After a rather too long a hiatus in modelling terms due to life getting in the way I have managed to get back to the workspace. Yesterday I attended the NEAG meet that was primarily for getting people building and most of us built a 2mmFS Mineral Wagon kit and had the challenge to complete it by the end of the day. I didn’t get off to a good start by forgetting my soldering iron (I have at least 5 with the temp controlled one I was going to take got out ready the night before, and a craft knife) Thankfully one was provided for me and I cadged off my fellow AG member for the knife. It also realised/remembered that there are all sorts of little jigs and things like Blutac and hair clips. I have also been thinking about toolbox build and adapting it to my needs. I therefore haven’t moved ahead with this yet but I have make contact with local timber merchants who will supply and cut good quality Birch Ply along with carcassing timber for another project.
Unfortunately I didn’t manage to get that far but I certainly managed to get a good way on with it. The boost it provided has got be back to getting on with my modelling and certainly will keep momentum going as I got another kit to bring home with me to start as soon as I have finished the first one. In fact I have a rake of about 15-20 to build of these so once I have completed one to my satisfaction I will start batch processing.
This leads me on to what to run these on. Well I am going to try to build a foam board micro, a kind of inglenook keeping it simple!! but building some things that can be transferred to the ‘big’ layout. But less talking more doing! 🙂
Wagon kit building starts
Before lunch
End of the day
Looking again at Bishopthorpe Lane, how large is it? With thoughts on your comment regarding modern era stock could this station be set in a 1970’s era? Perhaps with tracks still in place but obviously not still in use? Failing that, perhaps a rebranding of it’s location.
I look forward to seeing more updates on the first wagon. Though I’ve done some pretty fine work I’ve never worked with a proper finescale chassis or one of the kits the 2mm Association sell. It’s terrific seeing others attempting this. IF I ever am lucky enough to visit, I’ll be trying to schedule the trip around a 2mm event so I can draw in as much as possible. Though the idea of a British 2mm layout is something I’ve been attracted to for a very long time I continue to model Canadian prototypes for the time being. As mentioned before the temptation to adopt something like the FiNescale 1/160 standard for North Americna modelling sounds tempting.
The plan was 4′ long and 9″ wide, but looking at it in Templot theres just no way it will fit unless I have #2 switches and extended it out to 6′. However I cam across an earlier iteration that would sort of fit in 5′ x 14″ giving a reasonable scenic backdrop. At the moment it doesn’t allow for a loop to the sidings but if I was to have the right hand switch off board and on staging then that would work. I am just a bit concerned about the space taken up by staging at both ends. Part of the requirement is to be able to easily move the layout around as different parts of the house are depending on season useable for modelling and or playing 🙂 I have always liked the circular layout and may have alluded to it previously but in 2FS the min radii is 3ft making a 6ft sq foot print. Potentially it could have a rear fold down flap for staging but it is starting to become more complicated and I wanted to KISS in order to achieve something.
As for eras unfortunately the locos are bright shiny colours and of the modern EMD variety. But there is scope, and I will expand later.
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Hello. That is strange. I wonder where my comment went? Feel free to delete that blank.
Sorry.
Yes it left me wondering 🙂
Yup, I’m usual in the position of apologizing for my verbosity. Heh.. Heh.. Heh..
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Always enjoy your comment and thoughts Chris. Keep em coming 🙂
This is a terrific update, Tim. Great work.
I sure wish we had similar “let’s get together and make some stuff” model railway meeting here. More to the point, I wish I was closer as I’d love to get to a bunch of these 2mm group meetings. It sure looks like fun. I think it’s a terrific effort to actually commit time to making a model and further still, to commit to completing it.
By the way, that plan that appears in your blog’s header would make a lovely little layout wouldn’t it? (Bishopthorpe Lane)
Thanks Chris, Well there’s a reciprocal invite if your over this side of the pond am more than happy to arrange a meet up with 2millers 🙂 I have to say I didn’t manage to finish the wagon but it was enough to feel a good sense of achievement and to getting the ball rolling. I am now going to commandeer the kitchen table for evening works. Our group meets every fortnight but I am not usually able to go that often.
Yes that plan was designed for 2mmFS 😉 so that might be the plan I use for my micro. The only concern is the staging at either ends as this would make for quite a considerable length. I need to measure up the lengths of trains that would be used. Admittedly they would/were small rural trains but as the stock I have at the moment is all modern as I have used the 2mil drop in wheels. Right off to measure. 🙂