[MasirahMark]

Some great links so far for some truely wonderful layouts from the last few decades.

For me, my choice is a quite modern affair compared with many that have been mentioned so far. Whilst on holiday last July with the family in the Philippines I happened to be online looking at ideas and places to go for the next time we were in the UK. Camelot theme park was a suggestion from the good lady, so I thought I'd have a butchers at entrance prices and the like.

Putting "Camelot" into google gave a list of the obvious links plus one for something called "Camelot Junction"? Five minutes later and I was hooked!!! I'd never heard of DCC and was absolutely amazed at what this guy had designed and built as well as what was possible with digital control........multiple trains running indepently yet operated by the same controller. Amazing!!!!!

Finding "Camelot junction" was a seminal moment for me as it obviously piqued my interest in the hobby, but since discovering this site, two other layouts also have a special place for me from the very pages of this forum. Mainly because I have been able to read and watch (again and again and again) these exceptional examples being built, in both words and pictures. Their names.........SECLUK aand BAYLANDS. The former is currently being built in modular form so as to be transported here, there and everywhere for exhibitions. I am envious of all the fortunate souls who will get to see it but am still delighted that I can watch it being built from yhe ground up on this superb site.

Mark.

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

Fully agree with Marks comments preceding this post. Also, being wiser "afet the event" I realise that my pictures of "Great Awdry" may be inaccessable, so I will re scan and provide a better link for those of you wishing to view the layout in its current state.

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

http://johnhorton3499.fotopic.net/p68615809.html

The above should take you all to show pictures of Great Awdry in its curent state, please dvise me if you are unsuccesful!!!! I have just tried accessing it and it works for me. As things progress I will add more pictures if enough interest is shown. Now the hard work begins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sprintex]

Link works OK

Excellent scenery, looks to be a good layout

Paul

 

[bluey robinson]

QUOTE (JOHNSHORTON @ 5 Jan 2011, 13:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>http://johnhorton3499.fotopic.net/p68615809.html

The above should take you all to show pictures of Great Awdry in its curent state, please dvise me if you are unsuccesful!!!! I have just tried accessing it and it works for me. As things progress I will add more pictures if enough interest is shown. Now the hard work begins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great to see the layout John, a complete over view would be appreciated

. Do the trains run well on it?? Hope you enjoy your renovation project.

Cheers.

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

Yep, the Trains run well on it, a few rough bits of track, but hey - ho! Woud love to set it up to give you all a wonderful view, but it measures 20ft X 8 ft and I havnt got a room big enough to set it up in, so unless someone offers me a huge room, or summer gets here early I am afraid I cant oblige! Working on it tho!!!

About to rip out the useless fiddle yard, and currently constructing a whole new yard from C & L components, first time I have ever scratch built track and points, BUT LOVING IT!!!!!

 

[Mercator II]

QUOTE (JOHNSHORTON @ 19 Jan 2011, 20:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Woud love to set it up to give you all a wonderful view, but it measures 20ft X 8 ft and I havnt got a room big enough to set it up in, so unless someone offers me a huge room, or summer gets here early I am afraid I cant oblige! Working on it tho!!!

Now that depends on where in the country you are, if you are in the UK that is?

Now whilst I dont have a big room I myself, I do know of a few places that could be made avalable to me, one friend owes me a favour and runs my old pub or I could ask my boss if part of the hotel I work in could be borrowed during the closed seasion, but again, this all depends on where you reside

Looking forward to more updates and following your work as it progresses

All the best

 

[redlorry]

QUOTE (JOHNSHORTON @ 3 Jan 2011, 13:13) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>every wire is WHITE!!!!!!!!!!!

Ouch!

Stew

 

[bri.s]

for me deepcar is a favorite so is wibdenshaw both have shaped the way i model but the real influance was my uncles layout he built in the early 80,s newoaks jct ,there are pictures of me age 3 trying to run trains ,not a famous layout but it was the start of my modelrailway hobby

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

Well, I actually live in Margate, Kent UK. However......................I have been living in Devon for 17 yrs, back here to Margate due to family illness in 2009 but hoping to move back to Devon, Newton Abbot Area sometime this year! At least I will have plenty of local shops where I can get SMP Track and C & L parts locally! Currently constructing a double junction in code 75 rail from scratch, so far 75% completed, now awiting more rail chairs, it sure plays havoc with the old eyes I can tell you!!! ha ha

 

[Brian Dublo]

Hi all,

As I'm a newbie and still easily impressed, I hope I'm not punching above my weight with my submission, after getting half way through pedromorgan and his "an update on my workbench" - On My Workbench forum - I feel like I'd be better suited to A Forum For Dummies.

Although it is a work in progress I came across a project called "Glenburn" by Andrew Collier. The web address is http://victorianrailways.blogspot.com/

Being a Melbourne boy I can't believe how accurate it is in every detail so far..... even the lighting is spot on. Can't wait till it is finished and up for display one day.

Worth a look if you haven't seen it.

Cheers

Brian.

 

[Alan D]

I wish I could remember the name of the layout which truly inspired me but I can't. I do however remember that it was in a Model Railway Constructor annual about the 1979 - 80 mark. I can remember vividly that it was 13ft x8ft and the modeller used some opto electronics for train detection as the fiddle yard was out of view from the control area. I also remember that it was in colour and grimy looking just like the real thing, my first experience of weathering.

It also had the idea of an overhead station which is the reason I am doing a similar idea on my layout as it saved space and made the platforms appear longer. I wish I could find a copy of that book now.

Cheers

Alan

 

[GLDav66]

For me it has to be the stunning Lynton & Barnstaple County Gate - made me want to get started in a smaller gauge!

Glenn

 

[patrick draper]

To be perfectly honest I am quite happy with my own. It does all I want and all aspects of mid 50s railways are covered. I agree that Gainboro' model railway is probably the best 'O' gauge that I have seen. 'OO' inspiration tends to come from sources such as DVDs and books. Erkut's and some others modelling skills are exceptional and I could never be so good or have the patience do do it. I try not to be too judgemental and only give praise and not criticism although some of the attempts move very slowly and are almost anal in their descriptions and photographs.

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

Does anyone know where I can obtian a "Jig" to make finescale Crossing Vee's and wing rails for Code 75 bullhead rai????? I cant make vee's for my life!!!!

 

[dwb]

The EM Gauge Society have jigs for these for sale to members. The jigs are also available at Expo events which is where I, as a non-member, got mine. I suggest checking their website to see if you can get any further details. I have a feeling the next Expo event is in Northern England in the autumn. The Southern event was about a month ago.

David

 

[JOHNSHORTON]

Thanks David

 

[Telecaster man]

Well heres a thing...so many choices-,Beal`s West Midland,Denny`s Buckingham,Freezers Minories (and indeed,many others ) ,Pyrke`s Berrow ,Naylors Aire Valley,Jenkinsons Little long drag (beautiful but just too big ...) anything by P.D Hancock,anything by Futers,Kazers Corris,laterly Chris Nevard is a force to be reckoned with,Colin Parks` Newhaven (better in the flesh than the R.M spread suggests).........Every month there is another one.

On a mildly philosophical note,for me there is a fine line between inspirational and "why the hell bother"-we are all limited by money,time,skill etc-surely an inspirational layout should be one we can hope to emulate-such is the current standard that I am left floundering in the wake....Many years ago I was inspired to pick up the guitar after discovering Hendrix-pretty soon realised the difference between raw genius and bare competance.

Moral of the story,by all means admire (and aspire to ) that which is good-but be happy with what you can do,when alls said and done ,we are all just playing with model trains

ATB
Nick

 

[h&b_barrett]

as a kid I one layout stands out for me. It was a layout based on the wisbech and upwell tramway but it rotated to show each season in a different timeframe. I wish I could remember its name because I loved it - it used to fascinate me.

 

[Gresley Was Right]

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?

Peter Denny's Buckingham Great Central is at the top of my list, originally truly portable and alter permanent it started as a Branch Line and developed continually being operated like the prototype as well. When PD began the layout there was so little commercially available he made everything himself, including track and it is surely the earliest layout with 18.83 track gauge, long before the P4 society was ever thought of just showing that if you start with a standard and make your own track there are no problems, commercial track holds us in thrall! second is Charford which again was a portable layout (in a caravan) originally later permanent and again always operated prototypically and with a timetable devised in a similar way to the prototypes, third has to be a Charford contemporary - Berrow for similar reasons, both of the latter also being small enough for 'The Average Enthusiast' even today. Finally must be Norman Eagles great Sherwood Section of the LMS, another prototypically operated layout powered by clockwork as was the famous 'Crewchester' by Jack Ray - one of the founders of the Gauge 0 Guild.