In defense of the roundy-roundy #4

Posted on December 30, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

For my last post of 2018, a few final comments on layout design.

As a member of ESNG, a modular club, where do parts 1-3 of the series leave me?  It sounds very much as if I have abandoned the modular concepts!

But that’s not entirely fair.  Despite my realisation that I do rather like small layouts, our club nights do offer a chance to:

  1. run my longer trains, and test stock, that I can’t do at home.  (At least, when I can find a spare track); and
  2. just sit and enjoy watching the trains go by.

And I have very much enjoyed making my N-Club scenic modules – perhaps just because they have been simple and without points or electrics to go seriously wrong.

So I remain committed to modular layouts.  I don’t see that I will be making any 4′ x 2′ complete layouts as a module – this doesn’t thrill me – but that’s not a criticism of the concept if you are building one at the moment.  But I hope to continue to make simple modules for exhibition use.

Always assuming that I find the time along with all the other projects that are ‘in hand’ at home!  I spend a happy few hours this week repainting a coach Lehigh Valley red.  But then found out that the carefully selected Halfords rattle can is just too deep a red.  So back to square one, and possibly a written off coach.  But it’s been FUN.

[PS, a little later.  Please to say that Halfords’ red and plastic primer totally removed in 15 minutes by Superstrip liquid.  Coach rescued!]

And that’s what it’s all about isn’t it?

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In defense of the roundy-roundy #3

Posted on December 28, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

In my earlier ramblings about continuous layouts, I missed out one excellent example, and a concept for such designs.  Chris Morris’ Little Aller is based on Aller Junction in Devon in the early sixties.  The area of the layout is 84″ by 40″. (Photos from N Gauge Forum.)

 

The interesting feature of this lovely layout is that there are no stations, yards, engine sheds or other complexity modelled.  Just a fairly complex junction and signal box, and its surrounding scenery.  Ideal for just watching the trains go by.

I realise that I really do just like watching trains, and wondered whether a similar idea could capture my own interests.

Looking again at the Isle of Wight, how about Smallbrook Junction in Southern Railway/British Railway Days?

The double track on the left comes from Ryde, and the line divides for Newport and Cowes and the west, and Ventnor and the south.  Originally, there were two single track parallel lines, but the Southern Railway added the scissors crossover, to make operation more flexible.  In the winter, they reverted to two single tracks, and removed some signal arms.

The photos below show the simplicity, yet interest of the prototype.  There is one complex bit of pointwork, that would need building, or a simplified track layout.  The signal cabin, a hut or two, and the road bridge to the north are the only structures, plus a few Southern rail built signals.  The plan scales at 8′ long, but it could be compressed down to 5′ without losing its character.  The lines would loop round to a fiddle yard behind in the time-honoured manner.

   

Of course, the trouble with an ‘N’ gauge IOW layout is the lack of locos.  Dapol made an island Terrier, but the O2 0-4-4T, mainstay of SR and BR services, is wishful thinking.  However, the strength of a layout such as Smallbrook is that it could be (almost) anywhere.  It would be quite convincing to run Southern Region stock from the mainland, transposing the layout somewhere out west.  And if you turned a blind eye to the Southern signals and box, really any train would look OK.

Though perhaps Lehigh Valley would stretch things a bit…..

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Santa’s delivery 2018

Posted on December 26, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

What Santa brought me – via Ebay and handed directly to Maxine for wrapping!

And is this the cutest tank engine ever (can’t think of a better adjective.)  ‘Borrowed’ from RMweb, it comes from Belgium.

Bit tricky for ‘N’, though….

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Happy Christmas!

Posted on December 24, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

Wishing you and yours a blessed and happy Christmas!

And did you spot him last night – travelling by train this year?  Or by tram?

 

Posted in Out and about | Tagged | 1 Comment

All I want for Christmas……Not!

Posted on December 22, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

I really do hope, Paul, that you don’t buy this set of Japanese prototype trains….

Motorised Sushi!  Whatever next.  I have seen a model restaurant with a moving sushi conveyor belt, but this is taking things too far.  The description on the website is most helpful, if a little fishy in places….

For Sushiden series list, check here!

– It did not run to the neta. Sushi is running !!

– Do not think of difficult things, please enjoy the surreal world where sushi runs on N gauge (9 mm) rail.
– Sushi reproduces real sushi by cooperation of food sample manufacturer.
– All types of power installed, released 20 grades sequentially.

※ The image is a product image. Concrete beds are not included.
※ Sushi can not be eaten. Please keep out of reach of small children.
* When running with a fixed layout or a rental layout please pay attention to traffic lights and structures at the track.
* Please be aware that the layout may be damaged depending on the type of sushi.
※ Please purchase rails and power pack separately.

– Sushi material: PVC

( This is a machine translation. Please allow for possible misinterpretations in the text.)

I’ve told Santa not to bother….

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ESNG meeting – 19th December 2018

Posted on December 20, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

“Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house,      Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”

But nine ESNG members made it to club night, less than a week before Christmas.  Neil and John were testing some new to them models….

 

Paul’s Christmas train made it’s usual annual appearance, with a load of chocolate brussel sprouts, Santa’s and gold currency…..

 

There were plenty of trains moving all evening, but few from the UK till late on, when Derek and Derek got a little track time….

      

In case you missed it in the Railway Modeller, add Jools Holland to the railway superstars.  A bit of a ‘Rule 1’ layout, but some very good and realistic modelling.

And today’s modelling challenge…..

Shrewsbury crash leaves car vertical in tree

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Lehigh Valley coaches

Posted on December 18, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

A few weeks ago, Simon emailed me….

Did you see that they now have Lehigh Valley?

https://www.rapidotrains.com/n-osgood-bradley-coaches-2nd/

Simon

I hadn’t seen this, but quickly rectified the situation and ordered one of each number.  I hadn’t really intended to buy more American stock, but these coaches are one of my favourites.  This week, a small package arrived at the doorstep, containing….

Absolutely delightful, and a starter for the Lehigh Valley passenger train that is on my job list (and has been for years.)  Strictly, the roof profile should be straight, without the domed ends, but if you balance this incorrect detail against the quality of the model, it’s a no brainer!  It probably also ‘fixes’ the shade of Lehigh Valley Cornell Red to use across other models.

It does mean that I have three undecorated versions of these carriages, that I had intended to repaint.  And Rapido unpainted is closer to a kit – all the parts come separately to allow you to paint them before completing the model.

Anyone want a cheap bargain?? (Ed – already snapped up!)

 

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In defence of the roundy-roundy #2

Posted on December 16, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

It was before Stuttgart that I posted some thoughts on ’roundy-roundy’ layouts.  In the past month I have been looking at my modelling direction yet again.  I’ll explore my thoughts a little more over the next few posts – and hopfully also show that I am doing a little modelling.

To start off with, I’ve been looking at the Wisbech and Upwell tramway for ideas for a small UK shunting plank.  I blogged this bucolic backwater in a post a while back.  I modified a Model Rail design to get this plan….

Outwell village looked like this in GE/LNER days.

Playing with this plan gave me this 3′ x 1′ design.  It could have a fiddle yard at either end, but one on the right side only would allow a simple shunting plank to be developed.

This captures most of the features of Outwell in a small space.  The only change needed might be to model the rail bridge at a slightly flatter angle, to allow the line back to Wisbech to pass through the end of the board.

I have got really enthused about this, so I have ordered one of these….

I recognise that building baseboards is not my strong point, so I’ve settled for this easy option.  I could order an end board like the above for the fiddle yard, but I will bodge that from the bits of timber in the loft.

I had hoped to also include a picture of an ‘N’ gauge version of one of these:

I’ve had a lot of fun modifying a Graham Farish O4 shunter to one with the smaller cab windows and fitting some Etched Pixels tramway skirts.  This is really just a matter of taking the plunge and modifying a beautiful and expensive (even if I got it cheap) model.  Realistically, you are then paying for the fun of making something different, rather than for the original model.  Seems a fair deal to me.

It all seemed to be coming together very well, but having mated body back to chassis and taken it down to a club night for a test run, there seems to be a dead short and it wasn’t moving.  Strange, as the chassis was running fine before.  I’ll return to this over Christmas to hunt for further inspiration!

And what about the modules I was building, and indeed the roundy-roundy?  As I said, I’ll talk a little more about these over the next few posts.

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Festival of Railway Modelling, Peterborough

Posted on December 14, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

Simon kindly sent me these pictures of the Peterborough version of the National Festival of Railway Modelling.  I thought of going, but inertia caught up with me!

A few pics of Peterborough and a snatched shot of Black Five 44871 at Kings X!

Bridge of Remagen and the narrow gauge World War I narrow gauge were the highlights. The desert scene was Iraq in World War II and a brilliant example of forced perspective – impossible to capture with an iPhone. It did have running trains.

           

And Wales’ quietest station is now thriving!  It would make a very simple model.  Read all about it here….

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Ron shops for England – 2

Posted on December 12, 2018 by snitchthebudgie

Some more touristy shots from Ron…

Cologne Cathedral and its Xmas market.

   

Bonn Xmas market.

       

Selfie? (Cologne Hafen xmas market).

Chocolate museum Cologne.

Hafen Xmas market taken from Chocolate museum steps.

Rudolphplatz Xmas market.

 

Neumarkt Xmas market.

Cologne Dom Xmas market .

 

Altmarkt Xmas market.

 

Tree trunk carvings in the street linking the 2 parts of Altmarkt Xmas market.

If all goes well planning to spend around 1 and a 1/2 on and around Koln hbf before starting journey home. Check emails tomorrow to see if have sent any pictures from there and also from Brussels.

Hope you have enjoyed my photos. It is now time to sort my holdall out to see if I can fit in everything I have got!

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