Cliffhanger

[invercloy]

Have you drawn a trackplan for Cliffhanger yet, John?

[pilotfriend]

Long time ago although we have now added another bridge and there will be some more changes as it evolves.

[Tigger]

The funicular is of course narrow gauge, being 16.5mm ;D

;DSounds about right to me - I think there were several around the 4' or 5' gauge.  Speaking as someone who was using height in this manner over 30 years ago (inspired by the great John Allen) I'm glad to see someone else using the technique, which isn't all that common in Britain.  The layout looks very spectacular.  Looking forward to more reports.

[pilotfriend]

I carved the rock in a model of the Black Canyon (HON3) back in the 60s at the Golden NG Museum. I had always wanted to do it again
JdF

[Tigger]

The exhibition Swiss layout 'Filisur' had a similar feature but it was a more conventional layout.  I alway thought a great opportunity had been missed - how much more impressive it would have been if they'd carried the hillside right down to floor level!  there's a great value in using a near-vertical baseboard!

[pilotfriend]

Work went on apace today with the trackbed and track installed on baseboard 2 along with wiring tails and point motor.


progress with co-builder Kevin Mason.

The Noch bridge installed. This will span a gorge with waterfall.

[Hobby]

Are you sure Kevin doesn't work for Network rail, its just every time you photograph him he's stood there with hands in pockets... That's how we always see the NR staff by the side of the track when we pass them... You do need to get an orange HV vest for him to make it more convincing, though....  :P

The layout's coming on nicely, btw!  ;D

[pilotfriend]

By the time I get to take shots, it has been rather a long day! We usually start at 08.00 hrs and finish 17.00 with no break! I would not be able to build this thing without his help BTW as access could not be more difficult.

We start work on the fiddle yards on Thursday. We already have built the support sockets into the main baseboards. We are beginning to wonder whether we shall actually connect to CG or always run it as a standalone.

I shall be so pleased when we can start on the scenery.
JdF

[invercloy]

Less track on the trackplan than I was envisaging - good!  :)

[pilotfriend]

Tom, I am always going to go for 'railway in a landscape'. IMO, less is always more!

[rhobat bryn]

If there's one thing you've shown and taught us John it's the importance of scenery in setting the atmosphere and a sense of scale in 009.  In which case, I don't think either you or Tom is going to like my model, namely a busy harbour station.

[pilotfriend]

Rhobat, we all do what suits us best. You may enjoy operating trains and shunting. I have to say that for me, I cannot think of anything more boring. The engine shed and goods yard on County Gate work perfectly but I have to say that in six years, I have not operated a single working over it! It is there as a scenic detail.... perhaps someone would like to operate it, one day, who knows?

I think it also depends upon the sequence of design of the model. For me, the scenery was there first! I note that many layouts are track with scenic 'bits' scattered around the edges. For me, this is rarely convincing but then again, that is my taste.
JdF

[Tigger]

"...stood there with hands in pockets... That's how we always see the NR staff by the side of the track when we pass them..."

...and what else might you expect???!!!  It's classed as "stop what you are doing and move to a place of safety"!!  Helps to stop the PW workers getting run down by trains and saves an awful lot of paperwork!

[rhobat bryn]

I think it also depends upon the sequence of design of the model. For me, the scenery was there first! I note that many layouts are track with scenic 'bits' scattered around the edges. For me, this is rarely convincing but then again, that is my taste.
JdF

I agree with you on this.  Track with scenery at the edges is as you say unconvincing.  And with an urban/industrial environment, the same problem can arise.  I'm hoping that I can achieve a harbour that looks like a dockside rather than a marina and also that conveys the busy nature of the area without being too crowded.  Another thing that I have difficulty with is a layout which has beautiful buildings but no sense that they are inhabitated.  It's almost as if a railway has been built to serve a ghost town.  I suspect that intelligent attention to detail is the way forward on this one.

[Tigger]

"Tom, I am always going to go for 'railway in a landscape'. IMO, less is always more!"

"...I don't think either you or Tom is going to like my model, namely a busy harbour station."

Both equally valid approaches!  So how would you lot class me?  For me, part of the appeal of narrow gauge is very much seeing the railway in the landscape and that indeed is what I've tried to reproduce in my model (and I'm sure you're familiar with it by now...)  On the other hand, I also delight in the operational side, have a busy main station and thoroughly operating the pick-up goods, shunting in every station as it goes up and down the line!