I’ve just started modelling an actual, historic location on my small British 00 (similar to HO) layout. This is the first time that I’ve actually tried to model a specific location — usually, I’ve just winged it, ending up creating a fictional site.
I’ve been generally trying to model the famous Somerset & Dorset line in SW England. One reason: this line saw a wide variety of locos and rolling stock running through it so it allows you to use many different types of locos. It’s also a very scenic part of England and this railway (at least in Britain) is quite legendary.
I’ve chosen to model Wellow Station in Somerset (near Bath). I’m enjoying this and am preoccupied with finding historic pics from the 1950s and 1960s, trying to find images to base my layout on.
In many ways, modelling a real location simplifies things — you just try to copy the original site. All of the details (i.e. Where the station building, interlocking tower, signals, etc. are located) are already decided for you. When I’ve modelled fictional locations, I’ve spent some time puzzling over where to place the various items on the layout & how to make them look, making them realistic and consistent for the time period and location.
Just wondering if most other folks try to model actual locations, or are ficitional or “semi-fictional” locations just as popular? As mentioned, this is turning out to be more fun & easier than I expected.
Thanks,
Rob
Yes Rob we here are doing what you are, got maps, books and a web site to work from
Hi Rob,
I have modules in mind that will contain specific places. The biggest limitation (not just on modules, but even in most basements) is space. Richard Wakefield had a model of the Orangeville CPR yard - it was 23 feet long, but still too short. He also did some other locations from Alton to Teeswater. Almost all track plans were modified, some were even mirror images.
You can see Richard's layout (now dismantled) here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Homepage.asp">http://www.mcswiz.com/MyLayout/Homepage.asp</a><!-- m -->
In my case too, I am planning a bit of historical fiction, and possibly throwing in a bit of time-travel too. So stuff does not have to be exactly as it was/is. In these cases, I want to make it believable, not completely accurate.
Andrew
Thanks for your feedback. In many ways, this is a silly question because I've seen some awesome HO layouts based on Southern Ontario in the 1950s at the various train clubs in and around Toronto.
I'm probably more interested in comparing notes with other "lone wolf" types. Progress is obviously a lot slower when it's just one person doing the modelling, but then we usually have much smaller layouts!
Rob
Tomorrow I'll be operating Windermere station. Mike tells me that it is to scale (with minor improvements) and it takes up a diagonal in one basement room. The layout representing the rest of England fills the crawl space. I think that Lostock Junction is modelled functionally but probably not to scale. I think Mike's only been working on this for 35 to 40 years
I've never been able to decide on a place to model; just took plans I liked from books.
BR60103 Wrote:Tomorrow I'll be operating Windermere station. Mike tells me that it is to scale (with minor improvements) and it takes up a diagonal in one basement room. The layout representing the rest of England fills the crawl space. I think that Lostock Junction is modelled functionally but probably not to scale. I think Mike's only been working on this for 35 to 40 years
I've never been able to decide on a place to model; just took plans I liked from books.
Have fun, David! I hope to see more of these layouts in the future.
I'm going to fudge a lot of details with mine -- I have to on such a small layout. For example, the Wellow station platform will be only 2/3 as long as it should be (maybe even less!) so I will have to foreshorten & crowd some detail. I'm still finding it fun locating various pics from all sorts of angles (and different time periods even) that show different types of detail.
Once I narrow down the various main sections immediately around the station, the rest of the layout will probably be fictional.
I also think that graphically and design-wise, the layout now has a central focus (the station) that draws the eye while the rest of the layout's detail settles into the background. Before I made these changes, the layout was too busy with too many small areas competing for attention. The eye didn't know where to look. This is the graphic designer part of me coming out.
This is what I do for a living (a magazine designer) -- which also proves the point that while layouts may or may not be works of art, they do take on principles of design.
Rob
Windermere, as in the Lake District? Cool place!
Robert, my future layout will be entirely based on real places. My current layout has drawn inspiration from a few real places, but I'm not modeling any scenes exactly. It is really just a generic, freelance somewhere in the Rocky Mountains layout. Still, my rolling stock construction plan is based on my long term prototype modeling plan. I'll probably build a few dioramas once I finish this layout. One diorama will be in Cripple Creek, CO. Another will be in Hawaii. And then there will be a few modules that will be as close St. Marys, OH on the NKP as possible.
nkp_174 Wrote:Windermere, as in the Lake District? Cool place!
Robert, my future layout will be entirely based on real places. My current layout has drawn inspiration from a few real places, but I'm not modeling any scenes exactly. It is really just a generic, freelance somewhere in the Rocky Mountains layout. Still, my rolling stock construction plan is based on my long term prototype modeling plan. I'll probably build a few dioramas once I finish this layout. One diorama will be in Cripple Creek, CO. Another will be in Hawaii. And then there will be a few modules that will be as close St. Marys, OH on the NKP as possible.
Yes, it would really be neat to see a layout modeled on the Lake District -- that's where my wife & I had our honeymoon 12 years ago!
Interesting plan to build a series of dioramas. I would think that would keep you busy for awhile. Perhaps you could post pics here as you go?
Cheers,
Rob
RobertInOntario Wrote:Yes, it would really be neat to see a layout modeled on the Lake District -- that's where my wife & I had our honeymoon 12 years ago!
I was asking if the layout David is going to run is set in the Lake District. But it isn't quite clear in my response/question! I visited Windermere in 2007.
My primary layout will always be On3, but I have so many other interests to explore:
-the Cripple Creek District with the SG CS&CCD Ry, SG MTRy, and NG F&CC...I have mechanisms for both a CS&CCD 2-8-0 and a F&CC 2-8-0...so a small diorama is in order.
-The Nickel Plate is, of course, of equal interest to me as the South Park. A primary reason for my primary layout being On3 rather than HO NKP is that I can always find a club where I can run my NKP steam, but On3 clubs/layouts are few and far between. So, I plan to build a few NKP modules for Free-Mo.
-The Oahu Railway has climbed up into the next tier, along with the C&O, Colorado Central, and C&S. I've only ever seen photos of two tropical layouts (I know of others)...and so some sort of OR&L diorama seems like the perfect chance to explore tropical scenery. The question remains as to whether On3 or HOn3 is to be most appropriate.
To further the cause of HO side projects, I have $500-$1000 worth of HO track I harvest from my dismantled layout...what should I do with it?
Michael
nkp_174 Wrote:To further the cause of HO side projects, I have $500-$1000 worth of HO track I harvest from my dismantled layout...what should I do with it?
Donate it to a museum, school, or other organization that would use it to build a display layout or teaching aid for kids. I once helped build a layout for a children's museum using donated track and equipment - very rewarding.
Kevin, I hadn't thought about that. I've always wanted to build a n-scale layout for the local Children's Hospital (When I was 10, they helped me win a fight against cancer). What I actually met by my comment was that I have HO projects I'd like to do...and a large stockpile of track for with which to do them. Still, there's no reason why I can't build one of my projects for the Children's Hospital
Yes, as in Lake Windermere.
Unfortunately, I think the station was located at the other end of the town from the lake. There isn't much shown beyond the station ; this is an operating layout. The other part of the layout is located in the more industrial area, near Blackpool if I remember.
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Ah. The scenery that is done looks nice. I love the variation of natural beauty that one encounters in the lake district...so beautiful. Quite a complicated layout! Are you one of the Davids in the photo?
I had the pleasure of riding the Newcastle-Carlisle line...it was quite pretty (and much easier to enjoy when compared to 125mph on the LNER main between York and Newcastle)
nkp_174 Wrote:RobertInOntario Wrote:Yes, it would really be neat to see a layout modeled on the Lake District -- that's where my wife & I had our honeymoon 12 years ago!
I was asking if the layout David is going to run is set in the Lake District. But it isn't quite clear in my response/question! I visited Windermere in 2007.
Michael
Hi Michael,
No, I understood that David was going to run a model set in the Lake District. I was just thinking that it would be neat to see a layout based on a specific area that my wife & I visited. This layout would have to have lots of hills (fells) and lakes!
It sounds as if you have a wide variety of interest. In addition to modelling Somerset, England, I'd also like to try modelling an area in or near Toronto sometime.
Cheers,
Rob
BR60103 Wrote:Yes, as in Lake Windermere.
Unfortunately, I think the station was located at the other end of the town from the lake. There isn't much shown beyond the station ; this is an operating layout. The other part of the layout is located in the more industrial area, near Blackpool if I remember.
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Wow, that IS a nice layout! One day I hope to have something like that!!
That's quite an extreme, to go from the splendor of the Lake District to the cheesyness of Blackpool!
Meanwhile, I'm making slow but steady progress of my Wellow, Somerset layout.
Rob