Marly51

Ahh, but there are some who have totally knackered their joints, as well! Quite a few of my former hillwalkingclimbing friends have paid the price of bivvying on damp ground in their youth and have now been through double hip surgery ops more than once ☹️ I’m definitely slower going uphill these days, but still enjoy getting out there!

I hadn't checked all the 'Disused Stations' link detail! Chris Nevard often has a small pub/inn in a number of his small layouts, the absence of loco crew and abandoned shunter telling the story... Do you manage to model many of your layouts, Phil? You obviously enjoy the design process. Marlyn

This is a beautiful layout design, Phil! It's fascinating when all the research comes together. I love old large scale maps and old photographs, as well. Marlyn

Interesting thread as I might be interested in modelling a section of line connected to a milk depot and creamery - maybe next year!

Lovely photos Nigel. Wish we could get some refurbishment done on the fenced platform in front of the main building at Lairg Station. The present owners of the Station House have undertaken a great renovation of their building and garden. There are community grants available, so maybe that might be something we could support?

Hi Stuart - looking forward to seeing more of your models! Marlyn

I might be wrong, but think there were old lime kilns at the ‘spur’?

Yes it was a bit sad looking when I was there a few years ago, but I picked up a little booklet which illustrated its better times.

Lovely modelling, Geoff! Marlyn

Thanks for mentioning this a few posts back. I have just purchased a copy of the April issue of BackTrack. Having spent years on archaeology trips to the many cairns and other sites in Caithness with our heritage group, I think I will return and explore what remains of the Wick and Lybster Line this spring. Now back to Castle Aching... Marlyn

Kevin, I am just about to build a N scale single arched bridge from the Scalescenes downloadable kit. https://scalescenes.com/product/r011-arched-bridge/ The height from the centre of the track to the top of the tunnel arch is 34mm. Scalescenes have a tunnel portal as well https://scalescenes.com/product/r014-tunnel-portal/ Marlyn

My corrugated card formers and cereal box lattice which works for me. l keep my lattice more open so I can play around with the contours a bit more at the papier-mâché stage... I like to use the soft brown pulp paper, which often comes with packaging, as my first layer. Marlyn

Hi Kevin, I am still a fan of papier mache and just about to apply a layer using PVA mix to a mesh of cardboard strips on some corregated card supports. I have used this method for years and found that it has lasted well on models I have produced for display purposes. I know that quite a lot of modellers are using a dense expanded foam similar to roof insulation these days, but I do wonder about any toxic fumes and flammability? Good luck with your landscaping! Marlyn

Every year we have a Christmas fair in the village and I thought it would be fun to have a side project (and escape from my N scale projects). I want to produce a small diorama aimed at youngsters to showcase card modelling using paper kits. Many of you will have come across the £9.99 Toy Train in a Tin? I have two of these... and plan to remodel the train as well (maybe even have a go at making track)! For the buildings I have been looking at Mike Martin’s free downloadable kits, which he originally created as ‘fillers’ for his own large layout and feature in a number of YouTube videos. I spoke to Mike about me kit bashing his designs and he is happy for them to be adapted. This first image is from Mike's layout: To fit the space, I have allowed for the layout, the buildings need to be ‘narrowed’ down a lot, but still retain the correct scale height wise for 00. My first attempt was adapted from the basic goods shed kit. I would normally model windows in acetate with separate framing, but for this project I am looking at creating a similar feel to the old Hornby tinplate buildings. Then I created the 'Highland rural style' station from elements of the Daisy Station kit. For more details of Wordsworth Original Kits and links to his videos: http://www.wordsworthmodelrailway.co.uk

Hi Nigel, Have you seen Laurie Calvert’s Cake Box Challenge ‘Cato Sci-Fi Pass’? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/127606-cato-sci-fi-tunnel/?hl=%2Blaurie+%2Bcalvert Marlyn

Hobbiton End ... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/35993-hobbiton-end/page-20

A start on the cobbles, working on the buildings, retaining wall and tunnel entrance before I do any more painting...

David Rowe’s ‘Under Milk Wood’ inspired by the work of the same name by Dylan Thomas. http://www.carendt.com/small-layout-scrapbook/page-89a-september-2009/

Hi Dave, Found your topic after my post about Eve Garnett from Lewes on ‘Layouts inspired by literature’. Delighted to see Lewes being modelled and look forward to seeing the layout when it is finished. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/132490-layouts-inspired-by-literature/&do=findComment&comment=3094885

Thanks Joseph & Nearholmer - found the link to the Epsom & Ewell MRCs layouts page... http://www.trainweb.org/eemrc/layouts.htm And progress posted here on RMWeb http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/121823-lewes-lbscr-1886/page-2

A favourite childhood book was ‘The Family from One End Street’ by Eve Garnett. Eve lived in Lewes and I understand she used the town and surrounding countryside as her inspiration for the book. Written in the 1930s, The Ruggles family like many families in the first half of the 20th century travelled by train for day trips. The landscape and railway lines through Lewes would certainly be a interesting subject for a layout. The Lewes History Group has some background information about the history of Lewes Station on their website. https://leweshistory.org.uk/2011/02/12/lewes-history-group-bulletin-7-11-february-2011/ Edit - Should have checked online - a model of the station already exists in the Science Museum! http://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co67907/model-of-lewes-railway-station-1850s-models-railway-stations

Paintings of railway workers? There are numerous early black and white photographs depicting railway workers - signalmen, linesmen, drivers and station staff, but I have found relatively few paintings created during the era of steam and postwar period. I like the 'Railway Men' (1955) by Maurice Alfred Kelly which I found on this website https://artuk.org/discover/artists/kelly-maurice-alfred-19202015#

Hello DH - I am more familiar with Donald’s more colourful Scottish landscapes. I agree that this piece has a 1950s feel to it. Donald McIntyre (1923 - 2009) Here is a biography I found online. “Donald McIntyre spent his childhood in northwest Scotland. His early experiences of the Scottish landscape and the artists he encountered there seem to have influenced him throughout his life. McIntyre always returned to coastal scenes of the British Isles, particularly in Scotland and Wales, and he developed a palette and painterly approach based on the tradition of the Scottish Colourists and their followers, Cadell and Redpath among them. Although McIntyre, a gifted natural draftsman, had painted from his youth he trained as a dentist. Yet while studying at the Glasgow Dental Hospital, he attended the evening classes at the nearby Glasgow School of Art. He later served in the army and became an Education Health Officer. At 40, McIntyre decided to pursue painting as a full time career. Donald McIntyre had by then moved to North Wales but, as the Scottish Colourists did before him, spent most summers painting on Iona. He often made landscape studies in situ, finishing larger works back in his studio. Yet even the studio works maintained the essence of these sketches painted en plein air which gave his painting much of its character: lively, spontaneous but well considered, and created with an enthusiastic mastery of paint.”

Paintings of gritty railway landscapes... ‘The Railway Bridge’ by Donald McIntyre from Portland Gallery http://www.portlandgallery.com/artists/39439/27767/donald-mcintyre/the-railway-bridge?r=artists/39439/donald-mcintyre