Now that I find myself with some spare time, I took the opportunity to tidy my bedroom (which doubles up as my work "area"); especially after the mess that building diorama commissions entailed! It's usually filled with modelmaking tools, materials, two desks, my bed... the list goes on, but it's mostly modelmaking related stuff in some manner. Unfortunately, most of this has to stay in my tiny room, but, as a result of the clear-out, I was able to fit all 3 BRM dioramas on top of my (ex-kitchen) wall cupboards. All they need now is a dust sheet, I suppose.
Anyway, the clear-up also brought up a couple of old photos, and given that James Hilton has been sharing layouts from his childhood, I thought I'd do the same (although mine aren't a patch on his!) The first four I'm about to show you were at a time before I found out about railway forums, so I was relying on myself and my (mostly uninterested but supportive) parents to be able to build something!
As you can see, at some stage it was put up in our (probably near-new at the time) conservatory. The board on the left rear was a station, and survived for a long time. Looks like the rearmost hill was finished (I believe my dad did most, if not all of the construction work!). I actually still have that grassmat, too! It's stood up in my room between the chimney and my clothes cupboard. No idea why I kept it, as I can't imagine ever using it again, but that's by-the-by...
...The station was a Metcalfe kit, and as you can tell only featured one siding/bay platform and a run-around loop. The buffer stop was a homemade one from old sleepers, and the platform I remember specifically being N gauge (I don't know what we were thinking, either!). Bushes were brightly covered lichen, and a signal box from Hornby "finished" it off. That was the only area to be ballasted, too.
The next two boards never got past the state you see them in, and featured a Hornby dual loco shed (you can just about see the Flying Scotsman), a Dapol church, a row of houses (bottom right), and factory (middle). The latter two I've no clue what brand they were, but they were definitely card. Apart from the gated factory siding (although I can't see the gate in the photo, so maybe that came later), I really don't remember this part very vividly. One thing I will point out is the row of lollipop sticks, middle right; I'm still using the exact same box of them to this day!
The last board on the top right I have no recollection of at all. Looks like there's a level crossing at the very end; presumably used as a headshunt for the factory. Either way, it didn't last long in this set-up, and the whole lot got put up in my room when I had my new bed with extended legs (which I amazingly still use to this day!). This took the form of an L shape; the station went under my bed, the centre corner board had a ton of sidings, and the end board had a short platform and a few more sidings. Sadly, I don't remember the trackplan, and don't have many photos, either!
The bedroom layout saw a motley collection of hand-me-down rolling stock...
My first attempt at a layout didn't last long; with no scenic materials, I made do with what I found in the garden!
Aside from my first Hornby Trakmat layout (which I have no photos of, sadly, but I reckon is the large board standing at the back of the photo above), my railway modelling began at a young age. Here's my very first "layout". I'll use the word layout loosely considering the unballasted track, garden stones, bits of evergreen shrubs masquerading as... something, cardboard "telegraph poles", and the card-made "roads" and "tunnels"; one of which is paper mache. It's hilariously bad looking back, but I suppose I was very young at the time. Oh, I've just noticed the gravel bits (presumably ballast glued onto card). To be fair, I remember this layout really clearly, not least the station nameboard which was constructed from card and split pins. At least I had a Wills Platform Shelter!
Anyway, it certainly left a LOT to be desired, and didn't last long in that form. Eventually, the board was cut up, and I presume was turned into this (although I can't remember for sure):
A far cry from my efforts now, but as you can see; a step up from the original Hornby Trakmat!
As you can see, at some stage it was put up in our (probably near-new at the time) conservatory. The board on the left rear was a station, and survived for a long time. Looks like the rearmost hill was finished (I believe my dad did most, if not all of the construction work!). I actually still have that grassmat, too! It's stood up in my room between the chimney and my clothes cupboard. No idea why I kept it, as I can't imagine ever using it again, but that's by-the-by...
...The station was a Metcalfe kit, and as you can tell only featured one siding/bay platform and a run-around loop. The buffer stop was a homemade one from old sleepers, and the platform I remember specifically being N gauge (I don't know what we were thinking, either!). Bushes were brightly covered lichen, and a signal box from Hornby "finished" it off. That was the only area to be ballasted, too.
The next two boards never got past the state you see them in, and featured a Hornby dual loco shed (you can just about see the Flying Scotsman), a Dapol church, a row of houses (bottom right), and factory (middle). The latter two I've no clue what brand they were, but they were definitely card. Apart from the gated factory siding (although I can't see the gate in the photo, so maybe that came later), I really don't remember this part very vividly. One thing I will point out is the row of lollipop sticks, middle right; I'm still using the exact same box of them to this day!
The last board on the top right I have no recollection of at all. Looks like there's a level crossing at the very end; presumably used as a headshunt for the factory. Either way, it didn't last long in this set-up, and the whole lot got put up in my room when I had my new bed with extended legs (which I amazingly still use to this day!). This took the form of an L shape; the station went under my bed, the centre corner board had a ton of sidings, and the end board had a short platform and a few more sidings. Sadly, I don't remember the trackplan, and don't have many photos, either!
The bedroom layout saw a motley collection of hand-me-down rolling stock...
...In the photo above, we can see an SDJR 4-4-0, an LMS carriage, an Intercity carriage, a tender (Flying Scotsman?), and three Hornby 4-wheeled freelance carriages; one being either "Annie" or "Clarabel". At least I had the right height platforms and the track was fully ballasted!
Here's the station board again on its last day, in 2009. I guess it must've been stored in my shed for a while, too, before that also got taken down. Oh. Right. The shed! Yes, I did have a layout in there all the way around. There was also a lifting section that crossed the doorway. It was, surprisingly for me, N gauge, and was based on the Dawlish Sea Wall. I still remember many lunchtimes at school using the printers to sneakily print photos of the sea wall section and Dawlish station; having found them online!
The only evidence (aside from some of those images that I printed off, and for some reason, a few bits of rolling stock that I've kept...) is an incredibly short (6 second) clip of it (screenshots above). Unfortunately, whilst all the trackwork and the cliffs were "completed", water ingress into the cheap shed ruined it, and I only remember running trains for three days! I don't remember there being any pointwork, and as you can see, (apart from a Castle class and 2 or three GWR carriages) the rolling stock was... eclectic; an NB gunpowder van (which I still have), 2 Saxa salt wagons, and 2 NCB wagons as you can see above! Something tells me even if it hadn't got ruined by water, I would not have enjoyed running it for long without any ability to shunt wagons. Oh, plus the lack of any insulation in the shed making it either too hot or too cold in there!
Here's the station board again on its last day, in 2009. I guess it must've been stored in my shed for a while, too, before that also got taken down. Oh. Right. The shed! Yes, I did have a layout in there all the way around. There was also a lifting section that crossed the doorway. It was, surprisingly for me, N gauge, and was based on the Dawlish Sea Wall. I still remember many lunchtimes at school using the printers to sneakily print photos of the sea wall section and Dawlish station; having found them online!
The only evidence (aside from some of those images that I printed off, and for some reason, a few bits of rolling stock that I've kept...) is an incredibly short (6 second) clip of it (screenshots above). Unfortunately, whilst all the trackwork and the cliffs were "completed", water ingress into the cheap shed ruined it, and I only remember running trains for three days! I don't remember there being any pointwork, and as you can see, (apart from a Castle class and 2 or three GWR carriages) the rolling stock was... eclectic; an NB gunpowder van (which I still have), 2 Saxa salt wagons, and 2 NCB wagons as you can see above! Something tells me even if it hadn't got ruined by water, I would not have enjoyed running it for long without any ability to shunt wagons. Oh, plus the lack of any insulation in the shed making it either too hot or too cold in there!
And then I found RMweb... next time, I'll show you my first somewhat-serious attempts at railway modelling.
I hope you enjoyed this brief window into my past - comments and questions welcome as always; or you can share your own first layouts!
I hope you enjoyed this brief window into my past - comments and questions welcome as always; or you can share your own first layouts!
Everyone starts somewhere Jamie, I count myself lucky to have a modelling father and best friend. I’ve run out of old photos so if I dig any big else out it will be photos of models I still own. One interesting point, the trees I had on my last layout have finally been exhausted on Pont-y-dulais, having featured on Creech Bottom, Creech Grange, Vowchurch, Canal Street and East Works... from now on I’ll have to take what I was taught as a child and make my own!
ReplyDeleteThanks, James!
DeleteAs my mum rightly points out "it just goes to show how long I've had to put up with your modelling!". My parents have been extremely patient, with almost every room over the years having had some of my modelmaking mess in it at some point. My dad was always on hand to do any woodwork for me, which enabled me to learn the skills for later projects like Sandy Shores. So I have a lot to thank them for!
It is surprising how some bits you manage to hang on to, or even include on multiple layouts over the years. As an example, you'll be seeing that Wills Platform Shelter again in the next blog entry!
In defence of your first layout, the key is that you wanted to add scenery and improvised with what you had. Better materials come later, the determination to do something is what everyone needs in the early stages of their modelling life.
ReplyDeleteOh, and enjoying the hobby. Determination and enjoyment make good modellers, not endless cash!
You're not wrong, Phil. I guess I was never contempt with just playing trains; mostly preferring to design and build my own layouts, regardless of what materials I did or didn't have to hand! It also all about encouragement, which I had a lot of from my parents; as well as a heap of patience from both sides!
DeleteLike playing the piano, railway modelling is something that I'm so glad I stuck to throughout my life. It is of course enjoyable, but as you say, you need the drive to constantly better your abilities as well. Above all, it's the creative side of it that really grabs my interest. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this hobby has so many aspects to enjoy, and you'll always learn so many things as a result of it. That's why I love it!