Willsbridge (Bath Road)

[Andrew P]

Just a thought Andy how about a windbreak in front of the door a lattice panel or some thing similar, two concrete posts a concrete bottom section and panel above?

Nice idea Mick but we have no room for any post's because of the Conservatory etc. but we are looking at a porch type cover supported by the Shed, but are mindful of strong winds catching it and causing even bigger problems.

 

Still looking at various ideas though thanks mate.

[Andrew P]

I wasn't going to post here on Willsbridge again as I felt I'd lost my way with it, and certainly very disheartened and disillusioned after the Flood, but it has given me time to think, and so here is a sort of statement and question all in one. Maybe someone has the answers somewhere. I have also posted this originally on GeorgeT's workbench and then on my Beale St and here, as I might get different answers from different types of modellers

 

I'm a great admirer of the many talented modellers out there both currently and in a previous life who have decided to Build a Model of XYZ, then stuck to that for most if not all of their lives. Look at Frank Dyer and his many incarnations of Borchester, Rev Peter Denny with Buckingham Great Central, and currently there are people like John Flann with his wonderful Hintock and Jim / Aberdare with Hemyok, then there are massive projects on here such as Peterborough North, and Grantham. They all have one thing in common, and that is a single minded determination to take up a challenge and see it through to the end, and one other thing that is interesting with all the above, and that is the word MOJO, you never read on here or see any signs that the Mojo has taken leave, I wonder why that is?

[aac]

I wasn't going to post here on Willsbridge again as I felt I'd lost my way with it, and certainly very disheartened and disillusioned after the Flood, but it has given me time to think, and so here is a sort of statement and question all in one. Maybe someone has the answers somewhere. I have also posted this originally on GeorgeT's workbench and then on my Beale St and here, as I might get different answers from different types of modellers

 

I'm a great admirer of the many talented modellers out there both currently and in a previous life who have decided to Build a Model of XYZ, then stuck to that for most if not all of their lives. Look at Frank Dyer and his many incarnations of Borchester, Rev Peter Denny with Buckingham Great Central, and currently there are people like John Flann with his wonderful Hintock and Jim / Aberdare with Hemyok, then there are massive projects on here such as Peterborough North, and Grantham. They all have one thing in common, and that is a single minded determination to take up a challenge and see it through to the end, and one other thing that is interesting with all the above, and that is the word MOJO, you never read on here or see any signs that the Mojo has taken leave, I wonder why that is?

Your question about MOJO is interesting. I think the answer is that if the project is sufficiently interesting,and the modeller concerned is not in a rush, anything is possible. Feeling something has to be done in a timescale frustrates. I once saw the 2mm Copenhagen Fields being shown and run AND being built at a Scalefourum. While chatting to one of the builders he laid the metal strip that was the foundation for the overbridge that now crosses the main tracks on a diagonal. That was in about September 1985. Where they in a rush? But look at the results today. In summary, I think "Enjoy it - don't rush it".

 

aac

[Alister_G]

 

I'm a great admirer of the many talented modellers out there both currently and in a previous life who have decided to Build a Model of XYZ, then stuck to that for most if not all of their lives. Look at Frank Dyer and his many incarnations of Borchester, Rev Peter Denny with Buckingham Great Central, and currently there are people like John Flann with his wonderful Hintock and Jim / Aberdare with Hemyok, then there are massive projects on here such as Peterborough North, and Grantham. They all have one thing in common, and that is a single minded determination to take up a challenge and see it through to the end, and one other thing that is interesting with all the above, and that is the word MOJO, you never read on here or see any signs that the Mojo has taken leave, I wonder why that is?

 

Hi Andy

 

I can't speak to Frank Dyer, Rev Denny or John Flann, but i do know that Jim has had a loss of Mojo recently. As you know I have set out to model a specific place, which was a long held ambition, and very important to me, and I too have suffered a complete loss of interest, which is why I'm now modelling somewhere else. I can also quote you Sasquatch, Westerham Station, and Marcus37, all of whom have had this, and I'm sure the same is true for many, many modellers on this forum.

 

As for the various other layouts you mention, they are collaborative efforts involving a group of people, and so if individual members of the group have a loss of mojo the others will buoy them up and carry on.

 

I would say that all of us at some stage get this, and given the horrible shock your issues with the shed must have been, it's not surprising if you begin to doubt yourself, but don't, DON'T think it's the end of the world.

 

You need to step back a bit and give yourself a breather. Think of all the inspiration you had from your Welsh visit, I'm sure new ideas will be zooming around in your brain pretty soon.

 

All the  best mate,

 

Al.

[Marcus 37]

That's an interesting question Andy.

I must admit I've never really lost my mojo since starting PDW. I will openly admit I've lost my mojo with previous projects. Most significantly was the layout prior to PDW. A huge layout that sat in the loft for a good while without being touched. What probably killed that more than anything else was poor planning and trying to squeeze too much in.

Also though was the lack of prototypical operating which would allow reasonable sized trains.

Building KoLW for Anthony sort of changed my way of thinking with trying to base something on a real place. I know it doesn't resemble Fort William scenically in the slightest but the track plan was created to give the prototypical operation of the station which means it's fun / interesting to operate.

After completing KoLW it made me realise that the loft layout had to go so I sat down and had a long hard think about what I wanted.

I knew I wanted long trains in the landscape, prototypical operation and most importantly somewhere set in the Peak District.

It was at this time I thought about Peak Forest but dismissed the idea, thinking that I couldn't fit what I wanted within the space available.

I have always liked the area around Blackwell Mill, especially as there's quite a lot of civil engineering features to the line here like bridges, tunnels, cuttings viaducts and the canalised river. There was even the temporary platform that was erected on the curve between Buxton Junction and Peak Forest Junction that could have been incorporated.

I did actually do a research trip armed with camera and tape measure. The plan was to model from Rusher Cutting tunnel to Peak Forest Junction and Buxton Junction incorporating the triangular junction with the centre piece being Blackwell Mill cottages and the river in the Valley below.

This all seemed like a great idea until I got back home and into the loft. Once I started putting pen to paper it soon became apparent that although I could have made a decent representation in the space available the fiddle yard / yards were going to be a nightmare.

The layout would have been in the centre of the loft with access from the outsides which would have been a bit different but would have required three fiddle yards. After this failed attempt the mojo soon disappeared and the loft continued to sit idle.

Then one night I was looking at Google Earth over Peak Forest and took some screen shots of the track layouts in the area and thought well let's see what I can actually fit in the space I had available. I knew I wanted decent sized trains of around 9 bogie hoppers, long sweeping curves and and sufficiently long sidings to take be able to take this size of train. If I couldn't fit this criteria into the space available then The idea would have been scrapped. So to make sure the layout would work the whole lot was planned out on wall paper, cut to the exact dimensions of the base boards, over several nights. To my surprise, and delight, I actually got everything to fit without being crammed in. With a working track plan in place that sounded the death knell for the loft layout and the bull dozers moved in shortly afterwards. Knowing that I could actually do a half decent rendition of Peak Forest the MoJo was now in overdrive as this was something I really wanted.

I think for me modelling a location that I know and love means you get a buzz every time you look at it. When we went to Peak Forest back in October we were stood on the bridge and it was quite weird looking down the track towards the station and the signal box. Even Diane said it feels like we've been shrunk into your layout. Every time we go now I see something different that can be incorporated into the layout. Sometimes something really small but sometimes it's the small detail that counts. The other good thing modelling a real location is being able to take pictures of something that you can take back and try and recreate.

PDW was always going to be a long project. It's nice to be at the stage where it is as I can happily run trains if I want to but there's still plenty of modelling to do when I've got the time as that's another enjoyable aspect of the hobby.

So far PDW has been on the go for about 18months and I can honestly say the mojo hasn't disappeared yet. There's been plenty of frustration mainly due to work getting in the way when I've really wanted to crack on with something but that's actually probably a good thing.

I know you have said before that you don't like modelling actual locations but it seems that the above layouts you've mentioned are either based on a real location or are a representation of a real location.

My advice is have a good think about somewhere you really enjoy going and then make a little slice of it in miniature.

Just as an example you like going and stopping in North Wales by Bala lake so what would be nicer than going into the shed and seeing a little bit of it recreated in miniature. Remember the Bala Lake railways was standard gauge originally. Or how great would a Narrow gauge layout of the terminus station at Bala be.

Like I say I'm just using that as an example.

I really do hope you find your way with a new layout and it's one that gets the Mojo on overdrive.

Always happy to have a chat mate.

Take care

Cheers

Marcus

[Ray H]

T'is difficult to know from your post whether the mojo absenteeism is 4mm, 7mm or everything related. There's probably different answers for each.

 

You still appear to be enjoying O gauge, so why not concentrate on that for a bit. You've laid the track and wired it up and enjoy shunting. B*gger the scenery for a bit, just do some shunting, even if you have to restrict yourself to just using a couple of the shorter sidings until you've built up your rolling stock holdings.

 

Whatever you do, try and forget the water problem. Its no good worrying about it. Its either fixed or it isn't and no amount of worrying will change that. You've always struck me as an optimistic sort of chap so work on the basis that it's fixed and press on. No building be it house or otherwise is ever 100% free from risk. You've done all you can with the information/evidence you have so please stop worrying about it.

 

You've always seemed to like building any layouts. If you feel that you need a 4mm & a 7mm one then knock up a 4mm shunting puzzle but use it for shunting until you feel the urge to add the scenery to it.

 

You're streets ahead of (I'd guess) the majority on here. Your end products always sell so they must be of a reasonable standard. You're in demand for weathering and the like so you must be good at that as well. Me, I've built numerous layouts in my time (albeit with a 40 year gap between some of them). I never ever finish them because they cease to be what satisfies me and I always think that what I replace them with will be different. It never has been to date.

 

Don't worry about keeping us posted on progress either. As much as we like to see what you're up to, you must be putting yourself under a lot of pressure to keep your threads updated.

 

Perhaps you need to see you doctor if your lost mojo affects other things as well. If not, have a break over Christmas and let your mojo tell you when its time to get back to modelling. Who knows you may see a post on here that kick starts you again.

 

All the best to you and Dee for the festive season.

 

P.S. Please don't be offended by the tone of some of the above.

[gismorail]

Hello my friend,

It's an interesting 'pondering' that you have put forward here and the first thing that came to mind was that because your such a keen modeller you want to have a go at everything !!!! 'a bit like a fox in a chicken shed who can't make up his mind as to which chicken to go for next'      

Apart from  Peterborough North, and Grantham the examples that you have mentioned were created a while back in a time when the gentlemen concerned didn't have the internet and social media  like we have today coupled to the fact that a lot of the stock would have to have been kit build were as today we are lucky as most models can be purchased 'off the shelf' so there is perhaps to much to tempt one into other areas of this wonderful hobby.

I know exactly how you feel in regards as to which layout to push on with and I'm currently happy producing Chumley End but as you are aware I have this burning desire to create 'the model of a lifetime' and you have seen my plans for Wrexham Central when you visited the other month. I think its just a matter of doing what you feel comfortable with at the time and getting as mush enjoyment as possible. 

   

[Donw]

Well young Grasshopper Andy you have to recognise that you are so full of ideas that you cannot settle on a layout and that's it. Perhaps in part it is because you came late to trains and didn't spend your boyhood gazing at one bit of line. There is nowt wrong with flitting from project to project. you enjoy thinking up and building layouts. Your work rate is fast enough that you can finish most of them sell them and move on. Trebudoc, Porth Merryn and Pencarne are good examples. Just accept who you are and be proud of what you achieve.

 

Don

[Andrew P]

Morning all, and Cheers Guys for all your constructive and well informed comments, Ray is right about the Shed, it's either fixed or it aint, so just get on with things, but it does seem fine now, thank goodness.

 

Pencarne was probably the most enjoyable Layout to photograph and operate, but I always felt was very limited in it's operation as I like LOTS of big Engines, and a loads of Wagons on show on the Layout. Kingsmill covered the LOADS of Locos on the Layout side, and was good to operate, so one of my favourites. I started North Road, and the Shed Scene and Turntable were to me ideal, but it felt restricted somehow. Willsbridge had loads of potential, but was me re doing Pen Junction, which had caused frustration with the Fiddle Yard being hidden, and yet I was doing the same again, WHY?

 

When I started Beale St it was going to be a simple Shunting Plank, an 08, 2 Points and an Inglenook set up, so what did I do, I bought 10 Points and so HAD to use them, WHY?

 

I've rationalised my Stock now to just Midland and Western Region, apart from a few Bulleids and so I will stick to a Western Region Layout that can incorporate some Midland influences.

 

One of my favourite Layouts that I keep going back to in my books and Inspirations Folder is Borchester Market, it's compact, but well thought out with realistic operation, loads of Engine Movements and Shunting from the 08, BUT to me it lacks a decent Goods Yard and Freight operation, yes it has the Colliery Branch, but that just runs through and lacks any meaningful operation. 

I had the opportunity a couple of years back to visit Jason T, and his wonderful Bacup Layout, the joy for me was spending the WHOLE DAY shunting the Goods Yard, making up Trains, dispatching them and then awaiting the next Goods Working, superb.

 

 

I will continue to ponder and in the meantime I have come up with a Plan for a long term, realistic operating Layout that will satisfy my needs, I don't want it on here just yet as I've had FAR to many FAILED THREADS, and it must be driving Andy Y mad.

 

Please keep giving me your thoughts, it's very interesting to hear different peoples ideas etc.

[westerner]

Andy, I suspect that most of us have a loss of mojo to some extent or other at some time or other. I know that there have been times that I have not been in the railway room weeks and on one occasion for a couple of months. When I have been like that I just accept it. It is after all just a hobby nobody is going to die if no work is being done on a layout. Unlike you I am not a multiple layout builder in quick time, so gaps in mojo do not upset me.

Whilst I find asking for advice on here can be helpful, I often think one can get too much advice and it all becomes confusing, that too can cause a loss of mono. Sometimes one just needs to listen to oneself.

[Ray H]

None of your threads have failed!
 
You've done what most of us do, you've had an idea and pressed on with the build in true Andy P style. Most of the layouts related to in the threads have gone on to live a life with a different owner who is only too pleased to have one of your builds.
 
Some people can spend months (or more) on the design and are happy doing that. Some of those succeed and stick with that one layout, others get so far and realise it isn't what they were hoping for and its time to re-group.
 
By far the majority are so keen to see something running that they plan on the baseboard, buy the track, fix it down, wire it up and . . . . . For a lot of us it never gets any further and you've found that a few times but I'd guess that you've actually gone on to complete more layouts than many have had hot dinners.  

I don't think you're ready for the last big project just yet. In fact you may never be.

 

You're good at what you do (and we appreciate it). Spend whatever time you need batting ideas around in your head or on paper and try to work each idea up to a greater extent than the previous one. I reckon that you'll suddenly get fed up with pencil & paper and will be out in the shed before Santa has been and gone.

 

Some people can stick with one car, one guitar, one wife, one house. Changing modelling ideas is no different to changing any of the other things previously mentioned!

 

Don't under sell yourself. You good at what you do and many of us would be only too pleased to model to your standard.

 

You'll be back on track soon in more ways than one.

[Alister_G]

as I've had FAR to many FAILED THREADS, and it must be driving Andy Y mad.

WOAH!   Stop right there mate!

 

Not one of your threads on here is a failure, and don't you dare damn well say so!

 

They all, without exception, demonstrate your skills at bringing together a convincing scene, with superb modelling and detail, and each thread contains a wealth of inspiration and information on how to go about the various aspects of modelling.

 

In fact, you, more than anyone else on this forum, have shown that you are able to model in many scales, and many different periods and regions. You must be one of the most prolific and varied modellers on here.

 

I'm quite sure AndyY would be more than happy for you to fill this forum with your modelling.

 

I quite understand not wanting to post anything until you have your ideas settled, and be able to plan without interference.

 

Al.

[Mrkirtley800]

Andy, everyone loses his/her mojo at some time or other. We wouldn't be human if we didn't.

I built numerous layouts up to 1965 and not one satisfied me. Every one lacked that something to keep me going, so my enthusiasm came and went quite regularly.

However in 1965 I moved job and house, and in our new house was space in the loft for a three quarter scale layout of Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales, a place I knew well. My mojo was at full throttle and that layout lasted three house moves and about twenty years. In all that time, I had an exacting 24/7 job, plus a young family so model railways really were a great relaxation.

Grassington went due to warping boards and Canal Road was born. This was a copy of a prototype station but moved to a different part of the Dales. Again mojo in full swing. All this time there were other distractions quite apart from working for a living, sport like badminton, table tennis and folk dancing got in the way. So railway modelling remained fairly fresh.

Then I hit the buffers when my knees decided that enough was enough. The first operation in 2009 was a bit of a disaster, and 2010 saw my mojo plummet to absolute zero. For nearly a year I did nothing else but watch endless repeats of Midsomer Murders, but eventually my enthusiasm for modelling returned and Kirkby Malham materialised. Since then there have been numerous times when the old mojo has dipped below the horizon, but it always returns with a vengeance, and I am sure yours will too.

Your layouts are excellent examples of railway modelling using what is available, and an inspiration to us of what can be achieved.

Just give your modelling a rest for a week or two, and I'll bet you come back with fresh ideas and more 'get up and go' than I have ever had.

Derek

[Normski7]

Hi Andy,

 

First off let me introduce myself, my name is Richard and i have been modelling N Gauge since the age of 10 (Now 35)

I visit RM Web almost every day and just read the threads without ever realy commenting on anything but i have realy enjoyed reading your threads on Pencarne & West Shed and when you set this thread up i was excited to see how your new build would go.

When i read about your shed problems and your mojo i felt i wanted to post something, even if it was just to share my thoughts.

I have a lovely collection of Steam Trains from Grafar, Dapol & Minitrix, old & new and some weathered by Mercig Studios, and i have always had a keen interest in British Steam but i have never realy got to grips with scenery.

In February 2014 my home in Staines was flooded when the Thames burst it banks, i lost 3 Model Railways in the process, my main 8' x 4', my original Grafar Magnum Layout and my GCSE Project 4' x 2'

Since then i have yet to rebuild anything as i have just moved home and i havnt worked out the space available yet.

I must admit that when the flood happened i had lost all mojo for everything but it did come back and i started collecting trains again about 8 months later when we could move back in.

I now have so many ideas, many thanks to Pencarne & West Shed, and bags of mojo but the scenery and time often put me off starting something new.

I think you have great ideas and when you have great ideas something amazing always comes from it.

Like the other members here have said, have a good think about what you want to do with the operation of the layout and the look of the scenes within it and then ponder how to make another sensational layout which we can all enjoy on here just as much as you can enjoy building and using it.

Enjoy Christmas, visit another Steam Railway (The Severn Valley Railway is a personal fav), draw inspiration from it and before you know it you will be buzzing with excitement and ideas again.

 

Best Regards,

 

Rich

 

P.S I was envious of the buyer of Pencarne.

[Andrew P]

Thanks Rich for your Post above and as I said in  Post #443 Page 18, I'm one of the lucky ones.

 

Your situation must have taken all your resolve, and I'm NOT talking about the loss of your Layouts, but the REAL flood damage caused to your home. I hope in time you will start again and show us your work.

 

Thanks for your kind words on here as well.

 

All the best.

[Andrew P]

Just to say Guys, that the new Layout was started a couple of Days ago and the Thread, (probably Bristol Victoria) will be started very soon.

 

Here's a taster, yes back to what I love, all Track Peters.

 

[sp1]

None of your threads have failed!

 

You've done what most of us do, you've had an idea and pressed on with the build in true Andy P style. Most of the layouts related to in the threads have gone on to live a life with a different owner who is only too pleased to have one of your builds.

 

Some people can spend months (or more) on the design and are happy doing that. Some of those succeed and stick with that one layout, others get so far and realise it isn't what they were hoping for and its time to re-group.

 

By far the majority are so keen to see something running that they plan on the baseboard, buy the track, fix it down, wire it up and . . . . . For a lot of us it never gets any further and you've found that a few times but I'd guess that you've actually gone on to complete more layouts than many have had hot dinners.

I don't think you're ready for the last big project just yet. In fact you may never be.

 

You're good at what you do (and we appreciate it). Spend whatever time you need batting ideas around in your head or on paper and try to work each idea up to a greater extent than the previous one. I reckon that you'll suddenly get fed up with pencil & paper and will be out in the shed before Santa has been and gone.

 

Some people can stick with one car, one guitar, one wife, one house. Changing modelling ideas is no different to changing any of the other things previously mentioned!

 

Don't under sell yourself. You good at what you do and many of us would be only too pleased to model to your standard.

 

You'll be back on track soon in more ways than one.

One guitar????

Surely not!

[sp1]

Just to say Guys, that the new Layout was started a couple of Days ago and the Thread, (probably Bristol Victoria) will be started very soon.

 

Here's a taster, yes back to what I love, all Track Peters.

Track Plan 1 005 - Copy.JPG

 

Track Plan 1 003.JPG

That's more like it Andy! .....I think you've finished about 4(!) layouts while I've been deciding what to do - my mojo ain't working (to paraphrase Muddy Waters) but I've built some baseboards and am now sorting out legs - I bet your track gets fixed down before mine!

[Marcus 37]

I'm very sorry Andy but I'm going to have to pull you up on you're Grammer. There's absolutely no chance on this earth that the words "Andy P" and "failure" can be used in the same sentence. There's never been a "failure" just a change of direction and there's nothing wrong with that whatsoever.

Just take your time and don't feel under any pressure to get something up and running. You know your capable of building a layout you will enjoy running so don't nail that track down until your absolutely sure.

Cheers

Marcus

[Dr Gerbil-Fritters]

It's only failure if you don't learn from it.  

 

Otherwise it's called experience

[Alister_G]

I'm very sorry Andy but I'm going to have to pull you up on you're Grammer.

Lol!

 

 

Al

[john flann]

I haven't been following this, or any other thread, closely because I am busy with getting Port Bredy completed against a publishing dead line.

 

But, quickly skimming through the foregoing posts two struck me in particular; keeping a thread going does require attention and some graft and that too much advice is counter productive.

 

I am a sole modeller living far away from the UK modelling scene, and the only person I take advice from  is my son Nicholas who has very keen eye and knows my style.

 

I seem to get along pretty well as things are, and I always hesitate to give advice (in public) to others.

 

It should not be necessary to say that notwithstanding these remarks I do value and get much encouragement from members interest in and comment upon Hintock . They help one along when that spark of imagination/ creativity and drive is lacking. So please keep them up.

 

And I'll leave it at that.

[380John]

Hi Andy,

After skimming through the above you seem a little philosophical at the moment and I guess that's understandable due to the events of the past few weeks , your question regarding mojo is certainly relevant and something that affects ALL of us.

1. A 'lifetime' layout is just that. You have plenty of time to do it and you can pick it up and put it down as it was. Or alternatively, as it is a layout of a lifetime then such a long term project will undoubtedly still have its ups and downs with regard to mojo but probably those that build such a layout probably just continue working through the low mojo periods in order to keep plodding on with such a long term project. When my mojo is low I just stop for a while. But that's fair enough as this probably won't be the last thing I build.

2. Maybe subconsciously you know that you may have side projects on the go and look forward to starting the next. This could be why mojo drops after a while. Recently you've had a major setback so this is bound to make one reevaluate things. I'd see this as a good thing so you can really get to grips with what it is you want to do.

 

All the best,

John

[Marcus 37]

Lol!

 

 

Al

Ok smarty pants. You got me. 

I blame the ipad spell check......

[Donw]

 

Some people can stick with one car, one guitar, one wife, one house. Changing modelling ideas is no different to changing any of the other things previously mentioned!

 

 

 

I take your point Ray but I think I had better stick to one wife 

 

Andy take note of how many love to follow your builds perhaps your mojo dips because you have been boosting everyone elses.

 

Don