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

[Dunsignalling]

On 26/07/2021 at 20:30, Oldddudders said:

Gosh - that's 3.5 BSH! (British Standard Handfuls) 

Each! 

[NHY 581]

1 hour ago, Captain Kernow said:

 

'Ello Rob, gotta new motor?

 

 

Morning CK. 

 

Not new......but I did mislay it during the reorg of the Room of Doom. Resurfaced a few days ago. 

 

Its an Oxford Standard Flying 12 suitably distressed. 

 

Rob.  

[NHY 581]

Evening all.

This year has seen a few false starts in terms of the next layout.

A 1950s W&U inspired goods only terminus. A 1950s East Anglian, ex- Great Eastern BLT , an Isle of Wight inspired 1930s terminus and most recently a 1950s Western Region goods yard.

Its not an inconsiderable list.

Frustration with the running of the motive power for most of these ideas has contributed towards work commencing on none of the above, aside from a few mock ups using buildings and scraps of track.


Many have offered help advice and support to overcome these issues, most notably with the recent Pannier saga, illustrating the kind of good people who take it upon themselves to inhabit this here thread. Once again, thank you all.. 


I decided to step back for a moment. Draw breath as it were. 

 

One bit of  advice came from Mick. 

In our last bit of correspondence, just over a couple of weeks ago now, Mick wrote;

"What I do think, though, is that if you are finding that current standards don't give you what you expect/deserve/demand then it might be time to change your target. If you have some locomotives that do meet your requirements then maybe that's where your efforts should be channelled, creating something where their characteristics can be put to best use"

That struck a chord and got me thinking . The obvious choice for me was some where for the Hattons P class 0.6.0t and Dapol B4 0.4.0t to play. I have a few examples of both and all run very well indeed. A bit of an Arun Quay homage with a sheep twist immediately sprang to mind.

But I still had a rather naggy, Great Eastern itch to scratch.

I have three examples of Hornby's J15 'in stock' along with a couple of Model Rail/Dapol Sentinels. Again, all run very well. Add to these a Bachmann 03 in waspy green, another good runner and the basics were actually  there. 


Once again, I started messing with points ,scraps of track and buildings, arriving at what is my simplest track plan yet.

Four points and four buildings should do it.

Two of the buildings were originally destined for the W&U layout.

Its never going to keep you occupied for long but it will scratch the itch to produce a neglected corner of an East Anglian backwater from the 1950s.

Lots of grassy, weedy track. This will be all about the detail. A repeat of Sheep Dip's track. 

Where exactly in East Anglia this is will be anybodys guess but hopefully this should do it.

Yes, I know, I know, believe it when the first train runs but really, I shall hopefully start in the next day or so.

One last thing to decide of which more anon and  then we should be good to go.

Here then are a few photos of the most recent mock up on the dining table.

 

 

Referring to photo one, the entrance from the fiddle yard is top left. Layout will be viewed from the right.

 

 

A view towards what I see mainly as a coal siding.

 

 

 

Former stables and cart storage behind the siding which will act as a view blocker for the fiddle yard exit/entrance.  It won't completely obscure it but it will draw the eye.......I hope. 

 

 

 

 

A longer view.  Access into the coal siding will have the required 'slightly awkward' element. 

 

 

 

 

View from the back to the front of the layout. 

 

 

 

 

Just inside the main gates into the yard. 

 

 

There will be a few Sheepy trademarks......much in the way of static grass,  wild flowers......................and a Land Rover. 

 

 

 

Rob. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by NHY 581

[MrWolf]

This looks interesting....

 

Standing by....

 

 

 

[bgman]

Wise words from Mick in my opinion Rob.

 

Cut back to what you feel needs to satisfy you the most, of which to my mind is the small detailing of the minimal items on the layouts you've produced over the years. These have give great pleasure to a great many here and hopefully through the process to you also.

 

I won't harp on about my "stuff" on your thread suffice to say I have rapidly come to the conclusion that less is probably best, especially in 7mm !

 

Being away from modelling for approx. one year has given me time to think and re-think what is possible and also pleasurable.

 

Unfortunately you have had to contend with much more over the past year, as you've highlighted, and bouncing back can't have been easy.

 

Do what pleases you the most, bit by bit and enjoy what you do, after all it's only a hobby but one which takes us away from the real world and a good way to escape, even if it's only for an hour pushing stuff around on some bits of track. You've created a miniature world to enjoy and allowed us in to share your visions for which I thank you.

 

Now bu**er off and do something you want too !!! 

 

G

 

Edited August 4, 2021 by bgman
word

[NHY 581]

18 minutes ago, bgman said:

Wise words from Mick in my opinion Rob.

 

Cut back to what you feel needs to satisfy you the most, of which to my mind is the small detailing of the minimal items on the layouts you've produced over the years. These have give great pleasure to a great many here and hopefully through the process to you also.

 

I won't harp on about my "stuff" on your thread suffice to say I have rapidly come to the conclusion that less is probably best, especially in 7mm !

 

Being away from modelling for approx. one year has given me time to think and re-think what is possible and also pleasurable.

 

Unfortunately you have had to contend with much more over the past year, as you've highlighted, and bouncing back can't have been easy.

 

Do what pleases you the most, bit by bit and enjoy what you do, after all it's only a hobby but one which takes us away from the real world and a good way to escape, even if it's only for an hour pushing stuff around on some bits of track. You've created a miniature world to enjoy and allowed us in to share your visions for which I thank you.

 

Now bu**er off and do something you want too !!! 

 

G

 

 

 

Thank you. 

 

 

[sb67]

On 31/07/2021 at 19:45, NHY 581 said:

Evening all. 

 

The wind has truly been knocked out of my sails this evening. 

 

The only image I can think to post is the only bit of weathering I have ever done for someone else. 

 

It was a pleasure to do. 

 

Mick's Landy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fitting tribute Rob. I was floored by the news too, Mick had plenty of wise words and the last few days have seen me reflecting on conversations I've had with him about weathering, so a weathered Land Rover is spot on.

Good luck with the new layout too, being on GE territory always goes down well with me, I'll look forward to seeing how it goes.  

 

[NHY 581]

Morning all. 

 

Thank you Steve. 

 

I'm hoping this will be something upon which I can get the ball rolling  fairly quickly but without any pressure. 

 

There's actually two matters to resolve before starting. 

 

Storage is a slight but not insurmountable issue. 

You might recall that the Room of Doom is somewhat bijou so some thought is needed as to where the new layout will live.

 

 

 

The second will naturally follow once the storage location  is resolved. 

 

 

 

Perhaps a quick note on the plan. It's inspired by part of an Iain Rice trackplan for a proposed Ex GER BLT at Orford. It had a quay extension which caught my eye.  

 

 

 

I've opted for smaller, lower buildings, returning to a 'less is more' approach which I am more comfortable with. 

Edited April 6, 2022 by NHY 581

[Gilbert]

Have we reached a "quay" decision point in layout design?

[bgman]

1 minute ago, Gilbert said:

Have we reached a "quay" decision point in layout design?

 

Being "all at sea" with several ideas Rob may have docked his mind on one of Iains workable designs !

[NHY 581]

Bollards. 

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, NHY 581 said:

Bollards. 

Rowlocks.

[Gedward]

 

Ain't life a beach?

[Stubby47]

Mick.

 

I am still in shock over this, but obviously my heart goes out to his family and friends who must be devastated.

But the joy of seeing one his postings appear in the 'View New Content' list, the chance to learn something or banter about something else - it's all gone.  And has partly taken some of my mojo too.

 

Good on you, Rob, for using Mick's wise words and cracking on with a new layout, we're all looking forward to another mini masterpiece.  And seeing the, now almost mandatory, Land Rover. 

[chuffinghell]

3 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Mick

 

I am still in shock over this..

 

 

Me too as I'm sure a lot of us are 

 

5 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

Good on you, Rob, for using Mick's wise words and cracking on with a new layout, we're all looking forward to another mini masterpiece.  And seeing the, now almost mandatory, Land Rover. 

 

Absolutely

[SteveyDee68]

5 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Perhaps a quick note on the plan. It's inspired by part of an Iain Rice trackplan for a proposed Ex GER BLT at Orford. It had a quay extension which caught my eye.  

 

 

I've opted for smaller, lower buildings, returning to a 'less is more' approach which I am more comfortable with. 

 

O

M

G

 

I've been holding my breath for a dock/wharfside layout from you, so you have no idea how happy it makes me to see you post this! Can you point me to the original plan you got this from, please? I'm now following an adapted Iain Rice plan for Castlebrook Sidings, as suggested to me by @sb67, and looking at the plan you've just posted I think it looks perfect for when I build my own Woodhey Quay! I'm certain I have one of his layout planning books somewhere, but I don't recall this one being in it.

 

Totally different geographical area, but the size of the quayside building on the plan immediately made me think of Wells-Next-The-Sea...

 

 

This contemporary photo (copyright unknown, Google search for images) shows the juxtaposition in size between the granary and the rest of the buildings along the quayside (where there were tracks until around 1955 I believe) - if this were a model, questions would be asked about how the granary over-dominates the composition of the layout!

 

No pressure, but I can't wait to see your interpretation of a wharf side location!

 

Steve S

 

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by SteveyDee68
Added photo

[NHY 581]

1 hour ago, Stubby47 said:

Mick.

 

I am still in shock over this, but obviously my heart goes out to his family and friends who must be devastated.

But the joy of seeing one his postings appear in the 'View New Content' list, the chance to learn something or banter about something else - it's all gone.  And has partly taken some of my mojo too.

 

Good on you, Rob, for using Mick's wise words and cracking on with a new layout, we're all looking forward to another mini masterpiece.  And seeing the, now almost mandatory, Land Rover. 

 

 

Thank you Stu. 

 

I have to agree. I feel quite subdued at the moment. I was looking for something else in my saved PMs but found myself reading through that message once again and literally went through the stock boxes as a result. 

 

In another link to Mick, the new layout will use PECO points from him. Mick contacted me out of the blue and offered me a job lot from his stock, an offer I gladly took him up on. 

 

A slight tidy and reorg of the Room of Doom should see a home for the new layout, possibly today and I can progress from there. 

 

The only downside is that Mick won't see the result of his timely advice and I am denied the opportunity to tell him

 

"This is all your fault "

 

Rob. 

[NHY 581]

18 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said:

 

O

M

G

 

I've been holding my breath for a dock/wharfside layout from you, so you have no idea how happy it makes me to see you post this! Can you point me to the original plan you got this from, please? I'm now following an adapted Iain Rice plan for Castlebrook Sidings, as suggested to me by @sb67, and looking at the plan you've just posted I think it looks perfect for when I build my own Woodhey Quay! I'm certain I have one of his layout planning books somewhere, but I don't recall this one being in it.

 

Totally different geographical area, but the size of the quayside building on the plan immediately makes me think of Wells-Next-The-Sea...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Steve.....

 

That's very kind of you to say. 

 

The plan is in Light Railway Layout Designs,  ( Wild Swan)  pages 31 -35, Orford. 

 

At the moment mine's not likely to be a quayside/wharf jobbie. 

 

It was the track layout itself that caught my eye rather than the setting. 

To be honest, I've not modelled water before and it's a  bit of an unknown for me. 

 

That said, a lot of Mr Rice's plans and layouts feature a drop of water.................and I do have a very nice photo by Dr Ian Allen in mind as I type this.........so there mght be water yet. This was the second issue to resolve. 

 

If anyone has any hints and tips to share regarding the creation of water, I would be grateful.......

 

Rob. 

[2ManySpams]

4 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Bollards. 

 

Capstans

[MrWolf]

4 minutes ago, 2ManySpams said:

 

Capstans

 

Thanks, but I quit smoking.

[2ManySpams]

3 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Hi Steve.....

 

That's very kind of you to say. 

 

The plan is in Light Railway Layout Designs,  ( Wild Swan)  pages 31 -35, Orford. 

 

At the moment mine's not likely to be a quayside/wharf jobbie. 

 

It was the track layout itself that caught my eye rather than the setting. 

To be honest, I've not modelled water before and it's a  bit of an unknown for me. 

 

That said, a lot of Mr Rice's plans and layouts feature a drop of water.................and I do have a very nice photo by Dr Ian Allen in mind as I type this.........so there mght be water yet. This was the second issue to resolve. 

 

If anyone has any hints and tips to share regarding the creation of water, I would be grateful.......

 

Rob. 

 

Just think Rob, you don't have to have water at a quayside. Just a bank or bit of a wall and some sludgy mud. Perhaps a cameo of a bike being retrieved from the mire? 

[NHY 581]

3 minutes ago, 2ManySpams said:

 

Capstans

 

 

He will not doubt be along in a bit. Just don't mention ART darling...............

[chuffinghell]

21 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Mick contacted me out of the blue and offered me a job lot from his stock, an offer I gladly took him up on.

 

Indeed a very generous bloke, similarly he contacted me offering me a box of weathering powders only a few weeks ago.

 

Pleasantly surprised at how much he sent me, I intend to honor his memory by trying to use them to the best of my abilities.......with him in mind of course

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by chuffinghell
my spelling just gets worse

[2ManySpams]

Just now, NHY 581 said:

 

 

He will not doubt be along in a bit. Just don't mention ART darling...............

 

Don't start him...

[KNP]

3 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

Hi Steve.....

 

That's very kind of you to say. 

 

The plan is in Light Railway Layout Designs,  ( Wild Swan)  pages 31 -35, Orford. 

 

At the moment mine's not likely to be a quayside/wharf jobbie. 

 

It was the track layout itself that caught my eye rather than the setting. 

To be honest, I've not modelled water before and it's a  bit of an unknown for me. 

 

That said, a lot of Mr Rice's plans and layouts feature a drop of water.................and I do have a very nice photo by Dr Ian Allen in mind as I type this.........so there mght be water yet. This was the second issue to resolve. 

 

If anyone has any hints and tips to share regarding the creation of water, I would be grateful.......

 

Rob. 

 

I have two types on LM

Painted the underside of perspex in a green brown for the brook to give a flat still effect.

The harbour is greenish shade on MDF with PVA dabbed on with a 1" brush laid flat then lifted to give a rippled effect, needs to be applied in the same direction. If memory recalls I applied 6 separate layers and can be renovated with another layer of glue as and when necessary.