Little Muddle

[KNP]

I noticed that there has been a few pictures of the new Hattons/DJM 0-4-2T posted (ANTB) and thought I would join in the fun.

 

4825 is caught leaving Encombe Station and heading around the branch line to Little Muddle.

 

Tension coupling and NEM pocket removed and coupling loop added for S&W coupling.

Coal to add and some crew as well.

 

This reminds me to have a go with my focusing program Helicon Focus (there are others but this is the one I know and can use)  that allows you to take pictures at different focal points and combine them together for an overall, in focus, picture.

I'll have ago over the next few days and post the results, I suspect it's the same type of program used in the magazines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27 by KNP

[New Haven Neil]

I'm still laughing at myself about the viaduct - it looks so good, you'd never know its origins unless you're very close to the original product!  I'm amazed we still sell so many of them, but maybe not now as I can see how well the mouldings can be incorporated into one of the best scenic layouts I have seen.

 

Atmosphere by the bucketload, you have it nailed.

[KNP]

On 16/04/2017 at 14:17, New Haven Neil said:

I'm still laughing at myself about the viaduct - it looks so good, you'd never know its origins unless you're very close to the original product!  I'm amazed we still sell so many of them, but maybe not now as I can see how well the mouldings can be incorporated into one of the best scenic layouts I have seen.

 

Atmosphere by the bucketload, you have it nailed.

 

I know, as I said previously I got the two of them cheap off e-bay and was a bit dubious about them at the time but after repainting them, added coping stones, rainwater pipes to hide the joint and weathered it I was quite surprised, for such an old model, how well it came up.

Just out of curiosity I delved through my old photos and found this one taken in Aug 2008 when all that existed of what is now Little Muddle was a 3ft x 2ft module standing on a table in the conservatory.

At the time the name for the layout was to be Smidgen Down.

Wow, has it changed since then..........but the bones of the design are still there!

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Edited February 27 by KNP

[KNP]

 

Photo 1

 

Photo 2

 

 

Photo 3

 

Ahh.....you learn something new everyday, plus gaps and comments as well!!!!

 

Thanks, Robin

Edited February 27 by KNP

[checkrail]

Utterly beautiful.

[sandwich station]

Robin, just like to say how amazing your attention to detail is. Has to be one of the finest layouts I've seen.

 

You're not the only one who has used a main station building as a farmhouse, seems to fit that roll better.

And as for the viaduct, a lot of the products that company made around that time look pretty good when suitably painted/weathered.

Keep up the good work.

[Alister_G]

 

You're not the only one who has used a main station building as a farmhouse, seems to fit that roll better.

 

 

Yep

 

 

It gets around a bit!

 

Al.

[KNP]

Robin, just like to say how amazing your attention to detail is. Has to be one of the finest layouts I've seen.

 

You're not the only one who has used a main station building as a farmhouse, seems to fit that roll better.

And as for the viaduct, a lot of the products that company made around that time look pretty good when suitably painted/weathered.

Keep up the good work.

 

Thanks for the comments

 

Kevin

[KNP]

Yep

 

station-house049.jpg

 

It gets around a bit!

 

Al.

 

Agreed.

Model looks good.

[gwrrob]

A beautiful scene Kevin, I particularly like the tractor poking out.What are its origins please.Something different to the usual Fordson modelled.

[KNP]

A beautiful scene Kevin, I particularly like the tractor poking out.What are its origins please.Something different to the usual Fordson modelled.

 

Thanks, it looks better in the picture than in real life because the camera narrows down the field of vision.

If I recall, my son bought me it for fathers day a couple of years ago, it's an Oxford Diecast Fordson, I have of course repainted it....!!!!!

 

It tends to move around the layout, along with other items, to confuse my grandson so he ends up trying to find them.

Well he did, but he now seven and that is just not cool anymore........he'd rather drive the trains and see if he can crash them???????

Needless to say he 's not allowed near Little Muddle until that phase has past......

Edited April 17, 2017 by KNP

[vulcanbomber]

I tend to agree with you.

Though the model planks scale 6 inches and the sign just over 9 inches the proportions look all wrong.

The sign came from Sankey Scenics and was applied straight from the bag - so to speak.

Looking through my GW Architecture book (Adrian Vaughan) I can find no reference to sign sizes but looking at the pictures and the brick courses they look about 9 inches high.

But it still looks wrong.

For my other signal box at Little Muddle I had Scale Model Scenery make me some signs and as you can see in the picture it looks right (planks the same size)

Justin also made me one for the other box and as the other picture shows you can see the difference.

Before plucking up courage to remove, as the planks are postcard and the sign fixed with Roket glue, I will carry on checking it out.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Just come across this layout, fantastic  work

I need a name board for my signal box could you post link to Scale Model Scenery Please

Edited April 17, 2017 by vulcanbomber

[KNP]

Just come across this layout, fantastic  work

I need a name board for my signal box could you post link to Scale Model Scenery Please

 

 

Thanks

 

https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/shop/lx093-oo-laser-engrave-signal-box-nameplates-oo4mm176/

 

Hope this helps

Edited April 17, 2017 by KNP

[vulcanbomber]

Thanks very helpful

[KNP]

I know off topic but especially for vulcanbomber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 11th October 2015 I was standing to the east of RAF Bicester in a soggy field and bang on time she arced around after flying from Brize Norton and did port wing dip and then to starboard when the throttles/air brakes opened we got the 'whistle'

All over in 30 secs, cloudy with a slight mist which mean't I couldn't get a clear set of pictures, but nevertheless I was there!!!!!

 

Enjoy

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27 by KNP

[Les le Breton]

Hi KNP,

        Thank you for posting your wonderful layout, Little Muddle, in the BRMweb. The photographs are truly inspirational. I am also particularly grateful, for the clear construction details you have generously included, which are a great help for this aged newbie.

[KNP]

Back on topic......

 

Last signal built to date also turned out to be a real challange.

A home signal with a route indicator for the bay and main line, no real reason for one to be there other than I wanted to build one.....

 

Using a Ratio Home signal kit to provide the parts I 'adapted' it (massively....!!!)

 

The post is of the split type with a scale 18" hole in the middle for the indicator control levers with thin rigid wire used again for the linkage.

Microstrip for the levers etc, MSE ladder, platforms amended from kit and a bucket load of patience.

 

All in all it sort of stands out as you can see in previous pictures when in view.

 

 

Edited February 27 by KNP

[sjrixon]

Love the last picture of the 48xx coming around the corner. The birds are singing, the sun on my back, I think I can even hear a cow moo in the distance. You done such a nice job of the 'brush' and flowers around the edges and fences, looks very convincing. Something I don't ever quite know how to capture. 

[KNP]

Love the last picture of the 48xx coming around the corner. The birds are singing, the sun on my back, I think I can even hear a cow moo in the distance. You done such a nice job of the 'brush' and flowers around the edges and fences, looks very convincing. Something I don't ever quite know how to capture. 

 

Thank you for forming a dreamy tranquil setting in everyone's mind.

 

All 'brush' and flowers is individually planted to give the effect seen, time consuming so not something that can be done in an evening......

Plant in bulk, instead of planting a tree try a group planted touching each other which will give the clumping effect - same with the flowers.

Bulk is the trick and I have used everywhere.

[sjrixon]

Who is your flower manufacture of choice?

[KNP]

Who is your flower manufacture of choice?

 

MiniNatur

[checkrail]

Back on topic......

 

bucket load of patience.

 

Bucket loads of patience.  Ah, if only you could buy them down at B & Q. 

 

Lovely signal.

[KNP]

As promised I have fired up Helicon Focus Lite which is a focus stacking program.

Basically this means that from front to back of a picture everything is in focus with no depth of field problems.

What you do is run your camera on manual focus and for argument sake focus at the furthest point of the picture and then refocus the camera stepping back in inclements to the closest point taking pictures as you go.

 

It's a fiddle and time consuming, the camera will need to be located where it can't move and the manual focusing ring easily accessible plus I did mine on a 2 sec delay to remove camera shake. The professional program can do this step focussing automatically for you if you have a auto focus lens but the program is expensive plus you need to be connected to a laptop (for example) for the program to run and take the pictures.

 

The following picture has just been taken and for this I used 9 pictures, as I said, focusing in increments from front to back. The more you take the better the clarity.

 

Hopefully you can see that the entire picture is in focus and as said in an earlier post something similar to this is used for the magazines.

 

 

Edited February 27 by KNP

[Limpley Stoker]

As promised I have fired up Helicon Focus Lite which is a focus stacking program.

Basically theis means that from front to back of a picture everything is in focus with no depth of field problems.

What you do is run your camera on manual focus and for argument sake focus at the furthest point of the picture and then refocus the camera stepping back in inclements to the closest point taking pictures as you go.

 

It's a fiddle and time consuming, the camera will need to be located where it can't move and the manual focusing ring easily accessible plus I did mine on a 2 sec delay to remove camera shake. The professional program can do this step focussing automatically for you if you have a auto focus lens but the program is expensive plus you need to be connected to a laptop (for example) for the program to run and take the pictures.

 

The following picture has just been taken and for this I used 9 pictures, as I said, focusing in increments from front to back. The more you take the better the clarity.

 

Hopefully you can see that the entire picture is in focus and as said in an earlier post something similar to this is used for the magazines.

That's very impressive !

 

I have a TZ-60 and have been trying this technique using the free Panasonic iPad program which uses WiFi to control the camera. This avoids jogging the camera while focussing. The iPad focus stacking program I have used (FocusCamera) only processes three exposures so it's a bit limited, but it's free!

[KNP]

That's very impressive !

 

I have a TZ-60 and have been trying this technique using the free Panasonic iPad program which uses WiFi to control the camera. This avoids jogging the camera while focussing. The iPad focus stacking program I have used (FocusCamera) only processes three exposures so it's a bit limited, but it's free!

 

I normally do at least 12 pictures but for some reason when I loaded them on the computer I only had 9 though I am convinced I pressed the take button more than that?

If you look closely you can see a couple of places that are slightly out of focus but the picture still looks OK when you don't zoom in......

This is the first time I have used my TZ-100 for this as I normally use the Nikon D5100 but I need space for that camera which has a tendency to flatten things under foot.

The TZ is very light so was subject to movement when doing the focusing ring so I had to hold it in place whereas the Nikon is a heavy old beast in comparison so more stable.

 

There are others out there (Zerene Stacker comes to mind) but the Helicon Focus Lite only costs $30 per annum for the license so as I know it, can use it without thinking and well supported I stick with it.

 

I have the Panasonic App as well so might give that a try using my I-phone to view the picture before taking.

 

Thanks