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BEIJIAO - a large Chinese HO exhibition layout set in the 21st century


TEAMYAKIMA
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On 29/12/2019 at 21:34, bbishop said:

Paul,  almost all layouts need lighting.  However, you and I agree the lighting need not be above the layout.  My lighting is in buildings, on platforms and especially in the beer garden.  You have the lights coming on and off in the flats, maybe a bit of a cliché - but I like it!  I find that pools of lights does work, maybe spotlights over the fruit and veg market, construction works etc, then park the pusher steam locomotives under the lights.

Bill

 

TBH the lights come on and off in the hotel rather than the flats, but I like your thinking and we are adding more lights in the flats and electrifying the street lights but I want the street lights to be set at a low level as I don't want them to jump out at you too much.

 

 

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The people demanded cameos! Who am I to argue???

 

I found a suitable signal cabin for the industrial - actually it's Belgian, but who cares?

 

signal-tower-v-bruges.jpg.0eb87875fa54be32c1ca1608bb4681be.jpg

 

 

A few minor changes to the roof (making the edges less ornate) and interior added and will need to adjust the interior lighting a bit - this is on full 12 volts DC …………………..

 

DSC_0236.JPG.0e57eb1b5dd1c990b039b2084676b292.JPG

 

 

Unfortunately some superglue gasing has affected the tops of the two lefthand windows as you can hopefully see in the photo above and so there was only one thing to do ………………...

 

 

DSC_0238.JPG.4485fc2c44b5074c26429780338679a6.JPG

 

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Cameos! Yes - but you need a big one that quite a few people can identify with China.

 

I give you the "Nail House" - still stubbornly holding up the construction of bridges, roads, shopping & housing developments...

 

NailHouses.png.54e2e13f4be4c06e936fed5f8963ad02.png

 

Kev.

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Another thing on my list of jobs before Aly Paly was to add lights to the 17 car class 25G train

 

Excluding the baggage and generator car there are 15 coaches that need full interior detail and I have done 11 of them so far, but adding lights was next.

 

Most were easy except for the hard class sleepers because the LEDs did not line up with the gaps between the bunks...…………..

 

IMG_20200105_180319.jpg.d124581b56f520e19a2f610ddd000cf5.jpg

 

 

So I cut a thin piece of plasticard ………………….. and marked where the LEDs should be …………………….

 

IMG_20200105_180203.jpg.fc63ce80b9acaf04364b2dcaaa250b7d.jpg

 

And then some time later ……………. a custom made hard class sleeper lighting unit!

 

IMG_20200105_183152.jpg.c78de690ee01a9dde1c4dcd419dce0a9.jpg

 

 

 

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On 03/01/2020 at 19:13, TEAMYAKIMA said:

The people demanded cameos! Who am I to argue???

 

I found a suitable signal cabin for the industrial - actually it's Belgian, but who cares?

 

signal-tower-v-bruges.jpg.0eb87875fa54be32c1ca1608bb4681be.jpg

 

 

A few minor changes to the roof (making the edges less ornate) and interior added and will need to adjust the interior lighting a bit - this is on full 12 volts DC …………………..

 

DSC_0236.JPG.0e57eb1b5dd1c990b039b2084676b292.JPG

 

 

Unfortunately some superglue gasing has affected the tops of the two lefthand windows as you can hopefully see in the photo above and so there was only one thing to do ………………...

 

 

DSC_0238.JPG.4485fc2c44b5074c26429780338679a6.JPG

 

image.png.48287ff6c167c1ebaae3000425b0119e.png

 

Snap :-)

 

Cheers

 

Mark

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I have been kicking around ideas to 'sex up' the front of the layout.

 

We need a truck stop area

 

This is my favourite concept so far...………….. all traffic would now go down the curvy road and the straight road off to the lefthand side would be abandoned. Three small buildings - café, garage/workshop and one other.

 

1386467975_IMG_20200108_11153524361.jpg.a779b8de5821a0b4a2ac33fd24d5104d.jpg

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As usual I have been dabbling with two or three issues at the same time.

 

I have finally finished the new control panel for the three industrial line fiddle yard roads. All very 1970's technology as, at my operators' request, I have abandoned DCC route selection on the industrial line and adopted a simple series of diodes to control the points. The three roads now each have an entrance and exit push button.

 

DSC_0257.JPG.9ceae080b6224cded93e7d73ca0c2370.JPG

 

It's all done on the cheap, with a re-used control box, re-used push buttons and re-used diodes.

 

What about the LEDs I hear you ask. Well TBH the LEDs are a con, I will pretend they are something hi-tec but really they have no purpose other to fill two holes I drilled by mistake! Just don't tell anyone please - especially my operators who will pull my leg if they find out!

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I've also been working on the class 25G coaches - 15 done just two more to do now!

 

Fitting sitting passengers in the hard class sleepers proved virtually impossible as there are three bunks and so very little head room.

 

Then I remembered that passengers on the top tier generally sat at the tables strung along the passageway. So adopted that idea in the hope that they will help hide the fact that there are no passengers sitting on the bunks.

 

DSC_0255.JPG.ab3df8ca09b32e4dee65e03073df00c4.JPG

 

 

And with the body on and lights on ………………………..

 

DSC_0258.JPG.31ba8dbeccc4120223d78485188f40c2.JPG

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On 11/01/2020 at 10:49, TEAMYAKIMA said:

What about the LEDs I hear you ask. Well TBH the LEDs are a con, I will pretend they are something hi-tec but really they have no purpose other to fill two holes I drilled by mistake! Just don't tell anyone please - especially my operators who will pull my leg if they find out!

 

I think you should arrange for the LEDs to start flashing at random times, just to worry the operators :diablo_mini:

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Could you "paint" some lying forms on some of the bunks?

Also, my experience of these trains is the extraordinary amount of baggage some passengers/families had - quite often in those cheap red and blue on white canvas bags.

 

 

Kev.

 

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1 hour ago, SHMD said:

Could you "paint" some lying forms on some of the bunks?

 

That idea is definitely worth looking into. I have been thinking of buying at least one of these Preiser sets but at £16.50 they're not cheap!

 

pr10300.jpg.21758fa3d2a3107b69a4bf394668d800.jpg

 

 

 

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On 11/01/2020 at 10:49, TEAMYAKIMA said:

I have finally finished the new control panel for the three industrial line fiddle yard roads. All very 1970's technology as, at my operators' request, I have abandoned DCC route selection on the industrial line and adopted a simple series of diodes to control the points. The three roads now each have an entrance and exit push button.

 

DSC_0257.JPG.9ceae080b6224cded93e7d73ca0c2370.JPG

 

 

To be completely honest I exaggerated (lied) when I said that the new control panel for the industrial fiddle yard was finished - it had no power input!

 

Finally got that sorted today - fitted a new CDU (bought at the CMRA show last weekend) and connected it to the control panel via one of our new 'standard' connectors.

 

IMG_20200113_125959.jpg.916c98004f833bebc16da41c6e466ae7.jpg

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If you want to ‘sex up’ your layout, Noch do a range of  appropriate figures.  I’ve even seen one of them animated.  You could put some in your sleeping car, but you would have to turn the light off if any children are watching.

 

Only  joking of course. 

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35 minutes ago, ColinK said:

If you want to ‘sex up’ your layout, Noch do a range of  appropriate figures.  I’ve even seen one of them animated.  You could put some in your sleeping car, but you would have to turn the light off if any children are watching.

 

Only  joking of course. 

 

Have you ever been in a 6-berth couchette? Not enough space for much movement.

 

And what about the other four occupants of the compartment?

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I have not seen the layout except in video format due to the fact that I live in the GWN.  I have been to China - several times and have seen older industrial areas.  I think your background has very effectively captured the feeling of industrial China on an overcast day in a partially smog polluted area.   Also, I don't remember seeing lots of street lights on.  As for clutter and grass bits, you don't see any bits of unkempt grass here and there as you do today in the UK and Canada.   Now what I did see were a  lot of small garden plots, sometimes between the pavement and the road even.   Similarly you don't see a lot of untidy 'stuff' just lying there.  There seems to be a pride, rather akin to that of the UK in the 40's and even into the 50's, in keeping things clean and tidy.  However,  and I don't mean to bragg, but perhaps you do have to add some stuff for those who have not been to the real China

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I see an exhibition layout as a performance - somewhat like a film or a TV play. A film or play tells a story and I see that this layout is telling a story - what the railways were like in 2004.

 

And we all know that if films and TV reflect life exactly as it really is it would be a very dull story - because real life is, in general, mostly mundane and so scriptwriters usually spice things up a bit. And so do we with our exhibition layouts - more action, more detail, more features are crammed into a relatively small space that you would ever see in real life. Nothing brings that home to me more than frequency of trains - as a photographers standing by the trackside of the 100% steam operated Ji-Tong line we often had to wait 30 minutes between trains - try accurately representing that at an exhibition!

 

Also there will be anomalies and (slight) inaccuracies included because, to use the well-known showbiz expression as an analogy 'it makes good television' and so as regards having the street lights 'on' is perhaps a little unlikely. but it appeals to a certain demographic that attend exhibitions. 

 

To sum up at exhibitions there are basically two demographics - modellers and non-modellers. Speaking in simplistic terms, modellers like features and non-modellers like gimmicks. Features and gimmicks are really linked by a straight line - one end says 'feature' and the other end says 'gimmick' - and detail we put on a layout falls somewhere on that line. The trick is to move the cursor far enough along that line to engage non-modellers and yet not so far along it so that we alienate modellers.

 

So having street lights which are scale height and with scale size heads make them a feature. Having bright, glaring street lights is a gimmick. So we are aiming to have the lights bright enough to engage the non-modellers ( " Look little Jonny even the street lights work on this layout ! " ) but at the same time subdued enough not to offend modellers ( " Not interested -Toy trains! " )

 

It's a delicate balance - hopefully we get it right.

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It's time to publicise the contribution made to Beijiao by Al (Remagen) Turner.

 

Some years ago Al kindly offered to help and has contributed in niche areas such as the motorway bridge - as well as being a regular member of the operating team.

 

His latest niche project is a crane to be parked near the bridge and getting a tyre change ……….. thanks Al!

 

IMG_1819.jpg.1136017194e4ab8558ee51ec2b2161ca.jpg

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I’ve also been working on a boneyard crane that was originally meant to be employed scrapping a loco, but as that idea is now off the table we’ll have to find another use for it.

 

Please note the scratch built sofa sat on the back. It took me the best part of last night to make, along with a wardrobe, bed and mattress for Remagen. 

 

A7BE204C-B1E7-46B6-A698-1E4799A9201D.jpeg

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I’ve also been working on a boneyard crane that was originally meant to be employed scrapping a loco, but as that idea is now off the table we’ll have to find another use for it.

 

Please note the scratch built sofa sat on the back. It took me the best part of last night to make, along with a wardrobe, bed and mattress for Remagen. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

The latest/last version of the truck stop is under way ...............

 

DSC_0320.JPG.537f4275327ddb02262be8484fd348b6.JPG


A new truck stop deserves a new truck ….

 

scania.jpg.a09f82d79ae8493490703052125d9602.jpg

 

 

But it didn't like the tight radius of the end loop...…………………..

 

 

IMG_20200127_192018.jpg.bf32f5c3e127495465c48f00db93d8d1.jpg

 

 

So dramatic action needed to make more room ……………...

 

IMG_20200128_155146.jpg.63eb66d5b4a2c93fcf75ce87272f448e.jpg

 

 

After a couple of hours …………………...

 

IMG_20200128_180128.jpg.9d625b91f83eae0e757f6ed6b680a4ee.jpg


 

Edited by TEAMYAKIMA
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Same problem at the other end ……. we must have 100% reliability because, at shows, we cannot afford to have a dedicated operator for the roadway and at the r/h end even the transit didn't always follow the magnetic strip due to tight radius ….

 

IMG_20200123_115451.jpg.6523d70b979aedfca5708e79e53333a8.jpg

 

 

So have already started work on the other end ……………. but at this end there is a lot less room to play with!

 

IMG_20200128_181424.jpg.47d5af255d23d424d0291934422b6456.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by TEAMYAKIMA
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  • 2 weeks later...

Have had a VERY frustrating week working on the Faller roadway. Have bought a new truck (as opposed to van) and the dynamics of it are very different - just because the Ford Transit ran through a section safely does NOT mean that the Scania truck will follow!

 

Much of the roadway has had to be relaid to accommodate the larger vehicle.  The under the road surface 'point' had to be dug out and modified ...………………..

 

IMG_20200209_142629.jpg.f4848b048a21a6c572ead06db505f4c5.jpg

 

But getting this roadway running is my #1 priority and no matter what it takes it WILL be operating at Aly Paly!

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Another issue we tackled today was the video system. Our original idea was to mount the cameras at each end of the scenic section like this ….

 

DSC_0334_(1).JPG.c5d87f0dcee61acffb816b3088d44c5d.JPG

 

 

This exposed the camera to damage in transit and made it look like an add-on after-thought - which TBH it was!

 

That design now replaced with this …...

 

IMG_20200209_163241.jpg.36e0c39a3d5f31b5e4a34a3355d8c892.jpg

 

 

IMG_20200209_163232.jpg.0268d3f7a76f7b74188acb547d265eb2.jpg

 

 

Both ends now done and working!

 

 

Edited by TEAMYAKIMA
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What are you using the cameras for? To see the train positions while you sit at the fiddle yard? 

 

If yes a very good idea - something I need to copy as my backscene is rather high - so I need to stand up to see what's happening on the scenic part... 

Will not be finished for MKMRS show (Saturday...)  - but may be later. 

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