allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 If I can work out which issue it was, it shouldn't be impossible to get hold of a copy and scan it. I will see what I can do after work. Thanks Iain, but how you gonna match it ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers Mate. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Meanwhile, some facts. It was built for a very wealthy Italian who was Maffia connected and wanted London !!!! Anyway, he would take photo's of London buildings on his way to work then get me to knock up something similar and where shops were concerned, name them after certain film stars and celebs, footballers, boxers etc and none of which I ever met but only spoke to over the phone as they ordered the next build and all of whom he was connected to - I had an order book for full on epics that would have taken an eternity to build so I escaped to the wild frontiers of North East Lincolnshire in a futile and unsuccessfull attempt to get away from it all ! However, as the layout progressed and certain celebs fell out of favour, they got moved to the backstreets while I had to build new buildings for those that had been 'forgiven' and brought back to the front of the layout - whole scenes and months of work would suddenly be ripped up as he had yet another 'vision' and got slung under the baseboards - I could have finished the whole thing in about a year and that's why it never got finished even in six - and, even then, scrapped ! This was the "Year Of The Computer Chad" - a small oblong punchout the size of a four mil brick, and every square inch of brickwork was laid in individual 'bricks' and a 30 foot retaining wall put me into NHSS glasses ! There was about 2,000 Prieser/Merton figures, hundreds of white metal road vehicles ALL built and painted by him, and thousands of accessories, detailing packs and you name and up to the point of abandonment, it cost around £60,000 in labour costs alone and this was when I had to take up modell making full time and, in fact Iain, when I first met Lionel and got to know your work because of him. And, it never ran... Allan. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain C Robinson Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Meanwhile, some facts. It was built for a very wealthy Italian who was Maffia connected and wanted London !!!! Anyway, he would take photo's of London buildings on his way to work then get me to knock up something similar and where shops were concerned, name them after certain film stars and celebs, footballers, boxers etc and none of which I ever met but only spoke to over the phone as they ordered the next build and all of whom he was connected to - I had an order book for full on epics that would have taken an eternity to build so I escaped to the wild frontiers of North East Lincolnshire in a futile and unsuccessfull attempt to get away from it all ! However, as the layout progressed and certain celebs fell out of favour, they got moved to the backstreets while I had to build new buildings for those that had been 'forgiven' and brought back to the front of the layout - whole scenes and months of work would suddenly be ripped up as he had yet another 'vision' and got slung under the baseboards - I could have finished the whole thing in about a year and that's why it never got finished even in six - and, even then, scrapped ! This was the "Year Of The Computer Chad" - a small oblong punchout the size of a four mil brick, and every square inch of brickwork was laid in individual 'bricks' and a 30 foot retaining wall put me into NHSS glasses ! There was about 2,000 Prieser/Merton figures, hundreds of white metal road vehicles ALL built and painted by him, and thousands of accessories, detailing packs and you name and up to the point of abandonment, it cost around £60,000 in labour costs alone and this was when I had to take up modell making full time and, in fact Iain, when I first met Lionel and got to know your work because of him. And, it never ran... Allan. Apart from the superb structures ('nuff said!) the thing I remember was the sheer ludicrous number of road vehicles and people everywhere, he'd obviously not heard of "less is more"!...so he built them himself, wow! I also remember a certain wool merchant's shop, which was in a photo in Model Railways which featured your work, Allan. It was a superb achievement, anyway, kudos to you for keeping your cool. I loved using computer chads, even if they were a bit overscale. Lionel once brought me a pack of cuttings from the bit the wire binder goes through on calendars... they were a gift from yourself and were superb for tiles, the little clay ones. I guess these are still available, I should speak to a printer... I also remember you saying that the guy paid you in steaks when he was "cash challenged" occasionally! cheers, Iain PS I will post some stuff soon, I am up to my eyes in evergreen styrene girders just now... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted June 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2013 "Lionel once brought me a pack of cuttings from the bit the wire binder goes through on calendars... they were a gift from yourself and were superb for tiles," I use these !! We have a binder machine at work, which cuts out rectangular chads, so I have plastics bags of them. I can cut what ever colour card / paper or clear plastic as required. Paper ones were used on the BCB W.E.Millward building, and as paving slabs alongside the rail on Laterite & Co. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGC Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I can understand that. As an artist you respond to the inspiration that you see everyday...I would have done the same. It must have been superb to see that plant in action. I went round John Summers Steelworks as a lad and I still think about how incredible it was...but especially how the heat from a steel billet travelling twenty feet below us melted all the girl's tights in the party! Great stuff Allan! cheers, Iain More years ago than I care to remember, I worked for British Steel Corporation and had the pleasure of a trip round the tube works at Corby along with several other members of staff. One of the girls started the tour in her plastic soled shoes, but by the time she'd been across of a few of the bridges that had the red hot steel billets going under them, the soles of her shoes had disappeared and she was carried round by one of the lads! Happy days. Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) I also remember you saying that the guy paid you in steaks when he was "cash challenged" occasionally! And that was so ! When we first met it was at Central Hall where I was exhibiting 'Candelford Mill' a 20 ft Pyruma and Colron epic that I had up for sale that Sidney Pritchard (Peco) immediately slapped a cheque in my hand for a swift grand and the following day he arrived to buy it after learning from his son-in-law that it was up for sale. Anyway, and dressed like a Maffia hit man, he came up to me, pulled a massive wad of notes out of his inside jacket pocket ( where at first I thought he was going for a gun!) and said " Hey, me a buya da layouta, OK ?" then when I explained that it was already sold he just said " So OK, now it isa unsolda " ! but it ended up quite amiably as I hobbled home with two shattered knee caps ( joking of course!) and an invite to his massive house in millionaires row, Northwood to discuss terms and beef steaks ! Cheers. Allan. Edited June 20, 2013 by allan downes 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Yes, that was it, although it was covered in quite a few issues as work progressed so the dedrailed wagon scene may have come later. Also, the rambling industrial complex appeared in the Constructor when Cyril Freezer took over as editor. Cheers. Allan. I have a copy lovingly retained from all those years ago (hero worship you see!) - will scan and post later (I'm pretending to be 'working' at the moment) You need to be careful the Umpire doesn't give you a point penalty for calling in reinforcements... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 I have a copy lovingly retained from all those years ago (hero worship you see!) - will scan and post later (I'm pretending to be 'working' at the moment) You need to be careful the Umpire doesn't give you a point penalty for calling in reinforcements... Thanks LNER, it was that long ago that I last saw it that I've forgotten what it even looked like ! Anyway, I'll look foreward to seeing it again so many thanks in advance. Cheers. Allan, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Taz Posted June 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 20, 2013 Allan, At the risk of making you incur more penalty point for external assistance this talk of pictures from old Railway Modellers made me think about where it all began for me. As a six year old I was invited to see my Nan's neighbour's layout. I was hooked from that point on. As a parting gift he gave me two of his Railway Modeller magazines to take away. One of these was the July 1980 edition and within was contained an article by yourself called 'Up against the wall' Here are the pictures from that article: You have a gift sir, I salute you 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Oh dear Taz, I forgot all about those, early experiments with computer chads ! In order to give the bricks some tone variation, I dabbed on PVA glue here, there, and everywhere, which breaks down the wood dye penetration when colouring the brickwork. That signal box is awefull but at the time it passed muster as there wasn't that much scratchbuilt stuff around - it was either Superquick or nothin, and christ knows where the tiles came from, confetti I should imagine... Anyway, thanks for all your time and effort taken to put them up, most appreciated. Cheers. Allan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain C Robinson Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I remember that set of photos so well...extremely inspiring, especially as I was starting out on my own modelling "journey" as the fashionable folk say. Love that signal box, with calendar chads in evidence on the roof! cheers, Iain Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 OK Allan, Upon thumbing through my folder containing 'all time favourite' modelling railway articles, I discover that what I'd actually kept was a series of three articles that appeared in Model Railways (remember that?) during 1982. Anyhow, I'm sure it is the layout, so here goes with the first one: More to follow... but the delicious smells of tea are wafting over here from the kitchen.. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 I remember that set of photos so well...extremely inspiring, especially as I was starting out on my own modelling "journey" as the fashionable folk say. Love that signal box, with calendar chads in evidence on the roof! cheers, Iain I remember that "journey" well Iain as I thought "Who is this imposter out gunning the Colron Kid !" Then I remember your drawings and thought "This guy's gonna be a hard act to follow " and I was right ! - then to top it all off, my mate Lionel goes haring off to Scotland in search of his new found hero ! Anyway, I wouldn't have had it any other way - then, or now. Cheers Mate. Allan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Thanks for all your time and effort LNER,I really do appreciate it. Now I got a little confused there as the original coverage was photographed by Brian Monahan and appeared in the 1980? issue of the Railway Modeller and that, as shown here by your good self, was covered by John Priest for Cyril J Freezer when he went over to Model Railways as editor. At the time when he left the Railway Modeller Sydney Pritchard, who owned the magazine, phoned me up asking me not to stay loyal to Freezer as it would have been bad for competition so we agreed that it would be alright to write the odd article every now and then but not "every bxxxxy month"! Also in those days, it proved quite expensive to "run with colour" and not many did, but the Modeller gave me center page spread with "Civic Splendour" in full colour and nobody ever heard the end of it, and now that you've revived it, they never will !! So once again LNER, many thanks for putting it up. Cheers. Allan. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 You're very welcome sir (anything to see an old man cry!). And there's more my friends where that came from: I love the 'working sketch' at the bottom of the first page on this one! SWMBO now has me wielding a paint brush loaded with gloss white paint, so the final instalment may be a little later on this evening... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 "You're very welcome sir (anything to see an old man cry!)." What makes me cry now a days LNER, is not Civiv Splendour anymore, but the sheer splendour of Robinson and Leyland - just how is an old codger like me supposed to follow the magnificence routinely churned out by that pair ? - it's a conspiracy, that's what it is !! - s'not fair.... As I type this from under the bed... Cheers and again, many, many thanks. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Hadn't seen either of those articles before (only the RM one) so thanks for posting. The bit about the propelling pencil in the "Foundation Course" article was one of the best laughs I've had in ages! :-) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 (edited) 'Tis indeed true that the work of the best of the contemporary modellers has us all gasping for breath. But it also true that, in the era when most of us had a choice of either Airfix 'wayside' plastic kits or the SuperQuick card buildings, your work was equally inspirational. So come out from under the bed sir and take your rightful place in the railway modelling hall of fame! Before the final part of the MR trilogy, I thought I would share this with you. I was telling my good lady of this thread and showed her the old articles that I've been posting. Her reply? 'Well I'm glad that old junk has been of some use!' Old junk? OLD JUNK! That's a modelling masterclass that is! Some people... Game, set and match?! Edited June 20, 2013 by LNER4479 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 That last shot, The Chester (ish) Rows, I'd forgot all about them but now I've seen them again I can tell you where they are - on a shelf in the Peco Modellarama and have been for the last thirty years or so. The studwork was all made from stripwood and the panel infills a watery mix of pollyfilla.In those days I was a masachist to the cause ! LNER, many thanks again for your time and effort and sharing it all with us. Best regards. Allan. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain C Robinson Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I'll get my coat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
signalmaintainer Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 (edited) Other have already said so, but I feel compelled to anyway -- this thread has been thoroughly inspiring, entertaining and educational. Thank you, Allan and Iain! Edited June 22, 2013 by signalmaintainer 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Quote of the week. "I'll get my coat" Iain C Robinson. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jonte Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 One thing I love about Allan's articles is that they're always so beautifully understated: 'Take a sheet of card.......................' Wonderful! Jonte Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
freebs Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 and yet again this thread pics up momentum. The 1980/81 Railway Modeller issues are the ones I remember with much fondness - in fact I'm welling up and coming out in goosebumps just thinking of it. I was only 6 or 7 and don't remember the contents, I just remember seeing them in my Dad's bedside table. It was about this time he was building me a layout for my Christmas Present to go on. I've still got that Intercity 125 If this thread was going on in real life, around a table in a nice little country pub, it would be one heck of a night! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 One thing I love about Allan's articles is that they're always so beautifully understated: 'Take a sheet of card.......................' Wonderful! Jonte Have to tell you about that series title Jonte. I sat in a pub in Hemel Hemstead with Cyril Freezer for three hours trying to come up with a name for a new scratchbuilding series and after ten pints apiece, several renderings of " Maggie, Maggie May" and getting chucked out on our ear, we came up with that. Cheers. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now