SOS Junction. If anything happens would someone wake me up please..

[brushman47544]

Anyone seen the Awards results?

 

How the (insert your own Non RMweb word) did Copenhagen Fields win best layout? How long has it be trundled to and from exhibitions? It is not a new train set it is at least 25 years old. It never runs well, and what does run just goes round and round and round and round until it falls off. That huge Kings Cross good yard is always on strike. No locos come off top shed to the Cross and as for trains going to Caledonian Road goods yard. Looks pretty but it is so boring to watch.

 

I couldn't agree with you more Clive. I first saw Copenhagen Fields donkey's years ago when it couldn't operate trains, and now it doesn't much. Huge missed potential and it's about the only layout a groan at when I see it listed for a show.

[bgman]

Hi Chris

 

I must live on another planet to them.

 

It must be me but I am under the impression a model railway is about the railway which includes operation. It has oodles of potential for things to be happening in the goods yard, and the entrance to the loco shed. All that happens is a few trains just run round. They don't even change them after each whizz past the doting public. At one show on the North London line circuit a train came past pushing the brake van, it must have been three or four trips round before one of the overseers (cannot call them operators) done something about it. It won best of show.

 

As a model of a bit of north London it looks good but it is not a model railway it is an architectural model. 

 

 

I have seen it on several occasions and it must rate as an excellent architectural model and I feel that the trains take second place.

 

May be wrong but I think there were some articles in ancient MRJ's about many aspects of the modelling together with loco building at that scale which, I did enjoy reading.

 

However, that said, I do tend to agree with you Clive.

 

Although on another level ( I'm not trying to compare the two ) I think the fabulous Pendon "layout" does at least give the viewer something to see with authentic locos and rolling stock running throughout which keeps a greater interest, I could stay and watch that for hours ! Come to think of it, I HAVE !!! 

 

G

Edited February 26, 2018 by bgman

[bigwordsmith]

 I saw Copenhagen fields at Warley a few years ago - it seemed a very large tail chaser, but the I Suppose thats pretty much what the spectator would see form any of the realise standpoints. I suppose the problem is if you try and do something truly different, then you need a mega fiddle yard, as per Peterborough North, and lots of stock on cassettes to ensure hat you don't see an endless procession of the same trains.

 

For a lot of model show visitors there is little to chose between one green A 4 hauling a rake of carriages and another - very few of them can tell the difference between a Gresley 57' brake composite and a BR Mk1 TSO, so big bold layouts tend to capture the passing eyeball more easily than an intricate shunting corner even thought latter may require much more operation on the day.

 

To each his own ( says he who doesn't even have a home for his railway!)

[New Haven Neil]

I'm pretty much with Clive on this.  Nothing infuriates me more on show layouts than sidings or sections of track that don't work.  (Edit - intentionally, or at least partially intentional, we've all had show failures, that's not what I mean)  You watch for a while then realise that is all there is, are two oval of track, four trains on each, but its passed off as something else. 

 

I wouldn't worry too much about getting a best of show though - we did that once with a loosely USA themed G 'scale' layout.....but there was loads of action on it, including a floating car float, ....that did have track that worked on it!

 

CF is great to look at, quite remarkable in fact, but the operation is a sad disappointment for me.  Maybe if it was N Gauge not 2mm scale it might have been better.....#ducks#

Edited February 26, 2018 by New Haven Neil

[2ManySpams]

Hi Chris

 

I must live on another planet to them.

 

It must be me but I am under the impression a model railway is about the railway which includes operation. It has oodles of potential for things to be happening in the goods yard, and the entrance to the loco shed. All that happens is a few trains just run round. They don't even change them after each whizz past the doting public. At one show on the North London line circuit a train came past pushing the brake van, it must have been three or four trips round before one of the overseers (cannot call them operators) done something about it. It won best of show.

 

As a model of a bit of north London it looks good but it is not a model railway it is an architectural model.

 

Problem is that people were asked to vote. As has been demonstrated lots in the last few years this can be quite dangerous and the expected or rational outcome doesn't always appear. I'm guessing in this case that because of a relatively low voter turnout, all it would take would be for a small number of supporters to be mobilised and the result is skewed. Again something that has been demonstrated again and again in the real world of late.

 

I find the whole best layout, best website, best modeller, best naughty chair occupant a bit tedious and pointless. I'm happy for good to be recognised (lots of likes etc on a thread) but IMO choosing a single best from such a wide array of interests is never going to be worthwhile or accurate.

[Stubby47]

"Best naughty chair occupant"  - can't say I saw that category - didn't Andy get your memo on this ?

 

We could have "Best hidden lineside feature" as well.

[Captain Kernow]

I find the whole best layout, best website, best modeller, best naughty chair occupant a bit tedious and pointless. I'm happy for good to be recognised (lots of likes etc on a thread) but IMO choosing a single best from such a wide array of interests is never going to be worthwhile or accurate.

I think that what we need now is a Channel 4 reality TV show 'The Naughty Step Challenge', in which Spams look-a-likes will be tasked with a variety of challenges to try to prevent them getting stuck on one of several unexpected and (in some cases) hidden naughty steps when Coronation Street is on.

[The Stationmaster]

Problem is that people were asked to vote. As has been demonstrated lots in the last few years this can be quite dangerous and the expected or rational outcome doesn't always appear. I'm guessing in this case that because of a relatively low voter turnout, all it would take would be for a small number of supporters to be mobilised and the result is skewed. Again something that has been demonstrated again and again in the real world of late.

 

I find the whole best layout, best website, best modeller, best naughty chair occupant a bit tedious and pointless. I'm happy for good to be recognised (lots of likes etc on a thread) but IMO choosing a single best from such a wide array of interests is never going to be worthwhile or accurate.

 

Quite agree.  There were what struck me as some very strange results in various categories of that poll of which Copenhagen Fields was just one.  The 'best' show category seemed to be chosen on the basis of how many people might have been there hence the biggest shows got the most votes with real peculiarities such as Warley getting 5 times as many votes as Railex (work that one out if you can) while look at the number of votes the Oxford Dean Goods got.  Again the votes for retailer's customer service probably reflected the number of people who shop with them rather than the actual level of service - hence the bigger ones got more votes than the smaller ones.

 

All rather silly in many respects although overall I s'pose it's a bit of fun that makes a change from the arrow slinging that goes on in some parts of this site.

[Mallard60022]

I'm really pi##ed off that I didn't receive the most loved Duck award. Basta#ds.

Ar43ole

[bgman]

I'm really pi##ed off that I didn't receive the most loved Duck award. Basta#ds.

Ar43ole

 

 

I for one don't understand why either ?

 

Dizzy Rascal

[DIW]

Hmmm....perhaps next time we should all vote for Coopercraft for 'Producer/Manufacturer of the Year'? That should illustrate the point nicely.

 

Croak.

[Stubby47]

No category for 'Best Hungry Caterpillar' either...

[2ManySpams]

Best 7mm layout based on Bodmin North named Pencarrow. I could stand a chance with that one....

[gwrrob]

Best overrated steam locomotive on channel 5 tonight.

[2ManySpams]

Best overrated steam locomotive on channel 5 tonight.

 

Choices, choices... Mallard, Flying Scotsman, Tornado?

[bgman]

Best overrated steam locomotive on channel 5 tonight.

 

Heads up for this too -

 

'The Yorkshire Steam Railway: All Aboard', a three part documentary series, airs on Friday 2nd, 9th & 16th March 2018 at 8pm. The Channel 5 programme will take you behind the scenes as the railway celebrates their fiftieth anniversary year.

[Clive Mortimore]

No category for 'Best Hungry Caterpillar' either...

Or best grumpy git

 

I think there would have been a joint winner...all those who post on here. :sungum:

[St Enodoc]

I'm pretty much with Clive on this.  Nothing infuriates me more on show layouts than sidings or sections of track that don't work.  (Edit - intentionally, or at least partially intentional, we've all had show failures, that's not what I mean)  You watch for a while then realise that is all there is, are two oval of track, four trains on each, but its passed off as something else. 

 

I wouldn't worry too much about getting a best of show though - we did that once with a loosely USA themed G 'scale' layout.....but there was loads of action on it, including a floating car float, ....that did have track that worked on it!

 

CF is great to look at, quite remarkable in fact, but the operation is a sad disappointment for me.  Maybe if it was N Gauge not 2mm scale it might have been better.....#ducks#

A sinking car float would be pretty exciting I reckon.

[New Haven Neil]

It would only have dropped an inch or so!

[Mallard60022]

Gold Standard metric my ar$£; wtf is that?

Ima Lennin

[Captain Kernow]

Why does the smell of 3-in-1 oil linger on your hands, no matter how many times you scrub them?

[Captain Kernow]

Some superb nostalgic views of the East End here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-43141667

[bigwordsmith]

So yesterday SWMBO and I were watching the 'Ustoppable Flying Scotsman' programme on Channel 5, and she mentioned that she can understand why modelling something like a steam railway in the garden could be of interest.

 

This set me thinking....

 

As you are doubtless all sick of hearing by now, the new house doesn't have a railway room or even a loft that could be converted, and even if it could the dust allergy would kibosh that idea.

 

However SWMBO has suggested that perhaps I could build a large shed at the bottom of the garden, which incidentally is about half an acre in total and relatively flat. 

 

So it struck me that perhaps a large shed with a line running out around one side f the garden with a loop to bring it back again could be a suitable solution.

 

The size of the garden  means it would have to be in O gauge, but I get the feeling that the cost of anything in O gauge is enough to make even Fred the Shred weep.

 

Any useful fora I should drop by chaps?

[Stubby47]

Try Coachman's "Carrog" odyssey for a start.

 

Or use 00 but sit nearer...

[bigwordsmith]

I decided that trying to keep up with Larry is like trying to predict what Jeremy Corbyn will believe tomorrow!

 

The other problem with 00 in the garden is it seems to get very easily derailed and short out - or is that typical of all garden lines that don't use live steam?