Chamby

Photographs of ‘Hush Hush’ show that it had ‘No.10000’ painted on the front buffer beam in typical LNER style. I’m not aware of any other LNER loco that displayed its number on a buffer beam painted in any other colour than red, but my knowledge is far from exhaustive on the subject.

Hi Tigerburnie, is your timetable for the passenger workings, or do you also have details of the freight working? If so, that would be most useful.

Embankments and cuttings... Things on my home layout are developing more slowly now that the summer months are here, and the two clubs that I attend have re-opened (albeit under the 'rule of six'). But an update is long overdue... The layout is constructed from self-assembly plywood kits, supplied by White Rose Model Works. These I can highly recommend, but as they are essentially upside-down boxes, they come with a very flat top. Great for station areas and the like, but some modification is needed if contours are required, so herewith is my approach. Nothing revolutionary in terms of technique, but using a methodology that I find works well every time, and is problem free. Creating an embankment: This photo shows how the flat top of the original baseboard has been cut away using a multi-tool. It is still remarkably sturdy at this point, and I could still run trains during these modifications as the wiring buses fortunately ran beneath the track work: The sides of the embankment, and the lower ground level was added using lightweight foam-filled model board. Once fixed in place with a hot-glue gun, it was painted green to enable me to get an impression of how it might look. Further 'smoothing' using polyfilla ensued, until the desired surface was achieved: The adjacent board was to feature a low cutting, to create the effect of an up-and-down flowing landscape. The surplus side pieces from the embankment board were re-purposed to create a raised edge to the board that was to feature the cutting, and polystyrene was added to bulk up the landscape, then cut down to match the edge profile: Once the approximate shape of the landscape had been achieved, a layer of polyfilla was spread on the surface to create a decent surface. After this, it was further sanded down to remove any irregularities: And then an extra stage that I haven't seen others use... because I just hate it when a well-finished landscape gets bashed or works loose, revealing white polyfilla or, even worse, the polystyrene substrate itself. So I now add a final layer using pieces of material from old shirts, saturated in slightly diluted PVA glue. Just remember to remove the seams and any breast pockets (I speak from experience!) When dry, this creates a firm 'skin' that is surprisingly resilient and is a pleasure to work on. And the final result, once painted, flocked and static-grassed. Enhanced with simple scenic additions including stone walling (Hornby, purchased in a clearance sale), a footpath and a couple of hikers... dropping the surrounding landscape just a couple of inches below track level makes a huge difference to the visual impact of the layout, and much enhances the photographic possibilities: (I just need to get rid of those wall lights!) Phil

An interesting example, Tony. Another way of looking at it, is that DCC highlighted a pre-existing construction problem in the locomotive that DC hadn't identified. If the locomotive is regularly shorting out, even without apparently affecting it's running, it is something that I would want to get fixed. DCC helped you to do that!

It’s a matter of personal priorities. You can chip 100+ existing loco’s with those excellent Zimo chips at £20 each for around the same price as commissioning one new kit-built loco from a reputable builder. Plus the cost of the control system and handsets, and the time required to fit the chips. Probably only a small percentage of the overall build cost of a large layout, but yes, there is an additional cost, both financial and in modelling time. It depends on what your personal priorities are, there’s no right or wrong, just choices!

A few years ago, I was on the operating team of a layout that ran two schedules, a fully comprehensive one for the clubroom, and a more simplified version for exhibition days, with the more complex movements that disrupted the ‘flow’ taken out. The observing public were none the wiser, it removed most of the ‘not much happening here’ moments and the layout definitely held a crowd for longer. Re: experienced operators, I wholly agree with the comments above. I have however, on occasions, let people operate my own smaller Swiss layout at exhibitions, at quieter times during the day. Always under supervision, often with delighted parents in attendance. Interestingly, other viewers were often drawn to the layout by the ongoing explanation about its operation. The last hour of a club exhibition seems to attract a different demographic of attending public, when things can be done differently.

I always find this stage of layout building particularly rewarding, with visible progress being made rapidly. My own approach would be slightly different to yours I think. (An observation, not criticism). I would probably have completed the viaduct and done more scenery on the already built sections before moving on to further board-building. I like to have my modelling in progress going on at all stages, so that any given time I can do the tasks that my mood takes me to on the day. Otherwise I find that sometimes the day-to-day modelling can get a bit repetitive. I’m guessing from your activities, that expanding the operational aspects of the layout is your early priority, rather than getting it to look more complete at this stage!

When exhibiting a layout, I believe the priority should always be to put on a good show for the paying public. Any operator self-indulgence should always be consistent with this. There are some excellent layouts where prototypical operations are being ‘exhibited’ and these can be captivating for the observer when done diligently, and most satisfying for the operators. It always comes down to the mindset of the operating team. Are they ‘putting on a good show’, or ‘having a jolly day out with the layout’? It makes all the difference.

What an ambiguous mess! It would, however, seem to be a reasonable assumption that photographs pre-dating 1939 (fifty years before the new legislation in 1989) are less likely to be protected now. Post 1939, where the date of death of the original photographer is the determining factor (plus fifty or seventy years) and the inheritors are unknown, investigating image copyright becomes a nightmare for the average citizen. Which prompts the question, regarding photographs posted on this forum, about the legal position: is it the responsibility of the poster to determine whether copyright exists - and how might that be determined if copyright is not overtly claimed where the image was sourced from by the poster? Or is it up to the copyright holder to assert their right once it has been posted? If the latter, presumably the copyright holder can reasonably ask for the image to be removed. But do they also have an enforceable legal right for financial compensation, and if so how much? I can envisage the scenario where many images are technically copyrighted, but the inheriting copyright holder is either unaware of this, or has no interest in following it up.

That’s simply another way of saying “If I had two otherwise equal candidates, but only one of them had the qualification, (s)he’d get the job! And that’s the primary reason that these organisations are able to survive.

Have you tried 2x CCT’s together? Two vehicles both with a long overhang and body-mounted couplings, when coupled together, are where you really see the problem. Hornby Class 50’s are also notorious for the same reason. Reverse curves also exaggerate the effect.

A Coronation.

That is scary technology... Where is the socket to plug in a chip???

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Hi Tony, I think what I meant to say, is not what you thought you heard. There’s nothing damning at all about being in a cliquey bunch of mates. I wasn’t pointing fingers, but commenting on my own experience. I attend two clubs, one is a cliquey bunch of mates with a shared but focused interest, the other is embracing new member’s broader interests. I very much enjoy being a part of both, but realistically only one will most likely survive. The hobby definitely has a future, but maybe not as we currently know it.

Good work on show, as ever. Interested to see IKEA’s IVAR shelving system being used under the layout. I have used this myself and it serves the purpose very well. Great for under-baseboard storage too!

It depends, Tony. People were saying the same thing 20 years ago and we’re still here. I think there is a steady supply of retiring blokes who are interested in either resuming or starting up in the hobby now they have more time on their hands. A club that has a welcoming approach to new members, has good modelling taking place, a good social scene and makes itself available via local exhibitions and open days, will tap into this. The new blood is there, though not always young new blood! Embracing an interest in blue diesels rather than just late British Railways steam helps reach into the memories of the guys who are now reaching retirement. Enthusiasm for Deltics, Peaks and Westerns is becoming more prevalent in new members, as time inexorably moves on. So much so that at two-day exhibitions, our club started to operate its main layout with ‘late crest’ Saturdays and ‘blue diesel’ Sundays. The level of interest in blue diesels took us by surprise, but on reflection makes sense, as that’s what was around when those now retiring were in their youth. Inward focused, cliquey bunches of mates that are hard to break into, and stuck in the steam era, will be the clubs more likely to fade away...

I think of it as a life file, given the content. Sounds much better!

I keep a spreadsheet of all my model railway items, including price paid and modifications, including the make/version of DCC chips installed. My wife knows that I keep this up to date, and how to contact trusted fellow club members who could help her if it ever becomes necessary. All the RTR items original boxes are neatly stored and labelled too. It might sound a bit OCD but I see this as an inherent part of my hobby. Keeping track of stuff like this this has made me very aware of the cost of my indulgence, over the years it runs into tens of thousands of pounds spent, though the second hand value will be much less. Given her long-suffering acceptance and patience with my hobby, the least I can do is not leave her with a bewildering and frustrating task of clearing out my stuff, and give her a reasonable chance of recovering some of its value.

John, I have installed working lamps on three of my locomotives as I have been interested in developing this aspect of railway operation. The DCC Concepts lamps are a good product in this regard, much closer to scale than some Springside products, for example. With a bit of experimentation using resistors, the level of illumination can be set so that the illumination is unnoticeable in daylight but becomes visible in a dimmed or darkened room. Using ‘daylight’ LED’s and a coating of yellow tinted varnish, I am happy with the effects that can be achieved but as to whether it is worthwhile, it’s very much a moot point, unless you regularly run your models in the dark... which is why I haven’t fitted more. I have also fitted working tail lamps to my guard vans and some coaching stock, again with 50,000 ohm resistance and these are very effective. The following photo taken in a dimmed room (but the digital camera has compensated with the background exposure, so the lights show a little brighter than actual). The posters you use to illustrate your point raise a couple of interesting points. The illumination from the firebox in the second illustration is far more significant than the lamping, maybe that is why the RTR manufacturers are moving in this direction? Also the effect of smoke, and reflected light is very prominent. Given that glaring omission in our model world, the lighting issue is less significant in my view, if modelled sensitively. The exception I would make relates to the modern railway scene and the use of high-intensity lighting on the prototype. I had the joy of seeing Union of South Africa on a rail tour a few years back, on the long, straight section of line between Maidenhead and Reading. The first thing you saw of her approaching in the distance was her high intensity lamp. Arguably an essential detail item then, for modern preserved mainline steam. Phil

This is inspiring stuff, Peter. Many thanks for showing the step-by-step construction, I have been fazed by architectural modelling in the past but seeing your approach, the materials you use and the realism of the end product makes me want to give it a go! I don’t think I’ll ever achieve the speed of construction that you manage, though...

Not when all that held it together was a safety pin...

Beige??? That’s just SO 1970’s. Brings back instant memories of brown suits, flared corduroy trousers, platform shoes and cheesecloth shirts!

There’s no doubt that things have moved on following Covid and the ‘gap year’ re: exhibiting. We’re reconvening under the ‘rule of six indoors’ next week and I can already sense a shift in attitudes regarding both holding an exhibition, and taking the club's exhibition layout on the road again. It is going to take time for some people to emerge from the languishing negativity of the past fifteen months, doctors already refer to ‘Post Covid Anxiety Syndrome’ that lingers as a result of the persistent ‘stay at home’ message, and a resultant fear of socialising and travel. It seems to be affecting a surprising number of people in the ‘vulnerable’ demographic, which covers a large proportion of our club members. ‘Maybe next year’ seems to be a common sentiment, those keen to leap out of the starting blocks are there, but in a minority. It is likely that we will therefore take time out from ‘the circuit’ as a club and focus on building a new exhibition layout until things get back closer to normal.

Hi Tony, do you normally run LB to a fully timetabled sequence, or just keep things moving one train after the other?