 

My fictious home layout (still very much under development scenically) fits the category that Tony Gee likes to operate as its designed as an operators layout but it is still a roundy-roundy so I can just run trains whilst I'm out there modelling something (in fact I can run 5 continuously as its two layouts in one really (like LB but they're not at 90 degrees to each other). I hate to think how many real miles some of my locos may have covered - they're the kit built ones and my favourites otherwise they might have failed by now. When I have operators around its theoretically possible to operate 9 locos independently and its not DCC. I would need at least 6 operators to run 9, preferably 7 operators.

 

I'll try to take some photos that show the design of the layout as I don't have a decent track plan - would take too long to draw up properly.

 

Andrew 

[St Enodoc]

14 hours ago, john new said:

I often don't notice the trains on it the scene is so enthralling

Are you sure it's not because they're so bl00dy small?