The Great Model Railway Giveaway - Part 1

[Phil Parker]

 

 

Right. I have a problem. Too many layouts in storage. Three of them need new homes, and so we're going to give them away. For FREE.

 

I know, you are thinking, "What a generous chap that Phil Parker is." and you would be nearly right.

 

The thing is, the layouts all need varying degrees of work. What we are giving away are layout projects.

 

First up is "The Art of Compromise" built by Chris Ford, based on a Roy C Link plan, and refurbished extensively, by Howard and myself.

 

Dragged out of the Warners store room, we have a really nice 6 ft-long OO gauge layout. All it needs is a fiddle yard, legs, wiring and stock. And some lights if you fancy exhibiting it, which you should because it would work really well at a show.

 

To bag the model, send me an email - phil.parker@warnersgroup.co.uk - explaining how you see the layout developing. I'll then read through the mails, and pick the one that sounds most interesting. Because this is very much a project, it's not suitable for anyone with limited modelling skills. We're not looking for hard-luck stories because I don't want to lumber anyone with a project they don't stand a chance of completing. We don't want to see the layout thrown away, I can do that, we want to find it a good home.

 

If you are that good home, you have until 5th February to get in touch.

 

Oh, and we aren't delivering. You will need to pick the model up from the Doncaster show. We will help load it into your car. If it's not raining.

 

Then you take the model away. In a year or so, we'll get back in touch and see how the project is going, with the potential of a feature in BRM and possibly an invite to one of our shows.

 

If I had the space and time, this is a lovely layout I'd keep and develop myself. I don't, so we need one of you lot to take it on. Please.

[30Hz]

You've got my email! Fingers crossed. 👍

[Phil Parker]

5 entries so far - looks like the layout will find a new home!

[Michael Hodgson]

Good to see a layout being recycled like this, it's a shame that so many layouts simply get scrapped when circumstances force a change.

Nice simple layout, very little work required on it.  It could be made ready very quickly. 

I'm not going to enter for it myself as it doesn't fit in with what I'm doing, but if I were to, I wouldn't build a fiddle yard,  I would lose the stop blocks and convert it to a wayside station on a single track branch as part of a bigger layout.

[JamFjord]

I've thrown my hat in the ring, but whoever wins 'the Art or Compromise', it's going to be interesting and exciting to see how the layout is developed. There seems to have been a step change in modelling skills across the hobby in recent years with many railway modellers taking influence and techniques from other realms of scale modelling as well as making the most of all these new tools and products on the market, so I'm hoping that the layout is shown some love with Chris, Phil and Howard's work continued in an innovative but respectful way. It's also the 45th anniversary of Roy Link's original plan this year, so wouldn't it be nice to see tribute paid to that in some way perhaps?

 

Anyway, for all of us who don't win, I hope this inspires us all to use the ideas we sent to Phil to still create something special in any case (whether that's an alternative 'art of compromise' or something just as interesting). Most of all, I'd really love to see this Great Model Railway Giveaway series kicking off a trend with more old, neglected and redundant layouts getting upcycled and given a new lease of life.

 

Cheers and good luck to all who have entered 🙂👍

 

EDIT: PS it occurred to me that whoever takes it on has some tough decisions to make, not least of which is whether they stick with Chris' original decision to use kits, stock and supplies that are (where possible) contemporary to Roy's original plan... at what point does the revamped layout lose the essence of the original or become the modeller's equivalent of Trigger's broom? 🤔

http://unnycoombelala.blogspot.com/p/the-art-of-compromise.html

Edited January 30, 2023 by JamFjord
because my hands seem to work faster than my brain these days... and my hands are pretty slow

[RichardT]

Another thumbs-up for this idea. I’m not entering because I’d end up replacing all the buildings with ones to suit an NER-area light Railway, and all the track with Peco bullhead, which would be a waste of the original.  And I think this should go to someone who, unlike me, might find it more difficult to buy all the components.

 

Also, I model in N - but seeing this video has made me fancy a little side-project in minimum space 00. So, double-whammy Mr Parker.  Where did I put those IKEA Lack shelves…

 

Richard T

[Phil Parker]

14 entries - I'm busy reading through them now.

[Chris M]

Only just seen this. Its a nice idea and I wish whoever wins well. Well done Phil & BRM! As I do N it wouldn't be much use to me anyway; I can live in hope that part 2 or 3 might involve N gauge.  

 

I do like to see the life of a layout that changes hands a few times and how each person modifies it. One layout I was involved in has had at least four owners. It was most odd to find myself looking at a layout at an exhibition and thinking it looked it looked somehow familiar. After about five minutes I realised it was this same layout. The buildings had changed (twice) since I had last seen it but the track was still exactly as I had laid it.

[Phil Parker]

We have a winner - the layouts new owner will be @JamFjord!

 

This was a difficult job - all the applications were excellent, and there are some really interesting models to be built. People have loads of wonderful ideas - with an interesting slant towards 1980s scenes interestingly. This must tell us something about the modellers out there.

 

Apologies to those who weren't succesful this time, but we have two more layouts to give away at London and Bristol.

[Colin_McLeod]

On 24/01/2023 at 12:01, Phil Parker said:

We will help load it into your car. If it's not raining.

 

Class 😀

[JamFjord]

4 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

We have a winner - the layouts new owner will be @JamFjord!

 

This was a difficult job - all the applications were excellent, and there are some really interesting models to be built. People have loads of wonderful ideas - with an interesting slant towards 1980s scenes interestingly. This must tell us something about the modellers out there.

 

Apologies to those who weren't succesful this time, but we have two more layouts to give away at London and Bristol.

 

Thank you, Phil and the rest of the BRM team - what amazing (and frankly unexpected) news this was to brighten up a cold Monday! 🙂 I'm looking forward to getting stuck in - I have a lot of work ahead of me to bring my ideas to fruition. Can't wait to get started!

 

Hopefully the other entrants don't feel their efforts were wasted, and can use the ideas they came up with to create a whole swathe of interesting and creative new small exhibition layouts. I'm looking forward to seeing those too. Cheers 👍

[AY Mod]

12 minutes ago, JamFjord said:

 I'm looking forward to getting stuck in - I have a lot of work ahead of me to bring my ideas to fruition. Can't wait to get started!

 

Phil pinged your submission over to me as he was approaching his decision and I was impressed too. Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing your sound ideas come together.

[JamFjord]

25 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

Phil pinged your submission over to me as he was approaching his decision and I was impressed too. Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing your sound ideas come together.

 

Thanks, Andy - much appreciated! All I need to do is turn those ideas into reality... should be fun

Edited February 6, 2023 by JamFjord

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Well done @JamFjord, and to all who entered: sounds like it was a healthy competition (always a good thing!).  The “Art of Compromise” is one of my favourite track plans (despite a couple of oddities in the original 1978 drawing*).  It was great to see Chris Ford’s build, and I enjoyed the BRM team’s refurbishment of the layout.  I now look forwards to seeing what transpires with the new owner.

 

I note @JamFjord’s encouragement to others who entered to keep hold of and to use their ideas: great advice.  I wasn’t one who entered, but a TT:120 version is on my layout bucket list (in my Moorbach thread linked in my signature).  Plenty to look forwards to, Keith.

 

(* the placement of the coal storage bins has been long debated, and the tail track beyond the runround loop is very short as drawn)

Edited February 7, 2023 by Keith Addenbrooke

[Keith J]

I have a copy of the October 2018 edition of Railway Modeller which features an article by Chris Ford where he explains how he went about creating this layout. Coincidentally the same issue features Euxton Junction as Railway of the Month which is also in the latest edition of BRM.

[JamFjord]

8 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Well done @JamFjord, and to all who entered: sounds like it was a healthy competition (always a good thing!).  The “Art of Compromise” is one of my favourite track plans (despite a couple of oddities in the original 1978 drawing*).  It was great to see Chris Ford’s build, and I enjoyed the BRM team’s refurbishment of the layout.  I now look forwards to seeing what transpires with the new owner.

 

I note @JamFjord’s encouragement to others who entered to keep hold of and to use their ideas: great advice.  I wasn’t one who entered, but a TT:120 version is on my layout bucket list (in my Moorbach thread linked in my signature).  Plenty to look forwards to, Keith.

 

(* the placement of the coal storage bins has been long debated, and the tail track beyond the runround loop is very short as drawn)

 

Thanks @Keith Addenbrooke - I'm starting to feel a slight weight of expectation from the community, and hoping I don't disappoint! 😅😬 I'm not planning anything too contraversial but I'm hoping for a different enough slant to be interesting. Coincidentally, the sketch I submitted did indeed re-site the coal staithes, but I'll be doing lots more research and asking plenty of newbie questions here on RM in an attempt to make sure I don't make too many glaringly unprototypical placements. Your TT:120 version sounds interesting, hope you'll keep us updated on progress?

 

@Keith J - I noticed that too when the copy I bought off Ebay arrived (part of my research). I found the BRM article on Euxton Junction fascinating so it was nice to get some context on the layout's development. I know the 1:1 Euxton area quite well so I'm looking forward to seeing the layout in person next month at the Preston show.

[Din]

Every congratulations and my smouldering jealousy.

 

Wonderful to see it going to someone who put in such a passionate and respective post above, I shall go and drool over it at Doncaster on the Saturday. I'll once again be part of the eponimous youtuber Lawrie Rose's entourage there.

[JamFjord]

1 hour ago, Din said:

Every congratulations and my smouldering jealousy.

 

Wonderful to see it going to someone who put in such a passionate and respective post above, I shall go and drool over it at Doncaster on the Saturday. I'll once again be part of the eponimous youtuber Lawrie Rose's entourage there.

 

That's really kind, thank you! I was watching Lawrie's recent live stream where he mentioned you having submitted an entry. Still two more layouts to go so I'll keep my fingers crossed that you nab one of those! :)

[Din]

2 hours ago, JamFjord said:

 

That's really kind, thank you! I was watching Lawrie's recent live stream where he mentioned you having submitted an entry. Still two more layouts to go so I'll keep my fingers crossed that you nab one of those! :)

 

Sadly I probably wont be anywhere near either other show to collect. It's got my little grey cells firing though, so I'll see what's what in the future.

[Phil Parker]

Well, the layout has gone...

 

 

@JamFjord might be wondering if I picked the least flattering photo. Of course I did 😁

 

 

And off it goes. There was a lot more space in my car onh the way home.

 

Thanks very much to everyone who entered. I met a few at the weekend, and at least one person has been motivated to crack on building a layout anyway - always nice to hear.

 

What was interesting is the number of people who knew about the giveaway and are now keen to see how the next phase of this layout's life takes shape. As I repeatedly explained, this is a project and will require considerable work, but it's worth it.

 

Good luck @JamFjord.

 

(I'll kick the next competition off later this week. Got rather a lot of post-show work to do today)

[JamFjord]

On 13/02/2023 at 09:25, Phil Parker said:

Well, the layout has gone...

 

 

What was interesting is the number of people who knew about the giveaway and are now keen to see how the next phase of this layout's life takes shape. As I repeatedly explained, this is a project and will require considerable work, but it's worth it.

 

Good luck @JamFjord.

 

Thanks Phil - I'm looking forward to sharing what I do with the layout as I work on it. Today has been spent photographing and measuring the layout, understanding a bit more about how it's constructed and making an inventory of what's currently on there, as well as updating my layout drawings to more accurately reflect what I now have in front of me - I even started work on a project plan.

 

I also set up a blog here on RM to document this project, and of course any advice that the RM community can offer would be gratefully received: 

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who would also like to see how the other entrants Phil mentioned get on with their own projects, so please keep us in the loop.

 

Phil - it was a pleasure to meet you and Howard, as well as the rest of the WOR team at the stand and the other people I got chatting to around the show, as well as a catching up with some people I met at previous shows. Right... better crack on, I have a lot to do 🔨👷‍♂️

 

 

On 13/02/2023 at 09:25, Phil Parker said:

@JamFjord might be wondering if I picked the least flattering photo. Of course I did 😁

Haha - not sure if there's such a thing as a flattering photo of me 😅😬

 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by JamFjord