[Piermaster]

Got an idea!!

I haven't had an 'Inglenook Sidings' type layout for years and instead of a loco shunting wagons as Inglenooks tend to portray, how about an Inglenook where everything is powered?

I was taken by the Italian MOW (Engineers) yard in Adrian Wymann's Shunting Puzzles website:

and here's my proposal:

Using a 3ft 6ins x 8ins x 1ins oak plank (previously part of a pit crossing board from LU Upminster Depot that failed its safety test)

Siding 1 contains the Spectrum US spec Plasser Ballast Tamper
Siding 2 contains the Bachmann UK Plasser OWB maintenance vehicle
Siding 3 contains the Trackmobile

The Headshunt would be the fuelling point.

Here's a short and simple sequence sufficient enough to retain the attention of Mums, Dads and Kids at MDK shows (Remember MDKs don't have sufficient memory or interest to take in long sequences).

Trackmobile leaving Siding 3 to headshunt, then to Siding 1 to couple to tamper.
Both run to fuelling point then uncouple, Tamper returns to Siding 1, Trackmobile proceeds to Siding 2.
Trackmobile couples to OWB.
Both run to fuelling point then uncouple, OWB returns to Siding 2, Trackmobile proceeds to Siding 3 and stable.

No particular nationality applies to this proposal for it is generic as Plasser and Trackmobile supply worldwide and in view of the recession, I already have the stock, track , structures, most of the materials - so it won't cost me much!!!

Comments please.

Dave

 

[john woodall]

if its for home use then its probably good.

I question how well it would be at an exhibition. 1 minute look then move on to the next layout.

personally I think the time saver is a better option.

John

 

[upnick]

Hi Dave,

Sounds a good idea to me .. what are the dimensions of the board ....... and what fueling points are you thinking of using ?

 

[Madkitten]

Hiya Piermaster,

I think it would be fine as a small exhibition layout, It allows kids to see that they can do something small as well. I like the idea of an all powered inglenook, Have you ever thought about two inglenooks back to back connected at the fueling point? that would leave lots of lovely scenery space...................

Nikki

 

[7113]

I like the look of that one Dave, keep us posted.

Regards

 

[ebaykal]

Dave hi,

Its your call but I have to agree with John, a timesaver would be a better option than an inglenook. Lots of possibilities of shunting to keep you occupied.

Good luck with your choice whatever it will be.

Baykal

 

[Piermaster]

Hi all,

The subject title is 'Thinking of building an Inglenook'

In view of the 'beneficial feedback' (where all my layouts were slated) and the subsequent character assassination I received in one forum and sarcasm in another I've decided that it was only an idea on the board and I'm not going to build the bloody thing!

I'll stick to what I do best - Marketing WPT.

Dave

 

[m.levin]

"where all my layouts were slated" thats not quite right, but seems you can't handle feedback, constructive criticism or someone opinion and taken your bat and ball home.
You said your viewing market is Mums Dads and kids. The people who left you replies are dads and you seem to want to listen to your own views and not those with young kids, that visit shows. I'm not saying that all the comments were fair, but you have to take the bad comment as well as the good, especially if you plan to exhibit your layouts.

 

[Mumbles]

I think Dave is referring to my post in this forum

http://www.grumpymodellers.com/forum/viewt...?f=14&t=425

His comments will make little sense without the background. Dave, you clearly do not like any type of feedback except praise, and frankly I have very little time for that.

A year or so ago, a young lad on another forum made an attempt at a tunnel, it was three bits of polystyrene, 2 uprights and one cross piece. he painted it, and used scatters and lichen too. There was no papier mache or other attempt to hide the polystyrene. I posted a comment, saying i thought it looked terrible, not the most carefully choosen words, but i did praise his use of sccenics as he had made a good job with the, commenting his ballasting in the scene was also good, and I made some suggestions how he could improve his tunnel..
After 2 days of getting slated by all manner of poeple on the forum for being out of order, rude and overly critical, he thanked me for the feedback, ripped up the tunnnel and made a better one. Seems he had no problem with the honest feedback but many others did.

I'm begining to think certain members of the model rail fraternity just want praise and when it isn't forthcoming, we find toys on the floor..

Thanks
Michael

 

[alastairq]

My two penn'orth.....some seek praise, some seek only support?

 

[upnick]

The question of a layout is all down to the modeller who actually DOES it not the spectators of it at the end of the day i always maintain ... if the modeller chooses to take on board ideas from others all very well if it helps them and is of good grounded constructive comment .

As to visitors at a show each to their own again .... some go for rolling hills with locos pulling long passenger trains ...... others a working enviroment concentrated in a smaller area,should it be weathered or not ? personal opinion again i have just seen a layout with good track work but the rest comes out of an operating theatre its so clean.

Dave's layouts have provided me with ideas over their construction one even appearing in a recent copy of Modelrail an achievment in itself as the magazines must be inundated with offers of layouts each month.

The MOW stock all powered as well is a different idea i have never seen and would prove an interesting set up, i for one look forward to it past the thinking of doing to a working layout .

 

[Madkitten]

I dont even know what half these types of layout are - i just build what i like then put them in the cupboard - where they stay till an exhibition wants them.......

I think your idea is a great one - who can say weather its a good or bad idea, thats down to the modelmaker. I think you should do it. I loved your pier layout and thats just one run !! and it still looked great......... !!

Nikki

 

[john woodall]

I am sorry if my comments were taken as slating the idea.

My club (along with two others) organises an exhibition every year and its hard to get layouts.

My personal gripe about most of them, is on two fronts. Trains moving and the height of them. No matter how good the modelling ( and I think your modelling is very good Dave) movement is important. Your Pier was simply sensational, simple in its execution, but so much to see that people could look at it for hours.

Nikki's idea about two of them back to back is a good one as it will provide a lot more movement.

The NZAMRC (www.nzamrc.org.nz) had a steel mill in its competition last year. As a modeller I thought it was pretty special in terms of its craftsmanship. At the last exhibition the paying punters spent 30 seconds looking at it and walked on because there was no movement.

You can please some of the people some of the time!

 

[Piermaster]

To all: I am in a cr*p hotel in Bournemouth on business, I have a stinking cold and my mate Barbara (Piermistress) is off to see family in Tasmania for 7 weeks and I will miss her like hell. When I asked for comments please on the original posting elsewhere I got the well-constructed, well-presented comments that I would expect from Model Rail Forum and that gives me encouragement.

I posted the exact same thing on a forum with only 51 members and I feel as if I stuck my head over the parapet to get it blown away!!! I think that speaks volumes for the contrasts between two forums!

The Inglenook idea is an old chestnut that has been tried and tested and I tried to give it a different approach. I don't know whether I will build the bloody thing or not! I'm not that good at weathering and doubt if I'll ever get it right!!!

However you can't please all the people all the time.

Thanks for your support and guidance,

Dave

 

[60134]

Sorry to hear about your personal circs. Piermaster....

I get the impression that you are a devotee of the "micro" layout which raises some interesting issues. I have seen some wonderful minimal layouts in the past and it always impresses me when someone squeezes the proverbial quart into a pint pot. Sometimes the decision to go with a larger scale in a small space can be most effective, say a shed scene in Gauge 1 in a space that would accomodate an N scale branch terminus in toto. Given a blank canvas and no preferred scale, what would you choose to do in a space say, 2' x 4'?

60134

 

[7113]

QUOTE (60134 @ 17 Mar 2009, 10:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Given a blank canvas and no preferred scale, what would you choose to do in a space say, 2' x 4'?

Well, I don't know about 2' x 4', but I recently built an A4 diorama, and my current project was suggested by Dave, (2' x 1'), and when that's finished........

regards

 

[Piermaster]

Just spent the weekend doing my company accounts (I'm expecting my 2008 Tax Return anytime now) and that has certainly kept me busy together with the odd phone call from my mate Barbara (Piermistress) in Bangkok, Sydney and now in Tasmania for 7 weeks (she also has caught my cold when leaving London last Wednesday)!

Been through my diary to the end of July and what with 4 exhibitions (3 with WPT, 1 with Fuel Pad); Working throughout the Easter weekend on the Blackfriars Station and Bridge Project (My main job); Stewarding at the Stowmarket Railway Club exhibition; Auditing two of my clients; Have a short break in Scotland; Help Barbara find a job when she returns. I don't have the time to build another layout!!!!!

The original idea of the Inglenook for me was to find work for my Trackmobile - Now I've found it work, as a 'goat' or shop loco on Fuel Pad where it tows the Alaska RR loco to the pad, uncouples and both return independently to the shed after the ARR loco has refuelled.

Photos to follow next week!

Now back to my Accounts to check the VAT!!!

Dave