Of AGMs and inspiration

Posted on 17 April, 2012 by Steve

K1 on Bron Hebog

Last Saturday saw the Narrow Planet tour bus head to Sparsholt near Winchester for the biannual Narrow Gauge South – which is always a cracking show and this year no exception with around 30 layouts and a lot of trade support. Mostly orientated to 4mm:ft scale as the show hosts the 009 Society AGM, but a good number in larger scales too.

Obviously running a trade stand and attending the AGM doesn’t leave a huge amount of time for walking around looking at things, but I think I had a glance at most of the layouts on display. It was great to see some of the developing projects up close, including Isle Ornsay and the to-be-epic Bron Hebog, and the recently finished such as Ryedown Lane. And at the other end of the spectrum a rare appearance from Christopher Payne’s Portpyn on the 18th anniversary of its first show – also at Sparsholt.

One of the best things about an event like this is the chance to see the range of modelling styles and approaches people take, and the “talking shop” aspect is also great to get thoughts and ideas in motion. It’s very hard to explain exactly why, but I’ve come to the conclusion that I just like 009 and I want to do more of it. Notwithstanding the O16.5 layout and models in other scales lurking in my office demanding attention.

Not many photos were taken by me but you can get a feeling for the day from the cameras of Michael Campbell, Julien Webb and Ted Polet.

Posted in 009, model railways, narrow gauge, sparsholt | Leave a comment

Achievement unlocked

Posted on 6 April, 2012 by Steve

Okay, so the blog has been a little quiet this year.

Reason 1: Work.

Reason 2: I’ve been spending available non-work time pushing Narrow Planet forwards, both in the development of a much-needed new website and in the physical manifestation of what has until now been a fairly digital, custom service.

Achievement unlocked

This is the first off the assembly line of a new, fully packaged series of nameplate and works plates sets in 4mm:ft scale produced exclusively for the Ffestiniog Railway. They are etched on to 0.15mm brass for very crisp reproduction, even on the smallest works plates, and come with instructions for painting and fitting. For me this is the “achievement unlocked” of the post title – a product I designed, in my own branding and packaging, on sale in a real shop – and the shop of arguably the most high-profile narrow gauge railway around to boot.

And then there were loads...

After a weekend’s sorting, packing and labelling we ended up with quite a collection of the things. They are now safely dispatched to Porthmadog so should be available at Harbour Station and the Ffestiniog online shop soon! Many thanks to John Wooden at the FR for making it all possible.

Now… any other railways interested in a range for their own locos?

Posted in 009, ego trips, ffestiniog, marketing, model railways, narrow gauge, new products, welsh highland railway | Leave a comment

Camping at Christmas

Posted on 31 December, 2011 by Steve

After spending Christmas at my parents’ we came home a few days ago for “Christmas 2″ – or in other words the presents to each other we couldn’t be bothered to transport all the way there and all the way back again.

I can report I received a kit as one of mine, although not the usual narrow gauge or even model railway fare…

The box

A Lego kit for a 1962 VW Camper. Containing a mere 1332 pieces, split into 15 bags of bits with 2 instruction booklets, this is certainly not a model for the impatient and in fact took two (long!) evenings to complete.

Engine (and beer)

The instructions start with the engine bay so, armed with suitable encouragement I set off. The engine isn’t as sophisticated as some Lego Technic cars but it is largely hidden once complete.

Engine cover

Despite the complexity of the kit and the close resemblance to the original vehicle, most of the parts are regular Lego blocks although used in a variety of ingenious ways with very little “cheating”. Actually its a testament to the genius of the geometry of the system that such things are even possible.

RHD conversion

I decided to kit-bash slightly and build the cabin as right-hand drive. Yet to go in is the dashboard which also acts as a support for the opening ‘safari’ windscreens.

Done!

The completed beast. All doors, windscreen, rear hatch and engine cover open, and the roof extension pops up (with a fabric curtain). Inside there is a folding table and convertible bed.

Now how about trying the same level of interactivity in 1:76 scale!

Posted in kits | 2 Comments

I’ve been a lazy blogger

Posted on 27 December, 2011 by Steve

Pressures of work and other activities over the last few months have led to a pause in updates here – although that doesn’t mean I haven’t been up to anything of interest. Now I have a few days rest before it all starts again in 2012 here’s a brief summary…

FR Vintage Weekend

Followed by another...

My first vist to a gala event at the Ffestiniog, and it was a great one! The weather was superb over both days (a big ask for north Wales in mid-October) and along with a few friends we had a brilliant time on the railway on the Saturday and then lineside on the Sunday – the final highlight being the quadruple headed (3 double Fairlies and Blanche) service leaving Tan-y-Bwlch late in the afternoon. All rounded off with a look around the slate museum at Llanberis before heading home.

Photos from Saturday, 15th October
Photos from Sunday, 16th October
Photos from Monday, 17th October

ExpoNG 2011

Grossbierdorf - O14

Another year and another ExpoNG. With Narrow Planet now firmly established as a custom nameplates service we had a stand at the show for a second year, so a lot of time was taken up with that. However there were a few chances to look around the rest of the show, and it felt like the quality was great with a good variety of layouts and some deserved prize winners with Garreg Wen, Corris 1930 and Landswood Park Farm all receiving trophies.

My personal favourite, pictured above, was the O14 Grossbierdorf by Escadrille St. Michel, who come over from France with an excellent new layout every year and this was no exception.

Photos from ExpoNG

And a little bit of modelling

Didn’t want to over-do it, of course, but I have found a bit of time to put together the excellent new 009 Society kit for the Hudson toastrack coach as used on the FR & WHHR. Currently in progress is a Chivers Finelines L&B bogie open, which I picked up at ExpoNG and is also a great kit with very free-running bogies.

With a hope of having a bit more time in the new year (ever optimistic, usually foiled) I’ve been accumulating a few projects via eBay and other sources so with luck there will be more updates from here in 2012!

Posted in expong, ffestiniog, kits, model railways, narrow gauge, photos, preservation | 1 Comment

Sunshine at Bredgar

Posted on 8 October, 2011 by Steve

In the woods
Through the woods towards Stony Shaw with Eigiau

That freak October heatwave coincided with one of the 2′ gauge Bredgar & Wormshill Light Railway‘s open days, so what better way to round off the summer than an afternoon of small trains in the Kentish hills.

Tunnel of trees
A tunnel of trees on the B&WLR

What the privately owned railway might lack in length it more than makes up for in character, with sharp curves and steep gradients carefully inserted through the mature trees to give the appearance of having been there for a long time.

Waiting in the trees
Eigiau waits to take the next train from Stony Shaw

The two stations, Warren Wood and Stony Shaw, are immaculately presented and the extensive sheds contain a brilliant array of machinery – as well as the railway stock there are traction engines, tractors and vintage cars and bikes.

Dholpur
‘Miniature’ Dholpur 2-8-4T

Not all the railed vehicles are 2′ gauge either, there were also a number of ‘miniatures’ on display. I use the term loosely as this 7.25″ gauge replica of an Indian 2-8-4T Dholpur which is a beast even at that scale and almost as big as the 10.25″ gauge Leek & Manifold tank (same prototype gauge of 2’6″) behind it. Definitely one for the future modelling file!

Low level Limpopo
Limpopo running round at Warren Wood

An intensive service was running, with three engines in steam and taking turns on two rakes of coaches, and demonstration goods trains later in the day. The railway runs at least six open days through the spring and summer, you will need a car to get there but it’s well worth the effort!

More photos from the day on Flickr

Posted in 2' gauge, inspiration, narrow gauge, photos, preservation | 2 Comments