Kier Hardy

Thank you, yes, that was the very photograph that gave me the urge to weather my crane... so much better than the bright plastic finish it arrived with.

In answer to your question, no I don't think condescending tones are necessary.

I'm looking forward to seeing Alloa again..... no flimsy support legs on this layout - I can vouch for that. Hopefully I'll spot it in my wing mirrors this time!!

It's great to see what 'modellers' have been doing with their cranes, instead of just taking pictures of them fresh out of the box. I'll see your grey one, and raise you a red one!

The OP has asked, Is bigger better? Every one of us can interpret that question in different ways, and there will be a variety of answers due to our own preferences. So should the question have been, is bigger better quality? Or is bigger more appealing? Again everyone has their own opinions and fancies. Personally I like big, but I wouldn't always say it's better. The one thing this thread has highlighted for me is that we take our layouts to exhibitions. I don't take my layout to model railway competitions. I'd be happy to see no awards at shows at all, then everyone will be happy in the knowledge that it's entertained or inspired someone at some point without pots being handed out. Adding categories and size limits (in addition to scales and gauges) just makes things even messier. One of the biggest problems with judging layouts at shows is the judges themselves. It would appear even their own goalposts are regularly moved, and you only have to read some of the comments that appear on RMweb from time to time to realise that. Questions have been raised as to why such and such a layout deserved that trophy, when it ran like a bag of nails or had the wrong lamps on the front of a loco when the judges backs were turned. You can't be in front of them all at the same time, so should a category be made for an exhibit when it's static? So many variables to think about. Leave the trophies for club competition day, not exhibitions.

As Martin has mentioned, there's nothing stopping you positioning the turnout over a baseboard joint. I didn't have much choice when it came to this arrangement due to the geometry of other turnouts. It never gave any problems.

Lovely stuff Mike... that's made my day! Constructing a trio of Lowfits this afternoon whilst listening to Johnie Walker's Sounds of the 70s, celebrating with a G&T now that all the brake links and undergubbings have been made and secured........ preparing to clear the bench of swarf, pop on here and drool before teatime over the pictures you've posted. Not only some mouth watering WYPTE, but a J4 van to boot! All I need now to make the day complete is a visit to Auntie May's parlour and chat to Uncle Edgar whilst indulging in jam sandwiches with sponge cake to follow!

Doh!

Pull your finger out and get that layout finished - that should solve that problem. There's been one on Hornsey Road MPD being propelled and dragged around all manner of sidings with just it's existing wheels pulled out. It clunks in a couple of places, but I'm not intending letting it loose on the mainline as I think the top of the jib is out of gauge and will end up a tangled mess deep down in a tunnel somewhere. I think it will just look better in a siding not going very far.

It's all gone very quiet on here....... is there much happening behind the scenes, to keep us inspired as usual?

FTFY

I don't think I should have used the word creativity, as most modellers create something. Even some of the fun crazy ideas which appear on telly are creative. Going back to the question, I've never been able to find a prototype location that fits my criteria, layout after layout, but I do hope what I have cobbled together over the years represents something that could quite have been reality if the course of history took a slightly different direction. That's probably more down to imagination rather than creation. I wouldn't like to comment on what's easier to build, it's just those messages coming from my head are slightly different to yours which has resulted in me making it all up. Most of all, it takes me back to the days I remember and enjoy in my youth, both on the railway and in the surrounding areas. I couldn't fit all those sights and memories into a prototype location unless I had access to an aircraft hanger. My hats off to those of you who do pull it off creating a prototypical scene, it just goes to show not only how different we all are, but space plays a big part in it all too.

I don't think I could do any real location justice, that or the other way around...... where's the creativity in that? This suits all my requirements!

Thanks Chamby, it's always nice to get feedback. The 24ft scenic section was started in 2009, so 10 years to construct. Details can be found here and here http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/layout_hornsey.html as well as the link at the bottom of this post. The level of detail is an interesting question - Though my trainset isn't based on a real place, the level of detail comes with experience and imagination, what to fit into a scene, and what not to. There are some fantastic inspirational layouts which have been built by the younger generation, such as the estuary viaduct which appeared recently at Wigan, but these are few and far between.... it seems the most interesting and realistic productions have a team of people, most of whom will be in their senior years with a few layouts under their belt. I apologise if that sounds snobby, but that's one thing this thread and the Write Wrules advocate is realism and prototypical scenarios Of course if you're building a trainset like Tony's, all that information is provided with site visits and photograhs. Dreaming up a scene like Hornsey Broadway with a realistic history behind the story, and prototypical railway features has been an absolute pleasure to build and run every weekend. Behind the scenes there are a band of likeminded modellers who have helped the layout become what it is, with professional advice on a number of subjects, so as well as wanting to improve on the last big project, it's also a desire to want to get things right write.

Will this do Clive? It's to my usual fuzzy standard, snapped on my trainset.... and fits the bill.

Keep on fine tuning and you'll get there one day Mike. Does recycled and reconstituted acquisitions count?

Worth a purchase for the Blueball article alone!

You've never let me down George! I hope it all goes well for you and the team at Wigan.

Just thought I'd post an update on my Class 74 project..... it's coming along but there's still a few more things to do yet - buffing plate, data panels, cab interior & crew. I've used fine mesh for the grills, which need finishing around the edges before their final fit.

Have you thought about going to Specsavers?

Here you go (with images). Click on D1047 replied to a topic August 8

I think as far as this thread is concerned - Home - Trade & Products Zone - Products & Trade area - Hornby - CL74 ? there's very little chance of it happening, as any CAD work would involve starting from scratch. Apart from the cabs, there's very little in common between the Class 74 and the Class 71, believe it or not! With just one livery (options of different numbers TOPS & pre-TOPS), there's not much of a viable return in investment for such a limited RTR model. So, as Jools has just asked in the previous post, I don't think a kit bash would be easy at all, especially as there's a reasonably good resin bodied kit available from DC Kits & Silver Fox. That doesn't mean a hybrid convo' makes things much easier, but perhaps a little bit. Instead of two parallel threads, it may be prudent to merge the two into - Home - Modelling Zone - Skills & Knowledge Centre - Kitbuilding & Scratchbuilding - Class 74 Link above in post #8. What do you think?

This is the thread on RMweb for a Class 74, with observations and options for those interested.

Or forget about that..... and just put black & white film in your camera

I managed to pick up a cheap brand new Hornby Class 71, which started the ball rolling for my Silver Fox / Hornby hybrid Class 74 project. Having carried out a few modifications to the chassis block, I have to say this isn't one for the faint-hearted. It will also become apparent that the circuit board capacitors hit the thick resin ceiling before the body is fully seated, so will involve further surgery to the inside of the roof area if you want to keep it. I'll be discarding my PCB and hardwiring between the pickups and the motor with a simple suppression circuit instead. Here's progress so far.....