7mmin7foot

Well, as it was warmer today, I had hoped to get to shake a few rattle cans and get some painting on.. The windy weather, had other thoughts... so a little tinkering inside instead. One aspect of O Gauge, I am really enjoying is the trialing of different scenic aspects... At the very far end of my layout, I have around 5" or so available... though the board doesn't extend to this... ( yet) They were standard sized boards 4' and 3'. I have mocked up an end panel with some more low relief warehouses and built a 7 foot brick wall to front them.. Played about with different elevations too and added a little depth to one of warehouses... and I am liking this.. so will work on this further now. The tarmac crew will be returning soon. Cheers Steve

Hadn't really thought of it in those terms, good comment... and logical too... Steve

Thanks for the comments, appreciate those. I am thrilled as to how my little tribute layout has been received here on RM Web. Have to say, out of all the many layout I have built in my modelling lifetime, from Z to LGB , I am increasingly thinking this is my favourite of all , and will be my best ever effort too. I have been totally inspired by my late pal Richard and the very fine modelling I have seen here in the 7mm section of RM Web. Also, I have zero regrets flogging off my extensive Swiss HO stock and that layout too.. there really is something special about modelling in 7mm ,1/43,O Gauge. Everything has to be that little bit better modelled than in the smaller scales... The sheer scale and 'presence' in comparison is terrific. My tribute mission is working though, each time I visit my shed and layout, I smile and think of Richard... I am increasingly feeling this would get his approval ;o) Onwards in O ... Cheers & thanks to all of you for the encouragement ;o) Steve

Stunning image and modelling. Steve

Nice photo Jim, and of the grubby track, ballast and litter too... all helps with my inspiration, thanks for that. Additional images welcome ;o) I note though ( even on the Swiss HO models) all model manufacturers fail to represent the warped / beat up panels look of the real locos, as your photo perfectly illustrates. All model locos are pristine smooth sided... but then they are models.. and there has to be a compromise along the way.. with our plastic trackwork, nylon grass, resin, plastic, ply buildings, little plastic men... etc etc. Still... I am happy to escape from the real world, into my little modelling world ;o) Cheers Steve

Wow, bl**dy wow... So much superb modelling here, so much inspiration for me. Track, ground cover, locos, all of it... quite superb! Steve

Cheers Mol, You know more than I about BR locos, (having never modelled anything BR before). Have to admit, I am so busy with the layout, I haven't even started looking at the class 26 and 27 prototype books from my old pal Richard. That will come in time... no rush. Have to say though the Railfreight livery is my personal favourite of all his loco stock. Steve

Watching Class 26 025 leaving after re-fuelling: ( and each photo highlighting the myriad of unfinished / incomplete scenic items) The to do list is ever growing ! Cheers Steve

A few more overview pics of the layout as of this week, April 2024. Still lots to do ! The far end scenics have changed again.. ( but only a little) Warmer weather coming, may get to rattle a few cans soon... ;o) Cheers Steve

Thanks Jim, I am indeed humbled by those comments ;o) I have tried to show that so many 'mini /small O Gauge layouts on RM Web, have given me so many ideas. A big thank you to all you folk for sharing your stuff on here, its been ( and still is) inspirational to me. Here's another example from... Red Card Yard built by Hoover5008... while I was grasping to find a 'plan' that worked.. When I looked to how I could make the scenic break to my traverser, he used Redutex. This is a material I had never heard of, but blimey its expensive... but I would only do this once.. so what the heck! Using a couple of L Cut bridge kits, I discovered at Richards place, I put these to use making the scenic break / entrance/ exit to the traverser. These were fairly old, covered in dust... I didn't even know he had them, he must have just relegated them to his stock shelf. Can't say I am particularly keen on the material, ( just my personal choice, nowt wrong with them) and doubting my skill at painting anything to look like brick.. I'd give Redutex a whirl. Aside from the fact its so expensive, it does give a good representation of engineering bricks ( just as on Red Card Yard). I made the entire bridge a little slimmer ( half relief) as I wanted more layout space than bridge... Like pretty much everything on the layout, it's incomplete and far from finished... I wanted to get the feel of the layout, and move things around until I settled on the 'vista'. I also toyed with the idea of having a road, car park and portakabin at the rear... lived with it for a while,, then 'all change' and moved it to the front of the layout. The tanks were at the far end of the layout, so they changed position too.. Then the rear road became the fuel delivery track / siding... This is why, I never glue anything down at this stage of the build... my themes develop like topsy... as they evolve. Just my way... go easy on the glue... live with the scene for a while, then when ready... glue! All the while, I optimize the view I prefer from my own viewing position.. diagonally from the traverser end.. giving me the longest view... I do have a 'thing' about viewing trains head on, as well as the side view.... Here's the process of change ;o) Cheers Steve

Cheers Rob, I took much inspiration from your Peasevern Yard and many others O Gauge on RM Web. Though my scenics are more, what I had / could use from my old pals stock and use his locos and tanks etc , and work around to fit those into a layout. 7 foot in O is rather restrictive, but I am happy with this, ( and if I am honest, more so, than my Swiss HO ever was) ! I am confident he would be pleased at the progress ;o) Cheers Steve

Boys from the Black Stuff : The Tamac crew are in ! I had wondered how I would undertake the car park areas with tarmac, and discovered this AK Terrains Asphalt textured paint. Dabbed on with paint, then 'spread' with a wet cake icing smoother.... then the new tarmac toned down with a fine sanding block. Still much to do , detailing and powders etc... but I am pleased with the overall textured look of it. I plan a few potholes and puddles as it progresses...as well as the odd weed and grass growths. Nice to add some 'colour' to the ultra bright white foam board base layers! Cheers Steve

Cheers Jim, The Class 26 and 27' s are already sound chipped.. just the one left to do, but have that chip already purchased. The Dapol 08 needs a much smaller chip, so there will be a bit of a saving there.. To be honest, unless I go mad and buy something else, what I have is sufficient for the size of layout I have.. Steve

Cheers Chris, I am thoroughly enjoying 'the Big Scale' .. the photo opportunities and detailing scope is immense, though the biggest critic is always the camera lens! My old pal and I always had a passion for the 1/43 scale cars too, and having inherited a few, this aspect will certainly increase in number. We always said the 80's were the best years, and given todays world, in many aspects, that is true. British Rail modelling is new to me , always modelled Swiss... but I have also many of his books too, for guidance and inspiration. The rest is from my imagination and what I believe is called Rule #1. ( If I am happy... who cares) I do though enjoy my 'modelling therapy' and escape into my own 'new' 7mm world. 😊 Cheers Steve

Hi Nick, Excellent modelling, I have been a back seat for a long time, so thought it about time I made an entrance on RM Web. Your Cripple Corner layout has been such an inspiration to me to undertake my own 7mm in 7 foot layout and join this forum too ! So thanks for the motivation! Cheers Steve

Loving this Chris, It's so cool being able to model 7mm in a restricted space isn't it. Yours is another layout that has inspired me to do what I am, with my own. Cheers Steve

BTW, the layout is DCC, using Digitrax Zephyr unit, the three points are DCC controlled using Cobalt motors. All Rich's loco's are DCC and ESU XL sound equipped, though I cannot stand them all running at the same time! Due to my old pals serious disabilities and illness I fitted them in Richards loco's for him, in early 2023. However, I am amazed that something that's supposedly designed for an ESU pin decoder, the modeller has to snip off pins on a £200+ decoder ! Still, they are impressive beasts.. I have also invested in a Scottish Class 27 with Stag emblem, to complement Richards Scottish stock...I have the ESU XL chip yet to fit. My final loco is a Dapol 08 I have purchased which is DCC only at the moment. This is in Cockney 'Sparra' livery at the moment, but at some point will be repainted and numbered into an ED version. I now have more than enough motive power to keep me occupied, as well as a couple of tank wagons for the fuel delivery to add a little more variety of movement. I find the cost of some of these large XL sound chips a bit eye watering, when added to the cost of a loco itself. The Dapol 08 will be a little cheaper as doesn't need to be an ESU XL . Luckily, I don't need much more 'stuff' ! ( OR.......) Cheers Steve

A few more (W.I.P) images from earlier in March this year. I find the trial and error of placing and changing scenery very therapeutic. Incidentally, other than the track which is permanently affixed / glued down, nothing else is at this point! Partly, because I like to 'trial' different scenic aspects in alternative positions and sort of live with it , for a while, to be sure it's what I want. Railings, crash barriers, ground levels, pipework, building positions have all been altered in some way on this journey. Specifically from my seated viewing position, which determines the primary 'vista'. Aside from this, there are multiple sections of scenic areas that can be removed and painted ( when weather permits) and detailed/ worked on , rather than in situ on the layout itself. When these are ultimately completed, I shall affix permanently and then blend it all together.. the glueing in situ ( other than track is always one of the last things I do). To quote my favourite Sci-Fi programme > 'This is the way' ... or mine anyway. Cheers Steve

I love the 'presence' of this O stuff compared to my HO. As for the track plan...not much to it really.. 3 medium radius points and flexi tracks on 2 boards 4foot and 3foot..with a 2 foot traverser. or 7mm in 7 foot... plus the 2 foot traverser... Have to say, now the tracks in place and wired up, 'playing' does limit the modelling process a little ;o) I am very happy with it thus far, it gives me much pleasure beetling the loco's about. As it develops, there are loads of photo opportunities and cameo scenes to be had.. Still very much a work in progress... with oodles of modelling still to be done. Waiting for warmer spring weather, as not being able to spray paint has limited progress a little.. but no rush. Cheers Steve

Evolution of the fuel storage facilities.. still a long way to go.. I inherited the MIMM tanks, which also need some more work, but a great start to the scenics. Pump house yet to be constructed, as well as more pipework etc.

Cheers Jim, the 80's cars were the ones I most remember. Still have a few more on the shopping list sometime ;o) Steve

The title really says what it is... a 7mm layout in 7 foot. Back Story : I have always modelled HO is Swiss, dabbled a bit in Swiss Z and also German O Gauge. Last Autumn, my longest known and dearest friend passed away, and I inherited some of his stock and purchased his other 'stuff' from his widow, rather than sell it on.. I just couldn't let it go... that aside, second hand values are pretty miserly. As such I offered much more than what the dealers were offering, so I could build a tribute layout to my dearest friend Richard, and using as much of his 'stuff' within. He was my life and modelling 'guru' in virtually everything in my life.. always my biggest critic, always straight talking, so he was my greatest inspiration in all matters, both life and modelling. He was in my view, a superb modeller, highly experienced and skilled and if I can achieve only a little of his modelling skill, I will be happy.. Now, I have never modelled UK prototypes, so any rivet counters or anorak enthusiasts, look away now 😀 Having limited space in my 10x 8 little shed...I disposed of most of my Swiss stuff and layout to fund the new project in O Gauge, aka the senior scale. I have taken much inspiration from modellers on RMWeb, Nick G - Cripple Corner, 37114 - Peasevern Yard, D9016 -Holm Road, Hither Green and many others. The 'plan' was simply to use as much of his 'stock/ materials' as I could within this layout... but keeping to his most liked period and location.. somewhere North of the border, mid to late 1980's.. His stock consisted of 3 Heljan loco's, class 26 and class 27 all with sound . Also a number of 1/43 1980's cars... ( love all these) and some MIMM storage tanks.. So it was born....simply refuelling facility, with a siding where loco's await their next duty. Compared to my little HO Swiss stuff ( even with sound) the sheer 'presence' and physical size of his 1/43 stuff always left me in awe... so it just had to happen.. My tribute to my old pal, and an every visit to the shed reminder of our friendship. The layout started late November 2023, after the new G&H (Grange & Hodder) boards arrived.. These are so much lighter than anything I could ever build. Weather ( and cost of electric heating ) has limited the progress over winter, some days / weeks, no visits at all, so smaller indoor aspects were undertaken. The layout is still very much a WIP ( work in progress) and depending on how it is received /interest here on RM Web, I am happy to post its progress. As I said, I have never modelled UK prototype, so I just wanted something where I could see / hear and use Richards stock and keep my modelling therapy alive as well as my fond memories. Each time I work on the layout, it brings me so much pleasure. So this is a WYSIWYG layout ( what you see is what you get). What this does show, is that even in a limited space of 7 foot x 2 foot, plus a 2 foot traverser... an entertaining layout is possible. This comprises of 1@ 4foot x 2 foot board, 1@3 foot x 2 foot board plus 1@2 foot traverser Here's just a few shots of my WIP ( Work In Progress) layout, just my imagination and a lot of materials from my old pal Richard. It may not be prototypical, so don't shoot me for trying ! Cheers Steve