Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Door slightly ajar, hole in roof with the light just illuminating a sinister looking object and leaving it up to the viewer to try and work out what it is.
 

Peter Insole

Western Thunderer
Sorry, I'm going to be serious for a moment...!

I have always felt that a model railway is a bit of theatre: What you are creating is a stage set.

Putting too much detail in the wings can seriously detract from the central performance, and it can make the stage appear small and cramped as well!

If you want to enjoy a view of the station between buildings in the foreground; they will need small areas of fine detail (the sort of thing that you have got already at the other end) to make them look totally convincing, but not so much that it becomes that distraction!

The wharves may be abandoned - but does that necessarily mean they have to be utterly derelict?!

Keep it simple, choose as few "focal points" as possible, and then concentrate the super, super detailing in those areas?!

Hope this helps?

Pete.
 

Stubby47

Western Thunderer
I think Pete's right, but also with 7mm and the length of the layout, each board/scene has the potential to be a separate stage set.As the viewer steps along the layout, each area becomes the 'central' view.

As for what to do with the wharf, if the only reason for detailing is for the very rare occasion of photography, then keep the doors shut with 'danger derelict building' signs on.
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
Having slept on it and considered the above sage advice fully I'm going to go for:
- the roof being intact but somewhat settled with the odd slipped tile
- the doors closed but perhaps in ajar slightly
- no clear view of the interior and roof trusses not modelled
- nothing sinister or toilet related

Onwards...
 

NHY 581

Western Thunderer
Having slept on it and considered the above sage advice fully I'm going to go for:
- the roof being intact but somewhat settled with the odd slipped tile
- the doors closed but perhaps in ajar slightly
- no clear view of the interior and roof trusses not modelled
- nothing sinister or toilet related

Onwards...


That sounds like a plan. With regards to the roof, that sounds like me....'somewhat settled with the odd slipped tile'..........


Rob.
 

Paul Cambridge

Western Thunderer
I think Pete's right, but also with 7mm and the length of the layout, each board/scene has the potential to be a separate stage set.As the viewer steps along the layout, each area becomes the 'central' view.

As for what to do with the wharf, if the only reason for detailing is for the very rare occasion of photography, then keep the doors shut with 'danger derelict building' signs on.

I agree Stu. If you don’t buy the cheap front row seats at the theatre, you can see the whole stage. Model railways, unless they are of the cameo style a la Iain Rice, are very difficult to survey from a single view point. Taking Gordon and Maggie Gravetts’ Pampoul as an example, it sort of fell into two distinct areas, the station, which was simplicity itself and the village street and river scene, which complemented the station. The village could have stood alone as a diorama, but it visually worked well with the station.

My own model, Kelly Bray, is long (15’6”) and thin (1’9”) and it is not possible to view it all at once. So there are several scenes, the engine shed separated by an over bridge from the station area, which falls into two area; at the rear the platform and the back siding. In the front is the long single goods road with cattle dock, traders shed and end loading dock. Each area is a separate mini scene which has its own focus point. The platform became a challenge because it had the small station building and gents loo, and it was too easy to fall in the trap of adding too much. There are only 6 figures on the platform; one porter signalman, two passengers and a family group of 3, with the adults seated and the little boy looking for the trains. Not much else going on really.
 
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