Robert, the pictures of your layout give me so much inspiration, but also tell me that I could never acheive that level of realism! The last picture is especially good, with the seamless blend between model and backdrop looking almost like a prototype picture. *sigh*
Greg, that F unit will look great when complete! There is something about the larger scales which gives them a presence. The grilles look good, etches? Also I see the engineer is sitting there ready to go, so you had better hurry and get his locomotive finished
This weekend I put together a couple of KCS boxcars. I see them go by on the UP line by my workplace, and half of the time I see them, they're open & empty. So I decided to model a couple with doors open on one side and closed on the other. I started with Acurail cars. They weren't undecorated, but they didn't have many markings on them, so they were great because I didn't have to paint the cars. I added the KCS decals (although I don't think the numbers I gave the cars are prototypically correct) and painted the inside with a light gray mix. Then I added the scrape marks with brownish paint and a very small brush. I still have to weather the outside of the cars a bit, but that'll happen later.
A good idea to leave a door open and "distress" the inside walls! Would never have thought of doing that
Here are a few pictures of work in progress to our extension to Westford. Westford is a 51 foot long by 3 foot wide exhibition layout and has been on the UK exhibition circuit for about 5 years now. Recently we decided to add an 8 foot section to add a little more operational interest to the country section at the fiddle yard end of the layout. More details about Westford can be found on our Website at: http://www.westfordmodellers.co.uk Below is Gary busy building a point (turnout or switch, take your pick ) Below is a closer view of the above point/turnout/switch. Below is a view the other way. At this time we had the adjoining board attached so that we could get the rail ends aligned. Below is a close up of the road under bridge. And last of all, here is a picture of our latest addition to the loco fleet. She is 4911 Bowden Hall. The model is built from a DJH white metal and etched brass kit. The real Bowden Hall was unfortunately scrapped soon after WW2 having taken a direct hit from a German bomb! Just my luck that the only English loco to carry my name didn't make it into British Railways, the only one of her class not to do so! I am preparing a page for the website on the building of the extension, and will post more pictures there as things progress. Terry Bowden Westford Modellers Group www.westfordmodellers.co.uk
Dave, love the interior on them boxcars, really nice work... Terry, I look forward to seeing the even longer version of Westford at a show in future! What is going to be on the new section, if you are putting pointwork in? Is there going to be a branch junction there or something? This is what I was working on this afternoon after picking it up from my local model shop... It's Bachmann's rendition of the English Electric type 3, or BR Class 37 as they are known more recently. This is in British OO scale (1/76th). They haven't quite got the shape right, but it's a lot nicer looking (and running!) than the previous versions by Hornby and Lima in my opinion. (And there are a lot of opinions floating around about these at the moment!)
Hi martyn, Yes you are quite right, it will be a branch junction. This will give a little more purpose to the branch trains and hopefully add to the realism. Here is another pic of the junction The grey area between the rails of the point/turnout etc is the dust formed by the grind wheel that I used to cut the insulation gaps in the copper clad paxolin sleepers/ties. The next show for Westford is at Southwold in August, nothing local planned this year, I'm afraid. (so far!) Nice close up of the class 37, bit modern for us, but may be someday? Regards Terry Westford Modellers Group www.westfordmodellers.co.uk
Interesting looking extension Terry. Will we be having the pleasure of seeing the enlarged layout at Spalding exhibition in the future? Will the branch line go to a seperate fiddle yard?
Lots of nice pictures here everybody. I get lots of Ideas from them, and I have a file of neat detail ideas that I have collected over the years. Whenever I see something neat, I open notepad and jot it down. Those Boxcar Interiors are an example to the neat things I have added to my Detail Ideas file. I actually only have 3 Structures glued down on my layout so far. Mostly I fake everyone out by moving some of the structures and taking pictures. That way I get a feel for where they look best. I have photos on my site of the layout in all it's bare glory if you are interested. I really enjoy these picture posts, keep up the great job folks!
Hey Robert (Pray59), Is their a chance I can post a request for a picture to show the roundhouse an turntable???? I wouldn't mind having a closer look of it! like the first picture you posted. Ya got my interests! I'm hell for service facilities so.... If at all please post one of that secontion, I could use the insparation from it to get some of my service facility done or even completed!
All these pictures are Excellent! I cant wait to share some of my own modeling, i dont have any pics yet, i dont have a very good camera either, but i'll take some pics soon!
Hi Alan, We will have to wait and see if we get invited to Spalding again! Probably won't be for a year or two. The branch will run on to a seperate fiddle yard board hung on the back of the layout, it wil have three or four tracks for the branch trains and a long track for freight or excursion trains. The junction will be fully signalled with working semaphores (as is the rest of the layout) and the points and track sections will be interlocked with the signals so that conflicting train movements are avoided. All the best Terry Westford Modellers Group
