RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted April 13, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 13, 2014 oooh...Scotland...LL class 37's....blue grey era... Very nice pics - the scenery works well and the sea looks fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted April 14, 2014 Author Share Posted April 14, 2014 I'm glad you guys all seem to like it. Still not sure of what to do for a scenic break at the left-hand end. Maybe a few rocks to help suggest the open feeling I'm looking for. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 Sounds good! I've not had a problem with wheels attracting but if the metal pin has been too low I've had a couple of wagons (and my 03!) pull wheelies! I really like the water crashing on the rocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Happy Easter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 I've been meaning to post an update for a while but nothing much had happened to write about... Things have progressed a fair bit in the dock area with the fuel tanks in place along side the refuelling point. The TTAs have also seen a bit of action too. There's still a bit to do round the back of the station but things are starting to progress quite quickly - I'm keen to get this finished and start my next project in earnest (track in the post). 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 The layout has a name now - Tarbhit (pronounced Tarvit). It's still 'Somewhere in the North West Highlands' 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 A little progress has been made over the last week. I've finally got round to adding timber fendering to the dock wall and I think it adds quite a bit to the effect. Bushes are also popping up all the way along the back edge to help disguise the lack of width. Here are a few photos of things as they are now. 20192 draws away from the dock with some beams destined for Fort William. TTAs wait next to the fuel loading point for a return trip down the line. A couple of track workers enjoying the sun. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Third time lucky... 20192 pulls away from the dock with a couple of BDAs on route to Fort William. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted May 24, 2014 Share Posted May 24, 2014 That is some really nice looking pictures, I am assuming you think it looks better in black and white. I would love to see the colour version though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 I'll upload the colour version and post them here too. I got a new camera/phone a couple of weeks ago and I'm not that keen on how the colours look to be honest. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 Anyway, thanks for the kind words Jaz. In return, here are the colour versions of the photos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 One more for the road. TTAs being unloaded in the early morning sunshine. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 I like the brick work, and it reflecting in the water, I like the cobbles.And I think the damage to the corners of the walls looks authentic. The 'gorse'? looks good too. Lovely colour in my opinion. See you have a Knightwing diesel refuelling area too Did you make them out of DAS? Very impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted May 25, 2014 Share Posted May 25, 2014 (edited) The Puffer is the classic |Highlands and Islands west coast boat - I believe they still operate tours out of Crinnan - Google Clyde Puffer, Para Handy, and The Vital Spark - Gregor Fisher played him in the TV series. The Vital Spark herself was played by VIC27 (Auld Reekie) who I had the pleasure of meeting in Inverness Marina http://vic27.co.uk/the-para-handy-story/ Edited May 28, 2014 by shortliner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 Jaz, Yes that's the ubiquitous Knightwing refuelling point - you just have to have one. The walls and cobbles are all made from Polycell Onefill it's a fair bit softer than DAS when dry, making it easier to scribe. That has it problems too mind - sometimes you lose stones when the surface breaks away. I'm glad you like the damaged stones! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 Thanks for jogging my memory Shortliner it would be the right boat in the right place... I don't think I ever saw the Gregor Fisher version but I do remember seeing the 60's series (not at the time, might add). Having a quick Google I found this model: http://philsworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/2mm-scale-clyde-puffer.html Unfortunately I've already ordered the Small Coastal Fishing Trawler from Langley Models. Cheers, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 Here are another couple of shots from the dock end of the layout. In some ways I wish I had a greater expanse of water - something like Loch Tat. Not enough space at the moment for that though. And another shot of 37027 (I really need more rolling stock) getting coupled up to the Fort William bound early morning service. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 like the picture with the water, the angle really looks nice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 Jaz, I really like that shot too. Somehow it makes the tunnel mouth look much further away than the 5' it really is. Anyway, here are another few shots seeing as the light is pretty good tonight. That's all for now. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 26, 2014 Author Share Posted May 26, 2014 Cheers Mickey - I'm glad you like it. I need to get the SLR out to reproduce these shots - it's just a bit of a long process image stacking in photoshop to get a scale depth of field. The back board at the left hand end may need to be cut down to allow that though which may be a good idea because it's that end that gets all of the natural light. Must get those cobbles done! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 Managed to capture a few more shots tonight after hacking off the board at the end of the layout. It lets so much more light in. For a fleeting moment there was also direct light from the setting sun at the far end... I've also actually managed to do the really awkward bits of cobbling around the buffer stops and the fuel tanks. Back onto the wide open expanses now... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 27, 2014 Author Share Posted May 27, 2014 Thanks, Mickey. Kind words. My trouble is that I'm very often inspired by the details I see on larger scale models and so desperately want to reproduce them in N. Obviously there are limits to what you can actually manage at such a small scale. From that point of view I think it's better to try to model the feeling or atmosphere rather than the detail... Whatever that really means. Perhaps that's why my next project is going to be an Inglenook scrapyard in P4 - Detail and atmosphere here we come. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CourthsVeil Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 … Obviously there are limits to what you can actually manage at such a small scale. From that point of view I think it's better to try to model the feeling or atmosphere rather than the detail... Mike, full agreement to this opinion! I even would say that N scale should get MORE room than OO or even O layouts. The latter may exhibit their fantastic details in small spaces (vivid examples: Marc Smith's layouts or "The Shed" and its relatives). An extreme opinion, I know… Back to your layout: it is wonderful – the first photo above is terrific! Thanks for sharing. Cheers Armin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Module00 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Hello, Sorry for my english... Your layout is really great, and i like very well. Fantastic work ! Il like particularly the beach on the borderside of the loch. Congratulations ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
themagicspanner Posted May 29, 2014 Author Share Posted May 29, 2014 Armin, I really like Marc's work - it got me interested in the concept of small layouts. Not that this is a small layout - that's the next project... Yes N gauge does have a lot going for it in respect of building a 'railway in a landscape', as they say. That's one of the things that has frustrated me about this model (a lesson learnt for a first timer). I really should have made it 6 or 8 inches wider to get that sweeping hillside feeling behind the platform. I would have modelled a lot more water too. As I've said before I really like the wide expanses in Loch Tat. As it is, it manages to work from low camera angles but it would have been nice to have more depth - Portchullin does this so well. Anyway, thanks for your kind words. I like that photo myself. I'll get the SLR out one day and take some better quality ones. Link to comment 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