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Rod Stewart's massive layout is being moved ... to the U.K.!

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Rod Stewart's massive layout is being moved ... to the U.K.!
Posted by dknelson on Friday, March 5, 2021 11:20 AM
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Posted by mbinsewi on Friday, March 5, 2021 11:36 AM

And hear I thought it always was in England.  Confused

Mike.

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Posted by oldline1 on Friday, March 5, 2021 12:03 PM

Man, what a chore THAT will be! Great layout and singer.

oldline1

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Posted by micktropolis on Friday, March 5, 2021 1:04 PM

There isn't a whole lot of footage of Rod's layout but from the photos and articles I've seen it is very impressive. It's what, 120 by 20 feet or so? I'd be incredibly stressed by the move of all that scenery and equipment...

 

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Posted by wjstix on Friday, March 5, 2021 2:36 PM

Seems to me when MR did the cover story on the layout it said he had an the US-themed layout in his Los Angeles home, and a British (I assume OO) layout in his home in Britain?

Stix
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Posted by KitbashOn30 on Friday, March 5, 2021 3:52 PM

dknelson
Just saw this on the always reliable internet

Well, if the internet isn't a reliable enough source there is The Daily Mail ...

... on the internet ...

"The impeccably detailed model railway, considered a masterpiece among enthusiasts, has taken decades to build and lived in the attic of the singer's Los Angeles home. 

Back in October, Rod spoke of how his beloved set would  be dismantled for the journey and will be painstakingly put back together in his mansion in Sheering by the veteran singer and a team of craftsmen and women.

  'I am moving my model railroad from America over to here,' confirmed Sir Rod, who says his interest in model railways goes back to his childhood in North London.

'It is all because my dad bought me a signal box and I was born across the railway tracks in Highgate,' he adds."

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9324803/Rod-Stewart-charters-seven-shipping-containers-bring-model-railway-UK.html

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Posted by gmpullman on Friday, March 5, 2021 4:51 PM

Anyone in the entertainment business is familiar with transporting huge stage scenery and equipment.

Years ago this transport was handled by the railroads with specially outfitted baggage cars with end doors and wide side doors. The PRR even had cars named for famous thespians.

I'm sure Sir Stewart can make a few calls and get some competent stage hands and transport specialists on site. He'll probably lease an overseas container or two for the task.

Regards, Ed

 

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Posted by maxman on Friday, March 5, 2021 5:31 PM

micktropolis
I'd be incredibly stressed by the move of all that scenery and equipment...

The amount of stress incurred to perform a task is indirectly proportional to the amount of funds available to perform said task.

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Posted by The Milwaukee Road Warrior on Friday, March 5, 2021 7:32 PM

Ha!  Taxes in California have finally risen to the point where its cheaper for Rod to return to England and pay their taxes!  Big Smile  

Let that sink in for a moment...

Andy

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Friday, March 5, 2021 9:13 PM

The Milwaukee Road Warrior

Ha!  Taxes in California have finally risen to the point where its cheaper for Rod to return to England and pay their taxes!  Big Smile  

Let that sink in for a moment...

Welcome to the party Sleep

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Saturday, March 6, 2021 9:52 AM

Well I wish Rod the best in his move. While I never met him, I do know several of the people who helped him with his layout. The guy who did my custom circuit boards for my Cab Selection circuit also did Rod's signals and other electronics.

It really is a small world.

And I do have most of his records, yes vinyl records.

Sheldon

    

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Posted by pwaka88 on Saturday, March 6, 2021 10:14 AM

wjstix

Seems to me when MR did the cover story on the layout it said he had an the US-themed layout in his Los Angeles home, and a British (I assume OO) layout in his home in Britain?

That is how I remember it as well. 

Wish he would film the entire process are taking it down, shipping it and putting it back together! Other then the articles throughout the years, I haven't seen any video of the layout. He must have his reasons. 

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Posted by pwaka88 on Saturday, March 6, 2021 10:21 AM

micktropolis

There isn't a whole lot of footage of Rod's layout but from the photos and articles I've seen it is very impressive. It's what, 120 by 20 feet or so? I'd be incredibly stressed by the move of all that scenery and equipment...

 

 

I think a large chunk of it is the staging yard? Still a massive task to move it all. 

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Posted by BATMAN on Saturday, March 6, 2021 11:07 AM

The Milwaukee Road Warrior

Ha!  Taxes in California have finally risen to the point where its cheaper for Rod to return to England and pay their taxes!  Big Smile  

Let that sink in for a moment...

 

He actually said he was moving back home to be closer to his kids and other family members. I have several friends and family that have done the same. 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, March 6, 2021 1:09 PM

Sir Rod is 76 years old.  I was wondering if he's cutting back on touring.

Depending on whether the layout was built for dissembly and reassembly, this could be either a huge undertaking  or a pretty simple job.  Having recently taken apart a layout and moved to a smaller house with a smaller trainroom, I can sympathize with him.

When I sold the previous house, the real estate brokers all said to remove the layout before even trying to sell.  If he's unloading the property, he's got to do this first.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by rrinker on Saturday, March 6, 2021 1:33 PM

 With the way things have been the past year, I doubt his Vegas residency has been very lucrative. I saw hime a few years ago locally, great show, but as he is getting closer to 8-0 than 70, I suspect spending time near his family is taking priority over a questionable ability to put on live shows, both for himself as well as events beyond his control. 

 Obviously he is not giving up his hobby, or even considering starting over.

                                 --Randy

 


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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Saturday, March 6, 2021 1:34 PM

MisterBeasley

Sir Rod is 76 years old.  I was wondering if he's cutting back on touring.

Depending on whether the layout was built for dissembly and reassembly, this could be either a huge undertaking  or a pretty simple job.  Having recently taken apart a layout and moved to a smaller house with a smaller trainroom, I can sympathize with him.

When I sold the previous house, the real estate brokers all said to remove the layout before even trying to sell.  If he's unloading the property, he's got to do this first.

 

I removed my old layout before selling the house. That was just one of many reasons it was necessary for us to buy our next house, move, then put the old house on the market.

That process took 2 years from the time we bought the next one and sold the old one.

Now the new layout is about to get started.

Sheldon 

    

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Posted by nycmodel on Saturday, March 6, 2021 2:33 PM

The Milwaukee Road Warrior

Ha!  Taxes in California have finally risen to the point where its cheaper for Rod to return to England and pay their taxes!  Big Smile  

 

And yet England has universal healthcare! Let that sink in for a moment...

Let that sink in for a moment...

 

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Saturday, March 6, 2021 3:56 PM

The Milwaukee Road Warrior

Ha!  Taxes in California have finally risen to the point where its cheaper for Rod to return to England and pay their taxes!  Big Smile  

Let that sink in for a moment...

 

Assumes facts not in evidence and has nothing to do with the topic.

And has already taken this thread in a bad direction.

Sheldon

 

    

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Posted by hon30critter on Saturday, March 6, 2021 4:03 PM

pwaka88
Wish he would film the entire process are taking it down, shipping it and putting it back together!

That would be a very interesting documentory.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by ATLANTIC CENTRAL on Saturday, March 6, 2021 4:04 PM

Lastspikemike

Universal publicly funded health care is cheaper than private enterprise health care for reasons pretty specific to health care. Universal publicly funded education is also cheaper than private enterprise education for similar reasons. A significant reason is the low natural demand to be treated by a doctor or educated by a teacher.

Both services  involve distant horizon and  long term significant capitalization, like roads do, airports, and, yes, railroads. The demand for health care is also inverse to wealth creation. The more demand there is the less well off the society is. Education requires essentially equal investment in each student with very uneven and generally unpredictable returns. Some very poor students deliver spectacular returns on investment: Einstein and Steve Jobs are just two pretty fine examples of this phenomenon.

 Rates of return are also very hard to calculate accurately. Certainly the capital value of a healthy and well educated work force is very, very high.

 

Despite my otherwise very conservative views, I am very inclined to agree, at least in theory. Application, or should we say transition, regarding health care has a few practical problems to be worked out.

Education is a no brainer, maybe we will wake up soon. 

And how did we go to sleep regarding the power company and the phone company?

Airports and railroads, pretty unfair that one is one way and the other is the other way.......

Henry George had lots of similar good ideas about the proper blending of capitalism and public responsiblity.

But all of this is off topic........

Sheldon

    

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Posted by The Milwaukee Road Warrior on Saturday, March 6, 2021 7:05 PM

ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 

 
The Milwaukee Road Warrior

Ha!  Taxes in California have finally risen to the point where its cheaper for Rod to return to England and pay their taxes!  Big Smile  

Let that sink in for a moment...

 

 

 

Assumes facts not in evidence and has nothing to do with the topic.

And has already taken this thread in a bad direction.

Sheldon

 

 

Everyone take a breath.  It was just a tongue-in-cheek comment on what is generally acknowledged to be high taxation in California Wink

Andy

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Posted by rrebell on Monday, March 8, 2021 12:08 PM

The Milwaukee Road Warrior

 

 
ATLANTIC CENTRAL

 

 
The Milwaukee Road Warrior

Ha!  Taxes in California have finally risen to the point where its cheaper for Rod to return to England and pay their taxes!  Big Smile  

Let that sink in for a moment...

 

 

 

Assumes facts not in evidence and has nothing to do with the topic.

And has already taken this thread in a bad direction.

Sheldon

 

 

 

 

Everyone take a breath.  It was just a tongue-in-cheek comment on what is generally acknowledged to be high taxation in California Wink

 

Accually, not so much unless you make the big bucks. Taxes like everything else has to be managed. 

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Posted by wjstix on Monday, March 8, 2021 1:33 PM

It would have been nice to see a DVD made of Sir Rod's layout, like the old Allen Keller "Great Model Railroads" videos or the one Pentrex did on Allen McClelland's V&O, before it was dismantled.

Stix
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Posted by mattyjoe on Friday, March 19, 2021 1:50 PM

maxman
The amount of stress incurred to perform a task is indirectly proportional to the amount of funds available to perform said task.

Not really. No matter how much money you have to throw at something, you always have to worry about people being careless and breaking something. Happens all the time, no matter how reputable the people you hired are.

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Friday, March 19, 2021 1:53 PM

I imagine most of the buildings and above ground things will be packed carefully in tissue and whatever and in crates.  But yeah, it's going to be major to move it all and get it rebuilt back across the pond.

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Posted by speedybee on Friday, March 19, 2021 9:15 PM

Lastspikemike
Some very poor students deliver spectacular returns on investment: Einstein and Steve Jobs are just two pretty fine examples of this phenomenon.

IIRC the "Einstein was a poor student" rumor is completely false. He actually performed very well at school.

I mention this, off topic though it is, because I've heard this false myth spread before, so I feel obliged to help quash it.

I don't know anything about Steve Jobs.

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