I thought maybe I should introduce myself properly after popping up here recently!
Real name Ian, wife three kids, mortage busy job etc etc! Over the summer I decided rather than spending too much of my time in the pub with my mates I needed an additonal hobby (to the veg growing!) which was interesting for the kids, was out door and would capture my imagination. As a teenager I had an N gauge lay out, a RC 4 channel glow powered aeroplane, a mamod traction engine, RC race cars, and more recently have dabbled with RC Helos. Also (hope my current friends and colleagues don't read this) I spent alot of time on the end of platform 5 at Reading station when there were still some proper trains around!
So I had a little investigative (as far as SWMBO was concerned) trip to GRS and was smitten straightaway. Since then I have spent every spare hour working on the layout, mostly from second hand track and stock, building it to last, and reading Peter Jones book for advice. I have also made a serious hole in my savings, but hey what are they for!!??
So far I have a mix of scales (i think!) in stock that look OK together (sorry I don't care too much about realism if it "feels" good to me. After all what real train has 50m tall giants wandering around it and goes in cricles? The big thing for me is I want them to seem like they are going somewhere, sort of passing by.
Locos: a 1989 White Pass and Yukon narrow gauge diesel, an even older I suspect U Class LGB, a Lady Anne (I'm in love!) and a Western Playmobil track powered loco... OK that's my 5 year olds but I "borrow it" The Lady Anne does need two or three proper carriages behind it I admit, but the train fund has expired for now.
Track plan attached- sorry it's a bit poor but gives an idea. Phase one was the veg patch loop, phase two was the garage knock through. Here's a link to a view of phase 2. I have a lovely long straight. I know it's not the point but Lady Anne is very quick light engine (boy racer coming out!)....
Sorry for the ramble- felt I should open up a bit, rather than just being the recipient of great advice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWIEC4f8WEE phase 2
If you look at my other vids you'll see phase 1
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Real name Ian, wife three kids, mortage busy job etc etc! Over the summer I decided rather than spending too much of my time in the pub with my mates I needed an additonal hobby (to the veg growing!) which was interesting for the kids, was out door and would capture my imagination. As a teenager I had an N gauge lay out, a RC 4 channel glow powered aeroplane, a mamod traction engine, RC race cars, and more recently have dabbled with RC Helos. Also (hope my current friends and colleagues don't read this) I spent alot of time on the end of platform 5 at Reading station when there were still some proper trains around!
So I had a little investigative (as far as SWMBO was concerned) trip to GRS and was smitten straightaway. Since then I have spent every spare hour working on the layout, mostly from second hand track and stock, building it to last, and reading Peter Jones book for advice. I have also made a serious hole in my savings, but hey what are they for!!??
So far I have a mix of scales (i think!) in stock that look OK together (sorry I don't care too much about realism if it "feels" good to me. After all what real train has 50m tall giants wandering around it and goes in cricles? The big thing for me is I want them to seem like they are going somewhere, sort of passing by.
Locos: a 1989 White Pass and Yukon narrow gauge diesel, an even older I suspect U Class LGB, a Lady Anne (I'm in love!) and a Western Playmobil track powered loco... OK that's my 5 year olds but I "borrow it" The Lady Anne does need two or three proper carriages behind it I admit, but the train fund has expired for now.
Track plan attached- sorry it's a bit poor but gives an idea. Phase one was the veg patch loop, phase two was the garage knock through. Here's a link to a view of phase 2. I have a lovely long straight. I know it's not the point but Lady Anne is very quick light engine (boy racer coming out!)....
Sorry for the ramble- felt I should open up a bit, rather than just being the recipient of great advice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWIEC4f8WEE phase 2
If you look at my other vids you'll see phase 1
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