Cliches on layouts

[t-b-g]

"I think colour, tone and weathering can be far more important than exceptional detail." - I'm 100% with you there Mr BlackRat!

 

Cliche No.1643b: gas lit stations with all the lamps lit in broad daylight - though, 14 pages down the line I'm sure this observation has been posted already, and it's probably just jealousy on my behalf because none of my lamps work

 

I went to Bolton on Dearne station in the early 1980s and was astonished to see that not only did it still have gas lamps but that they were lit in the middle of the day.

 

Having said that...... I agree 100% that lights on a model often stick out like sore thumbs. We generally model daylight hours, apart from a few adventurous souls who have built suitable "black out" arrangements. The building with lights on because somebody has spent time modelling the interior and wants to make sure that everybody knows about it.......... The loco with tail lights on even though it has a train behind........... Semaphores with lamps lit up as bright as colour light signals in broad daylight....... I can cope without thanks.

[Oldddudders]

Lighting on the layout - as distinct from lighting over and around it - can be rather wasted. Only my messing about with camera settings at a recent exhibition revealed that there were lights at all!

 

[trisonic]

Ian, My next layout will be set on a small BLT during WW11 at night during the blackout.........I'll be down the boozer with El Gringo.

 

Best, Pete.

[mirreles31]

If this appeared on a layout one could think it was an overcooked cliche !

four buses in all, the two (route no.s 23 & 32) on the bridge were stationary, it was a mid circular route staging point. The two to the right are at the terminus of the 52 route, the one to left of the lamp is in mid turn. The location is Woodhouse Station Sheffield C1988. Cheers Phil.

[Old Gringo]

On 14/10/2011 at 15:44, trisonic said:

Ian, My next layout will be set on a small BLT during WW11 at night during the blackout.........I'll be down the boozer with El Gringo.

 

Best, Pete.

 

Pete, I'd be happy to join you in this escapade, but might we end up as yet another "layout cliche"?

 

Toodlepip and cheers old boy,

John.

[Catkins]

Standard scenes or cliches on layouts?..............................Its a bit like saying theres only 26 letters or 8 musical notes, its how you arrange them that matters!

 

 

Something I have not seen modelled but it is a daily occurence...........A Stop Check (as we call them!).

 

Bit different (to me anyway) Cliche? Perhaps, Different......Possibly .........but I like it so tough!

 

 

That stop check looks very much like one you'ld get in the North Riding, with P.C. Bellamy's Mini, P.C. Walker on the bike, and 'Sarge' in the car!

That makes it a cliche in my book.

[BlackRat]

Really?

 

Well its based on personal experience, and its a combo of me, my old man (who drove the mini) and although set a bit further south..................

 

But like I said...................... I like it so tough.

Edited October 28, 2011 by BlackRat

[Guest jim s-w]

Daily occurrence? Well yes, we know they happen daily but do we see them? I have only ever had one and I only remember passing one this year, if fact I don't see a policeman every day despite driving past a police station to/from work.

 

It's what we see not what we know!

 

Having said that a cliche doesn't need to be something uncommon, just something seen a lot on layouts

 

Cheers

 

Jim

[Pacific231G]

Ian, My next layout will be set on a small BLT during WW11 at night during the blackout.........I'll be down the boozer with El Gringo. Best, Pete.

We did think of operating one exhibition layout as a typical 1950s SNCF branch line in real time which meant running a pick up goods train in one direction in the morning, disappearing to the café for several hours for a decent lunch then operating the return working just before the show shut in the late afternoon. Passenger services would be a bus sitting in the station courtyard because the trains had been replaced by buses in 1939, temporarily restored during the occupation and then closed forever in 1948. Beeching had predecessors!!

I came upon one French terminus about five years ago which would be even easier to operate authentically. It does still have a passenger service though no freight anymore and on the Saturday I saw it the Chef de Gare's duties consisted of closing a level crossing barrier and opening a signal- both operated by a two lever frame adjoining the station building- to let a sole DMU in at about 10AM, restoring things to normal once it had arrived then late in the afternoon closing the barrier, giving the driver- who also had nothing to do for about seven hours- a hand signal to depart and finally closing the barrier. She didn't even sell tickets though this was a Saturday and I think the number of movements climb to six on school days. The line used to go further south and that section has been taken over by a preservation group but their trains had to terminate a hundred yards or so short of the SNCF station- whose trains they do connect with- to avoid the dangers of entering such a busy hub of railway activity even though it does still have two platform lines and only ever sees a one or two car diesel unit.

Edited October 28, 2011 by Pacific231G

[sir douglas]

what about a model loco driver without a rag in his hands

Edited October 28, 2011 by sir douglas

[Jongudmund]

The church scene on its own fills a gap but trying to make it interesting without giving a reason to add people/ colour etc is very difficult. If you consider real life for a second how many people would stand a stare at a churchyard for no reason. Some are interested in gravestones and will enjoy wondering around one but in OO scale making gravestone unique or readable would be very difficult and most probably wouldnt have the same appeal.

 

Zombies rising from the grave would cause a lot of people to stop and stare. Haven't seen that done on any lay-outs yet. (although a cliche in movie terms)

[Oldddudders]

 

Zombies rising from the grave would cause a lot of people to stop and stare. Haven't seen that done on any lay-outs yet. (although a cliche in movie terms)

Yet another application for a slow-action point motor?

[Mallard60022]

Has anyone else asked if you can get a 4mm DCC Sound Cliche? If not, can you, from where and if so how does it work please? Also what System would be best to run it? Wiring diagram would be useful too.

Merci buckets, P @ secret place somewhere east of Sheffield.

[BlackRat]

It's what we see not what we know!

 

Blimey I hope not as 50 % of my fleet was scrapped when I was only 6!!!

 

I don't see a policeman every day despite driving past a police station to/from work.

 

Try your local Dunkin Donut/Kebab shop/Curry House/Kentucky/Fat Boy Brekky Emporium etc unless of course you are driving past a HQ.............................................

 

Then of course everyone will be 'hiding' behind a desk! :lol:

[Ozexpatriate]

Zombies rising from the grave would cause a lot of people to stop and stare. Haven't seen that done on any lay-outs yet. (although a cliche in movie terms)

Yet another application for a slow-action point motor?

Halloween themed items are probably a lot more common on US layouts. Timely comment too! I think pandering to an unsophisticated exhibition crowd is fair game here in the US. Here most exhibitions seem to be intended to attract newcomers, rather than serious enthusiasts. Organized home layout visits are done for serious enthusiasts. For the public, the more clichés the better, and even at home, puns seem to be more tolerated here.

 

It would be hard to pull off Linus in the pumpkin patch waiting for the "Great Pumpkin", but that sort of thing would work. For those of you who like US models, a layout set in the fall is in scope - lots of pretty trees and houses decorated for Halloween with trick or treating children would be an interesting gimmic. With some restraint, it could work here, but perhaps not in the UK.

[Guest jim s-w]

Thats not quite true though is it? Its neither What we see or What we know.......

 

Its actually

 

What we want to do

 

Depends if what you want to do is play trains or create a copy of something real in miniature. If it's the latter what we want to do goes out of the window I'm afraid. I'm my case, I don't like class 47s I don't want to spend time modelling them but I need them. I can't just ignore them because I want too.

 

Perhaps 'it's only a hobby, it's my train set or I'll do what I want" are the ultimate modelling cliches?

 

Cheers

 

Jim

[Guest jim s-w]

Has anyone else asked if you can get a 4mm DCC Sound Cliche? If not, can you, from where and if so how does it work please? Also what System would be best to run it? Wiring diagram would be useful too.

Merci buckets, P @ secret place somewhere east of Sheffield.

 

There's loads! OTT brake squeal, excessive horn sounding and my own favourite, constant start start up/ shut downs!

 

Cheers

 

Jim

 

[Catkins]

There is the greatest cliche of all though -

 

MODELLERS LICENCE!

 

[Catkins]

Really?

 

Well its based on personal experience, and its a combo of me, my old man (who drove the mini) and although set a bit further south..................

 

But like I said...................... I like it so tough.

 

I best stop watching telly then!

P,S I do like the bike!

[Belsay Lad]

Spotted today whilst driving to a certain Swedish Furniture outlet near Edinburgh.

 

A road called 'Costkea'! And yes it lead to Costco and IKEA...(sorry didn't have a camera with me but if anyone doubts it I will happily revisit and post a photo).

[Ozexpatriate]

A road called 'Costkea'! And yes it lead to Costco and IKEA...(sorry didn't have a camera with me but if anyone doubts it I will happily revisit and post a photo).

Add a Walmart (sorry Asda) and you've hit the 'box mart trifecta'.

 

A US suburban cliché is the 'white (substitute the US word for garbage*) trifecta' - which is a strip (mini) mall with three of the following stores:

• Bail bonds
  
• Paycheque cashing
  
• Liquor store
  
• Pawnshop
  

This is an ideal location for seedy activity that fits the cliché category. Mugging, drug-deal, car search by police, etc, etc.

 

A 'Clerks' montage would work - Jay and Silent Bob outside the Quick Stop and video rental store.

 

* apparently 'trash' prepended with 'white' triggers the rude word filter.

[Removed a/c]

Thing that I don't get that comes up from members is the running figure critique

 

So it is running in place but how is that any different from walking figures or cars on the road that don't move, do you leave them out too?. Or what about figures doing "daytime" activities but then the layout is being run at night.

[Dave777]

If this appeared on a layout one could think it was an overcooked cliche !

 

four buses in all, the two (route no.s 23 & 32) on the bridge were stationary, it was a mid circular route staging point. The two to the right are at the terminus of the 52 route, the one to left of the lamp is in mid turn. The location is Woodhouse Station Sheffield C1988. Cheers Phil.

 

Stick a backscene behind the bridge for the fiddleyard entrance and away we go

 

 

Daily occurrence? Well yes, we know they happen daily but do we see them? I have only ever had one and I only remember passing one this year, if fact I don't see a policeman every day despite driving past a police station to/from work.

 

It's what we see not what we know!

 

I think you and I have have this discussion before Jim (regarding graffiti I believe). I do find that particular aspect of your (outstanding) modelling curious - it seems to be based on what you have personally witnessed...?

[BlackRat]

P,S I do like the bike!

 

One of the regular visitors to our police house in Cardiff rode a Norton Commando and on occasions I was allowed to sit on it..................

 

Thats where it all started !!!!!

 

It looks BSA-ish, certainly a big single Brit and it comes from the Airfix RAF Recovery Set.

 

It also reminds me of riding a Canam 250 in the RM, white lids and of course a black Belstaff with obligatory white fishermans socks rolled over the top of ones boots, black of course being 'other ranks'

 

There are a few cameo's involving plod, all based on my own experiences, now all I need is a scale model of Pinnock Tunnel with a BMW K1200 belting through it with 'everything on'!

 

Theres something never seen modelled!

 

I wont mention what went on at Laira on nights!

 

And yes we did, as it was the quickest way to Fowey on a busy summers evening, well thats MY excuse anyway!

[MarkSG]

So it would appear that Friesians (more black than white) may be used for the 1950s to 1990s. That then begs the question - what breed should I be using for 1930s Lancashire?

 

For pre-war layouts, you can't go wrong with brown or brown and white cows. Dairy Shorthorns, Ayrshires and Guernseys all had fairly wide distribution across the UK and all three are basically brown and white. Despite the names, neither Ayrshires nor Guernseys were particularly localised at that time. An alternative would be the tan coloured Jerseys, which, again despite the name, were also fairly widespread.

 

There are some local breeds which would fit in well on layouts based on other locations. Chocolate brown Devon cattle would be appropriate for an otherwise cliched GWR BLT (although, oddly enough, I've rarely seen them modelled). Highland cattle are an out and out cliche on Scottish layouts, but an equally appropriate and much less cliched alternative would be the black Aberdeen Angus.

 

Mark