Iain Popplewell Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 It's me Iainp here again remember me? Yes it was me who started this thread over four years ago to extoll the virtues of freelancing. I know what you're all thinking it's alright me pontificating about what a great idea it is, but where the Hell is any evidence of me actually doing any modelling. Good point you're quite right! So to address this point I now present my latest model loco, in fact my first actual modelling of anything, if you discount baseboards and track, since 1976. Meet North Tees No. 12 the first North Tees locomotive to run in the South Farne Islands since 1915.All North Tees locomotives carried names and Florence was named after a particularly favourite cat of Lady Ravenbeck. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Popplewell Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 Florence is the first etched kit I've ever assembled. In fact when I started out I'd never even soldered together two pieces of brass. Ask me if I'm pleased with her. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 (edited) Florence is the first etched kit I've ever assembled. In fact when I started out I'd never even soldered together two pieces of brass. DSC01424.jpg Ask me if I'm pleased with her. DSC01425.jpg Stunning work. I am a great fan of freelance companies, and am guilty of inventing a good many of them, though I am currently attempting to model just one of these! Most commonly, freelance model lines have been narrow gauge or standard Gauge Light Railways of the Colonel Stephens hand-me-down variety. These are endlessly charming, but there is so much further the freelance concept can be taken. You could have anything from a 'small independent' to a major pre-Grouping company, or, even, 'the Big 5'. I tend to categorise in broad terms, which helps me to understand the sort of line I'm dealing with (!): (1) A small independent would be well-engineered, not lightly engineered like a Light Railway or tramway. Typically built originally to link a couple of regional centres. Most of the National system comprised companies such as these, but most were amalgamated into larger concerns during the second half of the Nineteenth Century. Some survived until Grouping or beyond. Such a line might well have 'mainline' locomotives built by private builders to their designs, e.g. Beyer Peacock and Sharp Stewart. Think M&SWJR or M&GNJR. It might well produce its own rebuilds or the odd new locomotive in its workshops. It might have casts-offs from larger companies; LNWR in particular sold off locos to (and built locos for, until they were stopped) smaller companies. (2) The next stage is a company that probably has locomotives supplied to private builders' designs (some big companies did too!), but which also designs its own locomotives, built in-house, or, often, contracted to outside builders (big companies did so too!), and I am thinking here of companies like Cambrian Railways, Furness and North Staffs. By way of example, I have evolved in some detail 2 schemes for small independents (one, the West Norfolk Railway, is slowly being realised) and one for a larger company that combines private builders' designs with its own locomotive and rolling stock designs. (3) A step up from this is a larger pre-Grouping company, on a sort of MR, LNWR , GNR, NER, GWR scale. This, I suggest, represents a lifetime's work just recreating the numerous classes and rebuilds, rolling stock and house-style. (4) Finally, you can combine one or more real or freelance pre-Grouping companies into the 5th Grouping company, which, in due course, introduces its own standard designs. Many lifetimes of invention in order to lay down the backstory here, but the key to the larger companies is probably to confine oneself to a very small part of it! Of course, you can have all shades in between these (5) crude categories. When I see freelance work like yours, Nile, Relaxing Hobby, Cornamuse and NeilHB, it never fails to inspire. The more freelance companies the merrier. The possibilities are endless. Edited January 20, 2017 by Edwardian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 (edited) Of course, you can have all shades in between these (5) crude categories. ....... The more freelance companies the merrier. The possibilities are endless. (6) Eccentic, surreal, whimsical, totally mad, figments of a warped imagination (or watching to much sci-fi), maybe set in a different time, a different dimension, a parallel universe, another planet..... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/62/2c/d8/622cd81e4d53fe3e2552630a19040290.png http://www.titfield.co.uk/Barnfield/Find_card.php?xfer_text=W32&xfer_type=W&xfer_page=1 Edited January 20, 2017 by BG John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 (6) Eccentic, surreal, whimsical, totally mad, figments of a warped imagination (or watching to much sci-fi), maybe set in a different time, a different dimension, a parallel universe, another planet..... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/62/2c/d8/622cd81e4d53fe3e2552630a19040290.png http://www.titfield.co.uk/Barnfield/Find_card.php?xfer_text=W32&xfer_type=W&xfer_page=1 Quite right! One of my madder schemes is for an elevated Steam-punk railway with a passenger terminus connecting with an airship dock .... Or the shuttle service to New Croydon Spaceport ... Then there is the burgeoning rail network of Disc World ... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain Popplewell Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 (edited) You're right Edwardian, freelancing possibilities are really interesting and far better than mere reality. To be really convincing I feel freelance lines or stock must have at least a little basis based on reality or real history. Florence No 12 of the North Tees railway company ran at the turn of the century in the South Farne islands which are of the North East coast of Britain. Lord Ravenbeck who owns the island together with, railway, ironmines and foundry's buys his engines primarily from the North East but not exclusively so. Most engines pass through the workshops of the North Eastern railway on route to his island and all are given a livery reflecting this. Some also have Worsdell domes and boilers added etc. Florence is little altered from a standard Class P1 of the North Eastern railway from whom she was bought, but had an added unique tender cab in a Worsdell style the North Sea is a cold windy place. The livery is peculiar to the North Tees railway but having been undertaken by the paintshops of the North Eastern railway is based around their colours. Lord Ravenbeck has his fingers in many pies and is a major shareholder in the North Eastern railway and gets what he wants, mostly. Underframes North Eastern locomotive red. Main locomotive colour NER dark green. Even the North Tees insignia are in a similar style to the North Eastern railway. Lord Ravenbeck is in direct competition with the Londonderry's on the mainland and with consummate one-upmanship his loco's have to upstage their's with polished domes and brass where possible PS. In the background of the above photo's can be seen the vague outlines of some loco's still to get the Darlington paintshop treatment. Edited January 20, 2017 by iainp 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted January 20, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 20, 2017 Most freelancing seems to be on the Locomotive / carriage side, I think many in the very early days were because they couldn't afford to do other wise and had little access to drawing. you could say Hornby / triang coaches were free lance One body in four grouping sets of colours. I did seriously think of building a layout based on Brunel having won the gauge war. So today you'd have HSTs, with 7ft between the rails but built for the use on the loading gauges of say the West coast main line. or Mallard for broad gauge with all inside cylinders. What would a Broad gauge Jinty or 08 or Midland 2F or 3F looked like? There are many semi freelance layouts out there, most layout don't actually conform to reasonable exact scale but are shrunk often in all directions. but with the efforts of Colonel Stephens there is almost a prototype for everything 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 You're right Edwardian, freelancing possibilities are really interesting and far better than mere reality. To be really convincing I feel freelance lines or stock must have at least a little basis based on reality or real history. Florence No 12 of the North Tees railway company ran at the turn of the century in the South Farne islands which are of the North East coast of Britain. Lord Ravenbeck who owns the island together with, railway, ironmines and foundry's buys his engines primarily from the North East but not exclusively so. Most engines pass through the workshops of the North Eastern railway on route to his island and all are given a livery reflecting this. Some also have Worsdell domes and boilers added etc. Florence is little altered from a standard Class P1 of the North Eastern railway from whom she was bought, but had an added unique tender cab in a Worsdell style the North Sea is a cold windy place. The livery is peculiar to the North Tees railway but having been undertaken by the paintshops of the North Eastern railway is based around their colours. Lord Ravenbeck has his fingers in many pies and is a major shareholder in the North Eastern railway and gets what he wants, mostly. DSC01425.jpg Underframes North Eastern locomotive red. Main locomotive colour NER dark green. Even the North Tees insignia are in a similar style to the North Eastern railway. Lord Ravenbeck is in direct competition with the Londonderry's on the mainland and with consummate one-upmanship his loco's have to upstage their's with polished domes and brass where possible DSC01428.jpg PS. In the background of the above photo's can be seen the vague outlines of some loco's still to get the Darlington paintshop treatment. A wonderful conception. I cannot resist making up places, so have created a sort of "expanded Norfolk" in order to accommodate them! I would love to see all this coming together. Most freelancing seems to be on the Locomotive / carriage side, I think many in the very early days were because they couldn't afford to do other wise and had little access to drawing. you could say Hornby / triang coaches were free lance One body in four grouping sets of colours. I did seriously think of building a layout based on Brunel having won the gauge war. So today you'd have HSTs, with 7ft between the rails but built for the use on the loading gauges of say the West coast main line. or Mallard for broad gauge with all inside cylinders. What would a Broad gauge Jinty or 08 or Midland 2F or 3F looked like? There are many semi freelance layouts out there, most layout don't actually conform to reasonable exact scale but are shrunk often in all directions. but with the efforts of Colonel Stephens there is almost a prototype for everything Another wonderful idea! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Islands. Wight, Man, Sodor, Majorca ...... That 'Galapagos finches' thing, whereby island railways quickly diverge from the mainstream, to fit their own niche, or get stuck at a very early date. They are almost freelance in reality. I've been watching a series of archaeology programmes about Orkney ...... which could easily have had an Donegalesque sort of railway ....... K Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Islands. Wight, Man, Sodor, Majorca ...... That 'Galapagos finches' thing, whereby island railways quickly diverge from the mainstream, to fit their own niche, or get stuck at a very early date. They are almost freelance in reality. I've been watching a series of archaeology programmes about Orkney ...... which could easily have had an Donegalesque sort of railway ....... K Islands are a great conceit. I love the idea of a physically isolated and self-contained system. My own idea was to have an inland island in the fens, that pre-supposed a limit to the drainage of the fens and meres to leave it physically separate from the national network; http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/109574-the-isle-of-eldernell-mereport-railway-1897/&do=findComment&comment=2250790 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium TheQ Posted January 20, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 20, 2017 I'm helping restore / rewire a Model railway built on the Island of Tiree, that now resides in Norfolk. it is a very optimistic layout with two names of Tiree villages on the stations. But the main station would have been more suited to say Inverness than a tiny west coast Island. The current owner intends to run locos and trains as per the various highland lines, in modern era but with the occasional steam special... It's an interesting layout if somewhat over complicated!!! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Islands. Wight, Man, Sodor, Majorca ...... That 'Galapagos finches' thing, whereby island railways quickly diverge from the mainstream, to fit their own niche, or get stuck at a very early date. They are almost freelance in reality. I've been watching a series of archaeology programmes about Orkney ...... which could easily have had an Donegalesque sort of railway ....... K You don't want to know the plan that's developing in my mind at the moment! To make it even the least bit convincing will need a lot of skill, that I'm not sure I have yet, but aspire to. It's verging on being so unbelievable that it could totally destroy any credibility I may have, if not done skilfully. If it happens, you'll only know about it if I succeed . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 You don't want to know the plan that's developing in my mind at the moment! Oh but we do! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Oh but we do! You can want as much as you like, but I'm not telling. It could be too humiliating if the idea doesn't work . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 You can want as much as you like, but I'm not telling. It could be too humiliating if the idea doesn't work . Oh you tease! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharris Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Quite right! One of my madder schemes is for an elevated Steam-punk railway with a passenger terminus connecting with an airship dock .... Or the shuttle service to New Croydon Spaceport ... Then there is the burgeoning rail network of Disc World ... As any Robert Rankin connoisseur would know, Victorian London's spaceport was located at Crystal Palace. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavyDuty Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Interesting discussion. Freelancing is still rather common here in the States, I'm guilty of it myself. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 As any Robert Rankin connoisseur would know, Victorian London's spaceport was located at Crystal Palace. Don't know how I could have missed his oeuvre. Must investigate. No, I did not have Victoriana in mind for that one, but I occasionally hark back to '70s sci-fi, particularly Peter Elson's illustrations. Interesting discussion. Freelancing is still rather common here in the States, I'm guilty of it myself. Indeed, but I think that you might have hit on an important point. My perception, albeit one founded in profound ignorance and careless disregard for the facts, is that US railway equipment had a somewhat universal quality, with manufacturers like Baldwin supplying a host of operators. Now in UK outline I reckon most of us model what we model because we see a model locomotive (it usually at least starts with locomotives) of Class X, built by Y Railway, and want to run it, so we build a, generally fictional, version of the real line Z upon which to run it. Whereas, in the States, if you want to go freelance, you re-brand the stock, in the UK, if you want a freelance line of any stature, you are choosing the products of private loco builders (never available RTR) or designing your own locomotives. What you can't do is say, I like the Midland Compound, I'll have one in blue. Instead, you'd have to put in quite a lot of work to make it look like a quite distinctive 4-4-0 of the period. One of the most accomplished exponents of this is Nile of this parish. If you do want to use a real class on a fictitious line, you have to have a sensible basis for it. Our OP has cleverly done this by linking his freelance line with the NER. Similarly, I plan a GE Johnson-era style tank because the GE is a backer of my line and because something similar happened in the case of the Colne Valley line. Traditionally, a mainline railway with its own fictitious loco designs is not a proposition that has appealed particularly widely in the UK as it excludes all the real locos people want to model. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted January 20, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 20, 2017 A rather pleasant freelance loco cooked up by an RMWebber many moons ago.... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/454/entry-2313-my-freelance-loco-river-class-2-6-0/ and another they were working on... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/454/entry-2849-freelance-scottish-heavy-freight-0-6-4t/ 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 A rather pleasant freelance loco cooked up by an RMWebber many moons ago.... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/454/entry-2313-my-freelance-loco-river-class-2-6-0/ and another they were working on... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/454/entry-2849-freelance-scottish-heavy-freight-0-6-4t/ Very much liking that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 (edited) Pre-WW2, nobody seemed to have any qualms about inventing entire standard gauge railways, along with locomotives and every thing else that goes with it. G P Keen, for instance, wasn't exactly a dilettante when it came to playing trains, but he didn't stint on imagination http://www.scalemodelrailways.co.uk/O%20Gauge%20G%20P%20Keen%204-6-2%20Compound%20Pacific.pdf One of his several railways, built partly by his wife, I think, was the Pantry Dockyard Railway, which must have had oodles of wagons, because they turn up quite regularly at sales, I even have an obviously-never-finished one in the cupboard. The lettering on them is superb, and is reputedly the work of Mrs Keen. Then there was Rev Beale, who gave the smaller scales such a push. In fact, reading old magazines suggests that invention was quite ordinary, and coexisted with representing the real companies, just as it still seems to to some extent in the USA. K Photo shows Mr and Mrs Keen tending their fiddle-yard in 1928 Edited January 20, 2017 by Nearholmer 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 Pre-WW2, nobody seemed to have any qualms about inventing entire standard gauge railways, along with locomotives and every thing else that goes with it. G P Keen, for instance, wasn't exactly a dilettante when it came to playing trains, but he didn't stint on imagination http://www.scalemodelrailways.co.uk/O%20Gauge%20G%20P%20Keen%204-6-2%20Compound%20Pacific.pdf One of his several railways, built partly by his wife, I think, was the Pantry Dockyard Railway, which must have had oodles of wagons, because they turn up quite regularly at sales, I even have an obviously-never-finished one in the cupboard. The lettering on them is superb, and is reputedly the work of Mrs Keen. Then there was Rev Beale, who gave the smaller scales such a push. In fact, reading old magazines suggests that invention was quite ordinary, and coexisted with representing the real companies, just as it still seems to to some extent in the USA. K Goodness me, that's the style! No, I must not even begin to contemplate a Big 5th like PDR or the West Midland! That way, surely, madness lies! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 (edited) I,ve always like narrow gauge modelling but had a bit of a ever so slight gripe for most freelance narrow gauge layouts because the builder creates a really good fictitious route through his local countryside, thinks up all the rack plans, stations and the whole history of the line but then populates it with the same old prototypes as everyone else like the Ffestiniog, Talyllyn, Corris and Glyn Valley and doesnt even paint them up in the livery of his own railway with his own made up names but may be very good accurate models of real prototypes, take a look at each real NG line themselves, each one has their own style and their own livery so if your going to have a fictitious railway shouldnt you also have your own locos, carraiges, wagons specifically designed for your railway as if it were real. i confess to building NG models of real locos to ruun on a ficticous layout but they had my choice of names, my choice of livery and my choice of couplings regardless of the prototype Edited January 21, 2017 by sir douglas Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted January 21, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 21, 2017 I'm helping restore / rewire a Model railway built on the Island of Tiree, that now resides in Norfolk. it is a very optimistic layout with two names of Tiree villages on the stations. But the main station would have been more suited to say Inverness than a tiny west coast Island. The current owner intends to run locos and trains as per the various highland lines, in modern era but with the occasional steam special... It's an interesting layout if somewhat over complicated!!! Do the trains lean into the wind in the same way the locals do? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Hayter Posted January 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2017 Goodness me, that's the style! No, I must not even begin to contemplate a Big 5th like PDR or the West Midland! That way, surely, madness lies! Madness - quite probably Poverty - most certainly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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