Ian Holmes

All: The other day James Hilton proposed the use of the Mosslanda picture shelf from IKEA for micro layouts in N scale. I liked the idea and have run with it for some further thoughts on my own blog here https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/08/rabbit-holes-mosslanda.html Ian

That is on the micro model railroad cartel Facebook page. I think the details are on the micro model railroad cartel blog page too.

The summer issue of The Micro Model Railway Dispatch is available to download I think you know the link by now https://micromodelrailwaydispatch.com. ;) Ian

This last view just takes the biscuit. I don’t know where you can take this layout from here. So much to be inspired by. The undergrowth, the fencing, the lighting, Ooh.. that fence post that is slightly leaning, intentional or not, a great little detail. If you ever feel like sharing this with the readers of The Micro Model Railway Dispatch just drop me a line. Ian

A perfect micro layout.

Just outstanding. I'm running out of superlatives to describe this delightful slice of atmosphere

A new locomotive has been added to the roster. Read about it here https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/05/in-mailbox-minneapolis-fork-part-13.html

A very sturdy sector plate has been made https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/05/goings-on-minneapolis-fork-part-12.html

It’s a fairly simple set up. Nothing too clever. The structure is 35” x 10” (890mm x 250mm) . The sheet of 6mm foam core was 20” x 30” (610mm x 760mm). So I had to graft 5 extra inches onto the length. You can see the joint was reinforced with a strip of paper on either side. Once the board was framed with 20mm strips of 6mm foam, it was strong, flat and square. I used Gorilla Glue woodworking glue to glue the foam core and Devon contact cement for fixing the styrene to the foam core. The only other thing I did was rough up the backs of the styrene sheets before gluing them to the board. I’m still a bit concerned that the ridged nature of the upper section of the building means that there’s not enough surface to surface contact for glue faces. But it seems OK at the moment. Ian

looking great, a very believable scene Ian

The warehouse is pretty much ready for the paint shop. https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/a-structure-as-big-as-some-of-my.html

Nice structures. I know what you mean. This building of mine is already longer than some of my previous micro layouts. Ian

After a setback, tentative steps are made to get back on track with my O scale Micro https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/tentative-steps-minneapolis-fork-part-10.html

That really does look outstanding. It inspires me. Ian

Clear my mind. https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/sobering-thoughts-minneapolis-fork-part.html

Bad news! https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-8-back-to-cutting.html

A blog post about the problems constructing this building is ready to read. https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-7-first-structure.html

I have started work on an O scale Micro layout inspired by Prof. Klyzlr’s Chicago Fork from the Small Layout scrapbook way back when. I’ve started to blog about it. If you want to catch up with what you’ve missed. Here’s the links. https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork.html https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-2-developing.html https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-3-setting.html https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-4-first-steps.html https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-5-baseboards.html https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-6-does-it-all-fit.html Ian

Looking forward to seeing how this one develops Ian

Perilously close to the start of the construction of a building https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-6-does-it-all-fit.html

Well, it looks like I might be building a new layout… http://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-5-baseboards.html

Warning! This next blog post contains a baseboard photograph https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-4-first-steps.html

Some discourse on the buildings that would feature on this layout. https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-3-setting.html

Before I got distracted by Eagle Street on the New Orleans Water and Sewerage Board Railroad (Micro Model Railway Dispatch Spring 2023) I was working on ideas for a Micro inspired by the Plymouth Industrial Park Railroad that surrounded me at my old workplace (see the map below). I was going to use Prof. Klyzlr's Chicago Fork as the basis of the layout. The Dispatch and the article about the NOSWB RR has now been published, others have taken an interest in using my research in their own layout, so I've pretty much got it out of my system. I started to revisit the old Plymouth Industrial Park research. There are, as you've come to expect from me, some blog posts about it already. https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork.html https://smallmodelrailwaylayouts.blogspot.com/2023/04/minneapolis-fork-part-2-developing.html Ian

The Spring issue of The Micro Model Railway Dispatch is now ready to download at www.micromodelrailwaydisaptch.com Lots of Micro Layout goodness, in all scales and gauges, for you to enjoy. Don't forget your layout articles are always welcome too. Ian