Hesperus Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) The Night Before Hogswatch It all started with a trip to the new toy shop in town. They’ve recently become a Hornby stockist so I wander in for a look sometimes. As the lady who runs it knows that I know a little about trains there are often a few questions. “Rich, what do you know about Z gauge?” “Erm ….its small and expensive, why” “I’m after a tiny circle to run around the edge of a cake for the food fair window display” We had a discussion and I left with a plan and a deadline. A long addiction to the late great Carl Arendt’s site has left me fairly well versed with abusing the minimum radius of 00 so a yard length of code 100 streamline was bent round to meet itself and about 4 inches removed from the inner rail. Soldering it together was enormous fun as I’m not over skilled in this area of modeling and the track was less than keen to cooperate but we got there in the end. A hoop of plywood was cut and the track stuck down and wired to a cut down Hornby power clip under the board so that it could easily be connected to a controller. Ballasting next, nothing in stock and its Sunday. After a quick search through the kitchen cupboard our lass handed me a packet of Chia seed. It’s somewhat overscale but that’s not really an issue considering the radii. So we had a working circle, a couple of old Triang wagon underframes were hacked about and fitted with coach bodies made of DC kits spare parts and general detritus from the bits box. With my old Hornby Caly tank up front it looked about right. I dropped it all in my rucksack to show off progress on the way into work. In this somewhat unfinished state it ended up in the shop window for a few weeks though using their own stock. I picked it up last week, we’d discussed doing something seasonal next. I’d hoped to do some sort of scenery first time round but hadn’t really had time so now’s my chance. A mockup was made first, I wasn’t entirely sure how much space I had to work in so I left a space at the back. Construction has begun. Track is 00 and board size is approx 18” wide by 24” deep. The whole theme is going to be fairly whimsical so I am exagerating height. If you havn’t guessed already Terry Pratchet’s “Discworld” stories have provided a great deal of the inspiration. Hogswatch is thier equivalent of Christmas. Scenary wise I’m taking this as gospel http://tome.gn15.inf..._January_09.pdf But I’m hoping to add a good deal of snow on top of it possibly like this http://www.009.cd2.c...how_to/snow.htm or possibly using plaster. What do you think so far? Edited November 9, 2023 by Hesperus 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 11, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) I like the concept, why not go a bit more Pratchettesque with the train though, something Ponder Stibbons might have created along the lines of Hex? Lots of pipes everywhere, sort of a cross between Locomotion, a rack loco and a Crosti boilered one Hex pics under H http://www.skyone.co.uk/hogfather/discworld.htm Edited October 11, 2011 by PaulRhB 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Interesting link, by the way. Many thanks, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted October 11, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 11, 2011 For motive power, why not try one of these : Henry, on St Torpid's Creek, Hayle May 09 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) I do like the concept - - it has something of the Emmett-esque about it! Oddly enough, this came up today on my Small Layout Design yahoo group watch the video - I doubt you'll get smaller in OO Re: Minimum Radius With some old 00 track I managed an oval on A4, 11.5 x 8.5 inches, just to see what happened. Result can be seen here: Around 90mm is the tightest which with H0 amounts to around 25' in the real world. As I have taken up tram/trolley modelling I have found that such radii were used. Look on You Tube and there are some old movies from the US of bogie trams turning on a circle of around this size at the end of the line. Extrapolating I would reckon 50mm or 2" should be possible with 9mm N gauge. Best to stick with short wheelbases though. Edited October 11, 2011 by shortliner 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted October 13, 2011 Author Share Posted October 13, 2011 Cheers for the comments guys Emmett was certainly another influence here I'm hoping to sort out something more interesting motive power wise. I've been sketching an 0-2-2T but haven't quite worked out what I want yet. That photo of Henry is a real help as its pretty damn close. The scenery is priority though, I've undercoated the building in the photos with matt black primer. The building in the centre of the viaduct has been clad with foamcore and card. I've started the signal box cladding and the viaduct is well underway. I did intend to just make wooden bases for the buildings so they could be screwed to the board from underneath. The full size wood blocks just sort of happened, makes for more enjoyable stress free construction when you're as heavy handed as me though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Are you suggesting that Leonard of Quirm has discovered the harnessable power of steam?! I thought he had dismissed it as a frivolous no hoper! Or is there an as yet unpublicised cunning artificer of self-propelled steam driven carts? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Western Stalwart Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) Or is there an as yet unpublicised cunning artificer of self-propelled steam driven carts? I was going to suggest that you placed a street name on one of the buildings, that being the Street of Cunning Artificers. Or Treacle Mine Road. Distressed Pudding anyone? Regards an' all that, C.M.O.T. Dibbler Edited October 13, 2011 by Western Stalwart 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 Are you suggesting that Leonard of Quirm has discovered the harnessable power of steam?! I thought he had dismissed it as a frivolous no hoper! Or is there an as yet unpublicised cunning artificer of self-propelled steam driven carts? But surely finding some B.S.Johnson blueprints at the bottom of a drawer has some potential Don't know if I could do justice to them though (or whether they would be covered by the shops public liability insurance when the safety valve was launched 40 feet in the air each time the train passed the level crossing at a minute with an 8 in ) I was going to suggest that you placed a street name on one of the buildings, that being the Street of Cunning Artificers. Or Treacle Mine Road. Distressed Pudding anyone? Regards an' all that, C.M.O.T. Dibbler Tenth Egg Street will probably appear, there are at least 2 more streets available and SoCA is tempting, Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 (edited) If you haven't come across this, there may be some ideas for rolling stock in it http://bates-r-us.org/birdwater/. I will not be held responsible for any results! ....... and don't look at this ..... Edited October 14, 2011 by shortliner 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60163 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 How I mourn the loss of the father of all things 'micro managing,' Carl Arendt. Projects such as yours were seen with a frequency of every two weeks before his passing - and rekindled my childhood dream of building a model railway. A 'rivet counter' I was and never will be - I love flights of fancy, or in this case, trips on rails! You look like you're headed off to a great start. Look forward to seeing where this project takes you! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave47549 Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 (edited) . Edited September 29, 2021 by Dave47549 Removed pointless guff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 (edited) Cheers for the comments guys, It all helps A bit of progress I downloaded one of these http://www.flickr.co...N02/5172445532/ for free a while back, I think a traced and hacked about version will be the station building. That's all for now, If it comes on quickly enough I'll have time to replace the loco with an 0-2-0 or summut 8) Edited November 9, 2023 by Hesperus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted November 8, 2011 Author Share Posted November 8, 2011 (edited) Hello, time for another update, I took the opportunity of nice weather over the weekend to grab a few pictures The first messy bits were started last night, I'm hoping for a snowy scene so lots of this to come. I would prefer a removable solution for covering the buildings in snow though. A couple of indoor pics as its raining today. Edited November 9, 2023 by Hesperus 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tebee Posted November 16, 2011 Share Posted November 16, 2011 I'm quite fascinated by this, waiting to see what comes next..... It's nice to see something different. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) Hello again, final update as I'm hoping to have this finished for Friday morning in time for the Medieval Fair in town. The nearest thing we have to countryside on this layout is a steep embankment, as I was wondering what to use as a base a 'bag for life' failed so I used that, the poly filler is vaguely sculpted as drifting snow. I'm rather pleased how the buildings that I have made for the front this week have turned out The wagon chassis have now been wired with pick-ups and connected to the loco (not pictured due to properly ugly soldering). After a good deal of stress with over stiff wires pulling the stock off the track we now have a train which will start at will and run smoothly around a constant radius. The drag from the pick-ups is helping to curb the enthusiasm of the HP motor. Edited November 9, 2023 by Hesperus 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Love the buildings - great job! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted November 29, 2011 Author Share Posted November 29, 2011 (edited) And now with snow Edited November 9, 2023 by Hesperus 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Holmes Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 Excellent work! I'm not really a fan of "whimsical modelling" but you've pulled this one off really really well. I really like this. A lot. Ian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Evil Bus Driver Posted January 3, 2012 Share Posted January 3, 2012 (edited) I like the concept, why not go a bit more Pratchettesque with the train though, something Ponder Stibbons might have created along the lines of Hex? Lots of pipes everywhere, sort of a cross between Locomotion, a rack loco and a Crosti boilered one Hex pics under H http://www.skyone.co...r/discworld.htm Or something conceived by Leonard of Quirm, perhaps? ...Or Bloody Stupid Johnson.......? Edited January 3, 2012 by The Evil Bus Driver 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
devondynosoar118 Posted January 10, 2012 Share Posted January 10, 2012 The infernal machine is clearly a Leonardo sketch. If BS Johnson had built it the track would run off a cliff as he had neglected to decide where it was going... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted October 7, 2021 Author Share Posted October 7, 2021 I've just dug this thread out as I have an exhibition invite for it (my first ever) at Bishops Castle Railway Weighbridge on the 4th of December. It's only a little one but it would be great to meet a few more RMWebbers. Needs a few repairs after nearly 10 years of storage but nothing too complicated and I've got nearly as long as it took to build. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted November 9, 2023 Author Share Posted November 9, 2023 I was hoping to put the pictures back in the right places here but I've hit the attachment limits in the posts despite nothing being there. Best just stick them here in order and see if I can move them later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted November 9, 2023 Author Share Posted November 9, 2023 Mock up and the start of construction. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hesperus Posted November 9, 2023 Author Share Posted November 9, 2023 Getting closer and finding that bubble wrap isn't a very good alternative to stone texture. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now