Rhyd Ddu

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Last of the picks...number 6

The 6th position goes to 'Crichel' in the 'normal' scale of 0-16.5 by Roy Wood. This is a small narrow gauge line which I wouldn't normally be at all interested in as it is served by a motley collection of diesel and steam 0-4-0s. However, it is modelled very nicely, the scenics blend in well with the industrial sections and it has a photo backscene which is quite believable! Mr Wood is a very helpful and convivial bloke, who sits at the side of the layout and is more than happy to explain and debate. His house is also apparently feature in the backscene - nice touch!

There are many others that didn't make it into this top 10 that are worthy of mention, Rheilffordd Cefn Gam, Tan yr Allt, Upton Dale (recently for sale on ebay) to name but a few... Perhaps later I'll do a top 20...

Colin

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Seventh heaven

At 7 in my countdown...it's Corris by Peter Kazer. An unusual scale - 1/4" (6.35mm) Scale at 9/16" (14.29mm) Gauge.

It is a meticiously accurate model of the Corris railway in the late 1800s. In fact it is a main part of the book by the same modeller Narrow Gauge Railway Modelling' by Wild Swan publications. If you haven;t got a copy, then get one quick before it goes out of print - http://www.strathwood.com/shop_item_view.aspx?itemid=1516 (random link found on google)

The layout is also featured in the Model Railway Journal No.66, 1993 and in the Railway Modeller - May 1999.

Everything (with the exception of the figures) is scratch built. Very nice indeed.

For a few more (rubbish quality) pictures see:
http://www.ngrail.co.uk/3_corris.htm

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Sorry it's a bit late...number eight!

So, No. 8 in the top 10 layouts is.... Chwarel Cwm Bach.

This is a bit of a difficult layout to describe as I have never seen it (!). It featuired in Model Railway Journal in 1990 (no. 37) and in the 'narrow gauge and industrial railway modelling review' as well.

It's a model of a slate quarry, with working inclines and everything scratchbuilt...plus...tonnes of real slate used - bet it's heavy!

I can't find any images of it on the web, so dig out that MRJ!

Colin

Progress...

Hi,

Some good progress on the coaching front today. I have decided to do bits of lots of kits together in a kind of production line style. So, the bases/ends of the following coaches were folded and soldered ready: 103 (FR bogie), 23 (original WHR bogie), FR van 4 and FR van 5. All the sides and ends have also been cut out and cleaned ready for the next stage... Parts for 1 B wagon and the SAR brake were also cut out and cleaned.

Must remember to order a load of bearings soon!!!

Then the parts for the Ashbury bug (no. 10) were cut out of the frets, cleaned and folded. This needs superglue for the next stage. If anyone has a recommended superglue - please leave a comment at the bottom of this blog.

Then one side of 103 was laminated together, unfortunately the other side seems to have an issue with the etch - it doesn't overlay properly! Some judicious filing is necessary here...

Had to run upstairs to bid on two books on ebay - FR in the 50s and FR in the 60s, both middleton press - got them for £3.20 total + p+p!!!!! Unbelievable - they are normally £15 each. cool.

Colin

Sunday, March 18, 2007

It's the real thing!

On the best narrow gauge layouts - numbers 8, 7 and 6 are to come this week.

Spent this weekend in North Wales and here are a few notes from the real Rhyd Ddu:

Finally got some detailed images of the powder magazine...

Got some excellent shots for scenic purposes... look at the variation in light green, yellows and browns....

The water tanks are now red (I even have the RAL number of the paint - thanks to my friends in the WHRS West Mids group) and the Beddgelert end tank now has a 'spout' too!!

This rock face has been an enigma, until now - I got a good shot of it!

Colin

Monday, March 12, 2007

It's time for number nine

Number nine is difficult to illustrate unless you have copies of the Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review (by Roy C Link). In this excellent, although often esoteric journal, a layout was featured over 5 issues a few years ago. The layout was a lifetime's work and is called simply 'Festiniog Railway 1926' by Nick Welch.

Issues 50-54 if you want to try and get a copy - but they're rare and these are out of print! The above image is a sample page, freely available at http://www.narrowgaugeandindustrial.com/samps.htm of the layout and gives some idea of the quality, but not the sheer scale.

This layout is a monster - it takes in Porthmadog, Boston Lodge, Tan-y-Bwlch, Blaenau and more along the way. It is truly a fabulous layout! But it's not an exhibition layout, so it doesn't score as highly here as I have never seen it in the flesh.

Colin

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Number ten - a trip to the glen

So, going back to number 10 - we have 'Glenbranter'... It's locos that make this layout. Below is a very nice red Beyer-Garratt NGG16 - perhaps no. 140 will look a bit like this when it enters service (2010?) on the Welsh Highland Railway.

and blue - cool!

K1 with some scratch built coaches made from ratio OO sides.

A yellow funkey. The EPCC funkeys were in a similar paint scheme in South Africa prior to their purchase for the Welsh Highland and Ffestiniog. The ladder is a Welsh thing!

The layout is simple enough, but nicely done. Further details are available at http://glenbranter.narrow-gauge.co.uk/

Colin

Friday, March 02, 2007

The best narrow gauge layout and the one that started it all!

Yes, this is the layout that gave me the inspiration to start building Rhyd Ddu. Of course, it's 'Dduallt'...

So, what makes this layout special:

- The prototype, which lends itself to a fairly compact, but long run that is actually based on reality! It's not another crazy 'round and round and in and out' layout, that is too often seen in 009!

- The stock - quality, liveries and sheer amount modelled! Everything from the core Ffestiniog fleet to Adrain Shooter's Darjeeling stock, the modern and heritage WHR stuff and beyond...

- Decent scenics, believable ballast, trees and grass particularly.

- Gradients, hidden bits behind trees and many different viewing angles make for an interesting exhibition layout

- Quality of running - top class!

Any criticisms? Well, that's very hard because it really is good. I'm not completely convinced by the lining on Taliesin and perhaps some of the rock faces (modelled with actual rock), look a bit too much like small pieces of rock, but that is real nit-picking.

If Rhyd Ddu is anywhere near as good as this, I will be a very happy man. Lots of work ahead then!

The creators of Dduallt are hard at work on their next project too... a model of the new WHR at Beddgelert, including the reverse curves at cwm cloch and the goat tunnel. It's a huge layout and plans were recently outlined in 'narrow gauge world' . It will be called 'Bron Hebog', rather than 'Beddgelert', perhaps to reflect that the station is a relatively small element of the layout.

You never know, we might even get the chance to exhibit next to each other in the future, and we have already joked that a 'joining' section could be created to link Bron Hebog to Rhyd Ddu !!!

Colin

Woo Hoo, it's number 2!

Right, this is where it gets serious then - numbers 1 and 2.

At 2 it's Dinas Ddu...

A fabulous model in 8mm scale (16mm gauge) giving as near to 2ft as possible. It is based on the approach to Dinas in the North Wales Narrow Gauge Railways (NWNGR) days - early 1900s. The NWNGR of course was later incorporated into the original Welsh Highland Railway.

Obviously, my views on 'scale fascism' are once again necessary to repeat and because of this almost everything has been built from scratch. The track is even spiked to wooden sleepers (!)

A plan is below, truly a gorgeous layout.

Colin

Thursday, March 01, 2007

So let's see, it's number 3!

At 3 it's a Lynton and Barnstaple layout....Chelfham

That viaduct is just fantastic! It's a simple layout, one loop, one siding and a circular run with hidden sidings behind. The stock (Southern days) is very nicely lined and built although the langley stuff is somewhat eclipsed by the backwoods...

The sheer scale of the layout means the railway is part of the landscape and not the other way around! My only criticisms are the roads are a little too shiny and regular in appearance and some of the trees aren't totally believable.

You can see more in the March and April 2000 Railway Modeller

Colin

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Here's some more, it's number 4

So, number 4 of the 5 best narrow gauge layouts is:

Well, it's another historical prototype. It was close between 'borth y gest' and this layout for the 4th position (I felt I couldn't include both due to the historical stock similarities).

It suffers from that annoying scale fascism I go on about. It's 3/16" (4.76mm) Scale at 9mm Gauge! This is known a S scale and is 19% larger than 4mm scale, allowing the incorporation of more detail, but with clear drawbacks in the number of kits available and inter-use of other people's models on the layout. boo hiss!

The layout is a labour of love: trackwork is laid with individual cast white metal chairs. Whilst the locomotives are scratchbuilt, with split frame chassis and Portescap motors.

The scenics are fabulous - rock faces very believable, slate walls laboriously built up piece by piece and buildings scratch built to model exactly the prototype.

You've guessed it - 'Tan Y Grisiau'

Historical Ffestiniog layouts such as this one do tend to suffer from a restricted pallet - slate grey, some green scenics and a dull red livery on almost all stock! This is also true of 'borth y gest', and it can make these layouts 'boring' to the uninititated. But then it's also correct!!!

This is a true classic layout - most excellent.

There is a photo section in the Railway Modeller Dec 1997 or see http://www.ngrail.co.uk/3_tanyg.htm

Colin

Monday, February 26, 2007

stay alive it's number 5!

Hi,

This is the start of a week of posts on the best of the best 009 layouts. We start with 'Dulas', a lovely model of the Corris Railway. This now resides in the Corris Railway's museum/tearoom.

See http://www.ngrail.co.uk/2_dulas.htm for some other photos...

What makes this layout great is the utter believability (helped of course by modelling a real scene, albeit historically). You can really believe you're in the scene when you get down to eye level. The buildings are superbly modelled, scenics are really impressive (including the extraordinary idea of using the hairy fibre bits from coconuts as dead bracken) and there are the 'right' amount of people, sheep and details like phone boxes etc. A super little layout.

The only criticisms I can think of are:

1) That it is a static exhibit in the museum, rather than out and about promoting the railway and top class scenic modelling
2) Some of the slate walls are a bit too regular and flat
3) Some of the background trees aren't quite as believable as other bits of the scenics.

But that's nitpicking really, a top layout and a good start to my week of reviews.

For more info on Dulas, either visit the Corris Railway - http://www.corris.co.uk/ or see the Oct 1999 Railway Modeller (there'll be one on ebay!).

Colin

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Coaching manual (part 2)

Saturday, February 24, 2007

The green green grass of home...

Hi,

Long grass is hard to model correctly. I've heard of various ideas:

- Rubberised horse hair, which I think looks too long and doesn't stand up in the way long grass does

- Silflor, mentioned previously on this blog, great but very expensive. I will use this in parts.

- Woodland scenics 'field grass', good for clumps, but fiddly to do right

but, perhaps the link below is actually the answer??? Utilise static to make the grass stand on end. I might not absolutely like the colours chosen in this example and I would definitely want to add other types of material amongst it to break it up as well as field grass, silflor, scatters and other bits...but the base idea is worth a go I reckon:

http://www.petesproject.co.uk/layout/staticgrass.html

Colin

Friday, February 23, 2007

What makes a good layout?

Hi,

So, after 5 posts on layouts from Shepton Mallet, what can we deduce about what makes a good layout?

Well these are my top 10 things:

- Scenics - believable, not gaudy and nicely blended

- Prototyical scenes - again believable, even if its a fictional layout, let's have some realism - not a 9F on a B set or a small engine like 'Lilla' hauling 10 coaches etc.

- Atmosphere - I want to feel like I'm actually 'in' the scene. Bad backscenes regularly ruin good layouts.
- Consistency - every corner should be as well modelled as the focal point

- Liveries/paint schemes - either the correct prototype livery or something sensible - weird and crazy liveries are a massive turn-off for me
- Decent running - I know that's not always possible, but most of the time.
- Painted track and correct colour ballast

- Decent weathering of stock where appropriate

- Structures, bridges etc that are architecturally correct

and, above all:

- The overall impression is what matters, yes bits of guitar string to help uncouple are operationally nice, but they ruin realism and the layout becomes a train set, rather than a model.

Next week, I'll be considering, given these criteria, which are the best narrow gauge layouts and what Rhyd Ddu can learn from them....

Colin

Thursday, February 22, 2007

last one...

Hi,

Last post on Shepton Mallet then...

Big Cat Mine Co, a classic now at the show, simple but superbly detailed. Just beautiful. Doesn't seem to have been improved since last year, but is it possible to improve it?? 9/10

Stump City. Odd one this, because previously I have written it off as just another round and round layout (and I'm not much into American lumber layouts). However, my brother David really liked it, which brought the necessary interest and having had a decent look at it, I agree it's actually very well done. See the building above, very nice indeed.
Some cheeky little extendable spots on Tor Farm - nice idea....I wonder where these came from?

Cascade Yard in On3. 3ft gauge Canadian stuff...it's just Canadian stuff...no comments to make really...just Canadian stuff.... that I'm not much bothered about...

and finally, Aberfal Mining and Minerals Ltd in another unusual scale of 1/2" to the foot.

Traders? Not bad
- The 009 sale stand is always worth a look (and the cheque book took some serious damage!)
- Worsley works had the new SAR brake van done (so that got snapped up too)
- Two bookstalls were good
- Parkside Dundas were there (but why pay top whack, when you can get the same stuff second hand on the 009 society stand?)
- Backwoods Miniatures (mostly peddling On3/On30 stuff, only the 7mm Beyer-Garratt was on display from non-US prototypes)
- Mercian (had spent all cash by then, so didn't really look, but some of their FR wagons are good and the kit for Welsh Pony is great [if a little pricey])
- In 7mm wrightlines, port wynnstay, the 7mm society sales and others were there and then there were an assortment of traders from the other scales too.

So, not bad at all really, although there wasn't a tools stand or anyone selling woodland scenics (green scene were there, but their stuff is second rate to woodland scenics in my view).

Catering was good, ham rolls at a £1 - bargain. However, I felt overall the layouts weren't as good as previous years (compare Narrow Gauge North in Leeds next month - Dinas Ddu, Tan-yr-allt, Borth-y-gest etc..) and there were a few holes in the trader support. So overall, the exhibition gets 9/10 - it's always nice to have some room for improvement!

Colin

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

and on, and on (and ariston?)

Hi,

Remember than ariston ad - whatever happened to them? So, part 4...

Aldbourne in 009. An English narrow gauge railway that was beautifully modelled except that I found it a little boring, looking like an all-too-common standard gauge branch line and the trees on the backscene - what's with them? 8/10

Hampstead Norreys in O-16.5. Nice stock - bugs, GVT tram loco, Harlech Castle etc.

Pagham Harbour in 009. Lovely, curvy nature created interest, scenics were spot on and the stock was good too.

A sprung crossover on Paley Green Tramway (G scale) - very nice indeed.

And finally (for now, another update tomorrow), the quite novel 2mm narrow gauge group's example 'layout'. So small even my young eyes wouldn't know where to start!

Colin

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

and another one!

Hi,

some more...

This is Exdale, in O-16.5, a mineral/passenger line somewhere in England. It was OK, but very nondescript, even boring really. Parts of the scenics let it down, such as the long grass tufts in the picture below...

The 5.5mm people were there too. I've never really understood why there is a need for this scale. Surely 4mm or 7mm is enough choice. It runs on 3mm track )12mm between the rails)which equates closer to 2ft than 009 (which is really 2 foot 3). The problem, is the lack of stock, which means much has to be scratch built. However, I was pleasantly surprised by that now available (see below):

and for some light relief, this cheeky little loco (can I call it that) was spotted next to Aldbourne (more on that lovely layout later). A full 10/10 for comedy value.

Colin

Monday, February 19, 2007

More from Somerset, hic!

Hi,

Gosh that Cider's nice, hic!

Sunday, February 18, 2007

It just goes to show...

Hi all,

A rather enjoyable weekend. Saturday was the annual (now traditional) jaunt to Shepton Mallet for 'Narrow Gauge South West' and then on to Cheddar and the Thatcher's cider shop at Sandford. The latter sports 2.5L of top local cider straight from the barrel at £2.65!!! - brilliant!!

Anyway, this is the first of a series of posts this week on the exhibition...enjoy! First up, is a cheeky little layout based on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch miniature railway. [Please note my use of miniature here, I cannot stand people calling 15" gauge railways and the like, narrow gauge!].

This layout cleverly (and uniquely??) used OO scale locos and OO track, with scratch built coaches. What a good idea!

Any Garratts on show?? Well, apart from the bargain K1 backwoods kit I picked up for £40 less than list price(!!), there were two others...

This backwoods NGG16 in 7mm 'ready to run'! It's put together in the Chinese factory of Mr Cheng for a rather chunky sum of money (out of my league entirely). I have to say, however, it does not sport the elementary mistakes on the O scale black 5 or King they also now do 'ready to run', but don't get me started on that one!

And this G scale NGG16 No. 143, resplendent and 'steaming' by remote control. Super! tempting to give this 10/10, but I'm kind of biased aren't I!!

More from this show in the next few days....

Don't miss the latest on the real WHR by the way - the Afon Dylif bridge was lifted in on Saturday - www.isengard.co.uk

Colin