OO gauge layout - 1930's LMS based in North West England

[user=201]georgejacksongenius[/user] wrote:

Hi Ian,
          I've only just discovered this excellent layout!Some real quality modelling going on.It oozes with LMS period atmosphere,and the lamp-lit evening shots are amazing.I also love the idea of 75%  sized buidings at the rear to give an impression of greater depth!That's deffo one trick to remember.
          Looking forward to more posts in the near future.

Cheers,John.B. ;-)

Congratulations on the header photo, nice choice Spurno, must have been tough, there is a great selection.
I'm particularly impressed with the wood on the hillside between the engine shed and the church Ian.

cheers

Marty

Ian

Nice layout and some great photos.  Once again YMRC shows us what others are up to and shames us into making what we do better.  Isn't that the point??

Look forward to your new photos Ian.

The header pic must have been a tough choice, Alan.

So many excellent ones of an excellent layout.   :thumbs

So many to choose as you say Max but i think the one i chose is a real stunner.

Thank you all once again. Makes me very proud when one of my pictures makes it to the home page! All of the comments are very kind and i am glad you all enjoy the layout. Hopefully i will make more progress in a week or two. Take care. Ian

[user=19]Marty[/user] wrote:

Congratulations on the header photo, nice choice Spurno, must have been tough, there is a great selection.
I'm particularly impressed with the wood on the hillside between the engine shed and the church Ian.

cheers

Marty

Thank you Marty - the trees that you can see along the front edges are Seamoss covered with spray adhesive and sprinkled various scatters, fine, medium and coarse grade (mostly woodland scenics).

The bigger trees are large twigs (from a type of hedgrow - centre of the twig is spongy), with several holes drilled out to take Seamoss sprigs. This then gives the impression of several larger branches, with lots of smaller ones branching out.

The trees towards the back corner of the wooded area are twigs covered over with a netting of polyfibre and then  pushed down to give a bit of shape. Again covered in various scatters. This was much quicker than making a hundred individual trees when you would really see them. I glued a few twigs on the back scene, sprayed carpet glue direct tot he backscene and then stuck Woodland Scenics Undergrowth, bushes and clumps to it to make a tree shape. I like trying out different techniques to achieve differing results - some work well, others don't. It helps when others comment on what they think works and what doesn't as everyone else looks at the layout from different perspectives. I get caught up in the "that will do" rather than rip it up and start again.

[user=1986]IanLMS[/user] wrote:

Mixture. The railway gang near the lineside hut at AC Stadden. Most others are PD Marsh, Airfix, Prieser and Dapol.

Adding a bit more detail as original post was sent from my phone.

The article on YMRC covering modifying Dapol figures gave me the inspiration to take standard Dapol figures, decapitate and dismember them in the most horrific fashion, then re-assemble them like I was Dr Frankenstein to give different poses and a variety of scenes/cameo's. Adding different luggage, removing and replacing other parts also added to the interest. Ideal for general passengers, track workers etc. I found Dapol and most other plastic figures suit 1950's/60's onwards,  but you can get away with it with subtle colours and trimming here and  there.


AC Stadden really are superb figures and his Edwardian Workers range are easily modified to suit a slightly later period and mens clothing doesn't change much decade to decade. I used them around the loco shed and platelayers hut. He also does some very elegant Edwardian women but the dress only applies to that time frame and not easily modified.


A lot of special figures are from the Dart Castings range which again are superb and fit well in the 1930's period i am modelling. Most of my horses are from Dart, and quite a few "particular" folk - man standing under lamp, housewife in front of cottage, Porters, Postman, painter etc.

The Airfix figures were the hardest to work with. I had a box of Airfix Luftwaffe Airmen lying around and with a bit of fettling, i could turn them into useful figures on the layout. The plastic is very soft and does not take well to filing or sanding - it just furs up. Slices with a very sharp knife or using a hot blade to melt them shape was the only way. The guy kneeling down patting his daughter is an Airfix figure, originally holding up a bomb. Take the bomb away, trim his Luftwaffe cap and modify his uniform and I thought he fitted in well.


AC Stadden Figures, tools and hut by Severn Models.



Mixture of Dapol & Dart Castings figures. LMS Benches are from Scalelink. Swan neck lamps from Frizzinghall Model Centre



Man kneeling down is from Airfix Luftwaffe Airmen (1980's). Woman and child are from Dapol. Need to repaint the woman - colours seem too bright for rural North England in the 1930's!

Hi Ian.  Excellent layout, good to go by any standards. Nice panel but is it wired in? Or does it have a separate cablemaking it pluggable?    All the best. Kevin

Hi Kevin. Thank you for the comments. The panel is all wired in. Wiring is a mess but this will be reduced when i convert the points to DCC control. 

Good morning folks,
Again, time has lapsed and its already 3 months since I last posted on here. Lots have happened since and the jobs/kit box list just keeps growing and growing.

I am half way through re-building the top left corner of the layout after ripping up the track and adding an extra road to the fiddle yard. It did mean I had to lose the river, Duchess pub and Station Masters house, but I think in the end it will look better. I will build in a 1930's garage/workshop diorama and if space permits, I might be able to squeeze in a blacksmith's forge as well. We will see.

Conversion to full DCC control is complete except a few old loco's to convert. I have utilized 4 x DCC Concepts ADS-8FX Solenoid point control decoders for use with my z21 and Android tablet. I have also re-wired the control panel and the point direction is shown via several LED's. The only annoying fact about the ADS-8FX is the loss of memory when you power off. I believe it has been rectified in the more expensive ADS-8SX model. I use Peco PL-13 and PL-15 switches for the frog polarity and a few DCC 80 Auto-frogs for the hidden sidings (work a treat).

I also heavily modified an old Airfix 4F which I picked up from Ebay for £18. The Brassmasters detailing kit, splashers and other mods cost an additional £50. Even though I could buy a new Hornby/Bachmann model for less, it was learning the art of modifying/improving/kit building and creating something different that to me, is priceless.

I also added a few more details to the loco service area. Here are some pics to chew over.

Thank you
Ian

Hi Ian. Good luck with your magnificent railway, a bit ambitious for me.  Memory loss? I have that problem, I put something down a I forget where I put it. Seriously though I have about a dozen assorted Loco s that are DC . Amongst them one new Hornby A1x Terrier , the rest including two Dapol Pugs, Hornby Pugs , even an ancient tender driven Schools class. Sorry for hijacking your thread but where do I start??    Best wishes.  Kevin

No problem with hijacking! I don't mind at all - I could suggest to DCC Concepts that they need to do something to help the poor old ADS-8FX's develop their grey matter more, but to me, a cheap bolt on modification (under a tenner) would really help those that shelled out several hundred pounds on a poorly designed accessory decoder.

With my conversions I started with my favourite  DCC Ready models (3F, 4F, Black 5, Royal Scot) and then I moved onto my old Mainline Jubilee's (1 of 3). Still have a few more to convert mind so we will see how it goes. In the Jubilee I tender mounted the decoder. Easier than hacking chunks of metal chassis off!

Good luck with your layout!
Ian

So, after the summer heat destroyed some of the track in the left hand side of the layout (i left the window blind open), I have been working hard on re-modelling the area. I wanted to add a road to my hidden siding and change the route of the track, reduce the tightness of the curve and improve the scenics. I have almost completed the re-modelling of the area and now in the detailing stage. I have added a Scalescenes garage/workshop (covered in the Scalescenes area of the forum) as well as re-routed the road. I also re-built the bridge.

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Ian. Good luck with your magnificent railway, a bit ambitious for me.  Memory loss? I have that problem, I put something down a I forget where I put it. Seriously though I have about a dozen assorted Loco s that are DCC . Amongst them one new Hornby A1x Terrier , the rest including two Dapol Pugs, Hornby Pugs , even an ancient tender driven Schools class. Sorry for hijacking your thread but where do I start??    Best wishes Kevin

Hi Ian   Thank you for your reply.  I meant to type Direct Current Locos . That need converting to DCC , if only I could find the inspiration to do them?    Best wishes. Kevin

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Ian. Good luck with your magnificent railway, a bit ambitious for me.  Memory loss? I have that problem, I put something down a I forget where I put it. Seriously though I have about a dozen assorted Loco s that are DCC . Amongst them one new Hornby A1x Terrier , the rest including two Dapol Pugs, Hornby Pugs , even an ancient tender driven Schools class. Sorry for hijacking your thread but where do I start??    Best wishes Kevin

Hi Ian   Thank you for your reply.  I meant to type Direct Current Locos . That need converting to DCC , if only I could find the inspiration to do them?    Best wishes. Kevin

Converting to DCC is not too difficult providing you are willing to take the time to do it. Finding a space inside a small loco to fit a chip, especially a tank loco is the biggest challenge. Once you have overcome that, the rest is just soldering and wiring up the chip and harness. I started with the Peco Railway Modeller guides on DCC Conversion, articles in the modelling press and looking online for hints/tips. Asking a question on this forum in the relevant topic  will generate responses and guides from those that have converted similar locos. Chose the least valuable or least desirable loco you have and make that the one to learn from. Failing that, buy a dirt cheap running loco from Ebay or a show. It wont matter then if you hack it about, or if it fails.

Hi Ian.  Thank you again. I have already asked the questions, several times, it is the inspiration that I am short of.Best wishes. Kevin

Have to agree about the ADS -8fx accesary units , i bought two to control points and LED signals , out of the 16 ways available i managed to get just 1 working , one unit buzzing away ,and the cdu,s too weak to work properly. a waste of money and a lot of time,   Puts me off any other of thier products .

[user=31]sparky[/user] wrote:

Have to agree about the ADS -8fx accesary units , i bought two to control points and LED signals , out of the 16 ways available i managed to get just 1 working , one unit buzzing away ,and the cdu,s too weak to work properly. a waste of money and a lot of time,   Puts me off any other of thier products .

I would feed your problems direct to Richard Johnson rejohnson@dccconcepts.com
Normally they are pretty good on answering and sorting out their products

[user=1801]Passed Driver[/user] wrote:

Hi Ian.  Thank you again. I have already asked the questions, several times, it is the inspiration that I am short of.Best wishes. Kevin

Not sure i can help with inspiration lol? When i get around to converting my next loco i will post pics of the process which will hopefully inspire you. Best wishes and Merry Christmas. Hopefully Father Christmas will bring u either a nice model or bucket of inspiration and motivation