The Bandit

Very kind indeed. Thank you.

Your layout is looking great! Yes it was my box file Bleak Moor Quarry in The Dispatch. I’ll be really interested to see the finished result.

Lots of great ideas in these posts for those who don’t have a lot of space.

A good way of getting your mojo back - thoroughly recommended! I have a feeling that you might have based it on my box file in said e mag. Out of interest which one? If I am right, I am much flattered.

A beautiful model. ‘Respect’ as the young people say.

Lovely little layout with lots of atmosphere. I have two 0-4-0 Peckett and they run beautifully through (dare I admit), short insulfrog points.

Stunning modelling. A pleasure to see.

Love the after dark shots. Your auto uncoupler is great - one of the best I’ve seen. Is it a hinged rod under the baseboard or can’t you give your secret away!

I’ve used wills granite setts (plastic) and stuck them down with a smear of no nails.

Very true. Also, they allow a ‘layout’ to be completed fairly quickly at modest cost. Along the way, the builder can also try out different scenic techniques which can then be used on a larger layout. For me, the challenge of using a very small space comes to the fore.

Thanks Andrew. The photos I sent weren’t the best as I’m no photographer and it was my first go at posting pictures - my IT skills are very poor. Watch out for Bleak Moor Quarry Shed as the pictures I took are a lot better and there are more close ups.

Lovely work Andrew. The thing with detailing is, once you start, other ideas occur to you and you can keep returning to the layout at odd moments and do a bit more. Your slow speed running is great. You look like you use insulfrog points which is even more impressive. I too use insulfrog and never seem to have problems - keep it simple is what I say. Have you thought about submitting photos to The Dispatch when you have finished? Ian is very accommodating and I’m sure the subscribers would love to see what you’ve built.

Outstanding work!

Hello again Andrew. I don’t have a thread but my box file M & J Brewery Sidings has been in the e mag The Dispatch and published in the French magazine Voie Libre. Bleak Moor Quarry Shed is to be included in Ian Holmes’ March issue of The Dispatch. You can subscribe for free and it’s a really good read.

It’s all looking very good Andrew. You can’t beat a box file for getting the brain cells working - how to best utilise the small space available. In my most recent box file called Bleak Moor Quarry Shed , I used sleepers laid across the rails (or even at the end of the rails) and then ‘chained down’ to act as buffers. Hope this gives you some ideas.

What about building on thin ply which is placed in the box file. That way you can lay track, ballast etc without the file getting in the way.

Love the black and white shots. So much more atmospheric than colour.

Have admired your work for quite a while now. You have a real eye for composition.

Like it. Well done!

Very nice. Terrific progress in such a short time!

Okay then - no more quibbling, no more fence sitting. How big is the maximum size of a micro layout if a micro layout is “a great deal smaller than typical”. My problem here, if you don’t mind me asking is what is ‘typical’?

I for one have no problem with the parameters set for micro layouts for inclusion in The Dispatch. Without them any size layout could be submitted then the whole point is lost. Having a set size for inclusion also makes people work in a creative way to fit a scene within the area stipulated. Ian should be congratulated on the efforts he is making to make layout building more inclusive. Large layouts are lovely but not everyone has the space or financial means to build one. I have submitted one micro and another is on the way. My first micro was picked up by a French magazine and included in one of their issues. This made me very proud and it was thanks to Ian that this happened.

Another great issue. Well done Ian.

Keep up the good work. The world needs more micro layouts!

When is/was the deadline for the winter/Christmas issue Ian? I read the deadline date somewhere but can’t remember where. It’s an age thing!