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Lapford station in N gauge.

Iskra

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Amazing shots those! You'd never guess they were N gauge the detailing is that good!
 
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Cowley

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I

I mean it just looks so right doesn't it?

Having a random interloper coach in the rake, and the weathering is perfect given the weather.

Somehow snow seems to make trains grubbier? Go figure... 8-)
I think it’s the light bouncing off the snow maybe? I don’t know but for some reason my trains always look better on his railway!

Amazing shots those! You'd never guess they were N gauge the detailing is that good!
Well that’s really nice of you to say @Iskra. :)
It’s always a bit of a challenge trying to get 00 gauge detailing into a scale this small but I like to think that we all encourage each other to improve our skills on here which is part of the fun of it really.

Speaking of small…
The new nameplates (and plaques!) for my two 47s arrived today from Brian at Shawplan.

23AAFE2A-93F2-43D7-A299-8FEEB099448C.jpeg

They’re really tiny but they make a big difference to the look of a loco compared to transfers.
Some delicate work is going to be required here!

The other bit of good news that I think @hexagon789 will appreciate is that I managed to swap my brand new NSE mk1 RMB for another NSE mk2 TSO which means that my West of England rake of mk2 coaches is up to half a full rake of 8.
Not bad going considering I only had one of the things at Christmas and they’re almost impossible to find…

For the next project (Seatonish Junction) I need:

1 mixed NSE/blue and grey mk2 rake. (currently standing at 1 coach!)
1 full NSE mk2 rake (half completed)
1 full blue and grey mk1 rake (complete)
1 parcels rake (complete)
1 full NSE mk1 rake pinched for summer Saturdays from Old Oak (3 coaches so far)
 

hexagon789

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I think it’s the light bouncing off the snow maybe? I don’t know but for some reason my trains always look better on his railway!
Something like that, yes.

Simple - you'll just have to swap. <:D

The other bit of good news that I think @hexagon789 will appreciate is that I managed to swap my brand new NSE mk1 RMB for another NSE mk2 TSO which means that my West of England rake of mk2 coaches is up to half a full rake of 8.
Oh god, I can see have a certain reputation now. Just because I'm a stickler for following the carriage workings or prototype photos, doesn't mean anyone else has to.

I already have a carriage which doesn't suit my purposes but which will appear as an out-of-region interloper once I can fathom a plausible service. (It's a Mk1 ex-RFO I got for a song from Modelzone about a year before they sold their standalone shops and WHSmith bought them. It cost about £8 and I like it as a coach, not many were built and its not even one of the ScR ones but I don't mind.)

As long as you made a decent swap.

Not bad going considering I only had one of the things at Christmas and they’re almost impossible to find…
Very good going, rather more successful than my efforts with ScotRail Express vehicles. (Tracking down TSOs has proven quite difficult, but I managed to obtain one at a not unreasonable price at MRS last month.)
1 mixed NSE/blue and grey mk2 rake. (currently standing at 1 coach!)
1 full NSE mk2 rake (half completed)
1 full blue and grey mk1 rake (complete)
1 parcels rake (complete)
1 full NSE mk1 rake pinched for summer Saturdays from Old Oak (3 coaches so far)
Some Summer Sats rakes were mixed Mk1/2 as well, though I think the Mk2s in those rakes were mostly Corridor First and Brake Firsts. (If that helps at all.)
 

Gloster

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What years are you modelling?

My recollection is also that Mark II Firsts had gravitated down to otherwise Mark I formations, but even in the early 1980s there were some Mark II (i.e. not Mark IIa/IIb etc.) as well. What is the parcels rake for?
 

Peter C

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Speaking of small…
The new nameplates (and plaques!) for my two 47s arrived today from Brian at Shawplan.

View attachment 111902

They’re really tiny but they make a big difference to the look of a loco compared to transfers.
Some delicate work is going to be required here!

The other bit of good news that I think @hexagon789 will appreciate is that I managed to swap my brand new NSE mk1 RMB for another NSE mk2 TSO which means that my West of England rake of mk2 coaches is up to half a full rake of 8.
Not bad going considering I only had one of the things at Christmas and they’re almost impossible to find…

For the next project (Seatonish Junction) I need:

1 mixed NSE/blue and grey mk2 rake. (currently standing at 1 coach!)
1 full NSE mk2 rake (half completed)
1 full blue and grey mk1 rake (complete)
1 parcels rake (complete)
1 full NSE mk1 rake pinched for summer Saturdays from Old Oak (3 coaches so far)
Now those are just absolutely minuscule! I can't work out how you'd manage to fit them.
Liking the sound of this next project, just going off the coaching stock; I'll need to do some research into Seaton Junction methinks :lol:

-Peter
 

Cowley

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What years are you modelling?

My recollection is also that Mark II Firsts had gravitated down to otherwise Mark I formations, but even in the early 1980s there were some Mark II (i.e. not Mark IIa/IIb etc.) as well. What is the parcels rake for?

Oh I’m a bit stuck in 1987/88 @Gloster (the early sectors era and my teenage years).
So in 1987 the through Brighton services were still 33s on mk1 blue and grey sets and although you were starting to get the full rake of mk2 stock in NSE livery most trains had the odd blue and grey coach still.

The parcels rake is just because I’m a bit obsessed with dirty vans. :)

Now those are just absolutely minuscule! I can't work out how you'd manage to fit them.
Liking the sound of this next project, just going off the coaching stock; I'll need to do some research into Seaton Junction methinks :lol:

-Peter
I’m not going to do them until I’m in the zone!
Edit - I ordered the wrong plates!
I asked for the ones for 47582 County of Norfolk and they should have been the ones for 47581 Great Eastern. :lol::lol:

@hexagon789 - Yes I think I remember the odd mk2 in those Old Oak rakes.
When I was on the last day of an All Line Rover sometime around 1992 I turned up at St David’s on the Sunday morning and found my favourite 47 (47521) sitting with a matching rake of Network Southeast mk1s in platform 6 waiting to take me to Reading. I’d definitely love to recreate that train at some point including that loco.
 
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Cowley

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:lol::lol:

Well it was just to say that I got another one page of Lapford shenanigans in the Railway Modeller this month.

It was about my trick backscene this time but yeah, quite pleased. :)

Backscene:

72B2B878-B62D-4FC0-BADE-E1CE430A041A.jpeg
 

hexagon789

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:lol::lol:

Well it was just to say that I got another one page of Lapford shenanigans in the Railway Modeller this month.

It was about my trick backscene this time but yeah, quite pleased. :)

Backscene:
It's very good, you've got a great feeling of depth in the scene. I think itz the curve in the road, the sloping ground on the left and the trees - taken in conjunction they make it seem more realistic, more alive.

One wee question though - I've tried zooming in to see more clearly but I can't quite discern what the small whitish thing on the bottom left by the road is. Is it a plant, is it a sheep or is it something else entirely?
 

Peter C

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:lol::lol:

Well it was just to say that I got another one page of Lapford shenanigans in the Railway Modeller this month.

It was about my trick backscene this time but yeah, quite pleased. :)

Backscene:

View attachment 113490
Well Mr @Cowley - I assume the next step from here is Hollywood? There must be a big demand for model railways in the film industry. Even if there isn't at the moment, I'm sure the people of Hollywood wouldn't object to you taking over some of their big warehouses to model the Great Western Railway in N gauge? ;)

-Peter
 

hexagon789

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Well Mr @Cowley - I assume the next step from here is Hollywood? There must be a big demand for model railways in the film industry. Even if there isn't at the moment, I'm sure the people of Hollywood wouldn't object to you taking over some of their big warehouses to model the Great Western Railway in N gauge? ;)

-Peter
At least Cowley would have GWR locos on GWR trains! (ITV here's looking at you... :rolleyes:)
 

Cowley

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It's very good, you've got a great feeling of depth in the scene. I think itz the curve in the road, the sloping ground on the left and the trees - taken in conjunction they make it seem more realistic, more alive.
Thanks very much for that Hexagon.

One wee question though - I've tried zooming in to see more clearly but I can't quite discern what the small whitish thing on the bottom left by the road is. Is it a plant, is it a sheep or is it something else entirely?
I just went and had a look but I couldn’t see anything obvious. Maybe I just left something on the grass when I took the photos.
Here’s that general area:

6DF24968-74D7-4D8C-B732-63A130FB2F58.jpeg

If anyone’s reading this and doesn’t know the bit I’m referring to, it’s basically about me making an extra little bit of scenery and backscene so that it looks a bit like the road carries on into the trees:

4F946CAC-A63E-4E39-B011-108BF2242DEC.jpeg

This is what it looks like from behind:

DA417E5E-E381-4A7D-B1CC-B0DE3A639452.jpeg

Well Mr @Cowley - I assume the next step from here is Hollywood? There must be a big demand for model railways in the film industry. Even if there isn't at the moment, I'm sure the people of Hollywood wouldn't object to you taking over some of their big warehouses to model the Great Western Railway in N gauge? ;)

-Peter
Ah it’s all CGI now. My next railway is just going to be a great big green board and you’ll have to imagine the model of Exeter st David’s circa 1975 until I can get Disney to make it…

At least Cowley would have GWR locos on GWR trains! (ITV here's looking at you... :rolleyes:)
And they’d be weathered. Everything has to be weathered. Mmm dirty…
 

TheEdge

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That's some clever work there @Cowley. Always appreciate a decent use of forced perspective on a layout.

And they’d be weathered. Everything has to be weathered. Mmm dirty…

I think you are thinking of a different type of Hollywood studio...
 

hexagon789

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I just went and had a look but I couldn’t see anything obvious. Maybe I just left something on the grass when I took the photos.
Here’s that general area:
Looking at that, I think it's just part of the foliage and plants.
 

Peter C

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Thanks very much for that Hexagon.


I just went and had a look but I couldn’t see anything obvious. Maybe I just left something on the grass when I took the photos.
Here’s that general area:

View attachment 113495

If anyone’s reading this and doesn’t know the bit I’m referring to, it’s basically about me making an extra little bit of scenery and backscene so that it looks a bit like the road carries on into the trees:

View attachment 113494

This is what it looks like from behind:

View attachment 113496
That's a very clever technique. It adds a lot to the scene!

Ah it’s all CGI now. My next railway is just going to be a great big green board and you’ll have to imagine the model of Exeter st David’s circa 1975 until I can get Disney to make it…
Of course - how silly of me. :lol:

-Peter
 

reddragon

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Thanks very much for that Hexagon.


I just went and had a look but I couldn’t see anything obvious. Maybe I just left something on the grass when I took the photos.
Here’s that general area:

View attachment 113495

If anyone’s reading this and doesn’t know the bit I’m referring to, it’s basically about me making an extra little bit of scenery and backscene so that it looks a bit like the road carries on into the trees:

View attachment 113494

This is what it looks like from behind:

View attachment 113496


Ah it’s all CGI now. My next railway is just going to be a great big green board and you’ll have to imagine the model of Exeter st David’s circa 1975 until I can get Disney to make it…


And they’d be weathered. Everything has to be weathered. Mmm dirty…
More excellent views of your railway. I don't think I'll ever get around to it, barely enough time to drive them all each month!
 

Cowley

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More excellent views of your railway. I don't think I'll ever get around to it, barely enough time to drive them all each month!

Thanks @reddragon. Yes you’ve certainly got quite a bit of scenery to do!
Maybe it’s worth just starting on one small area and seeing how it goes?

I posted this on rmweb a couple of weeks ago but I’ll post it here because I was quite pleased with it. Sorry if you’ve seen it already. ;)

9E138550-9F21-4519-B772-A80B1CDB9D55.jpeg
 

TheEdge

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@Cowley thats an impressive shot. A zoom shot that doesn't make trackwork look like an Alton Towers ride is always a good sign of quality.
 

Cowley

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The cut-away section does work really well- great idea; seamlessly executed.

Thanks @Iskra. I think I struggled to get to sleep when that idea came to me just as I was drifting off. ;)

My friend Paul and myself went to the Exeter Gauge 0 Group meeting at Whimple village hall last night.
0 gauge is his side project so I didn’t have anything to bring to the party apart from helping out and chatting to the new people we’d met.
It was a really enjoyable evening and they made us feel very welcome I must say.
They’ve got a railway that they’re tidying up for exhibition purposes and a huge circle (double track 0 gauge and a couple of narrow gauge loops) that gets put together for members to run what they’ve bought with them on.

A few rather big trains here:

Pauls BR blue 25080 getting a chance to stretch its legs:
B7FD1D36-1ED9-4137-80D8-34F9512B2D4C.png

25080 next to Peak D48 which belongs to a lovely chaps (also called Paul) who has an amazing collection of 0 gauge stuff.
Both of these locos are weathered and sound fitted:
2B548397-40D2-4486-91A5-DAA9FB662CF2.jpeg

The other Paul’s (this is getting more confusing than it needs to be. I mean the Paul that myself and Paul first met yesterday) 5 Bel, well two coaches of it anyway:
20C9B92C-E4A3-4083-AB09-6339793FC0A9.jpeg

Beautiful to see running.

And yes, we did all have a pint in the pub afterwards, just to be polite obviously. ;)
 

hexagon789

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Thanks @Iskra. I think I struggled to get to sleep when that idea came to me just as I was drifting off. ;)

My friend Paul and myself went to the Exeter Gauge 0 Group meeting at Whimple village hall last night.
0 gauge is his side project so I didn’t have anything to bring to the party apart from helping out and chatting to the new people we’d met.
It was a really enjoyable evening and they made us feel very welcome I must say.
They’ve got a railway that they’re tidying up for exhibition purposes and a huge circle (double track 0 gauge and a couple of narrow gauge loops) that gets put together for members to run what they’ve bought with them on.

A few rather big trains here:

Pauls BR blue 25080 getting a chance to stretch its legs:
View attachment 114177

25080 next to Peak D48 which belongs to a lovely chaps (also called Paul) who has an amazing collection of 0 gauge stuff.
Both of these locos are weathered and sound fitted:
View attachment 114178

The other Paul’s (this is getting more confusing than it needs to be. I mean the Paul that myself and Paul first met yesterday) 5 Bel, well two coaches of it anyway:
View attachment 114179

Beautiful to see running.

And yes, we did all have a pint in the pub afterwards, just to be polite obviously. ;)
The Peak is lovely. The Headcode has piqued my curiosity - what was 1H18?

I'm more used to 1S68/1M86 on Green with SYP Peaks ;)
 

Cowley

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The Peak is lovely. The Headcode has piqued my curiosity - what was 1H18?

I'm more used to 1S68/1M86 on Green with SYP Peaks ;)

I’m not actually sure? Maybe St Pancras to Derby or something along those lines?
 

Peter C

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Thanks @Iskra. I think I struggled to get to sleep when that idea came to me just as I was drifting off. ;)

My friend Paul and myself went to the Exeter Gauge 0 Group meeting at Whimple village hall last night.
0 gauge is his side project so I didn’t have anything to bring to the party apart from helping out and chatting to the new people we’d met.
It was a really enjoyable evening and they made us feel very welcome I must say.
They’ve got a railway that they’re tidying up for exhibition purposes and a huge circle (double track 0 gauge and a couple of narrow gauge loops) that gets put together for members to run what they’ve bought with them on.

A few rather big trains here:

Pauls BR blue 25080 getting a chance to stretch its legs:
View attachment 114177

25080 next to Peak D48 which belongs to a lovely chaps (also called Paul) who has an amazing collection of 0 gauge stuff.
Both of these locos are weathered and sound fitted:
View attachment 114178

The other Paul’s (this is getting more confusing than it needs to be. I mean the Paul that myself and Paul first met yesterday) 5 Bel, well two coaches of it anyway:
View attachment 114179

Beautiful to see running.

And yes, we did all have a pint in the pub afterwards, just to be polite obviously. ;)
Now that is all very lovely indeed. O gauge being so much bigger than OO (and completely dwarfing N!) gives it so much more presence I think - obviously bigger things will have that but they seem more 'real' somehow. That Brighton Belle is particularly nice ;)

-Peter
 

Cowley

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That Peak does look nice. O gauge stock does usually look amazing to be fair.
It certainly does. The other Paul is bringing his rebuilt West Country Ilfracombe next time so that’ll be nice to see.

Now that is all very lovely indeed. O gauge being so much bigger than OO (and completely dwarfing N!) gives it so much more presence I think - obviously bigger things will have that but they seem more 'real' somehow. That Brighton Belle is particularly nice ;)

-Peter
It was good fun using the actual three link couplings to connect the train up, and when you stop the loco all the sprung wagon buffers squash up. Which is really cool! :lol:

I just wondered... ;)

(1S68/1M86 were the down and up Thames-Clyde respectively)
I just found this photo on the Derby Sulzers website of another Peak with the same headcode:


4453F3F8-9394-4005-A9AC-F2E1022C0B16.jpeg
Photograph collection of webmaster.D109 stands at St Pancras station on July 10th 1961 prior to heading out with a service for Manchester. The Peak is only days out of Crewe Works, from the condition of the paintwork and the very clean roof this is possibly one of D109's first workings.
 

hexagon789

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It certainly does. The other Paul is bringing his rebuilt West Country Ilfracombe next time so that’ll be nice to see.


It was good fun using the actual three link couplings to connect the train up, and when you stop the loco all the sprung wagon buffers squash up. Which is really cool! :lol:


I just found this photo on the Derby Sulzers website of another Peak with the same headcode:


View attachment 114187
Funnily enough, I had an idea in the back of my mind "H" was Manchester but that photo nearly proves we remember strange things at times!

It's not as though I'm a signaller who uses Reporting Numbers day-in, day-out.

Many thanks for digging out the photo, it's a great picture.
 

Peter C

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It was good fun using the actual three link couplings to connect the train up, and when you stop the loco all the sprung wagon buffers squash up. Which is really cool! :lol:
Now that is cool! One step short of a miniature railway. Love it! :D

-Peter
 

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