Dave777

I was just thinking that may be a better/easier starting point from which to modify, although trying to replicate the stone work on any walls you add might be a bit tricky, I admit.

Russ, just before you go too far, have you looked at the Ratio station kit? That was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the prototype shots you've got there. There's some photos of the components here: http://www.newrailwaymodellers.co.uk/Forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=28599 Just a thought.

Ummm, not sure if it deserves a reply to say 'none', but Jim's first sentence says it for me. I can't think of a single layout (let alone 3!) that have made me think 'I want to model like that' or 'I want to recreate that' or however we define 'inspired'. I can think of some approaches to modelling that have inspired me, probably the most influential being the rise of the urban grot layout over the past decade or so.

[/coat] Travels in a 9F spaceship I assume... [/coat on]

I remember this one from way back, very nice work. I can't believe that's only 2.5 feet of scenic board from front to back, it looks more like 5.

Nice work. Brave, but nice Some tricky lining to do, and painting those springs will be a challenge. Keep going, should be good.

Two things I've rarely seen - steam under the wires (I think generally modellers only build catenary when they're planning to run electrics, it's not viewed as a purely scenery item) and steam alongside early blue diesels.

If someone constructed the perfect model of Ashburton - accurate to the nth degree - it would still fall into some people's perceived cliché of the GWR BLT. I'd actually say that freelance layouts present more opportunity to avoid the cliché - if you are modelling somewhere that really does have, say, a retaining wall right across the back of the station with a row of shops above it (to use one cliché that has been mentioned) then you're kinda stuck with having to model it. If you're not modelling an actual location then you're free to design it out...

Well done to all the entrants, and worthy winners there. I shall finish my effort in 2011, and a lesson learned for my next challenge layout - keep it simple enough for me to finish within the timeframe

If this is your very first layout my advice would be to keep it simple. Although the concept/discussion has moved on a bit since the first post if you start with a big project straightaway there will be weeks, probably months, when it doesn't feel like you're making any progress at all - it can be very disheartening. Try something manageable to start with so you can see what aspects of modelling you like and don't like, try scenic techniques, etc, etc. Remember - you can always build another layout afterwards . Speaking of which... You could always keep one for Layout No. 2!

I pondered on this very point 12 months ago - have a read of 'A Day Out': http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/309/entry-1071-a-day-out/ The only entry on my blog that never generated a comment, hence I thought the idea was of limited interest!

I've built a folding baseboard and it's a bit 'pros and cons'. It ensures perfect alignment of the tracks each time (although that can easily be achieved via other means), but it does make for a more complicated build overall. Worth a ponder if the added build complexity offsets the fancy storage option it provides! I'm glad you've found the extra room though because having read in the very first post that you had built the boards already I kept looking at Kris' 'curvy' version and thinking 'Shame he's built the boards, as stick an extra foot in that to lengthen the loop and you're ready to go'. I like it.

True, and I can see where Kris is coming from - could you shunt the middle siding on the left via the blue route? Probably about the same length? Some interesting variations being shown here.

Kris, what about re-doing your version with short radius points to see if that works? Perhaps it's the usage of the medium radius that's snarling things up a bit.

I nearly wrote yesterday that the loop probably wasn't long enough to get two coaches into and still be able to run round, but I wasn't sure if the OP was just going to trundle a DMU in and out. If it were me I'd probably ditch the platform altogether and go all freight, but that's not really what the concept is about. I noticed this morning that you could actually make it into a junction layout with a fiddleyard on the left and a traverser on the right (would need to angle the line at the front 'in' a bit more to reach the traverser). Lots of traffic passing through with the odd thing stopping off, BUT... getting even further from the concept now!

You could even squeeze another siding in there if you wanted to... ...although in this case I'd remove the one I've marked with a red dot just to make it a little less cluttered. It does also strike me that you could get a point + siding in the fiddleyard too to cut down on the amount of manual handling required. Having said that... I actually prefer Kris' earlier version with the medium points. That just seems to flow a little bit better, probably helped by the slightly curvy nature of the whole thing. Feels more realistic. If it were me building that (and I'm tempted!) then I would probably end the headshunt on the right going under a bridge so as to suggest the line continues on - that's about the only part of the plan that might be difficult to get looking right/realistic. It would also provide a neat viewing 'hole' between the two bridges into the little goods shed area. Couple of other thoughts - it might be possible to fit in a kickback siding coming off the long siding, although a question would be if the added operational interest it provides makes the overall scene too crowded. The other thing I note is that having the goods shed backing onto the fiddleyard means a hole could be left in the backscene and open wagons could be filled with something suitable before they are shunted out again. Very much an urban scene, I think. Closed in with retaining walls, warehouses, space at a premium, that sort of thing.

Yeah, I agree, these will look good but the wires stopping when the layout 'starts' might spoil the effect somewhat. Good choices though, I like the fact you've got trees that aren't all summery green.

Slaters, eh? Let me look at this website... 0413 2mm Paving Grey Grrr, how on earth did I miss that?! Oh well, commited to the Scalescenes ones now. Good find for next time though, thanks.

Well this is all rather interesting because this is the very area that I'm dealing with on my own layout at the moment. Langley Models etches I assume? I've used a black marker pen to create the 'hole' underneath the kerb drains so that the grill stands out. Did you just stick the etches onto the road (I'm using plasticard because it's an elevated section of road) or carve out a bit of a hole/dip for them? I too have been battling with recreating gutter litter! I'm doing the 1970s so I was trying to get stuff like newspapers and Cola cans and cigarette butts (okay, that last one is maybe a bit too much of a challenge in N gauge). Even road colour has been giving me a few things to ponder over. Nice paving stones on the pavement. I used Scalescenes printed ones in the end, just couldn't find a decent enough embossed or injection moulded effort, so what did you use there? I have a sneaking feeling you're going to say you scribed them yourself...

Nah, you can never have too much detail! The only stage where I think it starts gets stupid is when you can't see the detail (eg, doing the back of a building and then placing it against a backscene),

Yup, top stuff. I gave up painting N gauge figures a year or so back - excellent value with the Preiser pack, but the sheer tedium + fiddly nature just sucked all the enjoyment out of it! Given your dedication to the rest of the layout you should have more patience than me though. (I thought your figures for painted figures were a bit high, but having just looked it seems the little Preiser packs of 6 painted figures are indeed now £9.99 each - I was paying £5 and £6 around 12 months ago when I got a few packs so there's clearly been a bit of a price hike there)

Interesting variations on the 'bauxite' theme in that first photo that Keith posted...

Don't think I can add anything to what has been said, only to go back to the original question... ...and wonder 'How has this conclusion been arrived at?'. If you're thinking of RMWeb, then I think Chard was right when he said it's not generally RMWeb's core audience. There may well be hundreds of such layouts out there in people's homes, but are they likely to pop up on here or in the modelling magazines? Not sure if we've got the data to draw the original conclusion/question really

Wow! Who would have ever thought you could get something like that RTP. Amazing, and credit to Bachmann really.