JWB Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 No, not that Peter North. A UK modeler named Peter North has had a number of layouts written up in Continental Modeller, mostly of US Rock Island prototype. I've been able to find two on the web, one at http://www.gmohs.org...0IL/Rosa_IL.htm and one at http://www.ardenrail...rphotoalb08.htm I have an old CM somewhere that has another, older Rock Island layout written up, and that article refers to an earlier one. However, I haven't been able to find a current contact, and from the second link above, it seems he may no longer be active in the hobby. Is anyone here familiar with these layouts? I got into an e-mail exchange with the gent who runs the micro-and-small-layouts site, suggesting these may have some bearing on his current topic of small continuous layouts less than 24 square feet in area. However, the one track plan published of the GM&O layout doesn't give dimensions, and while I think it implies it's an oval with a fiddle behind the backdrop, the plan doesn't spell this out. It seems to me that both the Rosa, IL layout and the Godinez, IA layout could easily come out below dimensions of a US 4x6. Does anyone know these well enough to confirm this, and confirm (or not) that they're ovals with fiddles behind the backdrop? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
298 Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 As hinted in a Railway/Continental Modeller DVD from a few christmases ago, he is currently building a HO scale Virginian layout which I believe will be making it's debut at the Nottingham show in March, 2011. You're assumptions sound about right, his usual style did seem to consist of a small oval and short train lengths- loco, three cars and a caboose. I'm not sure of the exact dimensions, but again think they had to fit in a small space in his house. The only reference to dimensions in the "Rosa" article in CM, Oct 2006 mentions the layout being 1.75m wide at the front, and 1.5m at the back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted June 3, 2010 Share Posted June 3, 2010 Ther is another layout called "Maria, Illinois" that appeared in CM on Dec2002 giveaway CD - I have it if you are stuck - Godinez was on the 2008 Christmas CD Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted June 3, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 3, 2010 Ther is another layout called "Maria, Illinois" that appeared in CM on Dec2002 giveaway CD - I have it if you are stuck - Godinez was on the 2008 Christmas CD I believe Peter North works in television. I think he has an adopted daughter of Central or South American origin who may have given (!) her name to one of his layouts. Was she Florence? I watched and filmed "Hope, Illinois" at the Twickenham show best part of 20 years ago, I think. He had sound, but it was not loco based, of course, being derived from the cafe jukebox in town and that sort of thing. Innovative. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted June 22, 2010 Share Posted June 22, 2010 I don't know about current contact details, but I've kept most of the articles from CM of Mr North's layouts, from Hope, through Foster, Maria, Godinez etc... I'll have a look through when I get chance, but yes they were all ovals with hidden sidings behind, and around the 6ft to 8ft long by 4ft wide in size, though they did break down for transport. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Peter North is still active in the hobby and was demonstrating modelling techniques at the 2010 Nottingham East Midlands show. 298 is quite right, Peter has accepted our invitation to exhibit his brand new layout "Joachin" at the 2011 Nottingham exhibition (19-20 March 2011). I think that will be it's first public outing. The layout will have OHLE, somewhat unusual for a N American prototype, running the Virginian's EL-C locos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted June 28, 2010 Author Share Posted June 28, 2010 Thanks -- Jack was kind enough to send me a copy of the CM year-end CD on Godinez, which had a teaser showing an Overland VGN Streamliner on that layout. This should be a very interesting development. For a time, Kalmbach distributed CM in the US, where I found some North layouts, but it was pretty expensive over here, and at least my local hobby shop discontinued it. I'll have to find a way to get a copy when the VGN layout comes out there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 I'm sure that someone attending will get you some photos, or perhaps a video when the exhibition happens, John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Grant 4472 Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Peter is currently building his VGN layout. I'm keen to see it but don't know how far on he is with it at present. Here's a photo of Peter modelling bathtub gons at Nottingham last year. Peter has given me loads of useful info about 1930's USA for my layout Sweethome Chicago, as he's a mine of information. I still have a load of it to incorporate. Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveB Posted June 28, 2010 Share Posted June 28, 2010 Here are a few pics of MARIA from the NMRA Spring meet last year Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 Many thanks. Those photos of Maria are more helpful from a modeler's perspective than the ones on the CM 2002 CD, since the higher perspective gives me a clearer idea of what he's done. Frankly, I appreciate the perspective of a modeler from the UK on the US scene, as it helps me see certain things in a new and different light. He uses some overlooked but inexpensive and generally available US products, like the Blair Line highway route signs, barn advertising signs, certain building kits, and so forth, to extremely good effect. If US prototype modelers aren't already aware of them, they should check out the Blair Line site at http://blairline.com/ I'm not clear on whether US DVDs will play elsewhere in the world, but he offers a very reasonably priced DVD with trains from the 1960s thru 1980s of MP, Frisco, Katy, and KCS, close to 2 hours, on his site. In recent years I've found such DVDs are extremely helpful for modeling -- added to admiring Peter North's work, they've added a new dimension for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Grant 4472 Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Peter asked me to post this reply as he's having MAC-related problems trying to sign in. "Thanks to everyone showing an interest in my little layouts, which have been fun to build over the years. If it helps the publication dates of the various CMs are: Hope, Illinois (RI) June 1991 Foster, Illinois (RI) Jan 1994 Florence, Iowa (RI) - sorry, I've no copy of the magazine Rosa, Illinois (GM&O) Oct 2006 Godinez, Iowa (RI) Jul 2008 Aside from Foster, all the layouts were 6 x 4 or less; Rosa fitted into an odd space in the utility room and was 5'6" x 3' 3" approx . Both Rosa and Godinez are presently owned by NMRA UK members - Robin Swan and Frank Warren. With more space I'm currently working on an HO layout (Joachin) based on the electric zone of the Virginian Railway which I hope to exhibit for the first time at the Nottingham show in March 2011- the fates willing and the creek don't rise - with all 3 Vgn classes of "Motor" represented. I'm finding angled catenary and mountains quite a challenge after the flatlands ! I regret I have no connection with the television industry; my adopted daughter's full name is Florence Rosa Maria deJoachin Godinez North Foster - the last my wife, Patience' family name - hence the layout names. Despite her Mayan heritage the last person to inquire where she came from received the answer "Norfolk" . If anyone does have a copy of the Florence article or the date of the magazine I'd be grateful ". Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Peter asked me to post this reply as he's having MAC-related problems trying to sign in. "Thanks to everyone showing an interest in my little layouts, which have been fun to build over the years. If it helps the publication dates of the various CMs are: Hope, Illinois (RI) June 1991 Foster, Illinois (RI) Jan 1994 Florence, Iowa (RI) - sorry, I've no copy of the magazine Rosa, Illinois (GM&O) Oct 2006 Godinez, Iowa (RI) Jul 2008 If anyone does have a copy of the Florence article or the date of the magazine I'd be grateful ". Typically, the Florence article is one I haven't got either.. (as well as Rosa.) However Peter has missed out Maria, Illinois which was in the November 2002 CM. A welcome in advance to Peter as & when he joins RMweb!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 I'm not clear on whether US DVDs will play elsewhere in the world, but he offers a very reasonably priced DVD with trains from the 1960s thru 1980s of MP, Frisco, Katy, and KCS, close to 2 hours, on his site. Thanks for that tip, that looks superb! US DVDs may or may not play on a "straight" store bought UK DVD player depending on whether the DVD is recorded with regions and whether the player has restrictions on regions, but a quick search on the net should find you a code to remove the regional restrictions from almost any player. Liking their used car lot kit as well... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine coast Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 I am not 100% sure,and please correct me if I am wrong , but I believe that "Maria" is now owned by a customer of mine in East Sussex ....? Regards Trevor ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EL-3A Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Typically, the Florence article is one I haven't got either.. (as well as Rosa.) However Peter has missed out Maria, Illinois which was in the November 2002 CM. A welcome in advance to Peter as & when he joins RMweb!!! Oops yes, forgot Maria. Baffled by PC complexities but managed to sign in - thank you Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EL-3A Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 I am not 100% sure,and please correct me if I am wrong , but I believe that "Maria" is now owned by a customer of mine in East Sussex ....? Regards Trevor ... Yes, Nigel Kitchener in Lewes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine coast Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Yes, Nigel Kitchener in Lewes. Ok .....right area wrong name ...???? confusing .. Oh ....and welcome to the sane part of the house !! Regards Trevor... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted July 1, 2010 Author Share Posted July 1, 2010 Martyn, if you get the Blair Line "Trains of the Heartland" DVD and decide you like it (the sound track, rather than dubbed-in diesel sounds, has Les Paul, Stephane Grappelli, and Jerry Lee Lewis, among others), you might want to investigate some others that I believe were produced by the same company, Neff Video Productions. Neff does many different subjects, but it does seem to have a niche specialty in putting 8 mm railfan amateur film from the 1960s and 70s on DVD. Check out (for instance) http://www.greenfrog.com/cgi-greenfrog/sb/productsearch.cgi?storeid=*14489f1cba2f41370b24462b The Green Frog site is a treasure trove of this kind of stuff, but you do have to poke around. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Yes, Nigel Kitchener in Lewes. [now owns Maria ] What a lucky chap... Hope is still my favourite, though B) A pipe-dream I currently have is to copy Peter's style of layout, but in O scale; a roundy-roundy in about 12ft by 8ft with a siding & spur (loop & siding for Brits!!) and an elevator for my F-Units to creep past ... ...just a dream at present, I'm afraid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Thanks, looking through that site even some of their "modern" films from the 80s and 90s are pure history now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EL-3A Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 No, not that Peter North. A UK modeler named Peter North has had a number of layouts written up in Continental Modeller, mostly of US Rock Island prototype. I've been able to find two on the web, one at http://www.gmohs.org...0IL/Rosa_IL.htm and one at http://www.ardenrail...rphotoalb08.htm I have an old CM somewhere that has another, older Rock Island layout written up, and that article refers to an earlier one. However, I haven't been able to find a current contact, and from the second link above, it seems he may no longer be active in the hobby. Is anyone here familiar with these layouts? I got into an e-mail exchange with the gent who runs the micro-and-small-layouts site, suggesting these may have some bearing on his current topic of small continuous layouts less than 24 square feet in area. However, the one track plan published of the GM&O layout doesn't give dimensions, and while I think it implies it's an oval with a fiddle behind the backdrop, the plan doesn't spell this out. It seems to me that both the Rosa, IL layout and the Godinez, IA layout could easily come out below dimensions of a US 4x6. Does anyone know these well enough to confirm this, and confirm (or not) that they're ovals with fiddles behind the backdrop? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EL-3A Posted July 1, 2010 Share Posted July 1, 2010 Simply to say that aside from Foster and Maria (both about 8' long), all the layouts were less than 6' x 4'. A very useful trick is to use the PECO Setrack range for the hidden sidings; even with Godinez two of the three loops(sidings could take an F3\7 0r GP7, six 40' cars and a caboose, if they begin with the curved No 2 radius (18" approx) points immediately after the scenic divider. Hope this is useful Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted July 2, 2010 Share Posted July 2, 2010 Do you have any trackplans for these layouts? I'd be intrigued to see them. I'm English but live in the 'States - I'm trying to merge the Brit sensibility of small yet beautiful with American layouts which tend to be sprawling behemoths (though, that is changing). If you "lose" the large trees from Maria (in the photos above) it reminds me of Holbrook AZ for some reason! Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWB Posted July 2, 2010 Author Share Posted July 2, 2010 This was in my files, I believe copied from the GM&O Historical Society site, which in turn came from CM: It's the plan for Rosa, IL. Godinez, IA is somewhat similar. I'm glad that Peter, who I assume is EL-3A, has joined the site. He should really send his work to MR or RMC, as he's one of the best US prototype modelers out there, in my opinion -- certainly as good as Bob Smaus, who seems to have gone inactive in the hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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