steve22

Hi Hayfield, I believe that Ian Futers had a circular layout around the late sixties or early seventies,  I'm assuming from the sole picture I saw of it that it was '00' and Scottish steam.  It doesn't though seem like it's the layout you're referring to, though I don't recall seeing a track plan to confirm, yes or no.  Someone will hopefully put me right and tell you which layout it was.    

That box is just a few miles from me and I knew nothing about it until now.  Thanks for enlightening me.  Er, there's not much to read below your postings Mr. Captain.  Are the sausages Algernon's?

I also simply wish to add that it's scenes like these that make me question at least some of the logic that says a back scene should simply be that and let the layout itself be the focus.  In real life we observe the railway surrounded by the townscape or the countryside.  I feel that the back scene, (where there is one, and I would never demand one) is part of that surrounding scene and as such as much a part of the layout as the stations, sidings and trains in the foreground.  At least, that's my opinion.    

Good effort this. Well done. I like the view with the milk van

Can I second SN's comment?  I find myself thinking, 'I hope the milkman's got the handbrake on firmly or he'll be running after his float as it sails on down the hill.'  You can sense the driver in the Morris changing down even further to negotiate the tight bend before the final climb.  House on the corner, chapel and AEC opposite, other building and post box; all very convincing foreground detail and as for the fields taking the eye down to the cliffs!  I never cease to be amazed at the artistry of even the most simple scenes I see on RMWEB.  Great stuff, RJL.  

A little while since I looked at you work, Rick.  I know it's daft but in the photos posted 16th August Western Talisman seems to actually be smiling with her / his cab bathed in sunlight (or does she / he enjoy posing for your camera?!).

Lovely looking maroon weathered Western running over point work and through country scenery.  It doesn't come much better, though I'd have been equally happy if it had been a green one. And that Warship with tankers bathed in sunlight - nice!  Cliff face down to the beach impresses as ever too.

Trying to get Brit's Quote above my posting... 

Beatties took over Boydells in Eldon Square, Newcastle around 1983 or 1984.  Beatties Head Office renamed it 'Leisureworld', rather than 'Beatties'.  I left Beatties in Pilgrim Street, Newcastle in 1988 and sometime later (maybe around 1995) on a visit to the North East I went into Leisureworld when it had relocated to the large Metro Centre complex between Dunston and Blaydon.  

My hometown, Shrewsbury, was home to Hobby Specialists, 27, Wyle Cop.  Mr. and Mrs Smith and their son held a considerable amount of stock in that small shop.  A very sad day when that closed.  I still have my H&M Duette, working faithfully since 1968 and my Trix Scotsman, a Christmas present 1968, arrived June 1969 with one pair of drivers ever so slightly out of gauge and never to this day a good runner.

Incidentally, I recall Britannia class 70053 on Shrewsbury shed, around 1967 (?) shorn of nameplates, valves blowing off and standing at the entrance to the sheds by the old signal box.  I remember giving it a last look back from the nearby 'bus stop before heading home.  I would be twelve or thirteen at the time.

I believe all three of these stores had closed by the late 1970s, due to proprietor's retirement in the first two cases, but I think, sadly due to economic over commitment in the case of the latter, who took on one of the two Beatties premesis (Eldon Square Newcastle) and were unable to make a go of it.

Rug'd 1022

A 10p platform ticket for Reading and a lifetime's supply of Curly-Wurlys to whoever comes up with the best caption to this... 

"Oy!  Sulk over please.  We've got the road, now let's go back and get the coaches."

"Wish I'd kept the box.  Think how much this'd be worth now..."

"Convert it to DCC!" they said.  Now I'm stuck in Cab No. 2 unable to get past the flamin' chip.

One of many delightful touches this railway has is the variety of viewpoints and levels.  Be it a train crossing a stream or round a curve behind houses and small field or the wide sweep of the station area with creamery in the distance.  Then here we look up to the train with trees beyond and yet further up to road bridge, bus and further up than that to the roof of a building.  And is the track on a shallow descent here?  My poor little steam and hydraulic powered heart skipping a beat yet again!

I like the scratches running bottom to top inside the hopper - presumably this represents where the load has scored into the metalwork on loading / emptying, making it more liable to rusting?

I'm always glad to learn about good service anyway but as this shop is not all that far from me I'll have to drop in sometime and meanwhile mention it to 'me mates'.

Ah, at last - a chance to come on RMWeb and get away from all that football my wife watches continually on the tele...

Alan, I've often wondered about those cottages, and the pub, occasionally we get the faintest glimpse of them. What make are they, are they the ready painted / unpainted models at one time advertised in RM? The ones I always promised myself I'd buy and try, but sadly never did? I also want to say how much I really enjoy all the subtle and not so subtle changes in levels on your layout so we rarely look along a flat. The land behind the cottages rolling down to the line, that stream trickling down, so gently but surely that I'm convinced it's actually flowing on my computer screen! The other thing is seeing the images of the station without any trains reminded me of the photos I first saw of a certain Grandborough Junction in all it's realistic open spaciousness. Some excellent stuff here that never fails to please us fellow modellers.

Steve.

Thanks for so much pleasure this railway gives to so many of us around the world. Thank you too for the very moving visual and modelling tribute to your friends, the rest of the crew and those whom they set out to save; it reminds us all just how much some people give up for others, regardless of the great and obvious risk to themselves. Best wishes to you, Rick, for 2012.

Steve.

I've just spent a very happy half hour or so catching up on Wencombe for somewhere around Page 6. Alan, your work never fails to impress me, but mostly I simply gaze and smile. And to catch sight of a Western purring through as well as a Hall! Happy me.

Steve.

The colour tones, the weathering and the general open spaciousness of it all; simply lovely and very convincing.

Steve.

The engine shed looks very realistic, a good use of space. In the photos of the water crane and the two railwaymen standing by the end shed you can sense the dampness on the ground and in the air - quite literally a very atmospheric series of photographs.

Steve.

Ive got a "kind of interest" in the area's railways, due to having visited the area rather a lot a few years ago - Ive kept it bottled up so far but it could escpae anytime soon.....after all I have got a Farish class 14 somewhere

Well that's it, Mickey. No excuse now - get planning and building. And just think of all the relief in letting go what you've bottled up for so long!

Steve.

Thanks drflocoman for the info and for posting the photograph. I'm enjoying the present re-run of the series, I'm sure there'll be many of us watching in January, especially when it features the Forest of Dean Railway.

Steve.

 

 

There are other books that I would recommend as well, such as the Silverlink ‘Then and Now’ series and one on footplate memories (who’s author escapes me for the moment).

 

 

Captain, are you thinking of 'Dean Forest Footplate Memories' and 'More Memories of a Dean Forest Railwayman' both by Bob Barnett? I have the second book, published by Silver Link in The Nostalgia Collection. A very interesting read, as you'll well imagine. I've yet to read the first book. There's also 'GWR Steam My Personal Encounter' by Douglas A. Trigg who was based at Gloucester Horton Road. I think this might feature some F of D memories, although it's more far-ranging. Published by Pathfinder 1992. My copy is acquired from a late friend's collection so not sure if still in print.

Steve.

Hi Alan, thanks for all these recent pictures. Great to see yet more of your work and I did like seeing behind the scenes in the fiddle yard as well as out on the mainline. Mention of Ben Alder makes me quite sure that there's quite a few of us on RMWEB who switch back and forth between Wencombe and Ben Alder's work (and others) for our regular 'fix' of delightful modelling to appreciate. That 'atmosphere' of times gone seems to simply seep out of your pictures. I'll echo other postings to say keep 'em coming!

Steve.

Hi Doug,

first time I've looked at your work. You obviously enjoy working in plastic sheet. Nice stuff so far; the rear of those terraced houses has plenty of character, they immediately reminded me of one I lived in, in Lincoln for a couple of years, some while ago. Nice subtle weathering on the water tower too.

Steve.

It's foam underlay for laminate floors, from Screw Fix. It's 3mm thick and resonably dense. I am trying it out as an alternative to cork underlay.

Once I have finished the traverser I'll give the whole lot a spray over with grey paint so it isn't so gaudy.

Hi Taz,

in further reply to Westerner's query,

this looks just like the stuff I'm experimenting with as underlay in the same way as you are. Its that wonderful (to my mind) stuff called Depron. Its used by modellers as baseboard when thick enough and with some support, track underlay and is also excellent material to score to readily form brickwork and stonework. It retains any indents. Examples of its use for stonework etc, in Nov 2007 BRM (Heyside layout) and a very recent article in Model Rail - sorry, I can't recall which one, I've lent it out. Glues well with Deluxe Materials 'Foam to Foam', you only need to use sparingly. You can use PVA, cheaper but it takes quite a while to get a grip.

As well as Screwfix try Focus. My local Focus store has stocks in, trading as 'Westco Flooring Insulation Foam Underlay'. Seventeen sheets of 1200 x 500 x 3mm. Quite a bundle for £23-39 and dead light to carry. Save your plastic containers once you've eaten your chips, its the same material. Think of it as a free model kit with every carton of chips!

Steve

Thanks for this series of pics. Its always helpful to see how someone builds their baseboards, lays the cork, and spaces out the sleepers - looks good but a fair bit of work, no doubt. I accept that you're using multiple droppers and a control panel but the photo of the underside with all the wiring in place will be of use to people who don't always realise just how much wiring might be required, whether DCC or 12V DC. I include myself in that comment - I've wired up several layouts and never really thought about just how much cable is actually involved, I just get on with it. Then I saw the underside of my local club 10' x 4' 12V DC layout wired for sections and electric points. I thought it was overkill but realised soon afterwards that it wasn't. Your pictures help clarify the situation.

Steve.

Hi Westerner,

glad I've found this layout again on the new site. I've always liked the way your many cameo scenes (the creamery, bridges, stream, cottages, country lane off the main road, etc) give the impression of a much more complex layout than it probably is. Yet nothing seems overdone in any way. It looks very natural. Nice!

Steve.