grob1234

Would be a definite shame to see the TVR depart your garage, it's a great car, and noisy, which I like. Maybe one more summer season might be in order for it

Ive used the same website to print off a very large map of Bawtry, which is shown in my layout planning thread here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/111454-bawtry/?p=2330541

Tony, where might you put this new layout of yours? Little Bytham may be nearing the final stages but will it ever be fully complete? I bet you'll always want to tinker with something on it, even if it does appear compete. I hope that when the time comes that I too will be able to enjoy a healthy and active retirement, little way to go just yet though.... On another, completely unrelated note, I have in the past been critical of some of our smaller suppliers within the hobby. However, I also feel it is important to highlight when one of these companies offers excellent customer service, and I am posting this here as I know it is well read and will gain good exposure. I don't wish to start a debate on suppliers, merely to highlight a great approach to business. At the end of July, I placed an order with Fox Transfers. By about the 20th August the order had not arrived, and although the postage takes a little while longer to Hong Kong, it's not normally that slow. I sent an email to Fox explaining the problem. I received an almost instant reply offering to resend my order, recorded delivery, completely free of charge. No quibbling, no arguing, just straight up great service. Today I received my transfers. Needless to say I'm delighted, and as a result I'll recommend Fox to my friends, as I am doing here. Of course if the 'lost' set does show up then I'll return it to them, I don't need two sets. Their honest approach to business means that I'll be returning many more times in the future and is a great advert for our hobby. Thanks Fox!

Very Dutch looking houses there - nice! Green scene static grass? I use their products and am very happy with them. What's in the black box?

Thank you very much for the reply. Getting realistic scenery that matches UK shades is very difficult. As I have mentioned elsewhere, the Woodland Scenics products, though very good quality are more US focussed. Your effects are very nice indeed, keep the photos coming!

Would a repaint of the roof pre date the carriages to 1930s style? I know the curtains are wrong on the new ones for the earlier livery too? If that's the case I could live with incorrect curtains... Or are additional changes required?

Dear John, What a cracking layout. You've achieved a very natural muted tone to the layout colouring which makes it really convincing. I'm increasingly fascinated by colour rendition, and I think it may be to do with saturation. Quite often layouts are too saturated with colour and therefore look like models. Your approach means the scene is very realistic; trains in their natural environment doing their thing. I also very much like the track work and this again confirms my choice to also model in OO-SF. One question, could you please explain what colours and products you used to produce the static grass. I particularly like the variation and texture in the lush greens. Many thanks Tom

Lovely work on these coaches Jonathan, as always. I'm slowly plucking up the courage to have a go at teak finishes. I'll also be commencing work on the silver jubilee and seeing your work has inspired me to pull my finger out. All the best, Tom.

Maybe these? http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/mjt/2816.php

Great to have you back, Tony. Sounds like you had a wonderful time; I can't wait to see some images of that layout. 30 meters.... just... wow!

Those buildings completely change the character of the whole station area, they look superb. I should imagine you're rather chuffed with those, Tony.

Dear Anthony, I feel compelled to say how superb I think this layout is, it's scope, ambition and execution are superb. It's not easy getting a realistic finish in N and you're doing a very fine job of it. I love your layout shed, where you can open up the doors and work virtually outside in the summer months. I love the size of the whole thing, you're using N to its full potential, and I am pleased to see the level of interest you're getting, as I feel N is oft overlooked on these forums. I also really like the fact you're using the ECoS 50200 DCc unit. It's something that I'm interested in using for my own future layout. I have just flicked through and haven't read everything so I'll start asking dumb questions once I have. Please keep the updates coming, I'm following with interest.

Stunning. Thank you for sharing.

This is simply incredible. Thank you for being so open and honest with your techniques. The static grass is first class, as is the whole layout. You must have 1000s of feet of wiring?

I like the look of those buildings. I scratch built a model of Tetbury goods shed for my n gauge layout. Didn't know they were available as kits.

Ruddy marvelous gentlemen.

Referring to comments with regards to childhood and what children these days expect, might I offer my own personal observations? I was born in 1982. Computers were of course around, and my father, a telecom engineer had an interest in home computing in the early years. It wasn't common for him to use it though. I remember evenings when the computer was set up in the living room, evenings I enjoyed as he usually had a beer or two and I was allowed a can of coke and some snacks. We waited 30 minutes for the tape to load, before the game crashed. None of this seemed to be a problem though and we had a nice family evening. However, the point being, it was an exception rather than a rule in terms of home entertainment. Always being interested in aeroplanes and trains, my father bought me a model aeroplane at a very early age, which I still remember making with his help to this day. It was a 1:72 scale f15 eagle. After that though, I was on my own and I continue to make model aircraft to this day, though much less so now my involvement in railways has increased. I also distinctly remember my first train set. A Hornby 125 intercity. It's still in the loft now. We set it up on the dining room table, and I insisted on switching the lights off so I could see the headlights on the loco. Brilliant fun! Then maybe the next Christmas, I remember receiving an LNER A4, Sir Nigel Gresley. I can see it as clearly as though it was yesterday. Such a special locomotive, along with 2 teak carriages. I still have that loco as well, and I intend to restore it and update it so that it can run on my future layout. My point is, will kids today remember getting another x box game in the same way that I remember getting the Sir Nigel Gresley? Maybe my childhood was old fashioned? Maybe because my father made things, I wanted to emulate him and do the same? I really hope my kids want to make stuff, as it's just so rewarding, but I fear the lure of computer gaming will suck them in. We must encourage youngsters and older modellers alike to try building stuff for their layout. To me, building steam locomotives from kits has been nothing short of a revolution. I'm also convinced that even kids today would get exactly the same sense of pride out of building something as I do/did, it's just they have less opportunity to do so. If they are bored they simply switch on the x box. Society of course develops, and I'm not for one moment suggesting that times were "better" when I were a lad, but I do feel that kids are missing out on something. Perhaps I'm out of touch, but I'll certainly be encouraging my children to make things, and I'll be pushing efforts on my own thread to encourage others here to have a go at making stuff too, in that same way that Tony and others here encouraged me.

Thank you very much - added to my list of techniques to try.

Hello Mick, Could you please tell me where you get the transfers for the white lining on bogie and pony wheels from please? I see fox do driving wheels, but can only see smaller bogie/pony wheel lining on the A3 loco sheet. Cheers, Tom

Very nice indeed (of course!) Larry. I don't suppose you could explain or point me in the direction of the technique that you used? I'm interested to see different methods of achieving a realistic teak finish, as it's something I'll need to master! Thank you for sharing.

Nice, that's the technique I intend to use as well. Good to see that it works for others too. I'll need to master it, as will have a large amount of stock to paint in Teak.

Very nice Sylvian, what technique did you use?

I'll happily ruin it weather it for you Graham!! Thank you Tony, it was a lovely kit to build. Annoyingly, I considered black for them, as I thought that's what they should be, but I preferred the look of red! Damn my imagination for escaping reality! Another LRM kit that I have on my wish list is the GNR J3. If it builds as nicely as this J69, I will be very happy indeed.

Dear Tony, Continuing on the theme of sharing completed work, here are a couple of snaps of my completed LRM J69. Its been weathered, and just needs crew and coal, but the loco itself is done. I've fixed the pick ups, and it now runs over point work without catching. I hope it captures the look of an old, well worn but looked after locomotive, as depicted in 'Steam at Grantham', pg 47 by Rev W. Cawston. More pics on my workbench thread.

Hello, Back from a work trip so no modelling today, but do have time for a few pictures of some completed work. The LRM J69 is now complete. My version of 7384 as featured on pg47 of 'Steam at Grantham'. I wanted to achieve the look of a well used but not filthy yard loco. I weathered it using a random mix of colours through the airbrush, consisting mainly of Tamiya Nato Black and Brown. More brown on the wheels and brakes, and sootier on top. I'm pretty pleased with how the weathering has come out; its my first go at weathering a loco, and it seems to have made it seem 'bigger' than when it was pristine. I added wheel balance weights from card crescents cut with a circle cutter, super glued in place, then painted matt black. Crew are awaiting paint, and real coal will be added when I have some. In other news, work on the W1 continues, and also the C12 nears completion too. More during the coming week I hope, work as always permitting. Thanks for the interest.