Wright writes.....

[t-b-g]

45 minutes ago, Headstock said:

I like to go for a good silhouette and a fairly neutral pose. These are Modelu but chopped about a bit to give them some individuality.

 

 

 

You pass the Malcolm Crawley "fitness for the road" test! Crew, lamps and fire irons.

 

He used to say that without all three no real loco went out on the road and other than laziness there is no reason why a model one should either. I suppose you could get away with those locos with an enclosed fire iron tunnel but having them stacked on the tender like that does add a lovely touch.

[D.Platt]

Always makes the wife smile when she asks , what have you been doing, and I reply just amputating some arms and legs !!

[thegreenhowards]

15 hours ago, Headstock said:

Can DCC make a three cylinder jet engine sound like an A1?

 

OK, I'll rise to the bait! Of course it can. DCC sound is just recorded off the loco. So it could make exactly that sound. The problem might be fitting a big enough speaker into a 4mm loco to do it justice, but in an A1 it should be possible. It would certainly be possible in 7mm.

 

 

[Tony Wright]

Some splendid examples of model crews. Thanks to all for showing us.

 

Though 'my' creator on the layout is ModelU, none of those exquisite figures 'drive' my locos. 

 

Idleness has often dictated that I've bought my crews ready-painted, but in more recent times I've used cast figures from various sources, including the Monty's/Dart castings range. These are easily-mutilated (arms can be cut off and re-soldered into different positions) and painted. 

 

I tend to use the better-quality figures in cabs which are more open. The figures in the W1's cab are probably lick-painted oddities. Some of the pre-painted plastic figures tend to be a bit anorexic. 

 

Like these.................

 

 

I really don't know the origins of these (almost 2D) figures.

 

They're on the footplate of a Bachmann O4 which I detailed/modified/weathered.

 

 

Better seen from this angle!

 

It's no longer my property.

 

 

This is how I go about painting cast metal figures.

 

 

Soldered to a strip of scrap brass, then lick-painted to start with.

 

 

Then separated with Xurons. The bases are trimmed back later.

 

Some of the poses look a bit contrived. 

 

 

Installed on a modified Bachmann 4F. I should have been more diligent with the painting. 

 

However, in the cabs of the likes of 4Fs, on a layout....................

 

 

Just a tiny bit of a crew visible on another modified Bachmann 4F. 

 

Fire irons as well. 

 

Don't worry, that Hornby Gresley has long gone! 

 

 

The driver is clearer here on the footplate of this SE Finecast 4F. 

 

More fire irons, too. 

 

 

Where one has a really open cab, a crew is essential. 

 

One South Wales fireman looks a bit too clean here, standing on the footplate of this Brecon & Merthyr 0-6-0ST, on Merthyr Riverside. I built this from a Redcraft kit; different................

 

 

The driver is just visible through the spectacle.

 

I did a double-take before fitting the smokebox door in place! It is the right way round. 

Edited January 16, 2021 by Tony Wright
to add something

[APOLLO]

Don't forget to feed your crew Tony !

 

 

And the shovel had other uses so I believe !!

 

Brit15

[James Fitzjames]

3 hours ago, dibateg said:

I think locomotives do look better with a crew on a working layout, otherwise it looks like the runaway train.. Although figures frozen in action never look quite right. On Heyside there was a scooter rider passing over the station bridge - a couple of us didn't like it, but we didn't quite have the courage to 'accidentally ' knock him over! These characters are pre date Modelu, but I am hopeless at painting figures. They will just have to do. I'm always a bit squeamish about having to cut legs off some of the figures to fit though, maybe thats just me...

 

There I am smoking a fag on the footplate of a J94 - although I have never smoked - honest mum! Alan lived in my village for a while - which was handy. He revolutionised model figures, some of the older sculpted figures can look like monsters when they appear in blown up pictures. How we have progressed...

 

 

 

That J94 figure is great, is it available? Smoking is something we don't see half enough on steam-era layouts: everybody had a 'fag on' back in the Forties and Fifties.

[James Fitzjames]

58 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

Some splendid examples of model crews. Thanks to all for showing us.

 

Though 'my' creator on the layout is ModelU, none of those exquisite figures 'drive' my locos. 

 

Idleness has often dictated that I've bought my crews ready-painted, but in more recent times I've used cast figures from various sources, including the Monty's/Dart castings range. These are easily-mutilated (arms can be cut off and re-soldered into different positions) and painted. 

 

I tend to use the better-quality figures in cabs which are more open. The figures in the W1's cab are probably lick-painted oddities. Some of the pre-painted plastic figures tend to be a bit anorexic. 

 

Like these.................

 

 

I really don't know the origins of these (almost 2D) figures.

 

They're on the footplate of a Bachmann O4 which I detailed/modified/weathered.

 

 

Better seen from this angle!

 

It's no longer my property.

 

 

This is how I go about painting cast metal figures.

 

 

Soldered to a strip of scrap brass, then lick-painted to start with.

 

 

Then separated with Xurons. The bases are trimmed back later.

 

Some of the poses look a bit contrived. 

 

 

Installed on a modified Bachmann 4F. I should have been more diligent with the painting. 

 

However, in the cabs of the likes of 4Fs, on a layout....................

 

 

Just a tiny bit of a crew visible on another modified Bachmann 4F. 

 

Fire irons as well. 

 

Don't worry, that Hornby Gresley has long gone! 

 

 

The driver is clearer here on the footplate of this SE Finecast 4F. 

 

More fire irons, too. 

 

 

Where one has a really open cab, a crew is essential. 

 

One South Wales fireman looks a bit too clean here, standing on the footplate of this Brecon & Merthyr 0-6-0ST, on Merthyr Riverside. I built this from a Redcraft kit; different................

 

 

The driver is just visible through the spectacle.

 

I did a double-take before fitting the smokebox door in place! It is the right way round. 

'2D' figures look like the old Merit flatties to me.

[mullie]

The Airfix/Dapol ones don't scrub up too bad.

 

Martyn

[Chamby]

I've steadily been populating my fleet with crew, of late.  I started using a mix of Bachmann and ModelU, but have more recently discovered a new range from YouChoos.  Like ModelU, they are naturally posed 3D printed figures, but retail for a third of the price.  They don't do people with shovels, but then firemen aren't always shovelling are they...  Also the crispness of the printing is not as sharp as ModelU, but for loco crew they are fine.  I had a load of them for Christmas and have been painting them up:

 

[SD85]

One of the golden rules I took from Iain Rice's books is that a loco crew should always be in positions of repose; I try and adhere to this as much as possible, so a lot of the time my crews are either sat or stood still with their hands resting on the controls, or leaning out of the cab window surveying the road ahead or behind.

Edited January 16, 2021 by SD85

[micklner]

 

 

Andrew Stadden figures ,good value and detail

[JamieR4489]

41 minutes ago, mullie said:

The Airfix/Dapol ones don't scrub up too bad.

Agreed. They're what I use and at about £5 for 39 they're very good value

Hopefully the crew can just be made out on this O4/5. The fireman is sweeping the floor and there's an inspector on the tender keeping an eye on things.

 

Jamie

[Clive Mortimore]

Ah!!! Crews for trains. I like my DMUs and running in multiple with each other. My layout is a terminus station.

 

Do I have a driver in each end? One in the rear cab looks daft.

 

When running a eight car train made up of four 2 car units that would be eight drivers with six of them looking out the front window at a bloke doing the same back at them. To me that is even dafter.

 

A DMU without a driver just looks silly.

 

What does one do in this situation? Look daft, look dafter or look silly?

[woodenhead]

3 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

What does one do in this situation? Look daft, look dafter or look silly?

None, he models the DLR and simply does not need to worry.

[micklner]

My only occupied "Coach" a ex NER Inspection car. Occupied Coaches sitting  in sidings, just dont look right.

 

 

A Stadden figure at work

 

Edited January 16, 2021 by micklner

[geoff west]

10 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Of course, John,

 

The ones I mentioned I'd taken pictures of. Unfortunately, I never took any shots of High Dyke.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

Tony,

 

Are there any pictures of Huntingdon North? I didn't know there was already a model of it.

Better not name any names though.

 

Regards,

 

Geoff.

[Jamiel]

Thank you to everyone who helped with my questions about my build of a L&Y Class 23 0-6-0 London Road Models engine a couple of weeks ago.

The build is going well and nearing completion, but as I get close to finishing and adding the small details, I have a couple of questions I’ll ask here again.
 

Here is the current state. It will need a bit of sanding and cleaning before long.

 

 

The links on the coupling hooks are too big, I will need to get some smaller ones.

 

I am detailing the cab interior, mostly as I find it really enjoyable, so I have added a rivet strip and handles to match what I have seen in various photos.

 

I presume that at the base of the coal bunker there will be a coal hatch. I was thinking of making one from offcut brass. Does anyone have photos of the back of a tank engine cab to show how the coal feed should look?
 

Parts still to add, engine backhead, the brake handle at the back of the cab. I presume that the part on the left is the reverser mount, and a wheel from the detailing fret would go on the back.
 

Part 2 seems to be a spare water feed pipe for the tank. I have no idea what Part 1 is?

 

There are also frets to add the lamp irons to the back.
 

Jamie

[Tony Wright]

4 minutes ago, geoff west said:

Tony,

 

Are there any pictures of Huntingdon North? I didn't know there was already a model of it.

Better not name any names though.

 

Regards,

 

Geoff.

I'll have to look, Geoff.

 

It was a while ago, and they might be archived elsewhere.

 

Regarding names, since most of my photo shoots of layouts have resulted in publication, then they're already in the 'public domain'. Many of the layouts have appeared at exhibitions, anyway. I personally believe the builders should be credited/acknowledged, if appropriate. It's only a few owners/builders who have asked to remain anonymous, and I've always respected that. Some write under 'assumed' names. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

More 'educational' views on Little Bytham.

 

I'm frequently asked about the Down kick-back sidings.................

 

 

 

Looking towards them, they fan out to the left. 

 

The tracks to the right respectively (l-r) going through the 'black-out' on to the scenic section are Down slow, Down south lay-by, Down fast, Up fast, Up slow. The Pullman is in one of the Up kick-back sidings. 

 

Turning the camera through 180 degrees............

 

 

 

 

We get this series of views. 

 

Plenty of spare freight locos.

 

And looking into the sidings themselves................

 

 

Thanks to Rob Davey and Geoff West for helping me with all this; definitely a two-man job at any one time. 

 

These extra seven roads allow me to have a greater variety of trains. 

 

I just wish my knees weren't quite so old! 

 

 

 

 

[LNERandBR]

35 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Ah!!! Crews for trains. I like my DMUs and running in multiple with each other. My layout is a terminus station.

 

Do I have a driver in each end? One in the rear cab looks daft.

 

When running a eight car train made up of four 2 car units that would be eight drivers with six of them looking out the front window at a bloke doing the same back at them. To me that is even dafter.

 

A DMU without a driver just looks silly.

 

What does one do in this situation? Look daft, look dafter or look silly?

 

A crewmember in the rear cab could be the Guard. 

 

Crew in the 'inner' cabs of trains made up of 'multiple' units could just be travelling and making sure they're not taking up seats for passengers.

[Dunsignalling]

53 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Ah!!! Crews for trains. I like my DMUs and running in multiple with each other. My layout is a terminus station.

 

Do I have a driver in each end? One in the rear cab looks daft.

 

When running a eight car train made up of four 2 car units that would be eight drivers with six of them looking out the front window at a bloke doing the same back at them. To me that is even dafter.

 

A DMU without a driver just looks silly.

 

What does one do in this situation? Look daft, look dafter or look silly?

Maybe the problem should be approached statistically.

 

To minimise disbelief, have no drivers. You only have to excuse the absence of one figure, when the train is travelling one way.

 

In your 4 x 2-car formation you have to excuse the presence of seven of them, at  all times!   

 

John

Edited January 16, 2021 by Dunsignalling

[Tony Wright]

And some 'educational' views on the MR/M&GNR's fiddle yard............

 

 

On the double track section from Bourne, an Ivatt 4MT heads 'The Leicester'.

 

The goods train and the ex-LMS three-set are on their kick-back sidings, the three-set's siding spanning part of the main lines. 

 

 

The goods train has left its siding and has traversed the scenic section. Radii here are very tight, but everything goes through. 

 

One of the 4F's crew members has a very light outfit. 

 

 

Looking towards the single track section from the Castle Bytham direction towards Bytham. The various kick-back sidings are apparent. 

 

There's another 4F with a very clean-clothed crew. At least its got fire irons. 

 

 

The D16/3 has left its kick-back siding and heads towards Little Bytham Junction on the single track section from Castle Bytham. 

 

A couple of the further Up kick-back sidings for the main line are just visible beneath the MR/M&GNR fiddle yard. 

 

I hope these pictures help readers with their queries. 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2021 by Tony Wright
typo error

[Manxcat]

Checking through some photos on my external hard drive yesterday I happened across several short video clips of my last but one layout Fairhaven Road. I have edited these together to make the video below which I uploaded to my YouTube channel.

 

I made everything on the layout myself apart from the RTR rolling stock and a couple of ready to plant buildings. Those buildings were modified before planting, even if only being re-painted to a more appropriate weathered finish.

 

I fitted all the semaphore signal lamps with amber surface mounting LEDs. When shining through the red or blue spectacle plates this gave an excellent red or green aspect. This does not, unfortunately show up too well in the video because they are not filmed head on so I have added a couple of stills below to show the effect. Spot the SPAD in the video when it first opens due to operator error while I filmed !!

 

The video is from the Bonnybridge Model Railway Club show in, I think, 2014. I was pleased to exhibit it without barriers since I have found in those circumstances people love to come very close but respect the model enough never to touch it. In saying that, we were not in the main hall and footfall through the room was less than elsewhere in the hall. I was very delighted when the layout was awarded the cup for Best Scottish Image Layout. 

 

Elements of my layout have improved since 2014 because of Tony. I now have all locos lamped and crewed and tail lamps on all trains. Tony has mentioned his dislike of gimmicks. In the video you can spot at least two. These are the life painting class at the rear of the art college and the broken down car with a serious engine fault and with the AA attending. You have to wait till close to the end for the latter. I have a wedding but it is at the hotel, not the church. 

 

Some years later I took the layout to Model Rail Scotland where Tony was the judge of the layout class for layouts exhibited by member clubs of the then Association of Model Railway Societies in Scotland. He awarded me the first prize. That really was the icing on the cake of the sense of satisfaction it gave me to design, construct and operate Fairhaven Road. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Archie

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, micklner said:

Occupied Coaches sitting  in sidings, just dont look right.

 

Very few layouts seem to contain carriage sidings, but I agree.

Perhaps it doesn't help that almost all layouts are set in summer.  For much of the year, carriage windows are steamed up, so you can hardly see the people causing the condensation.  "Steam up" your carriage windows and you could also avoid having to do a lot of other internal detailing......

[t-b-g]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

I'll have to look, Geoff.

 

It was a while ago, and they might be archived elsewhere.

 

Regarding names, since most of my photo shoots of layouts have resulted in publication, then they're already in the 'public domain'. Many of the layouts have appeared at exhibitions, anyway. I personally believe the builders should be credited/acknowledged, if appropriate. It's only a few owners/builders who have asked to remain anonymous, and I've always respected that. Some write under 'assumed' names. 

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

I am sure it is all quite legal and above board, just a bit disconcerting to pick up a book and turn the page to see a photo of your layout when you were not expecting it, or seeing it on the internet in a place where you didn't know it was going to appear.

 

So whatever the rights and wrongs, I like to ask before I post the work or details of other people.

 

If you noticed, I even asked you if it was OK for me to post your own photos on your own thread.

 

I am not saying it is wrong to not ask first, just that I like to have some peace of mind that it is agreed by the person whose work is being featured before I do it.

 

Perhaps a bit quaint and old fashioned but that is just the way I am! 

Edited January 16, 2021 by t-b-g
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