allan downes

Pipers Mead was the first layout I ever built, so this has to be the first river - a hopeless mess involving small pebbles, diamond sand, flock powder ( weeds) and gloss varnish. At the time my wife thought it was amazing, she even thought I was amazing and so did Cyril Freezer who gave it center page spread in the RM ! Anyway, here it is, the worst river in the history of railway modelling bar none !

Actually Iain, it was my first ever attempt at stippled PVA and though it seemed to work well enough, the canal basin was to dark - should have been a dark murky green as opposed to matt black. If it looks anything like Chester, it's strictly. coincidental as I just invented the whole scene but those kind of loading doors were quite common. "" struggling to keep up..."" You bet I am !!! Cheers. Allan.

Best I can do with water since me 'ol mate Iain seems to have run dry ! So, old mill scene that everyone's seen at least a thousand times !

As stunning as ever Iain, but not stunning enough ! All the same, let's call it a draw - for now.... So, how's about water next - what have ya got mate ? Cheers. Allan.

Right Iain me 'ol mate, now we're both back and escaped the clutches and the unchartered dephts of "Bonnie Scotland" the flavour of the month is mud ! Here's my contribution!

Lack of action due to a week in Scotland - not a week of wanting to be in it, but a week trying to get out of it - all roads end miles up an unchartered glen and a wall of rock called a mountain. Why does every road lead to Inverness and nowhere else ? Over to you Iain. Cheers. Allan.

Peter, what was MODELMANIA, what was I doing on it, and when ? I seem to remember something about National Cut Week, but I don't remember that it was me that said it. Cheers. Allan.

Hi Alan, I'm a legand allright but only for being the most untidy modeller in the whole world, if I clean up I can't find ewt but at least for now i know which pile to look under ( Ian Rice style ) :-) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Now just hang on there a moment Peter, that's my title - 'Untidiest model maker in the World'! The worst thing you can possibly do is to have a clean out halfway through a build because if you do, you end up building bits again that you've aleady built, or not building bits that you think you've built and - When after spending two hours looking for a bit you know full well you built but can't find, it's because it's stuck to your elbow and has been ever since you leant on it - right ?! Cheers. Allan

Blimey Peter, AND the inside ! It just ain't on Mate, I can't take anymore ! and THAT roof. You know Peter, when I first ever met you I said to myself, "There goes a legend in the making " and I've never been so right in my life - the legend has arrived ! Cheers Mate, proud to have had the privelage. Allan.

Not anymore Peter, I just ride on past glories ! - I mean how many times have I milked that cathedral ? and I don't suppose I've finished milking it yet ! Harlem Steel was the last layout I built about three years ago at the same time as that American thing - that no mags wanted ! - although I did come out of retirement so as to speak about a year ago just to do several railway buildings in 16mil for a good client of mine and then a full station set, again in 16mil, for Garden Railways at Princess Risborough. BTW. if you ever want really large, and I mean large, sheets of styrene in black or white and up to a 100 thou thick in sheets as large as 6 ft x 3 ft, AND clear glazing, then these people stock it. Get their catologue Peter, it's a must. Cheers. Allan.

There's just one thing that's been bothering me Peter, though I don't see why, you're building it not me ! - but is the building going to be finished in brick, and if so, how are you going to cut it in around those windows? Just another thing Peter if I may, how do you cut heavy section plastic strip, say 250 thou x 250 thou square ? me, I'm all over the place with it ! Cheers, Allan.

Precision engineering, model making at it's utmost best, every bit as good as a factory plastic injected kit, a true demonstration of how it should be done by the Master himself, Peter Gravy Train Leyland ! Peter you aint good, anyone can be that, you're the best ! (reckon I could still give you a good run though, if I could get out of bed in the mornings !!) Cheers. Allan.

And if they did, would they look like this?

Hi Peter. Had a Fender Twin Reverb, just couldn't get on with it. AlSo had a VOX AC 30 valve amp - bloody heavy! - in fact, it belonged to Hank Marvin and I picked it up in the "Fender Sound House" in Soho Square and it even had all his settings marked in with orange tape, made no difference though, I was still crap! I don't know what you do to get an 'edge' on the base strings when playing through a VOX (nice 'round' top though) but I know Marvin had his amp set at the lowest volume possible and had it miced up to a mixing desk as big as a barn where a sound engineer knew just when to give him 'attack' and when to send him through mud! Now got a Bose and still crap! Cheers. Allan.

Yeh, and haggis might fly!

Goathland looking good, VERY good. Been there several times, going again soon, not too far, cross the Humber just up the road, up to Pickering, up through 'Heartbeat' country, then dip down into Goathland - wonderfull ! Allan.

It's OK I suppose....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Peter, tiling those roofes? must have been a total nightmare! As usual, brilliantly executed. Also noticed the amp in the background, as you do ! - aint a Vox is it? Cheers. Allan

Right Robinson, I await your return, you can't hide forever, Inverurie, Siberia, whatever but, and all due to my eternal generosity and sympathetic tendencies that I use sparingly whenever I meet a struggling adversory, I've put it to the Guys who are in agreement that we should start off with windmills in which case, you win the first round. So make the most of it....It's only one windmill, per persom, per post. Cheers. Allan.

Well Iain me ol' mate, don't look like the thread's over yet so, are you ready to take up the glove again? - and I promise NO more bloody cathedrals!! unless you start hittin' me with that bloody Tetford again !! Cbeers mate,so whataya got?! Allan.

Well the last time I saw Robison he was carrying a white sheet - dunno what he intended doing with it, although I've got a pretty good idea! Picture of white sheet below v v v

Peter, I'm to old now to even try and keep up with you and Iain, the board is all yours ! But I couldn't have left it in finer and more capable hands - but hey, you two aint seen the last of me yet !

So glad I retired, how could I have possibly kept up with workmanship like that?! Old has been.

Well at least mine anyway Captain !!!

And because you've all been worth it, how to make a random stone wall press !

And finaly a few closing shots all thanks to Peter Leyland who took the trouble to Email me them for downloading. Thanks Peter. So, Pyruma and home made stone press days, and the very first photo's that Tony Wright took of my work - and of course, there's a story attatched - a clash of personalities that ended up as the greatest of friends !