So 2013 was a bad year and lead to little or no modelling due to circumstances and the loss of modelling mojo, however in 2014 I am hoping to break that trend and start off on a positive foot. I realise that doing 15 mins modelling a day may not be completely attainable for most of us and wanted to start off saying that I am in that category myself. However the principle is to do something railway related every day. In the highs and lows, well to be honest mainly the lows of last year it was particularly hard to keep the mojo motivated, and at some points I thought what the hell am I doing playing with toy trains, just get rid of it all and start another hobby like RC planes or motorcycle maintenance.
Well thankfully things have improved and I feel a bit more positive about my life in my hobby and want to produce something that I can ‘play’ with and also be proud of producing. As you can probably tell from the projects post I do have the tendency to wander off the beaten track (pun intended) and get dazzled by shiny new things. If I was to set new years modelling resolutions (which I am not as I have long realised that metaphorically 2 minutes after I set them I am breaking them again) it would be to stick to one task until its completed. That said I do really like opposing interests and so therefore it is going to be a battle of wits with myself this year to produce.
All the projects from last year still stand and I am looking forward to getting stuck into things. I also wish all ‘you’ out there in modelling land a happy year ahead and look forward posting my progress here and to reading about others modelling endeavours.
..and finally the new found mojo came from a Geography project for me niece, a little bit of hand laid nominal Zn2/3 gauge track solder by both myself and once taught my niece with some realistic wobbles.
Down in the valley
Happy new year and 2014
I particularly like the Rice, David Jenkinson et al methods of research and planning and in some way feel that I try to emulate this however being somewhat of a perfectionist, without the ability to match I struggle with what I see in my head and what I handle in front of me. However 2014 is going to be DIFFERENT!! 🙂 I am going to have another go at the foam core..
I also really like Pete’s work and have like you thought about copying him. In fact I brought a Cl24 on the basis of doing such a clone. I also love the drawings he produces, suppose being an Architect helps..
Happy new year! Thanks for the update on your model railway hobby.
I could have sworn I read an echo from my own experience in the words you wrote about being able to settle on a layout and get something done. For me, the more time that passed between projects the more overwhelming each potential new one began to appear. I was beginning to worry that my future in the hobby in general was at stake. Since an obsession with model railways has punctuated most of my life I found this almost equally overwhelming. What has been working for me is to attempt some simpler project layouts to keep myself active and productive. With each I enjoyed being reunited with skills.
You’ve already shared some terrific ideas and I keep returning to your S scale parcels depot idea. I wonder if something like that could be done in Z to balance with some of the other projects you posted?
Thanks Chris, I have been struggling with extreme scale see-sawing and getting more dishearten by the lack of progress. Also my inability to cut a straight line on any material that I can imagine using as baseboards has added to the overall feeling of incompetence . However I have come to the conclusion that I will just have to keep making mistakes until it finally clicks or I can live with the results! Funny how I can hand lay a switch with nothing much more than a modified paperclip, but a straight level baseboard…..
As for my plans I am going to concentrate on my 2mil stuff first and then work out from there as I have all the ‘stuff’ and modelling a micro is the way forward. However it won’t stop me from the armchair plans that may never reach fruition it is kinda what I like doing, drawing, planning and imagining
Man, I couldn’t agree with you more on your thoughts.
I just don’t have the workshop space here at the house to produce benchwork I should be capable of having. I’ve designed a lot of cabinetry and furniture (professionally) and often recall that and find myself a little dissappointed that I’m not able to apply some of that.
I am really happy that I made the time to try foam core benchwork last year for three layouts. As a material, it certainly isn’t without shortcomings but it brings a lot of potential too and is a material I’d like to try further for future model railway benchwork projects.
Sometimes I think we need to be more proud of an approach to model railways that is more “study” based as we would in art. Too often it’s too easy to think that every model needs to be finished or it has no value. I think we need to pursue the model to the point where it satisfies our curiousity and engagement and no further. We grow as modellers and are fed by a sense of doing something.
2mm? I keep returning to the Kyle in a Boxfile thread on RMWeb and wishing I’d succumbed to temptation and just built a literal copy of his project. I like everything about that.