sparky

Hi,

A quick thank you to all those who viewed my post, I have now managed to find a suitable Hornby Class 121 for conversion.

Cheers,

Geoff

I had a little time to kill at Oxford railway station, popped into WHS and found this layout in MRJ 263.

 

WoW - Blown away - absolutely superb

Many thanks Pete, in my day and age it was a pleasure to kill time at Oxford, how times change!

Since the article was prepared a little more progress has been made on the layout. Nothing major mind you, just the addition of a few of those smaller details that can make all the difference.

Decent platform and yard lamps are sadly lacking in 4mm scale, these here are a mix of Gaugemaster posts, Langley lanterns and top castings. 

For the past few weeks I've been busy refining some Ratio line side fencing, the old moulds must be worn out judging by the amount of flash that needs trimming away. Some of the trees have been upgraded, and more will follow in due course.

GWR ground signals are available once again from MSE, so a couple of kits were purchased to replace the old Ratio offering . The castings are lovely, and the etched disc, and counter weights are crisply etched. I've also been installing some MSE signal wire posts, which are also very fine castings. 

What next, well the cottage and signal box roofs will be improved by replacing the current Wills slates with those from York Modelmaking. Once that job is completed I'll be turning my attention to the first of two planned diorama's.

Geoff

 

Llangunllo rings all the bells for me, other than being rather minimal for operating interest. I was most surprised that the backscene is a commercial offering as for me it shouts out the Mid Wales Marches. The whole layout is exquisite. I can even forgive it being ex-GWR!

 

A great issue in many ways. For me Llangunllo is a work of art. I can't think it'd be much fun to operate, but then the builder does say he's not really into operation. Visually, I don't know how you could beat it.

 

Nice to see London Road in its new version. Looks awesome.

 

Thank you both for your very generous and kind comments, Llangunllo is nothing more than a large diorama really. Despite its limited operation I take great pleasure watching trains pass through my personal slice of Mid Wales. Unfortunately the article, and a couple of captions suffer from some editing, for instance my description of using Wills quoins and spraying foamboard models should read as follows.

 

"All the walls were scribed before assembly and as much detail was added as possible. Both roofs are made from styrene sheet, as are the plinths and window sills. Once I had cut the window, and door openings out I added the lintels, and window sills from styrene sheet. Wills quoins, much reduced in width, and thickness to suit the size, and style of the building being used for the decorative stonework, and the corners of the building once it had been assembled. To provide a key for painting, and to blend everything together I spray all my foamboard structures with Halfords white acrylic primer.

 

As for fitting window seals, I don't in 4mm scale but I did fit the window sills :-) Then there is the caption that refers to 'Filflor, which should read...

 

" Like most country stations, the one at Llangunllo is some distance from the village that it serves. This was also true of the real station which still stands on the former LNWR Central Wales line. The village church can just be picked out in the background above the platform trolley, and as you can see its a fair walk. The back scene was selected from the 'id' range which are produced by Art printers, most of the foreground being cut away to lower the horizon thus giving a feeling of distance. Knighton, and the sweep of the Central Wales line is supposedly somewhere in the distance behind the station building. Once again I turned to Silflor winter pasture mat, and static fibres to create the sun bleached appearance of late summer, early autumn grass. A little Heki, and Noch meadow grass being added to the mix"

 

and another which should read..   

 

"The goods shed was inspired by a similar structure which once stood at Llansilin Road on the Tanat Valley Light Railway, and is a mix of Wills, and Slaters corrugated styrene sheets. With its end doors and rustic appearance I thought it would be an ideal choice for the small yard at Llangunllo. The ruins to the left of the shed are deemed to be those of an old tramway weighbridge, which once served a local quarry. The track was constructed from ply sleepers, and C & L two bolt GWR chairs, all three signals, which are fully working started life as Ratio mouldings, to which etched ladders, arms and other detail from MSE has been fitted". 

 

Geoff

 

 There must be a 263 version out before the end of May, as the release of this particular episode usually clashes with Railex..... the full page? advert usually being read after the event. 

 

 

The latest issue, complete with full page Railex advert arrived here in Cheshire at lunchtime.

Geoff

Hi all

 

Hope this is in the correct section, perhaps a mod could move it if not

 

Anyone used Osborn Models at  http://www.osbornsmodels.com what was your experience, good or bad.

 

I ordered a couple of items from them a couple of weeks ago and have heard nothing from them, No Acknowledgement of order and no delivery and no reply to e.mails about my order.

 

Fortunately it was a low value order so no great loss, but was wondering what other peoples experience with this company was.

 

Thanks for any feedback on them 

 

Paul

 Hi Paul,

 I had exactly the same experience myself, and eventually recovered my money through 'paypal'. 

 Good luck,

 Geoff

Only just come across this thread for some reason. An inspiring layout with so much attention to small details. 

Thanks Larry, the small details help make up for the lack of space, and track. 

I don't really spend a lot of time on the forum, and when I do update my thread my posts seem to disappear down the list quickly. That is why you probably haven't come across my thread before.

Geoff

Thanks for your kind comments chaps, all of which are very much appreciated. The idea of using a mirror is nothing new really, and is something that I came across many years ago in the Railway Modeller. John Dormon also used the same trick when modelling his 7mm scale roundhouse, which appeared in MRJ No.113.

Geoff

Geoff,

 

I'm contemplating a pair of scenic fiddle yards for my new home layout in P4. I would ideally need a removable section of track so that trains can be swapped over. Have you included this feature, and if so, how easy was it to 'hide the joins' within the scenery?

 

Keep up the good work - I've been inspired by the composition and quality of your layouts for some time!

 

Regards,

 

Geraint

Hi Geraint,

Thank you for your kind comments.

I had intended to use a removable section of track, and also tried single cassettes, but I found it impossible to disguise their joints with the scenery when looking through the arch of the bridge. Had the layout been in an urban setting rather than rural, or the bridge been on a different angle, and just spanned one track then it might have been easier to achieve.

Space was a problem for me, ideally a longer run into a conventional fiddle yard would have been better. As it could have resembled some exchange sidings with an engine release etc, etc

However given my limited operational needs, and the short trains that I favour, I find my simple fiddle yard works well.

I hope you can come up with a workable solution for your own scenic fiddle yard.

Geoff

That's a new viewpoint! Is this the 'scenic fiddle area' with extra sidings at the front?

The photo was indeed taken from the 'scenic fiddle yard' Rich. The siding on which the milk tanks stand has been inlaid with stone sets, the one behind is of plain PCB construction. 

Geoff

A little more progress, work continues on both dairy buildings which have now received rainwater goods, and in the case of the new building, roof slates are being added. The 16T mineral wagons on the left are Parkside kits in various stages of construction.

Geoff

I've been trying to work out why I find your modelling so attractive. Apart from the fact that it is a beautiful piece of art, I think perhaps it is because it looks as though the slice of landscape you have created came first, and everything else including the railway came later having been built through the existing landscape. Which of course is what happened in reality. I think it is very impressive to have achieved that in such a small space.

Thank you,

I've always been a great believer in the Iain Rice approach to layout design, Iain considers all aspects of layout planning, not just the track plan. So following his advice I have always decided what features I would like to model, including the landscape, then planned the railway to suit. The open frame method of baseboard construction is used so the land can rise and fall naturally, in harmony with the backscene. 

Geoff

Thank you for your kind comments, likes and whatnot, sometimes I think the atmosphere of the 50's, and early 60's era is best captured in monochrome.

Anyway enough, have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year,

Geoff

How nice to see images of this popping up on the forum.

 

 

Lovely work, Geoff.

 

 

I have to say your modelling has proved inspirational to me and will continue to do so.

 

 

Please keep the images coming.

 

 

Rob.

Thank you Rob, I'm pleased that my stuff inspires you.

Geoff

The latest release from Shawplan is a set of laserglaze for the old Lima GWR Railcar. I've had the privilege of trying it out and can tell you that its to the same high standard as other glazing packs in the range. I'm currently detailing another Railcar and this is how its looking to date...

Full spec includes replacing the roof vents, and all the moulded handrails, those below the window have already been done. New large buffers, screw link couplings, pipework and missing lamp irons will complete the job.

Brian tells me that he will have stocks of the glazing available at Warley should you be interested.

Geoff

Reminds me of perfection   Stunning work!

Thank you, 

Geoff

That girl on the platform, she’s not going to suddenly turn round and start telling us all about Hotel Trivago, is she?

Looks like Julie Andrews to me, wonder if she's been looking for her goatherd up in the hills? 

That’s a long train for you!

 Plenty of parcels tonight, my order has been processed believe it or not