Wright writes.....

[Headstock]

2 hours ago, Chris Higgs said:

 

 

As it happens I just ordered some of my etches recently for customers, and I have one D210 set extra, in case anyone is interested (or you can have it as a D214 instead). Otherwise I will be forced to build it myself, even though it has no real use on Ufford! Contact me offlist.

 

I am glad I model BR era as these things are a whole lot eaiser to paint in Crimson than they are in Teak. This one looks absolutely stunning.

 

Chris Higgs (a.k.a Masterclass Models)

 

Thanks, Chris,

 

it  is really a smashing kit. I have a second one that I will be constructing this year, thus making a set of twins, A5 tank to follow. I can thoroughly recommend the kit, if anybody is interested in your extra one.

 

 

[CF MRC]

4 hours ago, Headstock said:

 

Good morning Al,

 

we had a talk from a BBC Director / producer back in the day. He filled us in on the 'lighting wars' prevalent at the time. Shows like Doctor Who were particular vulnerable because they used more studio sets and were literally churned out in rapid succession. The problem wasn't that big a deal in the previous decades. It coincided with the investment in a great deal of new equipment in the 80s, new is not always better. The situation was made worse when set against a backdrop of rigid technical vs creative demarcation lines.

We filmed Copenhagen Fields in the Blue Peter studios four times.  After the first time we were adamant that they had to turn down / off the lighting between filming as the layout was getting cooked: especially our brass strip track in the fiddle yards.

 

Tim
 

[The Fatadder]

6 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Quite so,

 

However, I did state that the picture of the winner was taken two years ago, and all trains on Sanford and Banwell now carry lamps. 

 

 

 

As some did two years ago.....

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

What a fantastic looking layout (no doubt even better now with added lamps), one I would really like to see at a show sometime.

[adrianmc]

55 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

What a fantastic looking layout (no doubt even better now with added lamps), one I would really like to see at a show sometime.

 

The team were pleasantly surprised to be awarded The Founder's Cup at Southampton considering the other layouts that were there - we understand it was a close call with the excellent Calderwood.

 

We were extremely well looked after - with tea and biscuits just down the corridor. 

 

The next outing is scheduled to be the Derby show in the Roundhouse on the 9th & 10th May - after that we don't have any other exhibitions confirmed.

 

A couple of photographs of the layout at the weekend.

 

From above - 18ft x 12ft

 

 

From three quarters - viewing on three-ish sides

 

 

 

 

 

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, adrianmc said:

 

The team were pleasantly surprised to be awarded The Founder's Cup at Southampton considering the other layouts that were there - we understand it was a close call with the excellent Calderwood.

 

We were extremely well looked after - with tea and biscuits just down the corridor. 

 

The next outing is scheduled to be the Derby show in the Roundhouse on the 9th & 10th May - after that we don't have any other exhibitions confirmed.

 

A couple of photographs of the layout at the weekend.

 

From above - 18ft x 12ft

 

 

From three quarters - viewing on three-ish sides

 

 

 

 

 

Beautifully presented,

 

Thanks Adrian.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

9 hours ago, great northern said:

Still loads of stuff to process, but here's one which I quite like, as it fulfils my desire to shoot things from odd angles.

 

 

Good evening Gilbert,

 

I've had a go from more or less the same position..............

 

 

The pulses of fill-in flash have certainly brought out detail in the shadows.....

 

Some things I found slightly obtrusive were the wagons and the corner of the building in the foreground.

 

 

So, I got a bit closer, and I think this works better.

 

The position is certainly worthy of further investigation.........

 

 

Taken from more or less the same position, an A5 heads a Peterborough-Grantham Parly. 

 

If nothing else, these views do show off Shakey's magnificent trees (ex-Tetleys Mills, of course). 

 

I've also had a go at replicating some of your other shots.....

 

 

I placed the 'massive' camera on a board so as not to squash your scenic work!

 

 

And this was quite tightly-cropped as well. 

 

 

This is always a favourite view, showing off both Bob Dawson's and Ian Wilson's splendid architectural modelling. 

 

What do all of these 'prove'? That, so far, I've been able to get my big camera into very similar positions to your small one.

 

The shots on the platforms will be interesting........

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2020 by Tony Wright

[Tony Wright]

Something I've photographed for BRM today............

 

 

Heljan's latest O Gauge Class 03.

 

A full review will be appearing in the magazine......

 

 

[Northmoor]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

I've also had a go at replicating some of your other shots.....

 

 

What shutter speed was this?  I only ask because the photographer has "frozen" the train, despite it going fast enough to jump gap where the M&GN bridge should be....

 

(Sorry, Tony I love these images, really.  I always prefer layouts where the railway is clearly part of the landscape, rather than the landscape being sort of arranged around the railway).

[Chris Higgs]

1 hour ago, Tony Wright said:

Something I've photographed for BRM today............

 

 

Heljan's latest O Gauge Class 03.

 

A full review will be appearing in the magazine......

 

 

 

Thank goodness I don't have space for any O gauge.

 

Chris

[great northern]

2 hours ago, Tony Wright said:

Good evening Gilbert,

 

I've had a go from more or less the same position..............

 

 

The pulses of fill-in flash have certainly brought out detail in the shadows.....

 

Some things I found slightly obtrusive were the wagons and the corner of the building in the foreground.

 

 

So, I got a bit closer, and I think this works better.

 

The position is certainly worthy of further investigation.........

 

 

Taken from more or less the same position, an A5 heads a Peterborough-Grantham Parly. 

 

If nothing else, these views do show off Shakey's magnificent trees (ex-Tetleys Mills, of course). 

 

I've also had a go at replicating some of your other shots.....

 

 

I placed the 'massive' camera on a board so as not to squash your scenic work!

 

 

And this was quite tightly-cropped as well. 

 

 

This is always a favourite view, showing off both Bob Dawson's and Ian Wilson's splendid architectural modelling. 

 

What do all of these 'prove'? That, so far, I've been able to get my big camera into very similar positions to your small one.

 

The shots on the platforms will be interesting........

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

 

 

I sometimes ignore rules of composition in order to try to get atmosphere Tony. I imagined that I was standing over there, heard the A4's whistle, and just had to snap away from where I was.  I also like to get shots between things, which is why I didn't crop too heavily.

 

We shall, of course ignore the fact that the A4 would be doing 60+, and that I'd never have got the shot anyway.

[johndon]

11 hours ago, great northern said:

Still loads of stuff to process, but here's one which I quite like, as it fulfils my desire to shoot things from odd angles.

 

 

 

For me, this is one of the best shots of LB that we've seen...

 

[jacko]

2 hours ago, johndon said:

 

For me, this is one of the best shots of LB that we've seen...

 

I have to agree. To me it evokes memories of sneaking around the coal sidings at Crofton Mill pit in Blyth hoping we didn't get caught while we watched the tankies doing their work. I'd have been no more than 5 or 6 years old but back then we'd be turfed out of the house in the morning and wouldn't get back in till tea time. Nowadays we don't let our grandkids (aged 4 and 5) out of our sight for fear of what might happen. How times have changed.

Graeme 

[westerner]

Like Gilbert I do like his photo as if looking between the building and the wagons , "a stolen shot". It's probably why I like Ben Ashworth's photos, often taken between the trees.

[jrg1]

8 hours ago, johndon said:

 

For me, this is one of the best shots of LB that we've seen...

 

I find the attention to the ballasting and ground cover most impressive.

[manna]

21 hours ago, great northern said:

Still loads of stuff to process, but here's one which I quite like, as it fulfils my desire to shoot things from odd angles.

 

 

G'Day Folks

 

Trainspotters view........Love it.

 

Terry. aka manna

[Tony Wright]

12 hours ago, Northmoor said:

What shutter speed was this?  I only ask because the photographer has "frozen" the train, despite it going fast enough to jump gap where the M&GN bridge should be....

 

(Sorry, Tony I love these images, really.  I always prefer layouts where the railway is clearly part of the landscape, rather than the landscape being sort of arranged around the railway).

'where the M&GN bridge should be...'

 

It won't be long now before it's in place!

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Tony Wright]

1 hour ago, manna said:

G'Day Folks

 

Trainspotters view........Love it.

 

Terry. aka manna

With all the comments in praise of the picture in question (which is excellent), nobody has commented on the dead lacewing at the base of the middle-ground hut!

 

I took it out in my rendition........

 

 

Note to self - check for corpses before taking pictures............!

 

 

[Tony Wright]

I've taken pictures from more or less the same vantage point in the past...........

 

 

One taken about three years ago, with just temporary point rodding in place. In fact so long ago that the wagon in the siding has a tension-lock coupling!!!!! I did have a handful of these for pick-up work, but not for long!

 

No cottages in the background.

 

 

And another from a little later with the 'proper' point rodding in place, but not the cranks as yet on this side......... 

 

Sprat & Winkles, though not 'realistic', are far less-obtrusive.

 

A card mock-up cottage in the background.

 

 

And another from more-recent times (but before the rodding was extended). No dead lacewing, either....

 

Completed cottages in the background.

Edited January 29, 2020 by Tony Wright
to clarify a point

[Tony Wright]

11 hours ago, great northern said:

I sometimes ignore rules of composition in order to try to get atmosphere Tony. I imagined that I was standing over there, heard the A4's whistle, and just had to snap away from where I was.  I also like to get shots between things, which is why I didn't crop too heavily.

 

We shall, of course ignore the fact that the A4 would be doing 60+, and that I'd never have got the shot anyway.

Rules are meant to be ignored, Gilbert,

 

I think your photographs are 'more-natural' in some ways - just the sort of snapshot we might have achieved as boys, 62 years ago.

 

I suppose I'm driven by a desire for 'crystal clarity', which isn't always flattering to model railway subjects. 

 

As I've said, I cannot get on with little cameras (I never could), but your wee Canon certainly gives some good pictures........

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Clive Mortimore]

45 minutes ago, Tony Wright said:

With all the comments in praise of the picture in question (which is excellent), nobody has commented on the dead lacewing at the base of the middle-ground hut!

 

I took it out in my rendition........

 

 

Note to self - check for corpses before taking pictures............!

 

 

Just proves that everyone was looking at the trains, so why have scenery on our layouts?

[Mallard60022]

On 27/01/2020 at 05:40, Iain.d said:

I’ve also started three SR Maunsell coaches from Roxey Mouldings. I’ve done quite a few Comet and BSL/Phoenix coach kits in the past but are (I think) a slightly higher level – they’ve certainly been a learning curve! The design in some areas is quite ingenious (like how the bogie mountings fold up) and other areas left me wondering….or maybe its just me!  

 

 

The underframes are pretty much done, less the brake rigging and buffers, but I’ll do those towards the end of the build, and the sides have had the tumblehome formed, droplights and vents soldered in, guard's duckets formed  and the ends folded up and detail added. Lots of burned fingers….  Next stage will be to form the sides as bodies and build the roofs, but that’ll have to wait as I have a quick trip back to the UK first. In the end they’ll represent SR 3 Coach Set 393 in crimson and cream. 

Iain

Iain, can you please just confirm the Diagram of these lovely looking coaches. I'm wondering if Worsley Works might do sides and ends. By PM if you would rather? 

I can confirm  that your modest comment about these being a slightly higher level is in fact, very modest, as Roxey Coaches are great etches and beautifully designed, however they are way above the Comet products complexity, that were/are made to be a pleasant job to put together. How do I know this...….?

Apologies for hijacking the thread Tony. Do delete once Iain has obliged me with is response, (or I shall do that to clear the space).

All the best,

Phil

[Evertonian]

In common with many other comments, I like the 'different' aspects of Gilbert's pictures of LB - although I am thinking  it would be difficult

to take a bad photograph of Tony's train set. 

 

Referring back to 'Calderwood' at the Southampton show I was really pleased to view this before it is sold and retired from the circuit. Small 

details such as the signal guy ropes indicated the level of detail and care shown in construction. I had quite a chat with the two builders who

rather surprised me when they told me they have already embarked on their next layout , in P4 !   I  tip my hat to you gents, I am sure they

will not mind me mentioning they are not exactly in their first flush of youth, I wish you well chaps.

 

Chris Knight

[Tony Wright]

3 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Iain, can you please just confirm the Diagram of these lovely looking coaches. I'm wondering if Worsley Works might do sides and ends. By PM if you would rather? 

I can confirm  that your modest comment about these being a slightly higher level is in fact, very modest, as Roxey Coaches are great etches and beautifully designed, however they are way above the Comet products complexity, that were/are made to be a pleasant job to put together. How do I know this...….?

Apologies for hijacking the thread Tony. Do delete once Iain has obliged me with is response, (or I shall do that to clear the space).

All the best,

Phil

Nobody's hijacking this thread, Phil,

 

So don't apologise, please.

 

Long time no see. I really must pop up and see you again.

 

Regards,

 

Tony. 

[Iain.d]

3 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Iain, can you please just confirm the Diagram of these lovely looking coaches. I'm wondering if Worsley Works might do sides and ends. By PM if you would rather? 

 

Hi Phil, the brakes are Diagram 2101 and the compo is Diagram 2301. PM also sent.

 

cheers,

 

Iain

[Tony Wright]

It's very interesting seeing the different 'style' of pictures recently of LB. 

 

Many visitors take pictures of the railway (I'm delighted they do), and there are many different results.

 

As I've alluded to, my approach to model railway photography is as 'clinical' as possible. I want as much detail to be visible as is there, with really-sharp imagery. To this end I use large (and powerful) cameras with very high-quality lenses. It could well be that my results are less-sympathetic than those of others, but I'll not change my approach.

 

However, I have this morning tried some 'new' angles................

 

 

A 'candid' view from the goods yard, peering between elements sees one of Tony Geary's heroically-filthy 'DJH Austerities (I also have another of these superb examples of his work!) plodding southwards on the Up slow through the station.  One of PMP's little shunters observers what's going on. 

 

A pity about the leaning telegraph pole, though such things were very common. 

 

 

Another 'just-glimpsed' view from a similar position sees a B12/3 (Coopercraft/Wright) about to depart with an Up stopper. Peering through/between other elements certainly gives a different perspective. 

 

I love the battered dustbins! And, I've almost got those railings straight.

 

 

This time we have an A1 (DJH/Wright/Haynes) passing through at speed, while 'I' wait to capture a 'going away' shot. 

 

 

I think this one works better composition-wise (especially as 'I' am now hidden).  Ian Wilson's footbridge looks well. 

 

 

 

Two views I've never tried before, looking from 'inside' Ian Wilson's prototype Prototype Little Bytham goods shed (Ian was the designer/proprietor of Prototype Models). 

 

If I take others like this, I'll have to model more of the insides. 

 

 

And one more from the 'far side', this time with no deceased insects present. 

 

I believe this viewpoint has potential, but I think I prefer the more 'up close and personal' approach........

 

 

An A2/3 (DJH/Rathbone/Wright) passes the northbound 'Tees-Tyne Pullman' headed by A4 60017 SILVER FOX (SEF/Wright/Haynes). Express trains like these are what LB is really all about in my view.