bridgiesimon

Or the price!!! Simon

Thank you, I saw that one once and loved it. It is too easy to get too serious about a hobby, I am really enjoying the opportunity to let my imagineation run riot and as somebody has mentioned, nobody can say I have the wrong number of rivets on the models!! Simon

I am playing with ways to replicate baulk road with some form of bar or timber cross members but my track making abilities would not result in a layout which ran too well if I had to make my own points etc hence the trails. Best wishes Simon

The project is progressing, the loco is now all but complete with a handfull of wagons. I have also been painting Hobbits, as they are large figures, they take a lot of time each. I will set up the camera, take some piccies and add them over the weekend. Best wishes Simon

Based on the measurements of the figures I am looking at a scale of around 5.5mm scale and am planning on using 9mm gauge track to allow for the range of available N gauge mechanisms. Track construction scared the hell out of me and the likelihood of getting it reliable enough for exhibition running is rather low, I work ok with card and plastic but with a soldering iron is a very different matter. Maybe it is time to dive in and give it a go. Simon

Interesting you should say that, it is something I am looking at using some form of flatbottom rail on baulk timbers and occasional tie bars/timber/stones etc Am considering making my own track for the plain track - rails on hardwood square section strips with occasional cross members, as I am scared of building my own, revamping Peco points. Also deep ballasting will help give a different effect. I would also like to say how much I appreciate everyones comments, it has given me massive confidence to develop the layout, development that I will, obviously, share on here! Best wishes Simon

That would be qute a feet-ure for the model! oo er Simon

quote name='shortliner' timestamp='1303660750' post='383105'] http://skullcrafts.c...php?topic=501.0 Slightly off topic, but some quite clever Lego Middle-Earth stuff here http://www.flickr.co...s/kumipallomaa/ http://www.coolminio...95-bree-village Sorry, but can't find the one I was looking for Ok missed yer second message, excellent stuff, I am getting more and more excited about this project, I was thinking of adding a small quarry scene with dwarfs and possibly using a tamed cave troll for the muscle. Great link off one of those for a company called Thomarillion who do a pile of great stuff! Anyway, getting a little OTT me thnks Simon

This one? http://www.miniwargaming.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43422 love the idea for the hanson style cabs, really got me thinking. Sounds great about the pub as well better have another look and make sure I can fit one in. Simon

Thank you, yes I am planning on varying the stock, I am looking at coaches based on horse drawn carraiges but with round doors for the hobbits, possobly named as Pullhobbit stock (rather than Pulman). I am looking at possibly having open topped coaches for the taller passengers but this is an area that I am not sure of at the mo. I like the look of the Snailbeach District Railway hopper kits from Dundas for some of the goods stock as well as suitable scratchbuilt wagons for sheep, ponies, bales of pipe weed and other local supplies SDR wagons - http://www.parksidedundas.co.uk/acatalog/Snailbeach_District_Railway.html The miniatures are from a range by Battleforge (www.thebattleforge.co.uk)and are excellent castings with loads of detail and sensibly priced. Best wishes Simon

Ok, time to try and add a few piccies, firstly the most important tatty rough untidy piece of paper - the planning scroll. I have also added some piccies of the work so far - Some of the buildings constructed including The Pipe weed store This is designed to locate on the front of a loading platform at the railway side where the scenery drops towards the front of the layout, hense the deep rear side of the building. Hobbiton End station building, designed to be located with only the frontage sticking out from the front of the hilkl, the whole interior will be underground but lit so can be viewed through the windows. A terrace of hobbit holes, I hope to add a small smoke unit to the chimney at some point, also maybe lighting as well although these at the moment do not have any interior detail. A single hobbit hole, this one is detailed inside with a small hallway and a bedroom. This will also be built into the hillside with lighting etc. I still have to complete the small garden with flower and maybe a garden bench outside the doorway. The ale and wine store, a very important building with full detail inside - barrels, crates of bottles and boxes of supplies. It has a scratchbuild shelves around for all the stock, again this will be lit. There is also a piccie of the first four Hobbits I have painted, I have chosen a range of hobbits that are almost charicatures, reinforcing the light hearted nature of the project. Finally I ahvae a piccie of the first loco as is so far, it has a scratchbuilt wooden cab and will be detailed with a Dwarf crew, tools etc. It will be running on a Grafar Jinty chassis PLease give me feedback of what you think so far. Best wishes Simon

Hello and welcome, I have decided that I need that extra dollup of motivation to get going on my new layout and thought that ensuring regular updates on here would ensure that. Anyway the background is - 50ish years since the battle against the dark forces and elapsed and life in the Shire is settled and happy. Since his travels around the lands of Middle Earth, Meriadoc Brandybuck has found a good following for locally produced pipe tobacco's and has gone into business acquiring, blending and trading his special pipe weed. Around the same time a group of enterprising Dwarfs have been developing a railway system and it has now stretched a branh line deep into the Shire to a new terminus station at Hobbiton End. This is now used by the developing 'Meriadoc's pipeweed Supplies' company. Anyway the idea is for a small narrow gauge terminus station on the side of a hill with a few typical hobbit holes around it, a couple of sidings and a station. There are several ranges of miniatures who do suitable hobbit cxharacters and I am presently trying to mix and match which ones match size wise to each other to acquire a range of characters. I have always tried to be prototypical with my modelling whether it is the railways or my large scale modelling. I suppose this is my rebellious nature coming out and sending my imagination on a journey through Middle Earth life. I do not want to go too far through the Lord of the Rings ilmstyles but an aware that if my layout looks too different then it would not succeed with the viewing publc assuming at some point I get exhibition invites. I have built some hobbit holes so far as well as planned the layout and started playing with suitable stock. I will add some of those piccies when I have taken them later today. Anyway, what do you guys think of the idea so far - total nut case or a little bit of fun? Please don't be too harsh Best wishes Simon

Have you tried these for private owner wagon transfers - http://www.robbiesrollingstock.co.uk/ Simon

I heard it mentioned that the price would double the cost of the final model. Simon

I totally agree, having just unpacked the first of 5 I've ordered. These are by far the best rtr wagons I have seen - the detail is superb but the weathering is stunning!! A real shame this is likely to be our Bugetti Vaeron, never to be repeated. Never mind, just glad I was able to get the opportunity to get these. Best wishes Simon

Yeah and watch the price go through the roof!! Anyway, I am looking forward to the ones they do in the correct size, ie N gauge instead of the too big 00, he ducks the onslaught!!! hehehe Seriously though these models look superb despite the oversize laddering, I think they are the best rtr weathered wagons produced to date, mega congrats are in order, maybe they should do a good few more though it sounds like they have massively under ordered! Simon

Ok, time to correct things me thinks - It was actually 50018 'Resolution' with 2 china clay hoods! The book?- 'An Illustrated History of West Country China Clay Trains' by John Vaughan - an excellent book for anybody interested in the topic! Simon

Thsis reminds me of a piccie in one of my books, 'Class 50s in coilour' or something (am at work so not at hand) with a class 50 and 1 china clay hood wagon!! The classic short prototypical train. Simon

Yep, seee these here - http://wagons.fotopic.net/c1496117.html especially http://wagons.fotopic.net/p45887051.html which you can see the clay spillage in the crevasses. Best wishes Simon

Never mind, wagons weather in similar ways anyway so they are useful for this project, as with others I appreciate the piccies. Thanks again Simon

This is because the tankers photographed are a different diagram to the ones modelled by Dapol. Am at work so cannot add more info at the moment, check out - wagons on the web etc to research more. http://www.garethbayer.co.uk/wotw/index.php?cat=4 Best wishes Simon

Any N Gaugeers out there, check out the Dapol homepage, weathered N gauge one due later in the year!!!! They look excellent, I will be getting a rake, mega congratulations to Dapol!! Simon

As with other people, I am partly - WAHAY!!! and partly ooer this is goi9ng to get expensive!!! Mostly WAHAY though!!! Thanks for the info Simon