Mikkel

Don: Good to hear this works for you. You are quite right: These layouts are designed to be viewed close up and at eye-level height - both in photographic terms but also for "live" viewing. So it suddenly dawned upon me that the good old "3-foot rule" doesn't really apply here, and that detailed track might therefore make a relatively big difference in appearance (quite apart from the fact that it is also pleasant work). Dave: Thanks for gently pointing me towards a couple of issues here. Re full- and half-depth sleepers: I see what you mean. As far as I can see the Timbertracks sleepers are 0.8 deep, whereas the Exactoscale sleepers (and I assume the C+L "thick" sleepers) are 1.6. That is quite a difference. However as this will be a yard area I am planning to have the ground almost up to the sleeper tops, so perhaps it will not be an issue? As for getting chairs in correct direction at the end of each track panel - uh-oh, good point! For the trial panels I have threaded the chairs on in alternating directions as I believe would be typical for two-way travel, but I can see that the arrangement at the ends should allow room for fishplates, and hence have the outermost key facing "inwards" (I think?). PS: Argh! Just noticed I have the keys on the inside of the far rail in the photos above. Must have turned the rail the wrong way around after threading on the chairs . Good thing nothing is fixed down. That'll teach me to pay attention! (EDIT: Now corrected in most of the photos).

Brilliant, I really like this. Looks totally convincing to me. I'm also an admirer of the Gorre & Daphetid RR. It's an odd thing that as modellers we always praise creativity, yet there is also a notion that models that have no prototype are somehow not quite "worthy". Surely to create something that never existed but still looks real is about as creative as you can get?

Hi Ian. Based on your comment I've just been trawling through RMweb to look closer at the rivet and ply approach (eg http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/23668-first-steps-in-ply-and-rivet-track-building/). Handbuilt track is all very new to me, and I hadn't really realized just how many options there are (for the record, most seem to be listed here : http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/23746-the-definitive-survey-on-handbuilt-track/page__mode__show and here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/31751-copperclad-ply-and-rivet-glued-up-plastic/page__p__333914__hl__%22ply+and+rivet%22__fromsearch__1?do=findComment&comment=333914). Your point about rivet and ply being a more flexible method is certainly appealing for a newcomer such as myself! Something to keep in mind for when I get into pointwork. From what little I know so far, I agree completely about the visual benefits of the ply and chairs. These are the two things that really stand out for me as making a difference in appearance, compared to ready-made track. There is something very delicious about working with real wood, and I look forward to experimenting with staining. On the chairs it is not really the different bolt patterns that make a visual impact, but rather the keys which seem very obvious even from a certain distance.

Time to get some track in place for The depot. For a pragmatic modeller like myself, it's easy to dismiss finescale track as something for the purists only. A little too easy, perhaps! With this in mind, I'm currently taking a closer look at some of the C+L track components. The idea is to see whether this sort of thing works for me, and how much it adds to the overall impression of the GWR in the 1900s. It's still OO, and so far only straight track, as that is all I need for the scenic part of The depot. After some helpful advice from Brian Lewis at C+L, I decided to experiment with the Timber Tracks system of laser-cut track panels, onto which you build the rail, chairs etc. The photos above show the GWR 44' 6" straight panels. These have the 8' 6" sleepers used after WW1, whereas the 1900s saw use of 9' sleepers. But since the gauge is OO, the visual result will hopefully look about right. Nothing is actually fixed in place on the Timbertracks panel, so some chairs etc are a little out of alignment. Apart from the Timbertracks system I am also trying out the C+L ready-built flexitrack. This is strictly speaking not suitable for the GWR as it has a different sleeper spacing and uses 3-bolt chairs rather than the keyed 2-bolt chairs used by the GWR. On the plus side, it is quicker to lay and the big question is of course just how much of this detail is really noticeable once it's all weathered and in place. The following photos show various detail differences between Peco, C+L flexitrack and C+L hand-build track in close-up. In fairness it should be said that the Peco track seen here is the Code 100, which I have been stubbornly using until now (bought a large quantity very cheaply some years ago). I currently have some Peco Code 75 track on order for use in the fiddle yard. Once it arrives I'll post some birds eye-view photos of the various track types for overall comparison. So far, though, I'm rather liking the Timbertracks system and the unexpected pleasures of track building...

I admire your persistence Chris.Seems like a wise decision to move ahead rather than getting bogged down and stalling the project. Thanks for the continued narrative on this project, good to learn from.

Amazing locos Jon, real works of art each one of them, but together against the walling they look fantastic. I can almost smell them! Some very nice photography too. Agree with Phil that toning down/shading the figures a bit would blend them in completely.

Ha! Sniffing the diesel fumes and hanging around in wagons? Sounds like Rover is the perfect pet for the railway enthusiast . Thanks for the pics Roger. Yes I might try the insulation foam on the third Farthing layout, which I'd like to make super-light and in a slightly odd shape, so this might be good.

Russ, I can sympathize with both the mountain biking and the single track layout . There's something very appealing about the utter simplicity of simple stations like this, and Coanwood looks like an excellent example of that. The 2FS community on here just keeps growing, it seems. No wonder with all the interesting experiments and modelling being shown in that scale.

That hound on the PW wagon sounds great . Any chance of a photo? Thanks for the info on the insulation foam.

Fantastic idea with the rivets and rust. It's actually not often we see the fascia/surrounds of a layout used to enhance the atmosphere like this. And I like how it adds to the scene without over-powering it. Great stuff!

Perhaps more romantic than realistic - I know it was bl**dy hard work in reality! This is a "still" from the latest Farthing video.

Totally agree. I rather like that salt wagon, it has a lot of character to it. I have a similar one that also has nostalgic value, maybe I should go and dig it out. Thanks for the inspiration Jules.

The texture of the cobbles and buildings is superb and comes out really well in this shot. Like Ian I can't believe the speed of progress. What are you on?!

That is fantastic. Imagine the possibilities. A GWR mainline station in no place at all. Finally something to silence the critics of the GWR BLT . Now where did I put that shoebox....

Ian, that's a rather nice thing to do for your father-in-law. When I reach 87 I hope I'll have a son-in-law like you (maybe I should introduce the idea to my daughter!). Must require some careful balancing of time and effort to have three locos on the go at once. Let's hope they don't get mixed up. Not sure a "Galloping Bulldog" would go down well with GWR fans .

Rich and Nick, thanks for those constructive comments. I was trying to keep the film short, and stylistically aimed for a little of the feel in that which also uses quick "cutting" to go with the music (no other comparison intended!) . But it seems I overdid it - lesson learnt! Let's hope the weather will be good for painting the Buffalo Nick!

That's an interesting Inglenook variation. I like the idea of a Sentinel on it. How many wagons will be featured in the shunting puzzle? I like how the Ipad is almost half the length of the whole board (ok a third), that's what I call a real micro layout

That's an intriguing cameo, I really like the well-observed details, eg how the sheep have been positioned at appropriate distance from the dog, and how there's a whole little unspoken story in it (eg the sheep hovering at the edge of the drop, etc). Great stuff.

Brilliant. So very clean and neat. One of the great things about this hobby is how the design and construction of an individual girder can be a satisfying project in itself - also for those who are just watching it happen. Please keep it coming.

Thanks everyone, I think it's my good luck that there are probably very few real film critics on here . I'm always amazed at how many aspects this hobby has. Although technological development may edge out some of them, it also introduces new ones I think (eg sharing via the web, film-making, DCC etc). Just imagine what a pro with some decent equipment could do in terms of model railway film making (OK, I amit that the profits would probably be meagre, not exactly Hollywood box office material ). Sidecar Racer, I agree completely about the 1076 Buffalo class, they have a special appeal I think. There's a mouth watering one in progress on Nick's blog here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/87/entry-2692-slow-progress-on-painting-but-im-getting-there/

This 4 minute video spans the period 1867-1947 on The Farthing Layouts. These 4mm layouts are normally set in 1907, but occasional forays into earlier and later time periods has allowed for a bit of pragmatic "out of period" modelling and operation.

Hi Will, good to have you back. I know what you mean about those "away" periods just sort of happening. I'd personally like to see the On30 in British Columbia, but that's not very helpful right now is it . A new module for Tanis gets my vote, but anything you build looks good, so anything goes.

That's a lovely sight, almost as if the old shed is coming alive again. Look forward to seeing the water tank too, that rough and ready design is a favourite of mine.

Hi Missy, nice to see an update from you, and good to hear that track relaying is going well. I especially enjoyed the view of the cuttings on Highclere, I know I've said it before but they simply look brilliant. Oh, and it is becoming increasingly clear that there are two kinds of modellers in the world: Those who have seen Elvis "live" (the railcar, not the man!) and those who haven't. I guess I'll have to save up for a trip to the UK so i can attend an exhibition and see it

That looks fantastic Pugsley! The subtle movements of (in!) those bogies is going to look amazing. You'll have to post a video once it's rolling so we can all enjoy it!