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"Anything You Can do, I Can Do Better ! Robinson and Downes.


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An excellent start! And your station buildings look ace.

 

Its good to keep your kids enjoyment. Many adult layouts become so specifically correct that they are no fun for youngsters. And if this hobby is to have any future it depends on us enthralling the kids. Mine is essentially a kid's layout. Albeit, my grandkid likes to see all four tracks running at Scalextric speeds - all whistles blowing! Its a hell of a racket!

 

Actually, I feel better about myself after having bitten the bullet and shown what I have managed to do. Now I've started a rigorous list, breaking every task into small, doable parts. I don't dare do a thread, though. Its not just that I'd be boringly slow, but I'd stress myself keeping up with peoples' remarks, etc. I've had a brilliant day today, posting, but a double day's work tomorrow to make up for it!

 

I really look forward to seeing how your layout develops. With your building expertise it'll be brilliant I'm certain.

 

Tony.

 

I'm also looking forward to seeing your layout developments over time, Tony. Please keep updating us!

 

cheers,

Iain

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I'll be happy to, Iain - when I've got a completed building on it!

 

Regards,

 

Tony.

If we were on the same side of the world we could join forces Tony, I have all these buildings and no layout to put them on :mosking:  

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You're wise to work at your own pace, Tony. We will be patient!

Thanks.I appreciate that.

 

Its given me a lift getting the layout on-line. I've been staring at it so long in isolation. At times you question the wisdom of it all. But talking about it, and getting so many generous responses has made me see it in a new light. As I said to freebs earlier. I'm going to put together a list of tasks and break each one down to small, doable parts, and tick 'em off when done. Even the buildings! Instead of looking at what is done and seeing everything that remains as a sizeable effort, break that down as a list and do each bit as though it is an end in itself. If that makes sense. I need to be able to go to my work-bench any time I get a moment, and pick up a piece that's waiting there. Presently I spend far too long looking at things and building them in my head, wool-gathering, when its not necessarily that much harder to actually get on with it!

 

Thanks for the support!

 

Tony.

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Writing it down in a list (with check boxes :crazy: ) actually works. I had about 50 unfinished rolling stock kits in various stages from half built to in need of weathering. I created a list with check boxes for each stage of construction,  detailing,painting, lettering, weathering and loads. It all got done!!

There is a new list for all those buildings that need finishing. :sungum:   

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Thanks.I appreciate that.

 

Its given me a lift getting the layout on-line. I've been staring at it so long in isolation. At times you question the wisdom of it all. But talking about it, and getting so many generous responses has made me see it in a new light. As I said to freebs earlier. I'm going to put together a list of tasks and break each one down to small, doable parts, and tick 'em off when done. Even the buildings! Instead of looking at what is done and seeing everything that remains as a sizeable effort, break that down as a list and do each bit as though it is an end in itself. If that makes sense. I need to be able to go to my work-bench any time I get a moment, and pick up a piece that's waiting there. Presently I spend far too long looking at things and building them in my head, wool-gathering, when its not necessarily that much harder to actually get on with it!

 

Thanks for the support!

 

Tony.

If I'd only stuck with my original guns, you'd be now looking at a nicely (I'd hope) scenic'ed cutting emerging from a stone tunnel running around under a viaduct and then into a medium sized station with two platforms, a bay and three carriage sidings against a long retaining wall, before running back into a tunnel and looping back round again. I'd be popping to the model shop for a bag of static grass and some foliage instead of a second hand set of medium radius points and some track connectors...

 

If spent far too long just staring at the layout, planning my strategy, then walking out when I've realised I'd taken on too much.

 

I feel quite positive of the plan now after last night, but again this morning I went and stared at it and realised I'm going to have to do one of two things to get a gentler curve out of the station:

 

1. Decrease the length of the straight, and instead have the platform curve a little

2. Increase the length of the baseboard (doable, but I don't really want to as I'm going to have to leave some room around it to get around the layout)

 

given that the platforms are going to need completely rebuilding, I think option1 will be the goer

 

Now, I just need a week off work... ;)

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Guys, we've all fallen for that one, taking on too much then not knowing where to start, then nibbling at it around the edges - little nibble here, another nibble or two there,everything in bits, nearly finished, never finished, never will be, so we scrap it all in a burst of inspiration for a new plan, a new idea, but one that's just going to end up like the last - a tunnel with no exit.

 

So sure, get your trackwork down and up and running then start from just one end, work on it, complete it, then move on to the next section and, before you know it, one completed layout, York, here I come!! YAY!!

 

At first keep it simple, get it finished, then go back and polish it, plenty of time later to show up Robinson and Downes!

 

Cheers.

Allan.

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Yeah, but he regarded you as the ultimate master, whose work was unattainable...he actually told me that. Whereas I was writing for the RM at £8 a page....the "poundstretcher" of pro modelmaking. :laugh:

 

Mine when Lionel Curry bought a building off you and not me.I was 18 at the time,but the effect was devastating.

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Thanks.I appreciate that.

 

Its given me a lift getting the layout on-line. I've been staring at it so long in isolation. At times you question the wisdom of it all. But talking about it, and getting so many generous responses has made me see it in a new light. As I said to freebs earlier. I'm going to put together a list of tasks and break each one down to small, doable parts, and tick 'em off when done. Even the buildings! Instead of looking at what is done and seeing everything that remains as a sizeable effort, break that down as a list and do each bit as though it is an end in itself. If that makes sense. I need to be able to go to my work-bench any time I get a moment, and pick up a piece that's waiting there. Presently I spend far too long looking at things and building them in my head, wool-gathering, when its not necessarily that much harder to actually get on with it!

 

Thanks for the support!

 

Tony.

I find focussing on a small section of the layout also helps, that way you can see progress however small; and not get disheartened. This is a great looking layout so as others have said you must keep posting.

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I find focussing on a small section of the layout also helps, that way you can see progress however small; and not get disheartened. This is a great looking layout so as others have said you must keep posting.

I agree. As my brother keeps reminding me 35 years later, my first layout for a customer freaked me out. I was heard to mutter "It's too big a project..." Every time I see him that comes up to haunt me. Well, he is a man who rebuilds trucks in his spare time. ;)

cheers,

Iain

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If I'd only stuck with my original guns, you'd be now looking at a nicely (I'd hope) scenic'ed cutting emerging from a stone tunnel running around under a viaduct and then into a medium sized station with two platforms, a bay and three carriage sidings against a long retaining wall, before running back into a tunnel and looping back round again. I'd be popping to the model shop for a bag of static grass and some foliage instead of a second hand set of medium radius points and some track connectors...

 

If spent far too long just staring at the layout, planning my strategy, then walking out when I've realised I'd taken on too much.

 

I feel quite positive of the plan now after last night, but again this morning I went and stared at it and realised I'm going to have to do one of two things to get a gentler curve out of the station:

 

1. Decrease the length of the straight, and instead have the platform curve a little

2. Increase the length of the baseboard (doable, but I don't really want to as I'm going to have to leave some room around it to get around the layout)

 

given that the platforms are going to need completely rebuilding, I think option1 will be the goer

 

Now, I just need a week off work... ;)

 

Or, get rid of the station entirely and build a nice goods concentration yard and small depot.  Then the pax can circle round and around while your shunter dodges the main line traffic and potters about sorting wagons endlessly.  I always think stations waste a lot of real estate for very little 'play value'...  

 

Also, saves pounds and hours on not modelling buildings, platforms and assorted self loading cargo facilities.  The little people won't mind.  I've noticed the little sods never get on and off the trains anyway...

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y'all look like you should be gracing the covers of a 12" vinyl in the easy listening section of HMV

 

'Downes does Tammy Wynette', or £8 a page Robinson sings The Blues

Hee hee...love it! I have actually played guitar in an alt.country band for the last fifteen years...before that I was in a Thin Lizzy tribute band...before that ...

this is me in 1976

post-18033-0-72481700-1377257055_thumb.jpg

 

That should give you all a good laugh!

cheers,

Iain

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Or, get rid of the station entirely and build a nice goods concentration yard and small depot.  Then the pax can circle round and around while your shunter dodges the main line traffic and potters about sorting wagons endlessly.  I always think stations waste a lot of real estate for very little 'play value'...  

 

Also, saves pounds and hours on not modelling buildings, platforms and assorted self loading cargo facilities.  The little people won't mind.  I've noticed the little sods never get on and off the trains anyway...

What? What? No Station?

 

Whaddya Mean No Station?

 

Have you any idea how many months it took me to build the main station??!!!!!

 

Aaaaaaaaaaaarghh!!!!

 

*runs away crying*

 

 

 

anyone want to buy an almost finished station building and matching Waiting room? ;)

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Hee hee...love it! I have actually played guitar in an alt.country band for the last fifteen years...before that I was in a Thin Lizzy tribute band...before that ...

this is me in 1976

attachicon.gifUnion card.jpg

 

That should give you all a good laugh!

cheers,

Iain

Ha, we all had hair like that in the seventies - I never could grow a decent beard though!

 

Alan.

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