[matto]

What layouts stick in your minds as masterpieces/icons that inspired you to model and try and replicate?

For me there are 3 that really stick in my mind as perfection,2 from about 30 years ago when i was just about to turn a teenager and i still have the magazines that they featured in and still look at them in awe,these were in the railway modeller in 1980.

Borchester Market,a 4mm layout based on a small city terminus in the north midlands with a distinct great central/eastern region flavour.

Ashmelton,a small N gauge layout of a small country through station on a branchline in LMS days.

And finally from the mid 1990's Nether Stowey by the late great Andy Calvert,a GWR branch terminus based in Somerset in N gauge.

For me,these 3 layouts are just total perfection.

So what layouts stand out for you?

 

[FUNGUS]

Harlem Steel by Allan Downes (MR134 August 2009) an amazing portrait in recyled kits and scrap. There is all sorts in there, Aerosol tin caps, copper pipe fittings, old sprues from kits. Amazing.

 

[BobB]

C J F's Minories does it for me.

It started as a plan which was wonderful. Then over the years people have used it either as an accurate copy or with variations that build upon the essential theme.

My insperation is the thought that I can do it as well and in some cases better than the layouts that I've seen in the magazines.

I could have done Minories in the space I have at home with a fiddle yard of some kind attached. Trouble is I don't like fiddle yards and all the messing about to make a train re-appear. At the club, I have to build a reversing triangle module which will give me a twin track feed into a terminus station. Guess what the terminus station will look like !!!!!

 

[TidzaBoy]

for me, I thought the layout called 'TupDale' shown in Model Rail was superb, built by Andy Mcmillan I think, for a very lucky customer..... but it fitted so many good things in a small ( reasonably) space.... brilliant.... its what got me modelling in my garden shed ( tho' to a much lower standard!)
joe

 

[11B]

As a child, I always wanted to copy Furness Model Railway Clubs Boldon Junction. Just short of one or two things....
1)- Time
2)- Money
3)- Skill
4)- Room

Should I go on

But whilst I could not replicate it, it has given me insperation

Ian

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** There are many that I consider inspirational - for US modelling the Franklin and South Manchester MRR and for UK the budding Birmingham New Street, Pendon and several others...

But:

Thinking about it the two that really sit in my mind are a strange choice when my modelling preference is considered: I model in 4mm scale, with most things kit or scratchbuilt these days - but both of them are 2mm finescale.... Chee Tor and Copenhagen Fields.

They win (as do the 3 larger scale layouts mentioned) for me because of their embracing of the environment the trains pass through, the quality balance of the overall layout and the absolute capturing of the theme in a way that makes scale irrelevant, as both photograph so well that the scale is in reality pretty well unidentifyable. Add to that the knowledge of just how much focussed skill and research it has taken to make the layout, trackwork and each bit of 2mm finescale motive power and every wagon, and I take my hat off to everyone who added anything to those layouts in any way.

There's a video of Cheer Tor at

- (you will see what I mean about "embracing the environment") and I'm sure there's no shortage of the more recent copenhagen fields on-line to see if anyone is interested.

kind regards

Richard

 

[Guest]

QUOTE (matto @ 27 May 2010, 15:54) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>So what layouts stand out for you?

For me 2 layouts stand out due to their attention to the real world and not modelling steriotypes.

Wibdenshaw - Not only urban (always a winner with me) but the only layout I have seen so far that has anything like the correct DMU to 'big trains' proportioning of the real railway

Pempol - Just beautifully observed, stunning use of subtle colours and materials. When you have researched a layout well enough to write books on the subject (as Gordon and Maggie have) you cant fail to produce something special.

Plenty of others of course Liverpool Lime St, Retford, Camden Bank, North Shields etc etc

Cheers

Jim

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** I havent seen Liverpool Lime St Jim - is it on line anywhere?

Richard

 

[pedromorgan]

There are a couple that stick in my mind.

Copenhagen Fields has to be in there somewhere. It goes a long way towards showing us what can be done.

Next up are 2 layouts that i will group together, a Humble layout called Great Awdry and a grand O gauge layout called Holliday Haunts. Both are simply stunning in their simplicity. they capture what model railways are really about. they are fun layouts. no points to worry about. nothing fancy but a great piece of track on which to run your stock.

Great Awdry came up for sale just as i was leaving for university. It qwould have been totally impractical to buy it. if the same layout came up for sale today i would be very tempted! It has several models made by people who really got me into railway modelling as opposed to toy trains. Most of them are no longer with us but i understand that the layout is somewhere safe.

Peter

 

[Guest]

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 28 May 2010, 09:28) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>*** I havent seen Liverpool Lime St Jim - is it on line anywhere?

Richard

Hi Richard

theres a thread about it here http://rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8...p;hilit=lime+st

Bit old now though

Cheers

Jim

 

[7113]

I think it fair to say that an iconic layout is one that inspires the viewer. I don't think it has to be perfect in every way.

Over the years I think that there have been many layouts that have given me ideas, but to be honest I can't remember them all.

Recently two that I have found excellent are Overlord and Gresley Beat.

QUOTE (pedromorgan @ 28 May 2010, 08:29) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>a Humble layout called Great Awdry......

....Great Awdry came up for sale just as i was leaving for university.....

.....i understand that the layout is somewhere safe.
Indeed Peter, Great Awdry is safe and sound in Broadstairs in the hands off the Crampton Tower Museum. It still comes out for the public on occasion

Regards

 

[plas man]

Any of you older boys (!) remember Harold Elliots huge O gauge layout that used to tour around the contry, during the 1950's ? Sammy the Shunter might ring a bell, I've heard it ended its days on perminant display at Scarborough

, wonder what happened to it ?

Plas Man

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

I am pleased to say, that I was fortunate enough to see the Great Awdry Model Railway Layout recently, and alos delighted that I am now the new owner of it! It measures 20ft X 8ft and is truly amazing. It needs a lot of TLC as it has been neglected over the years, and the Fiddle Yard which has been added doesnt even fit the original layout! So.........I have alot of new track to construct! Problem is, I will now have to obtain alot of point templates.

 

[DaveR]

Several spring to mind, although most of them i'd fail to get anywhere close to it.

I've been an operator on the Gainsborough Model Railway Society's East Coast Main Line (London KX to Leeds Central) since 1991 to the present day.

Gainsborough MRS Website.

I've also had the privilege to operate the Veryan Garden Railway (O gauge) in Lenzie near Glasgow, depicting Glasgow Buchanan Street to Inverness and Aberdeen and the GHR, O gauge loft layout in Rugby owned by Robert Hendry.

As for inspiration as a child. The Birmingham model featured in RM back in the 80s. Will never have anything close but it's nice to dream

 

[bluey robinson]

QUOTE (JOHNSHORTON @ 3 Jan 2011, 11:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I am pleased to say, that I was fortunate enough to see the Great Awdry Model Railway Layout recently, and alos delighted that I am now the new owner of it! It measures 20ft X 8ft and is truly amazing. It needs a lot of TLC as it has been neglected over the years, and the Fiddle Yard which has been added doesnt even fit the original layout! So.........I have alot of new track to construct! Problem is, I will now have to obtain alot of point templates.

Ah! Then Sir, you are to be congratulated and welcomed!!

Many here will be eager to view this icon, so pics please..

Cheers, Bluey

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

Well........................I am very pleased to be the new owner but saddened on two counts......1................its so big, I cant fully errect it!.....................2..........................the ramshackle of an attempt on the fiddle yard is really disappointing and frustrating! It has had Peco code 100 flexitrack installed in a 10 road fiddle yard which somply doesnt join the original curvature of the track to a smooth transition! I suspect that neglect is a route cause. But now I have the job of constructing full scale track form C & L - a job I have NEVER attempted so I expect a long renovation of around 2 - 3 years to get it to an acceptable standard. All the scenics have faded badly, complete renewal, alongwith adding electrics wheich are also bodged up, a wiring nghtmare as every wire is WHITE!!!!!!!!!!! I would love to put up some pics, but dont knwo how to up load them tot his site.........suggestions please to me would be GRATEFULY received.

 

[bluey robinson]

You need to transfer your photo from your computer to an Hosting site...I use phototbucket which is free and easy..then when you are in photobucket place you cursor over the image, and a selection of codes will appear, hit the direct link and a code will be in your "clipboard".Tthen on MRF in a post such as this one, use the green button above, next to the emoticon, called insert image, press that, a box will appear, dont touch the box, just use (ctrl+v) and voila a pic will be in your post...

Cheers, and if you use the "Add Reply" rather than the "Fast Reply" you have the option to 1. preview your post(check below your post for options) also you can view the other posts in the thread as you do your reply..

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

I will try and follow your instructions.Would fotopic.net be an alternative host???? It will take some time to get them on here though. I never use fast reply, I dont the idea of a "fast reply".

 

[Sprintex]

My iconic layout is LITTLEWOOD by Richard Deas.

This N gauge layout was retired some time ago and sold into private hands. But it is singlehandedly to blame for rekindling my interest in Model Railways when I saw it at Spalding Exhibition back in November 2003. It may have some very unprototypical curves and run what can best be described as an eclectic mix of stock, but full automation and a working level crossing long before such things were readily available just had me spellbound

Paul

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

http//www.facebook.com/john.s.horton#!/album.php?aid=258075&id=631914638

The above shows pictures of Great Awdry in its current un refurbished condition, so will give you some idea of the marathon job ahead of me!