Cliffhanger

[rhobat bryn]

Sounds like you have the best of both worlds.

[Tigger]

"...I suspect that intelligent attention to detail is the way forward on this one."

Always.  Careful observation of the prototype always pays off.  Where and how do people park?  Note how people usually arrange themselves in groups on station platforms.  Seagulls always stand with their beaks into the wind.  You'll often find a tree by a farm gate. Etc etc...  You can give an impression of an inhabited high street with careful attention to detail and without one human figure!

[Tigger]

Sounds like you have the best of both worlds.

I'm lucky enough to have had the space to build a complete operational railway set in the landscape but no luckier than Ted Polet, Philip Hancock, Derek Naylor, David Mander or John Ahern.

[invercloy]

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

I agree, a lot of people don't realise that a railway in a landscape doesn't have to be big - look how big Dunbracken was, 4'x10".

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

Rhobat, what do you think Isle Ornsay will be? It's got a harbour and I'll be running trains in and out of it all the time :)  I'm sure what you're doing will be very interesting.

[pilotfriend]

"Seagulls always stand with their beaks into the wind. "

and they always sh*t on my head!

Rhobat, the trick is to model what you see out of the window and not other model railways. Sounds obvious but you will be surprised how many never look carefully at the real thing. It is really worth doing a huge photoshoot of the type of subject and also make sure you know what time of year it is to ensure your plants show correctly.

"a layout which has beautiful buildings but no sense that they are inhabitated. "

One common mistake is that none of the buildings have windows open, or even the occasional door. Most model summertime but the buildings are all shut up. That is unless you are modelling what I call 'scary French villages' where many are all shut up during the day and not a person is in sight!

[Tigger]

"One common mistake is that none of the buildings have windows open..."

All excellent advice indeed but this bit especially applies to passenger rolling stock.  As John says, most layouts are modelled on a warm summer day (mine's August) and buildings or carriages with all windows sealed tight just look so wrong.  My early model carriages are built that way but later ones have dropped windows.  This one has most on the visible side raised but the farthest is part dropped and looks so much better.  Careful viewing of the windows on the other side of the compartments will reveal more dropped windows on that side but I digress slightly - this is the wrong bit of Forum for rolling stock.

[rhobat bryn]

Rhobat, what do you think Isle Ornsay will be? It's got a harbour and I'll be running trains in and out of it all the time :)  I'm sure what you're doing will be very interesting.

My apologies Tom.  I think I was indulging in a bit of unnecessary self-deprecation.  The goods yard will be quite sizeable, five roads with a headshunt.  That's a bit hard to justify for a West Wales line, though thinking about it I wonder how many sidings there were at the slate wharves at Porthmadog.  It will definitely be built with operational interest in mind but I do want to avoid a railway with a harbour at the edges if I can help it.

Rhobat, the trick is to model what you see out of the window and not other model railways. Sounds obvious but you will be surprised how many never look carefully at the real thing. It is really worth doing a huge photoshoot of the type of subject and also make sure you know what time of year it is to ensure your plants show correctly.

"a layout which has beautiful buildings but no sense that they are inhabitated. "

One common mistake is that none of the buildings have windows open, or even the occasional door. Most model summertime but the buildings are all shut up. That is unless you are modelling what I call 'scary French villages' where many are all shut up during the day and not a person is in sight!

That's very true and, in addition to the comprehensive photoshoot, I think studying photos of the period should help convey the atmosphere of the time and place as well.  Many thanks for some very useful pointers; I shall store them safely until the appropriate time.

[tedp]

...the trick is to model what you see out of the window and not other model railways. Sounds obvious but you will be surprised how many never look carefully at the real thing. It is really worth doing a huge photoshoot of the type of subject and also make sure you know what time of year it is to ensure your plants show correctly....

Oh no! Now you've really got me going! I agree you should look out of the window and model the real world, but there's nothing against looking at other model railways and being inspired by them. Where would any of us, me included, have been but for PD Hancock, David Mander, GR Hanan and others?

...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?...

Anyone may think of model railway operation as he likes. That having been said, it never bored me to run a model railway as if it was a real one, with goods forwarding, loco movements to and from the shed etc. I even try not to forget sending a loco to the coaling stage, the water tank and the ashpit. To me, modelling the traffic pattern is as essential in modelling a railway as the scenery and the rolling stock.

[Tigger]

Anyone may think of model railway operation as he likes. That having been said, it never bored me to run a model railway as if it was a real one, with goods forwarding, loco movements to and from the shed etc. I even try not to forget sending a loco to the coaling stage, the water tank and the ashpit. To me, modelling the traffic pattern is as essential in modelling a railway as the scenery and the rolling stock.

Absolutely right Ted!  Every one of my locos has a lay-over at each end of the line and they always visit the shed at Llanmynach, alternating so it's strictly first on shed = first off shed.  Quite apart from anything else, it gets the locos out of the way and you don't have to go looking for them!

Once I've finished the new livestock vehicles and the new freight stock I'll be looking again at the freight forwarding system I devised about 25 years ago.  Of course, if you're regularly shunting your yards you need to be confident in how well your layout runs.  Like Ted, I use basic 12vdc power!  So much fun...

[rhobat bryn]

We've started to hijack the Cliffhanger theme here.  We need to open a thread on modelling traffic patterns; it would make an interesting discussion.

[pilotfriend]

Good idea Rhobat

BTW, I have a comprehensive book coming out the end of next year on scenic modelling, published by The Crowood Press

JdF

[rhobat bryn]

BTW, I have a comprehensive book coming out the end of next year on scenic modelling, published by The Crowood Press

JdF

The Christmas list for 2012 has now begun.   :)

[pilotfriend]

Today was taken up with fitting brackets to hold various wiring sockets cleaning excess ballast from the new track, finishing the support legs and finally, a start was made on the fiddle yard which could not frankly be more complicated.

[Tigger]

BTW, I have a comprehensive book coming out the end of next year on scenic modelling, published by The Crowood Press
JdF

That'll make very interesting reading John.  I have a number of books on sceniking (If you'd said your book was on landscape modelling I'd have said 'landscaping'! ;D) ranging from my first 'mentor', John Ahern to Pendon and beyond so I'd be interested in your approach.

[pilotfriend]

The book is titled "Scenic Modelling: A Guide for Railway Modellers"  (not my choice)

It does not cover making buildings, urban and industrial which will follow.

I welcome any wish lists from you all for inclusion.