south_tyne

5 hours ago, OliverRowley said:

 

Welcome!

There were and I myself wish to model (some) in the future!

Oh very much out of its comfort zone!

 

They are and I think its credit to those who take the plunge in producing them

Me too, I've got the 2 on the blog (so far) and they are great

Oh definitely, I admit that is very high on my wish list. I'm very fortunate that 2 are preserved at the Foxfeild Railway near me

I don't know much about that market- but it seems to be growing & considering the amount of liveries they were in and where they ended up (pretty much everywhere,  no?) I think it would make sense to produce one, maybe?

 

Me too!

Oliver,

You are very lucky to have the Foxfield Railway within easy reach of you. It is one of my ambitions to get there, something I have been wanting to do for years, I might realise it this summer with any luck. On the otherhand, I am fortunate to have the Tanfield Railway on my doorstep, another mecca for industrial steam lovers! It's a wonderful place - have you ever visited yourself?

In 0 gauge there are a few lovely industrial locos available, including the Ixion Hudswell Clarke and the Minerva Peckett. Both are fantastic little locos. A number of years ago, DJ Models did promise an austerity tank but sadly it has not come to pass and, to be honest, given the recent trials and tribulations for the company, I cannot see it materialising at all. Sad but fingers crossed someone else might pick up that mantle. 

Hope to see more in due course and keep up the good work 

David

Just come across this.... what a wonderful creative blog. I love industrial locos and it is great to see them highlighted here. There were many historical examples of mainline locos being sold to the NCB and other industrial concerns. The Bowes Railway had an ex-GWR painnier tank (57xx maybe) which was way out of its comfort zone!  So there is plenty of evidence to support this approach from the prototype.

It's great that industrial locos are now getting lots of prominence, thanks to Hornby and others. I am a particular fan of Pecketts but my favourite remains the workshorse that is the austerity tank - powerful, elegant and hardy, they are smashing locos. All we need now is a rtr one in 7mm scale...... unlikely but I'll keep hoping in any case! 

Look forward to seeing more! 

Fantastic to read of progress Pete as I have been following and admiring this one for a long time. The track colour looks excellent and the use of the mirror is great. It certainly had me fooled!! 

As with all your work, the presentation of the layout is superb. Glad to see you have got some 0 gauge mojo! Hope to see more in due course. 

David 

9 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

 Any particular reason for the name, Sand Lines? 

 

Leighton Buzzard inspired at a guess? 

Great post and glad to see you back. I am sorry to hear about your health problems but am pleased to see you working through them and looking forward positively. 

For what it's worth, I would definitely go for a larger scale.

I do like 0-14 and built quite a few wagons for a proposed project a few years ago. However it didn't really get much further. Another critical thing is that KB Scale (owner of the former Roy Link kits) does not seem to be active at the moment, so supplies of kits and bits and pieces would appear to difficult. 

So I think the 16mm scale proposal sounds like a winner! It will also be a bit different and, as you note, it is usually the domain of garden railways, there seems to have been a rise in it's use for indoor layouts. I noticed a few excellent example on here in recent years. 

Please keep on sharing your progress!

David

Hello and welcome to RM Web!

Having been a lurker, I have no doubt that you will have already realised that there is so much inspiration and expertise available here. Please share what you are up to and how you are getting on with your projects. 

I would love to see you start a thread for your emerging layout when you do finalise plans. 

I love Australia, have enjoyed my travels in your wonderful country, and cannot wait to go back one day!! I am not very knowledgeable on your railways but I love looking at photographs and reading about them and did a fair bit of travelling on them when I was in the promised land, principally around Melbourne and Sydney. It is great to see something different on here, but there are plenty of your fellow countryfolk active and posting so you won't feel alone. I cannot wait to see what you do 

Cheers,

David

1 hour ago, bcnPete said:

 

Ha! Believe it or not, there is a lot you can do with two turnouts...quite a few manoeuvres dropping and picking up wagons etc. Stafford was a 2 day show but with a few guest helpers it kept my sanity in check 

Good to hear as I am planning a two turnout 0 gauge layout and worried about that! 

Speaking of 7mm scale and limited turnouts.... just curious as to whether you made any recent progress with your own little layout? I'm a big fan of what you have done in the early stages of construction, but I know that it has been on the backburner for a while and that your main focus remains 2mm scale. 

Feel free to dimiss my nosiness as rude!

Cheers,

David

42 minutes ago, bcnPete said:

 

Thank you David - The fascias for both boards are pedominantly 3mm grey card although when I did the modifications to the scenic board recently I redid the front and side return in 3mm laser cut ply.

 

 Not the exhibition...just the drive home...Sunday drivers 

Thanks Pete, that's really helpful. That should be nice and lightweight but still obviously strong enough to withstand the rigours of exhibition. 

I wondered whether you had gone mad operating a layout with just a couple of points  For you sanity, it was probably best that it was just a one day show mind...... 

10 hours ago, bcnPete said:

 

Many thanks for your kind words David - yes, presentation is a big part for me...we see so many good layouts with great attention to detail only to be let down by a sagging curtain tacked badly to the front...or a ton of show badges plastered on...which to me are the Model railway equivalent of fridge magnets  

 

Yep, the micro layout certainly does have those set up/down benefits - it was more a glass of wine than a cuppa though 

I completely agree - your presentation techniques really set the standard. Apologies for asking a silly question, as I know you will have set it out previously, but what material(s) have you used for the surrounding facia?

Ha ha, I thought you may have opted for something stronger, but I didn't want to imply that attending an exhibition had driven you to drink!  

Pete,

Glad the show went well. I know I have said it before but your presentation skills and artistic flair are absolutely first class (obviously comes from your professional life!). 

On the road by 5pm...... clearly shows the advantage of micro-layout! I bet there were some folk still packing up by the time you had your feet up at home with a cup of tea! 

David

52 minutes ago, Mikkel said:

 

3ft, some will find that a drastic rule  It's a size of board that suits me too, though I'd like to combine them. Is your Fun Town modular? 

.

Agree with that. I think that any baseboard longer than around the 100cm mark is starting to get unwieldy. Saying that, it can be somewhat restrictive in 7mm scale, so is something I am currently grappling with in planning my new project. 

Nothing wrong with good old fashioned paper planning. I am currently shuffling point templates and wagons around on a roll of lining paper.... then roll it up and put it away again. The ultimate in minimum space modelling! 

Anyway, I look forward to seeing this project develop. Sounds like you've got a fantastic space to work in! 

2 hours ago, Northroader said:

 

If you’re doing a traverser, drawer runners from B&Q are a good base, they have nice smooth ball bearings in them.

i chose a quiet spot away from Japanese tourists.

Thank Northroader that is useful advice. I'll pick some up and give it a whirl. 

Ha ha 

P.S. - Mikkel, sorry for hijacking your blog with random chatter

23 hours ago, Northroader said:

I did measure slabs on the platform at Bath station, (THE Bath station, not Green Park) so pukka GWR ones, the edging slabs are 4’x3’, and the rest are either 2’square, or 3’x2’. Isn’t it nice how this blog is turning into a thread?

Did you get some funny looks when you were doing that!? The things us modellers do for fun......! 

3 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Midsomer, surely one of the most dangerous places to live in Britain  

 

Thanks for the words about the goods depot. In retrospect I regret not building it from an actual prototype, it’s a bit of a hotchpotch of different prototypes – although I've recently discovered  that it has much in common with Lawrence Hill goods depot if seen from the right angle with one eye closed 

Ha ha I don't know how these is anyone left to kill off! 

Hotchpotch it may be, but it is stunning modelling with such attention to detail. I actually think that drawing elements from different prototypes and locations adds to the special atmosphere rather than detracts. 

I just say I love the concept you have developed through your micro layouts. I am thinking of a couple of very small micro layouts/dioramas in 7mm scale and am wondering whether I could use a common fiddle yard for both. 

By the way, that traverser for the fiddle yard is a work of art. I am currently grappling with how best to construct one and am in total admiration of your example. Definitely beyond my technical capabilities though! 

19 hours ago, Mikkel said:

 

Hi David, maybe we should switch lives then, as I'm a massive Anglophile. We'd probably both be disappointed, the grass is always greener, eh? 

Ha ha maybe we should give a swap a go! I spend far too much time reading Danish crime novels and watching Danish TV shows..... probably why I get so little modelling done!  I always find it ironic that the UK is obsessed with shows like Borgen and The Bridge whilst much of Denmark is evidently watching Midsomer Murders!   

You're probably right though, the grass is normally greener....... 

Finally, to bring it back to modelling, thanks for those links to posts about The Goods Depot. It's absoutely stunning modelling - inspirational stuff, with such attention to detail and wonderful atmosphere packed into a small space. 

David 

8 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Hi David, many thanks and yes I completely agree - there is much to be said for small and micro layouts. Mind you it would be nice to be able to give the locos "full throttle" sometimes.

 

You asked about the goods depot, in case you didn't find it here are some photos/stories:

• Four o'clock blues
• What really happened in the Cuban missile crisis

Thanks Mikkel, that's great  I will enjoy having a good read through those posts.

David

PS - as a random aside, I am very jealous of your location as I am a massive Danophile!

Lovely stuff! Therein lies the advantage of small/micro layouts. Easily stored and transported and can be set up quickly for a short session without major disruption. 

Have you anymore photos of The Goods Depot? Looks a lovely little layout.

Cheers, 

David

Edit: oops, sorry I can see the links below to relevant posts. I'll have a peruse!

Lovely stuff Pete. It goes without saying but, as ever, your presentation and design is superb. Glad the show was successful. 

Wow, stunning stuff. I love your graphics and diagrams, no doubt they really help you in the planning stage and aid us casual observers in understanding what is being proposed!

Hi Pete,

A step backwards to take a few forward is no bad thing at all. It sounds like you have got your mojo back and look forward to seeing progress. Don't forget about the 7mm scale big boys toys though!!

Lovely post and great idea. I too am a fan of The Archers and have often mused of the premise of setting a layout in Borsetshire. Potential for cross over between the GWR and LMS as noted.

I have also considered it as the basis for an independent railway too, Borsetshire Light Railway anyone!? A little branchline from Hollerton Junction sounds like a good idea to me, serving Ambridge and Borchester.

There are a number of books on the history/geography of The Archers picking around and a few maps such as the one in this post. Therefore plenty of opportunity for developing a fictional railway history for the area.

PS - sorry for dragging this up from way in the past but it was linked to from a currently topic!

Thanks Stuart!

It would be great to see more of the layout when/if you get around to sharing . What kind of era is it set in?

David

Thanks again Pete, I'm going to do a little more planning but will drop you a line for some further advice in due course if you don't mind. Thanks for being so kind and forthcoming with your help.

David

Thanks again Pete - that's a clever idea. I had thought of maybe covering with a layer of 5mm foamboard so that slots for point control and wiring could be accomodated but raising the shelf as you suggest is probably a better idea. It's amazing what you can squeeze into 2200mm in O Gauge and I really like the plan you're developing.