4mm Morfa - The race is run.

[Neil]

Thanks to the appearance of the garage at Llanrug (the inspiration for Jones Motors, Morfa) in NG&IRM and a discussion on the narrow gauge forum, I was directed to this fascinating piece about the establishment, illustrated by some fabulous photos.

 

[Muddysblues]

Very atmospheric Neil, thanks for that link ... and I can sleep easier tonight, I thought my garage was a mess !!!!

Craig
(Pwllheli)

 

[Simon Glidewell]

Fab work Neil. The backscene is especially effective.

 

[Neil]

Browsing my favourite blog at 'the other place' turned up a version of my background trees which can be used for foreground specimens as well. It does depend a little on the management of viewing angles but it has created some fantastic woodland.

 

[Simon]

That is one of the most effective and interesting approaches to a model railway that I've ever seen, really inspiring in terms of how much can be achieved without having lots of anything to work with.

Simon

 

[Neil]

With a spare hour and materials to hand I've extended the landmass from Morfa up the bridge over the Mawddach Bach.



It's been a two pronged approach deploying some not terribly carefully sculpted corrugated card for the salt marsh part followed by more of the ubiquitous sticky balls.


I couldn't resist plonking a train down.


A few moments earlier looking up river.



You might have noticed from the last shot that the blue background that previously was fixed to the wall across the way has gone. If you could wander round the room you would also notice that it was unnaturally tidy; there is a reason for this. Jan (Mrs R) and I have come to the conclusion that we need to downsize from the cold crumbling money pit we currently inhabit to something warmer and more modest. The estate agents have been instructed, photos have been taken and the chapel and cottages now appear on their website. Herculean efforts were made to make everything look ship shape for the snaps and it makes sense to try and keep it that way. A new tidy discipline has descended where I clear up one thing before starting another.

I'm fairly resigned to the fact that Morfa won't exist for much longer, there are many things I will miss far more when we move, so it won't be a huge wrench. However I have a fighting chance of roughing in a little more scenery so it seems a shame not to. There'll be nothing of any great finesse but I might get some broad brush stuff in.

 

[Neil]

This morning, three boxes of pound shop polyfiller, a splodge of pva and a drop of brown acrylic paint later.




Once I've spread out the dyed sheet it'll be time to try out a new scenic material.

 

[Dikitriki]

You have an unfortunate fold in the packet that seems to elide the first 2 letters of clumping

 

[oldravendale]

Well determined, Richard. Non dumping cat litter seems to be a particularly pointless product!!

Brian

 

[Jordan]

yes I saw that too!!

Seems such a shame that Morfa is to be no more - is there no chance of salvage? I suspect not, such is the nature of 'permanent'/home layouts. I survived a recent "I want to move house" scare from my SWMBO. Must admit that while it was a possibility I didn't touch my loft layout, just worked on stock. I really admire your press on attitude, Neil, as I have some idea how gut-wrenching it must be to have to dismantle such a great layout as this.

 

[chrisb]

...I'm fairly resigned to the fact that Morfa won't exist for much longer...

Neil, that's very sad news, I've so enjoyed watching your wonderfully atmospheric layout progress.

But keep positive, you'll have to dismantle Morfa to move and I suspect you'll find that permanent baseboards can be cut in such a way as to preserve at least some sections virtually intact. With luck your new home will have a loft or a basement or some space somewhere to allow you to resurrect Morfa at least in part.

Chris

 

[Neil]

Many thanks for your support chaps, it's much appreciated but I'm ok about the prospect of losing Morfa and starting relatively afresh. I had wondered if it might be possible to cut out and keep the station section, but I ran the tape measure over it and I'd be left with an 8' x 8' L shape to manoeuvre out of the door, round and down the stairs, through the kitchen, out onto the terrace, down the outside steps and into a van. I'm also not sure how structurally sound the baseboard would be with the legs cut off. I think it might be a bit more wobbly than it at present looks. I think that the best I can do is to save the buildings, treasure the memory and be thankful for all the fun I've had building it and sharing it with my friends.

As you may have gathered from distractions I have many other itches to scratch. Look forward, don't dwell on the past.

 

[Neil]

My first attempt with the cat litter didn't go too well, the saving grace being the ease with which it scraped away. I'm far happier with the second go.







Whilst faffing about with the embankment leading to the bridge I've also fiddled with the station area, in particular the disused Dolgellau trackbed and platform.



I'm not sure how much more I'm going to do. I'm acutely aware that the axe will have to fall sometime soon and there's conflict between not wanting to invest too much into the layout and the desire to get a glimpse of how it may have turned out if circumstances had been different. I might just have reached the best compromise.

 

[Scale7JB]

Very sad news as others have said.

As an abiding memory, do you know anyone that has a decent SLR camera that can shoot video? A nice 10 or 15 minute video would be lovely..!

JB.

 

[br2975]

As one door closes..........

Imagine your glass is half full Neil.

Brian R

 

[Neil]

Well the race wasn't quite over. I had some spare stuff and spare time today so stuck down more of the green sheeting towards the Abertafol curve and tarted up the embankment a bit. I've documented it in the form of a journey south, late afternoon into autumn evening, following a short engineers train heading back towards Machynlleth.

 

[PMP]

One benefit you've got is for a short while you can try anything, in the knowledge that if it goes pear shaped it doesn't matter. Nothing to lose and knowledge to gain, a nice place to be in.

 

[steve1]

Hope all goes well for future projects Neil.

Good luck with the move when it comes.

steve

 

[dibateg]

I have always admired your backscene Neil - I'm sure you will go on to a new project - good luck with the eventual move!

Tony

 

[Ei-Turkey]

Yeah, good luck with the move, I understand your difficulty with salvaging parts of your layout, 11 years ago when we moved to the present Turkeytowers, the movers tried extra hard when moving my sons small self contained 'N' gauge layout, but despite their best efforts, one building survived.