landscapes Posted September 18, 2021 Share Posted September 18, 2021 17 hours ago, Barry Ten said: Speaking of Spams, a friend directed me to this video of Hornby locos on the Neville Grove model railway. I hadn't heard of the layout before but the footage (not just in this video but in the other ones put up) is some of the best I've ever seen of model trains, in any scale. I know the layout won't be to everyone's taste (it's a kind of run-anything fictitious setting, but very nicely done in my opinion) but the close-up action of the locos, combined with some seriously good weathering, really takes it to another level. I don't know how it's done, because if you've ever tried following a loco at speed with a camera, while keeping a tight focus, it's incredibly hard! Absolutely stunning layout, I agree one of the best layouts I have ever seen. David 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidw Posted September 18, 2021 Share Posted September 18, 2021 3 hours ago, landscapes said: Absolutely stunning layout, I agree one of the best layouts I have ever seen. David Good layout. Extraordinary photography. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Barry Ten Posted September 19, 2021 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted September 19, 2021 I've been working on the scenic treatment around the junction and river crossing at one end of my layout. Starting to feel it coming together slowly and just about ready to pour the Woodland Scenics water in the river bed. The white strip at the front is a raised extension to the fascia to hold the water back; it'll be painted green eventually to blend in. The loco is 34103 Calstock, renumbered from a Hornby Blandford, and with the tender swapped for the correct type. Al 28 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Barry Ten Posted September 19, 2021 RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted September 19, 2021 And here's a low angle view of the same scene. 39 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tony Wright Posted September 20, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 20, 2021 I've just spent a most-enjoyable weekend demonstrating at the East Midland (Nottingham, Clifton) Model Railway Show. I'm told numbers attending were around 200 (which was 50% down on last year, just prior to the first lockdown, and a third of the figure from 2019). A sign of the times, I suppose. Those who did attend, enjoyed a very good event. May I please than the Bulwell Club for putting on such a good exhibition? May I also thank those with whom I spoke, either to explain what I was making or fixing their 'dud' locos. Amazingly, in all but one (a dead motor) I was able to get them running again! Thanks, then, for all the generous donations to CRUK. This was my modest stand at the event. I was also given the opportunity to photograph Geoff Brain's amazing colliery layout in O Gauge. This will be featured in the Railway Modeller in due course. 45 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tony Wright Posted September 20, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 20, 2021 Friend Geoff West popped round today for his usual monthly running session on Little Bytham. He recently bought some locos from the second of the collections, and brought them with him. All have been altered/detailed/weathered by him. A DJH 9F (builder unknown). Now with the correct nine-spoked pony wheels. A C12, again, builder unknown. A K2 (scratch-built?), made/painted by Ray Lightfoot in 1985. And a South Eastern Finecast W1, built/painted by John Houlden. Thanks for bringing these round, Geoff. Before being sold, I gave all these locos (as I did with the others) a complete 'health check'. They all ran just fine. 28 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tony Wright Posted September 20, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 20, 2021 Another shot of Norman Colliery..................... 'Atmospheric' modelling of the highest order. I also took the opportunity over the weekend of photographing Graham Clarke's quite-amazing scratch-built O Gauge Class 195 DMU! Rather him than me..................... 20 8 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Manxcat Posted September 20, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 20, 2021 Norman Colliery is the first layout I have ever seen with intentionally distressed rail alignment to give that wonderful dip in the track. One might say it looks wrong for all the right reasons. 1 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium uax6 Posted September 20, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 20, 2021 That 195 looks amazing, but whats it doing running over colliery track? The first picture with the Drewery is a smashing shot, I love the hump. I'd love to try and get crippled fishplates modelable, doable in 7mm I guess, but probably not noticeable in 4mm. Andy G 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff west Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 Thanks for another most enjoyable day Tony. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold zr2498 Posted September 21, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 21, 2021 21 hours ago, Tony Wright said: I've just spent a most-enjoyable weekend demonstrating at the East Midland (Nottingham, Clifton) Model Railway Show. I'm told numbers attending were around 200 (which was 50% down on last year, just prior to the first lockdown, and a third of the figure from 2019). A sign of the times, I suppose. Those who did attend, enjoyed a very good event. May I please than the Bulwell Club for putting on such a good exhibition? May I also thank those with whom I spoke, either to explain what I was making or fixing their 'dud' locos. Amazingly, in all but one (a dead motor) I was able to get them running again! Thanks, then, for all the generous donations to CRUK. This was my modest stand at the event. I was also given the opportunity to photograph Geoff Brain's amazing colliery layout in O Gauge. This will be featured in the Railway Modeller in due course. I had to look more than twice at Geoff's colliery photo to believe it was not the prototype. Stunning! 'Bad' track can be modelled successfully if plausible and in the right setting. Iain Rice has recently presented an article on this subject, MRJ No. 283 'Thoughts on modelling bad track'. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 12 hours ago, uax6 said: That 195 looks amazing, but whats it doing running over colliery track? The first picture with the Drewery is a smashing shot, I love the hump. I'd love to try and get crippled fishplates modelable, doable in 7mm I guess, but probably not noticeable in 4mm. Andy G Good morning Andy, What's it doing indeed! It was the only O Gauge layout at the show, and I didn't have my mobile photo studio with me. It was thus 'posed' for a 'rail-tour'. That's my excuse, anyway! Regards, Tony. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 12 hours ago, geoff west said: Thanks for another most enjoyable day Tony. Thanks to you Geoff, 'We' almost ran the sequence perfectly - one day I'll not cock-up, but it was wonderful fun. When you move up to these parts, we'll arrange regular running evenings, along with George. I'll even help you build your layout. Regards, Tony. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 1 hour ago, zr2498 said: I had to look more than twice at Geoff's colliery photo to believe it was not the prototype. Stunning! 'Bad' track can be modelled successfully if plausible and in the right setting. Iain Rice has recently presented an article on this subject, MRJ No. 283 'Thoughts on modelling bad track'. Good morning Dave, The track on Norman Colliery is laid deliberately 'badly', though the running is still excellent. I think the mass of O Gauge means that locos/stock have a greater chance of successfully negotiating any humps and dips, and it is entirely convincing. Regards, Tony. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PMP Posted September 21, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 21, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, Tony Wright said: Good morning Dave, The track on Norman Colliery is laid deliberately 'badly', though the running is still excellent. I think the mass of O Gauge means that locos/stock have a greater chance of successfully negotiating any humps and dips, and it is entirely convincing. Regards, Tony. It’s almost certainly easier in 7mm. I do it in 4mm OO and EM, Shelfie 2 above and Albion Yard below (both OO/HO) It does take a long time and effort to get ‘poor’ track to work well in 4mm especially if using 3-links and couplings like Dinghams. With TL’s it’s not much different to running on the carpet. I keep the vertical element to a minimum, and put kinks in at rail joints. It needs to be subtle though to capture a deviation, not interfere with reliability, and look ‘scale’ in both appearance and movements. Edited September 21, 2021 by PMP 15 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Not so sure 7mm is that easier. I model both British OO and American O, all laid with Peco track. Same problems occur with O as OO IF the track isn't right. Basically my O layout has sharp curves, big heavy twin motored 8 & 12 wheel diesels run in multiple and 20 - 25 (max) car trains, some steep grades also. I'm pushing the limits, all of them. My track needs to be kink free on curves at rail joiners and any dips removed by packing / levelling. It runs very well when such problems are sorted - every derailment is investigated. It's not always the track either, some stock / locos are better than others on the road, coupler swings (longer stock), coupler height (track dips cause uncoupling with Kadees). It certainly doesn't help to have several makes of Knuckle couplers (Kadees NEVER fail, plastic Weaver break (slow replacement programme in progress), old Atlas are OK but clumsy. Metal wheels help too. My newer Atlas stuff has metal wheels, but most Weaver & old Atlas has plastic with varying running qualities. I've done quite a bit of track maintenance this summer and though not 100%, the layout now runs like the prototype (occasional derailments par for the course!!). Brit15 3 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Atso Posted September 21, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted September 21, 2021 Hello Tony and everyone, While I've got nothing to contribute regarding that wonderful colliery track, I thought I'd update you on what I've been doing. First up is a case of making do with a lot of spare bits and pieces from Dapol and Farish. A Dapol A3 body married to a Farish A1 chassis with a Farish V2 Cartazzi truck. Quite a bit of the Farish chassis block needed to be machined and ground away to allow the body to fit and it does show up just how much Dapol stretched the coupled wheelbase to fit scale driving wheels. The tender has been temporarily borrowed from an A2 but I'm sure I've got another A1 tender drive somewhere which I'll convert into one of the 1936's streamline non-corridor tenders. The dome is a replacement from DCC Supplies and (so far) is the only component purchased for this Frankenstein's Monster. I modified the A1 drawbar (including shortening it) and epoxied it to the V2 Cartazzi truck. The loco will be backdated to an A1 and will likely become 'Tracery' in 1937-40 condition. I've not forgotten my BFK twin set and have been slowly designing and added 3D printed components to the etched body. I've still got the underframe details to do. 26 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff west Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 11 hours ago, Tony Wright said: Thanks to you Geoff, 'We' almost ran the sequence perfectly - one day I'll not cock-up, but it was wonderful fun. When you move up to these parts, we'll arrange regular running evenings, along with George. I'll even help you build your layout. Regards, Tony. It was great fun, and yes we almost made it through the sequence. Looking forward to moving up there, it will be great to have regular running evenings along with George. Thanks in advance Tony, that would be great to have your help with my layout. Regards, Geoff. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted September 21, 2021 Author Share Posted September 21, 2021 I'm just assessing Hornby's latest Mk. 1 manifestations - the BCKs................... I've taken off the tension-lock from the brake end and fitted the dummy buckeye. Though not having as many separate fittings as Bachmann's equivalents, they're reasonable models and more than adequate as layout coaches. I imagine the end steps would have been removed by the time ETH was fitted. Does anyone know? 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tony Wright Posted September 21, 2021 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 21, 2021 Just to forewarn folk to make sure they don't pass out from incredulity, I've bought a new mobile phone!!!!!!! Well, actually, I'm giving it to Mo, and I'll have her old one. My old one (15 years and counting) has run out of credit and there seems to be no way of adding more. No matter, my 'new' one will live in the car, just in case of emergency. I mention the above, because what I encountered in the shop today made me incredulous. The bloke who helped us was fine, as was the more-experienced girl. They both knew their jobs and explained everything clearly (to Mo, because I glazed over). What I found incredible was that despite the girl's vast experience in technology, my jaw dropped after she asked us 'Is everything I've WENT through clear to you?'. I just replied 'I don't understand'. I'm afraid the irony was lost................. A sign of the times, I suppose. 6 5 13 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 Mobile phones - I have my son's cast off Razr, small, not smart, easy to use, will do for me. Switched off most of the time. Went the day well ? (Google it). Brit15 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted September 21, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 21, 2021 I've just bought my first new phone in 12 years. I'm not interested in phones at all but I needed a phone that would run the parkrun volunteer app, which allows one to time runners, scan their barcodes and upload the results. I thought it would be easy as all I needed to do was ask my existing provider to give me a smaller sim card, which supposedly could be done very easily in the shop. As you can guess it was anything but straightforward, and soon turned into farce involving endless hours calling ee, visiting their shops etc, culminating in my existing sim being deactivated before I had the new one, and therefore being without any phone at all when out of the house. Eventually I bought a relatively inexpensive smartphone, but the present irony is that the aforementioned app doesn't work properly on it. Grrr! 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chamby Posted September 22, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 22, 2021 10 hours ago, APOLLO said: Went the day well ? (Google it). Blimey, that takes me back... It wented! Where did it went? Reminds me of a conversation between Bluebottle and Eccles! Looking forward to Tony learning to speak 1337 on his new phone (!) 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted September 22, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 22, 2021 As to the BCK not sure on the bogies but can't find my oldest platform 5 spotting book. The WR had a few XD mark 1s and I know of a SK and a FK on BR1s. But step removal appeared to line up with blue grey. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Wright Posted September 22, 2021 Author Share Posted September 22, 2021 13 minutes ago, MJI said: As to the BCK not sure on the bogies but can't find my oldest platform 5 spotting book. The WR had a few XD mark 1s and I know of a SK and a FK on BR1s. But step removal appeared to line up with blue grey. The BR maroon example (the real one) was built as part of Lot 105 to Dia. 171 by Metro-Cammell in the spring of 1956 (so, it could represent the vehicle as being brand new, since BR maroon was introduced in that year). The blue/grey example was built as part of Lot 424 to Dia, 172 by Charles Roberts at the start of 1959. I imagine it was turned out in maroon (and painted blue/grey in the mid-/late-'60s, or later?). Regards, Tony. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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