grahame

As an early Christmas present to myself, and to enable me to take better model snaps, I've purchased a couple of photo lights complete with flourescent daylight bulbs (technically they're 5400K Ra >90 which apparently means they're better than many others although I'm not sure I understand). Here's the portable set up; Hopefully, I'll be able to take improved studio type snaps although I probably also need a decent new camera and a bit of tuition. I'll need to do a little bit of experimentation to get the best lighting set up (probably need that white foam board as a reflector) but here's one of the first off the cuff; G.

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

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

Now that we've been hit by a deluge of all new super accurate and fine N gauge models I've recently been going though some of my older stock; the stuff that doesn't stand up to comparison and has embarrassing 'improvements'. I've already managed to sell my old Poole Farish class 47s and get rid of some particularly ancient 37s (I've still got another in messy triple grey livery) but it???s converted, not very well, to represent an actual loco seen at Woking, and runs well on a new Chinese chassis. That makes it a little special to me, particularly being in the attractive triple grey livery - why can??™t Bachmann produce the class 60 in the original 3G livery (without a later privatisation overbranding). My CJM class 73s were retired some time back, when the more accurate (dimensionally) and better running (my CJM 73s had the old Bachmann American chassis) Dapol version was launched, and now reside in a display cabinet. Fortunately no-one has yet announced a brand new class 33 as I have quite an extensive collection and have invested heavily in upgrading them with details and new motor chassis???. However, I do have a class 56 that I??™ve spent time on trying, not fully sucessfully, to make it look more like a class 56. Now that Dapol have announced one, which will no doubt be better, what should I do - sell quickly, hang on to it??¦??¦??¦? G.

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.

Actually there is an effect of distance on colour and shine (from gloss) which is that they diminish over distance - so our models should not be as glossy as the real thing when seen from the same (normal) viewing distance. We need to replicate that diminishing effect at scale distances by using scaled colour and gloss; http://www.naplak.com/articles/tips/paint/distance.htm So I say less shine to get the correct scale effect. Especially in N gauge as when looking at the model from three feet away is the scale equivalent of about 150 yards where the effect would significantly reduce the gloss shine. G.

I've completed the basic core structure of Southwark Towers. The model is currently 23 inches tall and with the roof structures and protruding end towers/shafts it will be over two feet tall, but still a little short of scale height. There still lots to do; towers/shafts as each wing end, roof sections and the solar(?) paneling but the basic shape is there. And that's why there's little point in making it with separate floors and see through with pespex wall and/or windows - once it's completed it'll look a bit like a huge mirror. Most modern tower blocks seem to have tinted or reflective glass (to help reduce solar gain and reduce cooling loads) that simply reflects images of what is around them rather than allowing views in. G.

Having read on another forum of an increasing number of the new class 47s failing and having to be returned I quickly got out my three recent purchases for a full running-in session and more thorough check up. Previously I had really only unpacked them for a quick look and photo call and a once around a test track circuit. However, they are now running around and around a small test track to run them in and fortunatelly all three 47s (and a new class 24) seem to have performed pretty well straight out of the box. When they have had a reasonable run I'll give them a light oiling, check out the pick-ups (they have also been reported as bent and problematic) and a further spell on the track. While they are all out I've had a chance to compare with the old Farish model; I'll probably be putting the old one (back/left in the pic) up for sale. It's an old Farish body on a new Bachmann chassis (not the latest all new version but not the old Poole chassis either). The paintwork on the old model has been touched up a bit but the differences with the latest all new class 47 are quite obvious. The new roof is better detailed with crisper moulding, the paintwork is also crisper, the bogies are beefier and the windows and window area looks a whole heap more accurate. Obviously there's working lights on the new model but the IC words and logo are at the opposite end - I'm not sure which is correct. In reply to James Hilton who kindly left the comment below (as you can't add pics to a reply); The Farish class 33 isn't that bad. With a bit of work and a new chassis it can look quite respectable; G.

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.

Yep, before the first one is completed, work has begun on the second high rise block - Southwark Towers. Overall sizes have been considered and design work based on photos and google has been sketched up. On my dining room table you can see some of the rough working drawings including a scale size footprint. And this afternoon the first of the three wings went up. At 100 metres it's slightly taller than New London Bridge House but as soon as I've got the basic shape completed I'll have a better idea and understanding of how they will fit in. These are the two tallest buildings I need for the new proposed layout - the next tallest one I might possibly need is only 13 storeys and about half the height. However it wasn't built until 1986 and could be too modern for the era I'm trying to represent. Also it may not be required as it might not quite fit in the final plan which needs a little slimming down. G.

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.

Here's a pic of the building model and how it will look from a ground floor perspective. Quite interesting, eh? The routemaster bus is an N gauge one for some comparison. Apologies for the poor quality pic but it's taken by kneeling on the floor and squinting in to the camera which was killing me and I forgot to set everything including the white balance, oh, and I've just got back from the pub. And here is an equivalent pic of the real building; Obviusly the model requires a lot of finishing work including the lift/stair extension on the end and ......... G.

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,

Here's a full size mock up of my suggested compromised height for 'New London Bridge House' along with the large signalling centre and a train for comparison. It's five inches shorter than true scale but roughly nearly scale width. I'm pretty happy with that compromise. Any taller and it really would be up with the fairies and probably over-dominate the scene. G.

That is looking good. And something a bit different. G.

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

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.

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??™ve been contemplating the building of the two skyscrapers (Southwark Towers and New London Bridge House) required for the new layout. Although they are described as ???mid rise??™ blocks, they still scale out in British N gauge (1:148) at 26.5 inches and 25??? tall respectively. Not only is that a lot of building, it??™s a lot modelling and probably a lot of cost. As the layout is not intended to be an accurate scale representation and the design is compressed and compromised in a number of ways I??™ll probably need to scale back the two towers accordingly. I??™m planning on building the main body of them from 5mm foam board for lightness, and then clad that with cardboard and plasti-card sheets as necessary for the detail. The board I already have is 20???, so I thought that would probably be an acceptable maximum height for the buildings. That still means they will be big, or rather tall, in N gauge terms. Hopefully, it won??™t overwhelm the rest of the model yet will still retain an element of believability and size. What do others think? Is that about the right sort of maximum height? G.

Back to finishing off that DMS bus. Bernie Taylor (TPM) is hopefully going to produce etched window sliding vents and replacement doors (two part glider doors as well as the original four part folding ones). They will certainly help Anglicise it and make it look a lot better. And as I've got more of the KMB busses on order to convert they will certainly aid the production line. Fingers crossed they get produced, and soon. I've had to make up fictitious side and front adverts for this sample as I don't know of any suitable decals - unless you know better. And I still need to add the white LT roundels. Ideally I'd like to use transfers - so again if anyone knows of any that are commercially available in 2mm scale - otherwise I'm going to have to hand paint them again........ G.

With the N gauge version not scheduled until after the OO version, and the OO version now being delayed, I guess that means that the N gauge version will also be delayed. I wouldn't expect it until very late next year. But fortunately Dapol have got plenty of other even more interesting and desirable N gauge models scheduled to develop and launch - such as classes 58, 86, 142, 390, 26, 205, 121, 43,....... etc.,.......... G.

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.