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Working on the Ivor layout

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Posted by rtraincollector on Friday, March 15, 2013 5:57 PM

Looking good doug yeah we now have elephantsSmile

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Posted by cnw1995 on Friday, March 15, 2013 1:24 PM

Unfortunately, Jack, I can't run anything under the layout because it is just the indoor/outdoor carpet, then 1 and 1/2 inch of foam board, then the radon covers.  So all the wires are coming out of the buildings in the back and I've covered them with a green towel as sort of a hill, then they're plugged into an extension cord which I hide in a run up to the front of the layout where it runs back to the main power cord. So nothing's buried.

I found some elephants today at Michaels- most have been too small or too expensive. These are related to some adventures with Ivor and Charlie Banger's Circus which winters along Ivor's route.    

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by RockIsland52 on Friday, February 22, 2013 11:29 AM

Doug......I am a sucker for your lighted buildings.  This nearly got me in trouble with the Christmas layout.  After we (I) hooked up her lighted Christmas village pieces, I took out my wife's Thomas Kincade buildings (from the china cabinet, AA battery powered) and she almost went berserk, apparently feeling they were too delicate for the floor layout with grandkids and the dog.  Go figure.  Anywho, did you run the wires for yours under the layout?  Are the pieces in the back corner all lighted too?  You certainly have a lot of valuable real estate to work with. Thumbs Up

Jack

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, February 18, 2013 9:34 AM

Worked over the weekend on adding a few lights to Grumbly Town, and added to Llaniog all the ceramic buildings and accessories taken from Grumbly and combined with trees removed from around Ivor's shed, 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 8:54 AM

Doug, I know what you mean. For me it comes as the extra money does and that has been slow as of late. Right now I am at a stop in progress for more elect to power up the addition and landscaping supplies to build the hills.   Looking good and nice to have real-estate to work with. It is all about imagination.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by cnw1995 on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 8:17 AM

Thanks for the kind words.

Kev
, it is only 'sunny' at the front of the layout. In my imagination, in the 'top left-hand corner of Wales' where this layout is set, it is often gloomy.  Big Smile  But it is too dark back there. I plan to add a few lights.

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

KRM
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Posted by KRM on Monday, February 11, 2013 1:29 PM

Doug,

 Looking good! Yes

 I don't know if it my old PC but it looks like the sun don't shine in Grumbly Town. Hmm

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by MichRR714 on Monday, February 11, 2013 8:26 AM

Looking good Doug ! Thumbs Up

Charlie a.k.a. MichiganRailRoad714 (Charter Member TTC)      

 

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Posted by Hudson#685 on Monday, February 11, 2013 8:24 AM

Doug,

This is really shaping up. Cool!

 

John

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, February 11, 2013 8:21 AM

And Grumbly after. Gasworks now as you enter town... I may add a few lights back there again. 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, February 11, 2013 8:20 AM

I got the inspiration this weekend to work on Grumbly Town to highlight one of Ivor's customers, Grumbly Gasworks, and free up some buildings to expand Llaniog beyond Dai's station. So this is Grumby 'before'... 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 10:12 AM

Some folks have asked me offline about the inspiration for Ivor. Here's a nice map that is part of a website with some more history about the show. The map gave me a physical sense for the different 'stops' on the layout: http://www.smallfilms.co.uk/ivor/map.htm

Ivor's shed, water column and Owen the Signal's box and semaphore.
Llaniog station, home of Dai Station, with a siding to hold trucks and vans.
Pugh's Pit, where Ivor can pick up coal to transport to the gasworks in Grumbly Town.
Mrs. Porty's mansion, where Ivor drops off her new hats and visits Bluebell.
Mr. Dinwiddy's mine, where Ivor drops off his new boots and moves his gold.
Smoke Hill, where Ivor helps the dragons.
Grumbly Town. location of the gasworks (large coffee cans), various businesses taking deliveries (fish, tomatos, a weaver's loom...), and the Grumby and District Choral Society practices.
Portmadog Shed - I have to look up the real name of the shed where Ivor was supposed to be banished to shunt when the line was in danger of being sold to the 'Welsh National' but for now, I like the sound of this location, and finally,
Pugh's Farm, where Ivor brings equipment, supplies and animals and takes away produce
 
I'll be looking to add some visual aids to different episodes, like the recently acquired 1923 Mack fire engine (from a timetable in an online app, I am guessing Ivor could be set around the early 1920s, or more likely closer to the time of the episodes, in the late 1950s.)  I've added a skywriting airplane from Charlie Banger's Circus. I'll look for some elephants from said circus which feature in several episodes, as well as the steam crane and Juggernaut, the latter a Galloping Goose-like replacement for Ivor while he was away with the circus... 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 8:39 AM

It looks great Kev!

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by KRM on Monday, January 21, 2013 2:28 PM

Coming right along Doug, Nice.

 I have been putzing around on my addition today, I need to add a light or 2 overhead and add an elect drop to feed power to the new side.

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Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 1:48 PM

Thank you, Bo! I am fortunate to have an 29 ft by 11 ft raised crawlspace to play with - it is rock filled, then sealed against radon and covered with many 4x8 foam boards, then the indoor outdoor carpet from Lowes. I can't do anything 'below' the layout...Look closely - there's a Dalek lurking by Ivor's shed. Big Smile

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by railhead53 on Monday, January 21, 2013 10:01 AM

Hi Doug,

I've not seen this thread before.  Very impressive!  I saw the Tardis on top of the shed, nice touch!   You've got a very large space in which to work.   Quite an undertaking! 

I'll be back to see the progress.  Bo  Smile

 

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:52 AM

Looking the other way... the CV80 powers the layout.

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:51 AM

View from one corner of the layout. The R transformer powers the AF coal elevator and an old Soundmaster  box that gives Ivor a chuff.

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:49 AM

Pugh's farm... 
  

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:48 AM

Trying to represent skywriting from the airplane of Charlie Banger's Circus. 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:39 AM

Running past Portmadog Road shed. 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:34 AM

Grumbly Town looks peaceful tonight. Perfect for choir practice.
  

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:34 AM

Visiting the dragons at Smoke Hill... 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:32 AM

Ivor reminded me I forgot to show off the new fire apparatus in Llaniog.
  

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:32 AM

Dropping off a new pair of boots for Mr Dinwiddy at his gold mine. 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:29 AM

Visiting Mrs. Porty (who owns the Railway) and Ivor's friend Bluebell the donkey. 

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:28 AM

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:28 AM

Next stop, Pugh's Fuels...

  

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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Posted by cnw1995 on Monday, January 21, 2013 9:25 AM

Waiting for the signal (in the background is a nice towel for the layout cat to rest), and pulling into Llaniog.
  

Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.

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