James Fitzjames Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 11 hours ago, St Enodoc said: I wonder whether that's how he got hooked on railway modelling... Not that singer, the chap concerned was far more dandy and charming He also turned out to have girlfriends all over the country, which did not result in a happy blonde... 2 4 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2021 1 hour ago, t-b-g said: Tony, I have no problem at all with you writing about what I have done on Little Bytham (your project), Retford (you have Sandra's blessing) or Buckingham (probably the most talked about in public layout ever). For other projects I would prefer to be able to have some control over who knows what I am doing and who I am doing it for. Some people I do some modelling for are happy for the arrangement to be known in public and some prefer to keep things more private. I would just like it to be able to ask for permission from the person behind the project before anything is said in public about what I am contributing. It just seems the right way to go about it as far as I am concerned. Both John and I have had instances where our work has been published by third parties before, without permission being sought and with inaccurate descriptions of what was being shown and my case, somebody else got paid for what I had contributed! So perhaps I am a bit sensitive about such things. Points taken, Tony, Thank you. However, Doncaster, in its embryonic state, has been seen before, in public; as Graeme King has mentioned. I've never written anything about it, apart from my mentioning it on here. Regards, Tony. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted January 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14, 2021 6 minutes ago, Tony Wright said: Points taken, Tony, Thank you. However, Doncaster, in its embryonic state, has been seen before, in public; as Graeme King has mentioned. I've never written anything about it, apart from my mentioning it on here. Regards, Tony. Thanks Tony. Yes, John and I have shown some items of track, buildings and rolling stock at a few shows as part of our EM Demo stand. So it isn't a secret. It is just that if I wanted to write on here that I was building points for John, I would have asked him if it was OK first and I would hope the same would apply to others. I certainly don't try to make an issue out of all you write. I quite enjoy a lot of it! Cheers Tony 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowanj Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Tony Wright said: Just a thought on mentioning 'names'. I consider it an imperative to usually credit those who've done any work in pictures I post on here, or where I make comment as to certain layouts' 'pedigrees'. I think that's only fair, because I cannot stand the notion of those who 'bask in praise' by omission. If anyone is 'offended' by my doing that, I'll happily delete their names. Many thanks. I too am really offended not to have been mentioned by name... it's just not good enough ( a bit like my modelling). Some folk are just too ruddy sensitive. By all means, take a bit of care with what you post, but also recognise the nature of the beast which is online posting.., quick and easy, communication,... and don't analyse every word to look for hidden nuances which don't exist. Edited January 14, 2021 by rowanj 8 2 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglian Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) I'm unable to make out all the layouts listed in the magazine's Top100 so I can't tell for sure if a couple haven't made the cut. Both are large 7mm layouts, one influencing the other. At the time of their construction I'd regard both as marking significant milestones. The first being the Norris Layout, which at best had a loose sense of geography and as far as I've read didn't operate to any sort of timetable, yet it remains significant in my eyes at least. The second: Lonsdale by Neil Corner and team. I think this layout has pretty much existed under the wire. I rarely see it mentioned and I have seen precious few images of it. Whilst it depicts a very plausible 'might-have-been' the main station is based on Hellifield. Edited January 14, 2021 by Anglian 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium t-b-g Posted January 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14, 2021 4 minutes ago, Anglian said: I'm unable to make out all the layouts listed in the magazine's Top100 so I can't tell for sure if a couple haven't made the cut. Both are large 7mm layouts, one influencing the other. At the time of their construction I'd regard both as marking significant milestones. The first being the Norris Layout, which at best had a loose sense of geography and as far as I've read didn't operate to any sort of timetable, yet it remains significant in my eyes at least. The second: Lonsdale by Neil Corner and team. I think this layout has pretty much existed under the wire. I rarely see it mentioned and I have seen precious few images of it. Whilst it depicts a very plausible 'might-have-been' the main station is based on Hellifield. I think they would both be in my top 100 favourites too and quite high up. Neither would be my sort of layout operationally but that doesn't mean I wouldn't be impressed by them. Both people with great vision and the ambition and resources to back it up. I think they are good examples of how employing top quality modellers can enhance rather than detract from a project. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 14 hours ago, grahame said: I'm sure many of us have groups of friends who model ... However, I wouldn't post up their names as being the 'pedigree' for justifying a category of consideration for compiling a list of 'greatest layouts'. The Pedigree Chums 1 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northmoor Posted January 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, rowanj said: I too am really offended not to have been mentioned by name... it's just not good enough ( a bit like my modelling). Some folk are just too ruddy sensitive. By all means, take a bit of care with what you post, but also recognise the nature of the beast which is online, quick and easy, communication, and don't analyse every word to look for hidden nuances which don't exist. Well, I'm greatly offended by the use of the word "ruddy". I don't come on Wright Writes to read that sort of language....... Edited January 14, 2021 by Northmoor 1 1 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkC Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 2 hours ago, James Fitzjames said: Not that singer, the chap concerned was far more dandy and charming He also turned out to have girlfriends all over the country, which did not result in a happy blonde... Are you, well, adamant about that? 2 2 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2021 1 hour ago, Anglian said: I'm unable to make out all the layouts listed in the magazine's Top100 so I can't tell for sure if a couple haven't made the cut. Both are large 7mm layouts, one influencing the other. At the time of their construction I'd regard both as marking significant milestones. The first being the Norris Layout, which at best had a loose sense of geography and as far as I've read didn't operate to any sort of timetable, yet it remains significant in my eyes at least. The second: Lonsdale by Neil Corner and team. I think this layout has pretty much existed under the wire. I rarely see it mentioned and I have seen precious few images of it. Whilst it depicts a very plausible 'might-have-been' the main station is based on Hellifield. Like much of what I've written, or been co-author to, I no longer have copies (part of a swelling throng!). Thus, I'm not able to comment exactly if Bob and I included the Norris layout, though I'd be surprised if it were not mentioned. I know John Emerson had some vintage shots of it, and I drove to Redditch to collect some more from a private collection. These were Russell Studios' images if I recall correctly, and were excellent. I recall reading a book in the library of my school (where I was a pupil) in the late-'50s, which featured pictures of the Norris layout. One showed a Stroudley 0-4-4 at the head of a train in a station, with the caption telling me it was 'the apotheosis of things which had gone before'. I learned two things that day; how good modelling could be and a new word to add to my vocabulary. I believe the Lonsdale layout was designed by David Jenkinson, and I know Norman Solomon did a lot of work on it. It had been 'sort of' arranged for me to take some pictures of it, though, for obvious reasons, the owner is very sensitive about others knowing where it is. My contacts were via Norman and DJH, but nothing came of it. I subsequently was told that the owner had had some 'professional' pictures taken, but was so disappointed with the results that he wanted no more. I suppose I was scuppered before it even started. If Bob used any pictures of Lonsdale, they'd probably have been those taken by Jenks himself. Regarding my photographing 'famous' layouts, I once had a phone call out of the blue asking if I'd be interested in photographing what Roger Daltrey was building (who?!). A visit was arranged as a sort of recce to Roger's magnificent estate on the Kent/Sussex border, where the layout was under construction. What a chance, but then I became ill and the opportunity to take pictures disappeared. Whether it has since been photographed, I don't know, but The Who lead singer is a very fine modeller. It should be photographed, if not. It really has been a privilege down the years to be invited to take photographs of some of the most famous and most impressive layouts ever created. Some have lived up to their 'reputations', others have been a bit of a 'disappointment'; excellent in photographs (not necessarily mine), but 'different' in the flesh. Naturally, my lips are sealed as to which, though my disappointment has usually been with regard to the running. Indeed, on one occasion when I rolled up, even though the layout had some top names in its building CV and the locos/stock had been built by a well-known 'name' in the hobby, I couldn't drive one train into position for photography without it stalling, stuttering and falling off! It's not unique. Regards, Tony. 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Barry Ten Posted January 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2021 2 hours ago, Anglian said: I'm unable to make out all the layouts listed in the magazine's Top100 so I can't tell for sure if a couple haven't made the cut. Both are large 7mm layouts, one influencing the other. At the time of their construction I'd regard both as marking significant milestones. The first being the Norris Layout, which at best had a loose sense of geography and as far as I've read didn't operate to any sort of timetable, yet it remains significant in my eyes at least. The second: Lonsdale by Neil Corner and team. I think this layout has pretty much existed under the wire. I rarely see it mentioned and I have seen precious few images of it. Whilst it depicts a very plausible 'might-have-been' the main station is based on Hellifield. You've probably seen the same photos I have, which are in David Jenkinson's book on historical railway modelling. I learned a new word from DJ's book - "supervenes" - he uses it all the time. Al 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted January 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14, 2021 3 minutes ago, Barry Ten said: I learned a new word from DJ's book - "supervenes" - he uses it all the time. Those are the ventilators on the carriage roof, aren't they? 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglian Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 (edited) I liked DJ's sole use of 'blandishments', in the same book and always thought that he wrote such compelling text. Edited January 14, 2021 by Anglian 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 14, 2021 All this talk of layouts has prompted me to dig a little bit deeper into my photographic archive. I know one should really not start a piece with an apology, but most of the following images (which will have to be split into separate posts because of their number) were taken on an early-model digital camera (which had a million pixels!!!!), and I was experimenting with different backgrounds. Some might have 'worked', others not. Perhaps two or three shown might be on the cusp of 'greatness', but that is conjecture. Most were just 'grabbed' at shows during the last decade of the last century (maybe one or two in the first decade of this). Such is my memory that many of the builders' names are lost in the mists of time, but, even where I know the name I'll not mention it (in case it offends). Some builders, sadly, have since died. They're just a few layouts which have appealed to me down the years. Please, make your own judgments, and comments, please................... Acton Main Line. Alburne Park. Ambridge. Ballyclare. Brockholes. Dartley. Dartmouth. East Mersea. More to follow................. 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 14, 2021 The next batch........... Finton. A bit of a cheat here because this was photographed outside. Halifax King Cross. Kipford. Laira Bridge. Two of Maidens Dale. Merthyr Riverside. Napier Street. More to come................ 22 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 14, 2021 And the next............... Newcastle (Ireland). Pagham Harbour. Rivendell. Somewhere at the end of a 'cinder path'.................. Someweir Junction. Two of Southwold. St. George's Hill. Still a few more....................... 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Popular Post Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Popular Post Share Posted January 14, 2021 And the last; for now...................... Stodmarsh. Two of Talybont. The Waverley route. These selections haven't even scratched the surface of the archive (many, many more are in BRM's archive at base, in Bourne). Several are in B&W because the camera's ability to capture the exact colours seemed to be limited at the time, especially at shows with very mixed lighting. I'll dig a little deeper tomorrow, should anyone be interested........................... 26 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 3 hours ago, Anglian said: I'm unable to make out all the layouts listed in the magazine's Top100 so I can't tell for sure if a couple haven't made the cut. Both are large 7mm layouts, one influencing the other. At the time of their construction I'd regard both as marking significant milestones. The first being the Norris Layout, which at best had a loose sense of geography and as far as I've read didn't operate to any sort of timetable, yet it remains significant in my eyes at least. The second: Lonsdale by Neil Corner and team. I think this layout has pretty much existed under the wire. I rarely see it mentioned and I have seen precious few images of it. Whilst it depicts a very plausible 'might-have-been' the main station is based on Hellifield. I should be able to help here. Both layouts are on the list, the Norris layout is listed under the name Francisthwaite (I never knew its name before - it was always just 'the Norris layout'!); there are three pages of photographs devoted to it in the magazine. So far as Lonsdale is concerned, it was the feature layout in the first two issues of the much-missed Modellers Backtrack (no surprise there, given that Mr Jenkinson was editor!). Nine pages plus trackplan in issue 1; six pages in issue 2. Photos by Ron Prattley. Lighting is a bit harsh but they illustrate the layout well enough. 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNER4479 Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Proof, if proof were needed 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglian Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 I have the first issue and have no idea why I didn't buy the second. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Fitzjames Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 2 hours ago, MarkC said: Are you, well, adamant about that? Completely 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Manxcat Posted January 14, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2021 21 hours ago, Tony Wright said: Thanks Tom, Though the thanks should go to Alan (who made 'me') and Tim (who painted 'me'). 'I'm' actually on two other layouts as well (can't you just hear the groans?); Tom Foster's and Ian Wilson's. Regards, Tony. Tony, Does that mean that ModelU sell "you"? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2021 41 minutes ago, Manxcat said: Tony, Does that mean that ModelU sell "you"? I have no idea, Archie. If they did, I'd imagine sales would be very low. Regards, Tony. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Chas Levin Posted January 14, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 14, 2021 2 hours ago, Tony Wright said: And the last; for now...................... Stodmarsh. Two of Talybont. The Waverley route. These selections haven't even scratched the surface of the archive (many, many more are in BRM's archive at base, in Bourne). Several are in B&W because the camera's ability to capture the exact colours seemed to be limited at the time, especially at shows with very mixed lighting. I'll dig a little deeper tomorrow, should anyone be interested........................... Good evening Tony, I'm sure I'm not alone in being always interested in these pictures; the vast majority are layouts I've never seen in picture form, let alone in real life (remember how we used to go and see things in real life, with other poeple?) so they're not only very enjoyable but very educational . 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony Wright Posted January 14, 2021 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted January 14, 2021 2 hours ago, LNER4479 said: I should be able to help here. Both layouts are on the list, the Norris layout is listed under the name Francisthwaite (I never knew its name before - it was always just 'the Norris layout'!); there are three pages of photographs devoted to it in the magazine. So far as Lonsdale is concerned, it was the feature layout in the first two issues of the much-missed Modellers Backtrack (no surprise there, given that Mr Jenkinson was editor!). Nine pages plus trackplan in issue 1; six pages in issue 2. Photos by Ron Prattley. Lighting is a bit harsh but they illustrate the layout well enough. Thanks Graham, I don't think it was the Ron Prattley photos which the owner of Lonsdale was unhappy with. It's a pity it hasn't featured more, because I know Norman Solomon had done a fair bit more after the photographs were taken. I enjoyed working for David Jenkinson, doing the odd photo commission and articles for MBT. He didn't suffer fools gladly (though he tolerated me), new exactly what he wanted and I knew what that was. There are few of his calibre left today. Regards, Tony. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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