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Scale Model Trains and Model Trains International


Dzine
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1 hour ago, paulbb said:

He was 'quietly influential' in the hobby

I like that phrase, very apt. :good:

I know some of his layouts I always wanted to build for myself, especially the Warren Branch (Jan - Sept 1980) US N Scale, and Western Mining Co. (Nov 80 - Feb 81) 009/HOe layouts.

Warren Branch was only 3' x 2' but although it looked like a simple oval layout, operationally it was an end-to-end branch and Chris's description of the freight workings in particular was a revelation to me at the time. When my lad was young I did build a version in 4' x 2' for him, but he wanted British N and it never progressed beyond tracklaying anyway. I never got as far as owning any narrow gauge trains, and N gauge is now rather small for me, so I doubt I'll ever get to build my own versions of either layout now. But I still enjoy looking back through my collection of Model Trains occaisionally and wallowing in nostalgia!!

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Just to add what was was said about Chris Ellis previously, although he showed you did not need circles-he did find 2 examples on the prototype. One was in the New York Harbour district railway system and the other in London at the PLA around Milwall.

He encouraged people not just to have a go ,but also to try US and Euro layouts too. The Fairweather branch in MTI 114 and Scale Model Trains September 1993 , inspired me to try US modelling. I emerged from Victors in Pentonville Road in1994 armed with a layout in a shopping bag (except for the track bought later). This layout is for me one of the best micro layouts and its track plan is an object lesson in small layout building. RM webbers should try and look it up.

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11 hours ago, Dava said:

Are the booklets still available from the website or has Chris stopped using it? I don’t want to place an order if it’s out of use. I’d like one or more of the American titles.
http://modeltrainsinternational.co.uk/
 

Dava

I don't know, myself. Jack Trollope ('Shortliner') was the 'go between' on here who was in regular contact with Chris, but of course he died a while back now.

AFAIK  it wasn't Chris who actually ran that site; if there's an email address it would be worth sending a message first to ask if it's still 'live'.

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Model Trains and then Scale Trains were my first introductions to modifying and weathering RTR, so I'll

always be grateful for the encouraging, have-a-go style of the magazines and their articles. I also liked

the wider outlook on European and American railways. I first learned about short lines through reading

MT, as well as a basic introduction to Geeps, F Units etc.

 

Some of the regular contributors still appear in the magazines today, but I haven't seen anything by

Richard Gardener (apologies if I have the spelling wrong) who did articles about his layout Linfield,

as well as very good pieces on detailing RTR locos.

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  • 2 weeks later...

HI Folks, I've tried and tried to contact Chris, right up to just a few moments ago but without success. I've just had a look back to when I first contacted him and it was way back  in January.  I wonder if any of our members, preferably someone who knows him, lives locally and who might visit.  He's in Kingston, Surrey, it's too far for me, I'm in Derbyshire otherwise I'd do it.  I know it's not straightforward, not to mention confidentiality and all that, but I am worried about his well being.  If someone has a better idea, please say.  Kind regards Paul

Edited by Dzine
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  • 4 weeks later...
On 14/03/2022 at 19:44, Dzine said:

HI Folks, I've tried and tried to contact Chris, right up to just a few moments ago but without success. I've just had a look back to when I first contacted him and it was way back  in January.  I wonder if any of our members, preferably someone who knows him, lives locally and who might visit.  He's in Kingston, Surrey, it's too far for me, I'm in Derbyshire otherwise I'd do it.  I know it's not straightforward, not to mention confidentiality and all that, but I am worried about his well being.  If someone has a better idea, please say.  Kind regards Paul

Hi Folks, still phoning every few days but still no answer, Kind regards Paul

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13 hours ago, Dzine said:

Hi Folks, still phoning every few days but still no answer, Kind regards Paul

Hi Folks, thanks to a great idea from Kevinlms, I've phoned the police this morning and they've done a 'welfare visit'.  They've advised me he's been moved to a nursing home.  I hope to speak to them soon and will get back on here as soon I have something to share.  Kind regards Paul

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6 hours ago, Dzine said:

Hi Folks, thanks to a great idea from Kevinlms, I've phoned the police this morning and they've done a 'welfare visit'.  They've advised me he's been moved to a nursing home.  I hope to speak to them soon and will get back on here as soon I have something to share.  Kind regards Paul

Hi Folks, Getting there at last, and thanks again to kevinlms.  Chris has been moved to a nursing home for a 4 to 6 week period of convalescence, it may well be that after that time he'll be staying there.  I intend to send him a card and photocopies of all the relevant messages on here as soon as possible.  If anyone wants to send a personal message please PM me and I'll furnish my email details so they can be sent at the same time.  Kind regards Paul 

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  • 2 weeks later...
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As Jordan says, thank very much Paul and well done for speaking with Chris.

 

I'm sure the situation isn't ideal but it sounds as though he is making the most of it in his usual style!

 

Best Wishes

 

Simon

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Folks,  Have sent Chris hard copies of all the relevant pages from this post and will phone him in a few days to make sure they've arrived safely.  If anyone hasn't sent him a message I'm happy to do so again in a few weeks.  Kind regards Paul

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Folks, Had a great chat with Chris this afternoon.  We talked first about his health, he needs a hoist to get in and out of bed and onto a wheel chair, so walking unaided is a problem.  There's been a meeting with his sons and health care providers and he's waiting to hear the outcome, although he's staying at the nursing home for now, in a larger room, until they sort out his mobility.  He was over the moon about all your comments and people who'd looked at the topic, taking great, but modest, pleasure in being able to influence and help a large number of railway modellers.  In speaking of his layouts he has a small 'Tunning Fork' design that has three guises; German, British and American, with three different fasten-on back scenes and a larger Inglenook for American practice.  He spoke enthusiastically about an American Z gauge layout, about 2' and a bit long and something way back in S/1:64 gauge, he seemed very approving of its fidelity.  I suspect he has a lot of time on his hands and have said I'll send him some reading material.   If anyone lives nearby and can visit I have no doubt it will lift his spirits, he's keen to talk shop about model railways.  He's at an address in Surbiton, let me know if that's something you can do and I'll try to arrange it.  Kind regards Paul.

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Please do let him know it was his magazines and their coverage of particularly US HO (as Bachmann made it available in the UK) plus small layouts that got me back into modelling in the 1980s and 1990s. I've now had numerous published articles, exhibit my (mainy micro) layouts and do a few commissions. I also tutor airbrushing and weathering...I owe him a lot.

Chris Hopper

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1 hour ago, Gilbert said:

Please do let him know it was his magazines and their coverage of particularly US HO (as Bachmann made it available in the UK) plus small layouts that got me back into modelling in the 1980s and 1990s. I've now had numerous published articles, exhibit my (mainy micro) layouts and do a few commissions. I also tutor airbrushing and weathering...I owe him a lot.

Chris Hopper

Hi Chris, He's going to love hearing this, many thanks Paul

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As a teenager looking to improve their modelling, Scale Model trains was a 'must have' back in the day. 

 

Like Chris H above, my liking for the smaller, more bucolic backwaters arose in no small part from the articles in S.M.T. and sowed the seeds for a lifetimes love of such subjects. Despite them being some forty years old, I still enjoy flicking back through the copies I have and still gain inspiration from them all these years later. 

 

Many thanks, Chris and the kindest of regards. 

 

Rob Gunstone.  

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9 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

As a teenager looking to improve their modelling, Scale Model trains was a 'must have' back in the day. 

 

Like Chris H above, my liking for the smaller, more bucolic backwaters arose in no small part from the articles in S.M.T. and sowed the seeds for a lifetimes love of such subjects. Despite them being some forty years old, I still enjoy flicking back through the copies I have and still gain inspiration from them all these years later. 

 

Many thanks, Chris and the kindest of regards. 

 

Rob Gunstone.  

Hi Rob, I still have some copies of Scale Model Trains and whilst their black and white appearance and print style can be a bit dated their content remains superb and something we can all learn from.  It shows just how much Chris was ahead of his time and a great influencer.  Kind regards Paul

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12 hours ago, Dzine said:

Hi Chris, He's going to love hearing this, many thanks Paul


Same for me.  I always liked the quirky and wide-ranging nature of the subjects in the magazine.  SMT April 1991 is on my search list, Paul, you can guess why...  ;-)  Used to bump into Chris quite often at local exhibitions in  Surrey & SW London.  I recall him as still using a 35mm film camera when most of us were toting digital.

I wonder what SMT would look like nowadays with the benefit of improved production techniques,  easier photography and affordable colour printing.

Mark

 

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Never bought the magazines as I was a (very) armchair modeler for a number of years awaiting retirement and the great layout in the loft / spare room / shed, and was not aware of them.

 

It was buying a copy (and then several more), of the booklets that has brought me back into active modelling. Chris's coverage of small layouts showed me that I could actually complete something and get it working and not spend all my income, rather than build a large single interest layout that i might never finish. They & Chris's enthusiasm  are partly to blame inspired me to add North American HO and German HO to my range of interests.

 

Also now fortunate to have possession of one of the micro layouts featured in a MTI.

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On 17/05/2022 at 19:48, Dzine said:

If anyone lives nearby and can visit I have no doubt it will lift his spirits, he's keen to talk shop about model railways.  He's at an address in Surbiton, let me know if that's something you can do and I'll try to arrange it.  Kind regards Paul

I'm too far to visit, but would love to write to him. PM sent.

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10 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

I'm too far to visit, but would love to write to him. PM sent.

Hi Jordan, Have PM'd a message with his address.  It's a great idea and happy to do the same if anyone else wants to write (remember he's not into electronic devices) so it'll have to be long-hand.  Kind regards Paul

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It was through a series of articles that Chris Published in Scale Model Trains on making the Titfield Thunderbolt towards the end of 1994 that I made contact with the very wonderful late Bernard King, and his wife Jean.

 

Bernard was a film enthusiast, and also a model maker, and after writing to him c/o the magazine we met up and became friends. Bernard was a brilliant character who had lots of stories to tell about the filming, and it was through this meeting that I ended up writing my little book and getting more immersed in Titfield-ery.

 

This is the picture Bernard took the year before the film was made while out on a walk, and which appeared in the article as I recall.

 

1512680641_MonktonCombe1951.jpg.32580f5f34ce079b0feb13b74c1072fe.jpg

 

I hope to publish a second book on Titfield this year, and it will include a short chapter on Bernard and his involvement with the filming etc. Bernard gave me prints of his photographs, a poster and some lovely card models he had made, all of which I now treasure.

 

So thank you to Chris for facilitating a very enjoyable chapter in my own life.

 

Simon

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