Model Railway Forum

Last night as a break from constructing buildings I was sitting at the layout experimenting with some ideas concerning some freelance four wheel passenger coaches for a vague idea I have of creating a small rake for a depiction of a heritage enthusiasts' train on the layout. The essential point was I was sitting down doing this and my physical perspective was changed.

Most of the structures for the layout are now built and, if not fixed to the layout, they are sitting where they will eventually be placed. So unfinished as the layout still is I suddenly became aware that the train, I was idly experimenting with, was moving through a proper landscape rather than an expanse of uncovered base board.

Nothing quite like the feeling of seeing one's glacial progress coming together.

Yes I know how you feel Malcolm, I have just started my one as we moved in here only on 12th October. I have not got the base boards down yet only base units to put the boards on. I cant wait to get something running.................john

I am rather in awe of the extent to which the UK has gone to preserve railways, steam to diesel. Comparatively speaking, there are a few such things in the US, some big, some small, but not quite to the extent I read about in the UK. Whether the new generation(s) will be interested to take up the flag is another question.

When building Henley, I swore up and down that I would keep to a particular era, that being 1927, partly because so much of the old stuff, like single high wheelers, and advanced steam could be used without joggling the imagination too, too much. Also partly because of Bill Bryson's fascinating history, "One Summer," which discusses a broad range of historical events during the summer of 1927. Mr. Bryson has also written fabulous expositions regarding Shakespeare and British historical trends that are impossible to put down, among other topics.

All that being said, once I restricted myself to a particular era, I would see marvelous British OO depicting diesel locomotives of British origin from my brief residency as child of 6, then 13. Had to find a way to work a few in, so I initiated some steam preservationist days that would permit the use of 1960's era British dieselization. Sort of the reverse of what you are discussing; going forward to back, whilst I am trying to achieve the back to the forward, at times.

Britain, compared to El Paso, has done a relatively good job of preserving much of its historical architecture. In El Paso, they couldn't knock things down fast enough, and very few structures remain from its founding in 1598. Some pre-Spanish petroglyphs remain, thankfully, unharmed. That being the case, I simply add in a modern tour bus and the architecture, not limited to the Salisbury Plains or Henley or for that matter, the breath taking beauty of Wales, remains. Here is one of the plays on working from back to forward, historically speaking:

https://youtu.be/tNJHYSz7d6g

Alas, my cherished Playcraft is getting limper, and limper by the lap. Soon, I hope to be replaced by a Deltic or two. I am trying to find a decent Hornby Triang Rocket to finish out the scene, but keep missing the auction deadlines.