Thanks for your comments CME.
You are half right - I spent much of my early years painting airfix harriers and hurricanes (not very well I may add). I spent much of my youth in shrewsbury model centre, which back in the late eighties when I was still in single digits was one of the most inspirational places on earth! The smells, the sounds of locos running loops and the associated background noises of the modelling world. As I grew up I honed my painting skills on warhammer miniatures. I didn't touch any models from about 18 years old but since my son was born in 2008 all the fun has returned to stay (I hope).
It does seem that the railway modeller fraternity stands apart and almost alone in its techniques. Military modelling is simply about making a static model look the best it can, and with no associated motion it has only that one purpose.
If anyone ever wanted to learn tips and tricks about realistic diorama modelling they could do worse than to buy a subscription to a military modelling magazine. Or indeed visit a show/competition, where the scenery can be tenfold the splendour of many a railway layout. There is a great show annually at the telford international centre that can inspire all sorts of new ideas. I attend every year despite not modelling military items myself.
Railway modelling is, to some, about trains and rakes and timetables and so forth. To others it's about the realism, to some it's obviously both. I think for me it's the second option. I would be quite happy to have a huge end to end with no electricity at all and just a 4mt or a BR blue class 47 sitting on display in the middle of it.
As for 7mm CME, maybe we could do a straight swap?!
Pete