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Narrow gauge in the UK

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  • Member since
    September 2014
  • 19 posts
Narrow gauge in the UK
Posted by russki on Monday, September 1, 2014 9:16 AM

Hello,

I model in the scale 009. That is 4mm/ft running on N scale track (9mm). May I introduce you first to my layout; County Gate. This is 32ft long and operates automatically using RR&Co software.

Glenthorne Hotel

A Mallet crosses the Viaduct

County Gate station

Glenthorne Harbour

Overall view of layout

and a video can be found here. Almost all is scratch built

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 771 posts
Posted by middleman on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 9:20 AM

Beautiful looking layout! I couldn't find a link to your video,but would love to see more...

Mike

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    September 2003
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Posted by mlehman on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 10:37 AM

I'll agree with Mike...outstanding work!

I'd also like to see the video. However, I'd like to learn more about the prototype(s) you're modeling, etc, too. Impressive!

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: West Australia
  • 2,217 posts
Posted by John Busby on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 11:27 AM

Hi guys

I can tell you its the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway not sure if my spelling is right.

I am not sure when it closed but looking at the locomotives and rollingstock in the pictures

As they say Southern Railway on the side it is more than likely the model period is after the 1923 grouping when the Southern Railway came in to being.

in 1923 the big four the London Midland and Scotish, the London North Eastern Railway and the Southern railway came in to being the last of the big four the Great Western Railway just got bigger.

Hopefully the OP will tell us more about his model and give us a link to the video.

This is a model railway I have heard of  and it's aparently very good by that I mean it will put some of us to shame.

Now take a pinch of salt just in caseBig Smile

regards John

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Posted by russki on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 12:13 PM

Thank you all for those kind words. I do not know what happened to the video but here is the link

http://www.009.cd2.com/rhys_chatham.wm

The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway closed in 1935 but is now being gradually rebuilt. There was a scheme to extend the line to Minehead and my model is a 'what if' and portrays a station on the extension.

There is also an independent branchline to a harbour (Glenthorne Harbour Authority) and here I operate a varied selection of locomotives, many of them semi freelance.

County Gate Locos

L&B locos

Manning Wardles

we have five such locos

188 'Lew'

762 Baldwin 'Lyn'

Freelance locos

666 and 667 Mallets

667 'River Brue'

Norrth British Baltic tank

Armstrong Whitworth duplex diesel electric

Armstrong Whitworth diesel electric

River Avill

we have two railcars of period. Quite potty but huge fun to design

Coupe D'Or

and just one of the Glemthorne locos this time. A freelance colonial type

 

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    September 2014
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Posted by russki on Tuesday, September 2, 2014 12:26 PM

This by the way is the layout on exhibition

 

county Gate

and for light relief you my like this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nTtOOKan-U

 

  • Member since
    April 2012
  • From: Denver, CO
  • 771 posts
Posted by middleman on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 9:37 AM

'Couldn't get the layout link to work,but I did find this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mji9pahrEmE

Beautiful views of the layout,and very informative.

Thanks,

Mike

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • 19 posts
Posted by russki on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 10:13 AM

Sorry about that. Last letter of link somehow dropped.

http://www.009.cd2.com/rhys_chatham.wmv

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Posted by mlehman on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 10:44 AM

middleman
'Couldn't get the layout link to work,but I did find this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mji9pahrEmE

That worked. Thanks, Mike!

Wonderful stuff, just amzing work, done with great restraint and thought given to the creative process. Got no idea if he and his companion call themselves artists or not, but if you follow his narration it is absolutely suffused with art concepts and techniques. Yes, most of it involves visual art techniques, because after all model railroading is a medium that is primarily visual. But it also extends to his discuission of concept, operations, and an interprative portrayal of something that never was, but could have been. Thoroughly convincing, too.

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • 19 posts
Posted by russki on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 11:08 AM

Jenny, my partner and I build these dioramas as 'animated installation art'. You are quite right, we do use accepted composition rules to develop them. It is our intention to immerse the viewer in the scene and we use ambient and train sounds, smell and a VDU that explains what is going on.

While we build the rolling stock with the greatest of care, it is the 'whole' that is important to us.

We never operate the layout manually except for testing and just prefer to watch as the laptop with RR&Co does all of the work!

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Posted by mlehman on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 11:17 PM

russki,

OK, the video is working now. Dramatic stuff! Love it.Bow

I find your use of art and art technique quite effective and perhaps that may make some converts to the the idea art has a role in the hobby. It's a suprisingly controversial topic on this side of the pond.

I found the varied motive power fascinating. Are both of the MU trains diesel? Or is the older steam? And what mechanisms did you use to power them? The shiny newer one reminds of similar streamliners we had on the standard gauge. Nothing really like that on the NG here, but that doesn't mean I can't build one myself.Smile, Wink & Grin

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    September 2014
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Posted by russki on Thursday, September 4, 2014 3:25 AM

Glad you eventually saw the video!

Railway modelling is a broad church and our approach is just a certain avenue. More about our methods is available from a book I wrote last year. 'Scenic Modelling. A guide for railway modellers'. It is published by Crowood and written under my Nom de Plume John de Frayssinet.

My biggest gripe with many new layouts is concerning the height of presentation. 'Eye level' but for who? Many in wheelchairs or little people and children never get to see some layouts at exhibition.

All my railcars depict diesel electric power units using the Sulzer units availabe at that epoch. They are quite ficticious but a number of narrow gauge railcars did have power cars as machinary at that tie was much larger and noisier.

My inspiration come from France. This is a railcar of the period.

I had a relation who worked at Bugatti before the war. He died in Staligrad. He was involved in this deign.

PLM HS railcar

The silver finish was applied by McLaren formula one and is the same paint used on their cars. I hate to think how much it would have cost commercially!

The chassis are varied but are usually 'Lifelike', Bachmann or similar. Any good N scale diesel chassis is used provided it has the power. They have to have 5 pole motors though.

Below is one of the Bachmann power units.

This shows the first class section. Correct materials are used for the epoch.

here, the chrome paint has been applied

My steam engines are mostly based on the Bachmann N scale class 08 shunter using ROCO valve gear that can be purched alone. The Manning Wardles use a highly modified Backwoods chassis. The Bachmann outside frame chassis is excellent and many have now travelled more than ten actual miles! They can be modified into anything; even eight coupled!

This is a photo of the two freelance Mallets. One still under construction. They have a pair of 08 chassis each and are articulated as 'proper' Mallets.Both have now worked over ten actual miles.

666 and 667 under construction

I am most happy to answer any questions but my responses are slow due to moderation at present.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

BRATTON FLEMING

This was a real station on the Lynton and Barnstaple as is modelled during the great snow storm of 1934. Trains ran throughout the night to keep the tracks clear. British snow is wetter than much on continental climates and my work reflects this. It presents both in day and night. Even the fireboxes glow at night.

Bratton Fleming

and 'oops'

Thanks for reading

Ivan (Иван Григорьевич )

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    September 2003
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Posted by mlehman on Thursday, September 4, 2014 10:20 AM

russki
Railway modelling is a broad church and our approach is just a certain avenue.

Ivan,

Amen to that. The more the merrier, too.

Thanks for sharing about various things. Fascinating to view and read.

I model in HOn3, but have found a very nice little chassis in the very modern Liliput Gemeinder Bo-Bo diesel. It's produced in 9 mm gauge, but has conversion wheelsets and contacts available to convert to 12 mm gauge. Since 10.5 mm/HOn3 is right in between, I was easily able to convert it to serve as motive power for my San Juan Zephyr. There's also a quite modern cab-control car, for push pull service, and trailer cars associated with it, all of Austrian prototype. But you've given me a great idea for an articulated train based on hacking that all into something a bit older and even more unusualBig Smile

Your winter scene module is wonderful, too. I particualrly enjoyed the lighting at night, as I dabble in such things also: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/213765.aspx?page=1

 

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

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