I managed to get to Uckfield yesterday and found myself returning again and again to soak up the atmosphere engendered by this magnificent portrayal of a country branch line. OP looks even better ‘in the flesh’ than the wonderful photos and videos and fully deserves all the praise it receives - congratulations Paul.
Old Parrock
- Thread starter PaulR
- Start date
PaulR
Western Thunderer
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I must say it all went in a bit of a whirl. The organisation of this show is amazing and they're a really friendly crew. I haven't eaten so much in years!
PaulR
Western Thunderer
PaulR
Western Thunderer
We're really looking forward to taking Old Parrock to the Farnham and District Model Railway Show at Aldershot at the weekend - details here: Exhibition | F&DMRC
Interestingly, Old Parrock's buildings are described in the blurb as being 'a bit of a mixture'. That's fair I suppose, so to add to the variety I have a new train, a little SECR pick up goods with a SECR P Class and six-wheeled brake van. There's also a new GWR iron mink to complete the concoction.
If you're going along, please do say hello!
Interestingly, Old Parrock's buildings are described in the blurb as being 'a bit of a mixture'. That's fair I suppose, so to add to the variety I have a new train, a little SECR pick up goods with a SECR P Class and six-wheeled brake van. There's also a new GWR iron mink to complete the concoction.
If you're going along, please do say hello!
NHY 581
Western Thunderer
Hi Paul,
Lovely to see a post from you. Sadly, I'm too far away and somewhat pre-occupied at present to visit the show.
Old Parrock looks as good as ever and the 'new train' looks properly at home.
I am, as I'm sure you are, looking forward to the next batch of P Class locos from Hattons which include a couple of 'must haves '..........
Rob.
Lovely to see a post from you. Sadly, I'm too far away and somewhat pre-occupied at present to visit the show.
Old Parrock looks as good as ever and the 'new train' looks properly at home.
I am, as I'm sure you are, looking forward to the next batch of P Class locos from Hattons which include a couple of 'must haves '..........
Rob.
michael mott
Western Thunderer
morning Paul, seeing your post this morning sent me back to the beginning again. An enjoyable couple of hours with my coffee checking out the falling leaves of the maple outside the kitchen window, and your delightful narrative of your layout build.
as I am beginning my own landscaping now,I was particularly taken back to my childhood by this shot of the hedgerow on your layout. I hope I can achieve the same sense of place as you have.
Michael
as I am beginning my own landscaping now,I was particularly taken back to my childhood by this shot of the hedgerow on your layout. I hope I can achieve the same sense of place as you have.
Michael
PaulR
Western Thunderer
Thanks Rob.
Enjoy Uckfield - it's a real gem of a show and this year looks exceptional. Sadly I can't make it as we are booked to go to a friends 60th birthday party. The P Class is perfect for Old Parrock and I have a perverse liking for the WW1 austerity livery. An added bonus is that it runs beautifully without a 'stay alive' - such a great little model.
It's one of those glorious thoughts that although only eight were ever made there are thousands and thousands of them in model form, in all sorts of guises, giving us all hours of innocent pleasure in our respective fantasy worlds!
PaulR
Western Thunderer
Hi Michael,
Thank you so much for this very kind message. I certainly envy you that amazing Canadian fall! I've been following your thread too and I'm glad to see that you're flying the flag for corrugated card and Papier Mache! Nice paintings too, that's a talent that has definitely eluded me.
Seeing the way Old Parrock looks, you can probably guess that building the layout - and the scenery in particular - was for me the most interesting part of the project. The most satisfying stage was when all the basic scenery was complete and I was adding detail. I'd be out and about somewhere and see dandelions in a field or nettles in a hedgerow and think, 'I can do that!' The mobile phone was useful for a quick photo (I hardly ever use it for phone calls) and then back home working out where and how to add it to Old Parrock.
I spent a ludicrous amount of time on a layout only 51" x 18". Sometimes I look at it and can't remember all the work that went into it. I do wonder whether in fact, like the story of The Elves and The Shoemaker, it was actually built by little magical creatures while I was sleeping!
The shows are fun and I have a great team to run it, usually four of us. That may seem a lot for such a small layout but even then I prefer to let the others run it while I stand and chat to people.
I've just started on a second layout. This time it's in O Gauge and is 7'0" long with a 3'6" fiddle yard, a London riverside wharf and goods yard. Like the difficult second album I'm struggling to organise the different elements to my satisfaction. I'll get there in the end.
Good luck with your layout Michael and keep us posted here with progress.
PaulR
Western Thunderer
We've had some fun with Old Parrock this year. We took it to the Canterbury Show in January and then to Tonbridge a fortnight ago. This weekend we're exhibiting at the Abingdon Show, which is going to be large with over 40 layouts.
I decided that I needed to add some interest to my freight stock, so I had a rummage around in my 'unmade kits' box and I've built a pair of SECR (ex LCDR) single bolster wagons. These are Chatham Kits from Roxey Mouldings. They were quite fun to make. I've also built a new load - house slates. These will eventually be loaded into a Cambrian Railways 2-plank wagon but that's not finished yet, so they have a temporary home in a SECR 3-plank.
If you're going to the Abingdon Show, please come over and introduce yourself. It was great to meet AJC at Tonbridge.
I decided that I needed to add some interest to my freight stock, so I had a rummage around in my 'unmade kits' box and I've built a pair of SECR (ex LCDR) single bolster wagons. These are Chatham Kits from Roxey Mouldings. They were quite fun to make. I've also built a new load - house slates. These will eventually be loaded into a Cambrian Railways 2-plank wagon but that's not finished yet, so they have a temporary home in a SECR 3-plank.
If you're going to the Abingdon Show, please come over and introduce yourself. It was great to meet AJC at Tonbridge.
NHY 581
Western Thunderer
Marc Dobson
Western Thunderer
There has been a bit of chatter on RM about the movement of slate recently. There were four main areas of production on the UK mainland, north/central Wales, North Cornwall, Furness/south lakes and the Scottish Highlands. The Welsh firms used a mixed of rail and sea to ship as did the firms in the Scottish ones. Slate from Furness and Cornwall was mainly shipped by rail.
As for wagons used Cambrian 2plks (fixed side and Drop-side), Furness 2plks (fixed side, drop-side and centre door) GWR 3plks, LSWR 3plk drop-side and caly 3plks. All might have brought slate to Old Parrock.
Marc
As for wagons used Cambrian 2plks (fixed side and Drop-side), Furness 2plks (fixed side, drop-side and centre door) GWR 3plks, LSWR 3plk drop-side and caly 3plks. All might have brought slate to Old Parrock.
Marc
PaulR
Western Thunderer
Yes, thanks Rob, I like that. To be completely honest I hadn't thought it through!