Southernboy

I think the curtains in second class were disposed of quite early on - I certainly remember being quite struck by the fact that the 'posh new trains' became 'less posh' quite soon after entering service ... or at least it seemed like that from a young perspective. The big plastic runners for the curtains remained in place for quite some time after the curtains were abandoned - which sort of added insult-to-injury. I'm sure curtains remained in first class (could be mistaken). 'Rooves' or 'Roofs' ?: Ignore the spell check Andy. Depends on the voice with which you wish to address your audience. I like mine to be idiomatic. It's a subjective matter, rather like whether you believe in using colour perspective or not. My one quesion is this - (and I hope others will help out) - I seem to recall the colour of jumper cables as more leathery-brown rather than black? (I'm just looking at 'A Southern Electric Album' - Michael Welch - Capital Transport - it certainly seems like that) ... although looking at page 50, bizzarly the cables are blue!

Really quite delightful and impressive in equal measure For the Rergency Terrace I notice you have some lovely balcony railings along the first floor façade - were these bespoke etchings? Or a commercially available product?

I can't remember how I strayed into your thread to be honest ... just took a quick glimpse last night ... Today I'm looking at the first photo in post 2 and particularly enjoying the pale 'eggy yellow' of the cab fronts. I have to say that tone looks quite an authentic reproduction of the sunbleached / years of service colour I recall from years back. Equally it could serve as accurate 'colour perspective' (?) Nice to see the orange curtains ... when these trains first came out I thought the curtains made them quite posh btw, PM sent through another forum btw in case you wondered where it is.

Mr Fothergill, a real delight to see you posting again A PM is coming your way ...

"This enables a number of trams to follow one-another around the circuit, bunching up at the various trams stops". Wouldn't mind a video of that at some point. There's something about trams queing up at a stop and then departing as service demands which somehow appeals to me

Hello Mr Simon, I've been following your workbench (and clicked 'like' many times). You've really been working hard and have some exemplary stock as a result ... I'm impressed by the volume But may I ask what happened to the layout. Similarly your tram building? I know we all wander off in different directions with our modelling from time-to-time ... so my query is just out of general, friendly interest

Clarendon Road sounds like it could be in South London to me ... and it has a ring of the suburbs to it. Equally it could be anywhere in the home counties, is sufficiently vague, yet to those in the know is a good pointer to your source of inspiration. I'd also be concerned that Tamworth Road would suggest to some minds a Midlands location. Anyway, good luck!

A broadly related question here ... Am I right in thinking that in earlier days tails lamps were red, and in later years white? And if so, around what year did that change? Thanks

Firstly to say thank you to Mikkel. For some reason I missed your post of 19 November. I do like the photos and many thanks for taking the time to post them for me. I much appreciate it and will be scrutinising them after dinner tonight Hello Pete. I used code 40 for my third rail, and as you say, slices of Peco insulating joiners for the pots, which were glued to sleepers. The rail was threaded through and all looked good. The joiners were a reasonable fit for the rail - a little loose, but retained it ok. Since than a couple of the 'pots' have 'popped off'. I used Araldite, maybe there is a better glue (??) Either way, I'm interested in investigating other methods, such as soldering pins to rail (as you mention). Whilst my method did the job, it wasn't the 100% satisfactory solution I'd be happy to unequivocally recommend. I know others have simply stuck suitably sized plastic strip to sleepers to represent third rail, and with N gauge being more about 'visual representation' compared to the definition required in larger scales, perhaps that is ok. In fact I was pondering on it a couple of days ago, and wondered whether wafer-thin slices of plastic rod (for pots) with plastic strip on top would do the job (??) But I've not come to any conclusion, let alone tried-and-tested any alternative methods. I have wondered about whether there's a 3D printing solution for making pots. I am aware of layouts which have taken the pin and solder route. From pictures I've seen they looked good, but I don't know whether they stood the test of time (as per your query). Sorry this reply doesn't give you a straightforward answer, but please do let us know which route you take and how satisfactory (or otherwise) you find it. All the best, Mark

"I will try and start a separate thread for Kirkallanmuir soon." I look forward to that Caley Jim. From what we've seen to-date I think it will be quite interesting.

Wonderfully researched / observed / detailed / finished Mikkel. Another little beauty from Farthings for us to behold. And as always, your updates seem less about instruction or display, but more akin to a delightful journey (even if there is an occasional bump on the way). A most enjoyable read. One question if I may - what tool(s) do you use for scribing styrene? Thanks, Mark

Impressive - I'll keep an eye on this - especially with regard the 3D aspect. I'd like to incorporate a working (London) tramway on a future layout. Funny, but until I saw you Grimsby and Immingham car their I'd never noticed the clerestory roof was stepped like that before ...

All I can say is 'awe striking'. Having chanced upon the pictures in post 327 I had to go back to page one and follow the story in it's entirety. Superb modelling plus! Hugely atmospheric. I'm half-convinced I could just pull my boots on and take a bracing walk through your landscape.

At the moment still working on my three 3-SUBs. I'm in London too - maybe one day we will meet up?

You seem to be constructing quite a varied fleet of rolling stock Mr Simon, and very impressive it is too. When will we see these running on Gresby do you think? I have to say I'm missing your building projects, always an RMWeb favourite of mine

Breathtaking Mikkel: The depth of your research and quality of reproduction / finish is seriously impressive, I take my hat off to you. I'm quite relieved to see in most of the pictures a member of staff present, apparently taking notes - if he could send a copy those notes at some point it would save me a lot of time when it comes to making my own similar items for Frankland

I must have missed a few posts, I see new buildings of note on the right which I hadn't clocked before ... and the Feltham. I like Felthams Overall I think this is all looking quite excellent, particularly as far as atmosphere goes.

Wonderfully pensive Mikkel. Truely. Of course, when entrancing the mind with a such a wonderful story, it's easy for us to overlook the actual detail within the pictures. I somehow think your scenarios are almost akin to stage sets: Each and every picture is impeccably composed, including a subliminal use of light and shadow. Wonderful modelling - bearing a true sense of individual expression toward the hobby too.

As already mentioned, the third picture in particular caused me to double-check whether it was real or not. You clearly have a good observational eye and the ability to reproduce colour / texture / atmosphere very well. The layout plan I also like: Plenty of track, but laid out in a way that avoids that 'crammed-in' feel. A layout to follow

I don't often comment, but always following. On this occasion I'm prompted by your tarmac: At first I wondered why you don't just use something like sandpaper or glass paper - whatever grade would look reasonable once painted to represent the surface. But the last pictures posted illustrate the answer perfectly. What a superb job you've done! The minute irregularities in what is ostensibly a consistent texture really makes all the difference. Very convincing and most impressive. Ultimately I can see this layout is a labour of love and it really shows :`)

Rather tasty I'd say. Nice work (and making notes for when my own turn comes to make canopies).

I am so sorry to read this news. A great inspiration to many. RIP

Hello Mickey, Current developments can be found here: LSWR 3-Sub construction I'm working on three sets of original LSWR 3-Subs. They are modelled soon after grouping - so one set will be in LSWR livery, and two sets in early Southern Railway livery. Progress is slow, but I hope sure! Mark

Hello David, Thank you for your comments, very much appreciated The layout is 2,100mm x 1,100mm. Thanks again, Mark

Not only delightful, but somehow I always find updates from Highclere quite restful too Everything just looks so spot-on. May I ask: The rhubarb (and to the right, onions?) how did you do those? Are they etchings? Homemade?