There seems to be a few more posts from the U.K. lately,---- a lot model North American trains, I can’t remember seeing any British layout photos, doesn’t anyone in the U.K. model British trains??? would like to see some photos of complete British railway model layouts, any out there??? Photos would be great for comparison and maybe a few new fresh ideas.
Why would we model British when we can model American? [:-,][swg][:-,]
Shorter cars, smaller trains, more interesting passenger stuff…[:P]
Hi tatans
Lots of people model UK trains they just don’t seem to be on this forum perhaps they see it as a US outline model train forum
You are correct about the marked difference between the US and UK railways
The biggest one would be the size of layouts not may attic fillers in the UK, but there seem to be a lot of basement fillers in the US if the model press is anything to go on.
The UK are masters of the small branch line layout, I am not sure that could easily be pulled off with the larger US rolling stock having said that some one will now prove me wrong.
The basic techniques used both sides of the world pond would be very similar I would think
But the colouration of terrain seems to be very different as are the trains
I got a big enough surprise seeing Aus trains on the forum so you might get lucky.
regards John
I’m a Brit living in the US modelling US railroads with the odd British visitor. If my countrymen are like me then they may never find this forum. How so? you may well ask.
Well, when I first started to model trains here in the US I did numerous Google searches on Railways and related subjects. Little or no US stuff will pop up if you look for Railways. Since this term is used in the UK instead of Railroad, Brits are destined not to find this place.
I’m not kidding, I went a good couple of months thinking that model railways were not popular in the US. Only after visiting a LHS I realized this subtle terminology difference had essentially kept me away from the American side of the hobby on the web.
Of course not everyone will be as thick as me!
I was surprized when I read on Goods & Not So Goods (a fun, informative, & interesting site) that much of BR’s freight stock was 4 wheel 12-24 tons wagons into the 1970s - this was, what, 20+ foot long? Even better was a lot of that wasn’t even vans (enclosed cars - boxcars), but was 5 ‘panel’ open tops (flat cars w/ 5 or so boards of wood high sides). I knew bogie-stock was somewhat rare in the UK at that time, but to me that’s like US railroads using 1900-style rolling stock into the PC/Amtrak era…
Chutton01,
Thanks for calling the Goods & Not So Goods site to my attention. British railways are a side interest of mine, and I’ve been looking for a good source of background information on British prototype practices. UK modelers are blessed with some excellent magazines, but they presume a fairly high level of knowledge. I’ve sent some questions to Model Rail magazine which they have been kind enough to answer in person or in print, but I’m still baffled by many references. Someone ought to publish an English-American dictionary for railroad modelers!
My current project (on hold while I find the moving box it’s hiding in) is converting an OO scale Hornby ‘Gronk’ shunter to EM gauge. Translation: I’m replacing the wheelsets on an OO scale (4mm = 1ft, 1:76.2 scale) Class 08 six-wheel diesel switching locomotive with wheelsets gauged to the the more nearly correct 18.2mm (EM gauge).
Here’s a photo of a Gronk from a Wikipedia article (mine is in British Railways livery):
Charlie
I found that site awhile ago while trying to figure out how ‘screw link couplers’ worked (yep, he - I believe his name is Mike Smith - covered it), and it’s just so packed with information (from how rolling stock was/is designed to various passenger, loco, & freight stock to terminal operations to signalling, heck down to and including road markings, local parks, high street buildings and even workman’s clothing) you can learn something new every visit (and he seems reasonably accurate cross-checking with other sources).
I’ve always had a soft spot for connecting rod driven diesels, and so always liked the 08 (and similar 09) - too bad they would have no relevance on a layout set in south Pennsylvania in the early 21st century…[:P]
I’ve always had a soft spot for connecting rod driven diesels, and so always liked the 08 (and similar 09) - too bad they would have no relevance on a layout set in south Pennsylvania in the early 21st century…
Hi Chutton 01
No problem just extend your layout using an industry large enough to justify its own internal shunting loco.
Add the US RR features US law demands it just became the export model and therefor plausible.
Maybe it got built for one of the ex colony’s and they could not pay for it, so it got sold cheap to the Pennsylvania Purple Widget Company suppliers of purple widgets to the world.
Their works could well be big enough to justify its own shunting loco
I know they (08’s) went to Holland and Australia so kited out for US practice its a believable possibility.
regards John
Sorry to spoil your fun John… but I don’t think that anyone made or makes an 08 or 09 in H0 (3.5mm). They would all be in 00 (4mm). While the smaller UK Loading Gauge would mean that they wouldn’t look bigger than US locos overall many details - like doors - would appear too big/wrong.
The only people likely to have built an H0 version would be Bachman back in the late 70s/early 80s. They did a Class 33. (I have one with the non-powered bogie [truck] missing… anyone got a spare one?)
That Goods etc site looks okay. Unfortunately he doesn’t appear to have any knowledge of Absolute Block working so some of his statements about what signals go where - or, to be more precise, why they go where are a bit out. Also, while I only skimmed his notes on layout design he basically seems to miss out the segregation of all tracks permitted to have things carrying passengers from all tracks with things not carrying passengers. [Trying to put that briefly].
Anyone interested might like to wade through the thread of a little while ago…
http://www.trains.com/TRC/CS/forums/1066930/ShowPost.aspx
A lot of basic stuff got covered.
The first page also includes a pic of a Hornby 08 next to a US Switcher…
[8D]
Its not a class 08 but Roco has made a dutch series 500/600 in H0 that’s almost the same as a 08.
/stefan
Dave,
I had a look at the other thread, and the Hornby Class 08 in the photo is the same model I’m working on, in the same livery. It’s a very nice piece of work.
Charlie
08s aren’t nice! [|(] Get one going up to Selhurst to be refueled Tuesday night and it feels like Wednesday before the thing grinds by… they were governed to 17mph IIRC.
Worse! [:(!] You could catch one headed off on a Pway (MoW) job Saturday night. An hour In Section is no joke. The crews held up behind them were fed up… goodness knows what it was ike to ride them… on 60’ jointed rail.
You’re right though… the models look pretty [:-,]
Indeed we seem to be John, and yes, just to prove you wrong i’m in the process of building a small US terminus (Wye River Terminal Railroad) which measures only 3’6" x 18" with a 12" removable traverser on the end.
Lots of UK prototype layouts out there, only a month to go to the National Railway Exhibition at the NEC in Birmingham and that fills one or two halls that are used for the big motorshows etc.
http://www.warley-mrc.org.uk/stop_press.htm no layouts in the pics but it shows the hall and show centrepiece, different full size loco each year.
I model UK steam and diesel, US standard and narrow gauge and Swiss!
Here’s a good link for UK prototype stuff and models.
http://www.nevard.com/
One problem is if you model ‘modern image’ in the UK you are pretty well by default modelling American as 95% of our locos seem to be class 66’s made by EMD.
Here’s a link to our club site and if you click on - Societys layouts, and then - Tarrant valley photo tour.
http://www.wimrail.org.uk/tvr2.html