Tag Archives: hints and tips

Less is more – two interesting examples

Posted on July 22, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

I used to follow a blog called ‘The Staging Yard’, following a UK based modeller’s trials at building a US layout, until it went quiet in 2014.  Reading RMWeb the other day, I saw that the blog had reappeared and was being continued … Continue reading →

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Obituary – Ian Allan

Posted on July 6, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

I spotted this obituary in the Daily Telegraph.  In the UK and for those of my generation, Ian Allan was synonymous with train spotting books and quality transport books.  Certainly in my teens and early twenties, Ian Allen was THE … Continue reading →

Posted in Inspiration, Layout design, Prototype, Weird and wonderful | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

“This is not logical, but it is often true.”

Posted on June 30, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

According to Spock, anyway.  The Chairman sent me this picture, culled from Facebook. “Set the phasers to stun!”

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A good ‘believe it or not’ scenic feature?

Posted on June 28, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Anyone can model a car crash or lots of emergency services on their layout.  However, this would really stretch the viewers belief. From the Daily Telegraph: Last Wednesday, Mr Xiang was driving along the Chongqing-Guizhou Expressway in central China when he … Continue reading →

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Coupling springs have sprung

Posted on June 26, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

This very useful tip appeared in the NRMA British Region magazine.  Most useful for those of us with Microtrains couplers, but now Dapol buckeyes are around it may also apply to them.  It was published under the wonderful title of … Continue reading →

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An easier way to ballast your track?

Posted on June 22, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Lance Mindheim  may have come up with a really good idea here…. Effectively applying ballast glue is a challenge at best.  The more powdery soils and small gauge products even more so.  The problem comes with application of the adhesive, … Continue reading →

Posted in Hints and tips, Inspiration, Layout design | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Why do layouts fail?

Posted on June 10, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Good words from Lance Mindheim: When I work with a design client, one question I always ask is why previous layouts didn’t get off the ground and gain critical mass.  After almost fifteen years the answers haven’t changed.  The three … Continue reading →

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What would you change?

Posted on June 6, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Mike Cougil contributes another thought provoking post.  He starts with…. If you had a blank slate to begin again in the craft, would you change anything? Would you switch scales, stick with the same theme, explore a different one or, do … Continue reading →

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What do you care about?

Posted on June 2, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

Another short, but excellent post by Mike Cougill on the OST blog… What do trains help you to care about? For what it’s worth, here’s my answer: trains help me remember times and events that are meaningful. Memories that I … Continue reading →

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The fear factor

Posted on May 21, 2015 by snitchthebudgie

One of my regular blog reads, ‘Motorised Dandruff’, has been very quiet recently.  However, I found I could identify with this recent post: The major problem I have is one of perfectionist block (I think that’s what its called). I … Continue reading →

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