7mm Scratchy Bottom/Lowick back from the dead.

[Marc Dobson]

It started as a light railway and was decorated accordingly. It's morphed into what it currently is. The grass is due to be trimmed back on the track shortly. Having said that most people don't know or care.
Marc

 

[Marc Dobson]

Well that an other show over. My thanks to Phil and his team at Workington for another great effort. Special thanks to Stewart Bass who had a go at running the layout when I needed a brake and help me pack up last night.



It became very obvious over this weekend that the layout is to big for me to operate on my own and as the operators who said they were going to help didn't appear I'm not sure I can do another show with only me operating. So I think I will put the layout up for sale and if that doesn't happen I will see what I can salvage and put to good use. I have a confirmed show booking for next April for the North West O gauge show and after that if it hasn't found a new home it will be dismantled. So any reasonable offers will be considered.



Marc

 

[David Hall]

Marc,

Always admired this layout, so it's a shame you're going to have to part ways. I love the relatively simple design but that it is so atmospheric. You've done a grand job in capturing that rundown backwater setting and context.

Hopefully you get some interest. You certainly should given. Sadly layouts very rarely seem to go for value which the materials and time invested in construction would justify.

I take it there is no option to shorten it to make it more manageable for you?

 

[Marc Dobson]

With no takers for the layout I have decided to recycle what I can and make two smaller layouts. Not sure what I'm going to do yet but I have 5 LBSCR terrier's and a lot of LBSCR stock so there might be something of a focus for one and I have a lot of GER (W&UT) stock in S7 so that might be the other one.
Marc

 

[Marc Dobson]

Just found this as I went to check out some of my stock.

The LBSC ballest wagons have disinterested. A closer look at the solebar show a complete material failure.

A bit gutted as they took an age to bring them up standard and I only ran the twice.

 

[Marc Dobson]

Due to my latest S7 project not going to plan and not being anywhere near being running I started to panic. I'm thankful that I didn't get round to scrapping the layout.
My intention is to take the centre two boards and turn them into a stand alone shunting puzzle which will at Workington show next month.

 

[Marc Dobson]

This is the starting point.

 

[Marc Dobson]

The company owned track has now been re-ballasted to LBSCR/NSWGR practice circ 1880-1890. It changes the character of the layout.
The industrial line has had the static grass treatment and now looks even more neglected
Next job is to put some 2.5mm grass around the tufts on the front

 

[Marc Dobson]

Should I keep the platform, put in a longer one or loose it all together?

 

[paulc]

Should I keep the platform, put in a longer one or loose it all together?View attachment 200924

Nothing says anything has to stop there and it adds interest even if it becomes an abandoned station .

 

[Marc Dobson]

It has been suggested, elsewhere, that it needs to be a little longer and have a ramp at both ends?

 

[SandyBrook]

I would have said yes to the two ramps ( as there’s a chance of bi-directional running) and no rails on the track side of the ramp. I always understood that ramps were there so that if you were running to catch a train you didn’t fall over the end or crash into a barrier. But I’ve seen a comment that very recent rebuilds can have a gate and steps so take your pick ( this is apparently so that passengers who may have to detain trackside can get back on to a platform

 

[Marc Dobson]

A few photos from today at Workington show with the revamped layout.

 

[Marc Dobson]

Hopefully after Christmas I will be revamping the other two scenic boards and turning one of the traversers into a run round.
Then hopefully it might get an outing towards the end of next year.