Back To My Childhood(i Never Left It Really)

[Arty]

Like a lot of modellers , as time goes on you drift to larger scales from 00 to 7mm, then maybe to G1, if you really brave ( or mad ) no definitely mad, even to G3. Well I was/am the latter.
Trouble is with all the larger scales, nothing happens quickly. In 7mm I built quite a lot of loco's and stock, the layout became small dockside effort with a Slaters Manning and a Peckett, no room for the big locos.

After spending most of 1 summer and some of the next I had a continous run around the garden -in G1 and got into US narrow gauge as well. all this takes an enormous amount of time before you can play trains.

Then I had a bout of G3, built some wagons, developed a Ruston 48DS kit from Mr Dales artwork,
and made a start on a G3 08.

Trouble is it's such a long time since I have sat down and watched the trains go round ( I think it must have been in the garden about 4 years ago !!!)

So now look what's happened




The plan is to install a "test track" around the workshop on a shelf so I can run my newly aquired DMU, 08 and somewhere under the Christmas tree should be a 9f, to re-create the iron ore trains on the Midland main line of the 60's - pure nostalgia.

I really want a blue pulman set when thay appear and a selection of GREEN diesels (sorry folks)

Regards

Richard

 

[Jordan]

Excellent!! You're joining the new and rapidly-expanding group of "For the Fun of It" Train-set-building Thunderists !!
Stuff the historical accuracy and rivet-counting for a bit - "Let 'em Roll" as they say across The Pond.
After all, if we weren't bothered about our trains moving, we wouldn't bother putting motors in them now, would we..??!!??

The Brass frame behind the OO Class 08 looks to be the bare bones of another 08, but what Scale is it.??? It looks HUGE!!

 

[Phill Dyson]

Hi Richard,

Did you take any pics of your garden railway ?

 

[28ten]

I would say it is a G3 08
I have come to the conclusion that 7mm is a compromise scale , it is too big to easily build a layout (4mm wins here) yet it doesnt have the size appeal of 1/32 or even G3. i'll run for cover now

 

[Arty]

It certainly is G3, what a difference to my little Bachmann baby, I wonder when it will ever be finished ?

Just looking at all the brilliant stuff now available, it's so tempting. I want a 10000 in green, I remember seeing the pair in the sidings at Derby works when I went to the open days with my Dad, and I want a 31 in green, my father in law built them at the Brush.

Ahhhh so many memories .................


Rgds

Richard

 

[Jordan]

I would say it is a G3 08

Ah, yes... if I'd read the OP properly, I'd have seen that as well...

Then I had a bout of G3, built some wagons, developed a Ruston 48DS kit from Mr Dales artwork,
and made a start on a G3 08.

Surely ALL model scales are a compromise one way or another.... we just have models because we can't afford/haven't space for 12"=1ft scale 'models' of our own.....

 

[28ten]

Ah, yes... if I'd read the OP properly, I'd have seen that as well...



Surely ALL model scales are a compromise one way or another.... we just have models because we can't afford/haven't space for 12"=1ft scale 'models' of our own.....

Indeed so. it is a slightly tongue in cheek comment

 

[ceejaydee]

My old sadly departed friend Ken B always used to tell me build in the scales you can see and play trains in OO gauge; as the years go by I can see he was right.

A test track is a great idea Richard...... some of the modern OO offerings are so mouthwateringly good as to be almost irresistible.

The recent OO activity on WT inspired me to get my boxes of Triang/Triang Hornby goodies out for inspection... maybe I'll set up an oval of track over the next couple of days for a play testing

 

[Arty]

Did you take any pics of your garden railway ?

Yes

RT

 

[Phill Dyson]

Thanks for posting those Richard

 

[Arty]

I need to build some more woodwork, lay some track properly to run this lot !

 

[Jordan]

Well you could be allowing for rail expansion in the summer... and that lovely 'clickety-clack' sound of wheels over rail joints will be unmistakable...

 

[Old Buffer]

Nice to see plenty of green stuff instead of the boring BR blue.

 

[John D]

Where's me Peak??.........

 

[ceejaydee]

Is that an Airfix class 31?

 

[Arty]

Where's me Peak??.........

Still in your garage John

 

[Arty]

[Is that an Airfix class 31?[ /QUOTE]

Certainly is - not bad for 20 quid

 

[Arty]

Well, things have moved on and 80% of the boards/shelves are up around the garage.
Just been working my way around and the only bit missing now is the removable bridge section so that I can get in (and out)

 

[Arty]

I have to think about preparing the tops to lay track, so some suggestions would be useful.
I've just put a bit of track down just to show the relative size.

Originally this was going to be a "test track" but whilst moving accumulated junk/treasures around, the old imagination has seriously took hold, so an MPD along the far end , a mainline station along one side and a section of retaining walls, trying to re-create the stretch of Midland Main Line on the final approaches to St Pancras is planted in my mind.

Rgds
Richard

 

[Jordan]

I have to think about preparing the tops to lay track, so some suggestions would be useful.

I note you've used melamine (a.k.a. contiboard) for the baseboards? I used it for my Shunty-Plank "Withyn Reach" as that lives up the shed and I thought the melamine would cope with the climate better than ordinary chipboard or mdf. It seems to have worked as it hasn't warped (flippin' heavy baseboard though!!), but I used hardboard (glued and pinned, rough side UP) for the actual trackbed, and as melamine doesn't take to glues very well I sanded it roughly to 'key' it for scenic areas.
So I'd suggest hardboard sheets on top of your bases, or maybe that thin black foam that I've seen some people use, which helps with sound deadening... no idea what it's called or where to obtain it, though, sorry....

I like the picture of the Rat & Maroon coaches you just can't beat a nice long straight stretch of line for watching the trains go by...