Jamiel

Interesting, I suspect the negotiations were not accurate, but loss of life on the final day of WW1 was represented very well, and even if the negotiations were not completely accurate it showed how senseless the attacks that took place after the signing of the peace treaty before the 11am armistice came into effect were.

You are right, I interviewed the VFX supervisor of 'Band of Brothers' and he talked about the getting things right, but not the specific tanks, although I think did mention the DC3s. 'Fury' is an interesting example, they may have got the Tiger right, but the plot was the problem there. I don't think that even the best tank commander with one Sherman can destroy a complete German battalion. The fight between the three Shermans and the Tiger is a good scene though. For a war film, I think the recent remake of 'All Quiet on the Western Front' was quite stunning, if a not the jolliest couple of hours of film. It lost out to 'Avatar. the Way of Water' for the VFX Oscar, but I felt had the best visual effects I had seen in a long time, in service of the plot and not jsut for show. Before I returned to modelling railways I bought a Tamayia Tiger and T34 tanks, and almost finished building one until I realised that it was trains that I really wanted to model.

I did my master’s dissertation on reproducing historical locations on film. I made a recreation of York station in 1957 mixing footage shot at York station in 2015 and the Pickering on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, plus CG elements and matte painting. One of the conclusions I came to is that you cannot get everything right when it comes to experts. On this forum we have far more knowledge than the majority of people do about railways, so we wonder why they cannot get it right when filming railways. I suspect that if you watch ‘Downton Abbey’ with an expert, or collector of plates and dinner services, they would point out that some of the plates they are eating off are far too late for the period of the programme. Similarly, for anything that someone is an expert on. TV shows are telling a story, they are not a documentary of the history of railways, costume, cutlery or whatever your own specialist knowledge covers. They do their best within the budget and the expertise of the crew. If it were a documentary on the history of railways during the World War 2, then I would say they should get it right. Some shows do go to great lengths to get things right, ‘Band of Brothers’ made sure that the tanks used were the tanks in the story, or with the Tiger tank, they built a very close replica from an existing tank (one too few wheels along the tracks I think). Railways are too expensive to buy the exact rolling stock and bring it to a film set, they simply have to use a preserved railway within reasonable travel of the shoot’s location. They could use CGI to recreate the trains, but it would not be cost effective, unless say it was a drama about the Mallard’s record breaking run 90 years ago, so for most people if it is a steam train and not a diesel or electric that is good enough. At the end of the day, if you are invested in the characters and plot enough then it is fine, and if you are not, then everyone can just have fun picking apart the what you are watching. Film and TV drama is based on ‘the suspension of disbelief’ and if you buy into it then good, if not then it won't work anyway. Just to say , this does not mean I give film makers a free pass, the HSTs in the background of many shots in ‘Quadrophenia’ set in the 1960’s really jarred with me, but then I didn’t like the film, so my suspension of disbelief had already gone, in fact I liked the HSTs better than most of the characters. As for the tanks in 60s World War 2 films………… Here is a still from my master's project 'York 1957', it has many inaccuracies, but I hope feels about right. That shot took me about 2-3 weeks to plan, shoot and put together on the computer. Plus camera and sound and travel and research (which I already had a head start on for the railway information). I doubt a TV show, or even most films would have the budget for one shot to cover that, unless it was the key element of the film. If it is just someone getting train back home for the weekend, then a ‘steam train’ will do. I found out later that the wooden ends of the main roof were replaced in the 60’s. I know the trolley and boxes are too near the edge, but I had to mask the feet of the people on the Pickering platform. The modern light on 76079 still bugs me, I may go back and fix that and the end station roof one day, but NYMR had it on that day. Link a to short video of the ‘build’ for that shot. http://www.jamielochhead.co.uk/York1957/StationBuildv01.mp4 Link a to the 1 minute final piece, there were three different versions all had different mistakes to ask research questions about. http://www.jamielochhead.co.uk/York1957/York1957Blue.mov Jamie

Sony lenses have no character and are only good for technical photography, hence VFX supervisors liking them, and cinematographers not. I have only ever seen Sony lenses used for green screen shots or to get VFX elements. The list you give is very accurate, Cookes have lots of issues but lots of charter, Zeiss are lovely as are Panavision. I did see a shot done with a Cooke anamorphic of a pans past Dutch houses, and it looked like an accordion, the inaccuracies in the lenses were too much for the shot, but the budget didn't reach to having alternate lenses for shots like that, and to be honest the film was quite dreadful anyway. Great camera crew though, and nice art department.

Interestingly one of the characteristics of films/movies, and especially wide screen images is the amount of distortion giving ‘character’ to the look. Lens aberration, the splitting of colours into a prism effect, by the edges of the lens gives the edges of films a look that helps make the centre of the image more attractive and guide the viewer to focus on that space. Many lenses only have a limited central area in focus as well. Using anamorphic lenses also accentuates this, and if you watch any JJ Abrahams films (not something I would personally recommend!) additional lens flares are often added in post-production to create a ‘more filmic look’. Some digital film cameras offer a cropped view, just taking the part of the image in the centre, with less distortion, or it can be done is post production as Tony has above. There is an argument between sharper being better but lacking character, and shots with character but lacking detail. This also mirrors the differences in choices made between still and moving image photography. Exposure on a moving image and the ‘lens angle’ (time the footage is exposed) is also a great difference between still and moving image, too much detail is uncomfortable on the eye, Steven Spielberg used this to make sequences in ‘Saving Private Ryan’ visually hard as well as the horrific acts being depicted. Depth of focus also has very different aims in films, often there is a small depth of focus again to highlight where the director wants you to look, but still photography often has a deep focus allowing a lot of detail to be looked at. I would suspect that to mimic a small depth of focus for taking photographs of model railways in a filmic manner you would have to use a macro lens. Personally, I prefer the wide shots without a crop as it loses the character of the lens, but that is probably because I am used to viewing moving images a great deal. A lot of the choice is do you want to document as much as possible on a model, or to try and reproduce how the model would look if it were a photograph of the real thing. That might lead to a lot of photographs being made black and white and with grain (or noise as photoshop calls it). As an aside, a question that is often asked by cinematographers at the start of a film is what lenses would the visual effects (VFX) department like to use? VFX usually reply Sony Spherical lenses, very accurate very little distortion and without character (very easy to use in post-production) and then the cinematographer will suggest 1960s hand ground anamorphic Cooks lenses. The VFX department then conceded the Cooks lenses look far better and ask to shoot lens charts so that the distortion can be reproduced in post. I think the point I am trying to make is that sharper is not always better and sometimes you want to create a shot that is more about character. Very useful when reproducing a period look, but not very useful when documenting a how much work has gone into making a fantastic layout.

I posted this on Tony Wright's thread, a few pictures of my build of the MR Tar Tank. I gather Jol was a bit disappointed not to see people’s builds of this kit on the forum. Not as beautifully made as the one posted on the previous page, but it will fit my layout well as a well worn 60 year old tank. It is my first brass/white metal wagon kit, picked up at the York show a couple of weeks ago. Pretty much built as per the instructions, with a couple of tiny additions and couple of mistakes along the way. Do solder the tank plates flat as instructed and don’t bend them to see how they fit before soldering them together. Still, it makes of a well worn 60 year old wagon. I did find the closeness of detail on a wagon kit a little more challenging for my level of soldering compared with a coach or loco, but it was a really enjoyable build and a bit of filing, sanding and Wet & Dry has sorted out most of the solder spills. My second London Road Models kit (L&Y class 23 0-6-0 was the first), and as well as being lovely people to have a chat with at a show, they do make lovely kits. Maybe a L&Y big boilered 0-8-0 at some time in the future, not quite right for my layout, but far too tempting to resist for long. I have posted more details of the build in my Elerby thread linked in my signature. I really do recommend this kit, even it is only a storage tank parked in siding most of time, occasionally shunted by an 0-6-0 or 0-4-0, possibly my Sentinel when the layout is back up, it would make a great addition to a layout. Jamie

Definitely solder the tank plates together before rolling them (as per the instructions). With the centre tube it will just form by pressing it around that, but I suspect using rolling bars will make it far neater than my build. Other than that it goes together really easily. I used 180 degree solder for the brass tank sections, and low melt for the white metal and the parts once attached to the brass, with the exception of the top of the six tank supports which I went back to the 180 degree solder for. Hope that helps.

Just discovered your thread, this look a lovely project. As someone who commuted through London Bridge Station and worked in the Corn Exchange on Southwark Street (probably just outside your area covered I suspect) many years ago this is must to follow, plus I love urban layouts and your buildings look really good. Thank you for posting. Jamie

My first brass/white metal wagon kit. A lovely model from London Road Models picked up at the York show a couple of weeks ago. Pretty much built as per the instructions, with a couple of tiny additions and couple of mistakes along the way. Do solder the tank plates flat as instructed and don’t bend them to see how they fit before soldering them together. Still, it makes for a well worn 60 year old wagon that will fit my layout well. I did find the closeness of detail on a wagon kit a little more challenging for my level of soldering compared with a coach or loco, but it was a really enjoyable build and a bit of filing, sanding and Wet & Dry has sorted out most of the solder spills. My second London Road Models kit, and as well as being lovely people to have a chat with at a show, they do make lovely kits. Maybe a L&Y big boilered 0-8-0 at some time in the future, not quite right for my layout, but far too tempting to resist for long. I have posted more details of the build in my Elerby thread linked in my signature. Thanks for all the encouragement and knowledge from contributors to this thread, to the members of Leeds MRS and of course Tony Wright. Jamie

Hi Back to a bit of modelling. Really nice to just build a kit, rather than scratch building or partial scratch like the TransPennine, which although very rewarding takes a lot longer as you have to think (and by which, I mean procrastinate) about very little bit you do. AT the York show a couple of weeks ago as well as seeing a lot of the people from LMRS, which was lovely, I also bought a London Road Models MR tank wagon kit. I built it pretty much as described with a couple of mistakes and a couple of additions. I rolled the tank plates to see who they fit before soldering them, so the shape of the tank is not that of a perfect new wagon, but will fit the part of a 60 year old bashed about tank wagon for my layout. I didn’t like how the waning handle on the filler was done, and tried my won version, which snapped off, and then looked at photos of the real thing (Paul Bartlett’s site) and made a better fitting out of a cut down grab handle fitting, with the wire through that, and soldered onto a shaped bit of brass offcut. I am pleased with the result. I added brake hangers, although the very small ones at the centre of the brake gear I left off, and I added Smiths couplings. But made then solid instead of sprung as I doubt it will need that, hence the brass soldered to the inside of the frames. I also didn't punch out the rivets on the top ot the tank braces, but used some rivet strip. It would have been better punched though. A wagon with so many details is a challenge for my level of soldering, so lot of sanding, Wet & Dry and filing to finish things off. Compared with a coach, or even a loco there are a lot of small parts close together, and bit of solder ran or I was too heavy with it. I am very pleased with the result, which may have to wait for some etching primer, which I will buy when I am ready to do the next lot of painting on the TransPennine. Lots of photos, in chronological order. Hopefully more soon. Jamie

That is wonderful urban building modelling, you could post it in the ‘Show us your scratchbuilt building’ thread. A very inspiring thread. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/74067-show-us-your-scratchbuilt-building/page/77/ I suspect there may be a few who would like to buy your stonework details, although some would no doubt paint the roses the wrong colour (subjective depending on which side of the Pennines you live). Jamie

Just a post to say I am still around, not much if any modelling, other things have taken priority. I have rewritten a bit chunk of the degree course I lead, which takes ages, and has lots of forms. Apparently you can’t just say we’ll do a bit more on the editing modules and a bit less on the self-motivated research module. You have to prove that it is all fits the outline of the course and satisfies the academic standards set for a UK degree. I’m joking, I take it all very seriously, and I love teaching on the course at Salford. There has also been some sad news from both my and my partner’s sides of the family, so that has knocked us back a bit. I have also been doing some artworks for vinyl releases, which has taken up all my creative energy. I can’t share them as since I’ve been paid for them, so I don’t own the copyright. I do think they are some of the best covers I have created though. The main bit of news is that we were planning to move this year, but now that has been put back a little as we may have better funds to allow us to get somewhere much nicer and with space for the shed to go back up, and when that happens modelling can start again in earnest and Ellerby will hopefully being running again. I suspect 3 years being stored in the garage here will mean that there will be a good amount remedial work to be done, wiring. There was a bit of track I wanted to relay, and I might also consider changing the DCC controller as I suspect there are better control systems out there now than the Gaugemaster I bought in 2008. If I stick with that, the hand controller needs a new speed potentiometer, and Gaugemaster charge to have those replaced (not part of their guarantee that everyone think exists for everything). I will also have to check the shed is all OK and rebuild that, but this time I think I will get an electrician to do lighting and heating and might get a builder to make a proper base so there is no cold coming in from underneath. So hopefully a big year for the layout ahead, but not much in terms of modelling but just getting it all back to where it was 3 years ago. Jamie

On the subject of recreating a specific time for a railway location, I did my Master’s in Film dissertation on that subject. Here is an animation of the build for one of the shots combining shoots at Pickering Station and York Station with stills, model shots and stock images. I didn’t know at the time that the ends to the station roof were replaced in the 60’s, and repainting the colour of the end roofs would have been far too much work given the time for the work. https://www.jamielochhead.co.uk/jpegs/Trains/StationBuildv01.mp4 You might have to click the link for the video, it is on my website, not a video sharing site. I would be happy for someone to PM me so that I can insert a video, if it can be done. Here are a couple of stills from the clip. The luggage is also far too close to the edge of the platform and its perspective need a bit of tuning, but its function is to hide the people’s feet which I couldn’t remove. Obviously a film shoot would have a clear platform and no one taking flash photos of the train, I didn’t have that luxury. For a limited budget, I feel it was pretty successful, and in terms of the research it worked very well. I was aiming for York Station in 1957, I made 3 versions all with different inaccuracies, and then got feedback from a focus group of people, some from this forum, some from model rail clubs, family and fellow students of different ages on the course. I also interviewed the Visual Effects Supervisors of ‘Band of Brothers’, the second ‘Nanny McPhee’ film and the pre viz lead for ‘Hugo’. My conclusion was that it wasn’t so much how accurate you can be, but who the film (or models in the case of this thread and forum) or work is aimed at. If the audience is yourself, then rule 1 applies, but beyond that I feel it is mainly a case of trying to satisfy your perceived audience. For the ‘Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang’ the Visual Effects supervisor was asked to create London in the 1940’s as seen by a child, lots of barrage balloons and sandbags, not many bombed out buildings. For ‘Band of Brothers’ the production strived for as much accuracy as possible given they were representing a very important time in the lives of people still living. They even built a replica Tiger Tank, but I think it has one too few wheels at the side given the tank it was converted from, but when shot in the series that was not apparent. For my short piece, I found that even people who knew York station well did not pick up on some things. The only people who picked up on the semaphore signals being out of time (changed to light signals about 1951 for the East Coast Main Line around York I think) were those who had built a model of another ECML station set in the early 50’s. Most people, me included, missed the wooden roof ends. I know that this forum has a great deal of knowledge and so work shown here is presumably aimed at experts, but I think when you start to get to that level of knowledge it is impossible to please everyone. Personally, I think that getting a feel for things is what I am aiming for, and that allows for a degree of flexibility. Generally, people expect to see semaphore signals alongside steam trains, regional coloured station signs, and similarly for other periods. There was no one day when all steam locos, semaphore signals and red coaches disappeared, but in terms of feel there are certain things that fit well together. I suspect it is just the same for experts in any field, if you watch ‘Downton Abbey’ with an antiques expert I am sure they could find plates that were not made in that specific time, similarly for costume, or any of a number of departments. Both films (and TV) and modellers do their best, but ultimately there will always be some suspension of disbelief. I am building (very slowly) a layout set in a fictional location, so I do respect that those building a real location and at a specific time are aiming for something more demanding that I might set for myself. Edit: Here is a link to one of the 3 versions of the full piece, 1.11 mins, each had different inaccuracies for the research, plus those I made anyway. https://www.jamielochhead.co.uk/York1957/York1957Blue.mov

Not great photos, sorry. Working on the dive chassis for the Buffet car, still to do a bit of leveling. I might have to remove the patch I added to the arch over the motor, and make it a bit lower. I will also have to level out the bogie outside which is riding up a little on the far side in this photo. I also think I have found a problem with the Worsley Works etches. They appear to be missing the two thin windows wither side of the back door. The windows are there on the DC Kits, or maybe Silver Fox version. This was already a replacement as Worsley originally sent two of the other side. I could let them know, but I suspect they might not be very happy to be asked for a second time for a replacement. A partial solution would be to cut the etch and the spare at the door and patch that on the end. I have a feeling that cutting out the window from the etch is likely to result in damage, or bending to the etch. Mu gut feeling is to do the partial patch and live with k owing one window is missing. Toughts?

A couple of photos of a High Level Lo-Rider motor bogie. Really lovely kit, recommended to me by Mike Edge for a Class 124 TransPennine I am building. Comet chassis, and various other parts for the bodies. The Lo-Rider is designed as a replacement for Hornby and Lima bogies, but it can be modified for other builds. I have used the mounting points to add scratch built top bracket and that fits through a top mount on the chassis. The top mount adds a couple of millimetres to the height, but still as low as a Replica Railways motor chassis, and only at a fifth of the chassis, not the whole length. It will be interesting to see it compares in power to that, but if necessary, I could add a another motor bogie to one of the other units.