Chris_nicole

Whilst our initial goal is to have a layout ready for Hull Show, we also want to have the layout usable at home. This means it needs to be fairly small and tidy when not in use as a railway. Croft Depot suited both requirements, also the way it was operated from the front with plenty of opportunity for interaction with show visitors fitted our view of railway modeling as a social activitY. We decided to build something similar. We were looking at a small shunting layout built into a four foot x two foot cabinet subdivided like a rabbit hutch between a scenic area and a storage/fiddle area. Access and operation would be from the front using a controller on a wander lead. We wanted to use as much of the equipment from the Hornby train-set as practical. It would be based on a what-if Holderness / South Riding railway rather than a real location. We wanted to include realistic scenery for our location. Jenn is particularly hot on scenic and social detail in model railways. The scenic area would be about three foot long with a fiddle/storage area big enough to take a Peco loco-lifter for cassette operation in the remaining space. I thought we might have mouse-hole doors in each end of the cabinet for through running on occasion. Another station I have an interest in is North Grimston on the Malton Driffield Railway. I had made plans for this in N-Gauge, but reckoned I would need at least six foot just for the station area. It occurred to me while we were planning that North Grimston had all the features we were looking for and I could fit most of them into our three foot scenic area! One of the influences on our layout is a photo from the Malton Dodger showing a farmer loading a southern railway open wagon with hay form his horse drawn farm cart. The railway wagon must have taken several cart loads as it looked like a haystack on wheels. They must have sheeted the load before moving but I don't know how they got it through the loading gauge! Any way, Jenn wanted a scene like that on our layout. I have a loading dock, I still need to find and build the hay cart. I dug out my plans book and started making sketches... These plans were derived from North Grimston, compacted to fit, except the third plan down which was Croft Depot for comparison. It gave us a single track through line with platform and passenger halt at the back and a small goods yard in front. We were looking at the fiddle yard on the left with the through line exiting on the right under a road bridge. The first two used a sector plate for transfer between sidings. I soon dropped this idea for simplicity and room needed. When I started to layout set-track I realised we were not going to get the fine angles envisioned. So I tried a couple of different arrangements to give us the through line and three sidings we wanted. The smaller plan at bottom right is the one we've gone for with modification...

We are Chris and Jennifer Nicole, modeller and better-half living in Hull. We visited Hull MRS's mini show at Paragon Station in August where Jennifer won a Blue Highlander Hornby train-set on the raffle. One of my colleagues in Hull MRS challenged us, "If you build a layout with that, we'll show it." They know too well my tendancy to get enthusiastic over a new project then run out of steam before achieving much. I have too many ideas and no decision. Jennifer is made of different mettle. When she decides something will be done, it gets done, and usually very soon. We accepted the challenge. Soon afterwards, we visited Railex North East where Jennifer had chance to look at a load of excellent layouts and pick up ideas for her layout. One very helpful layout and operator was Croft Depot. This is a small shunting layout built into a neat cabinet. The operator was encouraging visitors to have a go at shunting the yard. Jenn had a go, asked questions and took photos. Another layout was Foston Mills. This is a 7mm layout with a lot to recommend it. However, it was the layout's 'history' that took our interest. Foston Mills is based on the North Holderness Light Railway, one of those railways that were planned but never built. In real life they started a bus service instead. North Holderness is practically our backyard and has featured in some of my previous planned layouts. This gave us a potential background for Jenn's layout. Well supplied with ideas and enthusiasm we headed home to make plans... More later. Jenswell has just received an invite to Hull MRS 2012.

An e-mail enquiry to Peco brought the following prompt response: Thank you for your Email. If you have problems obtaining the card sides we can supply these togeher with the chassis kits and wheels by mail order. Depending on which sides you choose, there are also plastic roofs available. The only part you would need to make is the internal body to put the sides on, and for this most modellers use styrene sheet of around 0.040" thickness. We can also supply the styrene sheet. If you have any questions or if you would like to place an order please phone us on 01297 21542. Kind regards A Beard PECO Technical Advice Bureau I think I know what I would like for Christmas! Regards, Chris

Thanks Roger, Were these ERG kits, or did you draw them yourself ? I tend to think of these as multi-media. The planked sides and framing work really well in card, but I would not attempt card for the chassis or running gear! Regards, Chris

That is good news. I had no idea how many they produced or what varieties. They have some very attractive vans in their range... The chassis kit looks interesting too. Chris

Paul, I had seen Elro kits marketed on E-bay a while back, but could not remember the name or find my link for them. His Manx Electric Railway kits looked impressive. More info here... http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Elro123-Transport-Photos-and-Kits?_trksid=p4340.l2563 As I understand it, Elro kits are made up from multiple laminations of thin card. This can give a very strong structure (for card) and very effective relief modelling. Regards, Chris

Roger, Your card rolling stock looks very impressive to me. Especially the long (Horse Box ?) wagon with duckets. What scale are these ? Regards, Chris p.s. On topic but off scale I found this recently... http://www.evengreener.com/Shop/Green_Gifts/TRAINSET_Make_Your_Own_Recycled_Paper_Train_Set.html

Paul, Your Bass Van looks good to me. Did you emboss the planks and strapping or is that the print effect ? I heartily agree that keeping a consistant standard of finish across all features of a layout makes a huge contribution to the overall impression of the layout, whether they be rolling stock, buildings, RTR or scratch built. Regards, Chris Black Hat

Recently I found a couple of Highfield N-gauge card body kits. The refridgertor van came with a card body and paper sides / ends. The open wagon was just the paper sides and ends. Chris Black Hat

Roger, I have a copy of the ERG booklet. I think it was originally published around WW2 ! It makes an interesting read. While the printed kits are no longer available, the techniques could be used to produce our own wagon bodies with home computer printer/scanner/copiers. I have a fancy to work up some 2mm Hull and Barnsley stock for starters. Regards, Chris

Peter Taft has recently produced a card model of a Deltic loco in BR Blue finish to OO scale. I have one of these but have not started it yet. He also has a Class 37 in large logo BR blue and is about to publish a 37 in coal sector grey. These are available as scaleable pdf downloads or printed to order. If you would like to know more e-mail Peter at peter.taft1@googlemail.com (I have his permission to post his e-mail) Regards, Chris

IIRC Peco also used to produce OO 'Wonderful Wagon' kits with card bodies. P G N of this parish may be about to reintroduce some of the Highfield coach bodies in N-gauge. There are a huge range of aircraft and ship models available in cardboard, I am rather surprised that railway subjects (apart from buildings) seem less popular. Chris

Just for starters: Freestone Model Accesories are the main stockists for a wonderful range of card kits for railway subjects, mostly buildings but some locomotives and trams too. They have a tradestand at some of the bigger Model Railway shows: http://www.freestone...o.uk/index.html (This is a trial website) Brumtrams sell a good range of locomotive and tram kits on printed card mainly in 7mm scale. http://www.freestone...brum_trams.html (This is a trial website) CDC Design / Street level models (as illustrated above) have a range of tram and underground kits in OO. They sell these through E-bay: http://stores.ebay.c...ings-and-trains If you want to try a free download paper model, Canon Japan Creative Park have a model of a Darjeeling and Himalya locomotive here: http://cp.c-ij.com/e...rain/index.html Ray Morris has a few locomotive kits as free pdf downloads, he also sells more kits on CD: http://www.cardmodelers.org/Loco's/card_models.htm There are a load more papermodels on the web, once you find some they tend to link to others...! Regards, Chris

To my mind, there is not so much of a gap between card modelling and etched modelling as they both involve cutting, folding and sticking sheet materials. I've seen some very effective card modelling of buildings, so I am curious to see how well the methods translate to vehicles. With up to date printing, I think that there is still quite a lot of potential here. Regards, Chris Black Hat

Hi, Would it be appropriate to include discussion of card rolling stock in this forum ? I have been given a card kit for a Deltic loco and I have a couple of ancient Highfield N-gauge wagon kits that are tempting me... Regards, Chris Nicole Black Hat

Very pleased to see you back in business. Chris Black Hat

My Departmental Sentinel arrived on Saturday, picked up from the post office yesterday. It looks a little beauty, very fine detail and a nice heft to it. I have not had chance to run it yet. Impending grandsons are likely to prevent a trip to t'club for a run around. Maybe I could wean them off XBoxes and PS/DS what-nots onto proper toys! Regards, Chris

Hang in there Missy! Please don't scrap Highclere. The work you have done so far is superb, truly aspirational for us mere mortals "The important thing to remember when you are going through Hell, is to keep on going." - WC Regards, Chris Black Hat

Hi Missy, Lovely work as always. A - How about planting a bush or small tree to hide the break in the fence ? B - Glue foam (e.g. Peco ballast inlay) to the faces of the endboards, cut it to profile and paint to match the scenery on both sides. When the boards are bolted together, the foam squeezes and closes the gap... Maybe another job for Funky Foam! Regards, Chris Black Hat - Now on etched wagon two and aspiring to locomotion!

Hi Missy, Did you keep the funky foam road bed, or have you taken a different approach this time ? Regards, Chris (Black Hat)

Very impressive. How did you cut the PCB so neatly ? Chris (Black Hat)

I have great admiration for your work and the many ways you've pushed the envelope in 2mm modelling. Really looking forward to seeing Highclere at the Expo. Regards, Chris - Black-hat