grahame

Can i ask how you ordred it, in lenghts or on the roll as i am undecided which way to go.

The recent lot, shown in the pics, was a batch of straight lengths although I have had a coll in the past. The rail is fine, so it's flexible and springy and the coil isn't exactly formed in to a rigid roll that is permanently bent in to circular hoops.

G.

I thought the Bachman Farish 37 was available in ttg coal?

Yep, my mistake, I've been looking at the interim product (Poole body with Chinese chassis) version still available.

G.

However good the Dapol 56 turns out to be, from your point of view the loco pictured in your post has one crucial feature: you did it.

 

I have some older models that don't stand up necessarily well to the newer stuff but I would never get rid of them because they represent a (to me) formative period in my own modelling and still give happy memories.

Yep, very true. I certainly had fun undertaking the work and have enjoyed owning the models, despite their obvious errors.

G.

Hi Grahame, just a small thought about the reflective nature of the glass; it was no doubt an aesthetic design consideration of the architects of Southwark towers for it to reflect it's surroundings. Once finished and sited on the layout, I'm wondering if the faces of an exhibition's audience would appear at a scale 150ft in the windows?

Yep, good point - the horrors of a preening mirror on the front of a layout is a horrible thought. Fortunately due to the odd shape and orientation of the building there is only one reflective surface facing 'the front' and that will be at about 45 degrees to the edge. Secondly it's not going to be a portable exhibtion layout so it'll probably only be my mug on display. And, of course, I'll do my best to ensure that there are no such wierd and frightening reflections in any photographs published.

G.

I'm more interested in that track plan in the first photo though. Any chance of a close up?

I wouldn't take any notice of that. It's not really a track plan (there's no points or crossings on it), more a structure relationship plan.

G.

How tall is this on 2mm? Looks fabulous!

Currently the model stands 560mm (22 inches) tall which is just shy of a scale 83 meters. However, it will have another open sided floor added. The actual height of the real building is 94m. And, yep, the Plough is responsible.

G.

What is your plan in terms of making these buildings? Are you going to start on them prior to making baseboards and laying track? The reason I ask is I am wondering who committed you are to a given size before seeing the actual effect in situ?

Yes, I will be making a start on constructing the buildings as I'm not able to lay track at this stage (see earlier in the blog) and I'd like to get some modelling underway for the project. However, I do now have a section of the layout between 8ft and 9ft in length where these tall building will be located that is planned out to scale with the necessary size compromises included. There may still be a little shuffling and joggling around when it comes to track laying and installing the buildings, but it ought be fairly minor in order to maintain the character, and I'm sure I'll be able to accomodate any pre-built structures. If not I guess I'll have to re-think, re-build and sell those already made that do not fit and are no longer required.

G.

Actually, thinking about it, it will end up a bit taller. The white board only represents the main block. It sits on a ground floor framework of pillars, and then there is a open air viewing top floor by the look of it. So perhaps another two or three inches. I might need to trim a bit off the block.

G.

It's coming along nicely. And could well be OO, such is the quality of N gauge these days. Just that damn large ugly rapido coupler.

G,

That is looking good. And something a bit different.

G.

Don't know if this'll be of any help, LT buses aren't really my strongpoint, but Mabex list the following 'N' gauge LT fleetnames transfers,

 

18a Underlined gold

18b Plain block

18c Bullseye white motif

18d 1990 London Buses style

18e Bullseye white, later outlineversion of c

 

Are c and e the roundel type thing? All apparently prefixed MB/FN in their catalogue, priced at 80p per pair plus p and p. Always found Mabex pretty good to deal with, normally by return of post and you can return them if not ok.

Thanks for that. I've written out an order, including for a catalogue, and will post it tomorrow.

G.

A quick trip to your local car spares place will get you window tint film in various shades.

I've got an aerosol can of Tamiya 'smoke' colour which is specifically for tinting those clear polycarbonare car model bodies and have used that for tinting clear plastic before. It seems to work okay.

G.

Looking at your picture I would build the building as a perpsex box overlaid with detail rather than foamboard.

Thanks for the comments. I had thought about a persex or a clear plastic box overlaid with detail, but presumably that means having to put in every floor and internal wall to prevent seeing through and up and down inside. And wouldn't the thickness of the perspex mean a gap between the outer side of the glazing and the inside floors that would be fairly obvious in N gauge?

My plan was to overlay the foam board with a thin clear plastic layer to represent the glazing as the first level of the details cladding. I'd also paint the foambaord grey to represent the interior/and or tint the inner side of the glazing plus sandwiching printed blinds between the board and glazing on some windows/floors. I wasn't planning on cutting the windows in the foam board.

G.

I presume as you're working on buildings, that you have a basic plan already?

Yep, I've got a basic plan, although it's not finalised and to exact scale. The buildings I've started are those that I'm confident will fit as the where they're going is basically fixed in size or areas around them can be slightly altered to accommodate them.

G.

Grahame can you take a snap with a coin or something in for us non N-gaugers to scale off

I'll try and remember to do that for future pix.

G.

That other building looks like New London Bridge House,

Yep, thanks, that's the one. It too is also due to be demolished to make way for yet more retail floor space. It will be replaced by the 'Baby Shard' (AKA the Gem) as part of the re-development work in the area. Perhaps my planned layout is coming at a good time to help document the London Bridge Station area as it was. The pressure is on to get it completed - I'd better make sure something comes of it.

G.

Exciting stuff, and of great interest to me to see your develoment. It looks a nice big and bright railway room and I spotted the stock of Farish boxes in the bookshelves. Are they all to be re-wheeled?

G.

So with your plans for a London Bridge inspired layout does this mean that the proposed NGS Modern Area Group layout will not be moving forward anytime soon?

No, the NGS MAG layout will also be progressed, but fortunatelly I won't be the sole builder as it's a group effort. In fact we've got a team meeting due at Coronation Hall in Surbiton on Saturday 28th November. For those who are unaware I'll start another topiuc about it on this blog.

G.

Having had a look on Google Maps, the real thing looks to be about 200' long. I guess from the proportions of your model - particularly the length of the single-storey bit on the left - that you've reduced it a bit, but it must still be what, a foot long in N?

Yep, I've reduced the size of it - to 325mm long (just a smidge under 13") which still scales out in British 1:148 N gauge at about 160 feet long. Hopefully I've still managed to capture the character of it.

G.

That's an awful lot of bits you've made recently Grahame - is there another layout underway?

Could be, but not so much the building, more the planning. B)

G.

Grahame, where are the skips from?

BH Enterprises - N gauge specialist trader often seen at exhibitions.

G.

A couple of good ideas there, but neither fully correct. I'll add another pic of what is currently on my

dining room table to lead you further up the garden path - a telephone box works. Mainly unfinished K6s

but a K8 and a couple of KX100s on the right. Doors and internal bits to be added and painting to be

finished on the K6s. However, I don't seem to be able to include it here as part of a reply so will have

to start a new Blog subject - not sure I like that aspect of the new forum.

G.

Cool, what make is it? I would mind some myself would look good in the bottom of a river or canal me thinks!

Gold Medal Models - they're American;

http://www.goldmm.com/nscale/gmnsctyp.htm

G.