The art of compromise.
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Finally gettiing out of my system.
The layout plods slowly on. Today I visited the local wood merchant and bought enough 4mm thick plywood for the backscene, end pieces, and pelmet, which the chap very kindly cut to size for me.
Returning to the theme mentioned in the 64th post, I want to give the impression that the track going under the bridge actually goes somewhere and not just straight into the fiddle yard. To this end, it will be necessary to restrict the view into said fiddle yard. I cut a hole in the newly acquired ply end panel and propped it up behind the bridge. I took some photos from the spectators' viewpoints along the front of the layout to get an idea how far one could see into the fiddle yard. They look something like this…
This is roughly the area which would need to be developed in order to give the impression I am hoping to achieve…
As a start, I have painted the whole area with brown/grey acrylic paint.
Before any scenic work can progress on the layout, the backscene panels now require fixing in place.
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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Staying on the thread Kevin.
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No doubt a bit late now but, instead of a sloping wall on the fiddle yard side, I wonder if a level one would hide more plus, putting a roof on it would make a proper "tunnel" effect and almost completely hide anything in the yard. :hmm
'Petermac
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Thank you all for your constructive comments. However, you all appear to have misunderstood what I am aiming to achieve. It is a bridge, not a tunnel. I could enclose the fiddleyard side in a 'tunnel' or 'tube' but that will not give the effect I am after. The impression I am aiming for is that the track and scenery continue on the other side of the bridge.
Regards to all,
Regards to all,
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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'Petermac
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Staying on the thread Kevin.
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My only thought is weather the buttress in the fiddle yard should be angled the same as those on the viewing side. . . Or weather it would make a blind bit of difference ! :hmm
Cheers
Matt
Wasnie me, a big boy did it and ran away
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
"Why did you volunteer ? I didn't Sir, the other three stepped backwards"
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As you can see in the photos in post 101, I have placed the wing wall on the fiddle yard side almost parallel to the track. This does help to restrict the view. In the final analysis, I may angle it slightly away from the track and include a bit more embankment. However, this will all take place a bit further down the line.
In the meantime, this arrived yesterday…
And here's the rub… I had intended to model the layout as a BR London Midland offering, of which I actually know very little. There are numerous BR layouts on the exhibition circuit but not so many set in the pre-nationalisation era. I am minded to use this model as an opportunity to do something different and have a dip into the Brighton Section of the Southern Railway. Some of the rolling stock may have to be scratchbuilt but that would just be a case of renewing old skills. I have, in the past, built many wagons in both 4mm and 7mm scales. To date, not many buildings for the layout have been completed and it would mean building the station building again (for the third time!)
Views would be welcomed.
Terry
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As a modeller of the BR era late 1950's - early 1960's steam/diesel transition I am aware that there are literally hundreds of modellers like me covering this same period. Back in the day I modelled pre-grouping MR partly out of a love of Johnson engines and partly on the back of Peter Denny's philosophy that an obscure subject would attract less critique as fewer people were experts - and it worked for a while!
These days, pre-grouping layouts are rare and pre-nationalisation layouts are uncommon. The trends seem to follow the lead given by the big manufacturers and their output. If there is a bit of a run of ex-LNER locomotives released, a volley of ex-LNER layouts never seems to be far behind etc etc.
The idea of LMS or SR is a good one - colour, railway heyday, variety of rolling stock etc. I don't have an interest in either company but can appreciate your fondness for lovely little things like the Terrier. I say Go For It!!
Barry
Shed dweller, Softie Southerner and Meglomaniac
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After the overwhelming response (thanks Barry!) to my suggestion that the layout be modelled as the Southern Railway, my thoughts have been going in two directions. Firstly, I have to finish the woodwork before proceeding with the scenery. Secondly, I will have to build a couple of ex-LBSC carriages from scratch. Etched brass kits are available at a price. I don't do brass, lacking the necessary skills. I like plastic. It's easy to work and mistakes can be rectified quite easily. In any event, I like the challenge of building my own carriages and solving the problems (not issues) as they arise, rather than having a kit designer doing it all for me.
So, this thread is going to continue with the layout build and the carriage build will start on a new thread. Hopefully, in time, the completed carriages will join us here.
Back to the layout. Not much done recently but today I decided to start adding the boards which support the backscene . Firstly, I thought that I would tackle the board which separates the scenic section from the fiddle yard. Keeping this board upright has always been a problem for me. For instance, the boards along the rear of the layout are simply screwed to the outside of the baseboard frame, as is the small board at the end of the scenic section. But the board separating the scenic section and the fiddle yard is sitting on top of the baseboard surface, therefore no frame to screw it to. Fortunately, there will be a road and embankment at this end of the layout so here is my solution to keep the board upright…
Three wooden blocks are fitted each side of the bridge. The bottom block is screwed into the end frame beneath the baseboard surface, and each block is screwed onto the piece below. Screws are driven into the wooden blocks from the fiddle yard side and all is secure. The blocks will eventually be hidden beneath the road and embankment.
More soon.
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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http://smallbrookstudio.co.uk/kits-parts/4569521210/4mm-IoW-Southern
Ed
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Yes, I saw those Ed. I believe the 4-wheelers had been withdrawn before the 1930's. Bogie coaches are required. Just about to start a new thread. Thanks for your interest.
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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Any chance of an update on the Art of Compromise project - there are lots of us interested!!
Barry
Shed dweller, Softie Southerner and Meglomaniac
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Best title for a thread I've seen, too…
Michael
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Regarding your Post #82
I'm late to this Topic but regarding getting colour consistency, I use a lot of Scalescenes papers and get them printed at my local Office Supplies on quality paper of the appropriate weight. At around the equivalent of 35 pence for an A4 200GSM sheet I reckon its very good value. You can see some results on my topic or gallery (sorry - shameless plug!)
They have good QC so I've found the colour is reliable. Their dyes are reasonably light fast but I do coat with a matt UV varnish once installed. In comparison, home ink jet applications can be quite variable and (I think) less UV stable. The cost of professional printing has dropped so much it doesn't warrant all the fussing over maintaining your own hardware, not to mention the consumables. Consequently, colour home printing is one technology bullet I've managed to completely dodge!
Colin
Last edit: by Colin W
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Apologies for the rather long break in this thread. Work stopped in the Summer and after some months I have ventured down to the shed once again. Some progress of late. The boards to support the backscenes are in place, as is the facia and pelmet. All woodwork on show to the front and sides has been given a coat of grey paint.
Regards to all.
Terry
Last edit: by col.stephens
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The only other thing to report at present is that the Scalescenes' small station building, in Southern Railway guise, is currently under construction. If you have followed this thread from the beginning, you will remember that the layout was to represent a station on the London Midland Region until I bought the new Hornby Terrier in Southern livery and everything changed! The recent announcement by Hattons of production of four and six-wheeled coaches is particularly useful, especially for a layout of this size.
More as the layout progresses.
Regards to all.
Terry
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Ed
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On a non-railway related YouTube channel I saw a guy produce lighting using 3 LED strips - Warm White, Daylight and Blue, each fitted with a dimmer. By varying the amount of each light (using the dimmers) he created a series of "moods" that could be interpreted as times of day or even weather!
I thought at the time it was really brilliant. Perhaps an intimate scene like yours could use such a system???
Barry
Shed dweller, Softie Southerner and Meglomaniac
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