well filled baps The Sheep Chronicles : These are the adventures of a Sheep, the Works Forecat and Naughty George,

[The Johnster]

3 hours ago, Stubby47 said:

 

Needs a laconic guard leaning on the verandah. 

Wasn’t the Laconic a White Star Liner...

[NHY 581]

29 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

It's compulsory, just like having a Bus on a Bridge.

 

BUT I really should sort out those hand rails and weather mine properly.

 

 

Not sure about laconic......he looks operatic....

[Andrew P]

2 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Not sure about laconic......he looks operatic....

It's the tight trousers wot does it.

[NHY 581]

[Liam]

10 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Wouldn’t a ride in that brake van be fun... 

[NHY 581]

14 hours ago, gwrrob said:

Rob, really nice weathering and your stock has that touch rather like an artist painting ,in that you know it's one of yours even without a signature.

 

 

Morning,  Rob and other Muttoneers. 

 

The above comment got me thinking as to what my 'touch' is and perhaps where it came from. Influences, if you will. 

 

I have been playing with trains since I was a toddler, courtesy of my father..However,I started modelling when I was around 11 or twelve. Dad also introduced me to Airfix kits and many aircraft and tanks were built on the dining table. 

 

I think the military modelling helped enormously, especially when I moved up to 1/35th military modelling in my late teens. The jaw dropping work of François Verlinden was everywhere then and this in particular seemed unattainable but very inspirational. 

 

At 16, I went to work at Beatties at that is really the point where I began to push the modelling side of railways and I began to look at weathering stock in particular. The layouts of Mac Pyrke and Ian Futers along with Iain Rice stand out at this time. 

 

All was fine for a few years but then railway modelling was pushed into the background as I discovered other interests ( the usual birds bikes and booze as my mate used to say) I always seemed to be on the move around this time. 

 

Things settled down after a bit ( latest 20s ish)  and I began looking again at model railways but I could never give enough time to the hobby due to work and other stuff. A few small layouts were started but never really progressed. But I did start buying magazines again and in particular MRJ. I was now very much the armchair modeller. I bought quite a few kits, ready for when I got started........By the time I was hitting mid-thirties a house move saw me convert the loft and my opportunity presented itself.  I began building a large ( 18 x 12) loft layout, ostensibly a S&DJR through station but I was also amassing a large stock of Southern main line locos, mainly thanks to Hornby. I still had my kits, predominantly etched brass to build a pre-grouping S&D layout, inspired in no small part by Chris Challis's Cheddar. 

 

The main project was too large and in six years never progressed past the point where the majority of track was down and wired. I could run 8 coach passenger workings  and impressive they were but things just stalled. I saw no progress from one evening in the loft to the next. Same old, same old. And I didn't build the kits. 

 

A change in circumstances saw this layout abandoned and no modelling was done for another five years. 

 

Then, a chance conversation saw me agreeing to exhibit a layout at a local show..........Fine. Slight problem. No layout and no active modelling for a long time. 

 

What could I do in a year. I found an IKEA shelf and Sheep Lane was born. Sheep Lane taught me a lot as well as providing a welcome sense of achievement. But, and here's what I see as a pivotal moment, It allowed me to spend time on the details as the layout was visibly progressing. I reverted back to the military side of things and saw Sheep Lane as a diorama. I started experimenting with weathering powders, watched a few videos and tinkered. I now had time to experiment and I found that the powders more than made up for the lack of airbrush. They worked for me. I also started to move on the bigger, mainline locos.................Oh..and I sold the kits........

 

I think my style is on the heavy side, a caricature, emphasising certain aspects of the subject matter above others. 

The presentation of my layouts alludes to that of a painting and I am very much a 'disciple' of the practices of Messrs Rice, Nevard and the Gravetts. ( I also quite like wot a Captain from Devon knocks out but don't tell him for gawds sake). I almost see the stock as incidental and will enjoy looking at a layout as is. If it holds the viewer as such then that can't be a bad thing. So my style of modelling extends across the boards (?!) with the same approach to colour being taken irrespective of if we are tackling stock, buildings, track or a etched brass bench. I like strong colours and I guess my approach reflects this. Above all, it has to be consistent with the last subject modelled......and fit the scene in which it is to be displayed.

 

I've never consciously set out to produce a particular style or look to my trainset but each of us have that in us as we ( thankfully!) each see things for themselves, not as others see them. It is therefore  inevitable that we produce an item unique to ourselves, in a particular style....our own style.  For sure, it may be influenced by the work of others and utilising tried and tested techniques ( which may or may not work for you, time will tell on that one) but the results will not be slavish  copies of other people's work. Our models are an attempt at producing our own representation of a particular period/location/season, recent or otherwise. They can allow us to recreate,  certainly in my case at least, a period that I only know from books and photographs. A snapshot of history. 

The end result will have your stamp on it. Work on the basis that if it looks right to you, then it probably is right, because it is how you see things that matters the most.

If others like what they see then that is a very pleasurable by product. 

 

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2020 by NHY 581
Sausage hooves

[wiggoforgold]

Ah Francois Verlinden. I've still got some of his figures in a box somewhere. Might  be with the 1/35th Sherman

Alex

 

[durham light infantry]

I've got a Verlinden set for converting the Tamiya Mosquito into a Sea Mosquito. Massively overcomplicated and incomprehensible, but I want a Sea Mosquito for my Fleet Air Arm collection. Post retirement probably...

 

Mike

[NHY 581]

Well, with just under three months to go, I'd better start on the layout I'm taking to Rmweb Taunton......and it isn't Lambstone. 

 

The current state of play is this........

 

 

Rob. 

[Stubby47]

Nice sharp pencil and a large envelope  - good start, keep it up.

[paulbb]

Looks more Basildon Bond than James Bond, you know, stationary (sic).

yours feintly lined

[mullie]

A winter theme then?

[wiggoforgold]

I've got 95% of a roll of wallpaper lining paper if it's any use 

Alex

[Ramblin Rich]

3 hours ago, Stubby47 said:

Nice sharp pencil and a large envelope  - good start, keep it up.

Not too sharp, or you'll poke through the paper.

Oh, is that why you use an envelope? Double thickness! Clever....

[Oldddudders]

9 hours ago, wiggoforgold said:

I've got 95% of a roll of wallpaper lining paper if it's any use 

Alex

That much paper might be needed for woolly thinking.

[bgman]

13 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

The current state of play is this........

 

A Station-ary diorama ?

 

A.S.Tamp

Edited February 3, 2020 by bgman

[St Enodoc]

47 minutes ago, bgman said:

 

A Station-ary diorama ?

 

A.S.Tamp

Any relation to Terence?

[Northroader]

[NHY 581]

I have another Peckett. It is very nice. It runs very well. 

 

I thank you. 

 

 

Rob. 

[Stubby47]

So not 7mm then for Taunton...

[46444]

On 02/02/2020 at 20:13, NHY 581 said:

Well, with just under three months to go, I'd better start on the layout I'm taking to Rmweb Taunton......and it isn't Lambstone. 

 

The current state of play is this........

 

 

Rob. 

 

Wouldn't the back of a pack of Capstan Full Strength be a better medium? 

 

 

[The Johnster]

Or Woodbines.  It was on the inside of a pack of 10 Woodbines that my Great-Uncle Ted, having already shot down the Red Baron and blown up Hill 60, drew the plan for the first tank and sent it to Field Marshall Haig.  My Uncle Ted won WW1, you know...

[NHY 581]

8 hours ago, Stubby47 said:

So not 7mm then for Taunton...

 

 

Not this year........

[Axlebox]

On 02/02/2020 at 20:13, NHY 581 said:

Well, with just under three months to go, I'd better start on the layout I'm taking to Rmweb Taunton......and it isn't Lambstone. 

 

The current state of play is this........

 

 

Rob. 

...nice bit of continuity, you've put the IKEA shelf to good use, now its the turn of the IKEA pencil...thems is damn fine pencils.

[woodenhead]

On 02/02/2020 at 20:13, NHY 581 said:

Well, with just under three months to go, I'd better start on the layout I'm taking to Rmweb Taunton......and it isn't Lambstone. 

 

The current state of play is this........

 

 

Rob. 

Is that an extending Ikea table under the Ikea pencil.

 

That would be a very heavy baseboard albeit solid