Llanmynach & Tawel-Llety Views

[Tigger]

Since I started running the layout on a frequent basis (as opposed to now & again / hardy ever) a year ago I've always had a floodlight and a camera (my little Canon Ixus 750) on standby.  This means that I'm capturing photos of the layout under normal operating conditions, sometimes recording ordinary run-of-the-mill everyday trains and events and sometimes special workings.  This means that the railway is being recorded under much the same conditions as a prototype railway would be.  Apart from pausing operations for the duration of the photo, nothing is specially posed or arranged.  I'm going to post some of the photos here, starting with this view from the running session last night of a pair of NWNGR locos at Mynydd-yn-Bwlch.  'Russell' has just arrived from Tawell-Llety with the down passenger.  'Snowdon Ranger' arrived earlier from Rhyffedd Coed, did some shunting, waited for the down train and is now in the process of setting back out of the loop in order to continue on the journey to Tawel-Llety where, among other things, she will collect three empty coal wagons.

[Mike Griff]

Looks great Tigger, what chassis on the loco,s. they are fine looking machines? Love the rocks too. Mike

[rhobat bryn]

I'm not sure you'll welcome this intervention Tigger since we have discussed your use of the Welsh language before but there comes a point where your use of it makes no sense whatsoever.  In your most recent posting, you refer to Mynydd yn Bwlch.  This translates as Mountain in a Pass.  I know that it is your layout and that you're free to call it whatever you wish but you have also, through this forum and your website, made your layout and its 'Welsh' language names a matter of public knowledge and I cannot let this disregard for the Welsh language pass any longer without comment.  If these are the words you wish to use, then clearly Bwlch-y-Mynydd (The Pass in the Mountain) is the name that makes sense.  It is a name that is quite common around Wales and therefore would resonate as being authentic.  I simply fail to understand why you feel at liberty to publicly misuse the Welsh language in this cavalier fashion.  Do you believe that it is not entitled to any respect because it is not your language?

[Graeme Dunbar]

Perghaps it is the joys of Google Translate?

Mynydd yn Bwlch = "Mountain Gap"
Bwlch-y-Mynydd = "Gap-the-Mountain" !?

[pilotfriend]

"I simply fail to understand why you feel at liberty to publicly misuse the Welsh language in this cavalier fashion.  Do you believe that it is not entitled to any respect because it is not your language?"

Rhobat, I sincerely hope your posting concerning the Welsh language was intended to be humorous. If that was indeed the case, a few smilies would have helped.

If you are being serious I must ask you if it is your intention to self appoint yourself as 'Welsh language brain police' on this board. This issue could have been better served by a PM.

The answer of course is a total ban on non Welsh speakers from modelling Welsh railways. Oh yes, I forgot, then we would not have the Taly Llyn or Festiniog running today.

On the other hand, if this was humour, it was bloody funny! ;D

We are off for a visit to Dolgelly tomorrow BTW. :)

[Graeme Dunbar]

As evidence for the defence, I present:
http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=dylanthomasandthemapofllar   ;D

A fairly common name of the "Dunroamin" variety round here is Niaroo, Nia Roo or Nia-roo. Now work that one out!

[membership]

Sorry folks you lost me there, I was looking at a picture of locomotives and something happened. now I have no idea what anybody is talking about ???

[Mike Griff]

Ah; its in Welsh boyo.

[pilotfriend]

"Sorry folks you lost me there, I was looking at a picture of locomotives and something happened. now I have no idea what anybody is talking about "

It is all about the technology of reading all the posts in the thread from the last time you visited.

[Tigger]

Mike, many thanks for your kind compliments.  The locos are Chivers kits and sit on bog-standard Arnold (S-R) and Minitrix (Russell) Chassis.  This, of course, means that the motion is wrong and in the case of Russell, the frames are in the wrong place!  The spirit is there and the great thing with the old Chivers kits is that they were basic.  It was an easy job to drop them on a chassis and then spend hours on the enjoyable 'fiddly bits' (and in the case of Russell that also meant putting the maker's plate on the Westinghouse pump!).  The rocks are good old cork bark with an earth-mix to fill in the gaps.  The mix was painted with a mix of Humbrol colours to approximate the cork.

[Mike Griff]

Jeez Tigger, I for one wouldn't know there was a question over authenticity, they look great and the motion appears to set them off a treat to my eye. You have a great eye for detail and achieve a high standard of representation, congratulations. I have to say, I find the 009 membership posess some great modeling skills.
                                         Mike

[Graeme Dunbar]

Deja vu! I've just been reading about the slate wall seen in the photo in the latest 009 Society News. It is most effective, though the web photo (or perhaps my monitor) does not show up the texture half so well as the photo in the 'News.

Edit: I've just noticed the two step stones below the gap in the cap stones that make up the style as described in the article too.

[pilotfriend]

Seems you need to rename the station Gorsafawddacha'idraigodanheddogleddoll

[rhobat bryn]

Perhaps it is the joys of Google Translate?

Mynydd yn Bwlch = "Mountain Gap"
Bwlch-y-Mynydd = "Gap-the-Mountain" !?

If you are being serious I must ask you if it is your intention to self appoint yourself as 'Welsh language brain police' on this board. This issue could have been better served by a PM.

No I wasn't being humorous and have no intention of appointing myself to anything.  But I don't think respect for another language is a difficult concept to understand and ensuring that the language is used properly is a sign of that respect.  There are plenty of layouts built by non-Welsh speakers that do just that.  Given that Tigger has taken such care in the construction of his railway (I never cease to be amazed by the scale of Cefn Glas and the images it creates of the train set against the landscape) why not simply extend that level of care to the invention of Welsh place-names?  However if we are seeing a new fashion in the way that railway stations names are devised, perhaps we can look forward to layouts called Pool of Livers, Ton of Hams by South and Tree of the Coven.

Seems you need to rename the station Gorsafawddacha'idraigodanheddogleddoll

[pilotfriend]

Then Rhobat, your post was not bloody funny but bloody laughable.

Tigger's attempt at Welsh may well have been erroneous but he tried.

Respect for a language starts at home. Welshification Brain Police is not the way, particularly the way you worded it. If you really think that it was done 'out of lack of respect' you live in another world. That is why a polite PM would have been appropriate.

The day the Welsh can agree to one common language from North to South is when IMO it becomes credible. It would help too that the English did not have to pay taxes to support Wales. Portmadoc council refused to go to the opening of their bypass. Why? Because someone forgot to send an invitation in Welsh. Who do you think pays for bi-lingual road signs, sending all government literature in Welsh and English? Certainly not Welsh taxpayers.

Enough Said. On another note:

I hated the DVD by BRM which was of terrible filming quality. We have far better ones and BRM has now included one of ours on their website. They were embarrassed too.

JdF